Opinion
Still reeling from the tumultuous affairs at their town sewer plant that resulted in the resignation of the plant manager and criminal charges against a septic hauler, the Edgartown selectmen now must confront yet another town scandal, this one involving the stunningly irresponsible actions of Norman Rankow.
Some people regard social networks (like Facebook) as a waste of precious time. Others find them a lifeline to a meaningful social world. I’m in the latter category, especially on an Island like Martha’s Vineyard. How come? To explain, I’m going to take a little detour in this conversation — so please stay with me.
I am just back from troubled Israel. There, an ultra-Orthodox Jew of the Haredi sect spat on an eight-year-old girl he deemed immodestly dressed and other ultra-orthodox members of that sect were insisting that women sit at the back of public buses. A settlement illegally built by ultra-orthodox Zionists on the Palestinian West Bank was demolished by Israeli Army soldiers. And the Israeli government, fearful of Iran’s nuclear capabilities, was hinting at making a pre-emptive strike against that country.
Editor’s Note: What follows is the text of a speech made by Laurie Perry-Henry at the NAACP Martin Luther King dinner held last weekend. Ms. Perry-Henry is president of the Vineyard chapter of the NAACP.
Good evening. It is an honor to be here with so many Islanders who are committed to justice. When I look at a crowd like this, I am reminded there is good reason why for 103 years the NAACP has never asked if we will win, but only when we will win.
For the first time in the history of high school sports on the Vineyard, all four of the high school’s winter sports teams—girls’ and boys’ hockey and basketball—have won enough games to qualify for post-season playoff tournaments.
Tea Lane Farm in Chilmark will get a new lease on life following the special town meeting this week, when voters swiftly approved a plan to create a long-term arrangement for a farmer to take over the fifty-acre property that has been a landmark at the corner of Middle Road and Tea Lane for as long as anyone can remember.