Speaker at Warwick Planning Board hearing clarifies - and expands - his comments

The newspaper’s April 23 article briefly quoted my comments to the Warwick Town Planning Board on April 16. At the time I thought my comments were a bit clumsy and inadequate (blame stage fright) and I would appreciate the opportunity to expand them a bit.

It’s true I think the proposed residential college should be subject to additional environmental review. This is purely because the proposal is for a tiny parcel of land in a huge area of Sterling Forest that has, for decades, been moving away from human development and toward environmental preservation.

Introducing 200 human residents — of any background or faith — seems potentially risky, and before the project is approved I think it is appropriate to apply all available scrutiny to the potential environmental consequences.

This is not, however, why I stood to address the planning board. My intent was to respond to the residents who choose to cite the applicants’ faith as a reason to refuse their application.

Numerous speakers drew allusions to developments in other communities like Palm Tree and Blooming Grove, comparisons that rely entirely on the applicants’ shared religious background.

One gentleman suggested their college was not a legitimate institute of higher education because of the subject matter.

Another objected to the contents of the Talmud — only to state that his comments were not anti-Semitic.

Well I’m sorry, but when you object to someone’s presence in your community because of the contents of the Talmud, that is without question anti-Semitism.

The vast majority of speakers focused their concerns, appropriately, on concerns about environmental impact. But I noted the applause was loudest for those who openly expressed objection to the identity of the applicants.

I regret that stage fright kept me from properly expressing my objection and condemnation for any form of religious discrimination. If there is anything we should fight to keep out of Warwick, it is prejudice. Prejudice is a noxious pollutant that poisons our community and turns us against one another.

Kudos to the Planning Board for stating that the identity of the applicants would not enter into their consideration.

I would ask the same from my neighbors — and, if environmental review is completed and suggests no significant harm, I hope we will all extend welcome to the applicants as new neighbors in our town.

Thank you for the opportunity to expand my comments.

Chris Keelty

Warwick