The Town Council of Cobourg voted to name it's recently purchased harbour dredger after the Oscar winning actress, Marie Dressler. Councillor Dean McCaughey had given "some thought" to the name, and declared, "The Marie Dressler name means something in Cobourg, and I think it's an appropriate name."
Swooning for a dance partner, Councillor Bob Spooner was reported in Northumberland Today as saying that Councillor McCaughey, "...was looking for somebody old enough to remember Marie Dressler to second the motion, so that's how I ended up seconding the motion."
The mol flower power of the Council, Miriam Mutton, protested.
"The dredger is a workhorse of a vessel, a very large tool," she declared without irony.
"I really think it is almost inappropriate to attach Marie Dressler's name. I would like to see a much more elegant landmark to commemorate this woman"
And so the motion passed. The lesstosterone males voted in favour of Marie Dredger er, uh, Dressler, in hag-drag no less.
“I contend that every woman has the right to feel beautiful, no matter how scrambled her features, or how indifferent her features” -- Marie Dressler.
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Northumberland Today published Monday Sept. 7, 2010:
Marie ’Dredger’ Dressler is hoisted into dry dock and Cobourg Councillor Dean McCaughey, explains how the name came after “…some thought, being involved with boating.”
Really? Boating? Dredging? How dissimilar! Boats are curvaceous and sleek, whereas dredgers are notable for not sinking fast enough. Yep, that was “some thought.”
So Councillor McCoughey wrapped his “thought” in swaddling and brought it to Town Council, declaring, "The Marie Dressler name means something in Cobourg, and I think it's an appropriate name." This is indicative of an arrogance that insults participatory democracy.
Towns people should have been brought in on The Naming of Things.
Cobourg contains creative people. A call for names should have been put forth. A selection of ten or five names should have been presented for votes. Let Cobourg chose, rather than an I-can-do-it-all-by-my-important-self councillor. Thanks for consensus denial.
The lesstosterone males on town council appear to be gender-bent. They seem to see Dressler in drag. Look at the photo published in Northumberland Today; the dredger features a long nozzle between two round paddle wheels. Marie Dressler? How insultingly incongruous!
Furthermore, Marie Dressler, was some elegant dame, a Hollywood star, an Oscar winner, not a contender. Take a moment to think how Ms Dressler would reply to an invitation by the ‘Feel Good’ Town of Cobourg, all expenses paid, champagne bottle on a rope, to attend the official Launching Ceremony whereby they attach in perpetuity her honoured name to a bottom feeder that sucks.
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4 comments:
Surely should be called Marie Dredger, not Marie Dressler
Years ago they named "Wally" the police dog. It was after Mr. Wally X (I have to respect the family)who became terminally ill.
He was a great social entertainer, piano playor, singer at the Golden Plough, etc... devoting his time for years,to the elderly and the lonely and sick in Town, people without visitors. Mr. X heard was rather sadden from this nicknaming-valediction. He broke in tears in front of me.
I believe the Town council shouldn't get involve in nicknaming. It brings derision, shows narrowness of mind and the lack of generosity in trifling matter.
I hope the author of the blog is not offended. Wally is good name to remember for me.
This Town has a Credo which is becoming less and less valuable and unprofessional on the part of the corporation of the Town of Cobourg.
But wasn't Marie Dressler the star of Tugboat Annie? Could that have played some part in McCaughey's misguided decision?
Combine that fact with the other fact that Ms. Dressler was no beauty, and I can see where this -dare I say it - old white guy's thinking came from?
Marie deserves a better memorial than this. Since it was my father, along with others, who worked tirelessly to honour her with museum space at Dressler House and the Music Festival, I come by these sentiments with that connection. Ed would expect it!
I don't agree either with the way the boat was named. Wally's idea for a contest was a great one, and would really engage people. It is our community, and our damn boat for that matter.
But then, inclusiveness and originality are not hallmarks of this Town Council, are they?
Yep, she was the star of Tugboat Annie.
“Fate cast me to play the role of an ugly duckling with no promise of swanning. I have played my life as a comedy rather than the tragedy many would have made of it.” -- Marie Dressler.
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