The views and opinions expressed in our letters section are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Hudson Valley One. You can submit a letter to the editor here.
Mitch in a ditch
Obviously, [President Donald] Trump and his base want to move fast to replace the irreplaceable RBG. My guess is Trump is already interviewing as many black/minority, conservative female judges as he can find. All these candidates have to be from Florida, a state whose winner-take-all (ridiculous!) electoral votes Trump absolutely must have to win on November 3.
It will be telling when Mitch decides how to handle the death of RBG. Of course Mitch is already promising to vote on a conservative RBG replacement prior to the end of Trump’s four years. But will that vote happen before or after November 3? There are a handful of currently Republican senate seats that may go Democrat November 3. If Mitch delays the nomination process until after November 3, he provides cover for the Republican senators whose seats are now in jeopardy because of their previous conservative votes. That delay helps keep Mitch in control of the senate. But it hurts Trump’s re-election chances.
If Mitch helps Trump by fast-pacing the nomination and forcing those Republican senators to opine on the nominee, Trump and his nomination process prior to November 3, the Democrats are more likely to win the Senate. Plus, if the Democrats also win the presidency, it is not unlikely they will end the Senate filibuster and that the Supreme Court will be expanded from nine to twelve members, all Democrats, to counter previous Republican transgressions.
Garrett Andrews
Woodstock
Jen Metzger serves all
Jen Metzger is seeking a second term as your state senator. She is a Democrat, but in no way a pawn of the downstate Democrats, as her opponent has charged.
She has sponsored and seen passed many bills with wide bipartisan support. Those bills were good for everyone. She recently secured a $ 50,000 grant for the Wallkill Ambulance Corps to purchase an emergency response vehicle. She secured another $ 50,000 for the Wallkill Fire Department to buy a new generator for the new firehouse, enabling it to be used as a shelter in emergencies.
Wallkill is a town where Democratic electioneering signs can easily disappear or be destroyed. It is a known Republican stronghold, but Jen Metzger is not stopped by party lines. She serves all the people of her district, and does it very well. In this divisive climate she is a standout.
Hal Chorny
Gardiner
Back-door deal?
From an article in Hudson Valley One: “Town supervisor Bill McKenna believes Selina [the hotel chain that bought “The Lodge”] would win should the issue [a lawsuit regarding the issuance of building permits] go to court.”
On August 13, 2020, a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request was forwarded to McKenna requesting communications and a copy of the lawsuit. The Freedom of Information Law requires that a response should be submitted in five business days or, if more time is needed, acknowledgement of the receipt of the request in writing and an indication of the approximate date the agency will respond to the request.
To date, there has been no response from McKenna. What makes McKenna think Woodstock will lose the lawsuit, and what is he trying to hide?
Howard Harris
Woodstock
Vote no on library
Don’t let them fool you again and again and again
I sent the following letter last week to Hudson Valley One. The next day (9/17/20) after my letter was printed in the paper, the Woodstock Library had their monthly meeting and approved to transfer $75,000 of taxpayer money (which was not approved for the new building) to pay invoices towards the new building project. This brings the total amount to $200,000 towards a building that has not been approved by the voters to build. Why are you allowing this deceit to continue? The only way to end this complete disregard for you the taxpayer is to vote against the annual budget (10/1/20) and to vote no on the bond November 3.
I saw the article in last week’s (9/9/20) Hudson Valley One regarding the Woodstock Library’s annual budget. At the end of the article it reads that none of the money will go towards new construction. Don’t let them fool you again. They said the exact same thing last year, and guess what? The trustees for the Woodstock Library transferred $125,000 ($100,000 in March and $25,000 in August) of taxpayer money to Tilly Architecture towards the construction of a new building.
By the way, the taxpayers have not voted for a new building, only the eleven-member library board of trustees have. A $5.8-million bond will be up for a vote on November 3. (l want to let you in on a little secret — from their very own meetings the numbers for this project actually total $8 million). The Woodstock Library board of trustees can try to spin it any way they want, but the smart savvy taxpayer can read between the lines. Don’t be fooled.
Natalie Cyr
Woodstock
From a doctor’s perspective
At this point in the Covid-19 pandemic, many people do not know what to do. We don’t trust our leaders, we don’t know if the information we are hearing is correct. Anyone with questions about the pandemic and how to handle it should call their doctors, family medicine providers or a facility such as ours. If you have insurance, you may not have to pay at all to speak with your provider.
We are currently somewhere in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, and experts feel that we may not be significantly through it until December 2021.
I believe the director of the CDC was correct in his recent statement that masks and social distancing are going to be much more important than a vaccine. I don’t imagine we will have a reasonably functioning vaccination program until the end of next year. I do think there are those that get carried away with how they deal with masking,
But it is not rocket science. I don’t think masks are necessary outside if you can be six feet away from others. It is a different story when it comes to indoor masking. The virus will be more problematic indoors, and as a physician, I personally will probably wear a mask until sometime towards the end of next year when I am inside a public area.
