(letters from October 12, 2006)

Dear Editor,
It is not every day that a liberal Democrat and a conservative Republican agree completely on an issue. But when it comes to the proposed Ulster County Charter we agree that it is a document on which the people of the county should vote a resounding – NO- come November 7th.
The proposed charter has been characterized as a “Politicians Charter,” and rightly so. The proposed charter creates over 40 political patronage jobs, plus other “goodies” for the political establishment.
It has been said, “That if it sounds too good to be true, it proposal is too good to be true.” The voters of Ulster County should remember this truism when they go to the polls. The political establishment is trying desperately to sell the proposed charter to the voters- they love the “goodies” wrapped in the charter package.
When you go to the polls in November be sure that you fully understand the fine print in the charter and what the proposed charter will do. Hidden in the charter are opportunities for political mischief.
To view a draft of the proposed charter visit www.co.ulster.ny.us/charter.html.
William R. West, Former Chairman
Ulster County Legislature
Woodstock, NY
Toni Hokanson, Supervisor
Town of New Paltz

Dear Editor,
I am writing in answer to letters responding to previous letters about Israel Palestine Lebanon.
I have been a member of Woodstock Women in Black for several years and stand with them in Vigil on the Woodstock Green Sundays 1-2pm where all are invited to join us. We wear black in mourning for victims of violence and stand for peace and social justice. We support full exploration of non-violent solutions to conflict at home and internationally and ask people to think about our country’s on-going crimes in Iraq and the militarization of our country in particular. Peace and justice are hard work that we think worth en in Black is an international movement that began in Jerusalem in 1988 when Jewish and Palestinian women stood together in the belief that: “We can live together. Our children are being killed in unnecessary hostility. We oppose the occupation that is causing violence to us all.” Each Women in Black group is a spontaneous gathering of women who stand against violence and each group chooses its own agenda. Woodstock WIB has recently given out information on depleted uranium and the military in our schools.
Now this is myself talking and not Woodstock Women in Black. I cannot believe what happened to Lebanon and what is continuing in Gaza and the West Bank. It seems so absolutely contrary to Jewish tradition which I see as prayer, talk, dialog, discussion, argument repeatedly to find truth and wisdom, fairness and solutions. I can not believe with all the anger, fear about Islamic fundamentalism, two of the countries most devastated by US-Israeli policy were the most secular – Iraq and Palestine. I can not believe my country and Israel are using Weapons of Mass Destruction – ‘depleted’ uranium and cluster bombs. And I ask: is this killing and devastation essentially about oil, about pipelines and control of energy sources (http://www.globalresearch.ca/)? The US supports Israel with an estimated 8 million to 16 million dollars every single day. Is Israel being used by the US or is Israel taking advantage of US empire-building to secure the ends of its own extremists? How can this benefit the people of Israel in the long term? It is so unfair, so contrary to any moral, ethical way of being. We need to strengthen the UN or some federation of nations. Hezbollah and Hamas have ignored some UN directives but the US and Israel have ignored so very many more. Where are we going?
Remembering Martin Luther King’s words “We begin to die the day we keep silent about things that matter,” I must speak out. These questions are worthy of acknowledgement and discussion. Thank you for your consideration.
Elaine Hencke
Woodstock, NY

Dear Editor,
We would like to thank everyone who made the 3rd annual Family Farm Festival a success. Over 2,000 people came out on September 10 to celebrate New York family farms, sustainable agriculture and grassfed meats. The winner of the popular Celebrity Chef Competition was Francesco Tonelli, followed closely by Ric Orlando of New World Home Cooking and Anita Eisenhauer of the Culinary Institute's American Bounty Restaurant. Many thanks to our sponsors: Chronogram, Rondout Valley Growers Association, Slow Food and the Weston A. Price Foundation. Our volunteers and local businesses who helped make the day a success deserve a great big thank you: Tim Allen, Beacon Sloop Club, Charlie Blumstein, Depuy Canal House, Linda Brook Guenther, Teal Linardakis, Prudential Nutshell Realty, Marbletown Business Association, Hasbrouck Farm and Saunderskill Farm. And a big thank you to everyone in the community who came and enjoyed the day with us. Planning for next year's festival is already underway. Save the date, Sunday, September 9, 2007. If you would like to get involved in making this wonderful community event happen, please see our website: www.familyfarmfestival.com
Dina Falconi
Jen Prosser
Festival Organizers

