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.
I will remember on Election Day
This past May a group of candidates ran for Wappingers Central School Board, none of whom had children in the public school system. Two of the three had no children at all. What’s worrisome isn’t that they were running; it’s that they were endorsed by a group called Moms for Liberty, which is nationally known for their aggressive tactics to ban books, intimidate teachers and to attack the LGBTQ+ community. Moms for Liberty regularly holds conferences to teach anti-equality members how to run for school boards and office.
I am an East Fishkill mom of two young children who are about to enter the school system. It was a huge concern to me that Moms for Liberty were permitted to host a tent at East Fishkill Community Day, despite a petition with hundreds of signatures asking the town to rescind their invitation.
What is the primary job of an elected official if not to respond to the concerns of their constituents? I find it upsetting that our petition, along with multiple e-mails and outreach to town officials went unanswered by Town supervisor Nicholas D’Alessandro and Board members A. J. Beephan, Emanuele Marinaro, Tom Franco and Dutchess County executive Marcus Molinaro. I will remember this on Election Day.
Laura Leigh Abby
East Fishkill
New Paltz rally for reproductive rights
Join New Paltz Women in Black this Saturday, October 8 for a national day of action to help us send the message: Women Demand Our Rights. Women all around the country are uniting for a fall of reckoning. We will not sit back and accept the attacks on our right to control our own bodies and lives.
Since October 8 marks 30 days until Election Day, we’re more fired up than ever to elect more women and pro-choice candidates around the country. We’re ready for the Women’s Wave.
We will gather from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. on our vigil corner in front of the Elting Library, 93 Main Street, New Paltz. We urge women and our allies to join us in raising our voices, holding our signs and spreading the message for reproductive justice. We will not be silent as our rights are stripped away. Reproductive health is a human right.
The overturn of Roe v Wade shows that we must be in the streets to make sure politicians and the courts heed our demands. Attacks on abortion rights are part of a broader attack on all sexual rights including LGBTQ rights.
More information is at womensmarch.com. On this website if you hit the link “march with us” you will be directed to the next link “find an action near you”. Enter 12561 to join us or enter a zip code or city to find an action elsewhere.
Rosalyn Cherry
New Paltz Women in Black
I have to agree with you
Two things all Americans can agree on: potato chips and Dolly Parton.
Sparrow
Phoenicia
Vote for Proposition 414
The Gardiner Library is asking you to vote for Proposition 414 on the back of the voting form. Inflation requires an increase in the Library budget, though it is a tight-fisted operation. They need that homeowners pay only $2.50 per $100,000 assessed value of their homes, a hardly noticeable addition to their tax bill. The Library could fill your next year with entertainment, knowledge, instruction, current events, workshops, art exhibits, meetings and more. There is even a bathroom, if the need arises on a trip to the post office. All is available with no further cost to you.
Turn over the ballot and vote for Proposition 414. Spend the five or so dollars and walk out convinced that you voted for good people and for a wonderful asset to the Town.
Hal Chorny
Gardiner
Long day = structure fire plus seven more calls
Thank you, volunteer firefighters from the New Paltz Fire Department and neighboring fire districts (Highland, Gardiner, Modena and Tillson) for providing mutual aid. On Thursday morning, you quickly controlled and put out the fire at Mexican Kitchen and made sure it did not spread to any of the buildings just a few feet away.
It was an intense morning for the firefighters, and then you responded to seven more calls in New Paltz into the evening. It feels impossible to appropriately assess the enormous value of volunteer firefighters. Thank you!
Mayor Tim Rogers
New Paltz
Wheel of excuses
Yeah, let’s spin the wheel of excuses today for the next “Lie of the Day” for his holding troves of classified documents:
1. I don’t have any
2. If only you’d asked
3. FBI planted them
4. They’re mine
5. They’re declassified!
He’s like Jon Lovitz’s character on SNL. “The documents were going to go in my library. That’s it. That’s the ticket!” And the crazy just keeps on coming. However, the best excuse so far is the Jedi Mind Trick. TFG cannot declassify documents simply by declaring it so or “even by thinking about it,” as Trump has suggested he could in a Fox interview. Cogito ergo sum. Is Trump the Descartes of declassification? It’s like we’re living in the Twilight Zone.
I’m thinking presidential telepathy for declassification only works if you can achieve telepathic communication with the head of every government agency connected to every classified document; even if “thinking” was enough, someone must generate a paper trail memorializing this thought – and, once classified documents are declassified, they never become personal or covered by privilege, personal or executive.
By the way, his superpower ESP can also direct invisible jets the military has, and it allows him to see full arenas when he holds his rallies and change the course of hurricanes with a Sharpie. Something tells me Trump doesn’t quite have that level of cognitive skill. But if he does – and unlucky for him, POTUS Biden telepathically reclassified them with “no backsies.” Double-Dutch times infinity.
