Point of View | 39 members of the Ulster County Democratic Committee

This is a letter sent to our state representatives Pat Ryan, Marc Molinaro, Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand from members of the Ulster County Democratic Committee. The letter was shared with HV1.

Honorable federal representative:

We write as concerned members of the Ulster County Democratic Committee to urge you to call for an immediate end to the ongoing violence between the Netanyahu government and Hamas. We call on you to substantially reduce our federal government’s unconditional military aid in this war. The brutal events that have transpired both before and after the attack on innocent civilians on October 7, 2023 are outside the bounds of any justified practices of warfare. Today, the United States stands alone on the global stage in its support for the Netanyahu government’s collective punishment of Gaza and the West Bank.

This violence has exposed fractures within our community as neighbors have lost loved ones in the violence and many others experience continued health problems bearing witness to the scale and atrocities of war. Peace and reconciliation are needed both in the conflict region and here in Ulster County to ensure that our global and local communities heal and grow together. In the last few months, we have listened to hundreds of neighbors, families, and community members across political and religious backgrounds speak to each other and to their elected representatives in favor of peace and an end to unfettered and deadly military aid.

The Netanyahu government can only engage in the collective punishment of Gaza with the direct military, financial and intelligence assistance of the United States federal government. This support through tax dollars directly connects all Americans to the indiscriminate behavior of the Israeli military and any crimes committed during this military conflict. We urge the federal government to turn away from its commitment to war and military aid. As local officials and Democratic Committee members, we prefer that federal dollars be invested in environmentally-just housing, public transportation, free school lunches, healthcare and other vital programs critically needed in Ulster County and across the United States, as well as providing humanitarian aid to Palestinian refugees to rebuild their homes, institutions and health infrastructure. We envision a country and world beyond brutality that makes use of our immense technological achievements for sustainable public care infrastructure.

The Democratic Party stands for justice, peace, education and the wellbeing of all people across the globe, regardless of borders. As Democrats, we urge you to work toward an immediate end to hostilities between the Netanyahu government and Hamas, halt unregulated military aid and restrict future military aid to Israel to prevent further collective punishment, and reinvest federal dollars from war to address pressing issues in Ulster County such as the current housing crisis and other deeply-needed social and health programs. It is clear we must take active steps toward healing together now before we are further divided.

James Amenta, Shandaken Democratic Committee, ED 4

Penny Coleman, Rosendale Democratic Committee, ED 4

Jeff Collins, Woodstock Democratic Committee, Co-Chair, ED 1, NYS Committee Member AD 103 

Frederick Cousin, Saugerties Democratic Committee, ED 13

Christine Dinsmore, Saugerties Democratic Committee, ED 5

Joseph Donaldson, Kingston Democratic Committee, ED 5-2

Tara Fitzpatrick, New Paltz Democratic Committee, ED 2

Kevin Freeman, Saugerties Democratic Committee, ED 12

Robert Gelbach, Saugerties Democratic Committee, ED 11

Keith Gurgui, Town of Ulster Democratic Committee, ED 14

Laura Hartmann, Town of Ulster Democratic Committee, ED 6

Michele Hirsch, Kingston Democratic Committee, ED 9-2

Evan Holland-Shepler, New Paltz Democratic Committee, Chair

Sakinah Irizarry, Saugerties Democratic Committee, ED 4

Lynn Johnson, Kingston Democratic Committee, ED 9-2

Jeremy Koulish, Plattekill Democratic Committee, ED 1

Adam Liebowitz, Marbletown Democratic Committee, ED 7

Nejla Liias, Saugerties Democratic Committee, ED 6

Adriana Magaña, Wawarsing Democratic Committee, ED 6

NYS Committee Member AD 101

Ted Millar, Marlborough Democratic Committee, ED 5

Laura Nordstrom, Kingston Democratic Committee, ED 3-7

Rebecca Rojer, Kingston Democratic Committee, ED 3-2

Nicole Roskos, Saugerties Democratic Committee, ED 9

Nancy Schaef, Saugerties Democratic Committee, ED 9

Reynolds Scott-Childress, Kingston Democratic Committee, ED 3-1

Deena Turner, Saugerties Democratic Committee, ED 12

Michael Tierney, Kingston Democratic Committee, ED 2-2

Abe Uchitelle, Kingston Democratic Committee, ED 4-1

Chelsea Villalba, Kingston Democratic Committee, ED 4-2

Lanny Walter, Saugerties Democratic Committee, ED 16

Gloria Waslyn, Town of Ulster Democratic Committee

Claire Wasserman, Town of Rochester Democratic Committee

Stana Weisburd, New Paltz Democratic Committee, ED 1

Alex Wojcik, New Paltz Democratic Committee, ED 9