Living On GreenBacks

Living on Green Backs

There is a good chance that you might have been on the New Haven Green at some point in your life. Even if you do not know where New Haven is you are probably familiar with the concept of New England Town Greens. I can recall my first arrival in New Haven in the summer of 1971 driving past the New Haven Green on one side and seeing New Haven City Hall on the other side of the street.

The recent drug induced human drama on the green has brought us national news attention as it should.

Yale Town since 1701,New Haven since the 1600’s , home of the Quinnipiac people prior, oh so many events, known and and unknown have taken place there.

More recently Cinque also looks out on the green each day and night 247365. If you work in City Hall you might be fortunate to have a view from your window of the green. If you work for the Chamber of Commerce you might have a scenic view of the green as well.

If you wonder why I have entitled this note “Living on Greenbacks”, as you might recall that was the name of northern currency during the civil war.

Some might say as an aside that we are engaged in civil war part 6 once again, but I digress.

Like the civil war however, land, economic freedom, government protection, property rights, taxation are still at play.

Folks live and play on the green and more recently almost die on the green.

If you would work in City Hall you must wonder from time to time it would seem to me, what is the meaning of the juxtaposition of proximity to power and influence and how is it wielded, dispensed and allocated.

How can one of our most beautiful community assets, become camps for the poor, “refuge” for the homeless and disaffected where your access to green backs determines whose backs you are really leaning on.