Trump is just oblivious as to how anything in government works, and it’s no wonder he hardly got anything done while in office. Trump has Deranged Thinking Syndrome even in his post-presidency. Think it and it’s declassified – simple, right? Trump can declassify documents with his brain. He can’t even read documents with his brain.
Just to think, no pun intended: This man was responsible for the security of all people in America. It is scary to think that it is possible, given the undemocratic electoral system, that he could take up residence in the White House again. Let that sink in. SMDH, again. To think 70+ million voted for this? Unreal.
I wish my thoughts could make things happen. Perhaps Trump is repeating this nonsense so he can establish an insanity defense for himself for when he gets indicted and put behind bars, before he goes on trial and awaits conviction. And while he’s sitting there in his orange jumpsuit, he can imagine himself back at Mar-a-Lago and paying a hooker to do the “usual” for him. His delusional ideas are vast. In that same interview about the process of just “thinking it,” he floated the idea that “Maybe the FBI was searching my home for Hillary’s e-mails.” Does he not know e-mails are electronic? How does even one e-mail make its way into a box in his basement? He’s hysterically unhinged!
However, classified or not, or waved over with a magic wand, doesn’t matter. You just can’t take government documents, then lie and refuse to return them. The only thing I can think of that this guy was good for was pointing out all the legal loopholes and protocols that need to be tightened up so the next, undoubtedly smarter person can’t do what he’s done. He is literally exhausting.
I thought I was going to be able to cope with this man by laughing at him. However, the constant barrage of shit makes it impossible and even painful to laugh at him. He isn’t remotely funny, despite his absolute ludicrousness. I just want him to go away forever. I want to think about Trump behind bars and “Poof!” it happens! But seriously, throw a net over this delusional idiot and put it under a national security threat and lock his sick crazy ass up.
Neil Jarmel
West Hurley
Thank-you from Gardiner Library
The Gardiner Library held its annual craft/fabric/yarn sale on Saturday, September 24. The sale was a huge success, making $11,000 for the Library. Many members of the community helped make the sale a success. I’d like to thank the following for donations and/or helping us advertise: Beetle & Fred, Beacon; The Endless Skein, Cold Spring; Lowe’s, Lloyd; and The Yarn Shack, Gardiner.
A big thank-you to Joe and Chris at Lightning Express in Gardiner for helping us move donations and to Gavin at New Paltz Electric for helping with cleanup.
The Town of Gardiner was instrumental in getting this sale to its new home at Majestic Park. Thanks to Town supervisor Marybeth Majestic, Parks and Recreation Committee member Brian Houser and Highway superintendent Brian Stiscia and his crew.
This sale was made possible by the countless hours given by our dedicated volunteers, for which I am truly grateful. This event could not take place without donations of items from the public. Thank you to all who so generously donated and to everyone who came to the sale.
Melissa Fairweather
Coordinator, Gardiner Library CFY Sale
Winston Farm as Central Park
I request that the Town Board carefully review the proposal by the owners of the Winston Farm. At this time it is extremely open-ended, lacking details and filled with unnecessary development ideas. They want you, the Town Board, to approve their project without giving you and the public a real plan.
While I understand all elected officials want development and increased taxes, what you need to keep very carefully in mind is that not all development is good development. We need all the details to be able to review a plan to make sure that the proposed changes are worthy of approval. As our representatives, please be sure that all our concerns are addressed before you give your approval.
The public’s concerns include the following:
• Open space is retained, maintained and accessible, with public parkland designed by landscape architects/park planners with pathways, woodlands and planted landscapes maintained by the owners. The acreage for this purpose should be large and accessible – not just the part of the site that is unreachable and unusable.
• Water on the site remains clean, undamaged and usable by the public. The 7,000-acre aquifer is irreplaceable and necessary to provide our groundwater. Aquifers are what we rely on for most of our drinking water.
• Woodland on the site is retained for environmental purposes, including the native habitat.
• Wetlands need to be retained for environmental purposes, including retaining native species and plants.
Let us work together to retain the Winston Farm as open space for recreational use, not development. Land is not replaceable. Once developed, it is not possible to bring back the groundwater, hardwood forest and natural resources. This is the largest undeveloped acreage in Saugerties and to my knowledge in the Hudson Valley: 800 undeveloped acres. The plans we are hearing about are lackluster and unnecessary and lacking in a bold vision. We don’t need a water park, ordinary housing, clearcutting of forest land and more parking lots.
Instead, let us work to keep this land accessible and open to the public, a natural resource that becomes an attraction. This may include commercial uses that use the land such as cross-country skiing, running, hiking, mountain biking and other activities that draw both residents and visitors. Let us develop the “Central Park” of Saugerties to draw all of us to its beauty, history and recreational use.
