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. Submit a letter to the editor at deb@hudsonvalleyone.com.
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Hudson Valley One welcomes letters from its readers. Letters should be fewer than 300 words and submitted by noon on Monday. Our policy is to print as many letters to the editor as possible. As with all print publications, available space is determined by ads sold. If there is insufficient space in a given issue, letters will be approved based on established content standards. Points of View will also run at our discretion.
Although Hudson Valley One does not specifically limit the number of letters a reader can submit per month, the publication of letters written by frequent correspondents may be delayed to make room for less-often-heard voices, but they will all appear on our website at hudsonvalleyone.com. All letters should be signed and include the author’s address and telephone number.
Deep-blue New York
I am a Republican living in deep-blue New York, and I’ve experienced the effects of having a Democratic city council, county government and state government from top to bottom. From policies like “cashless bail” to sweeping environmental measures, there have been real impacts on our daily lives — our energy use, our costs of living and even our sense of security. These are issues that affect everyone, regardless of party, and I understand the intentions behind many of these policies. However, the implementation and the lack of compromise with differing perspectives can feel disempowering.
It’s concerning when any government, whether at the state or national level, is dominated by a single party. This is true even if that party aligns with my own values. Power concentrated in one party can create an echo chamber, where differing views are drowned out, and essential checks and balances are weakened. There’s a fine line between decisive governance and one-sided rule. With such power comes not only great responsibility but also the risk of overreach. The real challenge, and the real opportunity, lies in whether those in power can govern with humility and restraint, listening to voices on both sides and incorporating a diversity of perspectives into their decisions.
Nationally, Republicans have been given a significant opportunity. The question is, will they seize it in a way that brings the country together or will they fall into the trap of pushing policies without broader dialogue? My hope is that we don’t see a pendulum swing so far to the right that it alienates those who don’t share every Republican stance. Instead, this moment could be a chance to find common ground, to make meaningful progress on issues by including more voices in the conversation, and to govern in a way that respects all citizens, not just those who align with the majority party.
This election has reminded us of the value of democracy and the importance of being engaged citizens. Voting is just the beginning. Our role doesn’t end there. We must keep the dialogue going, hold our leaders accountable and remain connected to our communities. It’s through these conversations that real change happens — not just through policy, but through understanding. Even when we disagree, our voices should be heard and our perspectives considered.
It’s natural to feel the impulse to counter policies and initiatives from the national level with state or local measures. Democrats in New York may understandably feel pressure to respond to a Republican-led national agenda. But having lived under one-party rule that has often pushed policies contrary to my core beliefs, I know the value of checks and balances. That balance brings accountability, and it forces all of us to listen, learn and grow.
For Republicans, this is an opportunity to govern thoughtfully, not simply to push an agenda but to steer our nation toward unity. True progress isn’t about moving further to one side; it’s about finding a way forward together. Let’s approach this moment with care and with the wisdom to seek a path that serves all Americans.
John P. Quigley, First Vice Chair
Republican Party and Ulster County Election Commissioner
Preserve the legacy and life of Duck Pond
Dear Mohonk Preserve board of directors/Russell Clune, chair: As a lifelong visitor and admirer of the Preserve, I am deeply saddened to hear that Duck Pond, one of the area’s most beloved and ecologically significant sites, may soon be dismantled. Duck Pond has long been a sanctuary for both people and wildlife — a place of beauty, peace and connection.
Although the pond was initially created through Mohonk’s construction of the dam over a century ago, this doesn’t grant the right to dismantle an ecosystem that has developed and flourished around it. Just as parents cannot undo their responsibility to the life they bring into the world, we bear a similar duty to sustain this living environment that we helped shape. Removing the dam and draining the pond would harm countless species that now depend on this habitat.
I recognize the challenges posed by aging infrastructure and regulatory requirements. However, before taking an irreversible step, I urge the Preserve to consider alternative solutions, such as adding culverts to help control water levels and relieve pressure on the dam. Modern infrastructure options and even community funding could make a path forward that respects both ecological and safety concerns without sacrificing this invaluable landmark.
