Maligning community leaders does not help wind debate

Maligning community leaders does not help wind debate
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2009
"It was the best of times. It was the worst of times." This is a quote that is well known, and I am sad to say we saw it played out in the last month in our small town of Cape Vincent.

First, we saw a tragic event happen when a young Cape Vincent man was murdered in his prime by a senseless shooting that took place as he was trying to help another in his EMS duties. This community united, and a fantastic tribute took place in his memory.

Then just a few days ago, while the community was still mourning over losing one of our young community members, some anti-wind folks viciously and maliciously attacked our town and Planning Board members in a public forum. These anti-wind folks cruelly condemned a group of our second- and third-generation citizens, accusing them of lying and abusing their voter-given rights when making decisions about wind farms.

I don't care if you are for wind or full of wind, we have known these men and women for 30-plus years and their families before them. In all that time, never have we known them to act in any way other than exemplary in their duties as elected officials.


Maybe anti-wind groups can say the same about their own group members, but I am sure the Cape Vincent community would like a complete list of the group members so that we can scrutinize their duties and contributions to our community.

If anti-wind folks' goal was to unite this community in full and enduring support of our town board and Planning Board members, then they have succeeded.

Gary and Ellen King

Cape Vincent