EDITORIAL ‘Trusted Traveler’ Revocations Aside, ‘Green Light’ Bad Law On Sept. 11, 2001, the 19 terrorists who attacked the World Trade Center and Pentagon, or crashed in Schwenksville, Pa., had 30 driver’s licenses among them that allowed them to gain access to and hijack the four jets. Nineteen licenses were from Florida, eight from Virginia, one each from Arizona and Maryland, plus two from California that were issued to two “watchlisted” participants. None were from our state’s DMV, but if…
Online home of The Freeman's Journal and Hometown Oneonta
Advertisement
Opinion - Page 178
VIEW FROM ALBANY Reform Bail Reform – And Here’s How By SENATOR JIM SEWARD • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.COM Another week in Albany but still no legislative action has been taken to fix the disastrous bail/discovery laws that are continuing to wreak havoc across our state. Protecting the public is one of the most important responsibilities of government, and when a crime has been committed, the victim, not the criminal, should be our first concern. Unfortunately, the disastrous new bail laws…
LETTER from ROGER LAFRANCE Misinformation Can Lead To Unreasonable Worries To the Editor: In a recent edition of this newspaper, Mr. Brockway offered an explanation of his support for a resolution to make Otsego County a “Second Amendment Sanctuary.” He prefaced his argument with his opinion that, contrary to an accusation in a prior letter, he is not a fearmonger. However, much of the information he cites to support his case is distorted or factually incorrect – the type of…
LETTER from HAL LEGG Gun-Control Advocates Equal Hitler – Really? To the Editor: This news organization recently published a letter in which Otsego County Rep. Rick Brockway, R-Laurens, presented his opinion – certainly worthy of your readers’ consideration – about the general availability of firearms. In contrasting his perspective with that held by Democrats running for president, Representative Brockway wrote: “Adolf Hitler said, ‘To conquer a nation, you first must disarm its people.’” History rules out the acceptability of lightly…
VIEW FROM WEST DAVENPORT What Was Objectionable In State Of Union Speech? By MIKE ZAGATA • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com This past week we had an opportunity to observe our President highlight his accomplishments and lay out his agenda for next year. Every president does this annually in the State of the Union Address. As is almost always the case, depending on party affiliation, there will be things covered that draw applause and some that draw frowns – and once in…
LETTER from DOUGLAS ANDERSON Much In Country Today Requires Self-Protection To the Editor: By happenstance I picked up the Feb. 6 copy of Hometown Oneonta. In it, I found letters to the editor about a topic I am profoundly concerned about: my freedom, as protected by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Clearly these letter writers have somehow missed a few very important points about life in these United States. And by that I think they may have slept…
LETTER from R. SCOTT DUNCAN In The Lap Of Luxury – At Bassett Hospital To the Editor: Who would have thought that you could find this magic red button at Bassett. The pain was excruciating. After two months I couldn’t take it anymore. I went to the emergency room. We arrived at 10 p.m. By 4 they took me up to my room. Whoops, no bed. Waited a little longer, finally some rest and pain killers. They put an object…
LETTER from ANDREW STAMMEL ‘Sanctuary’ May Kill Golden Goose To the Editor: Elected officials should make efforts to understand and represent, within the confines of the law, our constituents’ varying perspectives. Thus, Representative Brockway’s “Second Amendment sanctuary” letter in last week’s edition was concerning both in its substance and tone. His letter rebutted a column a week before submitted by an active local resident. Brockway dismissively wrote that the author “is not native to the area and does not understand…
LETTER from SUSAN MOSS Sandy Hook Memories Still Resonate To the Editor: I remember the moment when I first heard about the shooting of first graders in Newtown, Conn. I was driving home from work, on a back road between Cooperstown and Oneonta. My immediate and natural response was to pull over, get out of my car and scream “My God, 6-year-olds! What is happening in this country?” The outrage and pain of it was overwhelming. I can’t even imagine…
LETTER from SUZANNE SUMMERS Save The Birds, Scrap The Panels To the Editor: If I could buy two square miles of land for $1,000/acre, I would be fortunate indeed, for I would preserve these two square miles as is, in reparation for the three billion birds lost since 1970. We have lost these birds primarily due to habitat loss; they have nowhere to live thanks to our endless consumption of land. When will we humans learn that what the earth…
