Editor:
Cushing’s Festival in the Park is, and always has been, a nice event. The decision not to allow wine should not have an adverse effect on it.
I applaud the Chamber for its involvement in the Festival and for continuing to work to improve it and make it increasingly relevant to a wider audience. It is a tedious job and largely a thankless one.
The presence of alcohol on public property is an issue here that has apparently been set in stone forever. Other communities tolerate and direct such activities toward what they perceive as their best advantage and come up with a different solution altogether.
Our city council members voted in what they considered the best interests of the community. As they do at every meeting. Again, their job is largely thankless as well. (Perhaps an evening meeting would have drawn a more varied cross section of community opinion but that’s beside the point).
In light of this decision I wish they could also abolish rude behavior, littering, bad attitudes, inattentive parents, unruly children, overly loud people and sloppy eaters from public places as well. But perhaps that’s not being realistic. (Besides… at various times I would be on one of those lists of ‘banned’ people and that wouldn’t set well with me.)
I am thankful for the work of the Chamber in community affairs and for the city council members for their willingness to direct the affairs of the city. Even when I disagree with their decisions I rest assured they’re making them with much soul searching and with the best interests of the community at heart.
For those of us who enjoy wine tastings we can still go to Shawnee, Drumright, Duncan, Stroud, Sparks, Chandler, Stillwater, Broken Arrow or many other communities and wineries who host such events. They are becoming more common and the events surrounding them are creatively festive.
Satisfying everyone’s desire in such situations is impossible. That’s one benefit of highways; they connect us to other towns, other cultures and we’re never far from a taste of life from someone else’s table.
Rick Reiley
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