Duck Pond has become part of the land’s identity, and dismantling it would erase a landscape that has offered connection and inspiration to generations of visitors. I ask the Preserve to demonstrate its commitment to environmental stewardship by seeking a solution that preserves Duck Pond and its legacy for the future.
Thank you for considering a path that honors both the history and the life that Duck Pond sustains.
Rachel Hunderfund
Tillson
That’s a wrap
Now that the Yankees lost the World Series, I feel better about wearing my Yankee cap.
Sparrow
Phoenicia
Spoon full of truth
In the last election, I was baffled, watching as truth slipped through the cracks like water in a clenched fist. Too many of our leaders danced around the truth, contorting it to fit narratives designed for the lens, not for the listener. When I saw Jon Ossoff debating Perdue, the sitting Georgia senator, it was as if clarity suddenly took the stage, unadorned and unapologetic. Ossoff stood firm, steadfast, delivering truths with a calm precision that felt like a clear morning after a storm. Perdue, on the other hand, seemed caught off guard. His expression was one of stunned silence, as if truth had cornered him, leaving no space to hide. He looked lost like he’d forgotten the playbook for dealing with honesty. At that moment, I realized how many of our leaders avoid truth like it’s a dangerous animal, to be distracted and led away, never faced directly. Our screens — those shiny little boxes that follow us everywhere — have become less about information and more about spectacle. Truth on TV often arrives in snippets, stripped of depth and diluted by the need for brevity. The media, forever chasing ratings, amplifies the noise, feeding us a drama that distracts from reality. The question is, can truth itself be dramatic enough to captivate? Is there a way to make honesty, bare and bold, as compelling as the fiction we’ve been spoon-fed? We live in a world where screens curate our connections, shielding us from dissenting voices. If a conversation gets uncomfortable, we swipe it away. We scroll through a landscape of agreement, nodding with those who echo our beliefs. As we lose touch with authentic dialogue, the risk is that we drift into a digital cocoon, isolated in a sea of sameness, our clicks directed by those who pull the strings behind the screens. Truth may be the medicine we’re ignoring in the cabinet, dusty and untouched. I think of the castor oil my parents used to dread, that bitter remedy forced down with the promise it would heal. Ossoff held a dose of that kind of truth, spooned out for the public. We all swig, brace ourselves and let honesty cleanse the air.
Larry Winters
New Paltz
Thanks for supporting the Gardiner Library
On behalf of the Gardiner Library Board of Trustees and our dedicated staff, we would like to express appreciation and thank Gardiner voters for approving our request for a budget increase. Thank you.
The $29,434 increase that was approved will help to lower energy costs in the building, increase programs for kids and adults and improve access into the building.
We take very seriously the faith our community has that we will continue to be frugal and transparent regarding our finances
See you at the Library!
Glenn Gidaly, Vice President
Gardiner Library Board of Trustees
Democracy hit Kamala in the face
So……God did it — or at any rate helped, if Trump is to be believed. Good for God.
But as for Kamala — she wouldn’t know democracy if it hit her in the face. How do I know that? Because it just did!
Ann Playfair
Woodstock
Coy propagandist
Responding to Meyer Rothberg’s letter and addendum letter in the two previous issues of HV1, the record needs to be set straight and misinformation spotlighted. First the notion that what is happening now in Gaza is merely “tribal warfare” is wholly inaccurate and seeks to muddy the water of what is really happening. Beginning with the fact that before zionism arrived as a movement with Theodor Herzl in 1896 and his book The Jewish State, Jews and Arabs lived in peace in the holy land (Lives in Common: Arabs and Jews in Jerusalem, Jaffa and Hebron, Menachem Klein 2014). But, with the advent of zionism and its terrorists factions, identified so by the U.S. Justice Department, the Irgun and the Stern Gang/Lehi, that peace in Palestine was shaken by the increase of violence in 1920’s bringing with it terrible atrocities.
