Letters to the Editor (5/21/25)

Abenaki Died for U.S.

[Re Abenaki Council of Odanak ad, April 2]: The Canadian Abenaki claim that, after the American Revolutionary War, English settlers in Vermont persecuted Abenaki people and forced them into exile in Canada. That is one of the major pillars upon which the Canadians rest their case against the Vermont Abenaki.

This claim shows that the Canadians are not aware of some important aspects of Vermont history.

When the Revolutionary War started in 1775, the Abenaki living in Vermont had to choose which side to support: the British loyalists or the revolutionaries who began calling themselves Yankees.

The Vermont Abenaki chose the Yankees and made an alliance with the fledgling Vermont Republic and the fledgling United States. That alliance saw the Vermont Abenaki send about 50 soldiers to fight alongside the Vermont militia against the British.

When, in 1777, Vermont general Jacob Bayley led his Yankee militia column out of Newbury to the Battle of Saratoga, Abenaki soldiers marched with them. And some of those Abenaki soldiers gave their lives for Vermont and the United States.

After the war, did the Vermont Yankees turn on the Abenaki who had provided them with military support during their darkest hour? Not likely. With their service, the Abenaki would have won a certain amount of respect of the Yankee settlers and vice versa. The Abenaki were at least tolerated and were not persecuted and exiled. The Canadians have provided no evidence to the contrary.

After the war, while the British/Canadian Abenaki were settled onto two little reservations, the Vermont Abenaki went home into the forest primeval, where they had lived for thousands of years. That’s what the Vermont Abenaki say, and the Canadians have provided no evidence to show otherwise.

Charles Calley

Newbury

Puzzled by Construction

Main Street infrastructure repairs are hurting downtown businesses, annoying residents and frustrating people trying to get around [“Main Concern: A Yearslong Street Reconstruction Project Is Proving Painful to Downtown Burlington Businesses,” April 9]. The same sections have been dug up more than once, as anyone who works on or walks Main Street has witnessed. It would be helpful to know why all the work cannot be done at one time once the hole is open.

I suggest that the Department of Public Works provide frequent public updates about progress and what work has been completed and where the next holes will be.

In addition, it feels like folly to rebuild on an underground cavern at the auditorium site. Why not a welcome center and veterans’ park as the gateway to downtown?

This bond was sold to voters as a “Great Streets” project, not an infrastructure reconstruction. Let’s be honest and transparent.

Steph Holdridge

Burlington

Not So ‘Misinformed’

I would like a chance to defend myself after [“Taking It to the Streets: From Bennington to Newport, Vermonters Gathered to Protest Trump,” April 9]. This article was fairly disturbing but not surprising. Sherry Marrier, the organizer of the protest, claimed to a reporter how I am nice but uninformed.

Marrier approached me almost instantly when I joined the crowd of protesters with my “Trump 2024” hat. She introduced herself, and we might have talked for 10 minutes, with her doing most of the talking. Somehow, after hearing me talk for two minutes, she was able to come to the conclusion that I am uninformed, which was printed in a public newspaper. Her opinion may have been made as soon as she saw my Trump hat. This kind of thing is happening all over the country right now with all the fake news, and many may be “misinformed”!

I would like Marrier to realize that those who talk less and listen more may actually be more informed than one might think.

Tyler Scelza

Glover

Memo to the Mayor

To: Hon. Emma Mulvaney-StanakFrom: Burlington taxpayers

Congratulations on the budget cuts [“With Layoffs, Burlington Mayor Presents Balanced Budget,” May 12].

You’re absolutely right: The spending levels in Burlington have been — as you told the council — “unsustainable and, to be blunt, irresponsible.”

The taxpayers, who for years have been paying the price for that irresponsibility, will reward you at the ballot box for your great leadership.

Next year, go after another 25 jobs.

Keep that up, and, if you’re not careful, you’ll go down as being the most sensible mayor Vermont’s largest city has ever had.

Ted Cohen

Burlington

REIB Job Posting

[Re “With Layoffs, Burlington Mayor Presents Balanced Budget,” May 12]: A week before Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak announced 18 layoffs in city government, this job opening was posted on the city’s website:

Director of Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Salary: $121,007.94 – $132,315.52 annually – full time

Four days after the news, the mayor’s pet project showed up on Indeed, highlighted in red as NEW. Apparently, the mayor is anxious to get that job filled.Mind-boggling, callous, politically motivated and unacceptable.

Even after the layoffs, a $2.6 million shortfall remains. REIB does not serve the community at large. It serves the mayor’s divisive identity politics.Councilors and taxpayers want more cuts; they haven’t gone deep enough.

Instead, the mayor plans to dig deeper into our pockets — new revenues and a “modest” tax increase. New revenues have been creeping into city services for quite some time now. Enough already.

Taking more money from taxpayers is punishing the innocent for their mismanagement. It’s unconscionable.

The only acceptable solution is to cut the additional $2.6 million from the budget, starting with her pet project.

Marianne Ward

Burlington

Clue-less

Where do you get the crossword puzzles? I can’t decide if some of the hints are stupid or if I’m the stupid one. In the May 7 issue, “little bit of medicine” is “small dose” (didn’t provide a hint for two words); “distinctive feature of “DeVito” is “capital V”; “OTOH” is the answer for “conversely, to a texter.” Who the hell texts OTOH?! LOL.

Rachelle Rodriguez

Greensboro

Editor’s note: Seven Days gets its print crossword from King Features, a syndication service.