Sheriff of Nottingham’s trip to U.S. draws fire
| September 25, 2009 | 6:01 AM
More journal entries from John Moore »
Where’s Robin Hood when you need him?
Critics are firing political arrows at the modern-day sheriff of Nottingham, England, for spending taxpayer money on a nine-day trip to the U.S. to study tourist attractions. The city council covered half of the bill for the merry jaunt, which cost the equivalent of $16,000. Like many American politicians, they apparently like spending green more than wearing it.
Sheriff Coun Leon Unczur says he’s no outlaw. He has defended the excursion, saying that he and five others in his idea-hunting party were looking for ways to help Nottingham cash in on the Robin Hood legend. The city plans to build an attraction honoring the folk hero that could attract up to 1 million visitors a year. Talk about stealing from the rich and giving to the poor.
The group visited 24 sites in six cities, including the Statue of Liberty, San Francisco’s Alcatraz Island and Hollywood. Critics say they shouldn’t have strayed so far from Sherwood Forest, and that they could have gone to attractions in England for much less money.
So the sheriff of Nottingham is still trying to shake that old villain reputation. Maybe it’s reassuring to know that some things never change — but why do they always seem to involve sticking it to the commoners?
Read more at the Nottingham Evening Post.
alcatraz island, england, great britain, hollywood, robin hood, sheriff of nottingham, sherwood forest, statue of liberty
