A better way to support our troops

To the editor:

I suggest a different reality to that put forth by Richard Saunders in his letter in the August 16 issue of The River Reporter, “Giving too much credence to impeachment.” The “war effort where brave men and women are dying for our freedom” does not reflect reality. These men and women’s lives are being sacrificed to feed the greed which our country is attached to, a greed for power, cheap energy and an insatiable need for cheap goods.

Our country’s current administration has led us into a war of aggression on a country and its people who have not harmed us. History shows that wars of aggression are never “won” because the cause is not a moral cause and therefore not sustainable.

The rules of logic state that if the premise is false, then the conclusion will also be false. Such is the case with the Bush administration’s war, a war based on lies willingly given to Congress.

The cries of “support our troops” is also non-sustainable when our government sends our children into battle without proper training and equipment, uses toxic weapons and does not live up to its agreement to take care of our soldiers when they return home. If we truly support our troops, we will demand an end to this war and be certain to provide the medical, psychological and financial care our soldiers and their families will need when they come home.

The best hope for our country to correct our administration’s horrendous behavior is by immediately ceasing our hostility toward the Iraqi people, bringing our men and women home, seeking the world’s forgiveness for our leader’s behavior, and rejoining the world as a compassionate nation.

That is the story that I want to tell to my grandchildren.

Abandoned but hopefully not forgotten

To the editor:

There are millions of cats and dogs that are being abandoned across the country. Take the case of two beautiful male St. Bernard’s that were either lost or abandoned near the Bethel Woods music site in Bethel, NY. These two dogs were found roaming around together. They both had collars, but no tags. They showed up on somebody’s porch. Luckily, the family who found them are dog people, and they fed the dogs and cleaned them up a bit. But unfortunately, they could not keep them as they already have a large dog and limited space.

Ads were placed all over. Town of Bethel Dog Control Officer Henni Anker, a tireless worker who works seven days a week and spends her meager pay caring for animals at her home, took the two St. Bernard’s to the Town of Bethel Animal Shelter. However, animals there cannot be kept for more than seven days. Anker has found a home for one of the dogs in New Jersey. She has a lead on placing the other one. Her phone number is 845/798-2340 and the national web site is www.petfiinder.com.

Were these dogs lost or abandoned? If they were mine, I would be looking at every possible place to find them. I would not leave any rock unturned. It has been three weeks since these dogs were found. This situation is repeated all across the country.

If you have a pet, be sure to put a tag with the proper information on the collar. Have a chip inserted under the skin. Get a license. But most of all, help your local SPCA, the local animal shelters and the local animal control officer. If you can, donate some food or make contributions to these places, or help with fundraisers. And remember that animals need to be loved just as we do. Adopt if you can. Volunteer if you can, but most of all if you have a pet neuter them. If they are sick, take them to a vet as you would take your loved one to the doctor.

Get serious about fighting corruption

To the editor:

Recently, our governor suspended a top aide and will reassign another following a report by our Democratic attorney general, Andrew Cuomo. Although the attorney general’s office said that no criminal activity was found, he also said that Governor Spitzer’s higher up administration conspired to release politically damaging, untrue information about senate majority leader Joseph Bruno.

After eight years as our attorney general, Spitzer was elected governor in November. He had pledged to clean up Albany and rid it of corruption and political infighting that led to gridlock.

One would have to ask our governor what his definition of corruption is. How is he going to try to stop political infighting? How does he intend to counter gridlock?

If Governor Spitzer thinks he can stop corruption by committing a crime, stop political in-fighting by illegally discrediting his opponents to get rid of the opposition, stop political gridlock by being a dictator, New York State and the people that live here are in serious trouble.

Governor Spitzer, if you read this letter, please for the sake of the people of New York, work with your state officials, listen to senate majority leader Joseph Bruno; they have many years of experience to offer you and your administration. This is not all about you and power; it is all about us, the people, and the best possible chance for good, efficient government.