Dear Editor,
Everybody loves donuts but not when it comes to their prescription drug coverage. On Sepember 22, most of the 7 million seniors and disabled Americans enrolled in the Part D Medicare Plan fell head on into a "donut-hole" trap. Instead of the lower drug costs they expected by enrolling into the Part D program ballyhooed by the Bush Administration, enrollees whose yearly drug bills are between $2,250 and $5,100 now have to pay the full cost of their medicines on top of their monthly premium. With their prescription costs averaging more than $3,000 a year, a great many New Yorkers who enrolled in Part D have fallen into the trap.
Even more distressing is the study in the New England Journal of Medicine showing that with such exorbitant drug costs many people simply skip doses, are less likely to seek care, and die sooner.
How did this happen? One place to look is the money contributed to political campaigns. In the last election cycle alone, the drug industry gave $21.7 million to Republicans and $7.6 million to Democrats while the insurance sector gave $25.9 million to Republicans and $11.7 million to Democrats. How do those contributions line up with how "our" elected officials voted to produce this outrage on senior and disabled Americans? The Republicans who voted yes got more than 3 times as much as Republicans who voted no. And the handful of Democrats who voted yes got more than twice as much as Democrats who voted no.
New York's Congressman John Sweeney, along with Tom Delay, played a major role in role in getting Congress to pass part D and its trap. I would like to know why Mr. Sweeney would do this to New Yorkers. Was it the many thousands of dollars he got from drug companies for his 2006 campaign?
It's time to stop this kind of political bribery by enacting Clean Money Clean Elections so that those elected can feel free to work for all New Yorkers rather than big contributors. We can't pass Clean Elections as loners. But there are many organizations fighting to enact this bill. A good place to start is with Citizen Action of New York at www.citizenactionny.org. Or call 518 678-3516.
Irene Miller
Palenville, NY

Dear Editor,
How does political change happen? In the race for NYS Senate we have an incumbent with seemingly bottomless pockets trying to hold his seat against a challenger, Democrat Susan Zimet, who has far less funding. Is the outcome a foregone conclusion? No! No, for at least two reasons:
First, the people desperately want change. Property taxes in NYS have increased three times faster than the rate of inflation in the past five years, and 50 percent faster than the national average. Also, in per-pupil spending on education, NYS stands third highest in the nation for making local budgets carry the cost, as compared to the state budget. I'll just add one more item from a much longer list: the Business Tax Climate Index, which measures the overall burden, complexity and compliance costs for doing business, ranks NYS dead last. The incumbent, Republican John Bonacic, was in office the entire time that this record was created.
Second, Susan Zimet brings the personal and professional qualities we need to effect change in Albany. I'll quote from a letter to the editor, written by a Republican at the time of Susan's re-election campaign for Supervisor: "As a resident of New Paltz for the past 20 years, I have observed a number of New Paltz administrations. Susan Zimet's administration has been the most vibrant and successful of them all. Susan is an extremely responsible, innovative, dedicated and tireless individual. She has corrected problems left by previous administrations, improved the morale at Town Hall, successfully worked with members of the opposing political party, kept business in New Paltz, helped to bring new business to the Town, been a leader in bringing ... a long-overdue and desperately needed recreation project for local youth, and has been responsive to the needs of our over-taxed community by holding the line on property taxes."
Susan Auchincloss
Woodstock, NY

