BSO: Hoped

Broadside Books in Northampton is promoting Hillary Clinton's new 2016 campaign memoir.

I haven't read the book, but most critics have panned it as an exercise in finger pointing. Hillary apparently accuses numerous people of letting her down in ways that helped to cause her defeat. Personally, I think Hillary blew the election when she made her infamous "deplorables" comment about Trump supporters. The goal of a political campaign is to attract voters, and the first rule is to do nothing to drive them away. While it is fine to attack your opponent, never say anything to insult the electorate itself. Hillary's deplorable comment made any Trump voter who might have been thinking of switching to Hillary instantly decide they would never vote for someone who publicly insulted them. That's Politics 101, and a seasoned pro like Hillary definitely should have known better.

Last week marked the one year anniversary of the death of Northampton artist Greg Stone. Stone was primarily known as a painter, but he also dabbled in sculpture, especially in his later years. This one was put up on the courthouse lawn posthumously.

Technically it is is well done, but I don't like the subject matter, which implies that hope is a fragile thing you can barely protect or preserve, like a cowering little bird in need of a shielding hand.

I think a sculpture symbolizing hope should be of a more heroic nature, after all, it often takes great courage to remain hopeful. I consider this sculpture, The Stone of Hope featuring Martin Luther King by Lei Yixin better captures the sense of steely determination that is a partner to real hope. Hope without determination doesn't usually get very far.

This is my favorite Greg Stone sculpture, captured here as the first rays of the rising sun strike it on Main Street.

Looking down I saw that someone had placed a flower in front of the stand of the sculpture, which features the names of allegedly prominent Northamptonites.