Thank you for your concern and insight on behalf of the residents of Saugerties.
Judith Spektor
Saugerties
Peace, love and…plastic?
Are you ready to help make a big difference for the planet, fast? Does single-use plastic drive you bananas?
Please check out the letter (link below) to Bethel Woods Performing Arts Center and complete the form to add yourself and/or your organization urging the venue to end its policy prohibiting reusable water bottles from its events. Once inside the venue, patrons have no choice but to purchase single-use plastic bottles of water to stay hydrated. The waste associated with this type of single-use plastic is staggering, especially at a place that can host up to 15,000 visitors in a single day. Only five to six percent of plastics in the United States are effectively recycled, and Bethel Woods also lacks receptacles for proper disposal. Additionally, the public health risks of dehydration and heatstroke associated with this policy should be serious considerations at summer events.
Bethel Woods sits on the very land where the original Woodstock festival took place in 1969, making history promoting peace, love and unity. It can and should be a leader for environmental health and sustainability.
The sign-on is open to individuals and organizations. The deadline to sign or add your organization to this letter is Monday, October 31, 2022. Make sure to forward it widely, too! Here is the link: https://forms.gle/Mbju88TXYtRc69YJ6.
Liz Elkin
New Paltz
Dump Run a success
The inaugural Gardiner Dump Run held on Sunday, September 25 turned out to be a huge success. There were 88 competitors ranging in age from 8 to 70+. Racers had the choice of running the 5K or doing a second lap, turning it into a 10K course. The runners agreed the trails were both beautiful and challenging.
Gardiner Parks and Recreation would like to thank our 14 sponsors, 19 volunteers, Kurtis Nordahl from PR Timing, Kenton from Skratch Labs for providing hydration support and the Gardiner Trail Alliance. They all contributed to making the first Dump Run a successful event!
Mark your calendar. The Gardiner Dump Run will be back next year on Sunday, September 24, 2023.
Mike Albright
Trish Benevento
Gail Lahm
Gardiner
Schemes
In early 2020, Democrat Tulsi Gabbard (a US Army Reserve officer, four-term Hawaii Congresswoman and 2020 presidential candidate) sued Hillary Clinton for defamation. The reason for the suit was Clinton’s startling suggestion that Gabbard was a Russian asset. With this in view, recently Ms. Gabbard was asked by Tucker Carlson to comment on the November midterms and the prospects of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris winning a second term in 2024, when nearly 70 percent of those polled think the country is going in the wrong direction. Instead of answering directly, Ms. Gabbard responded by singing the following cryptic parody of Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams,” titled “Schemes.” Written for her by someone who asked to remain anonymous, Ms. Gabbard commissioned the parody after discussing the topic with the song’s writer in early June of 2022.
(Schemes)
Now here he comes again he says
I have great visions
They’ll turn your whole world upside-down
It’s always wrong when he
Says it the way he means it
Listen carefully you’ll start to frown
‘Cos of brokenness
From a good thing that’s gone bad
You’ll remember all the better days that you once had
But now are lost
That you once had
But now you’ve lost
(Transition Bridge)
Oh Biden’s only lying when he’s talking
Seems he’s always lost when he is walking
Say voters they will come and they will go
When midterm’s tales are told you’ll know
You’ll know
(Stanza)
Now here he comes again with scheming stories
Wish he would keep them to himself
It’s very few who ever find his new schemes helpful
Schemes of things we’ll have to buy and sell
They bring brokenness
‘Cos confusion’s oh so bad
From reasons unbelievable of why we lost
What we once had
Yes why we lost
What we once had
(Transition bridge)
Harris always laughs when she is talking
She can’t explain the schemes that Joe’s hawking
I wish that finally she would just come clean
Kamala doesn’t know what Joe’s words mean
What they mean
(Stanza)
Well, here he comes once more with dark sunglasses
The Tom Cruise aviator kind
They hide his eyes so well no one can ever see them
But they cannot hide his failing feeble mind
Or the brokenness from memories that are sad
That speak painfully of surprise at what was had
But has been lost
Yes what was had
That now is lost
(Transition closing 2x)
Oh Joe’s not always sleeping when he’s dreaming
But he’s always wrong when he is scheming
Elections they will come and they will go
When midterm’s tales are told you’ll know
You will know
We’ll all know
George Civile
Gardiner
Where is the disconnect?
