NEWFANE-I was called out, by name, in a letter in the Voices section. About halfway down the page I was challenged to answer a few questions that had nothing to do with the point of my original letter ["Name calling, belittling, and insulting eliminates any chance for constructive dialogue," Letters, Oct. 9]. Which was that we should be able to have differing views without name calling - all of us.
The writer said he would be happy to have a constructive dialogue only if I would answer his questions. From his statements and his questions it is apparent to me that only if I answer the way he wants will he engage in dialogue.
Thanks, not interested. Nor am I going to engage in finger pointing.
There's lots of blame to go around for the divide we are all living through. The question is: Will we stop laying blame and start repairing our nation?...
NEWFANE-I have long refrained from responding to diatribes in opinion columns, but I cannot contain myself this time. This piece both angered and saddened me. I am sad that we seem unable to have differing views without nasty, hostile, name calling that only serves to gin up more division.
I'd like to thank those people who supported me in my campaign for a seat on the Newfane Selectboard. Although I did not prevail, I will continue to be involve in the issues of our town. I strongly encourage all of you to do the same. A community is...
Apparently, the writer had a neighborly and congenial relationship with his neighbor until he discovered they were Republicans. He says, and I quote, “I have never shied away from a robust, friendly dialogue about the state of our union, and I enjoy going up against well-informed opponents, as we both learn from each other and sharpen our thinking after a good debate.” Toward the end, he opines that perhaps his neighbor is misguided or has no empathy. And, this person,
Do you know the duties of the justices of the peace whom you vote for on Election Day? Most of us don't, and usually it doesn't matter because there are not candidates clamoring for the position. If you think about it, it is rare to have more candidates than positions. The number of JPs is based on population, and their duties are limited to five basic areas: elections, tax hearings, marriages, notary, and (when commissioned by the Vermont Supreme Court)
As we approach the end of summer, the volunteers of the Southeastern Vermont Watershed Alliance (SeVWA) will be putting away their river shoes, coolers, thermometers, and other testing supplies. The early-morning trips to the river to record conditions and take water samples will be replaced with appeals to help fund the program for another year. This program, which has run for more than 10 years, provides the state with data on our local waterways, identifying areas that might be of...