Ulster County jury duty an unexpected pleasure

Faso keeps bad company amid Russian intrigue

Dear Editor, The right-wing billionaires Robert and Rebekah Mercer funded Cambridge Analytica, which mysteriously used 50 million Facebook accounts to help Donald Trump win the presidential election.

Cambridge Analytica was in contact with the Russian oil giant, Lukoil, which showed an odd interest in using the data to influence the American people, with no apparent business goal.

Is this the way the Russians broke into our election?

Our congressman, John Faso, R-Kinderhook, received a large campaign contribution from the Mercers. Faso is keeping bad company. Hal Chorny Gardiner, N.Y.

Will NRA members show some courage?

Dear Editor, The time has come for the argument to change in the debate about gun control.

The NRA and its members have proven themselves to be the unbeatable voice in the debate until now. But now the tide is turning. The number of people killed and subsequent number of angry, grieving family members, friends and communities is growing with every assault weapon slaughter of innocents.

The old argument that any restriction on gun ownership is unfair to the sportsman and hobbyist grows pale in the shadow of the idea of mass killings that has taken hold in the minds of madmen and made possible by the NRA’s stubborn and self-serving position to resist compromise.

Why should it be easier to get an assault weapon than a passport? Or a driver’s license? Or a mortgage?

The ability to engage in the hobby of gun ownership or to obtain a weapon to protect your home easily and without limitation is not the American way. It is the way of the privileged few. Bureaucracy, after all, is supposed to protect the citizenry, is it not? Why should NRA members get preferential treatment?

And so I ask you NRA members: Who among you will be courageous in speaking up within your organization to say:

• “My right to obtain a firearm is not more important than my neighbor’s right to safety and security in public places.”

• “I do not want people with criminal and/or psychosocial histories of violence and rage to have easy access to assault weapons.”

• “I will not support an organization that fails to protect upstanding citizens in its policymaking.”

Who among you will lead your fellow members in changing the debate and saving lives? Alisa LS Heigl Jones

Saugerties, N.Y.

Ulster power plant plan bad deal for local residents

Dear Editor, I oppose the Lincoln Park electric generating plant proposal under consideration for construction in the town of Ulster.

Upon reviewing testimony of GlidePath officials, commentary of town of Ulster citizens, scoping document, etc. my main objections are:

• Lincoln Park Grid Support Center brings no benefit to Ulster County. It would serve Downstate citizens while polluting Ulster County’s air. We should be proud of our excellent air quality and do everything in our power to maintain it for the health and safety of our local citizens. It really does seem apparent that this project is being proposed here because we have “room for pollution.”)

• Local citizenry are in a majority seeking to find alternatives to fossil fuel use; this project is antithetical to that local concern and preference.

• GlidePath has never constructed a project using fossil fuels. We should not even consider an inexperienced company to construct such a project.

The Town of Ulster needs to resolve its fiscal issues in some other manner which brings benefit to local people and does not put the health and well-being of the township and the surrounding communities’ citizens in jeopardy. Anita Wetzel Rosendale, N.Y. Dear Editor, Recently I had the pleasure of being selected for jury duty.

I know this is not a sentence you often read, but I write this letter to acknowledge Ulster County Commissioner of Jurors Paul O’Neill.

It is refreshing to witness a public servant who so thoroughly performs his job while seemingly enjoying the responsibility. As a lifelong area resident, I’ve always believed I had enough of a working knowledge of Kingston’s history and could engage the many visitors I converse with each year. After listening to Commissioner O’Neill’s brief but passionate introduction about the significance of the very ground, current courthouse, and portraits surrounding me, I realized I need a serious refresher. Commissioner O’Neill took a room of more than 250 mildly grumbling county residents and, in short work, had put us at ease and convinced us of the value of our civic duty and its connection to Kingston’s rich judiciary and democracy-forming history. Commissioner O’Neill eloquently tied our service to individuals like John Jay and Sojourner Truth who likely sat in these same wooden benches centuries before.

If one ever doubts how special Kingston is I implore readers to seek out a talk given by Paul O’Neill or other Friends of Historic Kingston programming.

Or just hope you get called to jury duty. Mark DeDea Kingston, N.Y.