Everyone needs to protect themselves and their neighbors. Beware of political rhetoric. You will note that medical providers and experts are not a part of the anti-mask movement. You will not see reputable physicians recommending against wearing masks to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Medical experts are united in this debate; masks will save lives, social distancing will save lives.
You know, it’s not a big deal. Masks are not a major inconvenience and masks are not an assault on our individual liberties. This is proven science, just as climate change is proven science.
We can choose to believe in science or not. As a person who has based his life on science, I hope we all do.
Stephen Weinman, M.D.
FirstCare Medical Center
Highland
Wrong time for new library
The Covid-19 epidemic has brought great uncertainty to our financial and social lives and the future use of buildings. This is certainly not the time to make a multi-million-dollar commitment to building a new library. Nobody can say with any certainty what is going to happen.
Woodstock has already suffered financial damage with the closing of stores and the restricted use of restaurants. We don’t know how many businesses will stay open, which will affect future tax revenues. It makes no sense to take on further financial commitment when the need for future building use is so uncertain due to the changes in gathering spaces and the greater reliance on digital communication.
How can we be certain the future of the library won’t be affected by similar changes? We don’t know enough to proceed with a new building. Please vote “no” on the library bond issue!
Nancy Kantor
Willow
Strange bedfellows
Large corporations, fossil-fuel companies and environmental groups are demanding an American climate policy. Right now, our policies are somewhere between sketchy and non-existent.
Apparently, 100 corporations are responsible for 71 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Those corporations not only affect climate change, but are greatly affected by it and our policies. Certainly cutting fossil-fuel emissions 80 percent by 2030 versus 2050 will make a huge difference to them.
A decade ago, while Dan was on his six-month “climate sabbatical” in coal country, he attended a workshop hosted by B.P. (British Petroleum”), in which they touted the number of wind turbines they were installing. He came away realizing that fossil-fuel companies are, in reality, energy companies. And when the pressure is on, they are well-suited to build solar and wind farms.
So with corporations, environmentalists and most of the public on board, we have only our president and our Senate to convince. That will happen in early November.
Dan and Ann Guenther
New Paltz
He said what!?!
“With two thumbs up and a smirk, Donald Trump makes cameos with the germs of a new fascism, old racism, as well as with people’s everyday fears. This demagoguery of sleazy notions persevere — gaunt and dark — and resembling skin-tight dirtiness. His biography, like his DNA, clings to him with an odor beyond immense immorality. It is you, oh yeah, it is you, oh yeah!,” say I.
Speaking of a new fascism, and with the election looming, he’s all of a sudden a law-and-order guy as he dreams of a new civil war, fought by buffoons…or should I say, “He cheers on ragtag groups of heavily armed civilians, you know, in make-believe camo uniforms.” These are Trump’s new warrior recruits, his white supremacists with QAnon tendencies ready to fight the good fight on his behalf and for the continuation of his warped immoral belief system/ How smart is he?
Meanwhile, the real soldiers wearing government-issued uniforms, carrying government-issued rifles, serving in harm’s way overseas, risking their lives for their country — these are Trump’s losers and suckers, especially those who have died, have been wounded and/or are prisoners of war. He can’t understand what’s in it for them. You’d think to give freely of oneself to protect the constitution and give all of themselves for their country is a captivating quality. Well, Trump doesn’t think so. This type of sentiment fits right in with his plethora of character flaws, and sadly we all can hear those very words coming from Trump’s mouth!
By the way, a couple of miles away across the Potomac River, and certainly not far from his White House, there is a hillside full of losers buried at Arlington National Cemetery. The names of 58,000 losers are engraved into the black marble wall of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial only a mile away down Constitution Avenue. The Korean War Memorial is just across the reflecting pool near the Lincoln Memorial. It pays homage to the 36,000 losers and suckers, who died and the tens of thousands more who served in that conflict. The World War II Memorial is a short distance away too, not far from the South Lawn of the White House, and it commemorates the 405,000 losers who gave their lives in the fight against Nazism. Also honored there are the millions more who served that cause. You may know them, as our heralded Greatest Generation. And finally, The Vietnam Women’s Memorial on the Mall depicts three uniformed women with a wounded soldier, another of Trump’s losers, the kind of disabled soldier Donald Trump has said he doesn’t want to participate in any of his parades because seeing such a loser might make people uncomfortable.
Yep, he’s trailing in the general polls for reelection and sneering at our fallen warriors… and get this — Trump was so smart when opening up about his disdain for a certain type of soldier, it has now resulted in many of his American supporters bleeding away from his voting bloc who are six degrees or less from a friend, neighbor or family member that served honorably in wartime, as well as, during peacetime. An opinion poll released recently by Military Times found that half of active=duty military members have an unfavorable view of Trump, with only 38 percent approving of him. That discouraging unfavorable number may continue to rise as suckers and losers find their confidence or enthusiasm in him lessening.
Our draft-dodging coward Pptus, Donald Cadet Bone-spurs Trump, a proud graduate of Wharton, “is not as dumb as his, less accomplished, Wharton professor once proclaimed,” stated Trump supporter, Mr. George Civile of Gardiner, in last week’s letter to the editor. Yeah, right, sure, Mr. Civile… hopefully, “He’s just too darn brilliant, and smartly deplorable” to win election come November.
