Ted Carroll, President of Leadership Greater Hartford (organizers of the event) gave the greeting, which also moved along. I don’t want to be the person to point this out, but there is some irony in thanking the Hartford Courant and WTIC radio for being media sponsors of this event, since the Hartford Courant along with other local media are part of why the national media picked up on recent incidents, causing damage the Hartford’s reputation. Some on the Courant staff have written meaningful columns after this, but we should remain critical of any outlet that would post video without any context. We live in the age of the internet, when material is quickly picked up and dispersed. Few bother to investigate their sources, as Christine, Heather, and I were discussing. False information gets spread nearly instantly, and is difficult to rectify later. It’s fine to be diplomatic if a company is giving money, but let’s not forget their own role in why the event has to happen at all– even with such a great showing of people from Hartford who do care about our community, I have to wonder how much damage this will undo.

MIRA and Mind Evolution, both spoken word artists, earned robust applause from the audience. MIRA performed “I Wish We All Had Daughters,” and Mind Evolution, “When I Grow Up.” There was dance, drumming, a puppet of what I believe was a Phoenix (it was a bird of some kind, I think), and a series of “conversations” (interviews and speeches).

Rabbi Donna Berman announced that there would be a second Hartford Cares gathering held at the Charter Oak Cultural Center in July. That one will allow the community more of an opportunity to be active in the conversation.

From my chats with people, there was a lot of surprise about the number of people in attendance and the racial diversity. A few thought that the “cheese factor” would have been way higher than it was. Actually, until the grand finale of dozens of adults and children crammed on the bandshell stage, singing and swaying, it really was not corny. And for those who must know, there was absolutely no singing of Kumbaya.
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THE GROWING GREEN CO-OP INVITES YOU TO JOIN US FOR AN OPEN HOUSE!

Join us Saturday, June 28th from 10am-2pm for a peek of the progress on our newly renovated community space located at 197 New Britain Avenue (next to Alchemy). Come meet some of the farmers participating in our year round farmers market and register for our summer youth activist camp beginning in July.

Board Members will be available to answer questions about co-op member benefits, why you should join our community and how you can get involved. Children’s activities will be planned and plenty of parking is available at the Trinity College Hockey Rink right next door (the market is located directly between the co-op community center and the rink).

Come find out what’s up with our new “BICYCLE RECYCLE” project led by our very own bike enthusiast Rob Graves. We will mark the first official day of our year round farmers market featuring local honey, produce, maple syrup, sprouts, flowers, (sign up for a weekly flower share!) eco-friendly cleaners and body care products, organic linens, local artisans as well as featured Green Business members of the Co-op! Knox Parks will be our featured environmental organization offering information about their Rain Barrel Fundraising Project. Bring your CFLs, batteries, old cell phones & ink cartridges to be recycled. If you are an artisan, a farmer, an activist, an entertainer or a volunteer - who would like to be involved, just let us know!

Co-ops are formed in response to a local need. When government and the economic marketplace fail to provide quality goods and services to the public, people have historically cooperated to provide for themselves and their families. The Growing Green Co-op is a consumer driven co-op that has evolved out of a desire for availability of high quality, local, sustainable products as well as the desire to support local, sustainable businesses through our Green Business Referral Network. We are a vibrant community of extraordinary like-minded folk who are determined to grow our local economy- including the development of our own “CT Currency” while walking more lightly on the earth. The co-op serves as the vehicle to connect others sharing similar desires and needs. Welcome!

To Hartford Bashers: Step Up, Or Shut Up

Susan Campbell

June 11, 2008

Dear Haters,

The hit-and-run of Angel Arce Torres was upsetting and sad — and, as it turns out, the perfect opportunity for people to stew in their own prejudice and fear. As if we need that kind of thing. As if that serves a purpose.

Since the 78-year-old man was run down on Park Street in Hartford May 30, the noise from the cheap seats has been a cacophony of commentary lite — all the venom without the facts.

“No Good Samaritans in Hartford,” says one headline. “What Have We Become,” says another. Swarms of people — online and off — are taking vicious delight in comparing Hartford residents to wild animals and calling on Darwinism to weed them out.

Please. Do us all a favor: Shut up.

When the second of two cars swerving to the wrong side of the road hit Torres, at least four people called 911. In Hartford, residents don’t always think of the police as Officer Friendly. Then, too, the fear of gang retribution makes any crime, any aberration, something to avoid. Yet four people quickly called.

And rather than factoring in the shock that a bystander would feel at seeing an elderly man sent flying through the air — a good man known in the neighborhood for his kindnesses, the haters decided that Hartford residents are heartless and worse.

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