3 Comments on “ Chris Young Hauled Out Again ”

1. 

   July 23rd, 2010 at 3:42PM
   mark sawtelle Says:

   Christopher Young always has a two-word platform: Christopher Young.

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2. 

   August 10th, 2010 at 9:16PM
   wess Says:

   In the Agenda’s political endorsements in 2006, we noted how Young had flipped a table during a televised debate of mayoral candidates in the prior cycle. The significant detail being that at the same time he was running, he was also making a documentary about it, which we suggested “seriously blurs the line between candidacy and performance art.” My own personal interactions with him (Stop & Shop is like six blocks from me) have only reinforced my impression that he doesn’t clearly discriminate between the two.

   I think that grandstanding is a big part of Young’s raison d’être. From what I’ve been able to turn up (on the infrequent occasions I’m moved to look into it), it’s not like he’s doing a lot else with his life. Like Rodi, he seems to be primarily engaged in inventing himself as someone relevant who’s doing something with his life and maybe for others along the way. Young at least seems sincere, if not altogether right in the head.

   I give him credit for standing up for what he believes in. It’s just that he believes in some pretty nutty stuff — and at the same time seems to have little or no respect for civil authority, or at least a highly distorted understanding of our democratic system. I personally witnessed him address the State Senate Judiciary Committee with the assertion that Rhode Island is properly governed under Catholic canon law. Never mind that the State and Colony’s founders were, to a head, not Catholic — and would have been appalled at any such notion. And never mind that any claim to religious authority in state government ended with the state’s ratification of the U.S. Constitution, which explicitly proscribes it. And never mind that Rhode Island, unique among the Colonies, explicitly guaranteed religious freedom and separation of church and state. Not surprisingly, the sweathog from Narragansett offered no clear evidence of his claim.

   It’s bizarre how Catholic bigots insist on living up to every single negative stereotype of them. But Young is perhaps unique in his histrionics, if not in his convictions. Who else has been thrown out of so many political events (including the aforementioned hearing)? Who else has the audacity to challenge Brown’s right to manage their private events on their private property however they please (right or wrong)? Who else is crazy and outrageous enough to suggest that the civil authority should bow to the Diocese, in this day and age?

   Sure, he’s a pain in the ass right now, but we’ll miss him when he’s gone. I know I will.

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3. 

   August 11th, 2010 at 9:13AM
   Nancy Green Says:

   Wes, what an excellent repy. You clearly know a lot about Rhode Island history and politics.
   I’m an ex-Catholic for many years, so for what it’s worth– Chris Young’s behavior never read as Catholic to me. It would be more usual and effective to invite the Governor and his wife to some function room and give them rubber chicken and have the Bishop present them with a wall plaque. It’s odd that Chris young who claims the religion of Rhode Island insiders expresses his views by forcing his fellow citizens to wait in the hall for an hour.
   I wouldn’t be sorry if Young decided to join a monastery. I’ll never forget seeing James Langevin in his wheelchair trying to answer constituent’s questions and Chris Young bellowing at him in an apparent attempt to disrupt the Warwick health care Town Hall. There was a lot of hostility, Chris Young was feeding into it. I think if he were not acting out under cover of religion he would be made accountable more quickly.

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