Boycotting tracks over deaths of racehorses
Re June 28 Viewpoint, “Horse deaths at racetracks should be as rare as Triple Crown winners”: This column (once again) was compelling and frightening. Three horses die a day on racetracks; 1,000 beautiful horses a year.
How many times have we read about the abuses and lack of regulation — for the horses? How long have we known about the horrible suffering that comes from the use of Lasix? The winners at the track are known; the euthanized horses, rarely. And yet nothing changes, or at least, very little for the horses.
After the heroic eight-month struggle to save Barbaro after he shattered his leg in the Preakness Stakes in 2006, I have intentionally eschewed attending or viewing any horse race. I know my absence makes no difference to the track business.
And when the track opens in Saratoga, I’ll just remember Barbaro and all those other magnificent creatures who died.
Susan Hathaway Ringland
Gloversville
Grateful for support of cancer fundraiser
Caroga Cares About Cancer held a motorcycle run fundraiser on June 13 to benefit the Cancer Services Program of Fulton, Montgomery and Schenectady Counties.
Caroga Cares About Cancer is a completely volunteer and truly nonprofit organization. We don’t pay anyone to be officers, board members or work the events we hold. We are a federally recognized 501(c)3 charity, holding events to raise money to donate to cancer screening programs.
We would like to thank all of the volunteers, event attendees, very generous neighbors and local merchants who made this year’s fundraiser so successful.
If it wasn’t for all of these caring people, we wouldn’t be able to raise the funds that are so urgently needed for the screening program, which offers early cancer screenings to the uninsured, or those who have insurance but cannot afford their co-pays or deductibles. The last thing a person needs to worry about in the midst of checking to see if they may have cancer is to worry about the money to pay for the very thing that may save their life.
Early detection and treatment can saves lives, and money should never stand in the way for anyone to live.
Nanette Gallagher
Caroga Lake
Liberal court fails to uphold states rights
Liberals in Congress and on the U.S. Supreme Court have traditionally been preoccupied with the issue of minority rights.
I guess liberals on the Supreme Court such as justices Kagan, Sotomayor and Ginsburg didn’t apply that rationale to the 14 states that did not favor and had not legislated gay marriage.
Of course, the Supreme Court — 42 years earlier — had no problem overturning the legislation of 44 states that proscribed abortion in its decision in Roe v. Wade.
Ah, the quest for uniformity, as viewed by nine lawyers. It would appear that liberals, who constantly sing the praises of diversity, can’t accept it in our nation’s marriage and abortion laws.
George Brougham
Schenectady
Police deserve more respect from citizens
Thumbs down, Adam Rupeka.
I decline to refer to him as “Mr.” In my opinion he’s very immature and acts like an undisciplined teenager.
Maybe Officer Nate Baker didn’t respond as expected of him, but your actions, Adam Rupeka, were inappropriate, disrespectful and antagonizing. Don’t you have better things to do at your age?
You should “test” your freedom of speech gesture in Schenectady, Albany or Troy, where you’ll hopefully receive the response you deserve.
I wonder how you’d react if someone made an obscene gesture to you. Shame on you. Our officers deserve respect for the job they do for us that most people aren’t brave enough to confront.
Viola Wahnon
Greenfield Center
Check for damage as you leave car washes
On June 20, I had my truck washed at a car wash in Clifton Park. Two days later, while recleaning the car, I noted a hole in the back of the passenger side mirror about an inch or so in diameter. This is very hard plastic, and the hole was jagged, not round. That means something hit it very hard, not a stone.
Since the truck had not been anywhere else, I assumed something had happened at the car wash. So the next morning I went back and spoke to a manager, and he looked at the hole and said there was no way it could have happened there because they use soft brushes. But there’s a lot of steel piping holding up those brushes. Things happen and you have to be held accountable. So when you leave the car wash, check your vehicle over real good because if you leave their property, you’re out of luck.
Robert H. Gavin
Halfmoon
Categories: Letters to the Editor