Dear Editor,
Although the public has seen only broad outlines of Crossroads Venture's revised and supposedly reduced resort proposal - the details have been shared only with selected invited audiences - it's clear that the new concept is just as damaging to the environment and our economy as the original. We know that the proposal does eliminate the golf course (previously considered crucial for economic viability) and the time-share units and other buildings associated with the Belleayre Highlands section of the east side.
These changes do not eliminate the environmental problems of the East Side. According to the draft proposal presented to the EPA and DEP, a large development on the Big Indian Plateau would still be in place. In fact, instead of 55 time-share units on the ridge there would be106, almost twice as many buildings. The number of hotel rooms would be decreased by 30, but the Spa would be increased in size and would encompass space previously set aside for a golf clubhouse.
The proposed time share units would be spread along the entire Big Indian Plateau and would require a paved road around the entire ridge and clear cutting a substantial number of trees. The steep access road from Route 28 would be expanded. All this construction would require many new stormwater runoff controls even though the developer states this project is reduced in size. The old erosion controls were deemed inadequate. Will the new be any better?
In sum, the new concept, like the old, still plans massive development on a high-elevation mountain ridge in the heart of public lands mandated as "Forever Wild".
Alan Hevesi, New York State Comptroller, pointed out last month that the economic viability of the old project was highly suspect. The Catskill Heritage Alliance sees nothing in the new concept to indicate it is any more economically viable than Crossroads' original proposal. Previously, the developer said that the golf course was essential to make the project financially successful. Now that the golf course is eliminated, financial success depends on the sale of the 306 undeveloped acres of the Belleayre Highlands and an expanded spa. Is this forecast any sounder than the first?
If, once started, the project fails, the community would be left with a scarred landscape. If the supposedly revised project goes forward, the outlook is even more dire. The viewshed at night would still be ruined with additional lighting and, in daytime, there would be a visible eyesore for hikers, hunters, fishermen and homeowners north of Route 28. Water quality would be challenged from additional use and increased runoff. The unique character of our communities would be lost due to sprawling growth and increased traffic. Further, the reduced development would still require increased municipal services such as fire, police, ambulance, schools and social services. Studies have shown that increased taxes from such development do not cover the cost of the increased services, and therefore everyone's taxes will rise.
The revised resort would still dominate the area and threaten the "Forever Wild' nature of the Catskill Park - and these are just the problems of the reduced size east. The west-side Wildacres project adds to all these problems and presents problems of its own.
The Catskill Heritage Alliance maintains that the only viable solution is to not have any development on the East Side and to proceed on the west side only if an environmentally friendly solution can be found.
Richard Schaedle, Chairman,
Catskill Heritage Alliance
Pine Hill, NY

Dear Editor,
Several letters have circulated recently, most notably from the Catskill Heritage Alliance, making the claim that new plans for the Belleayre Resort, which call for the elimination of an 18-hole golf course, 88 time-share units and 30 hotel rooms, will somehow have MORE of an environmental impact. Does this make sense to you?
They will tell you that we have more buildings than originally planned. That is true. However, the buildings are smaller, one-family units instead of the multi-unit buildings that have been eliminated. The smaller footprint of each building means less disturbed land, and that is the fact they have ignored to suit their purposes.
The simple fact is this: our new plan has reduced the amount of disturbed land by 49 percent on the eastern side. Only 150 acres will be disturbed on a parcel of land that is more than 1,200 acres in size. The rest will become permanent open space. No golf course means no clear cutting, no daily watering, no pesticides and no fertilizers. Our expanded spa will occupy space originally designed for the pro shop so, there is no change to the footprint. There will be no roads needed to access the eliminated time-share development nor will a bridge to get there over Giggle Hollow be required. And reducing the total number of lodging units by one-third will eliminate the need to tap into any Pine Hill water sources.
Nearly 50 percent less disturbed land. Elimination of an entire golf course. Fewer roads and no bridge. Reduced daily water usage. Doesn’t that seem like less of an environmental impact to you?
Paul Rakov. VP, Public Affairs
Crossroads Ventures, LLC
Mt. Tremper, NY

Dear Editor,
President Chavez should not have referred to The Pretender as "Devil," since even if "The Devil" existed as anything other than the dark side of all humans, it would be an insult to the devil. The President is not intelligent enough fill the role. Since I do not believe in "The Devil," in my opinion Bush could not possibly be such an entity, even though he apparently puts forth his best effort
Speaking of evil, I am angered, saddened, and disgusted by small animals being deliberately run over on our roads. When a crushed animal is lying in the middle of where the car's wheels would have passed, then although it is possible that the driver swerved to avoid the killing but the victim dashed under the wheel in an attempt to escape, there are far too many little smashed innocents in the middle of tire tracks or, more indicative of deliberate killing, crushed at the extreme right side of the road. This is sport? C'mon, watch cage fights, or better yet enlist in the National Guard, which "His Majesty" is sacrificing in an illicit "war" in Iraq, and enjoy killing women and children if you get the chance.
Phil Sullivan
Woodstock, NY