Neil Jarmel
West Hurley
A beautiful thing
This past year has been a difficult time for everybody with Covid-19. The Woodstock Library has done its best to provide ongoing services and operations with safe distancing, masks and a friendly staff to help our community get books and online programs to help us through our quarantine days.
The library has many online programs for people of all ages. Hoopla provides e-books, audio books, comics, movies, music and more. Woodstock Library patrons can now connect to Hoopla and stream up to six titles a month for free! There’s Kanopy with a huge selection of movies and documentaries. IndieFlix and Acorn TV are two other streaming sources you can access for free from the library website. The Woodstock Library is also providing online classes in Qi Gong and a virtual crocheting and knitting program. Check our website Woodstock.org for all information.
There are grab-and-go services. On August 3, the Woodstock Library opened the doors to a limited occupancy to browse the collections, checkout materials or use the public computers. The walk-up window is still available for pickups if you are not ready to come inside. The library intends on keeping things safe and providing as much programming and books as our small library can handle.
All this is possible because we have a budget that has been tailored to our needs and necessities. The proposed 2021 budget will allow for the same high level of service but does not increase taxes for Woodstock residents. We are $28,828 under the state tax-levy limit.
Please come to the library to vote for the library budget and the two trustee seats on Thursday, October 1 from noon to 9 p.m. There are absentee voting ballots available at the library or you can call 679-2213 or visit woodstock.org/2021-vote for information or absentee ballot application.
Barry Miller,
Vice President, Woodstock Library Board
Woodstock
Bring your face mask
When I read Anthony Zackin’s letter regarding his having met me, I was puzzled since I had no recollection of ever having made his acquaintance. However, as I continued to read, the proverbial “light bulb of recognition” turned on and I remembered our “chance” meeting in his apartment complex parking lot where I introduced myself as the infamous “George Civile” found frequently feedbacking in the New Paltz Times. What followed this introduction was a surprised look of recognition from Anthony and a conversation of nearly an hour and a half in which we discussed God and man and truth. I often think of that conversation and always look for Anthony, when I pass the entrance of the complex, in the hope of seeing him and continuing where we left off.
Regarding Anthony’s qualified opinion of me: while I would have preferred that he had written “I have met George and found him to be an affable, interesting man of intelligence, wit and integrity, I must admit Anthony had me at “George…seems like a sincere person.” However, he kind of lost me when he compared my praise of Trump — who at one time separated children from their parents at the border and held them in “cages” — to that of someone looking favorably on Hitler, despite his annihilation of the Jews, simply, because Adolph did some good things. I have to think that the six million Jews and seven million Gentiles slaughtered in Hitler’s death camps wouldn’t have liked the comparison either: In fact, I suspect they wouldn’t have minded, at all, if Hitler had been a lot more like Donald Trump. Moreover, since the “cages” at the border, of which Anthony spoke, were built by Obama/Biden (and were also used to separate children from their parents during the Obama administration) wouldn’t that warrant a Biden/Obama Hitler comparison to those who admired that less than dynamic duo despite their “Hitler” like cages? Indeed, such a comparison would prove more appropriate in their case, since both Biden and Obama never met an abortion of which they couldn’t approve and don’t seem troubled in the least about the 60 million developing human lives that have been slaughtered in the womb since Roe vs. Wade became the law of the land. In fact, one could well argue that Obama and his VP are worse than Trump and maybe even Hitler if one felt comfortable — as many progressives do — about making such comparisons.
Anthony, complained that I, like others who support Trump, tend to overemphasize the positive and completely ignore the negative. This raises the question: Does anyone in feedback land really believe that the paper needs any more feedback writers emphasizing Trump’s negatives? As a supporter of Trump, in light of the relentless, unfair attacks (“Trump’s worse than Hitler and responsible for all the coronavirus related deaths and his peace treaties are not really bringing peace to the Middle East”) against him — not only from the Main Stream Media but also in the feedback section — I thought it appropriate to list the reasons why a deplorable would “support” our beleaguered POTUS not bury him. I did so by listing the promises he made and kept. I would love to see Anthony’s and others’ list of the accomplishments of Biden/Harris during their lives as public servants that would explain why the non-deplorables believe this team is just what the country needs at “a time such as this.” Please don’t hesitate to accentuate the positive and downplay the negative or to be as disingenuous — as most Biden supporters are — in their evaluation of his, limited, accomplishments.
While I could and, in fact, did continue to address Anthony’s complaints and counter them point by point; my better angels (and the editor’s refusal to print my longer version) have convinced me to submit this shorter less self indulgent version. Although Anthony and I, obviously, disagree politically, I really enjoyed reading his letter. I’ll close by wishing Anthony a happy and holy Rosh Hashanah and addressing him directly: Anthony, did you ever read Isaiah 53 as you indicated you would? If so, I’d love to meet with you in your parking lot, again (bring your face mask) and we can discuss our thoughts on that fascinating chapter from the prophetic writings of the book of Isaiah. And, Anthony, In the meantime, I hope you will not only consider the following verse from Isaiah but seek to understand its meaning as you enter this new year: “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
George Civile
Gardiner
Forgive them, father
“Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do.”