From one of Channel 23’s producers: “The TV studio is in terrible condition; everything is obsolete and many things are not working properly. Some of the producers limp along using fewer pieces of equipment. We have been promised repeatedly that the studio would be improved; I guess this meant adding a couple of used pieces and a ridiculous ceiling lighting rig, which has only been used two or three times for the production of programs. Most of the equipment has been obsolete for 20 or more years.” Who is making these unkept promises? Why was the same old gear reinstalled in the studio when it was refurbished as part of the Mescal Hornbeck Community Center?
According to Supervisor McKenna: “The TV station gets about $3,000 in the Town’s annual budget, which may seem like a meager amount, but they don’t seem to use it. I think they’ve spent about $300 this year.” Yet the last agreement with Time Warner, now Spectrum, says, “The franchise shall provide capital contributions for video production equipment [that] shall not exceed $30,000.” What happened to the money that should have been allocated for equipment improvement?
Howard Harris
Woodstock
Vote Yes to preserve open space in Gardiner
On November 8, voters will head to the polls and residents of Gardiner should keep an eye out for a ballot measure on a proposed initiative to preserve open space, working farms and clean water. This is a similar measure to one that was recently ratified in New Paltz, and with your vote, a Community Preservation Fund (CFP) will be created to help protect all of the things we cherish about living in such a bucolic community.
Here’s how it will work. If approved, a 1.25 percent Real Estate Transfer Tax (RETT) will be levied on the value of any real estate transaction that exceeds the median sale price in Ulster County (which was $320,000 this past year). For example, a home that sells for $520,000 would have a $2,500 special fee – paid by the buyer, not the seller. Better still, any fees raised through the CFP may be eligible for state and federal matching grants.
If you would like more information on this ballot measure, please check out voteyesgardiner.org.
David Sterman
Gardiner
Change your way of thinking
I wish all anti-abortionists would stop using the propaganda term “baby” to refer to an embryo that if fertilized, becomes a fetus, which eventually during its nine months’ gestation becomes recognized as a potential human. It becomes a baby when it leaves its host’s womb and not till then.
I understand that probably the most vocal anti-abortionists have been inculcated in a variety of ways and thus have grown up thinking that women are on Earth to serve as baby-making factories. Please wake up and change your thinking both about the definition of “baby” and your view of the purpose of women on Earth.
Susan Puretz
Saugerties
Vote Metzger on November 8
The Ulster County Democratic Party, on September 17, nominated a first-rate candidate to fill out the remaining term of the very successful County executive Patrick Ryan. Jen is uniquely qualified to further and expand upon the achievements of Ryan, who is now serving as our District 19 congressman.
During her time in the State Senate, Metzger passed nation-leading climate protection legislation and laws protecting reproductive freedom. She also focused on other issues that affect us, such as broadband access, housing safety and protecting small farmers. She has recently served as a member of the Cannabis Control Board, which is overseeing the creation of a new state agency to regulate the manufacture and sale of this new cash crop. Metzger has her PhD in Political Science and has considerable experience working at all levels of government. She will make County government run efficiently and do the right things.
Immediately following her nomination, Jim Quigley, the supervisor of the Town of Ulster, announced his candidacy for County executive. Though he seems to be running away from his party roots, Quigley is a hardcore right-wing ideologue and someone who contributes financially to the Conservative Party that is working to repeal a woman’s right to choose in New York.
At a time when our democracy is threatened politically and physically by the hard right in America, we can’t afford to elect Trumpist Republicans here in Ulster County. This is especially so when our alternative is a candidate as qualified and as high-quality as Jen Metzger. Vote Metzger on November 8.
Tom Kruglinski
Gardiner
Letter to senator Lamar Alexander, June 22, 2019 – Part One
Senator Lamar Alexander
Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator:
I’m writing too upset and totally outraged by the antics of the showman, Trump, we have in the Oval Office. I grew up with Eisenhauer as POTUS, and to see the behavior of “His Lordship” Trump in addressing the demands of his office is frustrating and frankly, scary. Previous POTUSes, all 44 of them, had some combination of either military, legislative, judicial and/or diplomatic experience, either on the local, state or national level. Trump had and has none. Think about that. And to see this individual with his bombastic speech, carnival barker rhetoric, acting the way he does is driving me to switch from the GOP to the Democratic Party.