To say that “tribal warfare” is the undercurrent of the war in Gaza is misinformation when in fact it is the violent political movement of zionism at the root and its propensity for ever increasing land grabbing. Many Ultraorthodox Jews know this and why they do not support zionism as they believe its violent actions violate the peaceful and benevolent nature of true Judaism (https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/ultraorthodox-vs-zionists-a-death-threat/).
So no Mr. Rothberg, those of us who are “screaming genocide” happening in Gaza do not “want more Israeli deaths” but want the continual indiscriminate brutal slaughter of innocent Palestinian men, women and children to stop as it has been going on far too long and is way out of proportion to what happened on October 7, 2023, which violates international law (https://lieber.westpoint.edu/proportionalityinternational-humanitarian-law-principlerule/). The war criminal Netanyahu imagines international law doesn’t apply to Israel as it commits clear genocide in words matched with deeds, even though Israel is a member of the Geneva Convention on genocide. What can be more hypocritical than that? Mr. Rothberg can’t see this obvious contradiction that the rest of the world sees and why there are now calls for “Suspending of Israel’s Credential as UN Member State” (https://press.un.org/en/2024/gapal1473.doc.htm).
Furthermore, that is the reason Kamala Harris lost the presidential election because the people are sick of the genocide she is complicit in. Lastly, Mr. Rothberg is living in a bubble if he thinks flattening Gaza, destroying Gaza’s health care system, starving the population to death and committing genocide will bring about “peaceful Palestinian states in Gaza and the West Bank, so that the ‘land of milk and honey’ can thrive.” On the contrary, what war criminal Netanyahu and the IDF is doing, is everything to prevent that for generations to come.
Steve Romine
Woodstock
What will Trump do?
I’m just passing along what the geniuses at The View and Morning Schmo and their friends are fretting about (hand out the Xanax) now that Trump has won his third election in a row. Trump will lock up all “journalists” in internment camps. DOJ will go after all political opponents (I think Biden’s and James’ persecution of Trump sets a good example). Add to Obama’s cages for separating immigrant families. Issue Handmaid’s Tale outfits to all women. Get rid of all of Joe’s Depends. Trump will also furlough the diaper changing crew. They’ll have to go back to their NASCAR pit crew jobs.
Babylon Bee posted that January 6 will be a national holiday. Leave McDonald’s by the door the night before. (I love this!)
Trump will cancel Medicare and Social Security and throw grandma off a cliff. The Proud Boys will replace Obamacare. Trump will exercise the article in the Constitution where he can declare himself dictator. He’ll send all Ivy League Jewish students to special camps where they can concentrate better (this is to get support of the Squad). Mein Kampf will replace Gideon’s Bible in all the hotels. Trump is now growing one of those little moustaches.
To the folks who complained about the Constitution’s electoral college, looks like now we’ll also have to eliminate the popular vote.
Just kidding. Relax. He didn’t do any of this the first term. He won’t do it now. Harris didn’t fix things her first term. How could you expect her to do so in a second term?
Make American groceries affordable! In memory of Peanut the squirrel. May he rest in peace.
Signed deplorable, smelly, piece of garbage.
Tom McGee
Gardiner
Picky, Picky, Picky
It’s been fun this week watching my liberal friends beating their breasts and wailing about the election, moaning about how Trump will place our country’s democracy at great risk, simply because he fomented an insurrection four years ago, has no regard for governmental checks and balances that have defined our republic since its inception and governs according to his whims. The last item, I think we can all agree, will speed up decision making and legislation and keep us from getting bogged down in petty squabbles, committee hearings and minutiae.
By winning all three branches of government he will be able to appoint judges and cabinet members, regardless of qualifications, without unnecessary hearings, thereby speeding up what is often a long and tedious process. This will ensure the appointment of more justices like the last three he appointed, guaranteeing a welcome continuity of similar judicial consistency, but this doesn’t stop the Libs from bitching and moaning.