I’m never quite convinced, but Jesus may as usual have been right. Most of the time I need to call off my knee-jerk reactions and opinions and to call on my better angels to usher this point of view through the door, then offer it a seat, but after sitting with it for a while I’ll often come away thinking. “Yes, they know not what they do.”
After all, I’ve long tried to believe that most of us don’t intend to do evil or even narrow-minded or stupid things. And that most of us don’t mistake money or position for God. And that most of us choose our leaders because we feel they’re leading us on the right — the righteous and just and kind — course.
So, oftentimes when I lay down my newspaper or mouse (right next to my unhappy knowledge that despite all my long-held, comfortable beliefs, 40 percent of us still trust in Trump), I’ll quiet my rage, and fear, and judgments, and incredulity recall Jesus’ words, and take some solace (and, if necessary, some Pepto-Bismol).
But even after all that, I remain in doubt, an agnostic regarding the concept of “mankind” — a word that, if one has ever witnessed rally-goers’ reactions to Trump’s vitriol, can seem an oxymoron.
So yes: Forgive them, Father, for, quite possibly, they know not what they do. But then forgive me, too, for I know not why — despite the compassion of Jesus’ gospels; despite the meanness of the Doggerel According to Donald; despite what their churches preach; despite the constitutional oath some of them took; despite the blood that has stained America’s history and that continues to stain its streets; despite our having borne witness to, and presumably having learned something from, nearly two thousand years of life-denying suffering and life-affirming advancements since Jesus’ crucifixion; despite what most of us believe: that Jesus and Darwin can both be right — they continue to do it.
Tom Cherwin
Saugerties
Covid downplay
I feel president Trump’s downplaying Covid-19 in January was probably the correct thing to do as we had no vaccine or treatment and knew very little about the virus as China lied about it. What he did do was to get manufactures to ramp up production of face masks, which were in short supply and which Dr. [Anthony] Fauci felt should be saved for medical workers. He got auto companies to start producing ventilators and in New York City, which got hit hard early, he sent a hospital ship and made hospital beds available in the Javits Center. As a result, there was never the predicted shortage of either.
Remember what else was going on then? You couldn’t buy toilet paper or other paper products, bleach, alcohol-based disinfectants were also gone and some food products like flour, sugar and some meats were in short supply. Can you imagine what it would have been like if the president was adding fuel to this fire. We would have had riots in supermarkets.
On January 24, 2020, while all this was going on, what were the Democrats doing? They were voting on the charges in the phony impeachment articles at the same day there were Congressional committee hearing on Covid-19. What was the Democrats’ take on the hearings? They were an attempt by the Trump administration to use Covid-19 as a diversion from impeachment. The simple fact is the only one responsible for Covid-19 is China, which was aided and abetted by the World Health Organization.
China lied and they swore to it. When we found out how bad it was, thanks to China’s deception, it was already here coming in from China and Europe. Remember when Trump stopped travel from China, the Democrats called him racist, and when he halted it from Europe, he was xenophobi? Now Basement Biden says Trump, not China, is responsible for all the Covid deaths. If he really believes this, I have a couple of bridges and a tunnel I’d like to sell him.
John Habersberger
New Paltz
Vote no on library bond
The November 3 vote is monumentally important. We all know the large issues, but please remember that the local issues are also vital to our well being.
Please vote no on the Woodstock Library bond issue. The digital age and now the pandemic have fundamentally changed the way libraries will be used in the future. Woodstock needs to take a hard new look at our community’s needs and finances now that 2020 has changed everything. This is not the time to jump into millions of dollars of debt.
Susan Robinson
Willow
Metzger is pro-environment
This election season we have the opportunity to re-elect a staunch advocate for protecting our health and environment. That is why I am urging you to vote to re-elect state senator Jen Metzger. Jen has been a life-long advocate of environmental rights. As a Rosendale councilperson, she stood up for consumers against unneeded rate changes, while pursuing alternative sustainable fuel resources. She obtained a grant for the installation of an electric vehicle charging station, which my organization, Climate Smart Gardiner, copied to obtain a similar grant for a charging station for our town. Recently, we were proud that she was present at the opening-day ceremony
This is so typical of Jen Metzger! She has introduced a package of bills to accelerate adoption of electric vehicles in New York. In December, the governor signed into law her bill (S5820) directing the NYS Energy Research and Development Authority to identify areas across the state where EV infrastructure is insufficient and develop a plan to close the gaps. In December, she introduced legislation (S6906) to permanently ban fracking, and the ban was passed as part of the 2020-2021 state budget several months later.
Additionally, senator Metzger introduced a bill (S8765) that would increase the number of zero-emissions trucks on the road, reducing harmful pollutants that cause asthma and other health problems while also helping New York to meet the goals of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act passed last year. Bill (S6308A) prohibits the sale and use of coal tar-based sealcoat, a potent source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, a known human carcinogen acutely toxic to fish and other aquatic life, yet used in parking lots and playgrounds. A second bill (S8809) requires a new, higher level of review by the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to issue permits or renewals for fossil-fuel-fired power plants.
