Eastham’s Water
To the editor:
At the June 2 meeting on the Eastham wastewater project, the select board and other town officials presented a thorough and cogent explanation of the town’s pressing need to respond quickly to the State Revolving Fund in order secure low-interest loans for this work. Town Manager Jacqui Beebe reminded taxpayers about the added costs they had incurred by delaying approval of a town water system.
I had expected there to be many voices making a NIMBY argument. One family in the target zone of the treatment facility wrote a poignant letter objecting to the location, but the select board made it clear that no other sites were suitable. I was taken aback, instead, by the short-sighted attacks on the proposal by those who believe that if they aren’t the direct recipients of the benefits of wastewater treatment, they shouldn’t have to pay for it.
Does this mean that they shouldn’t have to pay state taxes to maintain roads in other areas of Massachusetts if they don’t drive on them? Should a toll be instituted on the bike path in Eastham to charge non-Eastham residents to ride on it? Should I not have to pay federal taxes because I don’t like the military spending that is done in the name of keeping America safe? These all fall under what I believe the Constitution means by providing for “the general welfare.”
It’s clear that in order to maintain Eastham and Cape Cod as viable and healthy environments for those of us who live here, and as an attractive place to vacation, we have to safeguard our water. It will cost money now but much less than in the future, when costs have risen and financial help is not available.
Jae A. Fisher
Eastham
Welcoming J-1 Students
To the editor:
Of the many pleasures of summer on the Outer Cape (bonfires at Marconi, sunsets at Thumpertown, ignoring my doctor’s warnings about abusing psychedelics, etc.), one that I most enjoy is the cultural enrichment of interacting with the J-1 students.
Last year, a young Croatian woman working at the Wellfleet Marketplace showed me the best beaches to visit in her country. A few summers ago, at Sam’s Deli, I talked often with a young man about his country, Serbia, as well as our shared love of NBA basketball.
So, I was happy to read in the June 5 Independent that various groups and people in Provincetown had welcomed with open arms the students who came to the Outer Cape this year despite our government’s current state of xenophobia (“Amid Turmoil, J-1 Students Are Welcomed Here,” front page). Thanks to the Putin of the Potomac and his minions, J-1 students now have to put up with even more B.S. than usual just to work here doing jobs that are often difficult and sometimes thankless.
Several years back, at a convenience store, I witnessed a miserable old crank belittling the young Serbian woman behind the counter because she didn’t understand which scratch tickets he wanted.
It’s bad enough our government treats J-1 students like potential terrorists. Is it so much to ask that the rest of us treat them with patience and courtesy? The cultural shock of coming from Kazakhstan to Provincetown is enough without us lobbing an extra dose of entitled attitude at them.
If you’re fortunate enough to live or vacation on the Outer Cape, you’ve already hit the lottery. Do you really need any more scratch tickets?
Brendan Noonan
Eastham and Cambridge
Earth House Memories
To the editor:
Thanks for Dennis Cunningham’s piece on the Earth House (“Far Out Is Closer Than You Think,” June 5, page B6). The Earth House distills so much of the freaky ethos of the Outer Cape as I remember it growing up in the 1990s (heavily indebted to the ’60s and ’70s, naturally).
Some of my happiest childhood memories of driving around listening to WKPE (Rock 104.7 — “The Rocket”) culminated in trips to the Earth House, especially after Strangeways in Provincetown closed for good. In this way, I got an education.
The Earth House and Instant Karma Records stoked my love of classic rock, vinyl in general, bumper-sticker wisdom, beaded curtains, and incense, most of which persists to this day. Long may she rock.
Liz Bergman Falco
Greenfield
Wellfleet Culture
To the editor:
Last Friday, 45 people celebrated the installation of six interpretive signs at the Wellfleet Marina. I hope that dog walkers, power walkers, strollers, and boaters enjoy reading about some of the stories that make up the town’s history.
This project was made possible by the Wellfleet Cultural District, which receives funding from the Mass Cultural Council. The council receives a portion of its funding from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).
As the Trump administration cancels numerous NEA grants, with the end goal being the total elimination of the agency, those of us who cherish the arts must speak out and take action. Write letters to your Congressional delegation asking them to restore funding to the NEA, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Write to Gov. Maura Healey and your state legislators thanking them for their continued investment in the cultural sector. It is critical to make our voices heard.
The arts enrich our lives in many ways. Creative expression provides a way to think more deeply about our relationships, reflect on our shared history, and consider our hopes for the future. Let’s keep the arts an integral part of our lives.
Lauren Kaufmann
Wellfleet
Letters to the Editor
The Provincetown Independent welcomes letters from readers on all subjects. They must be signed with the writer’s name, home address, and telephone number (for verification). Letters will be published only if they have been sent exclusively to the Independent. They should be no more than 300 words and may be edited for clarity, accuracy, conciseness, and good taste. Longer pieces (up to 600 words) may be submitted for consideration as op-ed commentary. Send letters to [email protected] or by mail to P.O. Box 1034, Provincetown, MA 02657. The deadline for letters is Monday at noon for each week’s edition.
