More ramblings

So Ari's comments about institutional memory have inspired a post.

After I first read it, I had all these great thoughts and then I got caught up commenting on sds' comments about me dictating what goes in people's yards - and I've nearly forgotten all the rich pearls of wisdom I was going to dispense.

Well, whatever it was I was going to dispense.

Back to institutional memory and whatever other stream of consciousness that might come up while I'm typing.

I studied history extensively in college. What I found is that you can't trust the written word, because whoever writes a historical document (or a news story) is writing it from their perspective.

All of us, for example, could write a book about the last eight years.

My book would not be complimentary to President Bush, but that written by someone else might be. Would that make my perception right and the other person's wrong? To me, yes, but not to the Bush supporter.

Look at this editorial in yesterday's Daily News. The person writing this does not agree with the law professor that Bush & Co. are guilty of war crimes. The six people who wrote comments pretty much agree with the law professor.

If not for those comments, someone in the future would look at that editorial and base an opinion about Newburyport on it. And perhaps still will - it's only 6 people so far who beg to differ.

So, OK, I've talked in depth to only two former mayors - Byron Matthews and George Lawler, who are pretty much contemporary. Both talked to me in some detail about the redevelopment of Newburyport and "saving the downtown" from being razed during urban renewal.

The details differ, but the essence of both their stories was the same. Because I was interviewing each for a different type of story (but neither was a 'news' story), Matthews talked to me quite a bit about why he perceived people did not necessarily like him.

(I did not confront George Lawler about any missing money, it's true, and not only because I did not know about it. Was he prosecuted for any malfeasance? I don't see that anywhere.)

So the folks from the Historical Society of Olde Newbury (which is in Newburyport, for readers not from around here) had to "step in" to stop the destruction of downtown? That's what it's all about, right? The people "stepping in" to stop possibly misguided actions by elected officials?

(This is what bothers me about the apathy surrounding the landfill.)

I could go on and on ... we are steeped in the need to blame someone for everything.

Speaking of the landfill, who is to blame for the debacle there? The person who signed the Host Community Agreement? The person who allegedly allowed toxic sludge to be dumped there?

I've heard Lavender, I've heard Clancy, I've heard Mead.

Who is to blame for the current state of union contracts, if there is a problem there? Again, the usual suspects who were mayor around that time.

(One thing I do know, by the way, is that our current mayor inherited a whole lot of mess [which he steadfastly resists blaming anyone for], and I think he should be given credit for wading his way through it AND making new initiatives. And for not whining about his predecessors.)

Anyway, blame all depends on to whom you are speaking at the time. Whose insitutional memory are we to trust? Well, as I said, you take it all, you make a judgment, and you form an opinion.

My opinion might be different, but do you want us all to agree? I value the challenges I get from my readers.

By the way - This country and indeed this city, have a rich history of "forgive and forget." Is that the proper course? Again, I'm not sure.

People make mistakes, people are taken in by clever con artists, people are people. As far as I know, no one has died because of a mistake or idiotic action taken by a former mayor.

Hell, the state named a bridge after someone who punched out a sitting mayor.

Finally, does being part of a community mean you take care of your own?

I guess I answered my own question, in the post about the junk car. The man who owns it does not talk to his neighbors, except to get into shouting matches with them, and offers no assistance to them - would I be putting photo of the car on here if it belonged to someone more neighborly?

Probably not.

Even so, it took me this long to put it on here.