Herald’s Imagery
The Rutland Herald coverage of public caucus by Fred Bever
(9/15/97) did a disservice to the Vermont political process, the
Vermont Grassroots Party and to his own professionalism, or lack
thereof. Equally, your coverage did a service to continued
political apathy in Rutland County.
I read with disbelief as this undeveloped journalist showed his
prejudice by portraying, our parties 17,000 supporters as a group
of wild eyed, reefer crazed, pot heads. While his creativity with
the use of the word “high” may have impressed your paper’s
liberal social circles, it was crassly arrogant and a text book
case of how to be a subjective writer.
As executive director, my goal is to assist this fledgling,
grassroots movement into a major party by 1998. This would
include, as provided by law, a county committee and a state
committee, whose responsibility it would be to determine what the
party platform and direction of the future will be. Mr. Bever’s
prediction (opinion?) of our agenda may have impressed fellow
psychics but was irresponsible to say the least. The damage was
noticeable because several organizers called, distressed about
the Herald’s imagery. This creative imagery is consistent, even
in state government.
Even the supposedly, non-partisan Secretary of States Office has
hindered our public gathering by not providing information in a
timely manner, sending out empty envelopes to our town
chairpeople, and not providing us with county committee voter
information which is timely and needed to determine
representation. They also took the liberty of printing official
committee documents with the name “Grass Roots Party”, when it is
chartered within their walls as the “Vermont Grassroots Party”.
Once and for all let’s deal with this issue! Are there those
within our party who use drugs? Probably, about the same ratio or
equivalent as those in Vermont’s other two major political parties.
The party neither promotes the use or abuse of drugs, we leave
that to those who advertise and make profit from alcohol, tobacco
and pharmaceutical products. Our position is that anyone who has
a drug problem should be assisted, not mocked by politicians.
Our Governor and other “leaders” who speak our name while pursing
their fingers to their lips in an attempt to mock those who may
have drug problems, only shows juvenile behavior. That type of
activity is no more acceptable or politically correct than
limping in front of a disabled person . Bever’s blatant innuendo
in a news capsule publishing public gatherings, only fuels that
kind of childish behavior.
The party platform until otherwise determined is “The Bill of
Rights” and Vermont and U.S. Constitution , a document that has
long been hidden under international agreements and conglomerate
interests during this century. This is why so many people are
voting for our candidates. The candidates will be determined by
the caucus not the press.
We only ask that you give our party of Vermonter’s (for what ever
reason they join us) the same objective writing coverage you
would provide the other two parties.
Joel Williams

Poultney, Vermont