In closing, if you care about your ability to breathe, the cleanliness of your water and our rivers and preserving our parklands from unnecessary pollutants, then vote for a cleaner environment and for Jen Metzger.
Stephen Weir
Gardiner
Transportation history
It was intriguing to read a recent letter to this newspaper that referred to the New Paltz Transportation/Land Use Project. Readers may be interested to know a few things about the history of this wide-ranging community endeavor . The project was initiated in August of 2003. A Citizen’s Advisory Committee (CAC) was formed and a household survey was conducted. I was invited to serve on the CAC.
The household survey gathered information about how New Paltz residents viewed the existing transportation network. The two most outstanding results of the survey were: (1) Traffic on Main Street is dreadful. (2) Bicycle and pedestrian facilities are inadequate. Due to the overwhelming number of responses regarding bike-ped infrastructure, the CAC decided to form a subcommittee which would focus entirely on those issues. I was asked to chair the bike-ped subcommittee, which I did do.
Our primary mission was to examine existing conditions and to then make recommendations for improvements. The recent letter quoted an abbreviated version of this section of our final report: Designated bike routes.
Existing conditions — The only designated bike route in the town and village is Henry W. DuBois Drive. The committee feels that this road is not useful as a bike route because of the lack of shoulders and extremely steep grade. Also, it is a route that has no particular destination points.
At the time of our final report, the above statements were correct. In the meantime, however, the circumstances surrounding Henry W. DuBois Drive have changed dramatically. Most importantly, HWD Drive is now a segment of the Hudson Valley rail-trail/Empire State Trail. Plans are moving forward to create safe facilities for both cyclists and pedestrians along this corridor.
Destination points are now abundant. There are well-developed and well-used rail trails at both ends of the road. In addition, more residences have been erected in the Waring Lane neighborhood as well as at the Woodland Pond senior housing development. If we were asked to update our report, we would certainly no longer state that, “this road is not useful as a bike route.”
Even so, there are few things about Henry W. DuBois Drive that have not changed. Some sections of the road continue to have pretty steep grades and … most New Paltz citizens continue to desire a transportation network that makes walking and bicycling both safer and more convenient.
Alan Stout
New Paltz
Non-partisanship can work
I attend the monthly Ulster County Association of Supervisors and Mayors meetings. We used to meet in a diner for coffee off Exit 19, but now we’ve been meeting on Zoom. These are well attended with supervisors and mayors from Ulster County’s 23 towns and villages plus the City of Kingston mayor.
This is an excellent group where we share ideas and compare notes. Additionally, representatives from the county, the state or regulatory agencies come and meet with the group to disseminate information or when they want to pick our brains. In between meetings, members regularly circulate emails where a member might ask something like, I need X, how has anyone else handled this in your town or village? Then a bunch of us offer suggestions to help. The group includes members who have served their municipalities for many years and officials who are more recently elected.
Current president and Esopus supervisor Shannon Harris and our long-time serving previous president, supervisor James E. Quigley 3rd, from Ulster deserve praise for all their work keeping us focused.
I’m especially appreciative of the group because our discussions always feel apolitical. Members may be passionate about different issues but do not get bogged down in anything partisan. It’s refreshing, while the rest of the world may be frustrating, to be amongst several individuals who put serving their communities first. I actually have no idea what the registered political parties are for many of the other supervisors or mayors.
The association has been discussing the county’s sales-tax-sharing agreement consistently for the last six years while I have attended meetings but also for years before that. Several members can comment on what has been said historically and by who on this topic over the years.
Many months ago the association was trying to come up with our latest “ask” of the county and city to consider as they were scheduled to work on a new sales-tax-sharing agreement. Supervisor Quigley articulated an idea with an accompanying formula using a high-water mark to provide more support to the towns and villages. Association members were appreciative and supportive of supervisor Quigley’s idea and agreed to officially present it to county and city officials.
I’m thankful that Ulster County executive Pat Ryan, mayor Steve Noble and the Ulster County Legislature have now also expressed their support to improve the sales-tax agreement after hearing the idea. The new five-year agreement now being considered that would take effect March 2021 would require city and county officials to meet by May of each year to discuss giving towns and villages a larger share of any sales-tax revenues received by the county in excess of the 2020 budgeted amount of $128,561,331.
Mayor Tim Rogers
Village of New Paltz
Systematic-racism hoax
I read the letter in this paper recently by a young person who participated in a Saugerties school-based protest. It’s great that young people express their views. It is unfortunate that there is a false narrative of systemic racism in our law enforcement and judicial systems. This young contributor did use some statistics, including one from the National Academy of Sciences, which I recently cited. The statistic was that if you are a black man, you have a one-in-a-1000 chance of being killed by police. My first reaction was disbelief. So I got the calculator out.
There are about 330 million people in this country. Black men make up about 6.5 percent (there would be millions more if black babies weren’t aborted at such high rates, but those lives don’t matter). That’s 21.5 million men. About 250 black men are shot and killed by police each year. That’s 0.0012 percent, not one in a 1000. But if you count every year for a lifetime, the number is correct. That’s 250 deaths a year times about 85 years, so that explains the statistic.
