Letter from Joanie Parrillo

Village Reactions Disappointing

Regarding the Village of Cooperstown sign law, it has been violated all summer long and is still being violated, as of right now. I took photos and gave them to village officials at the meeting on August 26 and the next day they were still there. At Monday’s [September 23] meeting, I told village officials they had three more illegal signs and, guess what, they’re still up. As for the people who spoke against the banners at that meeting, not one of them was a native of Cooperstown; not born or raised here, unlike our veterans.

Cooperstown officials say the village is “historic,” which is defined as “famous or important in history.” Last I knew, the wars these men and women fought in were both historic and historical, which is defined as “something that is connected with the past or with the study of history, or something that really happened in the past.”

Yes, the Village of Cooperstown has monuments to our veterans, but a face with a name makes you stop and think about that person. Every photo on those banners is a story waiting to be told. Wouldn’t it be nice to do a walking tour of the banners? Believe it or not, there are people who would like that more than baseball.

I can’t tell you how many people have thanked me for taking this project on, not knowing it would be so difficult. I am not a quitter. I will keep fighting for our veterans. However, I personally will not hang my family’s banners in a village they grew up in that can’t honor its veterans in this manner. They deserve better, as do the rest of the veterans that would like to see this happen.

I have to wonder if the Hometown Heroes banners had baseball players on them if we would have to fight so hard, but I think we all know the answer to that.

One more thing I feel the need to say: Where were all the business owners on September 23? Did you forget all the veterans that do business with you, who support you in the winter months? Shame on you. Only one business owner was brave enough to voice his opinion, so I will keep supporting him.

Joanie Parrillo
Toddsville