The day before the presidential inauguration in 2009, Michelle Obama and her very young daughters worked at a soup kitchen. This was a clear invitation to all of us to take time for social service. In similar fashion, Hillary Clinton’s campaign for the presidency emphasized the importance of all of us working together.
Perhaps a way to thank the former secretary of state for her many intelligent, informed and thoughtful years of service to this country would be for all of her dejected and disillusioned supporters to perform an act of social service in her honor. Between now and the end of 2016, we might volunteer at any one of the many Upper Valley organizations in need of help: Listen, The Haven, Headrest, a church outreach program, a Cover project or countless others. We’re planning to try something new, different from our usual routine. If each of the many local Clinton supporters made an effort to do this and to offer a “thank you” at the same time, we will surely be working together, our voices rising in positive acclamation.
Judy and Bob McCarthyGrantham
Don’t Restrict Voting Registration
On Friday, Nov. 18, you published an article about Gov.-elect Chris Sununu and his desire to scrap New Hampshire’s same-day voter registration law and to tighten the system.
I am writing to oppose Sununu’s effort, and to oppose state Sen.-elects Bob Giuda’s and Dan Innis’ schemes to block out-of-state New Hampshire college students from voting in our elections.
The New Hampshire Constitution allows anyone who has been “domiciled” here to vote in our elections. To be domiciled, one must have established a “physical presence” in New Hampshire more than any other place and declare intent to maintain presence for “domestic, social and civil purposes.” Sununu and his colleagues think that residency instead should be the requirement for voting. Sununu claims it is ostensibly to prevent “drive-by voting,” though some Republicans are more direct: They do not want out-of-state college students from voting in New Hampshire. However, college students spend the majority of four or more years in the state. It is their home. Are they not allowed a say in matters that directly affect their lives, such as who gets to determine how much money the state will appropriate to their public institutions?
Students are largely responsible for the economic well-being of their communities — as consumers and employees. Many out-of-state college students are more attached to New Hampshire than legal residents. I am also concerned that any bill that requires residency would disenfranchise other people, such as the wealthy or retired people who summer in New Hampshire but also own property in Florida. Or men and women stationed at a New Hampshire military base. They should be able to vote here, too.
New Hampshire occupies a unique place in the union. This year it was one of only six states where more people voted than not. That’s because we empower voters — with same-day-registration and no residency requirement. Let us not risk our identity for Sununu and his colleagues’ shortsighted plan to eliminate an inconveniently liberal demographic.
Jaclyn Elise GoddetteNewport
Blood Drive Honors a Memory
I would like to take this opportunity to invite all blood donors to Tracy Hall in Norwich on Dec. 8 from noon to 6 p.m.
The blood drive is part of the 19 Days of Norwich and dedicated to Daniel Somerville. Daniel was 14 when he was diagnosed with cancer. He received many blood transfusions, which gave him and our family more time and improved the quality of his life, before he lost his battle on Dec. 2, 1993.
Since 1996 this drive has collected over 4,000 pints of life-saving blood. We appreciate all of the donors who have participated over the past 20 years.
Many of you have given at most of the drives. We are hoping to increase the total from the 69 pints we collected last year. Donors can make appointments by logging on to redcrossblood.org or by calling 1-800-733-2767.
Thank you for your support in honoring the Norwich community and Daniel’s memory at this time. We are thankful that Dan’s life continues to make a difference even though he is in heaven.
Rose M. SmithLebanon
Thanks for the Support
Many thanks to the voters in the Windsor County district for electing me to serve in the Vermont Senate. I am deeply honored that you’ve extended your trust to me and I look forward to serving this large and diverse senate district.
Over the last five months, I’ve canvassed, paraded, visited and celebrated across this district to touch base with as many of you as possible. Thank you for welcoming me and sharing your concerns and ideas.
