August 2008 Archives

Regarding the Daily Record's August 22, 2008 article "Hamas Aid Costly", the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) has no knowledge of or involvement with alleged donations to Hamas by Richard David Hupper. The core of ISM's mission is nonviolence. The allegations against Mr. Hupper appear to relate to the period after Mr. Hupper was expelled from the ISM.

Mr. Hupper volunteered with the ISM in the West Bank during 2004. In the fall of 2004, the ISM concluded that, despite his evident goodwill, Mr. Hupper's skills were not compatible with those required by the ISM to conduct its work. Therefore, in a meeting with him in the fall of 2004, two ISM founders expelled Mr. Hupper from the ISM.

Anyone working with the ISM is prohibited from perpetrating or aiding any form of violence. This prohibition obviously includes giving money that would be used for armed resistance. Providing funding or support to any Palestinian political party, including Hamas, would also violate ISM policies, and the ISM has never violated these policies.

The ISM has twice been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for courageously supporting Palestinian nonviolent resistance to Israeli occupation. The ISM continues today to support West Bank Palestinian communities in places like Bil'in, Ni'lin and Tel Rumeida, Hebron as they nonviolently resist Israeli settlers' and soldiers' efforts to expel them from their ancestral lands.

Adam Taylor
Media Coordinator
International Solidarity Movement
Ramallah, Occupied West Bank, Palestine

How important is it?

Globalization and free trade, and the natural equilibrium that is supposed to occur have gone unmanaged. We, the American Consumer, are raising less developed countries' standard of living and are stagnating ours. We, the American Consumer, are letting our domestic automakers, the once largest industry in the world, fall face down in its own country while we enrich other countries. Quality, reliability, and gas economy, are no longer legitimate arguments. The American automakers build great vehicles and with our loyalty as consumers will build the products we need for our future. Other countries have loyalty to their domestic brands, we should be too.

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On August 7th, the Shrewsbury Township Supervisors held a hearing regarding
an ordinance to regulate the land application of sludge. This twelve page
ordinance is virtually the same one that was adopted by the East Brunswick
Township Supervisors. The problem is that East Brunswick is currently
involved in a lawsuit because the ordinance violates state law. Liverpool
Township had a similar ordinance, and lost their case in the Commonwealth
Court.

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I read your article that Ms. Mason wrote in last Friday mornings paper and it brought out some positive points, although, some very important points were omitted for reasons that may just be politically incorrect? We have never skated with the York program outside of the Pro-Am series although, the rink has been at our disposal since its inception; Mike Cleveland the rink manager has done a superior job running the rink and his name was totally left out! The Pro-Am series was a brain child of Mike Cleveland that brings talent from the surrounding counties to compete in weekly round robin games to keep Hockey Players competitively in shape during the off season; 75 to 100 kids enrolled this summer.

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This letter is in response to Anna Attig ("Speak of God in Schools," August 22). Ms. Attig asserts, "How come we dare not talk about [God] in our schools?" Normally I choose to ignore such religious fanaticism, but this is just one instance where I can not. Ms. Attig, we do not discuss God in America's public schools because our nation has the Constitutional principles of freedom of religion and separation of church and state. Thomas Jefferson himself declared in an 1814 letter, "Christianity neither is, nor ever was a part of the common law." The U.S. Constitution begins "We the people" and contains no mention whatsoever of God, Jesus Christ, or the Bible. If America was established as a "Christian nation," why does our governing document fail to mention this?

Because we do not promote God in the public schools, Ms. Attig claims that we are guilty of atheism. Nonsense! Promoting atheism in the schools would involve advocating the viewpoint that God and gods/goddesses definitively do not exist. Christian fundamentalism is, sadly, all too common in York County. This fanatical mentality is what led to the 2004-05 Dover school board saga that made York County a national embarrassment.

Justin Garcia
Lancaster

when did the u.s. press become so biased? now not all are biased but enough are that the influence can be measured by the election of george w. bush. twice. knowing what some of us know about all his skirting of the constitution, actions/treason regarding the valerie plame case, and starting a war by claiming weapons of mass destruction. why is obama such a threat after all of that? how much more damage could this man do than what W has done? where is the reward in a partisan press? i think it is so sad.

christine wilson
windsor

I go to Dallastown and it is an amazing school. They have nice technology, dedicated staff, a beautiful building, and many educational resources. But what is going on behind the scenes isn't that amazing. Of course, just about everyone of the district residents are complaining about how high taxes are, but some have more "bragging rights" than others.

