March 30, 2025

Reported by David Tiler Blue

Note from Bricklyn Eagle Editor Walt Brickman: The recently formed “Save Democracy” group sponsored a meeting yesterday to allow Bricklynites to weigh in on the planned April 15th referendum on a four-year agreement that would associate Bricklyn with both the nations of France and Denmark. For details on the proposal see our earlier report.

It should be noted that the Bricklyn referendum is contingent on the French and Danish parliaments first voting to ratify the proposed agreement. Those votes are scheduled for the week of April 7th

Bricklyn Eagle correspondent David Tiler Blue attended one of today’s “Save Democracy” meetings, and reports on some of what Bricklynites had to say.

David Tiler Blue, Reporter for The Bricklyn Eagle: Greetings to our Outland readers. To give you a sense of the reaction of Bricklynites to the proposed referendum, we’re setting out below excerpts from several of the comments made at this morning’s meeting organized by Bricklyn’s new “Save Democracy” group. The referendum is on whether the Realm of Bricklyn should, for at least the next four years, join both the French Republic and the Kingdom of Denmark as “overseas territories.” Again, as Editor Brickman noted, we’ve previously posted details about this association agreement.

Before getting to the public comments, we’ve inserted below a short video shown at the start of the meeting. As meeting moderator Jenny B. Jensen explained, “this meditative piece by Outland composer Max Richter can have a calming effect and help make people speak with deeper reflections.” Some of the commenters put that theory to the test.

Selected Public Comments from the Realm of Bricklyn Meeting of March 29, 2025 :

Herb Tiler Henderson, Bricklyn, VT: Thank you to our friends in the LEGO realms of France and Denmark for encouraging your government officials to negotiate and reach a tentative agreement with the Realm of Bricklyn. … Given the frightening rhetoric from the American administration, there is a very real risk that almost every one of us LEGO people could be deported from our homes in Bricklyn and our democracy lost.

Marcia Brickover, South Bricklyn, VT: We all know that this what we’ll be voting on may be a short-term solution, until, perhaps, sane leaders reclaim the American White House four years from now. But it will help ensure that our rights and freedom will be defended. …

I also want to say to my fellow Bricklynites, don’t worry about the proposed boundary line diving our Realm into French and Danish halves. If anything, it will add to our cultural diversity by having French influences on the Left Bank of the Brickooski River, and Danish influences on the Right Bank — and we can all enjoy both. Our kids will be alright.

Dougie Truebrick, Bricklyn, VT: As owner and head chef of The Bricklyn Diner, I regularly cross over into Vermont’s Outerlands to buy extremely good dairy products. I feel sad about the uncertainties our friends in Vermont are facing. I know most of them never cared for Trump.

I can tell everyone here that many of my customers are looking for some way to respond to what’s happening in America. … I don’t know if what’s being proposed is the best answer or not, but like the previous speaker, I give a lot of weight to what our Chief Prognosticator thinks.

We need to do something, and the deal with Denmark and France is a good idea. I’ll be voting “yes.”

Pastor Johnny Kahn, Bricklyn, VT: Who do we think we are! By God, we are Americans — some by birth here, others who chose to live on American soil. Yet our so-called leaders want to throw this all away. For what? For fear that some may malcontents in Bricklyn may be deported back to the socialist havens of Denmark or France. I say, let them be shipped there. Good riddance to them and their ilk.

Don’t all of you realize that the great Orange messenger has been sent by our Lord to save America. The Almighty one changed the course of an assassin’s bullet. That’s more important than petty concerns about that insipid word, democracy. … Let’s be patriots and vote down this proposal being foisted on us by left-wing extremists.

Sandra Tiler Swiftbrick, Bricklyn Jct., VT: Many of you knew my late husband, astronaut Tom Swiftbrick. As The Bricklyn Eagle reported two years ago, Tom set foot on the Moon alongside, and with the help of, American astronaut Neil Armstrong.

Bricklynites and Americans have long shared a positive vision of the future. But, sad to say, that vision has been darkened by a would-be dictator now acting as America’s president. … By Bricklyn becoming very small part of France and Denmark, we are not only helping ourselves, but are sending a message to America’s leaders so they know that the LEGO people of Bricklyn will not accept a threat to our democracy and freedoms. I am sure my late husband would agree.

Martha B. Careful, Bricklyn Jct., VT: Like my name, I always try to be careful when I make important decisions. I’m also, as most of you probably know, the owner of Bricklyn Imports, right here on Upper South Street. … What I’m very concerned about is the impact of tariffs on us. There hasn’t been much discussion here in Bricklyn about that. As a famous American once said, “No nation was ever ruined by trade.” Yet the Americans are starting to choke off trade.