In his first term he was frequently restrained and prevented from doing what he knew was best for us. Fortunately, over the last four years he has been able to vet appointees who will always support and agree with him, so, thankfully, his impulses won’t be restrained or restricted and he will be free to elevate democracy and assist poor and marginalized citizens, all he ever wanted to do. We know he knows more about everything than anyone else, as he reminds us daily, so why would anyone want to impose restrictions on this kind of leader when we should be grateful he is willing to assume this responsibility and share his expertise on almost everything?
The economy was the number one issue for most of the electorate, so he has wisely surrounded himself with billionaires, 26 of them, including patriots like Elon Musk and the Koch brothers, so who better to improve our economy for working folks than those who have the most money and have proven themselves over the years to be great humanitarians and supporters of the working class. These folks are richer than 99% of the population so who doesn’t want them making economic decisions for all of us?
He has promised to use the military against domestic opponents. Leave it to the Libs to scream this is unconstitutional and will chill resistance to his undemocratic instincts, when they should be grateful he is only interested in restoring law and order. His admiration of the leaders of Russia, Hungary, China and North Korea, not to mention Hitler, should be substantial proof that Trump is dedicated to an orderly and just society.
We should be grateful he will use his justice department to drop any cases still pending against him and he can pardon himself for any convictions, thereby freeing himself from the inconvenience of having to deal with petty legal vendettas waged by the Libs, allowing him to devote all his time and energy to make America great again, his only objective. My liberal friends complain that Trump sponsors homophobic rhetoric and legislation, particularly against trans citizens, when we all know this is a major issue greatly affecting our lives and, if we don’t face up to it. we will destroy family values and set this country on a path to destruction and the acceptance of Satanic, un-American principles.
But the Libs big and most repeated complaint is: how can we elect someone who is a convicted felon, supports Christian nationalism, is a convicted sexual predator, makes fun of dead soldiers, has five children from three different wives, gropes women and has at least 25 women accusing him of sexual battery or rape, incites violence and an insurrection, has cheated companies and partners, is a pathological liar and is convinced he is chosen by God to save our country?
I think the only response to these liberal pansies from those of us not afflicted with Trump Derangement Syndrome is — picky, picky, picky.
Eric Glass
Saugerties
I am grieving
I am grieving for the immigrant families who will be torn apart.
I am grieving for the women and girls who will die from pregnancy.
I am grieving for the lives that will be lost to uncontrolled gun violence.
I am grieving for a betrayed, doomed planet and the misery that will bring.
I am grieving for all of us who are now facing the knowledge that our fellow citizens eagerly chose this catastrophe.
Jo Salas
New Paltz
McKenna’s boy
The case before the court, an Article 78, was a Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) application for an interpretation of the building inspector’s determination that the applicant improperly enlarged or extended a prior pre-existing nonconforming use where the ZBA findings was in favor of the building inspector.
Based upon review, the court found the comments made by the ZBA chair, Gordon Wemp, “demonstrated a clear intention to deliberate and make decisions outside the public’s eye and that he had a fundamentally flawed understanding of the provisions of the OLM (Open Meeting Law).” Additionally, the court found that his decision of the case was “arbitrary and capricious, finding that there is no sound and substantial basis in the record to support the respondent’s action.”
The court also, something in all my years as a member of the ZBA I never heard of, believed “that under the circumstances, an award of council fees is warranted.” So not only did the town have to pay an attorney to defend our town, but had to pay the attorney whose clients sued the town. Great job, Gordon.
Howard Harris
Woodstock
A clarification from HomeShare Woodstock
Thank you for the article by Nick Henderson (November 7, 2024 — Woodstock pioneers homesharing). The HomeShare Woodstock program, a new initiative of Family of Woodstock now in its third year, currently has ten successful matches benefitting 23 people. The program is a viable option both for those seeking affordable housing and those who wish to remain and age in their homes. We are thrilled with the success of the program and the many benefits accrued to our homesharers. Half of these matches will celebrate their one-year anniversary at the end of the year.
