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Wrong again
Seems like McKenna’s on time and under budget, as usual, has gone by the wayside. Why did we pay Walker Architects, the designers of the Comeau building addition that does not complement the building, an additional $83,000 on top of the original $161,000 fee? What happened to his “maximum estimated cost?”
Howard Harris
Woodstock
Never again
Question: “What if I could prove to your satisfaction that the Holocaust, in which six million Jews were murdered, is a fact: What would you say?”
Response: “They [the Jews] deserved it” (From a conversation I had with a Saudi Holocaust denier.)
After reading Steve Romine’s “Please stop committing genocide for me,” I considered challenging his ridiculous and reckless claims of Israeli apartheid and genocide. However, Steve’s question: “Is it possible that if Israel recognized Palestine as a state, like the UN and as 139 of its members states did in 2012, Palestine might recognize Israel?” made me realize that Mr. Romine suffers from the delusion that the degree of hatred for Jews existing in the Middle East (as demonstrated by the quote above and the October 7 attack) could actually be eliminated by Israel accepting the 2012 UN recognition of Palestine as a state, and I concluded that such a letter would be fruitless.
Historian and Holocaust survivor, Professor Zvi Bacharach, relates how despite the rising anti-Semitism in Germany, Germany’s Jews thought it was merely episodic and would end. Professor Bacharach reports how that was also the atmosphere on Kristallnacht when 91 Jews were murdered and businesses and synagogues destroyed. (Historically, it should be noted, this event would have been just another European pogrom if 30,000 Jews had not been arrested and sent to concentration camps.) Mr. Bacharach, ten years old at the time, recalls that his parents couldn’t comprehend the hatred and remembers his mother crying and phoning her gentile friends — she had more gentile friends than Jewish friends — and none of them answered her calls. If Mr. Romine believes that the hatred against the Jews in the Middle East or the rest of the world is merely episodic and would end if Israel just recognized Palestine’s statehood, he should consider the irrational hatred towards Jews that has always existed and, if not convinced — in light of this hatred — that he’s wrong, he should read Jan Gross’ book Neighbors. It relates how on July 10, 1941, in Nazi-occupied Poland, half of the town of Jedwabne brutally murdered the other half after requesting permission from the occupiers to do so: 1,600 men, women, and children — all but seven of the town’s Jedwabne’s Jews — were murdered not by faceless Nazis but by people who knew them well; their non-Jewish Polish neighbors.
Although Mr. Romine and others — including Netanyahu’s niece (who lives safely in America) may believe they are qualified to determine how the government of Netanyahu should conduct the war against those who are dedicated to destroying Israel, the Israeli people — directly in harm’s way — ultimately, will make that decision. And while Steve may believe Israel is fighting a genocidal war, if Hamas and others fighting against Israel would put down their weapons and agree that the Jewish state has a right to exist, there would be peace. However, if Israel stopped defending herself, Israelis would suffer another Holocaust. And while Steve might be surprised and appalled by such an event, much of the world would cry “they are only getting what they deserve.”
George Civile
Gardiner
Rave reviews for the Rushbrook General Store and Café
A suggestion, if you want breakfast or lunch, drive on West Saugerties Road and you will come upon a brightly colored building. It is the Rushbrook General Store and Café. Located in the building that housed the former restaurant “In the Sticks,” it is at the foot of Platte Cove Road.
What a surprise when you walk inside! On your left is the restaurant and on the right is the general store. The interior is attractive with newly painted vibrant colors on both sides.
In the general store section, there is an assortment of items that you’d expect to find in an “old-fashioned” general store, plus some new surprise items.
And on the restaurant side, you get to order from a creative menu which makes all their food offerings look enticing. And, most delightful, the food is both down-home satisfying and fit for a gourmet. Unfortunately, for us (but probably happily for them) they are open only Tuesday to Friday’s 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturday’s from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.
And what choices await you, for example besides the usual eggs plus, there are breakfast bowls, frittatas and crepes — plus various liquid breakfasts. For lunch there are some choices from the breakfast (menu), as well as specialty sandwiches, salads and lunch bowls.
Besides delicious food served in a most dramatic way, you will probably meet the owner and chef Jolene Adams. Jolene’s goal is to make Rushbrook a vital part of the West Saugerties community and already you can see it happening. The community “regulars” now go there not only for tasty food, but to chat it up with each other. And any newcomer is quickly welcomed into the conversation.
