Sign ordinance needed

It was dismaying to read the Whitney letter in the 10/4/12 Bethel Citizen, motivated because he detected the “vile stench of socialism/communism” presumably emanating from the good folks participating in the Sign Ordinance effort.

Non-credibly, the letter then disparages the result of our good efforts even before a result exists. It then suggests that Bethel citizens abandon our Sign Ordinance altogether in the name of “individual freedom,” leaving us with no protection whatever from just the kind of mind-numbing mess we see in degraded, stagnant towns elsewhere. We soundly rejected that as our vision for the future.

The letter denigrates our community determination to join the 21st century. We're determined to do what many successful towns have done, something constructive and enduring to improve methods of identifying ourselves and our businesses to interested visitors.

Contrary to the assertion, ours is a community of highly individual citizens seizing an opportunity to move forward by uniting in good cause – just as we have since the American Revolution. To reflect on that is cause for celebration. To equate it with “socialism/communism” is an insult to what it means to be an American.

Seabury Lyon

Bethel