First things first: I’m not a native. I’ve resided in the Ocean State for well-nigh ten years now and am still getting used to it all. You all know the litany of “things Rhode Island”: Coffee milk, cabinets, hot weiners, Del’s, etc. After nearly a decade, I now feel comfortable calling myself a Rhode Islander, though I also realize that I have a good 20 or 30 years to go before “real” Rhode Islanders acknowledge me as one of their own. Nonetheless, here I am. This is my home and I have an interest in making things better for both myself, my family and for my neighbors.
Now, it’s not as if I came to the Ocean State from Mars. What I most definitely am is a lifelong New Englander: born in Vermont, interlude in Massachusetts, raised in Maine and parents who now reside in New Hampshire. As such, I am a Yankee through and through. I understand the work ethic, the wit and the sense of community as well as the wry cynicism, the provincialism and attitude that the rest of the world is screwed up while New England is indeed the “Shining City on the Hill.” Well, maybe that was once true, but, as the recent election all too clearly has shown, New England is becoming isolated from the rest of the nation politically, socially and, unfortunately, economically.
While on the face of it Rhode Island is the most Democrat of the six New England states, I don’t believe it is the most liberal, which is an interesting dichotomy. As such, I believe, along with Justin and Andrew, that progress can be made within the Ocean State towards providing the citizens with an alternative to the same “good old boy” network they have come to know and, almost perversely, enjoy. It seems like many in our state take pleasure in Rhode Island’s reputation of political corruption and that they are, at the very least, resigned to more of the same. We at Anchor Rising don’t think it has to be that way. We’ve manned the Anchor windlass and applied some tension to the chain and now we need some help to actually bring this thing up. Care to come aboard?

I did my best — testing the blog in multiple browsers on multiple computers in multiple screen sizes— to ensure that everything will appear as intended for anybody with a reasonably recent Internet browser. Still, the quirks of Web design manifest in unpredictable ways. Indeed, there are a couple of minor IE issues that I’ve decided that I just have to live with.
Because every computer in the world potentially skews a Web site in bizarre ways, I wanted to leave open a spot right at the beginning for any feedback that readers might have to offer. I especially want to know if things just plain aren’t working, but general thoughts would fit here as well. Click the comments link below.

About a year ago, I experienced, simultaneously, pleased surprise and sinking disappointment upon discovering that the various online lists of Web logs (blogs) revealed none identifiably from Rhode Island at a higher rank than my blog. It’s nice to be in the running for even obscure titles, of course, but being aware of my relatively poor showing outside of the Ocean State niche led to a dampening conclusion:
There simply isn’t much by way of alternative media in Rhode Island.
Around the same time, Carroll Andrew Morse, who had been working his way toward regular publication in the online commentary magazine, Tech Central Station, emailed me to confess that he, too, was a Rhode Island conservative. Thinking that such rare creatures ought to band together, he proposed that we start a group blog, and I immediately suggested including Marc Comtois of The Ocean State Blogger.
Circumstances sapped the project of momentum, back then, but something in the change of our nation’s political atmosphere toward the end of this year’s campaign season suggested that reinvigorating it was less an investment than a calling or obligation. Not only is our state in dire need of frank and equitable debate within its own borders, but we remain on course to find ourselves nationally on the wrong side of a sort of Cold Civil War.
It is with the goal of progress — of moving the state forward toward less-waning waters, of hoisting our many anchors — that we have at last put together this long overdue forum for ideas outside of the local consensus. Of course, because none of these United States can progress apart from the others, it will be crucial for us to participate in the national and global discussions of our day. Therefore, while the perspective of Anchor Rising is from Rhode Island, and its focus will be on matters affecting those who live here, its approach will not be provincial. Truth is truth, after all, and error, error.
While we three bloggers compose Anchor Rising initially, we can only accomplish so much on our own. Therefore, we invite readers to contact us — using the email addresses on the left-hand side — with any news, information, or commentary that they believe to be important. Most blog posts will have sections for comments and discussion, as well. Similarly, we will always be open to expanding our list of contributors; interested readers should contact me via email, with either writing samples or links to their own blogging efforts.
Lastly, it must be said that Anchor Rising will necessarily be written and maintained during nights, weekends, and moments stolen from work and play. Our schedules limit the amount that we can manage — often drastically. Sponsorship from those with the means and the interest to offer it — in any form — will go directly toward helping us to accomplish more.
Such considerations will keep, however. For the moment, all that remains to be done is simply to begin — with faith that inquiry, thought, and credulous discussion can shape the eras of human history. And if we challenge ourselves, and if we engage each other, we can work our way around to the right side of hope.