vote is done; town heals

[Douglas Rushkoff]

I was out of town until just now, but I heard the news and thought I should tell the list: the bond was defeated, meaning the town rejected the field proposal. 

I did not actually vote, but I have to admit that I was quite torn on the issue - which is why I didn't say much on this list except to try to get the facts about where the money comes from, whether taxes go up, and other clarifying information. After talking with Eileen and reading about the Geoturf, I found it hard to object from anything other than an aesthetic and environmental example perspective. It also seemed weird to be in a town that is adopting a "green" building code and banning plastic bags, but still using however many zillion tons of plastic on its field. 

But I'm also the type to spend as much on the school as possible. And I really do see how, with limited space to play and a reluctance to clear more land for fields, plastic represents a highly practical approach to the seemingly inevitable urbanization of Hastings on Hudson. Still, comparing the environmental impact of sod to that of plastic disposal is a bit like comparing Chinese human rights abuses to those of America. It's not quite comparable. 

The most important thing now is to try to heal as a community. There's a lot of vitriol on Facebook and elsewhere, and that won't help any of us as we move forward. This isn't about types of people, old vs. young, jocks vs. nerds, or middle income vs. rich environmentalists. I know people of all "kinds" who voted all ways, and for all sorts of reasons. 

So I humbly suggest everyone try to engage with people on whatever you see as the "other side", and try to affirm that we all have more common interests and goals than differences.  

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