zeke russell of skowhegan, ME I guess I look at the whole thing differently than most folks. I see the West A fourth as a celebration of the most basic of American rights: freedom. I also see it as the continuation of my father's legacy.
My dad, Dan Russell, helped start the thing all those years ago. He believed that the
Fourth was a time of self expression, not of drunken stupidity. He also sometimes disaproved of
Anna's choices on the fourth, but never with her right to make those choices. My dad was a blue collar kind of guy, although a confirmed weirdo. Many of us would like to see the fourth return to that principle. we would like to see that most American of ideas celebrated in the little gravel pit by the stream in the Free Republic of West Athens.report abuse

HaroldR Soule of Brownville, ME Except for the floats, I don't see where this is much different than every other day in Athens!report abuse

Eliza Williams of Waterville, ME How...silly, silly. That's how I feel about this West Athens silly hippies show. Grow up and get a real life. Get off your drugs and stop advertising pot smoking as an acceptable (bad, in my not so humble opinion) habit.

I remember the 'Green Lady' years ago parading down the street with nothing on underneath her diaphanous green leaves BUT nothing. Now, Anna, is that what we want our children exposed to?

No.

We stopped going after that year. If the adults can't be grown up enough to exercise responsibility, then it's no place for children of any age to be. Including impressionable teens.

Furthermore, the pot smoking was done very openly...publicly. If that too obvious type of illegality is condoned, Anna, then it doesn't deserve any play here at all in the newspaper. It's not simply this cute little countrified 'happening.' Most of you hail from out of state.

And it's not the 60's any longer, and most of you are over 60 now.

Isn't it way past time to grow up?

Can't believe the Sentinel sees this as worthy of an article.report abuse

Cecil Gray of Bingham, ME Our country was founded on Anarchy and revolution which appear nowhere on July 4 except W. Athens. Everywhere else its hot dogs and salutes to the imperialists of the day. I agree with Anna that some common decency should be lobbied for but the precious individual display of freedom that lives here for a few hours one day a year should be enshrined in resilence. The "ugliness" that accompanies it serves better than the ugliness ignored in all other parades. God bless us for laughing, chastizing the war machine, and brandishing the truth in many colors of priceless, satirical, gravel pit revolt!!report abuse