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Jim
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| Joined: | Fri Dec 29th, 2006 |
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Posted: Sat Mar 15th, 2008 11:29 am |
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I hesitate to post this but it does have some socially
redeeming value.
Thursday night BarbaraRosa's 7pm: Chuck Carter arrives, needs
to see me really bad. Chuck says, "I'm afraid I really screwed up
tonight and I have to go to the police station tomorrow 12:30. to
get a citation."
"I was watching my TV at home when a church group pulled up
in front of my house and started a service on a loudspeaker so
loud I couldn't hear my TV. I went out it was a black van and
people with white crosses or candles and I didn't know what the
heck was going on, I called 911, got transferred to Culebra,
no answer."
" I snapped, I shouldn't have done it, but I went outside and
got my hose and drenched them including their loudspeaker."
I said "WOW we got problems." I got out my noise ordinance
gave Chuck a copy and said I would see him the next day. No
matter what, he wanted to apologize.
Friday morning Digna Calls: "Jim, did you hear what happened
last night at .............?" (it wasn't Chucks so I said "no") " Well,
there was a group who had white candles," I interrupted, "I think
I know what you're talking about." she continued, "It was the
Catholic Church doing their Easter procession, but this year
they started at Neil Romero's because of his recent loss and
Chuck Carter...........and one of the nuns was drenched" (Neil's
house is directly across the street from Chucks) I said "Oh my
God, say it isn't so!"
Friday Morning 11:45: I found Chuck with the noise ordinance
in his hand ready to go into the police station to explain why
he went off the deep end.
"Chuck" I said, "I've got some really bad news" he said "Worse?"
""I'm afraid so, that group last night wasn't the street church
that makes noise all the time (and had been taken to court),
It was the Catholic Church doing...etc" He looked at me
horrified and said "Oh *%$#*&#" I said, "forget the noise
ordinance, forget the illegal parking in front of a fire hydrant,
just apologize." He said, "That's exactly what I wanted to do"
Chuck went in, a lively discussion/lecture ensued, and the
Church dropped all charges. How many of us would have
been so forgiving? Chuck then went to Neil and Nydia to
personally apologize. Absolutely amazing, but the Church
was mostly concerned that the Community understand their
yearly rituals, thus this post.
By their forgiveness and grace they gave us all an
incredible lesson in tolerance.
During the holidays we have special rites and celebrations
by various groups, Paranda during Xmas is one for example,
the "Procession" during the Easter holy season is another
and it is a solemn ritual. During part of it a young man
carries the Crucifix down the street to the Catholic church.
Most of the community understands if not participates, for
the few that don't, it is a time for neighborliness, respect
and tolerance. We won't belabor the issue in the calendar
for obvious reasons, but Chuck has written a very simple
heartfelt apology, now you'll know why when you read it.
____________________
"The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness." -- John Kenneth Galbraith
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admin
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| Joined: | Sat Dec 23rd, 2006 |
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Posted: Sat Mar 15th, 2008 11:53 am |
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Thanks for sharing this with the community, and my heart goes out to all involved.
But mostly to the Catholic church and Neil and Nydia and their family.
The Easter procession is one of my favorite events of the year -- even though I am not Catholic, it is a lovely, spiritual event and a very special part of the community's cloth.
The Catholic church and our nuns have also done unlimited community outreach.
This story is a nice one, and a good one, because it shows how a community should work (OK, Chuck should not have done what he did, but I, like so many others, having been the victim of the other church group and the old days of the loud (and I mean LOUD) speakers and their often offensive (sometimes having a knowledge of Spanish is not fun) messages screamed into their microphones and speakers well into the night when most people are trying to sleep, I can understand how his emotions got the best of him). I have seen or heard some of the community's most serene and mellow residents snap under the same circumstances.
Hopefully the community will use this as another healing chapter, and will work together for the good of the island as a whole.
Last edited on Sat Mar 15th, 2008 11:55 am by admin
____________________
Life is short. Break the rules, Forgive quickly, Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably,
and never regret anything that made you smile!
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