Dear Editor,
We moved to Woodstock, Vermont, in early 2017. It was the first time we had spent any time in Vermont, and we fell in love. We loved the town, the community, and everything else. We opened a business, and one of the first people we met was then officer Joe Swanson. He was grounded, calm, strong, and just a good guy.
As a member of the LGBT community, my wife and I are always aware of our community, town, surroundings, and neighborhood; we want to feel safe, and we want to feel a part of it.
We got to know Officer Swanson. We met his family—his husband and parents—and learned how he grew up in the town. His family supported the town and took active roles in helping it run and thrive.
It was shocking to learn that Police Chief Swanson had been suspended since October. I read the report that there were no grounds for his suspension, yet it remained until the very recent hearing, which still leaves the matter unresolved.
We have moved out of Vermont and still believe it is a wonderful place, but to think a town that is gearing up for its second “Pride” festivities of Woodstock is also considering firing or demoting their dedicated, wounded in duty, honorable openly gay Police Chief Joe Swanson is extremely disappointing and makes me question their motives. Is it personal? Is it biased? Has the influence of big government tarnished the small town of Woodstock, Vermont, into no longer being inclusive, especially of such a dedicated citizen chosen by the last highly regarded Police Chief, Blish? To think that Vermont is impenetrable by the wave of hate for the LGBTQIA is naive. Hate is a fungus and spreads quickly.
Vicki Ferentinos, formerly of Woodstock