The glaring fact that is left out is that more than 90 percent of the black men killed by police are armed. Don’t pull a gun or knife on the cops, or other suicidal behavior, and your chances of getting killed are the same as the rest of our population regardless of race. There are about 20 or so unarmed black men killed by police each year, unfortunately. There are about 30 or so unarmed white men killed by police. Some are due to brutality. These cases are prosecuted. Some are accidents like Breonna Taylor, an innocent bystander, as police returned fire after her boyfriend fired at them (this is an argument for stopping no-knock warrants). There are also cases where the person killed was trying to run the cops over with a car.
Each year about 7000 black men are killed by black men. Cops aren’t the problem.
In the case of Jacob Blake, Kenosha, WI, the police were called to a woman’s home because he was trying to steal her car. There was a warrant for his arrest for a sexual assault of this woman with whom he had several children. He fought with the cops resisting arrest. They tried to physically restrain him and tased him twice. He ran around the car and reached inside so the cops shot him. The color of his skin does not matter. A knife was found in the car. This by all measures is a justified shooting of this criminal. Kamala Harris contacted him and said she was proud of him. So much for sympathy for the victim, the woman. I think #MeToo is dead.
People in government from our Congress in DC to city councils are recommending to defund their police based on the systemic-racism hoax. They are creating disrespect for our law enforcement, which has brought a disregard for law and order, incentivizing crime. Democrats are running 19 of the 20 most violent cities in this country. As long as citizens continue to vote for these people, the problems will persist.
Tom McGee
Gardiner
Access to broadband
We all know that modern life depends on having power in our homes and high-speed Internet. When the price of utilities goes up, or when we incur additional costs due to power failures, it is a hardship for many of us. Now, during Covid-19, broadband is essential for many of us to work, visit our doctors, attend school and shop for what we need.
Jen Metzger advocated for consumers before the Public Service Commission for many years before she was elected New York state senator for the 19th District in 2018. Now she is using her expertise to advocate for us in Albany. People who have lost jobs during this pandemic and are unable to pay their utility bills will be protected by legislation which Metzger co-sponsored and passed (S8113A). This legislation will protect consumers from having their utilities and phone services terminated through March 31, 2021. Payments would be deferred without penalties or late fees. In the aftermath of Tropical Storm Isaias, Metzger and senator James Skoufis advocated for customers of Central Hudson. Senators Metzger and Skoufis are working to help get reimbursement for food and other costs incurred due to power outages resulting from the storm.
Deficiencies in the broadband services which enable high-speed Internet is a common problem in rural New York. Without broadband, telehealth, online education, working from home via the Internet, and online shopping are all impossible. In today’s world, these are essential services. In July 2020, senator Metzger sponsored a bill (S8805) that would recognize access to high-speed Internet as a right of all New Yorkers. This bill was passed in the Senate and the Assembly and is now awaiting the signature of governor Andrew Cuomo.
Senator Metzger is smart, experienced and dedicated to improving the lives of her constituents. She hit the floor running when she joined the New York State Senate in January 2019. Let’s re-elect her for another term in this 2020 election. We need her.
Kathryn M. Adorney
Gardiner
What’s in a name?
We tend to call pop stars by their first names, politicians by their last. It’s Trump vs. Biden, but it’s Rhianna vs. Beyoncé.
Sparrow
Phoenicia
Metzger supports CPF
In November, voters in the Town of New Paltz can approve a ballot initiative, Local Law #1, known as the Community Preservation Fund, which was carefully developed by interested citizens and approved by the town board. The initiative aims to create a fund to buy and preserve properties critical to the preservation of watershed areas, productive farmland, scenic byways and open space for recreation. The fund will be supported by a 1.5 percent tax on new buyers, with an exemption of $245,000. The choice to sell is left to owners. There will be no impact on taxes for current residents.
The opening to move forward with this plan was made possible last year when the NY State Legislature passed the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. Senator Jen Metzger was an influential co-sponsor of the legislation. Throughout her first term, Metzger — especially in her role as chair of the agriculture committee — has acted to protect our natural resources and the quality of life we enjoy in the Hudson Valley.
We who are fortunate to live here know that the interests of farming, tourism, small business and recreation are held in a delicate balance with clean air and water, a prosperous economy, a sustainable tax base and high-quality education for our children. We’re fortunate, too, to have a representative who’s earned our trust that she’ll fight for values we hold dear.
Tom Denton
Highland
The power of women
In 1920, women in our country won the right to vote in our elections. It did not happen overnight. Many women worked incredibly hard, persisted and never gave up in spite of the overwhelming resistance they had to deal with. Some of those women unfortunately died before seeing the positive results of their efforts. But the solidarity of the women ultimately succeeded. It’s now 2020, and women have been voting for 100 years, and with their votes they have helped guide our country locally and nationally. Do not underestimate the power of women!
