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.
Public accountability
The disclosures presented by the president of Friends of the Shawangunks call for independent hearings at the Town and County level. Voters and taxpayers in Gardiner should pay especially close attention to John Hayes’ letter to the editor, “Public trust,” in Hudson Valley One, 2/23/22, pp. 23-24. His account of how laws and ordinances are being evaded in the construction of a “glamping” facility in Gardiner serves the cause of good government and sound environmental policy. Favoritism and cronyism in allowing a large-scale “glamping” operation to go forward without the required construction and environmental permits cannot be tolerated. Even if only some of these disclosures were true, their further investigation by appropriate law enforcement agencies would seem to be in order.
In allowing the regulations to be waived, the responsible public official (in Gardiner’s case, Town Supervisor Majestic) may well have the best of intentions. When any public official or regulatory agency allows a developer to proceed without the necessary permits for problematic land use, any halfway competent corporate attorney can readily invoke this legal and administrative precedent to justify other development projects (for a Walmart, a hookah bar, a casino, a dynamite factory or anything else) to go forward as well. It may well be the case that the developer is a good neighbor, a good friend, a generous campaign donor or an exemplary member of the community. And we can speculate about what might have led to this favoritism: Possible factors might include the official’s good intentions, indecisiveness, poor judgment, old-fashioned cronyism, an infatuation with tourism, sheer madness or some combination thereof.
Some years ago, an environmental attorney characterized a similar scenario, which has become evident in the Catskills during the rapid rise of property values, as “land anarchy.” But another characterization of it can be offered that is more graphic and, I fear, more realistic. This trend toward the relaxation (or suspension or waiver) of requirements for construction permits is slowly but surely going to transform Gardiner and other towns and hamlets in the Catskills into stark versions of Paramus. If public officials really cherish the pipe dreams underlying this dystopia, they might wish to consider relocating there. Unless this trend is called to a halt, Route 44/55 will take on the features of New Jersey’s Route 17, with glamping grounds and monuments to extinct species complementing the shopping malls, lit-up billboards and auto dealerships on both sides of the road.
Some Town supervisors, Planning Boards, town consultants and attorneys, mayors and other champions of “progress” seem to be enthralled by massive development projects. These projects are usually heralded as recreational stopovers, tourist bonanzas, environmental enhancements, job creators or, more gratuitously, as guarantees of new property tax revenue. Whatever the good or bad intentions of the cheerleaders for such projects, their long-term consequences of economic harm and ecological degradation are not what most voters have in mind when they go to the polls. We can only hope that Gardiner’s elected and appointed officials are prepared to address the problem at hand; if not, it will be up to the voters to hold them accountable.
Irwin Sperber
Gardiner
Incognizant
I asked previously, “Did you know that cutting down certain trees planted within 20 feet of either side of any properties, fronting on or contiguous to or located within 20 feet of New York State Highway Route 212 from Route 375 to Bearsville/Wittenberg Road, is not allowed unless a permit is issued by Woodstock’s Town Board?” Well, if you answered no, don’t feel bad, because it appears that our supervisor didn’t know either. As he stated in the February 15 Town Board meeting regarding trees recently cut adjacent to Route 212 in Bearsville: “And to the best of my knowledge there is no violation.” Guess he is not familiar with Town Code Chapter 217-4 that requires an application be sent to Woodstock’s Town Board prior to cutting those trees down.
Howard Harris
Woodstock
World War Free, not World War Three
For Boomers like me, it’s nostalgic to fear World War III again.
Sparrow
Phoenicia
Propaganda
On August 13, 2020, in a joint statement by the State of Israel, the United Arab Emirates and the United States, a treaty between Israel and her former enemies was announced. However, despite the unprecedented nature of this treaty, I was not surprised when Joe Biden responded only “a little” to Face the Nation’s Margaret Brennan’s question, “Does Donald Trump deserve any credit for this accomplishment?” (Brennan hardly pushed back at Biden’s outrageous “a little” reply.) Nor was I surprised that the source of Ted Reiss’ “Trump failure list” was the far-left propagandist, noted for his dishonesty, Robert Reich. Here is what Rudra Reddy said of Reich in his article “Dissecting Robert Reich” in 2017: “I listened to one of my friends, who happens to be a Reich fanatic, rant about how Trump should be ousted from his job for uttering untrue statements and stoking divisions in the country. The only problem with that principle is that, if it was applied with any uniformity, Robert Reich would be barred from practically any employment.” (So, there’s that.) I also didn’t find it surprising that, when citing Ed Koch’s lack of trust for Trump’s honesty, Bud Lavery didn’t include the fact that despite this lack of trust, Ed Koch agreed to Mr. Trump’s proposal to rebuild Central Park’s Wollman Skating Rink, whose failed reconstruction was emblematic of the civic dysfunction during Koch’s corruption-plagued reign. By the way, Trump had the Wollman Rink up and running two months ahead of schedule and $775,000 under budget.
