Vermont town needs to hear from you. They're getting hate mail from RW

[Brazenly Liberal]

As usual, the rabid right is not very bright, but what they lack in brains, they make up for in sheer thuggery.

NEWFANE, Vt. -- The protest unfolded in a white meeting house on one of the prettiest town commons in Vermont. The debate at the Town Meeting was by all accounts unfailingly polite. And when the secret ballots were counted, residents of this tiny resort town had voted 121 to 29 to impeach President Bush.

The roomful of rural neighbors expected a reaction. But none of them thought their small act of dissent would provoke national outrage.

Angry calls and e-mails flooded Newfane, population 1,680, the next day. One critic sent a mock thank-you note, signed ''Usama Bin Ladin," that applauded the town for its help in ''bringing down" America. Some regular guests of the picturesque, 175-year-old Four Columns Inn notified its owners that they would never visit again.

''Shame on you," one caller said on the town clerk's voicemail. ''A little Socialist town like yourself is a disgrace to America."
http://www.boston.com/news/local/vermont/articles/2006/03/18/small_town_provokes_big_outrage/

[depakid]

1. "a climate where any opposition is characterized as treason,"

Seems to me that the town WOULDN'T WANT people like that even coming there. I sure wouldn't. Anything that keeps assholes like that out of the community is good thing, from my perspective.

[Erika]

2. Amazing how W has torn this country apart

So many couldn't face the fact the he could care less about Americans.

This community needs to be applauded.

[SammyWinstonJack]

16. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! He meant too divide us, he has succeeded.

Not so incompetent after all, is he? :argh:

[magellan]

3. Newfane did the right thing

I swear, if a Democratic president had broken all the laws that Bush** has broken so far, I'd be very content with the impeachment proceedings the Repugs would doubtless have already undertaken.

[beam me up scottie]

4. I have never been more proud to be from Vermont.

:patriot:

The citizens from Newfane are true patriots.

Vermont has a national reputation as a hotbed of progressive sentiment. It was the first state to legalize civil unions for same-sex couples, and its only congressman, US Representative Bernard Sanders, is an Independent who describes himself as a socialist. Town meetings in the state have, in the past, reached beyond local affairs to vote on such weighty matters as reducing nuclear weapons. In March 1974, at least one Vermont town meeting voted to impeach then-President Richard M. Nixon -- an action that also attracted national attention.

Dan DeWalt, the Newfane selectman who proposed the vote on impeachment, said he had not anticipated the scale of the backlash when he decided to bring the debate to Town Meeting. To DeWalt, a ponytailed musician, woodworker, and teacher who displays a running tally of Iraq war deaths outside his home on a muddy hillside near the Rock River, the vote seemed like one more way to push back against a government he sees as dangerous.

He did alert three other Vermont towns -- Marlboro, Putney, and Dummerston -- which adopted his idea and called for votes on impeachment at their town meetings. Voters in all three towns approved the measures. A fifth town, Brookfield, also voted for impeachment.

[nine23]

5. What's up with these freepers and their spelling?

'One critic sent a mock thank-you note, signed "Usama Bin Ladin,"'

Fucking morans. (On the bright side, I just can't stop thinking how the good townsfolk of "The Bob Newhart Show" would handle this.:)).

Hopefully, they'll see it for what it is, and comedy will ensue. (Still rather pathetic, tho...)

[Kailassa]

9. I've seen that spelling in this forum and thought it was a joke.

... as in USama, America's tame "terrorist".

[Kurovski]

11. The British often spell it that way. It is an acceptable form.

But yes, Freepers are nitbrains. Rush Limbaugh has sucked their skulls dry.

[NMMNG]

6. I wonder

When citizens called for the impeachment of Clinton, did Democrats send vicious hate mail to them?

[upi402]

7. done, I wrote Jenna, who wrote the article.

Newfane, Vt.
:yourock:

[oasis]

8. Who has brought America down? George Worthless Bush.

[melissinha]

10. email

[e-mail]


any better ones... pleae make mention the people bugging them are just bullies and/or mentally ill, so pay no heed... the rest of us are just jealous that our communities are as bold, brave and truthful as theirs...

[beam me up scottie]

18. Done.

I also told her I have regretted moving away since the day I left.

[melissinha]

29. I don't doubt it

I miss my purple state of Iowa alot when I think of the people who represent me, Cronyn, KBH and Tom DeLay's best friend Lamar Smith, where are you know?

I so wonder what it would be like to live in Vermont..... Sounds like a liberal pseudo pardise....

[beam me up scottie]

33. Sorry, I went to catch a nap and just now logged back in.

I'm living in Kentucky, and not the blue part of the state where George Clooney is from, either.
It's unbearable most of the time. Ignorance, prejudice and reichwing ideology is ingrained in most people at an early age.

