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Message |
    
Charles Wantman
Citizen
Username: Charles_wantman
Post Number: 1
Registered: 4-2006
| | Posted on Monday, April 10, 2006 - 7:33 pm: | 
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Insinuations in Maplewood-on-Line postings that Tony Smith was anti-semitic
bring up memories of the notorious "Swiftboat" campaign used to discredit
John Kerry in the 2004 election. While the recent Smith-tainting doesn't
quite rise to the malevolence of the smear of Kerry, the intention is the
same.
As we now know, these insinuations against Tony Smith are false. Not only
is he a total unknown at the Anti-Defamation League, the world leader in
tracking anti-Semitism, but Smith has been exhibited, with great enthusiasm,
at the Jewish Museum. If Tony Smith is kosher enough for the Jewish Museum,
he's kosher enough for South Orange.
So think about this. If opponents of the Tau project are trying to dampen
our enthusiasm for it by offering up misleading insinuations about Tony
Smith's character, what are we to make of their other arguments? Should we
accept them without qualification, or should we approach them with just a
hint of skepticism and seek some other perspectives?
The take-away from all this, neighbors, is this. You've got a good head.
Use it. Should you come across a juicy bit in a posting on
Maplewood-on-Line, don't buy it without some critical thinking. As the
Gershwin boys have told us about what we read, 'It ain't necessarily so."
When crossing streets in South Orange these days, watch out for Swiftboats.
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Stuart0628
Citizen
Username: Stuart0628
Post Number: 256
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Monday, April 10, 2006 - 8:58 pm: |
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Charles--
Welcome to MOL!
The antisemitism assertion is a red herring here. One MOL poster (out of dozens) wondered out loud whether there were any issues given Smith's association with other artists, and it was demonstrated to (at least my) satisfaction that there is nothing to this. I hope we can move (and I think we already have moved) beyond that and discuss whether to bring Tau to town on its merits alone.
The objections to Tau have nothing to do with any perceived antisemitism and EVERYTHING to do with the way the funding for this sculpture was presented and misrepresented to the residents and taxpayers of the Village by the BOT.
Many participants in the discussion, including the moderator of this Board, would be happy to bring Tau to town IF the effort to do so was affordable, with the cost clearly communicated upfront to the Villagers. Unfortunately that has not been the case.
I am sure others can articulate the issues here better than I. I invite you to read thorugh the Tau-related threads, and to look at Trustee Rosner's blog at http://www.nj.com/weblogs/rosner/.
Wishing you and your family a zissun pesach! |
joel dranove
Citizen
Username: Jdranove
Post Number: 342
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Monday, April 10, 2006 - 9:55 pm: |
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Welcome, and, do you have any opinions about downtown's appearance, the pace of development, bonding SOPAC, for example?
jd |
Dave
Supporter
Username: Dave
Post Number: 9194
Registered: 4-1997
| | Posted on Monday, April 10, 2006 - 10:11 pm: |
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Welcome, Charles.
The anti-semitic claim was not as clearly "manufactured" as the Swiftboat stories. It originated in an article on Slate.com
http://www.slate.com/id/2928/ |
Rastro
Citizen
Username: Rastro
Post Number: 2837
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Monday, April 10, 2006 - 11:13 pm: |
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I get the impression that someone is preparing for an anti-anti-Tau campaign. I would guess "Charles" is quoting some piece of literature he received, or something that was printed somewhere.
Now we'll see how far people are willing to go to support malfeasance by the BoT. |
Rastro
Citizen
Username: Rastro
Post Number: 2838
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Monday, April 10, 2006 - 11:19 pm: |
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And this is why you don't go off half-cocked with silly arguments. It f's up all credibility you may have otherwise had.
And this from a lawyer... |
SoOrLady
Citizen
Username: Soorlady
Post Number: 3229
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 11, 2006 - 9:16 am: |
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Charles - welcome. I've been saying something similar all along. Educate yoursleves. Read the news articles where the words "gift", then "grant" have been recently replaced with "bond" (although the board knew 2-3 years ago that the grant was not approved). If you can't attend BOT meetings, watch them on-line. Read the minutes. Educate yourselves and make your own decisions.
The gift of deed spells out the care of TAU - special washing, painting every 4-6 years; unless in an area where the elements can affect it and then more often. It is to be positioned out in the open, by the TRAIN and the TRAFFIC CIRCLE! This is not one of those run to home depot for black spray paint and send a DPW guy to do the job. TAU must be stripped, any portion in need must be repaired and then the whole is painted. Was any due diligence done to determine what that perpetual cost will be? no. The board says the cost is $440,000, but have they calculated the interest of the bond into that number? no.
As I've posted, I love this piece. If South Orange was in a different fiscal position, I'd welcome it. But we're not, so I can't in good conscience support the idea that public funds previously intended to repair sidewalks and roads should now be directed toward TAU. |
Bill C. Grant, BS
Citizen
Username: Parkingsux
Post Number: 386
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 11, 2006 - 9:23 am: |
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...and that sir is the defamation of the resident taxpayer. Go sing your praise for TAU somewhere else... we're sick of them (the BoT) as you should be!! |
Bailey
Citizen
Username: Baileymac
Post Number: 229
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 11, 2006 - 12:56 pm: |
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pssstt... Charles...
it's about the BOT, the costs, the location, a "poll" that was never taken, the state of our downtown, streets and sidewalks, and the tax rates in town.
The true costs of Tau have yet to be determined. It's maintenance and insurance costs will increase.
What happens when some other well known son of South Orange wants to donate an even more valuable piece, but insists that it be located where Tau is to be located?
Will Tau outlive our gazebo?
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susan1014
Supporter
Username: Susan1014
Post Number: 1494
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 11, 2006 - 4:26 pm: |
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Yes, in a year when the BOT has proposed a 13.5% increase in taxes, we need to reexamine the funding of "nice to have" projects such as this one.
If finances were sound, or funding was private, I'd be in favor of this project (heck, I'd even write a check). But when the BOT has not been able to control the town budget, the deceptiveness and creeping public cost of Tau funding is simply not acceptable.
I feel bad for those of you who have worked hard to raise funds to bring Tau here, but the BOT funding deal is tainted, and should not go forward without being discussed honestly in the context of our town's pathetic budget state. |
SoOrLady
Citizen
Username: Soorlady
Post Number: 3234
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 11, 2006 - 5:48 pm: |
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Bailey -
The gift of deed spells that out too. TAU must stay in place for 25 years. At the end of that time, it can be moved to another location in town or donated away (ie NEVER sold). |
Rastro
Citizen
Username: Rastro
Post Number: 2852
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 11, 2006 - 9:59 pm: |
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Charles did a hit and run, just as Ms. Arnedt did. They post, and run away. I don't see a need to continue this thread... |
Stevef
Citizen
Username: Stevef
Post Number: 198
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 11, 2006 - 10:47 pm: |
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Quick question: has anyone seen the Smith painting of swastikas referred to in the story? Is there a rationale behind it? Artistic? Political? Moral? |
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