Money only part of group's concerns
In her Feb. 14 letter to the editor, Carolee Byrnes seeks to clarify the differences between the Concerned Citizens of Otego and the Unatego Area Landowners Association. The Concerned Citizens' goal is to point out the hazards of gas extraction relating to water, health, land values and overall well-being. To the best of her understanding, our association is primarily concerned with getting the best monetary deal with environmental impacts having a very low priority on our agenda.
However, our mission statement is "to negotiate, through legal representation, a lease with a gas drilling company that is safe and minimizes incursion into current landowner rights." There is nothing wrong with "getting the best deal" monetarily or the best deal in any way. Money is only part of the package and largely dependent on the price of natural gas (currently very low), the geological potential (in our area, very promising, but untested) and the proximity to transportation infrastructure (not yet on the drawing board).
But we can control our negotiated lease(s) and influence our elected representatives' oversight of the Department of Environmental Conservation and the Susquehanna River Basin Commission. Both agencies have the authority to regulate and control gas drilling company activities. Under the current fiscal climate, it is unlikely the state will impose a drilling moratorium or otherwise unduly hinder gas exploration. It is up to all local citizens to be pro-active in safeguarding our land and values. Protective leases and dialogue with state and local government will enhance our concerns.
Visit www.otegogas.webs.com, our website. There is open information on all the issues. Perhaps our mutual objectives and concerns are not that far apart.
Fred Price
Otego
Homosexuality legitimized by courts
The idea of right to marriage in Cathy Davidson's Feb. 2 letter is a clue about what the homosexual rights movement is really about.
The obsession with a faux marriage isn't primarily because huge numbers of them actually want it. It's about putting the legal stamp of approval on homosexuality and imposing it with the force of the state throughout the various social and political institutions of society that would not accept it otherwise. And the means to that end are the courts.
In fact, in a Jan. 20 Cybercast News Service column, Robert Bork alludes to the fact that many laws have resulted from Supreme Court decisions on issues that those in Congress would never have touched. Decisions that were simply judicial usurpation: "The legislatures were not about to rule for abortion on demand, which is what the court did. The legislatures were not about to start working up towards same-sex marriages, which is what the court was doing with its ruling about homosexual sodomy. The legislature was not about to do away with the death penalty, which the court is whittling away with a view to getting rid of. Well, they have to stand for re-election, and judges don't."
Then he added ominously, "But we are going to see in the near future a terrible conflict between claimed rights of homosexuals and religious freedom. You are going to get Catholic hospitals that are going to be required as a matter of law to perform abortions. You are going to get Catholic or other groups' relief services that are going to be required to allow adoption of a child by homosexual couples. We are going to have a real conflict that goes right to the heart of a society."
Robert Olejarz
Sidney
Councilman needs anger management
The Decatur volcano finally blew its top! After several loud eruptions over the past year, Councilman Hunt finally blew his top at the February town board meeting. Last June, Councilman Hunt screamed at a constituent to go to hell three times in succession. This was done with the approval of the Rev. Supervisor Warren Babcock, who stated, "Tom Hunt didn't swear!"
The following month, Councilman Hunt went into a raging rant with me over the revaluation and assessor issue in Decatur. This time, Rev. Babcock didn't intervene on Hunt's behalf because he did swear repeatedly and it was recorded on video. When he got done abusing the boardroom furniture, he did manage to leave without inflicting any other physical violence. However, at the February town board meeting, Heavy-Handed Hunt could no longer control his rage. First, he initiated a confrontation with a former town highway employee, calling him an idiot, among other descriptions. This exchange lasted several minutes, apparently with Supervisor Babcock's approval. A fellow board member did tell Tom Hunt to "knock it off."
When the meeting adjourned, Councilman Hunt backhanded my youngest son in the face, causing numerous injuries. Babcock is on video and in front of witnesses stating, "I wish he hadn't done that." A few minutes later, he already fabricated the tripping excuse that is so well-publicized. Maybe this incident will encourage Mr. Hunt to seek some professional help for his uncontrollable behavior.
Fred Kersman
Decatur
GOP played dirty tricks at gathering
Political cynicism in entrenched in me. I have hope too, but I consider myself unable to be shocked anymore. Sadly, however, shocked I am following an all-too-common display of political dirty tricks that I thought only showed up in big cities.
I attended a meet-the-candidate gathering in Delhi. The Democratic candidate for 20th Congressional District, Scott Murphy, presented his goals. Not surprisingly, Mr. Murphy would emulate Kirsten Gillibrand in style and content. He would help Delaware County to benefit from President Obama's stimulus packages as well.
At the end of this upbeat stump speech, he opened the floor for questions, and herein lies my shock: Two young people, who I learned had appeared at all Murphy's stops that day, heckled him and rudely accused him of unsubstantiated actions. It really took me back to the old Tricky Dick days!
How sad that the Republican Party is so politically bankrupt (though never financially bankrupt!) of solutions that members again resort to their old standby tactics of lies and dirty tricks.
And what a shame that they use kids for their poison. Shame on them!
Katherine Mario
Delhi
Facts need to matter in economic debate
Rick Day Jr.'s letter ("U.S. in trouble with Obama at the helm," The Daily Star, Feb. 27) is a clear indication he hasn't read the news lately when he implies that President Obama doesn't know how to "run a country."
The historical record shows it was the "radical, naive, inexperienced," allegedly conservative George W. Bush who told us the Iraq war would pay for itself. It was "GW" who created a losing strategy and conducted a failed policy in Afghanistan. It was young "Dubya" who left us with two failed wars and a trillion-dollar debt.
By citing Tom Sears and the New York Post as sources of reliable information, Rick Day Jr. exposes his preference for the devisiveness of partisan propagandists and obstructionist, un-American Republicans; as illustrated by his fantastical claim that President Obama's stimulus package contained a $5 billion earmark for ACORN. It doesn't!
The absurdity of "dittohead" Day's position is highlighted by his idiotic claim tax cuts will ignite the economy and create permanent jobs. George W. Bush's $1.3 trillion tax cut for the wealthy in 2001 was also supposed to create jobs _ eight years later, we have the highest unemployment rate in nearly 30 years.
Most disturbing is Mr. Day's notion that he is in touch with the real God _ and that God is listening to reactionaries. That is indicative of a delusional state of mind where imaginary friend and reality are dangerously indiscernible.
The majority of Americans believe that facts matter and fabrications do not, that wisdom and knowledge negate fear and ignorance, that science is the preferred method of inquiry rather than faith-based intolerance. May reason prevail.
John Pagoda
Rensselaer
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