Debate Is A Wonderful Tradition

To the Editor:

Thank you for your involvement and that of all of the members of The Newtown Bee staff for sponsoring and conducting Tuesday, October 18’s candidates debate. The Bee Debate has become a wonderful Newtown tradition, an enjoyable and positive evening for all in attendance, and a good source of information. It’s also an affirmation of our vibrant and robust form of self-government, which isn’t always pretty, or easy to understand, but certainly is the best system yet devised by man. Our Founding Fathers would be proud of Newtown.

Thanks also to all in attendance for a very genial and cordial evening. I heard polite applause for all candidates regardless of political stripe. Happily, I didn’t hear any catcalls, chants, rants, or other displays of affection or displeasure. A wave or two would have been nice, but perhaps it wasn’t the right venue.

In a last note of thanks, kudos to all of the candidates for their service, for their willingness to get involved, and for their concern for our community. We certainly don’t all view the world the same, and we don’t even all agree most of the time, even within the parties. But all of us do find common ground and collectively seem to be managing Newtown as best as we possibly can during these very turbulent times. I’m proud of the leadership our first selectman has shown us and of the entire team for their efforts to position our community now and to prepare it for the brighter days to come.

If you want to agree, disagree, or just kibitz, I can reached at 203-364-9917 or George-ferguson@earthlink.net

Thanks again to all. Good luck to all of the candidates.

Best regards,

George Ferguson

49 Taunton Hill Road, Newtown                             October 19, 2011