Messrs. Ted Reiss and Bud Lavery were critical of me in their letters last week because of my failure to acknowledge Donald Trump’s unkept promises. I have much more to say in response to this criticism and will do so in another letter. For now, I will end on an upbeat note by saying I’m grateful to Messrs. Lavery and Reiss for inspiring further creative thinking on my part (borrowed from my “Trump’s failures” memory reserves), which has produced the following parody for their consideration. Enjoy! (Or not.)
After watching POTUS Joe Biden’s SOTU speech, leaders of the Democrat [sic] Party, Valerie Jarret, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer met together and decided that the best way to deal with the Party’s sinking poll numbers was to convince its standard-bearer to resign. Hillary, a big Four Seasons fan, suggested that a parody she wrote – for such a time as this – of the group’s hit song “Dawn” would be the best way to broach the subject to President Biden. With this in view, these leaders arranged a meeting with the beleaguered POTUS and sang the following song (titled “Joe”) to him in the hope it would help him to make the decision that would best serve the interests of their floundering Party.
(opening prologue)
Failing like the Don Lemon show
His name is Joe
(chorus)
Joe, go away you’re no good for us
Oh Joe, you should just drive an old schoolbus
Just go, we’ll support you
Think what a big man you’ll be
Think of your poor family
Just think how “the Party” will feel
When you’re gone and we’re free
Freeeeee
(bridge)
Joe, go away, please go away
Because you know we don’t want you to stay
Joe, go away, please, go away
Please leave today, it’s better this way
Ahh, ah, ah…Oh, oh, oh
Oh Joe, Delaware is where you belong
Though we know Scranton’s where you
Were really born
Before you say that you won’t leave
We want you to think what Kamala would say
We all hope you’ll leave today
Now think how your party will feel
Once you’ve set us free
Freeeeee
(closing chorus)
Joe, go away you’re no good for us
Joe, we’ll call you a Greyhound bus
Joe, go away you’re no good for us
Joe, we hope you won’t make a fuss
Joe, go away you’re no good for us
George Civile
Gardiner
Passing the Bigger Better Bottle Bill is important
Increased litter pollution deters the quality of life here in the Hudson Valley. Upgrading New York’s Bottle Bill will benefit the people and the environment. 2022 marks the 40th year of this law’s enactment and it is time to make it bigger and better. It will give the people a greater financial incentive of a redeemable ten cents per bottle deposited. It will reduce the burdens of the folks who are a part of recycling and municipal waste programs by expanding what can be deposited, such as noncarbonated beverages, wine, spirits and hard cider bottles. Finally, it will deter pollution by increasing the rate of recycling. Passing the Bigger Better Bottle Bill is important to transition to a circular economy that reduces environmental harm and sustains the people’s future.
Brian Ackert
New Paltz
Good power!
The idea of being a blind man, but still being able to act powerfully, keeps coming up in my life, as well as in other lives of blind folks. Every day we get to deal with the choice of feeling like a victim or doing something that is an act of confidence and power.
Last week, I needed to deal with a pushy doctor who tried to force me into following what he thought would be best for me. I hated being the target of his tactics and I knew his behavior was wrong. I stayed strong in his office, but left upset. The next day I called and insisted on changing doctors.
I didn’t cave and give into victim feelings. I didn’t give into doubting myself. I stayed clear and acted thoughtfully, but with determination. I fired the doctor, knowing that I was the employer and he was the employee. He wasn’t the kind of health care practitioner I wanted on my healing team. Days later, I received information from a medical test that validated my decision. I felt great when I heard that news.
Power is available to all of us. We just have to want it, and then learn how to act thoughtfully and honestly once we embrace our power. It’s also connected to the power to love, to care deeply and to enjoy being the beautiful human beings that we are. Let’s not be afraid of our good power. Let’s make friends with it.
