Vermonters opposed to basing the F-35 stealth fighter at the Burlington airport rallied outside and inside Senator Patrick Leahy’s downtown office on Wednesday afternoon.
The 100-plus demonstrators who assembled near the Democracy sculpture on Main Street were asking to talk with the senator about his support for stationing up to 24 of the planes in Vermont. Opponents were also urging Leahy to convene a public hearing on the F-35’s environmental impact, especially the effect of its engine noise on thousands of residents within earshot of the airport.
“No” and “no” was the response of John Tracy, Leahy’s chief of staff (pictured below, after the jump). “He’s in Washington and won’t be speaking with you,” Tracy told a a delegation of about a dozen F-35 opponents who crowded into a waiting area in the senator’s fourth floor suite of offices at 199 Main Street. “We’re not making a commitment to a public hearing at this time.”
A few of the protestors peppered Tracy with questions and criticisms in an exchange that lasted about 20 minutes.
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I watched for a long time and didn’t see a crowd of anywhere near 100 people. I don’t know how many went inside to Leahy’s office, but the crowd outside looked like it never exceeded 30-40 people, tops. Who counted? Where does the number 100 come from?
They want Leahy to hold a “public hearing”? What about all the public opportunities to comment that have already been held? “Public hearing” is code for: we won’t stop protesting until we get more publicity and ultimately get our way. That’s become the Vermont NIMBY standard, whether it’s protesting Vermont Yankee, wind turbines, or the F35s.
You are exactly right, it has become the standard and it’s extremely irritating. “We need alternative fuel because Vermont Yankee is hazardous but don’t you dare erect wind turbines in my back yard”. “We need to protect our citizens and our freedom, but don’t you dare base war machines in our back yard”. You can’t have it both ways. Unfortunately a lot of these issues are very complex and there is no absolute answer on one side or the other. Voice your concerns because we all have the freedom to do so, but you also have to know when to cut your losses. Public protest will not overturn the Air Force’s decision in this case. I admire those who stick up for what they believe in and I encourage everyone to ask questions, but to hold on to a personal grudge without seeing a bigger picture is, in my opinion, ignorant.
I live in the Chamberlin neighborhood and am directly affected by this decision. I would prefer not to have to deal with airport noise myself, but it’s not just about me and others who live within the noise zone. The best discussion to have with our local politicians at this stage of the game is what do they plan to do to help alleviate the problems that the F-35 will bring to the region? If more homes are lost where will the lost homes be replaced? What can we do to reduce the noise level increases? How can the community be better involved in working together to adapt to our surroundings? These are the more important questions Vermonters should be asking Senator Leahy.
You are full of it. Over a hundred were counted just because you get a buzz from military machines doesn’t make an economy based on murder right.
The bigger picture is our military budget is larger than the rest of the worlds combined and then some. Our country is going to hell in a handbasket, no money for infrastructure, education , healthcare. The military makes the world ever less secure by creating more enemies and burning up and polluting the planet. Get over the comic boy fantasies of what the military does, it kills people and makes war profiteers rich. US #1 in arms selling and buying, #37 in healthcare. This makes us more secure? Only in propaganda posted by the military industrial complex and the poor suckers who believe it.
I don’t disagree with any of that. But protesting the F-35 in VT will not do anything to change these facts. It’s the harsh reality that we live in. I don’t like it and I don’t agree with it, but grassroot efforts can be put to better use is all that I’m saying.
Since the beginning of this controversy the Anti’s used hyperbole, exaggeration, Fear tactics, propaganda stunt and out in out Lies. 100 people is just another example. Facts have never had a positive effect on the convinced. The Anti’s aren’t worried about noise they just hate war and anything to do with it. They know in Vermont an argument against the F35 would not fly. So they created “Noise” problems. Dave Ross of Veterans for Peace claimed they would be making “Strafing” runs through our Neighborhoods. The SB city council would not even listen to Pro- F35 people. “Sending elected leaders down to see for themselves is a Junket”. The Anti’s don’t want fact to get in the way of their rants.
The arguments from the “Anti’s” are actually quite well reasoned. A lot of them own homes in the affected area and they are concerned about the EIS report which literally states that the noise level would make the area “unfit for residential use” and this would have to be disclosed to prospective buyers when it comes time to sell the property. Read the EIS, it’s an actual document that is relevant to the discussion.
On the Pro-F35 side we hear:
“It’s the sound of freedom, ya know?”
“If you don’t like it, move!”
“Why do you hate the military?”
“Why do you hate America?”
“The Anti’s are day sleepers who don’t work!”
“USA USA USA USA”
“Our brave women and women are risking their lives! Why do you hate them?”
“They make me feel safe and protected!” (from who?)
“Jobs! Jobs! Jobs!”
“It’s the cost of freedom, ya know?”
These arguments are simplistic and silly to anybody with a comprehension level beyond that of a six year old. Let’s stick to the facts, please.
Senator Leahy is really one of a kind. Representatives around the country can only dream of being as inaccessible and unresponsive as this cat, while having zero threat of ever losing their seat.
I think if i lived near the airport i might have a different opinion than the one I have now and what ever I have to say has to be seen in that light. The F-16 is an old air frame that needs retirement. they are late 1970’s technology and you can’t just keep flying them anymore than you can drive a car forever. Not only that, even if you build new ones the opponents know all about them by now and the pilot’s lives are in danger every time they go up. My preference would be a defense budget half as large as it is and to work until the day we don’t need one. I’ll not live long enough to see that day however. The F-35 is a necessary upgrade that can save the life of our pilots and unfortunately, the VTANG is a vital component now of the thriving Burlington economy. to take that out, suddenly would do great harm to many, more than will be effected by the noise. It’s a crappy trade off but one that is necessary now. I respect the protesters very much but I think they might be more productive by directing their resources and energy right at the heart of the matter. How do we better promote peace. How do we reduce our defense spending and still remain safe in an increasingly hostile and chaotic world. These are not minor issues and everyone needs to start thinking about them and working on them in what ever capacity they are able but be clear and direct and avoid squandering resources and energy on things we cannot change in the present.
I was there and we actually counted and there were over a hundred people. Were you there and counting I don’t think so just blowing off.
I saw it and there weren’t 100. Not even close. Other people who saw it say the same thing. If you have to stoop to something so trivial as inflating the number of people at your little protest, why do you have credibility on anything else? What’s so important about falsifying the number of people who were there? That’s not even the point.
You must have come late we counted over a hundred I say you’re the one wrong about the numbers.