Wednesday, July 9, 2025

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Viewpoints

Commonwealth unfairly targets Arcadian Shop

After decades of Arcadian Shop renting kayaks at its Lenox location and then bringing them and their renters to the beautiful Stockbridge Bowl to paddle, the state announced a new policy that rentals aren’t allowed to launch from its facility.

There is tragedy at the heart of the joke

Underlying the wit, the wisdom, and the willingness to face the macabre, Alison Larkin shows her vulnerability and her strength simultaneously.

CONNECTIONS: It is 132 days in America, and we are still fighting

Now the problem is not only Trump—it is also us. Now we have accepted Trumpian norms and values. He has changed us. We have not, in any way, changed him. He was immune to us; we were susceptible to him.

Don’t believe the Trump-Musk bromance is over

These two spoiled children should stop acting like they are going to tell mommy if they don’t get their way so things can go back to normal.

I WITNESS: Give me your whites

Our illustrious president has referred to South Africa, in the past, as one of those “s-hole” countries from which he wants to bar immigration—unless, of course, they are the white racist homeboys of a former Afrikaner who has stuffed billions of dollars into the president’s pockets.

LEONARD QUART: High school years

What moved me to begin thinking about the world differently was reading writers who wrote about existential choice, like Camus and Sartre, which meant for me transcending convention and the values that shaped my early life.

SHEELA CLARY: If the youth lacrosse season operated like ICE

Coaches would give large and powerful players a list of small and less powerful players whom they would be instructed to stalk, sneak up on, and take out of play.

Great Barrington needs to clarify its Article 25 and the police department’s expected role in events like the recent arrests by federal ICE agents

There is no defined procedure or policy for the Great Barrington Police to follow in situations like the recent abductions performed by mostly unidentified federal employees, except a policy not to facilitate such actions.

Anger against abusive power of the state is patriotic action

I watched the video of the Creative Building Solutions owners, and I saw nothing misdirected with their anger toward the ICE officers.

BRIGHT SPOTS: Dog, ball & poppies, late spring in the Berkshires 2025

Devastated and overwhelmed by the cruelty I am observing, as an individual, I am going to highlight some bright spots to inspire you, so that you will keep caring for the people in your life, which is part of how we create a world where caring is what matters.

A response to Richard Allen’s Letter to the Editor

Asking “Why are you detaining my neighbor?” is a civic duty when someone’s rights may be violated. We owe it to each other to demand transparency, especially when masked agents in tactical gear show up without warning.

CONNECTIONS: What I want to do with the time left

All at once, I knew what I wanted to do—no matter how much time I had remaining. I wanted to preserve and protect our land, our history, our lives, and if not our way of life, then a clear record of it.

Anger toward the ICE agents involved in the recent Great Barrington arrests is misdirected

If someone believes that a person is being taken into custody unlawfully, they should call the police. Interfering is neither wise nor lawful.

A budget reconciliation bill based on cruelty

This “beautiful” bill has built in many restrictions to our already limited social safety net. It is unnecessarily cruel and amoral. And it will cause so very many to suffer. It needs to be prevented from passing in the Senate.

I WITNESS: Look, Ma! I found the Deep State!

We come closer to an actual definition of “Deep State” when the people who are directing every government action are in fact not a part of our government at all.

The hypocrisy of Trump and MAGA

Their duplicity reaches the greatest heights on their signature issues.

SHEELA CLARY: When in Rome, alone

I thought in going to Rome alone that I still wanted a "come what may" kind of life, but the truth is I have no tolerance for uncertainty anymore.