Let me elaborate. I am an 80-year-old veteran who has been a Republican since my high school years when Dwight Eisenhauer was president. I became a Republican because of him, what he stood for and the way he comported himself. I live in New Paltz with my wife of 54 years, three children and grandchildren. A retired teacher and education principal with a Master’s Degree in Educational Psychology. I have voted consistently for Republican candidates local, state and national; not anymore. With my first letter to the New Paltz Times, August of 2016, I have submitted 44 letters bringing to the reader’s attention Trump’s erratic behavior, his emotional outbursts, lying, saying one thing and then recanting et cetera. You members of the Senate know what I am talking about. You live with him on a much closer basis than I do. But the main reason why I switched from one party to the other is as follows:
His statement in August of 2016 of “the destruction of the administrative state” is what led me to file 44 letters to the Times, alerting the seniors in the 19th Congressional District of New York, what this means, particularly for Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. This means radicalization, revamping and in some cases, outright elimination of parts of these programs, which affect me, Senator – not you, but me. After paying into Social Security since 1956, who the hell is this “Johnny come lately” to attack my benefits? Who is he to drastically curtail my health benefits when I have suffered cancer twice and survived with my wife, age 75, having a major esophageal cancer as well? Who is he to attempt to curtail or change my Social Security benefits and millions of seniors my age? And Senator, what in hell are you stalwart men and women of the Senate going to do about it? You’re going to do nothing? His Lordship has threatened, bullied and “hissy-fitted” until he gets his own way. It seems to me that senators, representatives, are answerable to their constituents, not toadying to the bully in the Oval Office.
Alas, it’s not just him, Senator, but the GOP, period. The Republicans railed against Roosevelt’s 74th Congress when they passed Social Security; and they railed against Lyndon Johnson’s 89th Congress when they passed the amendments to Social Security. And given the opportunity, they will starve, strangle, piece by piece, these benefits under today’s guise of “We have to trim these benefits in order to bring the budget under control.” B***S***! If his Lordship and the GOP did not push his billion-dollar tax cut through with the support of the Republicans for the benefit of the wealthy and corporations, there would be no deficit, at least not that large. But the justification for this largesse is for the financing of the wars; that’s big business. Or as general Smedley Butlers, United States Marines Corps, Medal of Honor recipient states…”
To be continued in Part Two.
Robert LaPolt
New Paltz
Reporting bias
As a volunteer who worked for Dave Clegg’s campaign for District Attorney, I want to register my disappointment in the way the Daily Freeman has been reporting on the District Attorney’s court cases. This latest from Friday, September 30, serves to make my point. The headline read: “Attorneys spar over whether town of Ulster murder suspect should be released on bail.” The article went on to report the defense attorney’s charges against the DA’s office as if they were proven facts, instead of opinions or possibly even lies. Worse, the article quoted the defense attorney’s slanderous insults against the DA’s prosecution of the case. This apparent bias against the District Attorney’s office does no credit to the Daily Freeman and may do harm to the actual carrying out of justice in Ulster County.
Susan Auchincloss
Woodstock
Crash landing
I was 15 and taking my first flying lesson. The instructor had the controls and we were climbing steeply when she yelled, “Start looking for a place to land!”
My Dad raised a boy who did things first and asked why later, and I scanned the fields and woodlots below.
She didn’t wait long, and as she eased back the power and told me to take the controls, she explained that a good pilot always had a plan if the engine quit.
Years before 9/11 the great author Tom Clancy crashed a 747 into the Capitol Building killing most of the Senate and House, and several of our designated survivors. Jack Ryan was spared and Clancy’s imagination took us through to better days.
Sadly, our intelligence community by then had succumbed to The Peter Principle — everyone had risen to their level of incompetence. On 9/11, about 20 men walked onto four large jets with razor knives, known as box cutters, and all of the plane’s cockpits had no locks on the doors, exposing the pilots.
Cell phones alerted the passengers on one flight and they attacked the hijackers and gave their lives, probably saving the Capitol or The White House.
Today, the pilots are securely protected in their cabins, and 80-year-old women are being strip searched for guns and bombs. Tests repeatedly show that the TSA fails to find almost anything, but officials sure look like they are being vigilant.
We are so on top of the threats to our nation that we shut down oil and natural gas exploration and pipeline distribution before we had even five percent of the replacement capacity for keeping our homes heated and our factories running.
Adequate replacement, like the now adequate protection we give our airline pilots, should precede the elimination of what is essential. Europe is desperate for a place to land! Putin has their throats. Their engine is out of fuel and their propeller has stopped spinning. To bring the price of gasoline back down our President tapped our emergency supply of oil. North America could save Europe this winter, but we cannot get the fuel from the ground, and we cannot get it across the ocean. Our New England neighbors are running short of natural gas because New York State bans new pipelines from the largest gas field in the world, in Pennsylvania, to cross our state. The Greens have not built adequate carbon-free capacity, but they have shut off the fuels nearly all New York uses from reaching our neighbors and allies.
Politicians are not in office to make good decisions, they’re in office to make money. Right now, that is the real green they are fighting for.
Paul Nathe
New Paltz
Support Gardiner Library’s request for more funding
I’m writing this letter in support of the Gardiner Library’s request for more funding. This November, Gardiner voters will be asked to increase the library’s budget by an amount of $2.50 per $100,000 assessed value on Gardiner residents’ property taxes, or the cost of a gallon of milk for the average household.