But don’t just take my raves about Rushbrook, try it for yourself. I guarantee you will be delighted by Jolene’s cooking and the warm atmosphere of her Rushbrook General Store and Café.
Susan Puretz
Saugerties
Woodstock complicit
The biggest employer in Woodstock is a weapons manufacturer: Rotron/Ametek makes essential parts of rocket launchers which can be aimed at civilian shelters, hospitals and schools. Those are illegal targets. Is our town involved in war crimes? We want to know what technology is being developed in the town of “peace and love.”
DeeDee Halleck
Willow
No ifs ands or Butz
John Butz wrote last week on the Israel-Hamas war that “even a kindergartner would be able to tell us which side is guilty of genocide.”
One wonders what those kindergartners in Gaza would have to say. In Mr. Butz’s fantasy land, those children either don’t exist or don’t matter.
Pigeon Boy
New Paltz
Dream a little dream
Many punk songs may be sung as lullabies, for example “God Save the Queen“ by the Sex Pistols.
Sparrow
Phoenicia
What I imagine for Rudi’s Route 28 station
When I think of reviving any of the abandoned filling stations along the Route 28 corridor, I imagine something more in keeping with the community and changing times instead of more fossil-fuel venues. Why not put in an EV charging station with a cafe serving local foods, a wifi-equipped reading room and access to the rail trail for those who would make outdoor use of their charging time. It certainly would be forward thinking and maybe even safer than the upcoming Dunkin’ Donuts or an eight-pump convenience store filled with mass-produced, single-use plastic-wrapped fare.
Sarah G. Mecklem
Woodstock
Upcoming Woodstock zoning revisions
The town had a recent and hasty zoning law change last year. The library bond vote on May 10, 2022 was illegal. The zoning laws at the time prohibited having libraries in light industrial zones, which 10 Dixon Avenue is. After the library bond vote passed, McKenna tried to rush through a revision to allow libraries in light industrial zones, but it took him until September 26, 2022 to get it passed and recorded in the state. Now with the Shady dump fiasco front and center, you have to question his hasty and murky intentions. Zoning changes like this should take a long time to come to fruition! Committees that are handpicked by McKenna should be intensely questioned by the community. Attend the town board meetings and have a voice for the future of Woodstock.
Joseph L. Doan
Woodstock
Today’s special: Neil’s kool-aid
With nothing else to run on, Neil Jarmel is putting all his 2024 eggs in one basket — abortion. At some later date, he may throw “climate change” into the mix.
Neil says that every vote for any Republican “will burn the house down and undo all the social, economic and environmental progress made since FDR. So, let me get this straight. Social “progress,” as in the worst division our country has seen since the 1965 civil rights movement and laws. Economic “progress,” as in the worst inflation and price increases we’ve experienced in decades. And, environmental “progress,” as in the still imagined dominance of the green new deal’s Don Quixote windmills and electric vehicles which are still years and possibly decades away from effectively replacing fossil fuels. Neil, you have the most bizarre definition of “progress” I’ve ever seen.
Neil blames Biden’s low poll numbers in fueling his unpopularity, yet immediately follows up with Biden’s policies being “on a winning streak.” Wow! Those two statements are more disconnected than the North Pole is from the South Pole!
Another comical statement by Neil is that “there is a lot of misinformation/nonsense being put out there that can cloud the “stellar accomplishments of President. Biden.” Neil, in the real world, the suffering poor and middle class cannot seem to find ANY of these “stellar accomplishments” in their daily grind of barely living from paycheck to paycheck.
Neil’s right on one thought. He ponders “who would fill Biden’s shoes if he did step aside? Realistically, no one.” He’s mysteriously silent on his beating the drum for Kamala, our queen of word salads. I fully understand because it would be embarrassing to Neil to dare do that, since between Biden and Harris, you could slip their mental acuities and competencies through the eye of a needle. Bring on Michelle Obama (actually Barack’s fourth and possibly fifth term as POTUS), RFK Jr., Dean Phillips, Joe Manchin or, last but not least, California’s king of hair gel, Gruesome Newsom.
