Government, media: Treat us with respect
There are few things that really disappoint me. One is the person that claims he does not make mistakes. Another is the person that takes advantage of those less fortunate. But the biggest disappointment comes from arrogant elitist people. Our current Secretary of State falls in the latter category.
In the recent past, Secretary John Kerry told us global warming was more dangerous than terrorism. Recently, he made the case that refrigerators and air conditioners are as dangerous as ISIS. The question is: Which appliance radicalized these two otherwise servants of mankind?
Was it, perhaps, the microwave with its special powers to zap a meal in a couple of minutes? Or was it the nasty toaster pleading allegiance to ISIS while electrocuting a hungry human as he reaches for his toast?
Will the fridge yell “Allahu Akbar” and stealthily dispense ice at night, setting a trap for a half-asleep man to slip and break his neck while in search of a midnight snack? What is the next great threat — zombie apocalypse?
The American people deserve more respect from their highest government officials. Men of good character respect all human beings. Telling the American people that refrigerators and air conditioners pose as a big a threat as ISIS is disrespectful and demeaning to all Americans.
Imagine if Secretary Condoleezza Rice had made a similar statement. The condemnation from the partisan media would have been brutal.
They would have quickly asked for her resignation, citing that nobody in such high position in government could be so callous as to think the American people are so naive. It is time our government officials and the media started respecting our citizens. They must treat us as intelligent adults that can think and analyze on our own.
Raf Polo
Northville
Texas abortion law was not about safety
This letter is in response to Mr. Wendell Neugeauber’s July 28 letter regarding the restrictive Texas abortion laws that were recently struck down by the highest court.
Mr. Neugeauber’s letter is simply factually incorrect. Abortion is one of the safest medical procedures to undergo, safer than a colonoscopy. The Texas law had no intentions of improving safety for an already safe procedure, but rather to throw obstacles in the way of Texan women and their right to an abortion.
The law required clinics to have showers, single-sex locker rooms, and eight-foot-wide hallways — all expensive and medically unnecessary improvements.
The fact that the vast majority of abortions are non-surgical procedures makes these requirements completely useless.
Next, it required doctors to have admitting privileges to local hospitals, something the American Medical Association says is medically unnecessary and something many hospitals won’t grant for political reasons.
Some states, including Texas, require doctors to assert false links between abortion and breast cancer.
I am happy the court struck down this invasive and unnecessary law. In its aftermath, clinics were closed and women were turned away. These clinics also provided family planning services and low-cost cancer screenings. The closure of clinics left poor women and women in rural areas without access to reproductive health services.
This is not safety, sir. This is elected officials with no medical expertise making dubious laws that have a terrible impact on women’s health and public health.
Thomas Short
Glenville
Use pork to repair aging infrastructure
I had to laugh when I saw Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara (D-Rotterdam) on the news complain that the state needs to start to fund emergency water/sewer/road repairs.
This is the same New York assemblyman that gave a million-dollar member item for art work for the new $16 million Amsterdam pedestrian bridge.
Each year, our hard-working, part-time legislators cut out a billion dollars out of the state budget for member items to fund what are nonessential projects in their districts.
I would rather see the money used for member items instead be used for emergency repairs needed by our cities, counties, villages and towns for their aging infrastructure, which in this state is a major problem.
Jay Janczak
Ballston Spa
GAZETTE COVERAGE
Ensure access to everything we do, today and every day, check out our subscribe page at DailyGazette.com/SubscribeMore from The Daily Gazette:
Letters to the Editor Monday, March 27 - Two, from readers in Albany and Schenectady- Letters to the Editor Sunday, March 26 - Three, from readers in Schenectady and Burnt Hills
- Letters to the Editor Friday, March 24 - Two, from readers in Schenectady and Glenville
- Letters to the Editor Thursday, March 23 - Six, from readers in Rotterdam, Schenectady, Scotia, else...
Letter to the Editor: Set reasonable and safe speed limits
Categories: Letters to the Editor