Libraries are wonderful community resources offering so much more than books and the Gardiner Library is no exception. Last October, in an effort to increase pollinator habitat in our region, I contacted the library director, Nicole Lane, to ask if we could plant a pollinator garden at the library next to the rail trail. Nicole couldn’t have been more helpful. She was immediately enthusiastic about the garden and offered her full support. In just a few months (from October to May) we went from concept to a fully-planted 600-square-foot pollinator garden, which is now thriving thanks to the library and volunteers.
I’m sure this is just one story of many where the library’s proactive support for a community project has made all the difference — the difference between a good idea that goes by the wayside and one that becomes a reality.
Please support the library’s request for funding on the back of November’s ballot.
Angela Sisson
Wallkill
For life and freedom, against right-wing repression
Regarding abortion rights, my opinion is not pro-abortion but mainstream. I am unequivocally pro-life for living, breathing human beings, including but not limited to women and girls, as well as the capacity of planet Earth to continue sustaining life. I object to the “pro-life” brand name used by right-wingers who care nothing about life after birth. If rock fans can suffer George Civile’s weekly mockery of the Beatles and Bob Dylan, the “MAGA” mob can endure my parody of an absurdly jingoistic country song.
I dislike engaging in repetitious argument, but Civile misleads people by contrasting his patronizing pretense of pity for women with my depiction of the intentions and effects of right-wing ideology. If Civile wished to honestly present his position, he would have paired his “Desolation Roe” lyrics with one of his many tributes to would-be Fuhrer Donald “grab them by the pussy” Trump — a man with no conscience or morality, who attained success in business by exploiting immigrant labor, who seized political power by appealing to racism and misogyny, who incited a violent coup attempt after losing the 2020 presidential election and who continues to endanger American democracy.
Of course, some women regret having had abortions. Other women have regretted giving up babies for adoption, incurring the personal and financial burdens of single motherhood, or marrying abusive men to legitimize unwanted children. Roe v. Wade did not require any woman to have an abortion; it simply made that option available without the threat of criminal prosecution or the mortal danger of illegal or self-induced abortion. Terminating a pregnancy is a difficult and morally complicated decision, not one to be made casually or at the behest of others, but Civile insults women’s intelligence by implying that the government must do our thinking for us.
I urge anyone who cares about women’s lives to support one of the many Women’s March actions on Saturday, October 8, 2022. I urge anyone who cares about the lives of African-American people or wrongly convicted prisoners to support wrongly incarcerated journalist and former Black Panther Party member Mumia Abu-Jamal in his demand for life and freedom at his court hearing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Wednesday, October 19, 2022. For more information, contact www.womensmarch.com regarding October 8, or contact www.bringmumiahome.com or www.freemumia.com regarding October 19.
Rebecca B. Wilk
Woodstock
It’s an inside job
Living and dying is an inside job. It all starts with two people inside each other. First, you live inside your true self while inside your mother. Then, when you’re born, you live inside your true self, in your family. Then, when you start understanding language, others tell you who they think you are. This is the beginning of leaving the self you came with. You learn to bend to who others want you to be by listening to others. Some call this education or growing up.
Many enter the process of telling you who to become; parents, teachers, grandparents, neighbors, heroes and television actors. Labels like childrearing, training, charter building, religion schooling, teaching and maturing are all justifications used by the people shaping you into who they think you should be.
As parents, we seldom acknowledge we are trying to make our kids into the selves our parents overrode in us. However, today’s world has a new catalyst our young struggle with in forming their true identities. It all starts when the adults cooing at their infants turn their babble into the statement “No!” Then, when the mother’s milk ends, the TV, computer and internet are given access by parents to their babies. What once worried parents was a baby putting dirt in their mouths being replaced by giving the child an iPhone. That will eventually provide a supply of confusion in seconds. As a result, today’s children receive a surplus of online directives that older folks before the computer did not.
If we are lucky, we may discover pathways leading us back to our true selves as adults. Self-archeology, unfortunately, is sought by few. Many of us remain who others wanted us to be. Not being yourself spawns irrational and meaningless behaviors that get labeled as coming from the unconscious mind. Entire fields of psychology attempt to explain why people do bizarre things, like saying yes when everyone knows they mean no.
Art, music, our physical bodies and our emotions are gateways to our true selves. Consulting animals who never lose their true selves. I believe the level of humanity in America today comes from the unconditional love we receive from our pets, not from any religious teachings we may be given. Nature calls endlessly to our lost selves. Her pathways do not tell us to be someone else.
Why am I focused on the true self? Because no traditional religious or psychological pathway I’ve traveled has led me back to who I came here as. Before death visits me, I’d like to find and befriend the me I lost to the needs of those who raised me, taught me and shaped me. I’d like to disassemble what others thought I should be and use those pieces to make artwork that I will sit on the altar of my true self.
