In the newest issue, Seven Days asks the question: 'Is Second Vermont Republic Affiliated With Racists?' Yours truly gets in a tiny quote there. This is similar to the VT Guardian article in that it doesn't try to spin it one way or the other, just laying out the connections, which is fine. It's good that it's making it into print media now.
Steve West, the host of WKVT in Brattleboro, however, has a different perspective. His show hosted John Odum one week and then a frothing-at-the-mouth Thomas Naylor the next. Here's some of what he had to say:
In the opinion of this writer…………..Dr. Naylor’s press release/rant is paranoiac and mean-spirited, and does not indicate a person who is confident in his position. Someone who feels comfortable in their own skin can weather any kind of criticism, especially anything as “outlandish” or “presposterous” as the things Odum posted, and respond with a measure of cool and comparative aplomb. Now, I know that I can get pretty steamed, too, when I feel I’m being disrespected. But frankly, I don’t detect any disrespect in Odum’s words. Rather, I see someone bringing to light some information that should be pretty easily dismissed, if it has not credence.
Instead, I’m reading a vitriolic screed by a man defending his own anti-racism credentials (which have not been questioned), slamming the character of Mr. Odum (who he does not know), and implying that Mr. Odum’s employer should put a tighter leash on him.
No matter what the details of this discussion……….that’s just not cool.
Any hope of keeping the “moral high ground” that SVR and Mr. Naylor had prior to this phenomenon is gone. He has displayed some fairly childish “schoolyard bully” behaviors, and has entirely alienated at least one potential comrade to the SVR cause……….meaning me.
Well put, Steve. I'm tired of it, too. But SVR has really crossed the line and showed their true colors. Not gonna get this shitstink off of them for a while, if they do at all.
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