The state of Vermont is a model for other states on many topics, ranging from democratic local government to land conservation. But when it comes to oversight of problematic charities, Vermont should borrow a page from our neighbor to the west, the state of New York.
The media has given wide coverage (“N.Y. AG Files Suit Against President,” June 15) to a lawsuit filed by the New York attorney general alleging various illegal activities by the Donald J. Trump Foundation, a New York nonprofit. The foundation’s directors include President Trump as well as his children, but the complaint alleges that Donald Trump effectively operated the foundation as his private piggy bank. The charges are wide-ranging, but the ones that caught my eye relate to alleged “repeated and willful self-dealing transactions.” The New York attorney general reportedly “found that Trump repeatedly had violated laws that set the ground rules for tax-exempt foundations — most important, that their money is meant to serve the public good, not to provide benefits to the founders.” Specifically, the attorney general says Trump illegally used the foundation’s charitable assets to pay off his business debts, to promote Trump hotels and to purchase various personal items.
The New York state lawsuit covers exactly the same ground, legally speaking, as the charges the Alliance for Vermont Communities have brought to the attention of the Vermont attorney general about the activities of the NewVistas Foundation, the focus of a recent Valley News editorial. (“Investigate NewVistas: Vt. A.G. Should Probe Property Transfers,” June 1). David Hall, one of the NewVistas directors, has transferred $6 million worth of real estate from the foundation to a private company he owns and controls. The violations of Vermont charitable law are at least as egregious and obvious as those alleged in New York. In this instance, the New York attorney general has blazed a path the Vermont attorney general should follow.
David Kimball
Tunbridge
The writer is the vice president of the Alliance For Vermont Communities.
We are writing to encourage the Upper Valley community to attend a talk and book signing by Ruth King, author of Mindful of Race, Transforming Racism from the Inside Out, on Monday, at 5:30 p.m., at the Norwich Congregational Church.
King’s talk will emphasize how being mindful of race supports a culture of care. As she writes in the introduction to Mindful of Race, “Racism is a heart disease. Many of us can live for a while with a heart disease without knowing it, and others of us know we have a heart disease but are afraid or even in denial about it. But racism is a heart disease, and it’s curable!”
In these times of division, anger, and violence, King offers a concrete path toward insight, racial harmony and healing.
King is a teacher in the Insight Meditation (Vipassana) Buddhist tradition. A life coach and leadership consultant, she offers training to teams and organizations nationwide.
We encourage everyone to come hear this remarkable woman share her insight and perspective.
Gina Sonne, President
Bob Metz, Vice President
Valley Insight Meditation Society
The Rev. Franklin Graham, son of the late and influential Rev. Billy Graham and a supporter of President Donald Trump, called the forced separation of immigrant families seeking asylum at the U.S./Mexico border “disgraceful.” In an interview with the Huffington Post, he said, “It’s terrible to see families ripped apart, and I don’t support that one bit.”
The article quotes U.S. Catholic bishops, United Methodists (Attorney General Jeff Sessions is reportedly a UMC member) and other denominations as condemning the misuse of Bible passages to justify ripping apart children and babies from their parents. But then, “Liberal” Christians are all going to hell, according to Evangelical and Fundamentalist Christians. So it’s encouraging to see that Graham says this is a terrible and perverse way to follow the teachings and example and spirit of Jesus Christ.
As others have commented, yes, it can happen here — if we use our religious beliefs to dehumanize our neighbors as “other.”
Larry Burch
Meriden
We’d like to celebrate yet another Upper Valley student winning a land trust scholarship (“Students Earn Land Trust Awards,” June 19). Hanover High School graduating senior Catherine Rooney, of Hanover, received the 2018 Hanover Conservancy Environmental Studies Award at Class Day on June 14.
The conservancy’s award, established in 2014, carries a $500 scholarship and is made in memory of Jim Hornig, former conservancy president and emeritus board member who established the environmental studies program at Dartmouth College.
Cate plans to continue her ecology studies through the National Outdoor Leadership School and Cape Eleuthera Institute in the coming academic year. She will attend Bates College in the fall of 2019. Congratulations!
Adair Mulligan
Hanover
The writer is the executive director of the Hanover Conservancy.
Considering that for centuries, the lives of women have been ignored in history, religion, art, literature and theater, it is time for that to change; and it is changing, but not fast enough.
I have suggested in the past (2013) that your Monday feature “A Life” should choose to profile equally the lives of women and men. I have even suggested to your writers the names of women worthy of being featured, and one writer did actually follow up on that twice. But I have been silent and observant for five years. The feature is so out of balance that I don’t even read it anymore. I have nothing against any of the admirable men featured. Now I must resort to the Forum to say that if this unbalance doesn’t change, I’ll cancel my subscription. Thank you for your attention.
Janet Eller
Norwich