Guess the only poetry this body likes is of the "monkey see, monkey do" variety. So much for free speech.
"A Nassau legislative comittee yesterday voted down a proposal to name the county's first poet laureate, saying some of the nominee's writings were offensive to service members fighting overseas.
Before the 6-1 vote against the nomination of Maxwell Corydon Wheat Jr., Minority Leader Peter Schmitt said the Freeport poet's writings "condemn the troops fighting for America in Afghanistan and Iraq, and that's absolutely tragic.
"... I don't care what his politics are, but you don't condemn the men and women who answer this nation's call and put on the uniform," Schmitt said.
http://www.newsday.com/...
Only Legis. Wayne Wink (D-Roslyn) voted for Wheat.
"I would be hard-pressed to imagine anyone in their right mind putting themselves through this again to be the poet laureate of Nassau County," Wink said. It was unclear yesterday whether another nominee for the unpaid position will be put forward.
Wheat, 80, an award-winning member of the Long Island poetry community for about 40 years, was selected by a six-person committee. The poet laureate would serve for two years and would be charged with promoting and encouraging poetry within the county and with giving two public readings each year."