Public Comment

Letters to the Editor

Wednesday January 12, 2011 - 03:30:00 PM

Sarah Palin and the Giffords Assassination Attempt; Reunion Query for John Turnbull; Waste; Bridge Builders Needed 

Sarah Palin and the Giffords Assassination Attempt 

Sarah Palin published a map of the United States on her Facebook page containing a list of twenty Democrats who voted for ObamaCare. Each was elected in a district that was formerly held by a Republican. Also each location on the map was marked by a crosshair, an easily recognizable symbol for target practice. Representative Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) is on that list. These politicians in the crosshairs have received death threats. Their offices and homes and the homes of their family members have been vandalized. Each has been forced to ramp up security measures for themselves and those who are close to them. 

Is Sarah Palin responsible? 

We have all no doubt heard that a gunman, Jared Lee Loughner, 22, shot Congresswoman Giffords as she met with constituents outside a grocery store, killing Arizona’s chief federal judge John M. Roll, and five others including a five-year old, and leaving Ms. Giffords fighting for her life with a bullet through her brain. 

Has Palin crossed the line from free speech into criminal speech? Probably not. Her Facebook advertisement would most likely be considered political speech, which is the highest form of protected speech under the First Amendment. But she is not blameless. Remember, she is a public figure and a former vice presidential candidate with a large following. Her words count to a lot of people, some of whom are mentally unstable. 

I would expect and hope Palin, Republican, and Tea Party rhetoric to be more civilized in the future. 

Ralph E. Stone 

*** 

Reunion Query for John Turnbull 


Our class of 1954; Pulaski Academy & Central School, Pulaski, New York, is having a reunion this spring. We are trying to locate John Turnbull originally a resident of Mexico, New York, but attended & graduated from our school when he returned from the military. If anyone in the area knows anything about John, will they please contact me. John has a son Chris who works for Intel, a daughter Lisa who is a conference planner for heart surgeons, and his youngest daughter is a animal biologist. The last e-mail I had from John, he managed a 235 unit mid-rise condominium development right on the Bay.

Phyllis Burr McNitt
1190 County Route 15
Lacona, New York 13083
315-387-5282 or
315-771-9191 

*** 

 

Waste 

In the first quarter of 2010 the house of representatives spent 190,000 dollars on bottled water. At a time where we see drastic cuts to budgets and services, this seems like an exorbitant luxury. Is it too much for members of congress and their staff to drink from the tap? More importantly, is it necessary to pay 190,000 dollars to private water bottlers for a product where 1 in 4 is tap water anyways? This is a drop in the bucket when considering the trillion dollar deficit, however I’d feel more comfortable knowing that those who create laws regarding public water also participate in consuming it. Please contact your member of congress. 


Josh Oren 

*** 

 

Bridge Builders Needed 

In 2011 we can follow the forces of negation on a continuing road to ruin or Americans can connect and unite behind common goals. 

The country and world need a lot of new bridges: Between north and south, between rich and poor, between economy and environment, between Israelis and Palestinians, between Muslims and Christians, between technology and nature. 

In our complex world, in which increasing differences come head to head more and more often, there is no better work than building bridges. 

Just accentuating contrasts will bring us to collective ruin while bridging our differences will provide the country and world with a new and more promising future. 

 

Ron Lowe