Marty Klein
Kingston
The purpose of evasion
Enough! When will egregious elected representatives be held accountable for their lies, willful disobedience and blatant disregard of the Congressional oath they swore to uphold?
When one swears to “support and defend our Constitution against any enemies, foreign and domestic,” one must also “take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion.” To evade a subpoena, dispute scientific facts and ignore murderous, criminal behavior speaks volumes about a person’s staunch refusal to accept the truth. The phase “bear true faith and allegiance” applies to the Constitution, not some delusional aspiring autocrat. The Congressional oath is a solemn promise, often invoking a divine witness, “So help me God,” yet some politicians choose to mimic the deplorable conduct of self-obsessed reality stars after experiencing celebrity and influence when enabling one.
Diversity, equality and common sense are the ceaseless targets of deluded public servants who have forsaken their obligation by choosing power over policy. Misrepresentation delays precious opportunities to create legislation designed to enhance the lives of every American. Communication, integrity and civility matter, and they know it.
Take a stand, identify the genuine oathkeepers and call out the lies and misinformation spread by disloyal members of Congress whose unruly diatribe and censurable statements must never be accepted as sincere or trustworthy. We constituents deserve better representation and are smart enough to know that obstruction, subversion and impertinence are simply purposeful strategies used to evade the truth.
Paul K. Maloney
West Shokan
Promote kindness
Recently, a small group of white supremacists visited the Village of Woodstock to hold a demonstration on the Village Green. A great many of us in the community were dismayed, for hate signs go against everything we stand for. Groups in the town organized our own demonstration some days later; but we are concerned that – if this should happen again – we not get into a confrontation that could turn violent.
We are writing to advocate for a positive approach instead, or at least in addition. Let us commit ourselves, individually, to make a contribution to Family of Woodstock every time organized hate groups descend on our town. Family stands as a steady presence in the county, ready to help people of any color or creed: the opposite of what the supremacists stand for.
Family has agreed to keep track of the number of individual donations (which may be kept anonymous) as well as the total amount received. Family will report this information on their Facebook page on a weekly basis until the donations cease to flow in. Should another demonstration occur, we’ll have a ready-to-go response at hand.
We have made a donation to Family and designated it “To promote kindness.” The reverend Cari Pattison of the Woodstock Reformed Church has also said she would make a contribution. We hope others will make it a throng.
Stuart and Susan Auchincloss
Woodstock
Where is the CARE in health care?
I am increasingly disturbed by the quality of health care in this country. A friend in Los Vegas had a total hysterectomy to treat uterine cancer. She was out the same day – and in the ER the next day. Same-day care can be great, but with a health care system that provides no home care, who is going to witness and document the recovery process? And this is just one outcome of a health care system geared toward minimal care…and maximum profit.
Kathryn Adorney
Gardiner
Water pollution review for Binnewater solar plant
Protecting our drinking water is of utmost importance, even when it comes to siting renewable energy projects that may reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.
The Ulster County Legislature is on the verge of awarding a PILOT to SG Pioneer PV to build a giant 20-acre solar farm directly next to the Binnewater Reservoir, which provides water to 23,000 Kingston residents.
According to studies, metals like lead and cadmium used in solar panels may leach out and get into groundwater, as well as affect plants. These metals have a detrimental effect on human health. Lead impairs brain development in children and cadmium is a carcinogen.
Waste from used solar panels is going to be a huge problem by 2050, because solar panels only last five to 25 years and can easily be damaged by weather events and crack open. The decommissioning agreement SG Pioneever PV has signed with the Town of Ulster only accounts for the removal of the panels and remediation of the panels after 25 years; it has no timeline or duty for the company to replace panels or to report how long panels were damaged before they replace them.
The Legislature has a duty to the people of Kingston to look further into this project before it is awarded a PILOT. It has not been in the newspaper once. It requires tax breaks and grants to be financially viable. It is directly next to our sole source of drinking water. The public must be thoroughly informed about the tradeoffs and risks of siting this project directly next to our drinking water.
Alex Panagiotopoulos
Kingston
Critical thinking moment
Former US presidents on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine:
• Carter: “I condemn this unjust assault on the sovereignty of Ukraine that threatens security in Europe and the entire world.”
• Clinton: “Brazen violation.”
• GWB: “The gravest security crisis on the European continent since World War II.”
• Obama: “A brazen attack on the people of Ukraine, in violation of international law.”