John N. Butz
Modena
From this day forward
No need to wait until 2024 to make resolutions. Today, we all can commit ourselves to treat each person we meet with dignity and respect. What is so nice is that we don’t have to act in response to others — we can act of our own volition. A smile, thank you, please, you’re welcome may just brighten someone’s day and be passed on. Imagine that!
Of course, we do have concerns. Express your opinions to those in Washington, DC by calling the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121 and asking for the office of Marcus Molinaro, Kirsten Gillibrand or Charles Schumer. Some issues that might be addressed are: climate change (especially with the start of COP 28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates); having the priority of working for peace in the Ukraine/Russia conflict; working for peace in the Israel/Hamas conflict; support of an Assault Weapons Ban and the closing of loopholes related to online gun sales; not accepting a federal budget that will cut funding for immigrants, in general and newly arrived Ukrainians/Afghans; supporting a compassionate and realistic pathway to citizenship for immigrants/asylum seekers; and supporting the establishment of safe minimum standards for staffing/safety/wages in nursing homes. Do you have other concerns? In NY state, among other issues, please contact Sen. Michelle Hinchey (845-331-2083) and Assemblyperson Sarahana Shrestha (845-338-9590) to urge their support for Funding for Excluded Workers (those excluded from traditional unemployment insurance payments).
Please keep an eye on COP 28(November 30 – December 12) for movement on limiting/eliminating coal, oil, gas as energy sources, funding for global south countries to deal with the effects of climate change and aid their development in a responsible way, and establishing oversight for a future where nature and humanity are both respected and healthfully evolve. Be H-O-P-E (Help-One-Person-Everyday). Together, a positive future can be formed.
Terence Lover
Woodstock
Woodstock zoning changes
The Town of Woodstock has long been a magnet for visitors and residents. Some reasons are intangible but help to define the uniqueness of the town, our ‘brand’ as it were. We survive on this uniqueness. People do not visit because our town looks like one on Route 9W. And they are not visiting to see our affordable housing. The proposed changes to the town’s zoning law have been put forth as a ‘chance’ to create affordable housing. Without being specific about the visibility and setbacks of multifamily projects this ‘chance’ is a distraction and unproven.
Those of us who travel may be familiar with the region of Tuscany whose beauty and history have been preserved by local ordinances. Properties may be renovated and improved as long as the appearance of the original exterior remains the same. Property owners know that what they see looking out of their own windows today will not be replaced next year by the sight of multiplex units with clearings for extra roads, parking and septic fields.
The above comments could be labeled N.I.M.B.Y , fine, but let’s start out by reminding ourselves and each other that this is Woodstock and is worth preserving. Let’s not whittle away our current protections with benefits that are questionable.
Keep in mind that Joni Mitchell was right — “you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone”
John Wasylyk
Woodstock
The proposed zoning change must be rejected by our town board
Woodstock’s zoning law defines our physical identity as a town. This law protects Woodstock’s beautiful landscapes that consist of mountains, rolling meadows and many streams throughout our five hamlets. Are we about to engage on a boondoggle that will forever change the character of Woodstock?
Woodstock is sleepwalking amidst the propaganda, the financial incentives and the “behind the scenes” process of “Smart Growth” development that is coming at us. “Upzoning” is at the heart of this process which increases “density” in zoning laws, that is the number of living spaces allowed per the same acreage of land. Changes in zoning laws by increasing density is a key strategy coming down from New York State and county governments to our municipal governments. New York State has an aggressive campaign to increase housing by 800,000 and the UC Housing Smart Communities Initiative is the program under which Woodstock is operating to create these changes to our zoning law. We are told at meetings these proposed zoning changes stem from Woodstock’s comprehensive plan, which is not true. The picture is much bigger.
What is “Smart Growth?” It is a model of development meant primarily for urban areas, the core of which is creating multifamily housing complexes of many sizes. This model is now being tested in rural communities. These housing complexes of 8-60 units may dot our landscapes, country roads, corridors and hamlets. Landowners with large acreage in our town may want to cash in on this boondoggle, and one such development may appear in your neighborhood or on your quiet country lane. This proposed zoning change must be rejected by our town board.
Pat Jackson
Woodstock
Thank you Senator Hinchey
It’s a very poignant moment to see a photo of Senator Michelle Hinchey with other officials announcing the opening of the Institute for Family Health’s newest Kingston location.
