Maplewood, New Jersey

We are at war over artificial turf.

There's a plan to replace real grass with turf in a modest area of Maplewood, and many people in that area are upset.

People in less-modest parts of Maplewood tend to be pro-turf (with exceptions).

The anti-turf people say: "Maybe turf causes cancer. Turf is ugly."

The pro-turf people say: "Our kids can never play soccer because the park in question is a soggy mess."

One resident reported that kids were stealing anti-turf signs. Another resident said (bizarrely): "The kids are using their voice in the only way they can. It's the kids who suffer--here." In other words, theft of another person's property is a bold political statement by teenagers.

The writer went on to qualify his statement, in a puzzling way: "I'm certainly not condoning the teens' choice of action....."

I voted for the turf, but now I sort of regret my vote. I think of Disney's "Pocahontas": "You think you own whatever land you land on....The Earth is just a dead thing you can claim...."

I'm eager to see the final tally.

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