Lincoln Journal
June 19, 2003

Debate time for Minute Man National Historical is imminent

By John Williams / Guest Columnist

The communities surrounding the Minute Man National Historical Park are fighting an honest, patriotic battle against sinister and entrenched political interests. It is time for clear talk and honest debate.

Massport is the expansionist corporation seeking to promote its narrow self-interests at the expense of the greater public good. It wants to build a runway against enormous public opposition at Logan Airport. In order to do
so:

Massport has, with the disingenuous mayor of Boston, played the "class" card pitting the suburban "snobs" against the city inhabitants

It has intentionally blurred the distinction between The Massport Hanscom Civilian Airfield and The Hanscom Air Force Base/Hanscom Laboratory.

It has belittled the honest intentions of the preservationists who desire to protect both the Minute Man National Historical Park and the Air force Base with its Hanscom Labs from Massport's expansionist agenda. It is worth clearly repeating: those fighting against expansion of the Hanscom civilian airport are fighting for both the Minute Man National Historical Park (and the many related important historical sites) and the Air Force/Hanscom Labs. National history and national security are most complementary and worth fighting for.

Massport's real problem is that the preservation of the Air Force / Hanscom Labs is, in the long run, not compatible with expansion of the civilian airport. This can be seen clearly in the latest Massport/Menino play: convincing FEDEX to add business activities at Hanscom civilian airport. On the one hand this seemed to serve the fictional political scam well: Massport and Menino could claim to the Bostonians that they were "sticking it to" the suburbs instead of Logan. Unhappily though, since Massport has intentionally created confusion between the Civilian Airport and the Air Force/Hanscom labs the ensuing community outcry will be unclear to the Federal BRAC process in charge of military base closures. It turns out that one of the criteria it uses in deciding whether or not to close a military facility is community support.

Thus the Menino/ Massport partnership is, in fact, hurting the probability of the vitally important Air Force/Hanscom Labs partnership survival. All of this because petty political ambition and self- centered corporate greed have greater priority for the Massport/Menino partnership than the most important historical and national security sites in the greater Boston area.

The intentional and destructive muddled identity is a political reality to be sure. Additionally though, if one looks long term, the fact is that practically speaking the two are incompatible. As the military bases shrink in number they, on the other hand, increase in size. Operations and capabilities will be consolidated which means that the vitally important Air Force/ Hanscom Labs partnership will grow if we are fortunate enough to save it from closure. More buildings require more space. Commercial operations, especially something as "bulky" as FEDEX, are in direct competition. Choices need to be made. We the preservationists believe the Air Force/Hanscom lab partnership along with the irreplaceable historical and cultural resources are vastly more important than the Massport/Menino political agenda.

The Massachusetts economy and the rich Massachusetts historical/cultural environment cannot afford to lose the Minute Man National Historical Park and the Air Force/Hanscom Labs where our national security is enhanced on a daily basis. Both are in need of expanding in service of entirely complementary goals. Any other competing agendas should not be allowed to compromise the futures of these most vital resources.

All of this for a new convention center (will it be called M&M for
Massport/Menino?) and the new Logan runway? Will this duo place our national historical treasures our national security facilities and the good people around both Logan and Hanscom at risk for these much less important goals?

John Williams is a Lincoln resident.

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