Congressman Maurice D. Hinchey was responsible for the opening of the institute way back when Ulster County had few primary care physicians. The institute, at that time, was a residency/intern program for young doctors many of whom still practice in our community. It transformed Ulster County’s medical care.
Senator Hinchey knows the importance of healthcare learning good policy from her esteemed dad but also during the difficult challenges of his own medical needs in his later years.
Thank you Senator for working to keep all of us healthy, but especially in medical deserts. Of course, gratitude is expressed to the institute, the NoVo Foundation and state funders as well.
Jo Galante Cicale
Saugerties
Title: “Echoes of the soul: From personal trauma to national conscience”
In my journey through the shadowed valleys of war, my soul was dislocated, adrift in a turbulent sea of memories and experiences. I’ve come to see this personal dislocation mirrored in the soul of our nation — a collective entity grappling with the weight of its moral and ethical choices. The idea of a citizen oath paralleling our military beckons with the promise of shared responsibility and accountability. Could this be a phoenix rising from the ashes of our past, heralding a rebirth through collective ethical responsibility?
Carl Jung once said, “One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious.” This wisdom rings true for both the individual and the nation. As a psychotherapist, I’ve learned that healing begins with trust — the first emotional building block. Yet, this trust is elusive in science, religion and politics, where reductionism and dogma often eclipse the nuanced complexities of the human spirit.
While offering miraculous advances, science falls short in nurturing the soul, which yearns for more than what can be quantified or bottled. My quest for answers in the treatment of trauma revealed this limitation. Despite the dominance of science and medication, the soul remains unfathomable and resistant to such simplistic solutions.
In pondering the potential of a citizen oath, I am confronted with a poignant question: Can such an oath elevate moral and ethical behaviors in the public sphere, especially when its influence seems negligible in the political realm? Can a commitment to accountability foster a society that learns to compromise, evolve and adapt in a rapidly changing world? Or is this notion just another beacon of false hope, incapable of rousing the population to action any more than religion has?
As I reflect on these questions, I see the journey of our nation akin to my own — a path fraught with challenges yet possibilities. The citizen oath is a metaphor for our need for a collective awakening, a step into embracing the complexities of our shared human experience. Through this lens, we might find the courage to confront our shadows and emerge into the light of understanding and compassion.
Larry Winters
New Paltz
Thanks for helping the planet
There are an amazing number of programs to help residents and organizations improve the comfort of their spaces, reduce energy use and ultimately save money. But how do you find out about them? On November 16, local community groups offered a Welcome Winter event to introduce experts in the community who can help homeowners, renters, small businesses, schools and non-profits determine what is best for them.
Paul Kiesler, an active member of the Climate Reality Project described the wide variety of programs available. Tom Konrad, an expert on clean energy technology and energy coach for New Yorkers for Clean Power, shared how anyone can discover the best fit for their situation can meet with an energy coach (https://nyforcleanpower.org/cleanenergycoaching). Finally, Melissa Everett, executive director of Sustainable Hudson Valley shared how she transformed her own home from a drafty, fossil fuel heated home to a more comfortable home with improved weatherization and powered by solar energy.
New Paltz Climate Action Coalition, Interfaith Earth Action and Climate Smart New Paltz and Gardiner would like to thank all of the local businesses who donated door prizes for the event. Thanks to The Bakery, New Paltz Wine and Spirits, Beck’s Hardware, Inquiring Minds Bookstore, Hairrakesh Hair Salon, Second Nature Refillery, Handmade and More, The Ridge Tea and Spice Shop, Dedricks Pharmacy and Gifts and This Little Light of Mine Village Candle Shop. Thank you for your support as we share how individuals and groups can improve their own spaces while helping planet.
Holly Shader, Gardiner
New Paltz Climate Action Coalition
Congratulations to the New Paltz High School cast and crew of Clue
Who knew that my favorite childhood board game, Clue, was also a play? Apparently not me! I knew it was a movie (love it!) and was so excited to learn last month that it was also a play being put on by the New Paltz High School Drama Club. I came out to the Friday night performance with my daughter and we did not stop laughing! We came back on Saturday with my husband and granddaughters!