We are on the path to environmental disaster and becoming energy hostages to power hungry radicals, and the only truly effective tool against these twin dangers is nuclear power. The technology for generating nuclear power has progressed a long way since Eric Epstein has last studied the matter, if he ever studied it at all.

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The presumptive Presidential Candidates are close to being nominated!

In the days before the 'first Tuesday after the first Monday in November' and in the days that follow this day, wouldn't it be great if the pundits, the media "talking heads", and the pollsters found a way to factor into their pontifications and figures the various third party candidates as a viable reflection of the voting electorate?

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Much of what goes for Republican campaign commercials says absolutely nothing about what Republicans plan to do if they win the election. (Smart move considering the mess they have made of the past seven and one-half years.)

Instead they harp over and over again about Barack Obama's supposed lack of ability to lead. These are the same people who gave us George Bush - this alone is enough to show that they have no idea what it takes to competently guide the country.

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The upcoming national political conventions will offer Americans a chance to hear Barack Obama and John McCain lay out their vision for the future of our country. As a voter who will follow closely both conventions, I'm interested to hear not only their positions on domestic issues, but also how America can lead the world with foreign
policies based on true leadership. Leadership that brings together nations to fight global poverty and disease. Leadership that reaffirms American values of compassion, justice and hope, and restores our moral credibility.

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Aided by compliant mainstream media pundits and anonymous emailers endlessly repeating the same lies long circulated as part of a well-orchestrated smear campaign, Jerome Corsi's Obama Nation currently enjoys New York Times bestseller status, despite having been thoroughly discredited and debunked by fact-checkers on all sides of the political spectrum. Though the book is riddled with easily-refuted misinterpretations, half-truths and outright lies, Corsi is being accorded by many in the media the status of a serious scholar, despite a long history of championing crackpot manifestoes and and assertions so outrageous and patently false that even his fellow right-wing hatchet men have been moved to disavow him.

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Do we really need another administration whose ticket to the White House is based on lies? Are we Americans that stupid as to believe every slanderous and deceitful email, news report, or editorial? If you caught someone lying to you, wouldn't you think twice about believing them a second time? Remember the WMD story that got us into Iraq?

The so called "conservatives" have the resources to control much of the mass media such as Fox news and most of AM talk radio. We were taught that the communists use brain washing and propaganda to control the masses. That is exactly what the extreme right is doing. They count on the theory that if you hear the same lie repeated enough times, it will become your truth.

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This fall the 19th District will decide whether or not we will be sending Todd Platts back to Washington. I voted for Congressman Platts as well as George Bush in 2000 and I voted for Congressman Platts again 2002.

Looking back at The Bush/Platts record I would like to point out their accomplishments. The US went to war for the first time in it's history without raising taxes. Our National Debt has grown from 5 Trillion dollars to 9 trillion dollars. An American City, New Orleans was abandoned by it's government for an entire week during a significant disaster. A weak dollar policy has helped high oil prices rise even higher. Under their watch, a the subprime mortgage policy was allowed to blossom and ravage the real estate market significantly effecting, in an extremely negative way, what is for many American's their largest financial asset. The real estate downturn was so complete it effected those people who were financially responsible and avoided a subprime loan.

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There was a man in Glen Rock studying parking on Valley St due to complaints of low visability making turns due to parked cars. Have you ever driven on Hanover or MAnchester or Church Sts? You cannot pull out onto any Street in GR and have any visability. The REAL DANGER, and I have been complaining about it for 15 years, is the insane speeding on Valley St. I see walkers, children and bikers hugging the tree line and diving out of the way of speeding vehicles because it is so DANGEROUS walking on Valley St. The fastest drivers are School Buses and County workers. I have clocked them going over 60 mph on a 25 mph road! We need sidewalks speed bumps AND/OR stop signs at all intersections. Not to mention the drunk drivers leaving the tavern at any hour of the day! How about doing a study on THAT GLen Rock officials?!

Donna REntzel
Glen Rock

As the deadline aproaches for the no smoking in public places, I would like to thank everyone that is for this. Because you are saving me money, because I won't be going out anymore. The only persons you are hurting is the business owners!