I wanted to note an important correction in the article. There are over 60 home sharing programs in the United States and 53 of those programs are listed on the National Shared Housing Resource Center directory. One of the earliest, HIP Housing in San Mateo County, California created its program in 1979. The HomeShare Woodstock program is the first home sharing program in New York — the only other program in the state offering home sharing services is the New York Foundation for Senior Citizens in New York City.
Home sharing programs have been active and successful in this country for the past several decades. As HomeShare Woodstock now begins its expansion to the City of Kingston, we look forward to serving this community. We welcome Kingston residents who would like to volunteer to serve on our advisory board or on our interview team. We are also accepting applications for a program manager who will oversee the home share program for Kingston residents. Inquiries for those interested can be directed to homesharekingston@familyofwoodstockinc.org or by calling 845-679-2485.
Thank you for your continued interest in reporting on the developments of the HomeShare Woodstock program.
Janice La Motta, Program Director
HomeShare Woodstock
In response to Bob Berman’s excellent essay last week
The emptiness of space,
of atoms, of mind,
birthing this dream
of singularity.
Stephen Wilder
Willow
Raising concerns
Family of Woodstock is certainly advertising the benefits of its homeshare program. And they are getting taxpayer funding to make this happen. And I am all for this idea. However. I am concerned because I see nothing advertised that protects the homeowner from a catastrophic situation that could easily happen if things go south. The laws today clearly provide protection for the ‘renter’/tenant … but nothing is done to protect the small landlord. Family of Woodstock refuses to answer my question of how it will protect the owner, especially if the renter/tenant refuses to leave or move on. This needs to be clearly and publicly addressed.
R Van Kleeck
Town of Ulster
It takes a dark turn
Ride this chaos high,
Screams muffled by shadows’ edge,
Yet I grasp for light.
In this fleeting spark,
Underneath the bitter stars,
Anger fuels the roar.
As I fall to earth,
Drowning in doubt’s deep thunder,
A lit fuse: I burn.
Neil Jarmel
West Hurley
Tell us about yesterday
before the wars, the famine,
the tsunamis and unclean water.
Tell us about how it started
to get warmer, about the world
without AI, about black & white,
rabbit ears, no cable or remotes.
Tell us about the time before
social media, the rise of internet
tendrils. What was it like without
cells, with rotary dials, and real
people on the line. Tell us now
about living with two feet on
terra firma, not this new colonial
settlement here in space.
Patrick Hammer, Jr.
Saugerties
A peace offering and a prayer
This is a peace offering, and a prayer, to Donald Trump’s supporters.
I hope you know, understand and care how hard many of us are taking Kamala Harris’s defeat. Some of us may be your family, friends or other people you love. We feel our candidate would have worked to unify our country, and we fear that Donald Trump will further divide us, ruin lives, jeopardize the planet and in other countless ways betray us. We pray we’re proven wrong.
What was mischaracterized as an invasion of criminals helped lead to Trump’s election. What was overlooked is that America is a land of immigrants, that nearly all of us are descendants of immigrants, that our forebears were escaping poverty and danger and seeking, just like today’s immigrants, the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. There was initial antipathy toward each new wave of foreigners … each new wave of us. And then each new wave began to fit in and contribute.
If we let Trump carry out his mass-deportation threat, America will no longer be “The Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.” For how can we be sure of our own continued freedom or enjoy it in good conscience if we stand idly by as innocent, oppressed people are hunted down, imprisoned and/or deported? How can we consider ourselves “the brave” if we do nothing as children are separated from parents and mates from mates, and if we ultimately return them to the dangers and poverty they trekked thousands of miles and risked their lives to escape?
Then there’s the president-elect’s “Drill, baby, drill” mantra. Climate change is real. We’re witnessing daily planetary disasters of unprecedented scope. Will Trumpers join us in insisting Trump loosen his ties to the fossil fuel industry and take other steps to protect our planet? If he’s the man you think he is, or that you want him to be, he’ll have a stake in our planet, not put a stake through it, and he’ll strive to serve you — indeed, to save you.
