Letters to the Editor (1/8/25)

Great Issue

Congrats on your end-of-year issue [December 25]. I always look forward to reading your journalists’ take on covering the stories I’ve read [“Backstories 2024“]. And the longer obits always make me appreciate the people I knew slightly and make me sorry I didn’t know the others [“Life Stories“].

Rick Winston

Adamant

Disproportionality Disappoints!

As a reader and librarian, I look forward to the Reading Issue of Seven Days. Unfortunately, this year’s [December 18] confirmed the research shared in my most recent read: The Authority Gap: Why Women Are Still Taken Less Seriously Than Men, and What We Can Do About It, by Mary Ann Sieghart.

Sieghart writes that while a majority of books published are written by women, a majority of books reviewed in the press are written by men. Why is that? Partly it is because critics and reviewers are predominantly men; two of the three reviewers in your article “Hibernation Syllabus” are men. But it’s also because, while women read books by all genders and suggest them in equal proportions, men tend not to. Your column confirmed the research.

Bianca Stone recommended two books by men and two books by women. M.T. Anderson had a ratio of three books by men to one by a woman. And Ken Cadow recommended four books written by men. I was disappointed by this 3-to-1 ratio.

Do better, Seven Days! Do better, men! Your lack of willingness to read and review books by women contributes to a world where women’s contributions are undervalued.

Jeanie Phillips

Burlington

Time to Join Canada?

Thanks to Seven Days for its review of the possibilities for Vermont under King Trump [“Hanging in the Balance: Donald Trump’s Return to the Presidency Could Disrupt the Way Many Vermonters Live,” December 11]. One thing to consider is that since Vermont was the only state to go against him in the GOP primaries, King Donald might hold a special place in his heart for revenge against us.

With this in mind and the other projections of what an authoritarian regime under a man like this could do to us, I wonder if it is not a good time to reconsider joining Canada — that is, of course, if the Canadians will have us. It makes sense. Canada is still a democracy, whereas we will become an authoritarian state as of January 20, having destroyed our own democracy from within. Canada is still a humane nation, whereas ours is not anymore.

Vermont is so closely connected with Canada culturally, economically and socially that we could almost be considered all but another Canadian province. So why not make it official and petition our Canadian sisters and brothers, their parliament, and their governor general to join them?

I realize, of course, that this is much easier said than done. It would be turning our backs on Vermont’s role in American history, but our history was rejected, anyway, on November 5, 2024.

I know that this is sheer fantasy, but it has merit considering what is coming at us for the next four years, if not longer.

Walter Carpenter

Montpelier

No Democracy on City Council

[Re “Hanging in the Balance: Donald Trump’s Return to the Presidency Could Disrupt the Way Many Vermonters Live,” December 11]: As I read the article about how Donald Trump will disrupt many lives in Vermont once he becomes president again, I was reflecting on how it doesn’t really matter if Trump is in office or not, because the Democrats on the Burlington City Council are doing plenty of disrupting on their own!

For the second time in a year, more than enough signatures were collected to put a measure on the ballot to let voters declare Burlington an “apartheid-free community.” This was rejected by all the Democratic city councilors.

I went to the meeting and listened to how, once again, Zionism and Judaism were attempted to be linked. I even heard someone say out loud before the meeting that they wanted to get away from all the “Jew haters.”

I was taken aback and did not respond because every time I am at marches, rallies, protests or conferences about standing in solidarity with the Palestinians who are experiencing genocide in which our government is complicit, I am always filled with love for all and I am often with people who are Jewish who realize “never again” applies to everyone.

Shame on the cowardly Democrats on the council who chose to act in a very undemocratic way. You all will be remembered in history as blocking the will of the people. Free Palestine!

Sally Lincoln

North Ferrisburgh

‘Linguistic Compromise’

I spoke at the December 16 city council meeting [“Burlington Council Blocks Pro-Palestine Item From Ballot,” December 17, online]. Based on the continued frustration of those supporting a petition whose verbiage remains unchanged, I suggest the mayor, in conjunction with the council, nominate three individuals who reside in Burlington who support the current petition and three members of the Burlington Jewish community who do not, to meet to produce verbiage that would be viable for all. The issue is not going away. The kettle is boiling. A linguistic compromise will reduce the heat.

Mort Zachter

Burlington

‘Apartheid-Free’ Already

The recent Seven Days article on the proposed “apartheid-free community” resolution in Burlington presents an incomplete and misleading view [“Burlington Council Blocks Pro-Palestine Item From Ballot,” December 17, online]. I feel compelled to address critical omissions and inaccuracies.

First, Burlington is not and has never been an apartheid community. This inflammatory term, with its painful historical context, is misused here to serve a biased political agenda, harming community cohesion.

Second, while the resolution frames itself as anti-apartheid, it is a thinly veiled attack on Israel, falsely accusing Israel of genocide, settler-colonialism and apartheid. These baseless allegations perpetuate antisemitic tropes and foster hostility, not understanding or peace.

Third, despite its claims, the resolution offers no meaningful support for Palestinian self-determination or human rights. A truly pro-Palestinian resolution would advocate for practical steps toward peace and coexistence, not solely vilify Israel.

Fourth, the headline itself is biased. Why did it not read, “Burlington Council Blocks Antisemitic Item From Ballot”?

Lastly, this resolution is empty virtue signaling. It has no impact on U.S. policy but polarizes our community, alienating many residents, including Jewish community members already facing rising antisemitism. Burlington’s city council should focus on local issues instead of divisive, symbolic statements.

Let’s work toward fostering a community where all voices can be heard and respected, without resorting to inflammatory resolutions that deepen divides. Burlington deserves better than this.

David Geddes

Burlington

Close Call on Shelburne Road

[Re “Two Pedestrians Critically Injured in Shelburne Road Crash,” December 12, online]: I am familiar with the crosswalk in which two pedestrians were struck recently on Shelburne Road because the same thing almost happened to me. The only indication that there may be pedestrians present is a road sign and a painted crosswalk. What would be sufficient in a residential area is not for a highway on-ramp on one of the busiest roads in the state.

According to a previous Seven Days article [“Crash Course: Activists Want to Reshape Shelburne Road After Another Cyclist Is Killed in South Burlington,” November 27], “most of the serious crashes along Shelburne Road involving pedestrians and cyclists have been caused by intoxication and people disregarding the law rather than road design flaws,” per the Vermont Agency of Transportation. Intoxication aside, maybe the laws are broken because of flaws in road design? It is not intuitive how a bicyclist should travel on Shelburne Road, but it is implied that they are supposed to share the road with heavy traffic because of the bike on- and off-ramps at the street’s apex.

There are other flaws in the road’s design as well. For example, there is nowhere for pedestrians to legally and safely cross the street for almost half a mile in the stretch adjacent to Calahan Park, which is a residential area. The driveways at the northernmost portion are too narrow to accommodate full-size trucks taking right turns without pulling either into oncoming traffic or up onto the curb.

It is laughable that VTrans would disregard these actual flaws and their consequences.

Cy Miller

Burlington

Story ‘Humanizes’

Thank you for “Acts of the Apostles” [December 4]. This story humanizes both the deep generosity and unprecedented pain so many folks are dealing with right now and challenges each of us to live in a place of deep empathy and generosity.

Elizabeth O’Casey

Middlese