Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Seekonk Battles Over "Weapon of Mass Confusion"

Seekonk's Weapon of Mass Confusion
by Bill Gouveia for the Sun Chronicle
In the topsy-turvy, crazy political environment that exists at virtually every level of government today, almost nothing is unusual. No one is quite sure just what the new “normal” is, but if this is it — good luck to us all.
And don’t think it is completely the fault of our elected officials, be they national, state or local. We voters and citizens have to take equal responsibility (or blame, depending on your point of view) for what is an absolutely impossible to predict world.
All of which leads to the topic of today’s discussion: Seekonk and the big green gun.
Back in July, Seekonk selectmen accepted a vintage howitzer from the Massachusetts National Guard. For those unfamiliar, that is an artillery gun used in wars long ago.
Naturally, it is non-functioning and intended to serve as a memorial and reminder of the sacrifice made by those who fought valiantly for our country all over the globe.
Having such obsolete weapons as monuments in a community is not unusual.
In my hometown of Norton, we have one such retired weapon. It is located along East Main Street on a small plot of land designated to honor our veterans. It sits between Wheaton College and the Trinitarian Congregational Church. To the best of my knowledge, it has never generated any type of controversy.
But in Seekonk, their “Weapon of Mass Confusion” has been a source of contention, irritation and argument almost since it arrived. The reasons for this are varied, but the controversy has now pretty much reached a level of absurdity usually reserved for overrides and leash laws.
It all started when the Guard “loaned” the howitzer to the town, and selectmen placed it on the Veterans Park Land. This spot is located next to the town library, and the library’s board of trustees serves as custodians of the park.
Believing there would be no problem, selectmen were somewhat surprised when the library board objected and claimed “established town regulations” had been ignored. They questioned their liability should someone climb on it, fall off and be injured.
Additionally, some residents complained about the “gift”. One selectman reported he was told some neighbors were frightened by the inactive weapon. A concerned resident called it “a symbol of death and destruction and violence” and another said it interfered with the Veterans Memorial being “a peaceful place.” Other residents saw no problem with it, and wanted it left at the memorial.
So for the last few months, the selectmen and others have been treating the gun like it was made of uranium. There has been talk of finding the “right place” to put it – like somehow a spot that honors veterans is innately inappropriate. It has come up at multiple meetings and there is still no final decision.
But in what is somehow a fitting next step, the beleaguered board of selectmen has decided to defer the question. They voted 4-1 last week to place a referendum on the April town ballot asking voters if the howitzer should stay at the park or be moved elsewhere.
So to review briefly – the school budget is not voted upon at the ballot box. Neither are the police or fire budgets. Decisions to buy or sell land are not decided at the polls, nor are major zoning changes or bylaw alterations.
But whether or not to move the big green gun will be on the ballot.
This is not meant in any way to denigrate or disrespect the legitimate concerns of any individual, or tell people how they should honor their veterans. Each community does it their own way.
But Selectman Chairman David Andrade was right when he said “We (selectmen) were elected for a reason and it’s to make choices and to make decisions.” And frankly, if they can’t make this one, how are they going to decide on the really difficult issues? Talk about passing the buck.
If it helps, I’ve never heard of anyone falling off the big gun in Norton. Coincidentally, it is right across the street from the town library. Almost every Veterans Day parade stops at it. And the “weapon” has never been voted off the island.
It’s now official. We are running out of things to worry about.
Bill Gouveia is a local columnist and longtime local official. He can be reached at billsinsidelook@gmail.com and followed on Twitter at @Billinsidelook.

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