"Cowardice asks the question...is it safe? Expediency asks the question...is it politic? Vanity asks the question...is it popular? But conscience asks the question...is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but one must take it because it is right." ~Dr. Martin Luther King

Friday 9 May 2014

It's time again

On the two posts on the Market matter, I published  eighteen comments yesterday. It's not a record but it's not a piddling number either. Nor  were they all the comments received. 

The amount  of  abuse clearly indicates bullying is abroad in Market land.

Theories abound about bullies and victims but there's no challenge to the principle that bullying is unacceptable, any time or any place. 

Aurora Farmers' Market has been  suspect now for a while. There are links to other pockets of nasty, sneaky. underhanded, entitlement issues. They have friends in all the right places. 

It's well past time to nip  it in the seed pod. 

The problem would  have been better dealt with quietly and discreetly. But maybe it had to reach a certain point .They always go too far. 

I think the  town needs to review  and change  the  Market process to ensure the tinpot dictators  and bullies among us don't  find safe places  to indulge less likable human tendencies. 

I don't think we can  pretend everything is sweetness and light. It is anything but. 

That doesn't mean we are all monsters all of the time. 

It just means too many are slack and uncaring and ihe time has come once  again to do what needs must.


7 comments:

Anonymous said...


What Town By-Law or other written document relate to the Farmers' Market? What document(s) has the Farmer's Market created with regard to its constitution and operating procedures?

I understand that individual vendors must obtain a licence or permit from the Town in order to participate and sell their wares.

The Town should be the sole authority with the responsibility of running the Farm's Market. The Market can have an operating committee, composed ENTIRELY OF ACTUAL FARMERS. It's authority should be quite weak and always subject to the Town's.

Improper behaviour on the part of any vendor should result in a ban for the balance of the year, possibly even a lifetime ban if the act was that egregious.

Anonymous said...

The Town has far more important things with which to concern itself. All this 'sturm und drang' over a petty, personal dispute strikes one of Morris-like meddling and micro-managing.

The Town should just butt out and leave the parties involved to sort it out.

Anonymous said...

I understand that there must be a mix of vendors with the emphasis on produce. There seems to be a tendency to sock in other groups who might bring in more revenue but I am fairly sure that the base must remain balanced. What does seem evident is that most participants,buyers & sellers, are there to do business and enjoy themselves.
The petty feuding has to cease. The Town Park is not some sweat shop under control of a few who value appearances over reality. It is a place for all to feel welcome.

Anonymous said...

This has happened before. The last time, I believe the blame was laid on the board of the market. This time, it sounds [ & I do not have all the facts yet ] as though some single individual is responsible. I base that on the meeting this week when nothing could be done until the return of one person.
Maybe some changes are in order.

Anonymous said...

I am not accepting any of the usual excuses.
The person of contact for the Market must have a cell phone and a computer.
They have a board with a number of members. To allow a solvable situation to mushroom is irresponsible at best.

Anonymous said...

@10:56
How do we know this is a petty or personal dispute ? At this point the only thing that is clear is that there is a problem involving exclusion from the market. Perfectly natural to request more information and clarification.

Anonymous said...

I have a ? please
Who votes for the board of the Farmers' Market ?
Do they even have to be residents of Aurora ?
Sorry, that was 2 questions