Donald Trump wants to be loved. But like the rest of us, he must earn that love. You elected him; now elevate him. Elevate his character. Find the best in yourselves and then make him worthy of you, and of those of us, fellow Americans, who today are heartbroken and frightened.
Let’s make America whole again.
Tom Cherwin
Saugerties
America is acting up
As I’ve taken to occasionally saying, “America is still in its teenage years.” Our leaders in Washington see what works everywhere else and always believe to know better. America is acting up thanks to a certain loud-mouthed individual and outright incompetence, but we will grow. Try as they might, there is no stopping us.
Tim Scott, Jr.
Saugerties
Something’s rotten in Woodstock
Are you wondering why the Town of Woodstock, led by Supervisor McKenna, continues to ignore his constituents consistent pleas by refusing to do source testing in order to locate the origin of the forever chemicals recently found in our drinking water? Chemicals that when consumed in water cause numerous different types of cancers.
Maybe the reason for the supervisor’s lack of interest in locating the source of these chemicals is that the Town of Woodstock is presently being sued by Woodstock resident Frank Eighmey. The Woodstock supervisor is also named in that lawsuit. And what if the source of the chemicals in our drinking water were to be located and that location just happened to be 10 Church Road in Shady, otherwise known as the Shady dump? That find could impact the present lawsuit negatively against the town and supervisor. If this is, in fact, the reason the supervisor doesn’t want to do source testing, then this would mean that winning a lawsuit is more important than the health and well being of the people of Woodstock, the very people the supervisor is sworn to serve.
Frank Eighmey lives next door to the Shady dump and it’s fair to say that his life and the life of his family have been completely ruined by Joseph Karolys dumping of contaminated waste on his doorstep beginning in 2019. Decisions made by the Woodstock supervisor since, in connection with the Shady dump, have right up to this present day, exacerbated the Eighmey family’s misery. Those decisions contributed partly to costing the Eighmey family in the region of $200,000 to date in legal fees.
Why is the Eighmey family suing the Town of Woodstock? What are they asking for? They are asking that the Town of Woodstock via its supervisor enforce Woodstock’s own laws by demanding the removal of approximately 200 truckloads of contaminated waste that presently sits less than 30 feet from their well. The Eighmey’s have not been able to drink from that same well in over three years because of contamination caused by the dump on their doorstep.
The contaminated waste also sits directly above the aquifer that supplies all Woodstock’s drinking water, both private and public. In the four years since dumping began, four independent hydrology experts predicted the present catastrophe would eventually unfold regarding our drinking water unless the contaminated waste at 10 Church Road was removed in its entirety. The Woodstock supervisor chose to ignore all independent advice, choosing instead to be guided by New York Department of Environmental Conservation guidelines which are less strict than Woodstock’s own laws in regards to dumping.
Something is awfully wrong when our town officials sit back, allowing a hard-working bus mechanic from Shady spend his family’s money fighting for a justice that his town should have fought for. If the Town of Woodstock enforced its own laws, none of this would have happened and it’s also very possible that our water would not today be contaminated. However, it’s not too late for our town officials to listen to the voice of the people and do the right thing, and in doing so, find out where the chemicals are coming from that are presently polluting our water.
Chris Finlay
Woodstock
Cop-out not allowed
On November 2, the Conference of the Parties (COP 16) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, convened in Cali, Peru, ended. Agreement was reached on establishing an expanded role for indigenous peoples and local communities in protecting biodiversity and using digital genetic information to inform decision-making. There was a spirit of compromise and dialogue among the many involved parties. Assessing environmental risks was agreed upon to provide scientific bases in evaluating steps to help our planet and local communities stay protected and healthy. In general, some progress was made on how to make peace with nature.
Conference of the Parties (COP 29), the UN Climate Change Conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, is taking place from November 11-22. The meeting will address helping developing countries set clear goals related to limiting climate change, battling drought and controlling rising temperatures/sea levels. Conditions in the global south will be a focus. There are hopes of unlocking trillions of dollars for these countries to make it possible to take much stronger climate actions, slash greenhouse gas emissions and build resilient communities. Youthful delegates will attend and bring information, along with creatively formed actions, back to their homes for implementation. Communication, openness and an active desire to protect our planet and its inhabitants are keys to success. There have been some frustrations but a genuine effort continues.