Don’t worry. Externally nothing appears to change in the eyes of others; they see you as they always have. No one knows you’ve become your authentic self again unless they love you.
Larry Winters
New Paltz
Commentary on Life
Pasta primavera, sesame noodles, egg fu young. Alka-Seltzer, Bromo-Seltzer, Maalox. Fundamental. Overeating surely promotes their sales.
Why do we have so many choices, most of which are nutritionally challenged.
Right? If it’s not high salt, it’s high sugar.
I, too, shall never trust some guy named Ian again.
Our lawmakers (a/k/a aging-in-place old guys) move over and let us peeps get a chance at saving America. Yes! We Can!
Ta-ta I am off to give ya an after-Ian-falling leaf count!
Myrna S. Hilton
Ulster Park-on-Hudson
Rebecca is lost
In response to Rebecca B. Wilk’s last two letters, I and presumably some readers are a bit confused and have many questions.
How is killing an innocent unborn human being related, in any way, to a “woman’s right to defend her own life?” You defend one life by killing another? Rebecca is confusing her views with the doctrine of self defense.
The killing of innocent life refers to both unborn AND born innocent life. So, on what grounds are you restricting the term “pro-life” to just unborn innocent life? You restrict your reference to pro-lifers as only conservative or Republican. You mean to tell us that there are no liberal/Democratic women who are appalled by baby killing? And, what do “Trump tirades” have to do with this topic, at all?
You claim not to advocate or promote abortion, yet your extremely disjointed parody and attempt at “humor” probably has many readers seeing your views as all over the map. Many of your points seem to be just distractions and distortions. On the one hand, you claim to be sympathetic to those who oppose abortion and that you have a consistent regard for life, yet you allow these feelings to be easily trumped by a woman’s “right” to kill the life you purport to regard and respect, and for purely selfish reasons.
You incredibly assert that the anti-abortion crusaders’ concern for life is not actually motivated by a true concern for life at all but, instead, is motivated by a hatred of women and condemnation of sexuality! Where does such a bizarre, incongruous connection come from? Also amazing is your apples to oranges connection of bumper stickers of “pro-life” to “pro-gun.” So, in your mind, there is no such thing as a legal gun owner exercising his/her Constitutionally guaranteed 2nd Amendment right to protect self, family and property AND who, also, believes in protecting the precious gift of life in the womb as opposed to killing it…….again, for purely selfish reasons.
In a failed attempt to distance herself from the atrocity of the actual abortion, Rebecca chooses the words fertilized egg,” “ zygote” and “embryo” to refer to the innocent unborn human being. I guess this desensitizes her from what is actually being mercilessly killed and, thereby, spares her of any compassionate connection and feelings of guilt toward the innocent life being slaughtered.
In conveying her message(s), Rebecca says her intent is to “merely” indicate that right-wingers “enjoy causing women’s death and object to assisting low income families”– another conclusion mysteriously appearing out of left field and based upon no facts or evidence. It’s all simply Rebecca’s opinion. Again, many of her points appear to be a combination of distraction and distortion.
So, Rebecca’s reflections also come from a mirror — her mirror — but one that is damaged beyond repair and which needs to be replaced as soon as possible.
John N. Butz
Modena
Before we pass judgment
I just finished reading Immigrants’ Song expressing that we do not meet the expectations expressed in The New Colossus — “Give me your tired” etc. I think it refers to illegal immigrants being sent to the “sanctuary city” of Martha’s Vineyard, where they were immediately relocated (“Political Grandstanding”). The poem was at a time of mostly legal immigrants who could be nurtured and assimilated. In Kingston the committee of five churches sponsored a “Boat People” family. It “took a village” medically (at some risk to ourselves), housing, employment, education, socializing etc. It’s not smooth sailing. Parents gathered enough wealth to get their teenage children on the little boats for refugee camps, hoping to get them to safety in other countries. Here Catholic Charities and others vetted American families to be their families.
I went on to being an English As A Second Language tutor at Kingston High School. I had many eight-hour days and sleepless weekends, hoping on Monday to not find family medical or psychological emergencies. There were two attempted suicides and five more people of concern. It’s not “Ya all come on in in overwhelming numbers.” I had one Philippine student on one side. The mother had a medical condition; the father worked to support her. The girl was four when her parents left and came now at 14. On the other side was a girl whose family sneaked across the border. I cared deeply about both and never resolved my feelings.
All four of my husband’s grandparents were legal immigrants. We have immediate family now, and other relatives since WWII who are legal immigrants.