And then there’s this:
• Trump: “That’s pretty smart.” Putin, he’s a “genius.”
Can’t say that I expected anything else, did you? Crazy stupid me. I believed if his lips aren’t moving, he’s not lying. Donald Trump, to put it bluntly, is full of shit.
Who would have guessed that a fascist, lying, draft-dodging reality TV celebrity and con man with no government experience, six bankruptcies, five kids from three marriages, multiple charges of sexual assault, 4,000-plus lawsuits, multiple affairs while married to his current wife Melania, obstructed justice, committed antithetical democratic behavior as a lit fuse for a paleoconservatism, as well as a cheerleader for an attempted white nationalist betrayal-of-the-republic sedition, brazen lies about his 2020 election defeat and colluded with Russia, could be so bad at being president?
Dear Republicans and base: You’re not fooling anybody. Stop smothering us with your bullhorn of bullshit talking points which are both coarse and toxic. Cut it!
It’s as plain as the nose on your face that Trump’s dangerously mentally ill, a career criminal, a fascist wannabe dictator, as well as a commie-lover, too, who sees in Putin someone with a shared worldview: authoritarian, fiercely nationalistic and happily bigoted. He’s a brazen corporate raider who is flat-out hell-bent on robbing the public blind – including his own GOP base – with the intention that the richest one percent only profit; a pathological liar that intended from the git-go to be a fake righteous Christian.
There is no good in this deeply flawed and very broken-inside misanthrope. He’s a “first me” guy, while country and principle take second place – or maybe no place whatsoever.
That’s all. Just cut the bullshit.
Neil Jarmel
West Hurley
Steve’s distractions (Part 2)
I’ve saved the best for last: Steve’s ongoing assault on Fox News.
I’m not quite sure about Steve’s apples-to-oranges comparison of the popularity of McDonald’s burgers and the popularity of Tucker Carlson. There must be a reason that people buy the burgers and watch Carlson. The people like the burgers and watch Carlson because they’re better than their competitors. Even if Fox News referred to itself as “entertainment” to possibly help their position in a lawsuit, we all know that most all entertainment can eventually tire or bore people to the point that they stop watching. Obviously, this isn’t happening at Fox News, as they are appropriately viewed as the closest thing to truth and accuracy among all of its competitors, or they wouldn’t continue to consistently dominate the news outlet ratings.
For balance, I try and watch CNN, MSNBC et cetera and their wonderful marvels such as Brian Stelter, Don Lemon, Joy Reid, Joe Scarborough and his marital sidekick et cetera. But I can only stay tuned for 10 to 15 minutes at a time before I have to reach for my airsick bag. Their bias is so nauseatingly incredible when we consider how many trivial stories they manufacture into calamities and how many stories they fail to report on, simply because they conflict with their narratives.
The main reason that they don’t report on the real stories of significant importance and interest is because they don’t want to embarrass themselves and their leaders, the Democratic Party. A recent example is the most current Durham report that further exposes Hilary Clinton and her nefarious behaviors before and after Trump was elected in 2016. When this story broke, for the first day or two, five of six news outlets spent zero minutes covering this new development. The remaining network breezed through it for a grand total of two-and-a-half minutes. They must have felt like traitors, forcing themselves to talk about it, even for a mere two-and-a-half minutes. If you wanted to find out about the realities happening on our southern border for over a year now, you’d have to watch Fox News or Newsmax, because you sure as heck wouldn’t get any clarity, honesty or objectivity on this ongoing crisis watching the other networks, as their anchors sat at their desks selectively stuffing socks in their mouths when it came to story selections.
And what have we heard from them on Hunter’s laptop and other similar stories that are damaging to them and their bosses, the Democratic Party? Nada! That’s why these networks are at the bottom of the ratings heap and Fox is at the top. People appreciate reality and truth.
John N. Butz
Modena
Remember our military
Forgotten, as per usual, are our volunteer military members. Many have already been activated and are on their way or in EU countries, having delivered valuable supplies. The stress and worry for military families is high, even if this is a righteous mission.
Glenn Gidaly
New Paltz
No evidence for voter fraud
I’d be happy to engage in an honest conversation with John Butz about the merits of voting laws; we might even find that we have some common ground. I don’t think additional voter ID requirements are inherently bad, just unnecessary. When you first register to vote, you provide ID, and every time you vote, whether in person or by mail, your signature is compared to the one on record. Additional ID requirements are redundant, but we might be able to agree on a “solution” to a problem that doesn’t exist in an honest discussion of the facts.
