To the Editor:
Recently, another Orange newspaper published a rant against Selectman Mitch Goldblatt. Alas, the editorial seems to have purposely manipulated things in an attempt to make Mitch look silly.{{more}}
This anti-Mitch Goldblatt editorial said that in July of this past summer, Mitch was “…demanding that the organization [Boy Scouts of America] first accept gay scout leaders…”
NO. NO. NO. What Mitch really said was that Orange ought not host on town property an organization that denied rights to gays, be they young would-be scouts or scout leaders. A big difference. Why?
Well, for openers, the state of Connecticut recognizes and accepts gay marriage. The U.S. Military recruits and accepts gays. Political figures can run for office if they are openly gay.
So what Mitch was saying is that we should not allow the use of town property to an organization with an anti-gay bias. In fact, shortly after the Board of Selectmen meeting that voted to allow the scouts use of town property, the Scout organization itself, recognizing its own biases—because of sensible protests elsewhere— changed its rules and said local groups could decide on their own to accept or reject gays wanting to join the origination. They did, though, maintain that they would not accept gay scout leaders. The BSA thus embraced what Mitch had said: Our town ought to insist that a group using town property not be biased against sexual orientation, race, religion or ethnicity.
Now if a group wanted to use town facilities and would not accept as members who were, say, Jews, or Catholics, or non-whites, would that be acceptable? Of course not. So what is different about gays?
The editorial I refer to distorted the views held by Mitch, the only selectman who had the moral decency to stand up for what is right.
And as for the other paper pitting the Democrats against the Republicans in the salary issue, I am proud to have had great public service from both Jim Zeoli and Mitch Goldblatt as First Selectman. They are both honorable, dedicated, and well -intentioned. They do their very best for our town. But Mitch alone among the Selectmen stood tall for a basic principle and in so doing, he was wronged by the snarky editorial attack upon him..
Fred Lapides