Dear editor:

I was quite a fan of the TV series “M*A*S*H” and I particularly enjoyed Col. Sherman T. Potter’s turns of phrase. I think my favourite was “Horse feathers!” 

I was reminded of this when I read Victor Tarnoy’s op-ed in the March 30 edition of The Lake  Report, “Chautauqua’s character is under threat from development.”

It was an interesting column, but toward the end came this startling claim: “Chautauqua is Niagara-on-the-Lake’s oldest and largest, most inclusive and diverse neighbourhood.” 

Colonel Potter would have to say, “Horse feathers!” 

Chautauqua has never been inclusive and diverse as we understand these terms today. The Niagara Assembly established the NOTL copy of New York’s Chautauqua Institute in 1887 and was founded on its extremely laudable principles: Spirituality, recreation, entertainment and education.

But it was never meant for Indigenous, Black or brown peoples. And, given its definitively Protestant underpinnings, it was certainly never intended for the Jewish or Muslim communities, let alone Irish Catholics. 

In 2021, with the murder of George Floyd ever present, the board of  the Chautauqua Residents Association asked the members present at the annual general meeting to ratify the following amendment to our bylaws:    

“World events compel us, as an association, to examine the multifaceted nature of racism in the world around us. Although we have every reason to be proud of our unique neighbourhood of Chautauqua, we are not an island. We will challenge ourselves to understand and correct any inequities we may discover as we continue to learn about racism.” 

Unfortunately, the outrage at this initiative and other issues was literally deafening and a new board was elected. 

In denouncing this amendment about racism, a member of the new board of the association said, “This has nothing to do with us!” And a prominent longtime resident of Chautauqua protested, “We are not the world.” 

Now, there are many fine, good-hearted people in the 240 or so households of Chautauqua and many have helped to make the Town of Niagara-On-The-Lake a better place to live. 

But when someone claims Chautauqua is Niagara-on-the-Lake’s “most inclusive and diverse neighbourhood,” I’m with Colonel Potter. “Horse feathers!”

Peter Millard
NOTL