Burlington
What does Vermont mean to you?:
homeland; standing on the shoulders of all those who came before me; being rooted in politics&traditions back to 16th century; one is judged&appreciated for what s/he does-for self, family, neighbors-& contributes-to community-not by $ or what's prestigeous elsewhere; appreciation of other cultures even in smallest towns.
What common values do Vermonters share?:
1.appreciation&inclusion-which goes BEYOND TOLERANCE! b/c tolerance assumes one's own superiority; 2.independence(individuality&leaving others alone) & interdependence 3.love of learning; 4.VT wit; 5.respect of others&environment; 6.small scale; 7.[social] honesty(lack of corruption)
What challenges and opportunities do we see for our communities and state?:
challenges: poverty; racism; loss of civic experience & knowledge; phys. & emot'l violence especially in homes/schools; increased economic disparity; difficulty of going it alone (v. the strength of the fed govt & culture, the global economy). Opp'ties: every challenge can be turned into an opportunity through the strength & hard work of this "indominatable people" [Coolidge].
What should our priorities be as we work together to prepare Vermont for the future?:
linking the present (challenges) to the past (strength of our heritage) (so more and more people "get it" about how to solve problems "the VT way"
How do your thoughts about Vermont's values, future challenges and priority issues apply to YOUR community?:
1.keep neighborhood schools&make each elem.sch. vibrant. 2.actively fight classism&racism in all schls.
3.involve local people in local solutions. 4.All Vermonters deserve a livable wage. 5.affordable, single payer Healthcare for all. 6.affordable housing. 7.mentor programs
