War in Vermont?
Morning briefing
Thursday, February 25, 2021
Halfway between Granville and Manchester Center along Route 30 is a little dot of a community in Pawlet, Vt.
I was familiar with the name, but it is not a place I ever remember making any news, so it was particularly surprising to see it ranked as the third story under “Top News” in my New York Times email on Wednesday.
“A bristling standoff rattles gun-friendly Vermont,” read the headline about the community of 1,400.
The story chronicles how a 47-year-old New York transplant who bought 30 acres of land established a weapons training site to take advantage of Vermont’s relaxed gun laws. His goal was to have a training camp where visitors could practice engaged combat.
After the insurrection at the Capitol and the ugly protests in downtown Glens Falls in the summer of 2019, this seemed a little too close for comfort.
One neighbor - a gun owner - described hearing the roar of multiple AR-15s nearby, saying it sounded like Vietnam.
Neighbors have complained about the noise and the fact that the newcomer did not get the required permits before building on his property.
Over the last three years, town officials have raised concerns about the camp that has escalated into a zoning matter that law enforcement does not seem to want to address.
The landowner has fought back in court.
Town officials say they have also been the focus of threats on social media because of their concerns about the facility.
The landowner argues that his camp is protected under the Second Amendment and he has called on gun owners to back him up on social media.
“I’m never leaving this land,” the landowner told the New York Times. “And I didn’t ask for this war to start, but I’m going to see it through. I want to see through my victory because I bought this land free and clear.”
War? That is a bit startling in a place just an hour’s drive away.
A year ago, the landowner asked his followers to attend the Select Board at the town hall with weapons and trauma kits. The meeting was canceled and the town clerk requested funding for security cameras in the building.
The Times reported that no one knows what is going to happen next, but it has left the community very nervous.
Check out the Times story here:
www.nytimes.com/2021/02/23/us/vermont-gun-range-pawlet-zoning.html?referringSource=articleShare
We all drive
The tragic car accident involving Tiger Woods on Tuesday is a reminder that any of our lives could change dramatically, catastrophically in an instant.
When my son passed his driving test, I remember letting him drive on the way home and reminding him that have a driver’s license is not only a privilege but it is a responsibility. I told him that the car he was driving was a 2,000-pound weapon if used improperly.
It’s something we all should contemplate regularly because we all get caught up rushing to various appointments, running red lights and glancing at the phone when we should not.
There is no evidence of any of these things in regard to Tiger Woods’ accident, but we all should take a moment to contemplate being just a little more careful when we drive.
Book coming
I will be publishing a collection of my columns from The Post-Star in the spring. I sent off the final manuscript on Wednesday, so it seems a little closer to being a reality. I will keep you informed on a future publishing date.
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