So I’ve got concerns about trade and tariffs. Just how will American tariffs affect us if we become part of France or Denmark? I’d also like to know what the League of Inland Cities has to say, as they focus on promoting trade, and I see the head of the League, Lars Brickmussen, here in the audience. I’d like to hear more about this before I vote.

Bill Tiler French, Bricklyn Jct., VT: As some of you know I’m Treasurer of the Bricklyn Chapter of the Alliance Française, but I’m here speaking as an individual. I have to candidly say I’m concerned about having half of the Realm of Bricklyn become part of the Kingdom of Denmark. I just don’t think that’s a good idea. Do we forget the hard feelings that still exist related to the emigration of thousands of LEGO people from Denmark to Bricklyn, Vermont in the early 1980s?

I also doubt the will of the Danish people to standard up to America. Wait till you see them capitulate about control of Greenland in the coming months. I’d much rather have the support of the French Republic in standing with us here in Bricklyn.

Finally, it will be a lot less confusing to have all of Bricklyn become an overseas territory of France, instead of trying to split our Realm with half being part of France, and the other half being part of Denmark. This two-headed arrangement will also lead to constant confusion among not just visitors to Bricklyn, but among Bricklynites as well. I say “non” to the proposed agreement, but “oui” if — as originally planned — we associate just with the French Republic.

Millicent Plater-Zybrick, Bricklyn, VT: Hi everybody. I’m Milly. I go to the Red Brick Schoolhouse in Bricklyn. You all know who my Mom is, and you all know that because I’m just ten years old, I can’t vote. But me and my friends are scared about what’s happening, and about all this talk about maybe being forced to leave our homes in Bricklyn.

You’re the adults, and will get to decide what to do, but before you do listen to this old song I just heard for the first time a few days ago, by a singer by the name of John Lennon. I also asked Ms. Jensen to share it with Bricklyn Eagle readers. 📍Editor’s Note: Milly’s mother is Federal Council President Hilma Plater-Zybrick.

Lars Brickmussen, Presiding Official, League of Inland Cities: I want to take a minute to respond to Ms. Careful’s question related to The League of Inland Cities. We have not taken a position on the proposal to be voted on by citizens of the Tri-Partite Realm of Bricklyn. … We represent 27 LEGO cities and realms. While we are headquartered here in Bricklyn, we refrain from commenting on internal matters affecting any of our member cities or realms, though of course we want to stay informed of important matters, such as what you’ll be voting on.

Given our charter and our origins in the Hanseatic League of the 12th to 15th centuries, the League of Inland Cities clearly favors policies that promote free trade among its member realms, and will continue to do so regardless of whether Bricklyn chooses to associate with France and Denmark.

Abraham Jebediah “Abe” Simpson II, aka Grandpa Simpson, South Bricklyn, VT: I came to Bricklyn from Springfield with all of my family a few years ago. I’m just an old geezer. I don’t know if I can even vote here or have to go back to Springfield. My son is a big-shot who runs controls at nuclear plants, and hopes to get a job doing that here in Bricklyn if that deal goes through, so maybe he’ll stop eating so many donuts every day.

I thought I was just going to see a movie this afternoon. That’s why I got the popcorn. Thought this was a movie theater, not a meeting theater. … Now what have you all been talking about??

David Tiler Blue, Reporter for The Bricklyn Eagle: At the meeting several Bricklynites raised questions about the state of democracy today, not just in the United States, but in Denmark and France. One useful source for evaluating this are the democracy indices published by the  V-Dem Institute based at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

These indices take into account a variety of factors. The “core indices” focus on electoral democracy; liberal democracy; participatory democracy; deliberative democracy; and egalitarian democracy.” For more on the indices. The overall rankings (reflecting data through Dec. 31, 2024) place Denmark as the most democratic nation in the world, followed by Estonia and Ireland, with France as the tenth most democratic, and the United States ranked nineteenth. Saudi Arabia places last of the 179 nations ranked.

V-Dem’s just published Democracy Report 2025 25: Years of Autocratization – Democracy Trumped? — March 2025; pdf) includes a special section on the rapid “breakdown” of democracy in the United States since Trump took office: “As of the time of writing, Trump has been in office for six weeks. The speed with which American democracy is coming under strain has taken many observers by surprise. The expansion of executive power, undermining of Congress’ power of the purse, offensives on independent and counter-veiling institutions and the media, as well as purging and dismantling of state institutions – classic strategies of autocratizers – seem to be in action. The enabling silence among critics fearful of retributions is already prevalent.”

We welcome Letters to the Editor. Please email to: bricklynvt@gmail.com