| Dear Editor,
Very few of us appreciate a daily newspaper with an excessive
number of pages as it indicates alot of news items, most of it
bad or unwelcome. We have that on a daily basis now with the outrage
in Iraq where American Troops are charged with participating in
some very bizarre behavior at the Abu Ghraib Prison near Baghdad.
If we go back in time; say a couple decades we see that this same
prison hosted the same degenerate depravity; probably worse. This
was the age of the ignominious Saddam Hussein where rape, torture
and death was celebrated and where Saddam's military was decorated
for innovation and originality. But that era is not, nor should
it be an excuse or reason for the current twisted mindset at this
detention facility.
We now have the liberators treating those same victims quite badly
in the name of freedom and democracy. Ain't that a "hoot"?
And from where I stand with the memories still fresh of many years
in the military services beginning with WWII nothing much has
changed. That same "stuff" still rolls down that same
hill. I refer to the six soldiers of the 8ooth Military Police
Brigade who were guards at the prison now facing a court martial.
I allude to the suspension of Brigadier General Janis Karpinski
the [lady] commander of prisons until a week ago when the story
broke. Brig. Gen. Karpinski and her MP's are reserve personnel
and as such are married civilians with jobs and families. They
are referred to as "week-end warriors" and are excellent
civillian employees as well as splendid soldiers. There are seven
other US soldiers of the same unit awaiting courts martial as
they have had their Article 32 hearings, the equivalent of a Grand
Jury indictment. I am not aware of any of them being senior enlisted
such as Master Sgt. or Sgt. Major. In all cases the adjudicating
officer has recommended that all charges go foreward. Of course;
let's get it on! Get it out of the public eye and memory. But
wait. We have left out some other important players; more likely
the instigators.
Enter the U.S. Army Intelligence Service. And look! Some CIA agents
are there to assist. These folks are going to orchestrate the
elliciting (extracting) of information from the imprisoned former
members of the Iraqi military. These intelligence [not intelligent]
officers are the innovators. These are the people that "suggest"
various methods of "softening up" the inmates. They
are the facilitators where the intelligence people's suggestions
mutate into military people's orders and keeping other folks in
authority "in the dark" is not difficult. Heck; Pres.
Bush by his own admission didn't know anything before the rest
of us.
Here comes Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld who might just be the
originator of this sad event since he has been the mastermind
of the whole expedition in Iraq. He has claimed to "be on
top of the whole [Iraq] thing". Mr. Rumsfeld has elbowed
Secretary of State Colin Powell out of the equation with his press
conferences and arrogance. Goodbye Mr. Secretary [Rumsfeld].
Today, May 06, 2004 President Bush belatedly apologized to the
Iraqi people [twice] while the talk show "talking heads"
maintained an attitude of belligerance, denial and "so what"!
Mr. Bush states that "Mr. Rumsfeld is an important member
of my cabinet and he will remain". OK. That's cool. As much
as John Kerry is out of sync with me I have to rermind all interested
parties of the old bar room adage; "throw the big loud mouth
out and the little loud mouths will follow".
I would advocate for the accused soldiers in that I believe they
were in a box; "damned if you do; damned if you don't".
All of us who have served know what the consequences are in refusing
an order; direct or suggested; acceptable or distastefull.
No one can convince me that of the soldiers involved at any one
"session" there was no soldier with any sense,
"horsepower" (rank) or will to stop this. The whole
thing emminated and was orchestrated from a "flag" level
and it wasn't Brig. Gen. Janis Karpinski; certainly not MP's from
the 800th Military Police Brigade. Unfortunately Brig. Gen. Karpinski
has reached the end of a fine career; no more stars; no more commands.
Just retirement resembling a retreat. The accused soldiers, having
followed orders may have lost everything including their honor.
How sad for them. How sad for us. How sad for the real perpetrators,
and how sad for America.
Glenn T. Anderson
Olivebridge, NY
Dear Editor,
I am writing in response to the placement of your "Kid's
Corner" column. I love the column. It is a great example
of youth voice and shows that adults are interested in their opinions.
