From 'Visionary Vermont' to Robert Hayes Memorial. The juxtaposition of triumph and terrorism

摘要

My experiences tonight were exhilarating, disturbing, and resolute; the only reasonable fallout from such profound experiences is juxtaposition. At one end was the Visionary Vermont Future Fair, at the other end was the candle-light memorial for terrorist victim Robert Hayes. One was a glorious celebration of life's opportunities, the other a somber remembrance of our greatest vulnerability. I didn't realize that the two were connected, and maybe they weren't, until happenstance made them so. I was returning from Grand Hall, the venerable chamber of discourse at the University of Vermont in Burlington. Robert Castanza was leading a discussion on envisioning a future for a sustainable America. His was the afternoon keynote in an unprecedented proceeding. It was the Visionary Vermont Future Fair for the Year 2020―four days of seminars, celebrations, and New England style town meetings, all geared to help Vermont take a leadership role in defining an agenda for America and the world. The agenda included participatory democracy, sustainable economics, and environmental stewardship. It was one of Vermont's finest hours.