Before we can have that conversation, however, we need to agree on the facts, and that might be where things go awry. You don’t get to assert that voter fraud exists without evidence, as if trying to will it into existence, like you did in your letter of March 3. You personally can’t believe that there was no voter fraud in the 2020 election? Too bad; there wasn’t any. Sydney Powell faces disbarment and will be lucky to avoid jail time for her unsupported accusations, which she has recently begun to walk back.
You don’t like the facts presented by the Brennan Center because they lean left? I also mentioned the director of Homeland Security, a Trump appointee, calling this the safest election in history. Not good enough? How about the Republican secretaries of State of Georgia and Arizona, who certified the results? They voted for Trump and agree that there was no fraud. Still not convinced? How about the conservative group in Arizona that conducted its own ballot count? They met among much fanfare about getting to the truth, then quietly disbanded when the results failed to support their narrative.
Still not good enough? There’s always Trump’s own hand-picked commission, headed by Mike Pence and Kris Kobach. They, too, convened to much fanfare in 2017, and quietly disbanded six months later after finding no fraud in the 2016 election. Kobach claimed there was a study showing over 1,000 convictions of voter fraud since 2000, but in reality, the study he cited went all the way back to 1948. Not exactly the three to five million illegal votes that Trump claimed.
Apparently, there aren’t enough facts to change your mind. That’s why I won’t bother replying to your letter in today’s paper. What’s the point?
As for the Electoral College, doesn’t it bother you that your vote doesn’t count? New York is a blue state; all of its 29 electoral votes will go to the Democratic candidate because he or she will have the support of the high population areas in the state. No matter how many upstate Republicans vote, there will never be enough to overwhelm the downstate population, so your vote is meaningless. You okay with that?
Steve Massardo
Saugerties
Russian invasion boosts plans for renewable energy
It may seem crass to find a silver lining in Russia’s war in Ukraine, but there is one: accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels. A war is doing what even the latest dire United Nations climate report seemingly did not: waking up the world to the danger of reliance on oil and gas.
It took the shocking Ukrainian invasion, but European countries are now finalizing a proposal to “accelerate the clean energy transition and reduce permanently our dependence on imports of natural gas,” 40 percent of which comes from Russia. Wind and sun cannot be blockaded or their supply cut off, are not subject to wild price fluctuations and do not prop up corrupt governments. By investing in more renewables, Europe would invest in its own security.
The United States should follow suit. Gasoline prices are spiking above $4 a gallon and will likely go higher. Home heating bills are doubling and tripling. Imagine instead if the fuel for our cars and homes was domestically produced and free, from the wind and sun. What is needed? Political will to build the infrastructure to harness and deliver it, and incentives for people to switch to electric heating, cars and appliances.
Here in New York, Governor Hochul must accelerate New York’s own transition. This includes big investments in grid modernization and making greater incentives for our machines and homes to run on electricity, rather than on gas or oil. There are many pending bills and budget proposals in Albany to do this, from building electrification to direct sales of electric vehicles to greening public transportation and State vehicle fleets to climate justice funding in the budget.
After watching the horrible war news on TV, we can help Ukraine, Europe and ourselves by pressing our elected leaders for a faster transition to renewable energy and true energy independence.
Andy Moss
Ruby
Central Hudson putting me into debt
Central Hudson has become a huge company that doesn’t care at all about their customers – only their shareholders. They created a new billing system that was to be online in August. Since then, I have been billed for only two months of usage and none for delivery. Central Hudson is putting me into debt.
More egregious, their representative said I could apply to HEAP if I needed help paying what I owe. Why should our tax dollars be used to correct a problem caused by their incompetence and negligence? What is Central Hudson going to do to help us? They are responsible for this mess; they need to clean it up.
Central Hudson reads meters every other month. Customers have been receiving outrageous bills where the estimates are way off-base. A friend of mine recently received an estimated bill of $2,500 for one month. In the winter months she normally doesn’t pay more than $400 per month. How can we trust a company that can’t handle its billing properly to provide us with gas and electricity?
When Fortis bought Central Hudson, we were promised infrastructure upgrades. If they had addressed that, perhaps we would not have suffered so much during the recent ice storm. It costs money to fix the grid. It hurts their bottom line. Shareholders would not be happy if they didn’t get their dividends. How about using some of their profits to help us out?