Dear Editor,
In recognition of such strong legislative support, New York Farm Bureau recently released a listing of State Legislators included on our annual "Circle of Friends" list. The award is provided based upon an individual lawmaker's record of support for New York agriculture and the Farm Bureau. As president of the New York Farm Bureau, I am pleased to report that this year Assemblyman Kevin Cahill has been recognized as a member of the Farm Bureau's "Circle of Friends."
This award is reserved for those state Legislators, such as Assemblyman Cahill, who had superior voting records on issues and showed strong support for New York agriculture during the 2006 state legislative session. Each member of the Farm Bureau "Circle of Friends" has demonstrated an understanding of the important issues impacting farmers and the considerable impact the industry has upon the our economy and quality of life.
New York Farm Bureau, the state's largest general farm advocacy organization, works closely with the State legislature to strengthen and enhance the agricultural industry in New York State. This year's legislative session proved to be a challenging one for farmers, but with significant support from key legislators in the Senate and Assembly, agriculture will continue to be one of New York's most important industries.
New York Farm Bureau is a non-partisan organization and does not endorse elected officials or political candidates. We are pleased, however, to provide the "Circle of Friends" designation to Assemblyman Cahill as a way to show our sincere appreciation for the Assemblyman's hard work on behalf of agriculture in New York State.
John Lincoln, President
New York Farm Bureau
Bloomfield, NY

Dear Editor,
HH the Dalai Lama is more than a head of state, more than a Nobel Prize winner, and more than the global face of the world's fourth largest religion. He is the only world leader who is brave and honest enough to articulate the truth of the human dilemma. His visit to Woodstock and Phoenicia was a gift to us all, an auspicious reminder of just how important it is to be kind and how possible it is for each of us to become more compassionate. Many thanks to Menla and KTD for organizing this wonderful event.
Patricia Anderson
West Shokan, NY

Dear Editor,
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has claimed from the start of the U.S. war against terrorism that prisoners are "treated humanely and in a manner consistent with Geneva Conventions." In direct contradiction to Rumsfeld's assertion, President Bush has always claimed that "since the war on terror was not a conventional war, unlawful enemy combatants captured in the fight against al-Qaeda would not be considered POWs and thus would not be afforded protections of the Geneva Conventions."
In the newly edited U.S. Army Manual, torture and degrading treatment of prisoners is banned for the first time, specifically mentioning "forced nakedness, hooding, beating prisoners, sexually humiliating them, depriving them of food and water, performing mock executions, shocking them with electricity, burning them, causing other pain," etc. Furthermore, the Army Deputy Chief of State for Intelligence claims, "there is no secret section." Whatever that means.
The manual applies to all the armed services; it does not, however, cover the CIA, which also has come under investigation for mistreatment of prisoners in Iraq and Afghanistan and in thousands of secret prisons throughout the world.
This is appalling, is it not? Sadistic treatment of men taken in combat is no longer allowed - except those taken in CIA-governed actions and held in secret detention centers throughout the world.
I have two questions to ask. Is this Army manual meant to be retroactive? Will those prisoners who have already been abused now be accorded some sort of recompense? An apology at the very least.
And secondly, will this have an impact on the cruel and inhuman treatment of the thousands of men and women in prisons inside the U.S. who were incarcerated not because they were involved in Bush's war against international terrorists but because they got caught breaking some local law? The detention of immigrants is an example that comes immediately to mind, the prisoners incarcerated in patently terrible prisons in the South, etc., etc.
Holly Beye
Lake Katrine, NY

