Thank you Newfane, VT

I found this article the other day, and it really piqued my interest. Newfane, a small, classic Vermont town (pictured at left), held a town meeting during which citizens voted 121 to 29 in support of impeaching President Bush. This unsurprisingly stirred up a bit of a ruckus; the town has been receiving countless angry e-mails and phone calls, and some yearly visitors have vowed not to return.

I applaud this town for what it has done. Not many people have dared to stand up to this administration in a way that would garner attention, like Newfane has, and I'm glad to hear that finally something is being done. It's highly unlikely that Newfane's vote will actually lead to the impeachment of the President, but that is far from the point - the town has already made an accomplishment: it has started something. It has brought attention to the issue. Perhaps now other towns will follow suit, or, at the very least, questions will be asked, ideas will be rethought, and decisions will be revisited. All that is needed to start a revolution of sorts is for a small action like this to be taken. Hopefully Newfane has inspired more people to take action. This is just the beginning.

Unfortunately Newfane has had to pay the price for its actions, but I think it's completely worth it. However, I think it's ridiculous how some people have been reacting to this. Refusing to ever return to the town in protest does not accomplish anything. In general, trying to punish the town for this does not accomplish anything. A lot of people have simply made themselves look ridiculous - for example, the anonymous person that called the town clerk, saying, "A little Socialist town like yourself is a disgrace to America." This kind of comment outrages me. To call a town or a person Socialist just because they disagree with the President is ludicrous. It's like accusing them of treason - something that some of these critics have actually done. As Americans we have a right to voice our opinions, even if that means speaking out against the President. The citizens of Newfane have simply exercised this right. They have done nothing wrong.

Yes, this move was a bit risky. Yes, they will have to suffer for it. But, as I have said, I think it's all worth it. They have earned national attention, and although that isn't necessarily what they wanted, I think it will turn out to be a very good thing. Maybe not for the town itself, but for people who, like myself, agree with their decision. Now people have taken notice, and hopefully that includes President Bush himself. He needs to know what much of America really thinks of him, something he hasn't realized yet. I know it's more than doubtful that Bush will ever be impeached, but at least this is bringing some much-needed attention to the issue. Newfane, Vermont deserves a huge "thank you" from all of us.