This country is becoming more and more communist each and everyday. It realy torks my jaws to see that most people are not happy unless they are complaining about something! Who is doing this not the goverment but you are "the people."

Craig T. Miller
Manchester

This is in response to a Viewpoints piece by Rev. Robert Nugent (John Edwards and the stone throwers - August 17, 2008). Father Nugent lays out a convincing case for "forgiving" John Edwards of his marital infidelity and for allowing him to seek public office because of his other leadership qualities. Of course, Fr. Nugent is right. We should "forgive" Edwards just as we would hope for forgiveness for our transgressions. However, it seems to me, that to gloss over this as a minor character flaw in favor of his other positive qualities is just asking for trouble. That's not how the world works and for good reason.

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Now that we have over a 20 million dollar tab on the table for the fair market value of Highpoint; where is Mark Platts and his Lancaster-York Heritage Region (LYHR)? LYHR assured us, numerous times that their project would not raise our taxes, but they did not tell us the truth did they. Did LYHR go out the backdoor and stiff us?

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Why did they change the name of York New Salem to New Salem, Come on the old markers are still there its YORK NEW SALEM

Why is it the Small Athletic Field, If it were named after me wouldn't it be Bob's Athletic Field

Who makes these things up anyhow?

Why doesn't the City show off the York Telephone Company/GTE/Verizon?

Building on south Beaver St.. George Rudy commissioned the building and the gate on the front door was shown in a gallery before it was installed. This Building is a real York Treasure.

Why does the city bother to resurface the streets? When a utility has to open a hole they never resurface back to grade, aren't there inspectors to follow up on this.

And why does WITF insist on totally destroying their programming with outrageous weather alerts why cant they do like other stations and run a banner on the bottom of the screen what they do is irresponsible and I refuse to renew my PBS subscription because of this. I mean its summer and we get thunderstorms. Am I supposed to get in my car and drive the other way?

Bob Riese
Spring Garden Township

Anyone else tired of reading Norman Fulkerson's hogwash? It is all well and good to point to studies that show for instance, that homosexuality is a "brain altering" activity. I would have Norman remember though that studies are just that - studies. Beacuse one scientist, sociologist, theologist, etc., bases his/her conclusion on their study does not make it gospel. This is especially true when one can find studies on the same topic, with a completely different conclusion. In the case of homosexuality, there are many studies that show homosexuality to be a genetic factor, ie., not a choice.

I suppose my main point is this. Norman, mind your own business. No one can control the world. Keep your gay-hating ways to yourself and let people live their lives in peace. I'm sure homosexuals leave you and your ultra-"Christian" ways alone. You could at least have the decency to do the same concerning them.

Laurel Malinowski
East Berlin

This is my response to Representative Todd Platts' article in the Sunday viewpoint section. First let me say that I personally like Representative Platts, I think he is a person of integrity and principal, however, this being the silly season and with Senator McCain in town we have to expect a little artistic licenses.

While I agree that Speaker Pelosi should have kept the house in session in order that the moderates on both sides could have worked out an agreement let us not forget that the energy crisis is more than thirty years old and neither party has done a thing to solve this problem.

August 13 was the release date for the movie "Tropic Thunder." The film is expected to be a summer blockbuster and features Ben Stiller, as a fading action star who failed in his bid for an Oscar as "Simple Jack," a man with an intellectual disability. "Simple Jack" is featured as a film-within-the-film, with Stiller sporting a stereotypical bowl cut, bad teeth and low intelligence.

I want to warn West York Area School District parents and taxpayers about a new math program being implemented in West York elementary schools. It is called 'Everyday Math'. Many school districts have tried and discarded this way of teaching math to children because it is needlessly complicated and does not work. West York, however, has already purchased math books at a considerable cost.

Because it would take so long to explain the new method, I am including a website for you to visit. Be sure to scroll down and click on the YouTube video demonstration. After you see this, I am sure you will understand my cause for alarm. Please share this article and website with as many parents as you can. The teachers will not have a say in what method they are told to use, but you do have a say. Speak up now.

Cynthia Crouse
West Manchester Township

I just read Congressman Platts' Energy article from August 10th. While I'm not opposed to drilling for oil on the OCS I take issue with the Congressman's article.