Throughout the last 100 years, male politicians had to seriously consider what was important to women. But many of those men took a patronizing, condescending attitude toward those very women who they were seeking votes from. Act nice to them, smile at them and tell them what we think they want to hear and they’ll surely vote for our guy. Sometimes this attitude worked, but sometimes it didn’t.
In 2016, Trump only received ten percent of the black women votes. Ninety percent of black women voted for Hilary, sensing that Trump could not be supportive to them. However, 52 percent of all white women voted for Trump, being convinced that he would do a better job as president than Hilary Clinton, the first woman candidate for president. Well, I wonder today how many of those white women feel about their 2016 choice. Black women may have been more intuitive four years ago. But there’s a famous expression that may be fitting here. “Fool me once, shame on you. But fool me twice, shame on me.”
In spite of past mistakes that both women and men have made over the years, we get a chance to make a brand-new choice in a few weeks at the polls. That’s what is great about our democracy. Women know this and will surely make corrections as they see fit. But will they reach out to each other to encourage a solid voting bloc?. United we stand. Divided we fall. Only time will tell.
We know that women, in general, are much better as communicators than men. They understand on a practical level as well as on an intuitive level what the issues are that will help determine the well-being of our country, our planet and all its inhabitants. Women, for generations, have been front and center with feeding their families and caring for the sick. And right now our country needs lots of caring, as we all know all too well.
So, we all know that women can have a major effect on an election. In the past they have made a big difference with their commitment, hard work and their activism. But will white women be fooled again, or this time, will they act on their intuition and inner wisdom?
Marty Klein
Woodstock
Something to think about
Numerous Republican state senators have chosen not to run again this year, many of whom would have been easily reelected. So why are they leaving? I think it’s because they realize that the Democrats will be running things in the state senate and they won’t be able to influence policy or bring home the bacon to their districts as they once did.
Due to the pandemic, government will be in the red for years to come. Democrat Senators from upstate districts will have a hard enough time getting their fair share of funding. Upstate districts with Republican Senators can forget about it.
I don’t belong to any political party; but having a Republican senator representing us will lead to less revenue coming into our county, which will require increased property taxes.
Peter Oberacker isn’t going to be able to do what senator [James] Seward was able to do for our district. Therefore I believe it’s in our best interest to elect Jim Barber. He has a credible plan to hold the line on property tax by fixing the way local services are funded. As our senator, he will have some influence on what happens or does not happen in our district.
I’ve written this with the hope of persuading independent thinkers to put their local politics aside and vote for Barber.
Thomas Kadgen
Ulster County
My hand to my ear
If you put your hand over your heart, like I have all my life, you may feel like I do, that this gesture is becoming more of a salute of protection than honor.
As election day closes in, I find myself comparing voting days of past years. Today, my fear is palpable as I witness the crumbling of the moral bulwarks that I once helped build to protect our democracy. Justice is the principle rampart I and millions of living and dead soldiers went to war to defend. Throughout our history, we were assured that our military and our government’s captaincy was focused on moral strength and humanity, and going to war was supporting the bulwark of freedom and justice. Our national morality is more compromised now than ever before. Today I see the intentional weakening of law and order to appease and protect the wealthy and governing classes. There is an amoral virus loose in America.
Human life has become expendable and is seen as a financial resource. The umbilical cord between corporations and government is so strong it is strangling all social programs that feed and provide for the underprivileged. This is blatant as our wealthy pave politicians’ way to election.
I put my hand to my ear listening for the voices of the Vietnam war protestors who once yelled at government leadership to stop the meaningless killing of the third-world peasants of Vietnam. For a brief moment in time, I thought my generation had a foothold in identifying how immoral our country’s politicians had become. We supplied the troops for the war in Vietnam and the protestors. That schism has never healed and it has become infected and is festering on our TV news every day.
Watergate began pumping a flow of political criminality through our color TV’s that has calloused the American public. When the Vietnam War ended, I watched the painful aftermath of that war crawl like a wounded animal under the rug in every living room in America.
Today many of us baby boomers are holding our stock-market printouts in our shaking hands. Our once idealized voices are lost in the din of technology. We have knowingly compromised ourselves by investing money in the market to secure the final chapters of our lives. Out of one side of our mouths we cry for the environment to be protected, while we fill up at the pump. We yell out for healthcare for the needy while we sort though our full medicine chests.
I fear there is no [hoenix that will struggle into flight out of the atomic ash. I once saw racism transform into honor upon the anvil of the Vietnam War. It now is a weapon to beat those who challenge political power.
I respect and support folks today who are trying to reawaken their cries for morality to become part of our government values again. For me the Vietnam War protestors’ words carried enough truth that they changed my life and ended an unjust war. Dust off you peace symbols and meet me at the voting booth, or at least mail your mail in your ballots on time. All is one.
Larry Winter
New Paltz
Poem by James Henry Leigh Hunt
About Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase!)
Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace,
And saw, within the moonlight in his room,
Making it rich, and like a lily in bloom,
An angel writing in a book of gold:—
Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold,
And to the Presence in the room he said
“What writest thou?”—The vision raised its head,
And with a look made of all sweet accord,
Answered “The names of those who love the Lord.”
