A Giant Victory for a Small Town in Wales

Aberystwth, Wales is located west of England in the United Kingdom. It’s a world away from Kansas City, Kansas. The town is roughly three hours to the nearest airport and life moves at a slower pace. As a Kansan, it was almost like stepping back into time. That can be both a good and a bad thing. The good is that you don’t have to lock your doors. The bad is that sometimes the townspeople ban stuff. You know really risqué stuff like Monty Python’s The Life of Brian. Yes, it took thirty years for this small town to publicly show this British comedy classic. Okay, I saw the movie a while back. It’s hilarious and I’m not just saying that because I’m some tree-hugging granola munching lefty. Well I am left-handed and eat lots of healthy granola. I hug trees all the time. They often come in different sizes and formats. We all know what books are made of right?

Not everybody gets satire. It’s something that British, select Canadians and upper Mid-westerners are more apt to pick up on. Of course, there are exceptions. Meanwhile the satire train which had derailed over Monty Python in Wales appears to be back on track.

I think it’s a great leap forward for Aberystwth. Yes, there were protesters protesting the movie 30 years after the film’s initial release (nice try). As a librarian, I do have some thoughts on all this. Agreeing to disagree on matters that aren’t life or death such as showing a silly comedy helps society progress. There will always be artists, movie directors, talk show hosts, and even protesters who try to push people’s buttons. In Wales, thanks in-part to Gareth Bailey (one of the town’s unsung heroes), things are becoming a bit more modern and up-to-date. And you know what they say about Kansas City?

On Tuesday April 7 at 6:30 pm there will be a talk at Kansas City, Kansas Public Library about Thriving in a Down Economy. In the presentation, I will detail strategies and habits to succeed in any economic climate but the focus will be on today’s current mess. The talk will take place in the first floor computer lab at the Main Library on 625 Minnesota Avenue.

Until next time, catch me in the library.