A friend lives on Long Island. Her city is 100% rich white people. She never saw a black person; Lincoln Place (Street) name was changed because of Lincoln-Civil War. The land isn’t big, but there is no “yard work” — they have Mexican “Grounds Keepers” — who do not live there. They approve of “sanctuary cities” (but not in their city.)
The writer says: “Those (Abbot and DeSantis?) gleefully trash the American Dream” (by sending them to these “sanctuary cities”?) Does that mean the government who sends full airplanes to non-sanctuary cities in the middle of the night has interviewed the immigrants and they want to go there? (Florida).
Not having been at the border, I can only judge by news media showing illegal border crossings in Texas, for example — sometimes a hundred people crossing ranch lands — rancher’s families overwhelmed, finding dead bodies, abandoned children, people sick (with what disease?), hostile, possibly dangerous adults. To get an idea, could we find a large farmland; get 50 people to play the landowner and another 150 people to come and walk across their land? (Of course these are our neighbors, don’t intend harm and go home.) Before we pass judgment, could we try to “walk in the shoes” of ranchers at the border where the action is said to be. (Or is the news fake?)
Martha Pearson
Kingston
Vote Jen Metzger for Ulster County Executive
Don’t let those humongous political road signs distract you from what’s important in the race for Ulster County Executive. The only candidate who has the experience, temperament and vision to lead our county is Jen Metzger. She will be a transformational leader who will make sure that everyone is heard and all communities will have a seat at the table. Jen has a proven record of making our lives better as a climate activist and elected official.
As a founding member of Citizens For Local Power, she took on Central Hudson’s rate gouging and won. As a NYS Senator, Jen helped pass landmark climate legislation and introduced the bill to permanently ban fracking in New York. Her opponent, on the other hand, gave Central Hudson 50+ acres for a training center and a “gas village” over constituents’ objections. And despite his taking credit for Jen’s successful advocacy against GlidePath’s proposed gas-burning power plant, he promoted the original dirty energy plant — including attempting to block public hearings on it — before he was supposedly against it.
That’s just one area. Forget the big signs and the bluster. Haven’t we learned anything from 2016? Vote for the person with extensive government experience, innovative ideas and collaborative leadership skills. Vote Jen Metzger for Ulster County Executive.
Ruth Levine
Saugerties
Not all 5G is the same
In the past year, three Telecom companies, T-Mobile, AT&T and now Verizon, have upgraded their equipment on the California Quarry Road cell tower. T-Mobile and AT&T have each replaced some of their 4G antennas with 5G low-band antennas. In the case of Verizon, they will be replacing theirs with 5G mid-band antennas. This has happened without any successful opposition because of Federal Law 6409 that was allowed to become law in a compromise deal between Democrats and Republicans to pass the “Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012. This law mandates that an “Eligible Facilities Request” application for telecom equipment upgrades must be approved by the town, if there is no change to the footprint of the existing cell tower and the height is not significantly increased with the replacement equipment.
The thing to know is this type of 5G does not use the millimeter technology that 5G small cells use that causes the concern many people are worried about. The biological impact will not be that much different than the 4G we already have, which is bad enough. The quantity of antennas will be less in some cases to keep the stealth character of the California Quarry Road tower intact, where this equipment replacement will take place.
The small cell 5G high-band technology, mainly used in urban areas, requires an intense infrastructure with those devices being placed everywhere, sometimes very close to homes. That being said, Woodstock is very close to passing a protective modified zoning law to regulate the potential advance of 5G small cells into Woodstock if it ever does arrive here, but so far not yet.
So when you hear about 5G being in Woodstock, know there is a big difference between low-band 5G, mid-band 5G and high-band 5G and what Woodstock will have is low-band 5G and mid-band 5G. Also, know that when you see 5G on your WiFi modem, that is also very different. “5G” cellular is regarding fifth generation of telecommunications technology. 5G WiFi is regarding 5GHzWiFi depicting the frequency it operates on. 5G cellular low-band could be using frequencies between 600MHz to 1GH, 5G cellular mid-band could be using frequencies between 2.4GHz to 4GHz, whereas 5G cellular high band could be using frequencies anywhere 24GHz to 39 GHz. The latter frequency ranges it the millimeter range. Also of the utmost concern is that 5G high-band is the preferred frequency range for establishing the “Internet of Things” matrix that will hook everything up to artificial intelligence creating the Orwellian nightmare. Low-band 5G is not suitable for that.
Regarding the public’s reasonable health concerns about 5G high-band equipment, Verizon employees are instructed to only work on these 5G transmitters nine minutes at a time and take hour breaks between each nine-minute interval. Do not believe this technology is harmless as it certainly is, and why Woodstock is processing our new revised telecommunications zoning laws to be adopted very soon.
Steve Romine
Woodstock
Join the family! 
