Re: non RLS: difference between Poultney and Putney and general ranting

April 20, 1999

Connie, Nope, Poultney is 23 miles southwest of Rutland on the New York

border right in the middle of one of the world's biggest veins of slate so

from Granville New York up through Fair Haven Vt there are lots of quarries.

The area is predominantly Welsh descended from immigrants that came over

earlier in the century to work in the quarries. The other ethnic groups are

Italian and Slovak. Putney is situated just north of Brattleboro on the

southeast border facing New Hampshire. People often mix up the two towns

along with Pawlet which is south of Poultney.

Several summers ago Poultney had a big Welsh festival planned and were

expecting a Welsh Male Choir from Wales who were coming to give a concert at

Green Mountain College here in town. There was a parade etc. What a hot

day!! They had me in the lead with my Cardigan Welsh Corgi along with a

couple of women in Welsh costume. We waited and waited for the bus carrying

the Choir. As we stood roasting in the hot sun we finally got word that the

bus driver got confused and took the choir to Putney!!! They arrived late

(we're two hours from Putney) but it all ended well. What marvelous voices

those men have. Even though I don't understand Welsh I was entranced.

I've been watching the news coming from Colorado about that tragedy in the

school and finally had to turn it off as it got more and more upsetting. I

really believe a lot of this violence eminating from the young people is a

result of all the violence they see via TV and movies. It used to be that

violence in the news was portrayed as a very bad thing but now it's

portrayed on TV and movies as entertainment. And I think, as far as young

people's thinking goes, that it's all blurred now as entertainment. They've

never known it as anything else. The matter of gun possession isn't the

key. Here in Vermont we don't have any gun laws except for the new federal

one where you have to go through some folderol about being cleared before

you can buy a weapon. Everyone here owns at least one gun (even me) and

Vermont has the lowest incidence of crime in the country. We all laugh and

say that's because everyone knows everyone else is armed.

I heard one media representative say that they're only portraying real life.

Hogwash, all that blood and guts, crashes and horrible violence comes across

to the young as entertainment. We may know the difference but our kids

obviously don't. Makes my heart bleed.

I'm sending a copy of this to the group although I don't really know why.

Just a conversational offering to a group of friends.

CHEERS, tears and prayers,

Jeanne and Mr. Biggles in Poultney, VT

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