Dear Editor,
Do you think you'd rather be safe than sorry? Think again. In quest of safety, you might be sacrificing your liberty and that loss has been considered by some patriots a fate worse than death.
Habeas Corpus was a part of our constitution. To quote, it says that "the Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public safety may require it." Legislation suspending habeas corpus for "enemy
combatants" has just passed in the House and the Senate and is now waiting for approval by our leader. That means that a suspect can be put in prison without the right to a trial by his peers. Suspects cannot even represent themselves, but must accept a military lawyer as their defender. This is where our our country is right now.
The definition of "enemy combatants" (a recent term) currently applies to foreigners living inside or outside the United States but does not rule out the possibility of designating a U.S. citizen as an unlawful combatant.
So, when is a rebellion considered a risk to public safety? Well, for now, it is when our leader considers it so. Let's take, for example a letter to American soldier in Iraq. Suppose someone wrote a letter
to a soldier saying that the rush to war was based on proven untruths? Does that put the American public at risk? Maybe. Suppose someone demands a recount of an election during wartime.... (which is now a permanent state in our country). Does holding up our leadership during a time of war constitute a threat to public safety? Maybe. Our leader has consistently labeled protestors against his policy as threats to our security.
To quote our "could have been President", Al Gore:
"If George Washington could see the current state of his generation's handiwork and assess the quality of our generation's stewardship at the beginning of this twenty-first century, what do you suppose he would think about the proposition that our current president claims the unilateral right to arrest and imprison American citizens indefinitely without giving them the right to see a lawyer or inform their families of their whereabouts, and without the necessity of even charging them with any crime.
"All that is necessary, according to our new president is that he - the president - label any citizen an "unlawful enemy combatant," and that will be sufficient to justify taking away that citizen's liberty - even for the rest of his life, if the president so chooses. And there is no appeal."
He goes on: "How long would it take James Madison to dispose of our current President's recent claim, in Department of Justice legal opinions, that he is no longer subject to the rule of law so long as he is acting in his role as Commander in Chief.
"I think it is safe to say that our founders would be genuinely concerned about these recent developments in American democracy and that they would feel that we are now facing a clear and present danger that has the potential to threaten the future of the American
experiment."
The above quote by Al Gore was said before Congress approved giving more power to the president this past week.
Now, here is the earlier part of Patrick Henry's quote on liberty or death: "We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the numbers of those who, having eyes, see not, and, having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation? For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth, to know the worst, and to provide for it."
I apologize for the length of this letter, however, this is such an important matter, I wanted all to know what is at stake in the upcoming election. Regardless of what you think of the Democrats, you must vote for them, or you may well be living under something other than democracy very, very soon. It's up to you.
Jill Paperno
Glenford, NY

Dear Editor,
In the last week, the attention of the whole world was focused on the Amish school in Pennsylvania where five girls were killed, five others critically wounded, and the shooter took his own life.
Charles Carl Roberts IV was angry with God, angry with himself, and haunted with guilt. Each time such violence occurs, relatives, journalists and other people ask the question--where was God? How could he let this happen?
God was and is there the whole time. As the old spiritual goes, "He's got the whole world in his hands." He is against all violence and all killings. Yet he will never impose his will on people, because he wants voluntary service. As a result, tragic events like the Amish shootings will continue to happen, as long as we all do not face the violent nature that is in each one of us.
God already is using the death of these five girls by turning it into something positive. They opened up to the whole world the Amish way of life, and their deep faith, which is able to overcome any tragedy. A lot has been written about the Amish response to the shooting--to forgive. Their response, "We want to forgive...that's the way we were brought up--return good for evil." These are not just noble words. One day after the massacre, the local Amish community started a charity not only for the victims' families, but also to raise funds for the gunman's widow and children.
Roberts is dead, and some people are asking, "How can justice be done if the perpetrator is dead?" Other questions arise, such as: "Is the gunman in heaven or hell?" That is completely superfluous. He is with God. That is all that matters. No amount of human justice would have replaced and redeemed the tragic loss of these five girls. We forget that God said, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay." The gunman is in the hands of the best judge, who will see that true justice will be done--justice that is combined with love and with redemption, both for the victims and the shooter himself.
School shootings and other acts of violence will continue. Each time they occur, let us remember the lives of these girls, the example that they gave, such as the oldest victim, Marian Fisher, and her sister Barbie, who wanted to be shot first, to hopefully save the others.
If we truly want justice, let us ask why we cannot follow the example given us by the Amish. Why shouldn't it work for us too? In our violent society, we look too quickly for human answers to stop school violence. No amount of frisking and metal detectors and educational summits will stop it. The Amish are right in not expecting additional security such as locks on schools. If we want our children to be safe, we all have to look to God for the answer. He alone can protect us and our children.
Forgiveness is for everyone--not only for the Amish. It is the universal answer to breaking the cycle of violence that is destroying this world. Forgiveness is power, not a weakness. It can heal both the forgiver and the forgiven. It will change the world if we allow it. In short, we hold the keys of forgiveness in our hands, and we must choose whether or not to use them every day.
Johann Christoph Arnold
Rifton, NY