Laura Hartmann
Town of Ulster
In capital we trust
A law passed by the 84th Congress and approved by president Dwight Eisenhower on July 30, 1956 declared “In God We Trust” must appear on American currency. Eisenhower knew the horrors of war more than any American president. At that time, having defeated Hitler’s Nazi party, the American public had felt God blessed them and decided to place on our currency “In God We Trust” as a constant reminder. But unfortunately, the other reality was that fast money had been the prime motivator of starting wars and, more often than not, unjust wars.
Let’s follow this thread to “So help me God,” which every politician says in taking their oath. Also, every soldier in our military has taken an oath that includes “So help me God.” These oaths have placed faith in God before our own lives, not money, power or politics.
We in America are slow to awaken to the reality that many of America’s wealthy place their capital before all else: their loved ones, their nation, human nature and the global environment in which they live. Who pays the most for this financial narcissism? The low-income, poor, lower middle class, those who work to support the physical infrastructure and those soldiers who protect the lives of our wealthy. Why do our politicians act less responsive to upholding veterans’ oaths? Is it because they say in their oaths, “So help me God,” and politicians believe it’s God’s job to take care of the soldiers that protected them?
Perhaps credit cards and online banking are why we forget our currency has written upon it “In God We Trust.” Today, watching war every night on TV magnifies how the wealthy are using human beings as capital. We witness oaths of humanity, compassion and morality bulldozed into oblivion. So, we change the channel, even though fascism is right outside our front doors.
The president, the House of Representatives and the Senate all take oaths to protect our Constitution. But unfortunately, they do not take an oath to stand on the battlefields like our military. So, unfortunately, the hard-earned wisdom of Eisenhower has been swept away by the fast-rushing steam of capital.
What would happen if our wealthy had to sit in a bunker and read every one of their dollar bills, “In God We Trust”?
Larry Winters
New Paltz
Hypocrisy abounds
Regarding the situation in Ukraine, sadness and empathy arises as we watch a nation of people desperately attempting to hold onto their freedoms they have enjoyed since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 when they declared themselves separate from Russia. Ukraine since then has had its own problems from corruption to neo-nazi-influence in its society, military and government. That all being stated how do we come to grips with the absolute hypocrisy of the US who has committed much more damage and terror, to multiple sovereign countries such as Iraq, Syria and Libya, who were not involved in 911 nor did they possess weapons of mass destruction, yet we point the accusing finger at Russia. Meanwhile, we left unscathed Saudia Arabia and awarded them with a $300 billion military weapons contract. Never mind they were directly involved in the events of 911, whether by pilots of hijacked planes or providing funding that heinous act of terror.
Similarly in Canada where hypocrisy in government also seems to abound, Prime Justin Trudeau used dictatorial powers to squash a peaceful protest of hardworking people who wanted to be heard and recognized. Trudeau slandered those people and his own Parliament conservatives as “Nazi’s,” froze truckers financial assets and anyone who contributed more than $25 to their cause, damaged and confiscated their trucks, revoked their commercial licenses and had them brutally beaten up and arrested even though they offered no resistance. Meanwhile, Trudeau and his deputy Prime Minister, Chrystia Freeland, express to the world how they are outraged over Russia’s actions of arresting their protesters.
The brazen hypocrisy we are seeing here, and in the US, is on a scale not seen before. By the way, Ms. Freeland, who is also the Financial Minister of Canada and largely responsible for freezing the assets of Canadian truckers and their supporters, is the granddaughter of a prominent Nazi and a director of the World Economic Forum that unabashedly undermines democracies worldwide. As we witness the very real tragedy in the Ukraine and castigate Russia for its military actions, maybe we should first clean our own house of war criminals (Bush, Cheney, Obama, H. Clinton, etc.) and bold face hypocrites in our own government who have committed much worse crimes than Putin in the Ukraine that have yet to be accounted for and brought to justice. Yet somehow we have forgotten the “Shock and Awe” campaign in Iraq, while we view the televised scenes of the assault on Ukraine. It was a man by the name of Julian Assange, who revealed the breadth and extent of U.S. war crimes, who for telling the truth, none of which has been shown to be otherwise, is facing the rest of his life in prison for doing so. The hypocrisy in all of this stinks to high heaven and the innocent departed souls caught in the quagmire of deadly foreign policies carried out by double-talking psychopaths, cry out for justice.
Steve Romine
Woodstock
Join the family! 