Nicholas Kutzin as Wadsworth — wow! I remember him as the pastor in last year’s Footloose, and was so impressed with his talent at playing completely different type of character in Clue. His monologue, reenacting the whole show — I could watch him forever! Ana Kirsch was gorgeous as Miss Scarlett! Her sarcasm and “defense mechanism” were perfectly portrayed — her smacking of Mrs. Peacock was perfectly timed. Finn Lochard as Professor Plum and Peter Dillehay as Colonel Mustard brought so much energy to the stage. Peter’s one-liners brought the house down with laughter. Lily Nocito as Yvette had the perfect French accent. Willa Voorhis as Mrs. Peacock and Kari O’Brien as Mrs. White were so entertaining. Willa’s screams, energy and facial expressions kept us laughing and on our toes. JP Fabella as Mr. Boddy, was so funny, you were disappointed when he was killed. Eamonn Rynne, stole the show — such a lovable clutz! No one expected that ending and he pulled it off superbly.
The crew did beautifully with the set and the show sounded wonderful — great music! These young actors portrayed difficult roles with such energy and humor — somehow keeping straight faces on stage amidst the chaos. True professionals. Congratulations to all involved!
JoAnn Crowley
New Paltz
Calling on Pat Ryan: Start walking the walk
In a recent interview with The Times Union, Pat Ryan justified his decision to censure Rashida Tlaib as follows: “We need leaders at all levels to be doing what they can to not propagate the cycle of antisemitism and Islamophobia” (https://www.timesunion.com/hudsonvalley/news/article/pat-ryan-israel-palestine-interview-18474739.php).
This comes towards the end, when the interviewer, Timmy Facciola, really starts to hold Mr. Ryan accountable for his actions and words. He asks Mr. Ryan if he feels the need to disavow the Likud Party for its manifesto, which includes the line: “Between the sea and the Jordan, there will only be Israeli sovereignty?”
Mr. Ryan says that he’s never heard him say that. Perhaps the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) forgot to send a copy of the manifesto along with their check for $26K in his last campaign.
Then Mr. Ryan continues: “What’s clear to anyone who wants to see a resolution here, who’s studied the history and who’s followed the facts on the ground, is the only durable solution is a two-state solution, which I certainly remain committed to, which the United States has to remain committed to.”
Netanyahu’s party is doing everything they can to make a two-state solution impossible, as per their manifesto. For that, you can thank his right-hand man, Bezalel Smotrich, who ponders, “Is there a Palestinian history or culture? There is none. There is no such thing as a Palestinian people.” His goal of using settlements to seize land and drive Palestinians from their homes is simple: “I abort their hopes of establishing a state.” (See John Oliver’s coverage for this and more: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJ9PKQbkJv8).
That two-state solution isn’t looking very durable these days.
If you are reading this, Mr. Ryan: When will you speak out against Israeli leaders who are perpetuating the cycles of violence in Palestine and Israel?
Remember what Jimmy Carter said: “We must always make clear our commitment to the security of Israel, but we cannot be peacemakers if American government leaders are seen as knee-jerk supporters of every action or policy of whatever Israeli government happens to be in power at the moment.”
For everyone else: Please call Pat Ryan’s office 845-443-2930 and demand that he be consistent in his criticisms. Or perhaps that’s too much to expect of a politician.
Dave Sadeq-Keyes
New Paltz
HOTF zoning proposals miss the target
The HOTF’s pro-development proposals would open the door for even more investors and developers to swallow up our open space, deplete our water supplies, increase traffic and make more waste.
Tearing down our zoning protections is not the solution to Woodstock’s affordable housing problem. Even the HOTF has conceded that their proposals don’t guarantee affordable housing. But what is guaranteed is that these permissive zoning proposals would be taken advantage of by profiteers eager to cash in on Woodstock.
The HOTF has missed the target. And many Woodstockers have been surprised that this ad hoc committee has undertaken this vast rewrite of our zoning laws.
I urge the town board to step back. Devise actual smart policy to address affordable housing — with a scalpel, not a bulldozer. Don’t just gut our zoning protections and pray for the outcomes you are hoping for.
Start by strategically identifying a site, or multiple sites, that can accommodate the creation of affordable housing. Do the legwork to show a building partner that the town supports this.
Fix the short-term rental zoning laws. It won’t be easy to put the cat back in the bag, but the zoning revision committee is working on the problem. It’s not a mystery where the town’s rental stock went — houses and apartments that were available for rent a decade ago are short-term vacation rentals today.