Dear Editor,
Each time I decide to take a "break" from my self imposed obligation to write to you [and all my friends] I find a news item that needs our attention. In the last edition of the Olive Press I pointed out, rather sadly the "other" casualties of the so called "war" in Iraq. There are more in addition to those we hear and read about daily around the world. Britain certainly has had their share along with France, Germany, Italy and Spain.
But what of Iraq itself? There are [according to our own intelligence figures] 800-900 terrorist attacks each week in Iraq. That is over 100 per 24 hour day which equates to one attack each hour, average. Each event results in approximately 20-30 civilian casualties [death or worse] plus another 1-3 American service personnel. This is so much unlike any war we have engaged in at any time. Our forces were always able to give as well as take.
My question to the military "wizards" in Washington, including our illustrious Commander in Chief is, how many enemy combatant prisoners have we taken on the field of battle? Who is our enemy? How do we identify them? Who orwhat do we shoot at? Where is their colors or uniforms?
We can ask questions that just cannot be answered with any substance or content. All we get is "spin" or an arrogant response that, "as long as I am president we will remain there" [paraphrased].
Now we have a few unrelated questions for some "misfits" that think they represent us in the conduct of national business. As I did a Google search for Rep. Mark Foley of Florida's 16th District I find his office is "vacant" already [Oct 2]. Mr. Foley has checked in to a rehab center, the latest trick in avoiding prosecution. Sort of like giving back the money after being apprehended in a bank robbery. He is going into rehab for alcoholism, not perversion. Some "smoke screen"! And of course he was molested by a clergyman which started it all. Here's the kick in the butt for the taxpayers; he will continue to receive full pay and benefits. Mr. Foley as a member of the majority party was a co-chairman of the [prey and predator] House Caucus on Missing and exploited Children to insure that old perverts don't get to our young teens and sexually molest or corrupt them. Foley if properly prosecuted will be a convicted felon. The old school teacher, Speaker Dennis Hastert knew of all this months ago and now pleads ignorance. He belongs in jail too.
Wait! I'm not done yet. What ever happened to the Maurice Hinchey "gun on the plane" incident? "Loaded gun on the plane as I remember". At least Harry Connick, Jr got community service for the same offense but a Congressman or other "dignitary" gets a "pass". Hinchey along with Foley is also a felon according to federal law.
Just trying to insure that the Pledge of Allegiance doesn't end with, "liberty and justice for..... some".
Glenn T. Anderson
Olivebridge, NY

Dear Editor,
In this age of information there is a concerted effort on the part of policy makers to limit a particular type of information to the public. This is especially true of the present administration. Listening to a series of interviews on NPR brought this thought into sharp focus for me. They interviewed a soldier who was an Army interrogator who described the various techniques they were allowed and the efforts by his supervisor to exceed them. He spoke of isolation, hooding and the use of dogs, all legal as well as hypothermia and mock executions which are illegal. Hearing this, I think anyone with a sense of decency would recognize it as torture. Yet when the theoreticians spoke about it, it lacked that clarity. Hearing this story it became clear just what happened at Abu Ghirab and how the soldiers accused there were scapgoated. He not only described the mental destabilization of the detainees but the isolation and loss of moral compass of the interrogators.
It is just this lack of access to unfiltered information that allows the war to be abstracted. I remember as a child seeing pictures of WWII in Life magazine and elsewhere that showed the fighting from an experiential perspective that even then impacted me. It is exactly this lack of information (ignorance) that allows the American public to view torture, illegal detention, and rendition as appropriate responses. This is a failure of the press.
Michael Puryear
Shokan, NY

Dear Editor,
Let me start off by saying that first I am an American, which constitutes a universal vision, and then I am an ashamed member of these united-by-fear states of the union. Had this government realistically put the people of Iraq to work after its "completed" invasion, as all of us envisioned happening, our USA would have been the pride-and-joy superheroes of the Middle East. Instead, we have become the world's hated ones due to the direct atrocities brought about by G.W. Bush on behalf of the globalized petrochemical cartels that have taken control of our pentagon and military.
This administration has set a precedent with the trial of Saddam Hussein. The world should now have the opportunity to watch George Walker Bush being marched out of the Oval Office and put on trial for treason and crimes against humanity.
One nation, under God - spreading peace and democracy with the winds of war - never was and will never be the American way.
Philip Gurrieri
Kingston, NY

