I hate when this happens

Date: 4/9/2015

Among my nightmares are instances in which I base a column or story on the reporting of others and the reporting is false.

Part of this opinion piece was based on a quote in the Boston press attributed to John Fish and referenced his feelings about people who oppose the Boston Olympic bid.

Turns out the television station that reported the quote originally got it wrong and retracted it. I am deleting that part of my opinion here on-line in response.

My apologies to Fish and here’s what I’d like to do: the next time he’s in Western Massachusetts talking about statewide support of the campaign, give me 15 minutes and tell me why I should back it.

Tuition cap

The move to cap the tuition of a bachelor’s degree has progressed further with the announcement of an agreement between Springfield Technical Community College and Worcester State University. It follows a similar deal between Holyoke Community College and Westfield State University.

Granted the limit of $30,000 is just for tuition, but that is certainly a start in the effort of making college much more affordable.

Education has always been touted as the means by which we transcend class in this country. These efforts will help maintain that path of advancement.

Tofu Curtain

As religious leaders go, the Dali Lama is someone I admire. He strikes me as genuine and not a poser. Apparently he is coming to Smith College, Amherst College and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst for several appearances in October.    

My journalistic colleague Mary Serreze has posed the question of why not having an event “south of the Tofu Curtain.” Apparently he is speaking about “Compassion in Education.”

So why limit his appearances at these venues: two private colleges and one public university all in the confines of Hampshire County? Are Springfield, Holyoke, Chicopee and Westfield not significant enough? We have some innovative schools succeeding to break through the barriers of poverty and perhaps they would be just as worthy a place to discuss such a topic.

It’s clear, though, the perception of working class and racially diverse Hampden County is simply not very appealing to the organizers. Frankly this is the type of thing gives supposedly “socially progressives” a bit of a bad name.

Agree? Disagree? Drop me a line at news@thereminder.com or at 280 N. Main St., East Longmeadow, MA 01028. As always, this column represents the opinion of its author and not the publishers or advertisers of this newspaper.