My only problem is that Gus Murphy's "New Thermos"
political cartoons are sometimes inappropriate for your young
readers. Case in point, April 22nd edition showed George W in
the nude. I think the cartoon should have been placed somewhere
other than directly above "Kid's Corner." In
the future I (and probably other parents) would appreciate this
slight adjustment.
Thank you for your consideration.
Donna Muller
UC Youth Bureau/Ofc of Employment
& Training
Youth
Development & Outreach
West Shokan, NY
Dear Editor,
About the Iraq abuse, I ask myself whether this would have happened
if John F. Kennedy were President. I think not.
Arthur Weyhe
Marbletown, NY
Dear Editor,
We have read in recent issues of local papers that the Indie Program
and the ASPIE School are being considered to move into the West
Hurley Elementary School. Though this was discussed, both Indie
and ASPIE will continue next year at our current site in Boiceville
to serve agreater number of adolescents in our district. This
sort of rumor is perilous to the vast number of kids who benefit
from these programs. If these critical programs become linked
in people's minds with the West Hurley controversy it could disrupt
our long-term successful collaboration with the Onteora Central
School District and ultimately negatively affect this population
of young people. In conclusion, the Indie Program and the ASPIE
School will not be moving into the West Hurley School.
Judy Upjohn
Executive Director
ASPIE/INDY Programs
Onteora School District
Dear Editor,
We have read in recent issues of local papers that the Indie Program
and the ASPIE School are being considered to move into the West
Hurley Elementary School. Though this was discussed, both Indie
and ASPIE will continue next year at our current site in Boiceville
to serve a greater number of adolescents in our district. This
sort of rumor is perilous to the vast number of kids who benefit
from these programs. If these critical programs become linked
in people's minds with the West Hurley controversy it could disrupt
our long-term successful collaboration with the Onteora Central
School District and ultimately negatively affect this population
of young people. In conclusion, the Indie Program and the ASPIE
School will not be moving into the West Hurley School.
Judy Upjohn
Executive Director
ASPIE/INDY Programs
Onteora School District
Dear Editor,
I am a student at Onteora Middle School I find myself wondering
if students in my school have a say in anything. People criticize
teenagers for not caring or getting involved. My eighth grade
math teacher has been denied tenure. The reason that was told
to us was that they didn't like his teaching style. I and many
other students were very outraged by this because we love this
teacher. Over 100 of us came together in support of our teacher
by signing a petition and giving it to the Board of Education.
Some students also held a protest. I feel that students should
have some say in their learning environment. Kids that have been
failing math are now passing. Kids that have always hated math
are now understanding it. Isn't that the point? I want to know
why my administrators are ignoring the fact that we are learning
from this teacher and that he is a caring, dedicated math teacher.
Wake up Onteora and keep our math teacher!
Roselind Hallinan
Onteora Middle School
Dear Editor,
Is favortism running rampant in the Town of Shandaken, or is the
following an isolated case of incompetence?
In May of 2002, an individual applied for a zoning permit to build
an addition onto his residence. In the application the individual
gave false information regarding the distance from neighboring
property on each side of applicant's property. My
husband and I were not contacted, even though the addition was
being built abutting our property. (OVERSIGHT?) The permit
was granted.
On to May of 2003...
This same person applied for a special permit to open a B&B
in a residential zone using the same false information that was
used for the building permit. I and the neighbors on the
other side of this house wrote letters and made phone calls to
the planning board chairperson opposing this for many reasons.
This house shares a narrow uphill common driveway with the neighboring
residence. Other issues were water run-off, signage, parking,
the affects on neighboring property values, etc.
At the public hearing the Town Zoning Enforcement Officer
stood up and spoke for the applicant!! Needless to say the permit
was issued, with little if any concern for the neighboring properties.
And now May of 2004..