There are sensible steps that can be taken to address affordable housing. But the HOTF zoning proposals are not going to solve anything. They will cause environmental damage and draw more investors, house flippers and profit-hungry absentee landlords who will swoop in to suburbanize Woodstock.
Jude Sillato
Willow
How has this bargain worked for people of Gaza?
Based upon recent letters published in HV1, it looks like Hamas, a US and EU designated terror entity has won the media battle. And this despite retractions and apologies from the BBC, CNN and NBC news among others about their anti-Israel biased reports, exaggerations, discrepancies and also reports by Hamas embedded “journalists” who accompanied the disgusting pogrom into Israel on October 7.
HVI letters throwing around the nonsense of “genocide against the Palestinians,” Hamas “freedom fighters” and statements about “occupied Gaza” just amplify the confused and non-factually based opinions out there. Prior to October 7, 17,000 Gazans were issued permits to work in Israel. Water, electricity, fuel and medical items from Israel and billions in aid and P.A. taxes flooded into Gaza. Genocide? Uh, no. Freedom fighters, who had a civil war vs. the P.A. and killed and tortured Gazans at that hospital in 2006 (according to Amnesty International) and who abducted 240 hostages? And Israel pulled out of Gaza in 2005 and Hamas intentionally destroyed well over $10M in infrastructure left behind, including greenhouses for growing fruits and veggies. Occupied? Well no.
So how happy are the Gazans after October 7, with no food, water, fuel, electricity, with houses destroyed and still no Palestine state? Anyone ask them? But Hamas is winning the media war. But not the war it started against Israel. Not much of a bargain for them.
Harv Hilowitz
Stone Ridge
Partial solution
Okay, war is hell! I feel for both sides. Israel has definitely gone over the top, like we did in WWII against the murderous brutal fanatics who attacked us!
Hamas, ISIS, Hezbolllah, Iran, etc. are worse than the Nazis or Kamaikases who died for the Emperor.
You pro-Palestinian protestors, with your delusional beliefs about a one-state solution led by Hamas, do understand that there can never be peaceful coexistence with Hamas right? You at least get that, right?!
We need a different approach to bring peace to long suffering Palestinians and Israelis.
Here is a partial solution — a unique solution, for which I have and had no vehicle to promote, is the following:
We must appeal to our billionaires, Musk, Zuckerberg, Bezos, Branson, etc., to cease seeking trips with space ships and stay on our ever more frightening earth and use their bottomless money to help redevelop Gaza and the West Bank. A few billion would pay for clean up and new construction. In the West Bank, some questionable Israeli settlements would have to be evacuated like what happened in Gaza and here is a significant point: All new settlements and evacuated settlements would have to be settled by a mix of Arabs, Jews, non-religious, religious, Christians, Ethiopian Jews, Druses, etc. All volunteers! Free rent! A diversity meant to sow seeds of peace by showing the world how, in fact, Palestinians and Jews can coexist peacefully!
There are many Palestinians and Jews who would be willing to live with each other. The apartments would be subsidized and require residents to agree to being filmed!
Yes, part 2 of this idea is to have this also filmed as a world watching true reality TV! Real reality. Imagine how weakened the Islamic extremists and hate-spewing Imams would get if live TV showed Arabs and Jews barbecuing, babysitting each other’s kids, celebrating birthdays, etc. The world is connected and this would be “must-see” TV!
That is an idea I have had for a while and if I had the wherewithal and ability to have gotten this old idea of mine out and supported by our visionary billionaires like Bezos, Musk, Zuckerberg, etc., then maybe we wouldn’t have had this war?!
We need someone very wealthy who knows someone. Maybe our own local celebrities — Bobby De Niro, Mandy Patinkin, Michael Douglas, Liev Schreiber, Liam Neeson, Richard Gere, Scarlett Johansson, David Letterman, etc., could use their connections to promote this doable, if way out-of-the-box proposal, for peace?!
Failure to address the worldwide, ever-growing Islamic lunacy will destroy the world — they don’t fear death or destruction!
While we sit safe, for now, know full well that anti-democratic autocratic forces are fully allied against us and Europe. Add to that the Sharia devout millions exhorted by distorted Imam driven fanaticism, and our lives and our fellow billionaires lives as we know it, will be impacted for many many years.
