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MMA has had no shortage of bad publicity over the years---they bought an old rust-bucket of a training ship that almost sank off the east end on its initial training cruise, and had to be towed back to the pier. Eel grass had clogged the cooling intake pipes and the engines overheated. Later, a numbert of cadets died on that hulk in a fire. MMA got rid of it, borrowed the "State of Maine" from Maine Maritime, and returned it in such a mess that Maine never let them use it again. Then, for many eyars MMA had the lowest pass rate on the USCG engineering and third mate exams of any of the 6 or 7 state maritime colleges in the country.
The Bourne PD won't do a damn thing about the loud close-order drill in the early morning or late evenings, nor will their neighbors complain about it. They all turn out to watch, it's free entertainment. They all stand around and laugh as 20 year old "tough guys" make life miserable for a bunch of 17 and 18 year olds---like, you need to know how to march around the deck of a tugboat or the Hyannis/Nantucket ferry, which is where the grads who pass their licensing exams wind up working, for the most part.
If MMA was a private institution, it would be one thing. It's a state college, and moreover, the pier is a state pier. It was built and is maintained by public funds, and above all, about half of the grounds were deeded to MMA under the stipulation that fishing access is always to be available. There's a monument to John Gallo halfway along the drive, which used to read to that effect--it was later changed to something like, "who made this area available for all to enjoy". If they have indeed banned fishing there around the clock, then I can't see how the court ruled in their favor.
All of those things Saltheart mentioned are well and good, but a better way to get the locals on your side would be to not spend a dime in the Town of Bourne. If every Canal fisherman boycotted businesses in Bourne, and instead bought everything from bait and tackle to a cup of coffee in Wareham or Sandwich, sooner or later the Chamber of Commerce would have to do something. Bag the Scallop Fest, too.
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