John Mieckowski’s comment on the defeat of the Hadley library vote concerning an application for a state grant to fund a new library was reported in the Bulletin.
Sadly, Mr. Mieckowski’s comment, “I’ve never been in the library in my life and I don’t plan to” is a call for enhanced stupidity. Libraries provide access, through the written word, to thoughts, opinions and experiences in literature that reach beyond the fields of Hadley.
Libraries give access to poetry that moves the soul beyond the Holyoke Range. The Hadley library gives access to museums, DVDs for entertainment, space for meetings to discuss divergent points of view, experiences for young growing minds and older experienced people.
I am sorry Mieckowski. I am sorry you never choose to expand your experience and point of view through all the library has to offer. Folks that followed your lead voted down the chance to apply for a state grant to fund a new library.
I urge those people to consider the amazing possibilities a new facility will hold for the future. We must consider the future because it is our duty to foster imagination, creativity, and develop knowledge which some folks have not yet considered.
Stewart Clark
Hadley
I am writing in response to the news of Aisha Hiza, a mother who was physically banned from Pelham Elementary School after seeking support for her daughter.
I am writing as a mother, as a mother of a child of color, as a staff member at a school, as a community member, as a lesbian who has experienced discrimination, and as a white person who is working on understanding my role in continuing racism and white privilege in my own life and my desire to stop those actions of my own and others which contribute to the culture of racism and white privilege in my community.
I was unfortunately not surprised to hear this news. Our community does not encourage or support the voices of our members of color.
However, the fact that it is not surprising does not make it acceptable. Inclusivity and family involvement, as promoted by the district, are literally not possible when a parent is banned.
How will this situation be repaired when dialogue has been suspended?
How can Hiza parent her daughter when she is not physically allowed on the school premises?
What if she calls home sick, what will she do for parent-teacher conferences, how can she attend school events or run in her daughter’s lunch if she forgets it?
When you hear a fist knocking, even if it is knocking hard, the only way to come to a place of understanding is to open the door.
Mothers, even if it is only us who can see how unimaginable and unacceptable this situation is, please join me in asking that Hiza, and all the families affected, be welcomed into the school to begin conversation around understanding how we have contributed to this oppression and how we can be a part of ending it and repairing the trust that has been broken. Let us open up the doors.
“If I am not for me, who is for me; and if I am (only) for myself, what am I. And if not now, when?” — Hillel, “Ethics of the Fathers,” 1:14
Ashley Nkosi
Amherst
Time to forbid use of
gas leaf blowers
Hundreds of American cities and towns have passed laws to ban or regulate the use of leaf blowers — particularly gas-powered leaf blowers.
Why? In part, because of the heavy contribution of gas-powered leaf blowers to air pollution. A single small gas-powered leaf blower creates as much air pollution as 50 full-sized sedans. The exhaust from leaf blowers is much higher in nitrous oxide than from automobiles and unlike the auto exhaust, consists in large part of a fine spray of oils and hydrocarbons.
These are inhaled into human and animal lungs. This can cause emphysema, heart attacks, and cancer. (One Connecticut expert has argued that Connecticut’s status as the state with the highest incidence of lung cancer is due to the extensive use of gas-powered leaf blowers there.)
Of course, there is the noise pollution problem. A typical gas-powered leaf blower will produce a noise level of 75 decibels at 50 feet and 100 decibels at close range. Often, two more blowers are being used simultaneously at a nearby house. These levels can cause serious hearing losses, and prolonged exposure can increase the incidents of heart attacks. Isn’t it time for western Massachusetts communities to take action?
CATHARINE R. MORRISH
Northampton
BERNARD MILLER
Amherst
Politics is a losing
battle for most people
The last election in the town of Amherst was enlightening to old and newcomers. Only 17 percent of voters responded to the civic duty. Democracy?
Amherst is inhabited by many pseudo-intellectuals, brilliant and genius people. Almost everyone has an opinion different from the majority. Not this time. Why? Very strange. During the 42 years that I have lived in this town, I have never seen bad government, corruption or anything related. Well, the building in Triangle Street in front of a park, perhaps. I come from Puerto Rico, a place that is a territory, a colony, a possession of this country.
My country is divided into 78 towns. Each one has a mayor, it’s a real mess. Most of these towns are about to collapse economically due to the corruption, nepotism and cronyism. You have to be a friend, a relative or contributor to get a job or a contract in the town. The central government is in worse condition. It has been begging the Congress to allow Puerto Rico to declare bankruptcy.
If you did not know that we are citizens of this nation since 1917, when the Jones Act imposed this burden to all Puerto Ricans, it is time to update your knowledge. But what is the relationship between the government of Puerto Rico and the town of Amherst? Think about it.
My advice is the following: Unless you are rich or super wealthy, do not get involved in the game of money or politics. You will always lose. It is easier to buy or bribe one person than the whole 200-plus Town Meeting members. Right now, the recently elected Charter Commission is asking for time and $30,000 to hire a consultant. I thought that they knew what was wrong and how to fix it. Please, think about what you are asking for, because you might get it.
VICTOR E. GUEVARAVA
Amherst
What’s a voter to do, indeed, Jay Fleitman. In your May 3 Gazette column, you find it astonishing that the Democrat Party would nominate the likes of Hillary Clinton? Apparently you have already been deeply engaged in the life of exile about which you wrote. The DNC has had the deck stacked, cards marked and dealer hand picked for her since 2008.
You assert an equal and befuddled consternation in regard to Donald Trump yet at the same time succinctly list the litany of woes that face this nation: soaring national debt, rising terrorism, rising poverty, etc. And then you wonder why we are at this place in time in our history with regard to the two presidential candidates that will be proffered by the two major political parties.
Tens of millions of Americans have cast their votes in primary elections this year. That it has come down to the two remaining candidates should come as no surprise to anyone. The country is distinctly divided into two camps: those that are willing to try just about anything to break the ruling class stranglehold on the future of this country and those that wish to continue it.
Come on Fleitman, get serious here. Even you can probably figure out which of the two remaining candidates represent which group.
John Morse
Amherst