We, the United States, are the last hope of a fragile humanity and initiating a rebuilding of Gaza under the UN and with billions from the super wealthy, will help turn the tide of Islamic fundamentalism.
Time is not on our side!
Ron Stonitsch
New Paltz
I’d like a country to go, but ‘hold the MAYO’
Nazi-speak is heard in his words. He is totally unfiltered now — his thinking is “baked in,” yeah, into the depths of Hitlerian darkness. Trump has been found out. He wants to ignite an explosion of fascism in plain sight. It’s retribution and revenge.
Tfg is always smiling and making cameos with the germs of neofascism, old racism, as well as with people’s everyday fears. This demagoguery of sleazy notions — gaunt n dark, and resembling skintight dirtiness complements his dishonesty and total denigration that seems to step out of his every pore.
He claims our threat is from within. Trump vows to root out “vermin.” The purpose of this bombast is to appeal to the worst instincts of his supporters and provide them with some fuel for their hate. His extreme right-wing venomous, soulless and hate-filled ilk eat it up. A woke society is worse than Trump, however flawed.
“We” are glazed over by his words — our own stupidity leaves us in dark shadows suspended in a netherworld between freedom and total thralldom; a more violent world, a crumbling earth spinning — a future on fire. A hell with a devil. He upholds the worst of life and attaches his awful belief system to our loneliness and our hurt. We can never trust his judgment and what’s worse, our own equally pathetic reflection reveals a “warts and all” judgment too.
Trump has been courting Hitler’s dominance tactics since his administration began in 2016. Peering into his ferocity, he stains his lips daily with fascist rhetoric. At his re-election rallies a newborn deception and ill-advised hate, clings to his speech.
He declares his political rivals are a bigger threat to the U.S. than Russia or North Korea. And the “others,” well, they’re to be rounded up and God-knows what else: Trump plans to install a team that will not restrain him; his cronies really are the worst among us. We better heed those words because they apply across the board!
Is it our response to surrender to his suffocating need for blind vengeance against anything and everything, real and imagined, and that he fears, as he ramps up fascist rhetoric ahead of 2024? I imagine most would be horrified to see that one of our two major political parties is solidly supporting the rise of American fascism. It’s crystal clear that we must defeat the Trumpublican MAGAt party. It supports this vile and dangerous candidate who shows no sliver of compassion.
Neil Jarmel
West Hurley
The case for genocide
Regarding John Butz’s letter in last week’s issue of HV1, hundreds of scholars and International law experts agree that ”widespread killing, bodily and mental harm and unviable conditions of life” that Palestinians are being subjected to, translates into genocide being committed by Israel. Notwithstanding the slaughter of mostly innocent women and children, Israel is arranging conditions of life meant to bring about the total demise of Palestinians as a group, resulting in their unavoidable and untimely death. Official Israeli statements such as: “Reduce Gaza to rubble,” to “remember Amalek” where genocide was committed, for a “complete siege of Gaza,” to “turn Gaza into a city of tents,” that dropping hundreds of tons of bombs was “not about accuracy but about damage” and that Palestinians are “human animals,” prove intent, necessary to support a charge in International Court of committing genocide. Any rational person would know that when one side systematically and directly targets everything a specific population needs to stay alive like water, food, electric, humanitarian aid, ambulances, hospitals, doctors residences, refugee camps and escape routes, that cannot be called “collateral damage” as Mr. Butz irrationally asserts. Such attacks are meant to keep Palestinians from surviving, which should leave no doubt genocide is happening. Yes, Hamas, a certified terrorist group, committed atrocities against innocent Israeli civilians, not all of which reported has been proven to be true. Alternatively, Israel’s policy, called the “Hannibal Directive” mandated the use of deadly force without regard for its own captured personal. Allegedly that policy was terminated in 2016, but possibly reactivated on Oct. 7th, accounting for some of the death that occurred to Israelis on that fateful day. Bottom line is, making a case for genocide is much more complicated than what a “kindergartner” could possibly understand, which Mr. Butz foolishly writes in his classic ad-hominem style. Genocide against Palestinians should be clear to any rational thinking adult who responsibly looks at documented facts and not just biased rhetoric from slanted-mainstream-news-media.
Steve Romine
Woodstock
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