Our Woodstock governing body should join with the spirit of these two meetings and act on the environmental issues facing our town. Do not wait until 2029 to comply with governmental regulations regarding water quality. Unimpeded clarification of the process being used by the town, the frequency and dates of testing, and results of testing should be readily made available. Our representatives should clearly present what the results of testing mean to the everyday resident of Woodstock. Now is the time to take action to identify the source of toxins in our water and share the information with the town’s residents. “Do the right thing” by removing any toxic soil from our town. A commitment to open dialogue, listening, discussion and charting a course to protect the town’s residents and our natural resources now is needed. Regardless, we will be moving into the future. Let us do so in a proactive manner and in peace.
Terence Lover
Woodstock
Kitty’s apology
I apologize to Phoenix Kawamoto for my comments during the New Paltz Town Board budget meeting of October 17, 2024.
Many of his supporters attended the town board’s November 7 meeting to express their anger and dismay over my comments about the Office for Community Wellness budget. Many of those people are New Paltz taxpayers who feel no price is too high to pay for this program.
I’d like to clarify one point for those who attended the meeting under the impression that the town board was considering eliminating the Office for Community Wellness.
The town board has never held any such discussion or consideration. In fact, the town board gave Mr. Kawamoto a raise.
I know I, and many others, feel dazed and demoralized by the results of last week’s presidential election.
I am more committed than ever to honoring our community’s diversity, inclusivity, progressive community values, open minds and open hearts. I’m sorry I let you down on October 17.
Kitty Brown, Deputy Supervisor
Town of New Paltz
The people have spoken … loudly!
To many of us, the election result was no surprise. What WAS a pleasant surprise to me was the fact that many Democratic voters have finally caught on and actually admitted, by their vote, that they’ve been fed up with their miseries, disappointments and dangers of the past four years, gifted to us by arguably the most inept president and vice-president in U. S. history.
Further confirmation of the lopsided outcome was that Trump won ALL swing states and that the Democrats handily lost the Senate and will likely lose the House, too. Could the polls have been any further off? They had it neck and neck with Harris ahead in half the swing states. Who were the polls interviewing?
With the Democratic finger pointing out of control, it’s funny to watch the hypocrites jump all over Biden, saying he should have withdrawn much sooner, or been thrown under the bus sooner. These same finger pointers are the people who so eagerly and firmly hid Biden’s mental decline from the country saying “he’s clear and intelligent in his thought process” to “he can mentally and physically run circles around people half his age” and, finally, “he’s hard to keep up with.”
The Democratic politicians are hardly dummies. Most all of them knew in their heart of their hearts that Harris would be a very weak candidate and a poor choice to head their ticket. Yet, as soon as Biden anointed her to “take the reins,” the Democrats should have immediately found a way, or the spine, to tell Biden “Hold on Joe, we need to vote in a preliminary primary before we announce our strongest choice because we have a handful of people who we know would carry a lot more credibility.”
Several Democratic Senators and other representatives finally came out of their blind-biased closets to admit that their party lost touch with the needs and concerns of many low- to middle-income families. I guess they finally had to admit that the economy, border and crime were far more important to the average person than DEI, gender studies, transgender mutilation of our kids, proper pronouns and defending the “rights” of inmates to get transgender surgery on our dime.
Finally, one of my favorite topics — CNN, MSNBC, CBS, ABC, NPR, et al. The election results have shown the public that their “reporting” cannot be trusted, anymore. Their brainwashing game is over. For eight years, especially the last four, many people for the first time started seeing and understanding their severe bias as well as their charade of manufactured monikers for Trump. and that none of their garbage was an accurate representation of reality. They all look like fools now. However, they will most likely not learn a single lesson as they, no doubt, will continue their analysis and attack of every breath Trump takes so that they can continue their negative poison. CNN used to be the most reliable news source, which I used to watch. It may take quite some time for them, if ever, to regain their credibility and reputation.