Vermont is wonderful, expensive and has some of the worst winters anywhere. But it is a bastion of independence and always has been.
The fact that we gave the world Bernie Sanders, Pat Leahy, Jim Jeffords and Howard Dean is a never ending source of pride for me.
I have a hard time believing those men would have been elected to office and repeatedly reelected in any other state. (especially Bernie, a socialist)

Where are you living?

[mnhtnbb]

32. Just e-mailed congratulations to them for their leadership

[lakeguy]

12. sent them an email about visitors info

even though i just found their website. wanted to let them know i was interested in visiting after the vote to impeach.

looks like a cool little town!

[izzie]

13. The hate mail comes from people who missed US gov. 101 Or

going to grade school.

[laura888]

14. Just sent them an email

Saying "Bravo!"

[left is right]

15. Do more than email

If you live less than 300 miles away from this brave little community, consider taking a day trip to it; have lunch, make purchases. If you live more than 300 miles away and are planning any vacation, take part of it in Newfane. And if none of these are an option, consider ordering maple syrup from a local establishment. Nothing speaks louder than spending money

[beam me up scottie]

19. Take it from a native Vermonter,

GO THERE.

Vermont has a magic all its own and you won't be sorry.

Where else can you go and see absolutely NO billboards?

[radfringe]

17. my letter:

A big thumbs up for your recent call for Impeaching Bush. I wish my town would do the same.

I applaud your courage and resolve. I encourage you to remain steadfast in the face of the backlash that has been reported.

For too long we have seen many people and organizations afraid to speak out lest be branded as Unpatriotic. We have seen too many of our officials and legislators speak out and then apologize for expressing opposition.

People should not be afraid of the government - the government should be afraid of the people.

I have vacationed in/around your town on many occassions - please know that I will definitely continue to do so.

----------

and for those of you who enjoy BANJO - Newfane has a Banjo festival every year!!!

[BlackVelvet04]

20. Bravo.....

I just emailed the town to let them know that they do have supporters.

Here is a link to a list of business in town: http://www.newfanevt.com/links.html

http://www.newfanecountrystore.com/ this is a link to a country store that you can order from online.

[sproutster]

21. Call what is happening to them, what it is: Terrorism

Any act including, but not limited to, the use of force or violence and/or threat thereof of any person or group(s) of persons whether acting alone or on behalf of, or in connection with, any organisation(s) or government(s) committed for political, religions, ideological or similar purposes, including the intention to influence any government and/or to put the public or any section of the public in fear

[XanaDUer]

22. Done.

...

[OnionPatch]

23. How typical of Bush's staunch supporters

to behave like a pack of little Nazis and try to bully this town.

I wrote and gave them my support and applause.

[Stephanie]

24. Here are some photos >

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=364&topic_id=666732

[cantstandbush]

25. Indifference to them and ignoring them will kill them off. Just keep

on doing what we think is right. Keep on supporting those we think are working in our nation's behalf and screw the rabbid right. They are the true disgrace to America. Keep fighting back with truth, information, and your spine.

The only time my five-year old granddaughter gets my goat is when she totally ignores me and continues to do what she has been told not to do and takes the spanking with a shrug. God, that makes me so angry. Then I figured: this is a tactic that the Bushbots are using against us and we need to turn it aroung on them. Shrug at their threats and keep on doing what they tell us not to do.

[Brazenly Liberal]

26. You guys ROCK!

:yourock:
On a Sunday morning, when you could be in your jammies, watching TV or sleeping in, you're sending emails giving support to people who dared to do what they thought was right.

This is so important. As much as we must rail against the insanity, we also need to take some time to see and celebrate the sane.

[Jokinomx]

27. Great post.....we need to all try to visit Newfane this summer and help

their tourist industry. This would be the best way to show our support for them standing up for American Values.

We are starting our planning for a trip there this summer.

:toast: to all the great citizens of Newfane.

[brook]

28. A personal note on Newfane...

You can express support for the brave citizens Here (Scroll to bottom of page)

The Four Columns Inn is lovely. Though I only stayed there once, it was everything one imagines when you think of country inns. John Kenneth Galbreath was a frequent luncheon guest at the time. The Inn is on the green, behind the Town Hall.

The countryside is breathakingly beautiful...even in mud season, which is when I was there. My visit was to see a dying relative who was in the Grace Cottage Hospital in Townshend -just north of Newfane. Grace Cottage Hospital consists of, I think, three 1800-era homes. I have never seen anything like it nor have I spent time in such a warm and friendly atmosphere. Everyone there made a bittersweet visit a sweet memory. I will always have a special place in my heart for them.

[northzax]

30. but I thought the problem was that the big cities

didn't have enough small town, american values?

and I love the complaints from the people who didn't vote at all about it. If you don't like it, go vote, jackasses.

[Joanne98]

31. I thanked them and told them to expect a rise in tourism

and property values.

[allalone]

34. emailed them

could the fight to win back America begin in the original states. hmm

[texpatriot2004]

35. Vermont Rocks nm