Letters to the Editor
Over the last couple decades, as a small part of community involvement, it's been our privilege to submit expressions of personal opinion for publication in various media outlets; most of them local. The hope is that if a letter is carefully crafted it may influence a few readers, who can help bring desirable changes to the community. Sometimes we're more successful at this than at others.
Since the issues discussed in these letters seemed worthy enough at the time of their writing to warrant the care and attention involved getting them into print, digging them out of our basement, scanning them, and sticking them on this web site seemed equally justified. These are the ones I could find. Obviously, opinions expressed herein are the writer's. Our employers are not responsible.
Letter captions
(captions sometimes written by editors)
while living in Sullivan County, New York . . .
- 08/26/2001 - Diversity calls for understanding - questions candidate's past statements about disabled
- 05/21/2001 - A yellow ribbon - release American student held in Russin prison
- 02/05/2001 - The Litigation President - keep church and state separate in human service delivery
- 11/10/2000 - Bad seed comes to fruition - time to dump the Electoral College!
- 07/06/2000 - Spend time in Monticello - commend parade organizers, news coverage biased
- 02/25/2000 - Sommers and Rosenberg are worth keeping - Carmen endorses village Republicans
- 12/14/1999 - Anti-Semitic teacher needs to learn - remarks by school teacher were inappropriate
- 10/28/1999 - Will Schumer sell us down the river? - will Trump's donations sway Congress?
- 10/28/1999 - Did Sharoff change his mind? - said Americans "not intelligent enough" to vote
- 04/22/1999 - Cellini carried his personal vendetta against Mayor to an extreme - kudos to Village
- 04/22/1999 - Safety before politics - Town Supervisor and his wife up to their old political tricks?
- 04/22/1999 - Malloy and the Monticello Five: Another view of ‘Musical Chairs' - local history
- 03/11/1999 - Urge legislature to honor labor arbitration - letter to Sullivan County Legislators
- 03/11/1999 - Monticello Democrats bankrupt - endorse candidates for Mayor and Trustee
- 03/10/1998 - Dumas pled guilty - correct a misstatement in news account of debate
- 02/28/1998 - Dumas' past significant - consider a candidate's public behavior when voting
- 05/15/1997 - Wal-Mart is welcome but... - support superstore, if they pay full share of taxes
- 03/22/1997 - Thompson "ban" unconstitutional - support constitutional zoning restrictions
- 01/30/1997 - "Underclass facilities" minister to the needy - support soup kitchen and agencies
- 10/17/1996 - Independent Weekly Review was off the mark - with related letter and apology
- 04/27/1995 - Honoring Judge Cooke - thanks for newspaper supplement on awards night
- 01/08/1995 - "Musical Chairs" wasn't free - government officials' job swap cost thousands
- 08/30/1994 - Woodstock message - commend Bethel concert volunteers, police; not politicians
- 06/24/1994 - Tribute well deserved - recognize foster parents for service
- 04/05/1994 - Monticello coup - commend activists for defending democracy.
- 05/06/1994 - Thank you - thanks for press coverage of Masonic awards program
- 03/12/1994 - Monticello coup - praise activists and attorney who opposed Open Meetings violation
- 02/21/1994 - Profits should fund gambling treatment - casino gaming in the Catskills
- 07/29/1993 - A "real democrat" - endorse John Barbarite for Town of Thompson Supervisor
- 04/24/1993 - A missed point - expand on prior column regarding privacy of child victims
- 02/12/1993 - We're all vulnerable - commend editorial supporting Human Rights Commission
- 01/26/1993 - Equal by law - Carmen asks for equal justice after police display swastikas
- 01/21/1993 - Enforcing human rights - supports creation of Human Rights Commission
- Circa 1992 - Should have taken a stand for free speech - stand up to intimidations of anti-choice
- 02/23/1992 - Commended - publicize the disbarrment of lawyer who commits crimes
- 10/08/1992 - Resolved against hatred - fellowship resolution denouncing white-supremacy
- 09/22/1991 - Invitation to build a better community - knowledge, reason, compassion, love
- 09/12/1990 - Other holocausts - reflect on human capacity for evil and goodness
- 05/04/1990 - Partisan journalism - question appearance of partisanship in newspaper
- 09/28/1989 - Pro-lifers perpetuate Roman anti-feminism - pro-choice in abortion decision
- 03/03/1989 - Hope for rehabilitation - education as a component of prison experience
while living in Wayne County, Pennsylvania . . .
- 11/17/1988 - Be firm - orderly conduct of public meetings permits free expression
- 07/27/1988 - Plot pooh-poohed - a federal plot to close interstate bridges?
- 06/13/1988 - No park? No plan? No way! - support the right of people to speak at hearing
- 05/03/1988 - Keep involved / Reduction of margin - interpret UDC referendum results
- 03/12/1988 - Racism is condemned - amid controversy of Tawana Brawley's allegations
- 03/02/1988 - Voice feelings but don't gag the press - object to call to pull newspaper ad
- 12/12/1987 - Waning American freedoms - object to being required to prove citizenship
- 12/22/1987 - This peaceful vale - comments about violent rhetoric, death of an activist
- 11/18/1987 - A congregation of seekers - another invitation to Unitarian Universalism
- 09/05/1987 - For rebels, heretics and skeptics - invitation to Unitarian Universalist fellowship
- 08/14/1987 - Column proposed - ask for editorial balance on abortion choice
- 06/04/1987 - A burden we all share - support mandated education for domestic batterers
- 05/14/1987 - Open Skinners Falls Bridge at least part time - Milanville needs the traffic
- 04/16/1987 - The wheels turn - applaud the disbarrment of a corrupt lawyer
- 02/26/1987 - All the best - put principles before personalities in river controversy
- 01/20/1987 - Living together - urge overcoming personal acrimony on river controversy
- 03/06/1986 - Excellent newspaper - requesting back issues of The River Reporter
- 09/23/1986 - Thank you, Peri - express appreciation for a community volunteer
- 06/17/1986 - Cochecton's all right - support Supervisor Jean McCoach
- 04/01/1986 - Hitting the nail on the head - commend editorial supporting river plan
- 03/20/1986 - A few loud voices - urge dialogue in formulating river management plan
while attending college and graduate school in Mercer County, New Jersey and elsewhere . . .
- 10/10/1985 - Innisfree not associated with NPS - responding to letter from park superintendent
- 08/22/1985 - Organized groups invited to Innisfree - nonprofit hostel seeks users
- 03/05/1985 - Poor taste - treat eating disorders and starvation seriously
- 12/11/1984 - No information on bond issues - voters should be better informed
- 12/11/1984 - Light and human relations - physics as psychological metaphor
- 10/16/1984 - Weekend encounter - Personal growth laboratory in Milanville, Pa.
- 10/13/1984 - Alarmed at direction country is taking - Miss America pageant and the country
- 10/13/1984 - Thanks helpful police officer - appreciate the three gallons of gas
- 10/12/1984 - Campus security measures are found to be inadequate - suggest improvements
- 07/15/1984 - Disagrees with judge - consider possible racism in voir dire
- 06/21/1983 - Anti-sex reaction formation - support freedom of speech on cable television
- 06/21/1983 - 1984 near / Information Act - support freedom of information and privacy laws
- 03/15/1983 - Women pioneers had greater roles - Mormon women more than wives/mothers
- 01/27/1982 - Thanks firemen - for putting out fire in residence, letter signed by Clyde B. Rue
- 09/09/1977 - Masada -- Ancient drama - lessons of an ancient fortress
- 09/01/1976 - To sunlight by my tears - "What we would like to be so often conflicts..."