First, it is extremely disingenuous and partisan politics as usual to ignore 30 years of poor congressional leadership on both sides of the aisle with regard to the energy issue to specifically pick on Speaker Pelosi for adjourning congress at this moment in time. Congress has been blowing since the first time we got a peak of the oil problems to come back in the 70s.

If I could speak to McCain, I would tell him to "accentuate the positive" and let Obama defeat himself. He makes enough gaffes to do that.

Please introduce your family to the American people no later than September. It is understandable that you wish to keep them out of the "fishbowl". However, they are a huge positive for you as president. They will be on display if you win anyway. Without them you may not.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she will not allow oil drilling off shore and Anwar as that will not protect the environment and take too long to make a difference in gas prices. The standard political quote is 10 years. I wondered how long it will take before other energy sources will be up and running and I looked for her plan and couldn't find one. I guess our having a domestic source of oil and keeping our money at home wasn't important to her.

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It is rare when I choose to write a letter to the editor, but after reading the recent editorials concerning Rep. Bev. Mackereth's withdrawal from the race in the 196th district, I feel a response is necessary.

When a vacancy such as this occurs, the election code provides for a replacement candidate and the Republican Party rules provide that the Republican committee people of the district shall select the candidate. Under the election code and party rules this is the only method of selection. Your headline, "Election by Decree" gives the impression of an imperial or dictatorial edict despite the fact that the decision was made by the votes of Committee people who were elected by the people of their precinct. This is representative democracy that is almost universal in our country. If in offering suggestions to improve the process, you engage in some journalistic hyperbole, I can shrug that off.

I will not, however, shrug off the gratuitous slap in the face you gave to the Committee people. Committee people are elected by the voters in their precincts and to deride them by describing them as "party poobahs" who attain their positions based on "who sells the most tickets to chicken dinners or pancake breakfasts" is an insult to both the Republican and Democrat Committee people of our County.

I am stunned by seven words you used to describe the process.

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I'm writing in response to the column by Mike Argento on Sunday, July 27th. He began by mentioning the latest political T.V. ads. Then, as always, he fell into an extremely long winded attempt at humor by berating Starbucks' Baristas in the cheapest stereotypical way possible, finally landing head and shoulders above those who serve coffee for a living.

Teresa Ann Bockel's article about York County residents carpooling was informative. However, a statement in the article made by Richard Farr of Rabbittransit "...unless they're riding the Rabbitexpress bus to Harrisburg" is misleading. Unless you are an employee of State Government or are employed in downtown Harrisburg you are out of luck riding Rabbittransit to Harrisburg.

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I would like to comment on the English language. My dear Mother immigrated to this country from Germany after World War II and no one made any special accommodations for her in the German language. She was expected to speak English and to make her own way in this country.

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Ankle bracelets for all sex offenders is a very poor idea, even though it may seem feasible if you do not know the facts. It is a myth that all sex offenders re-offend, as shown by every study ever done on the subject. In fact, very few re-offend. A 2003 National Justice System study of 3,000 sex offenders who were re-arrested in five years, released in 1994, disclosed that only about 5% of all convicted sex offenders were re-arrested. Of those, many were arrested for other crimes. That means that less than 5% of sex offenders re-offend, contrary to public belief.

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I am a local physical therapist concerned about patient access to rehabilitation services. When my patients need care, every day - and every mile you have to travel to get that care - counts. Medicare beneficiaries currently have burdensome requirements, such as a receiving physician's referral or certification of the plan of care, to receive physical therapist services. These burdensome requirements cause delays, and at times can deny access for patients to receive cost-effective interventions provided by physical therapists.

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In his letter "Discrimination against gays unfair" Harry Brown makes an erroneous affirmation that homosexuals are born that way.

Research projects done by Dr. Simon Levay, a practicing homosexual, have been commonly misinterpreted to support this conclusion. In his book, "The Sexual Brain," Dr. Levay said that there are "subtle, but significant differences" between the brain structures of homosexual and normal men.

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Everyday across this state and country, changes are occuring. But, those changes are not occuring to the magnitude that we need them to. This country is spending billions of dollars to ensure that citizens of other countries are afforded equality. Meanwhile, in this country/state, certain segments of the population are still without legal protections. H.B. 1400 is state legislation that will provide non-discrimination protections for sexual orientation and gender identity and has been tied up in the state government committee for over a year.

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