And MSNBC? They’ve been a clown show for who knows how long. I’d rather get my news from the nearest food truck.
John N. Butz
Modena
Veteran’s Day thoughts
In our Unity Church this morning the minister asked all veterans to stand up and be appreciated. About 15 guys and I got up. Those in attendance applauded enthusiastically. It felt good, but a little awkward for me. Nothing new there. For years I’ve been applauded on Veteran’s Day, and on occasion some folks actually thank me for my service. But it never goes further than that. Everybody means well. But very few people reach out, past the awkward moments to find out a little more about me. So here’s a little more about me, if you have any curiosity.
I’m 76 years old now. I’ve been totally blind for 50 years. I lost my sight during the war in Vietnam. I did not see any combat, but I lost my sight from a disease I got while serving. After being discharged from the Air Force in 1970, I spent the next seven years in hell, trying to figure out how to recreate my life as a man without sight. Not easy.
Fortunately though, I got involved with a supportive community, and for the next 19 years I worked hard, and successfully, to develop a career as a counselor and a writer. I’ve published three books, and a yoga program for blind and visually impaired folks.
But not a day goes by in my life that I don’t have some awkward moments due to my blindness. Blindness that happened from my military experience 54 years ago. I’ve adjusted pretty well, but I have to make the decision every day to stay present, and to not go down the negative rabbit hole. I know I could have died back there, and, in spite of the daily challenges, I still have carved out a pretty decent life for me. That’s my mantra anytime I start feeling lousy. It always helps.
But it hasn’t been that way for many vets. We lost over 58,000 soldiers in Vietnam. But very few people know that more than double that number have taken their lives by suicide since coming back to the United States. I created a documentary called, Why Can’t We Serve in my attempt to help reduce the suicide rate for vets in our country. When I completed the film a few years ago, there were 22 vets taking their lives each and every day. It made me sick to know that. Today the daily number of suicides is about 17. That’s better. But think about it. Today, 17 vets are going to find a reason to end their lives. And tomorrow, another 17 will follow in their steps. It’s an ongoing tragedy and I want you all to know about it.
I’ve done my best to expose this ongoing veteran horror story, and I want you all to know that when I was standing this morning in church, I was thinking about all the vets that were still alive. And I was sending prayers to those who were considering suicide. I was praying for them to choose life.
Marty Klein
Sarasota, FL
Kingston, NY
Landslide!
When a politician wins a vote overwhelmingly, especially when a near-tie was expected, we should be happy. I am a lifetime liberal, but the Dems lost me when they ditched Joe Lieberman in Connecticut and then used dirty tricks on Bernie Sanders, who was making it too hard for Hillary to lock up the nomination.
Lieberman was Al Gore’s VP running-mate. (That was an ugly close finish — hanging chads in Florida).
Really close vote counts damage our trust. Too many conspiracies are cooked up and served as a hot and steaming mess of cable news fiction. (Here is mine: MSNBC hosts are drunk with the news that Trump’s win has given them four-year contract extensions).
That Trump won like Secretariat will let most Americans spend more time being productive; less conspiring. For me, no more paying other people’s tuition. College should be free, but with higher standards. High schools must stop under-educating the majority of their victims. End tenure. Results are too important to subject kids to poor teachers.
Paul Raymond
New Paltz
Playful fire investigator
A few of us local electeds have been doing these bi-weekly trainings organized by Ulster County’s Department of Emergency Services. Sessions have been designed to provide an in-depth understanding of emergency services, including fire, police, EMS, 911 operations and emergency management.
At our most recent, we met the sweetest, most playful pup who works for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. She is trained to smell a whole bunch of different things that could start a fire to help her fire investigator colleagues.
When she finds something, she does not get rewarded with a treat. She gets rewarded with her favorite ball because she loves playing more than anything in the world. Her priorities are perfect.
Mayor Tim Rogers
New Paltz
Join the family! 