Dear Editor,
A major step in reducing the hatred that is causing the terrorism would be to get off their land.
Tom Losee
New Paltz, NY

Dear Editor,
Most of us have probably seen the campaign signs by our roads for Kevin Costello, who is the Republican candidate for Ulster County sheriff. These signs are not legal, as the aspiring sheriff should know. In this town as well as others, there are regulations that designate the days on which these signs may be displayed, beginning with ten days before and after the primary election (Sept. 12). They must be taken down by the 22nd and may be displayed again 30 days prior to the Nov. 7 election. In this period from Sept. 22 to Oct. 7, no political campaign signs are permitted but, sad to say, Mr. Costello's signs are everywhere. Where is the respect for law?
The Rev. Finley Schaef
Saugerties, NY

Dear Editor,
I would like to tell your readers about the FACETS program. F.A.C.E.T.S. stands for Family and Child Early Treatment Service and it has operated in the Onteora school district for eleven years. It is in danger of being cut from the district because of a 2005 Pataki legislation chapter 513 law 414.
My family has benefited enormously from FACETS. All three of my children along with my husband and me have been involved in Counseling at the school. My Son also got involved with “Kids Together”, an Ulster County Mental Health program that helps kids with the intricate socialization skills that some teens need. This was another amazing benefit to which we never would have known was available without FACETS. If this wonderful program was not available right at the school, either during school hours or right after, my husband and myself would have had to choose between our hours at work or our child’s mental health. This is no choice at all.
Of course we both would have taken time off to do any thing for our children because they come first. As I’m sure most parents do. But that’s not to say that the added financial burden would not have contributed to the stress at home. In turn this creates a circle of one stress after another and possible guilty feelings on the child.
I never want to tell my children they can’t have something they want, let alone something they need. In the years my husband and I struggled financially, which we are still doing, albeit, we can say yes more than we say no these days, we said no to many of the costly extras kids want just to keep up with their more privileged friends.
My Husband and I did not fully comprehend the huge pressure on our kids to come up to the media standards they are bombarded with day in and day out. With the high profile lives of the rich and famous how can our kids from the Catskills compete? Add in hormones, plus the social anxieties of coming of age and all other stresses of being a teen in the twenty-first century and you have a great recipe for disaster among our community’s teens.
Ulster County Mental Health in conjunction with the school runs an early treatment program that works within and without the conventional guidelines for developmental disabilities and 504 plans. It also stretches the financial boundaries of Medicaid and employee benefit packages by making it possible for all kids in the district to receive counseling regardless of their family’s ability to pay. Without FACETS we as a school and a community will pay the price later. We owe it to our kids to keep this profound and positive program in place.
Right now Onteora is embarking on a redistricting project that could run as high as seventy million dollars. We are currently running an Indie Program that costs an estimated three million dollars. The FACETS program provides three full time counselors and one psychiatrist through Ulster County Mental Health for a mere ninety thousand dollars a year. It provides counseling at the schools in the district even during the summer for the kids who need it.
To not find a way for the district to pay for this program would be a grave disservice to the families, students, and community who rely on FACETS. Onteora is a rural district with many families living at or below the poverty-line. Studies show that without the immediate availability of counseling most troubled teens will experiment with other ways of dealing with their feelings. Obsessive compulsive behaviors such as cutting, anorexia, bulimia, along with drinking and drug use can all be ways our children try to deal with their problems.
Let me sum up with a few statistics. In 2002 the U.S. dept of health and human services documented 900,000 cases of child abuse, 51% of which was due to neglect, the other 49% taken up by cases of physical abuse. Depression affects 17% of the population in the U.S., and is considered to be a gateway to drug and alcohol abuse if left untreated. Lastly, suicide is the third largest killer between the ages of fifteen to twenty four and the fifth largest between the ages of five through fourteen.
Let us find a way to pay for this vital and life saving program.
Emily A. Scully
Phoenicia, NY