What Happened To My State?

I was born in Rutland, Vermont back in 1958. I lived much of my youth there. I lived in several places around the state. Much of what formed the person I am today came from the values that were part of every day life in the Green Mountain State.

Life in Vermont in those days was, full of work and play, but no real worries. We took care of the morning chores before heading off to school. We played outside until dark, then clean up for dinner, homework and bed.

In the summer we spent our time in the woods hiking and fishing, swimming, bike riding, baseball… all the things kids love to do on a warm, sunny day. In the winter there was sledding, skiing, even hunting. Most of this was done without direct parental supervision. (Ahh, but do not think that we, as children were not taught about safety and responsibility, and we never used weapons unless we had an adult with us.) For the most part, our parents only worried that we might injure ourselves falling out of a tree or some other mishap related to normal childhood activity.

If something did happen, which was actually rare, we all knew that we could count on our neighbors. In fact, taking care of and looking out for our neighbors was an everyday thing.
A snowy winter morning might consist of shoveling the walk and plowing out the drive, followed by taking care of the widow or elderly neighbor down the road. This would include making sure they had enough heat, (many times kerosene or wood,) and food. Doors were rarely, if ever locked. The biggest exception would be when the summer squash would come in. This grew in abundance, and everyone had some, so much in fact they would leave it on your table when you were out, or put a large bag in your car while you were shopping! You locked the car and house just to keep from getting more!

I moved out of the state many years ago, mostly because economic opportunities were not all that abundant. I have been back as a visitor many times, but it was not the same as the carefree childhood playground I grew up in. Most of the farms are now gone. Many of the residents were outsiders, not native to the state. People did not know, or even care about their neighbors. Security gates abound, along with signs waning trespassers about the consequences of entering where they are no longer welcome. The old swimming hole, Elfin Lake located just outside of Wallingford, is now a gated community where only the elite can afford to live, and only those with permission can enter.

The government has become a haven for socialists who claim they care, but leave the unconnected in the cold. Where we once knew our elected officials by first name, few even know what they look like. Where once we could trust our neighbors, sex offenders are allowed to roam free, the security locks and bars on the windows are the only thing between the safety of the children and the predators.

This has been coming for a very long times now and, unfortunately, is a symptom of things to come on a national level as we “progress” toward the same thinking as those who have destroyed my once beloved state.

Back in January of 2006, Fox News commentator Bill O’Rielly highlighted the case of Judge Edward Cashman who handed down a 60 day sentence to Mark Hulett who admitted to raping a 7 year old so many time, he did not remember the number. Officials have said they have the most progressive and successful sex offender rehabilitation program in the country. This appears so successful that many sex offenders have moved to the state because they know they will never receive a harsh sentence, or any real punishment at all. In fact, according to the news reports and a few contacts in the state, it now appears that many of these sex offenders are now part of organized sex rings, operated right under the collective noses of the very officials who claim these people simply need understanding and help. This is not the help our society needs, nor is it the same sort of help we offered our neighbors back in the day.