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

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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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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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With gasoline at four dollars a gallon and pundits presaging 5 and 6 dollars a gallon in the near future, it is safe to say we are in the midst of an energy crisis.

The politicians are offering short term fixes like removing federal tax from the cost of gasoline, dipping into our strategic oil reserve, or moving ahead with off-shore drilling for oil. None of these attempts at easing prices will work

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For the past several decades, we Americans and our government have been borrowing money from Social Security trust funds rather than raising income or other taxes to pay for wars, international ventures, and domestic projects. It sounded like a good idea: borrow the Social Security money that was not needed at the time and avoid other taxes. What's not to like about that?

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Posted in History News Politics Quality of life

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In his responses to his former pastor Barack Obama has missed an opportunity to help lift America out of our ignorance regarding some of our misbehavior. Reverend Wright is right: the United States government is capable of anything -- and so are you and I.

We should worry most when we claim it is not possible we can be as bad as others. Thomas Jefferson said, "The price of freedom is eternal vigilance."

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Has it ever occurred to you that we, as Americans, are not so different from the various Iraqi factions who seem to prefer tribalism over nationalism? We shake our heads in dismay and sadness as we hear of one group slaughtering another group by the busload. The historical animosity between Kurds, Shiites and Sunnis is staggering leading many Americans to believe that this centuries old hate runs so deep as to be impossible to reverse.

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As a person who studied history in college, a former resident of Gettysburg and a current resident of York, I must say I was quite disappointed that the newspapers of York did not feature an article about the unveiling of the first ever statue of Thaddeus Stevens. Stevens was hugely influential in creating the public education system in the US and as a representative in Washington, was directly related to the passing of the 13th, 14th and 15th amendment.

While the statue was unveiled at Thaddeus Stevens College in Lancaster, Stevens was still a resident of York during his lifetime. A man of this influence and historical significance should have been recognized by every newspaper in the United States when the statue was unveiled or at least the newspapers of the towns and cities he called home during his lifetime.

We are quick to recognize what we want to in history and apt to forget other aspects. Stevens was considered one of the most powerful men in Washington and helped to shape how are children are educated today. To ignore his legacy, to ignore the tribute to his life is to ignore what he did for us still today.

Chad Baker
Manchester Township

Posted in Education History

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