“And is mine one?” said Abou. “Nay, not so,”
Replied the angel. Abou spoke more low,
But cheerly still, and said “I pray thee, then,
Write me as one that loves his fellow men.”
The angel wrote, and vanished. The next night
It came again with a great wakening light,
And showed the names whom love of God had blessed,
And lo! Ben Adhem’s name led all the rest.
In memory of Carol Roper.
Dr. Elizabeth Meng
New Paltz
Social Security, Medicare
This is a briefing that I received from AARP, September 2020, regarding Social Security and Medicare. I will quote directly.
(1) This November election could determine whether there will be an overhaul of the nation’s entire health insurance system, an expansion of Medicare or a continuation of the current system. The president has the power to appoint who runs Medicare and the power to veto any legislation that makes changes to this program from funding to operational change (page 8).
(2) Currently one out of every three households rely on Social Security for 90 percent of their income — Social Security also covers ten million disabled workers and their dependents; the president typically sets the agenda for Social Security and no legislation can pass without the president’s approval (page 10).
Well ring and ding, ding, let’s all hold hands and sing, sing, sing. Draft-dodging, bone-spur Don has the final say of any changes to both programs, Social Security and Medicare. In other words, he has his hands on the throats of all seniors receiving Social Security benefits and all persons receiving Medicare benefits.
A man with no service to this country whose motto is grab, grab, grab, in a position to throttle our Social Security and Medicare by appointing non-experienced personnel, like himself, into these important positions and the damage is going to be catastrophic if he gets re-elected.
Congress would not go along with him as these two programs are the third rail of politics — in, other words, untouchables. So, he uses executive privilege, meaning he passes laws without Congress as he, yes, he, sees fit. The only problem: he is inexperienced. And who put him in this office? The Conservatives, Republicans, Make American Great Again gang. And we, all of us, are going to get it right up the wazoo. Wake up, America.
Robert LaPolt
New Paltz
Onteora Lake threatened
The proposed 850 Route 28 project, a 240,000-square-foot concrete and cement manufacturing plant planned to be built next to the Bluestone Wild Forest and next to Onteora Lake, has long been opposed on various environmental grounds. New research is indicating, however, that in addition to the extensive environmental harm this project would inflict on surrounding lands, it poses a unique health risk to Ulster County visitors and residents who swim in Onteora Lake.
There is growing evidence that concrete residues, both liquid via storm water and ground water, and airborne residues in the form of concrete dust, are toxic to aquatic life. The lime, which is an intrinsic part of concrete, when exposed to water, raises the Ph of the water to a degree that it harmful to aquatic life. Lake water, which normally has a Ph of 7, may see a rise to Ph 11-13. This level of toxic alkalinity burns the skin of the fish, often leading to fish death.
There are many studies which simply state that concrete in water bodies is “toxic to all aquatic life.” There are compliance agencies throughout the United States which carefully monitor concrete plants which are near waterbodies to prevent concrete pollution. For example, the Napa Valley County Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan says, “Concrete and cement-related mortars that wash into lakes, streams or estuaries are toxic to fish and the aquatic environment.” Michigan environmental compliance is particularly wary of concrete wastewater entering the Great Lakes.
On any given nice day during the summer, Onteora Lake is teaming with humans in the water. There are infants floating, attached to their parent’s backs, toddlers floating and playing in the water, teens, adults and seniors swimming and enjoying the water. These humans, in a sense, become part of the aquatic life, and are equally vulnerable to the toxicity from the concrete residues in the water. They all swim with their skin exposed and often accidentally imbibe some of the water.
Considering the above, it is sheer insanity to build a concrete and cement manufacturing facility, only 500 yards from Onteora Lake!
The alarm should come from the Ulster County environmental health department, from our local Region 3 DEC, an agency whose permits would be required before the 850 project can move forward, and from our county executive, from various State representatives and from the Town of Kingston, which must call for a full environmental review.
Mel Sadownick
West Hurley
Climate change reality
Would you like a free virtual presentation about climate change? Just go to 24HoursofReality.org and request one. Climate Reality Leaders trained by former vice president Al Gore are giving free presentations October 10 and 11 to any individual or group who is interested. When you sign up, a Climate Reality Leader will contact you to arrange the time of the presentation.
You can decide what type of presentation you prefer. There is the short “Truth in Ten” which takes about ten or 15 minutes, or the longer 500-slide presentation. Another option is if you or your group has a particular interest (like solar power or extreme weather events) you can request the presentation be focused on that aspect of climate change.
Climate Leaders will do their best to explain the reasons behind climate change and solutions that will help us mitigate, adapt to, and perhaps even reverse the impacts. They look forward to sharing all they learned during their training from Mr. Gore and the project.
Misha Fredericks
Gardiner
Would you hire him again?
If you hired a guy to make your house great again and he hired his incompetent children, stole your money, gave it away to your richest neighbors, let everyone get sick, killed your grandma, backed over your mailbox, burned down your house and blamed it on your black neighbors next door …… would you hire him again ?
Claire L. Frankel
Highland
Join the family! 
