Writers defend Portsmouth Police and The Music Hall: Letters

Shame on anyone who doesn’t support our local police

29 May − To the Editor:

Christina Lusky’s letter to the editor is surprisingly short-sighted, as I have always considered her views to be excellent.

Lusky is trying to quote prices for building police stations in other communities, and those numbers are undoubtedly well below market rates for building a station. The Portsmouth Police Department is a 21st century agency that not only serves and protects the city’s 23,000-plus residents, does she consider that on any given day of the week, Portsmouth’s population swells to 75,000 people who work here, and the others who live, thrive and survive here? For a agency to operate in that kind of atmosphere, you need a modern base of operations.

Portsmouth Police were subjected to the worst conditions in the bowels of the old hospital. Mold lurked in the walls and ceilings, and everyone there breathed and swallowed that mold while risking their lives for us every day. How could this have been going on for so long?

I respect Councillor Cook’s concerns about the budget. At the same time, I see the rampant spending on less important and critical structures here in Portsmouth. For example, underutilised parking garages, statues, small parks, overpriced sewage treatment plants and a host of other things that we spend money on but that provide little return on investment.

A new police building is desperately needed, and its very existence benefits the taxpayers, visitors, and employees of this city. The cost of building it is, simply put, the cost. Where was Lusky when we spent $92 million on the wastewater treatment plant? Many communities spend tens of millions less on a plant like this. Am I to take this to mean that money is no object when it comes to waste disposal? As someone who has lived here for 60 years and loves my hometown, I fully support providing the money to build a modern and new police station that allows room to grow as we grow as a community.

Members of the Portsmouth Police have earned the right to a safe and modern workplace. They are without question the highest risk to everyone in this community. We owe them an equal responsibility to provide the infrastructure their jobs require. Shame on anyone who doesn’t support our local police force!

T. Stephen McCarthy

Portsmouth

The Music Hall owes no apology

29 May − To the Editor:

Richard Dreyfuss represents only himself and not the Music Hall, is that right? I don’t see why the Music Hall should apologize for anything related to his “show.” Nor do I recall anyone booing at any of his comments. I enjoyed the program – and took his face at face value. Thank you (from me) to the Music Hall for all you do!

Cheri Bach

Portsmouth

Netanyahu values power more than rescuing hostages

26 May − To the Editor:

Richard England’s attempt to whitewash the criminal activities of the far-right Israeli government shows how little he understands statistics. He quotes the Wall Street Journal as saying that Israel has facilitated the delivery of 28,255 truckloads of aid since the war began. Before the war, 500 truckloads of aid went to Gaza every day. 28,255 is just over 56 days of aid. The war has been going on for over 225 days, proving that Israel is deliberately depriving Gazans of food, water, fuel and medicine.

He laments the expulsion of 100,000 Israelis. How does that compare to the expulsion of 2 million Gaza residents?

I would like to add one final statistic: 3. That is the number of hostages the Israel Defense Forces rescued alive. It is the same number of hostages they shot while trying to surrender. It should be clear that the Netanyahu government has little interest in rescuing or trading for the hostages. That is because Netanyahu’s coalition partners believe that the destruction of Gaza residents is more important than 100+ Israelis. They have threatened to overthrow his government if he agrees to a ceasefire. Netanyahu cares more about staying in power than the hostages.

Walter Hamilton

Portsmouth

An extremely unneighbourly example characterise

26 May − To the Editor:

“Love your neighbor as yourself.” ~ Leviticus 19:18

The recent news of the flags flying over two different residences of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito should be of concern. According to a statement from Justice Alito, his wife was offended by something displayed at a neighbor’s house, and Ms. Alito flew those flags out of revenge. Since the two flag incidents occurred at different Alito residences, I assume Ms. Alito must have had a neighbor at both locations who offended her. The Alitos are public figures, and the fact that they chose to publicly take revenge on their neighbors does not reflect well on the example they are setting for the rest of us. It is unclear whether Ms. Alito’s neighbors publicly displayed offensive things, but the flags at the Alito residences were clearly intended as a form of revenge.

We can debate whether or not the flags at the Alito residences reflect unfair bias on the part of the Justice, but Justice Alito’s testimony and the display of these flags indicate the Alitos’ willingness to stoke animosity between neighbors and within our communities.

What kind of America do you want to live in? The Constitution does not allow us to elect Supreme Court justices, who are appointed for life. Those justices are nominated by presidents and confirmed by senators. We can elect leaders who seek to sow retribution and vengeance between neighbors and within the country, or we can elect leaders who seek to unite us through cooperation and compromise. The America we leave to our children depends on who we choose to lead us into the future.

James Fieseher MD, FAAFP

Dover

Trump shows shameful disrespect for our soldiers

May 24 – To the Editor:

This weekend, the nation celebrates Memorial Day, the day to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. My wife and I take this day very seriously because we both served on active duty in Vietnam, she as an Air Force nurse and I as a munitions officer. I served 28 years on active duty and in the reserves and was sent back to active duty during Desert Storm.

Although neither I nor my wife were ever called upon to serve in a combat zone, although we were willing to do so, we both have many relatives and friends who have done so since the Civil War. We both had friends and relatives who were wounded in combat and some who lost their lives in service to their country. We will never forget them.

While we view those who served their country and made the ultimate sacrifice as heroes, Donald Trump views them as “losers and suckers.” A man who avoided military service during the Vietnam War through a series of deferments, including a suspect medical deferment due to bone spurs, is openly tarnishing the memory and sacrifices of these brave men and women. No one who views those who shed their blood in service to their country as “losers and suckers” should ever have been Commander in Chief of the military, yet Trump was given that undeserved honor and he is once again trying to reclaim it. If Trump returns as Commander in Chief, it would be the most indelible stain and disgrace on the nation’s honor and on the memory of those who sacrificed so much to save democracy from men like Trump.

Rich DiPentima, Lieutenant Colonel, USAF, retired.

Portsmouth

What do you think? How to submit a letter for publication

Please limit your letters to 250 words or less. Submissions must include the author’s first and last name, city or town, and a daytime phone number (this is for verification purposes only and will not be published). Send letters or comments to [email protected]. Letters from Seacoast area writers covering local issues will be given preference for publication.

Shame on anyone who doesn’t support our local police

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