More Harvard ties
-
- December
- 11
Yesterday, I got an e-mail from Ramapo Town Hall that just about knocked me out of my chair. It wasn’t the topic: a Community View from Town Supervisor Christopher P. St. Lawrence pushing an upcoming “Unity Forum� for a town that is full of diversity, and tension. The November election aired the town’s troubles between various factions for all to see.
No, the message of the Community View didn’t surprise me. But, the opening line just floored me:
It read: “Recently Harvard Political Scientist Robert Putnam released the results of a massive study based on interviews…â€?
It didn’t matter what the study said, or what Prof. Putnam’s findings would be. I stopped when I got to the word “Harvard.�
St. Lawrence got in some hot water a couple years back for identifying himself as a graduate of Harvard University. Not so, said the Ivy League school. So, now he will say he attended, but after some round-and-round, he no longer claims to have graduated.
So, now he mentions Harvard as the second word in a Community View that aims to build bridges in a town that desperately needs it.
Sigh.
Read the Community View in tomorrow’s Journal News. Sorry I spoiled the giggle.
This entry was posted
on Tuesday, December 11th, 2007 at 3:22 pm by Nancy Cutler.
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Nancy…..FYI….Professor Robert Putnam of the JFK School Of Government at Harvard University is in the midst of a long term research project about levels of trust and community engagement….which I’m sure you will agree is not a laughing matter in this day and age…since the Journal News has certainly underscored Ramapo’s “tensions &
troubles”...we welcome your help in easing them…Dr Putnam
findings are far more important to me than where he teaches..should the Supervisor have avoided using the study simply because it emanated from Harvard …I think not! Phil Tisi
No, of course the supervisor shouldn’t have skirted the mention of Harvard.
Now that the irony is noted, let’s move to get some real dialog in Ramapo, and true community understanding.
If the unity forums can move the town in that direction, then let’s go.