To the editor:

Councilor Annelise Conway certainly laid it out clearly when she said that the town council was “looking for a solution to a problem that did not need to exist.” 

However, she was addressing only a small part of the issue. In point of fact, we have been embroiled for several years in a completely needless controversy. Because of the social agenda of the previous council, we are now stuck with dealing with where flagpoles should be situated. In addition to antagonizing the veterans community in Barrington, we have also made enemies of a number of other individuals that believe that the town has no business selecting winners and losers when it comes to celebrating social justice agendas. This has been a no-win situation from the very beginning.

The needless controversy could have been dealt with a long time ago by withdrawing the entire concept of placing flags for any group other than the US and the veterans. Unlike all the other various organizations, that the flag advocates wish to applaud, the military is the only one for which all of us should be grateful.

It is not too late to stop this foolishness and discontinue displaying any flags of any sort other than those which were there at the start of this ridiculous adventure. 

The current town council should simply discontinue the tinkering with this issue, which will just continue to antagonize some and embolden others. Just admit that it was an experiment that failed. It has consumed far too much government time and inflamed too many passions. Nothing is to be gained from continued involvement. Let’s get out from under it now. It is long, long overdue. 

Stephen E. Glinick MD

Barrington