I recently turned 89 years; pretty old by any standard. When I was younger, I thought when I got older, I would have everything figured out. Alas, not so, as I seemed to be more confused. How so?
Experience has taught me the democratic way of organizing a society works well if everyone behaves themselves, but there’s the rub. Human beings misbehave so that they receive more of the spoils of democracy. They game the system and soon you lose the benefit of the democratic system. It is that old human nature thing. But how does this apply to the citizens of Concord?
I recently read a news story in the Concord Bridge that there is a significant decline in those who attend the Town Meeting. Wonder why? Could it possibly be that when the majority of the Town Meeting attendees vote for an issue (the naming of the new middle school) the result is that the School Committee overrides the desire of the majority. I wonder if that has anything to do with the decline in Town Meeting attendance?
I guess I am still confused.
Bob Marquis
Main Street
