Letitia Ufford’s Forum letter, “More About Walls,” Feb. 16, is so full of Palestinian propaganda, exaggeration and misinformation that she ignores why Israel needs a barrier, not a wall, to protect from Palestinian terrorism. What she terms a wall is actually 90 percent chain-link fence and 10 percent concrete barrier.
The simple fact is that the Palestinians, regardless of whether on the West Bank or in the Gaza strip, and most Arab nations (19 out of 22) and Iran have not and will not accept a Jewish state of Israel. Surrounding Arab countries have waged at least three wars in an attempt to wipe Israel and its Jews out of the Middle East and that’s not counting surrounding Arab countries ethnically cleansing 900,000 Jews after 1948 out of their countries.
Today Iran, Hamas in the Gaza strip, the PLO on the West Bank and Hezbollah in Lebanon are all bent on the destruction of Israel and killing Jews. Hamas’ charter says we’ll kill all the Jews. Hezbollah has attacked Israel numerous times and has 100,000 rockets poised to strike Israel. The PLO and Mahmoud Abbas pay suicide bombers and call these terrorists “heroes” and “martyrs.” Some of the billions of dollars the U.S. has paid to Palestinians go to pay terrorists.
The notion that a wall on the Mexican border and a barrier on the West Bank to prevent Palestinian terrorists from attacking Israel are analogous is beyond ludicrous. Mexico doesn’t foment hatred against the U.S. and doesn’t pay people as the PLO and Hamas do to attack the U.S. Nor has there been a war between Mexico and the U.S. since 1848.
In 2016, 12 vehicular ramming attacks and 100 stabbing attacks were thwarted by Israeli security forces. Since Sept. 13, 2015, 47 Israelis have been killed in terrorist attacks and 659 people (including four Palestinians) injured. There have been 169 stabbing attacks and 104 attempted stabbings; 133 shootings; 55 vehicular (ramming) attacks; and one vehicle (bus) bombing.
No country in the world would tolerate what Israel has put up with, and the barrier that has been erected has been effective in reducing terrorist incursions into Israel. Peace will not come to this troubled area until the Palestinians stop considering Tel Aviv, Haifa and Jerusalem as their land and they are willing to negotiate.
Stuart Richards
Norwich
Trump’s Entertainment Value
In the Feb. 4 Forum, R.D. Masters offered that “something’s wrong” with Donald Trump. I’m of the opinion that he’s the most entertaining of any U.S. president — presuming you like horror shows. On the other hand, NBC’s Saturday Night Live has hit paydirt with lampoons of the current administration.
I believe Trump owes his office to Moscow (see motherjones.com/politics/2017/02/ron-wyden-intelligence-committee-russia-trump-investigation). I wonder why we don’t admit the goods we received are damaged and ship the entire administration back to the sender, cash-on-delivery?
Rosa Brooks suggests in a column for The Washington Post the possibility of a Plan B: “a military coup, or at least a refusal by military leaders to obey certain orders.” Regrettably, some people think the aforementioned actions are too extreme. Are there any consolations available if we don’t find an effective way to throttle back the commander in tweet?
Yes, with Trump’s thin skin and pens being mightier than swords, you can bet SNL will have plenty more to televise! Melissa McCarthy as Sean Spicer was a hoot, Alec Baldwin’s Trump and Kate McKinnon’s Kellyanne Conway are consistently funny. Who knows if there may be more characters waiting in the wings?
Even the pols are getting into the entertainment biz: Christina Marcos of thehill.com wrote Feb. 8 that Nancy Pelosi backs all-female SNL portrayals of the Trump administration. The “Not Ready for Prime Time” players? To paraphrase, “nevertheless, we persist!” — which is better than crying.
Kevin McEvoy Leveret
White River Junction
Two Good Candidates
We support Kris Clement and Claudette Brochu for the open seats on the Norwich Selectboard.
Both candidates have offered objective, fact-based commentary on the Norwich listserv over the years. Their contributions to the discussion of the issues facing our community are thoughtful, presenting sensible solutions to the problem of balancing needs in the public interest and expenditures.
We would welcome their addition to the Selectboard.