It was an honor to campaign with my teammates: Sens. Dick McCormack and Alice Nitka. They are smart, experienced, hardworking and dedicated public servants whom I look forward to serving with. I have treasured representing the Windsor-5 District in the Vermont House for the last 12 years, and feel I am leaving you in good hands with Charlie Kimbell as your new state representative. I extend enormous gratitude to my dedicated team of supporters who helped make this victory possible. Thanks also to our opponent, who I enjoyed getting to know on the campaign trail. What a pleasure to have a civil discourse about the challenges we face here in Vermont. We all agree — there is a lot to be done. Let’s get to work together to make our green corner of the country the best it can be.
Alison ClarksonWoodstock
Kudos to the Valley News for your balanced editorial regarding the Clintons (“Farewell, Clintons,” Nov. 13). On the same page, columnist Steve Nelson writes that he was compelled to write a letter to the parents of his students (“Rise to the Challenge,” Nov. 13), claiming nonpartisanship, but believing we all found the election results “difficult.” His very young granddaughter has somehow already been taught that the new president is “not a nice man” but things will be OK if we do not listen to him. Perhaps her family should be taught Mark Lilienthal’s message (“Consider the Other Side,” Nov. 13) that individuals should keep an open mind and try to understand the concerns of millions of people from Idaho to Florida. Surprised by the result? Time to start listening.
Tim DreisbachSouth Royalton
The Trump Error and the Nixon Era
I graduated from Reed College in Portland, Ore., in 1975. President Richard Nixon flew into town and I joined a student protest at Portland Airport. His supporters yelled “ugly women!” at us to try to intimidate us. Sound familiar? One of Nixon’s supporters then windmilled his arms into us and began knocking us down. None of the law enforcement officers at the scene did anything to stop him.
One year later, Nixon was impeached for abuse of power after using operatives to spy on the Democratic National Committee headquarters, one of the organizations on his Enemies List. Journalists and news organizations that had been critical of him were also on this list.
Shutting down freedom of speech, especially a free press and participants at protests, is the first thing a fascist autocrat does after entering into power. Eliminating his political opponents and critics through imprisonment and murder is the next. Remember Stalin and Hitler and observe Putin, who has done exactly that in Russia in the last several years.
Pretending that this vile person who is now our president-elect is not really going to be the immoral autocrat he has been his whole life is very foolish.
Alice Morrison Newbury, Vt.
Dec. 1 marks the 29th commemoration of World AIDS Day. It is a day to remember and honor those lost to an epidemic fueled in many respects by a system and bureaucracy that moved too slow, for too long.
But it is also a time to celebrate the undeniable progress that has been made, especially since the introduction of powerful treatments in the mid-1990s. Perhaps appropriately, as we enter 2017 with new administrations in Washington, Montpelier and Concord, the theme for World AIDS Day 2016 is “Leadership, Commitment, Impact.” Will those in power exert the leadership and commitment needed to make a positive impact in bringing this epidemic to an end?
Here in the Upper Valley, the HIV/HCV Resource Center (H2RC) is working to provide the services and support so crucially important to those living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. It was founded over a quarter century ago by volunteers as a support network for their friends who were sick and dying from AIDS-related illnesses. Ten years ago, H2RC expanded its mission to include individuals affected by Hepatitis C, and opened a syringe exchange. All of H2RC’s services are free of charge to residents of Windsor and Orange counties in Vermont and Grafton and Sullivan counties in New Hampshire.
Almost 40 years into the epidemic, stigma and discrimination continue to create barriers to the work done by H2RC in the prevention, treatment and care of HIV. Specifically, research cited by the United Nations has shown that “stigma and discrimination undermine HIV prevention efforts by making people afraid to seek HIV information, services and modalities to reduce their risk of infection and to adopt safer behaviors for fear that these actions raise suspicion about their HIV status.”
Those of us who live in the Upper Valley can be proud of the importance we place on “community.” And of our history of compassion, involvement and service, values in which we can all take pride. These values can go a long way in helping to break down the barriers that prevent our neighbors and loved ones from accessing the information they need to live healthier lives.
David Hooks Board president, HIV/HCV Resource CenterWoodstock