More trash talk

To the editor:

It is ironic that in the editor’s lead commentary last week he laments the lack of dialog between opposing sides of issues and the use of labels to vilify the “other.” Then, in the comments to my letter about the landfill issue, the editor uses the pejorative term “tree hugger” to characterize the “handful” of Marion County citizens that opposed the landfill project.

In my memory, opposition to the BFI landfill was for the most part normal Marion people who paid their taxes, sent their kids to the public schools, and had some concerns about a massive flow of municipal solid waste coming into the county.

What I think is telling is that during several well-attended public meetings about the landfill proposal and the Marion County Planning Commission hearing, there was a total absence of support for the project other than BFI and the owners of the existing landfill.

Were the supporters intimidated by the “tree huggers” and feared retribution?

It sounds like the editor should have traveled back from Illinois to Marion to enlighten us on the benign nature of waste disposal and the wonderful future of having a mega-landfill.

The editor in his comments states that I seem to want to take credit for stopping the landfill.

I would not deny being opposed to the landfill, but I also was in my third term of sitting on the Wilson Township board as the trustee. This is an elected position in the township where the proposed landfill would be located, so I felt it was incumbent to speak out to my fellow Wilson Township residents.

Harry Bennett
Madison, Wisconsin