They each will bring a historical perspective of the town’s issues and concerns, understanding of the budgetary process and mission of town government, and focus on fiscal responsibility.
Judy and Joseph Phillips
Norwich
Feeling of Pride in N.H.
Regarding the news article “Right-to-Work Loses in N.H.” (Feb. 17): I had nothing to do with this happy outcome, but it gives me a feeling of pride in New Hampshire anyway. It has always seemed to me hypocritical to misrepresent blatant union-busting legislation as flowing from somebody’s concern for the “rights” of workers.
Surely it is unhealthy if the states deprive workers of the capacity to organize and bargain effectively when selling their own labor — especially so when manufacturers, bankers, landlords, growers, doctors, lawyers, merchants and professionals are allowed to associate with each other and bargain in an infinite variety of combinations in an almost unrestricted way. There is at present a steady torrent of ostensible concern about the shortage of well-paying jobs that Americans are increasingly unable to find.
That torrent looks suspiciously like crocodile tears. Union labor can to a considerable extent take care of itself if it is backed and allowed by the states to do so. We can only hope that other states will follow New Hampshire’s healthy example.
David C. Montgomery
Hanover
Honor Claremont’s Satzow
We are not opposed to the proposal of naming the North Street Bridge for Guy Santagate.
However, we feel strongly that another Claremont citizen should also have been considered for this honor. This individual is Michael Satzow.
He has been instumental in the revitalization and development of the old mill buildings since the ’70s. Without his efforts, some of the buildings would have been demolished a long time ago.
We also would like to add that Mike has always been a great promoter of Claremont. He has dedicated hundreds of hours to projects for the betterment of this community. He has also been extremely generous with his monetary donations.
Furthermore, when Mike decided to sell his very successful business, North Country Smokehouse, to a Canadian company that is erecting a multimillion dollar building that will house the business and employ more people, Mike insisted that the company remain in Claremont.
This letter may come a surprise to our good friend, Mike Satzow. We genuinely hope we are not embarrassing him, but we do think his name deserves to be considered for this honor.
Donald and Marina Limoges
Claremont
Hartford’s Challenge
It was heartening and inspiring to read the recent letters about diversity in Hartford by Jo-Anne Unruh (“Hartford Can Deal With This,” Feb. 17) and Paul Keane (“Twain Would Enjoy This,” Feb. 18). These authors showed an important understanding of the need to protect vulnerable community members from harmful discrimination and they displayed courage to take action toward that goal.
Their messages were clear, elegant and poignant. The authors’ experience as long-time educators in Hartford fortified their messages about the importance of addressing diversity in the community and schools.
We teach students the importance of pursuing education and skills, not giving up, not settling for just OK, but rather following through and doing their best to achieve a goal or solve a problem. The Hartford School Board majority has chosen to decline further diversity training and education, give up, settle for just OK on an important issue and complex problem that has a lasting impact on the life of each student and adult victim of discrimination in the Hartford community. This choice is a blemish on a Hartford school community that I believe could provide a positive model for diversity practice. I hope that enlightenment arrives soon to the Hartford School Board majority, as it has to the Hartford Selectboard.
Michael T. Quinn
Windsor
Donald Trump, Republicanism and the Russian threat are a slow-burning fuse. It starts burning when a government and certain political entities abuse their power by obstructing and defeating the interests of the majority in favor of a privileged few. The masses become worried, anxious, afraid, angry, confused, abused, disrespected, insulted, ripped off — and powerless to do anything about it. It is clear to me that the GOP, Donald Trump and his operatives are tyrannical, incompetent and corrupt, dangerous and destructive. I believe they were complicit in rigging our presidential election prior to Nov. 8, 2016.
Had the shoe been on the other foot, however, and Hillary Clinton had won, Republicans, with their hair on fire, would have demanded nullification of Clinton’s presidency and a full investigation into Vladimir Putin’s possible interference. However, since the Republicans “won,” they want no part of any investigation into Russia’s involvement in swaying our election, fearing a reversal of the results.
I must say that it is with great difficulty that I write a short and concise letter to the Valley News Forum — there is so much to write about. Having said that, I will take comfort in one fact: The slow-burning revolutionary fuse is burning brighter by the minute.
Wilfred Smith
Norwich