The owners of the B&B decided they did not want the run-off
water from the mountains on their property, and proceeded to have
deep ditches dug on their property to divert the water on to OUR
property! This work was done while we were not at home. When we
confronted this person, we were told that the water was not his
and he did it exactly the way he was supposed to , according to
the information he received from our town ZEO! The very
same ZEO said to me, "THIS JUST SEEMS TO BE A SERIES OF
BLUNDERS, DOESN'T IT?" My husband and I say, "THE
SHANDAKEN PLANNING BOARD AND THE ZONING BOARD MADE THESE BLUNDERS,
THEY NEED TO CORRECT THEM!"
Why should we have our front lawn flooded or have to bear the
expense of going to court when WE did not make the mistakes?
If this water run-off floods our property and makes it unsightly,
does this mean we will be issued a violation for having an unsightly
front lawn? Do we have to pay for repairing damage to our property
caused by a "SERIES OF BLUNDERS?"
Why are "Certain People" treated differently then
others in town? Anyone have any ideas or suggestions they
would like to share?
Arline Schmiedel
Shandaken, NY
Dear Editor,
What is it about the losing candidates in the last two Village
of New Paltz
elections that causes them to exude such bitterness toward their
victorious opponents? Were undemocratic methods used to defeat
them? Was the vote tally secretly altered? Did their opponents
resort to dirty tricks to steal the election? No. Apparently
they are simply sore losers.
The latest example of this immature behavior was evidenced by
candidate Rick Remsnyder, who was soundly defeated for a seat
on the Village Board last
week by candidate Michael Zierler. Angered because most SUNY students
who
voted favored his more progressive opponent, the loser informed
the media that "It's unfortunate that the vast majority of
students cannot think for themselves."
A similar situation occurred in last year's elections, when two
members of the Green Party and an independent SUNY student defeated
the-then mayor and won a majority on the board. It is not
worth recapitulating the bitter remarks from the two defeated
mayoral candidates (who both supported Remsnyder this time around),
but they amounted to an embarrassing display of rancor and gracelessness,
which seems to continue to this day.
In a society noted for its low percentage of voters in elections,
we should
be pleased that a fair number of local college students turned
out to vote in these elections. Instead they have been insulted
for their efforts because they did not vote the way the losers
wanted. Some critics of the student voters have even complained
that they are not home owners, forgetting that the possession
of property is no longer a requirement for casting a vote (or
running for office) in our democracy.
One of the losing side's campaign slogans in the recent election
was "Take
back the village." From whom, may I ask? From younger
people who vote? From the Green Party, to which Mayor Jason West
and Deputy Mayor Rebecca Rotzler belong — as though members
of this legitimate third party have no right to participate in
village politics? From representatives who tend to be progressive?
From a government that not only mouths the words "equal rights"
but takes action to bring it about?
Throughout these two elections I have noticed the development
of a certain
antipathy on the part of a minority of the New Paltz electorate
directed at student voters, compounded by the fact that both the
mayor and board member Julia Walsh are in their twenties.
As a person who is approaching 70 and is not a Green, all I can
say is congratulations to these student voters and occasional
younger candidates who are contributing toward the extension of
democracy and progressivism in our region.
Jack A. Smith
New Paltz, NY
Dear Editor,
The Olive Town Board passed a resolution this month asking the
state to pass the Clean Money / Clean Elections bill. I
would like to thank the board for recognizing that there is a
serious problem with money in politics and for taking action.
I applaud Supervisor Berndt Leifeld and Councilwoman Linda Burkhardt
for their leadership in learning about the issue and then sponsoring
the resolution. The rest of the board also deserves thanks
for supporting the resolution.
Olive joined other Ulster County Towns including New Paltz, Saugerties,
and Woodstock in taking a stand on this important issue.
The cost of running a campaign for state office is way beyond
the reach of an average citizen. When anyone expresses
a desire to run for
assembly of state senate, the first question is; "How much
money can you raise?". When in office, our representatives
must pay attention to wealthy special interest donors rather than
regular citizens. Under Clean Money / Clean Elections, candidates
who agree to limit spending and not accept private money receive
an equal and limited amount of public funds to compete fairly
in an election. This would give democracy back to the people
rather than the wealthy special interests.
The Olive Town Board sent a strong message to Albany.
They deserve our thanks.
Thank you!
Gary Bischoff
Saugerties, NY
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