Mash Notes, Hate Mail & Other Correspondence

To the Editor: As I write, it is the eve of Independence Day. America’s iconic national anthem, the “Star-Spangled Banner,” originally was penned as a poem on the morning of September 14, 1814 by Francis Scott Key. Key was inspired to see America’s flag still waving, still standing over Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Md., after sustaining 25 hours of relentless British naval bombardment The stanza says: “And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.” Key’s name is honored across the country on monuments, bridges, many public schools, a college auditorium, college halls, …

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To the Editor: The New Hampshire House recently passed HB 1135 which contained other bills, including an amendment from Keene Senator Kahn which called for requiring all school districts in New Hampshire to teach about the Holocaust and other genocides. Two people spoke in opposition, both citing the bill might constitute an unfunded mandate, especially as part of the bill called for the creation of a special commission to study “best practices” in formulating curriculum for schools. One mentioned that the bill is redundant in that many, if not most schools, already teach about the Holocaust. Among those who testified in favor were the New …

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To the Editor: With several current and coming crises befalling us, it should be getting ever more clear that Mother Nature’s basic rules are ignored at our peril. We must learn to get along with her as well as each other if we are to avoid future life-threatening epidemics, economic collapse, and climate catastrophe—essentially, to have any kind of civilized future. Fortunately, a new initiative was just launched this week throughout our region, entitled Renew New England, which aims to address several of these crises before us in a systemic way. The Renew New England program, based on the national Green New Deal introduced in …

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To the Editor: According to a recent Journalist’s Resource report by Chloe Reichel, between 2004 and 2015 the U.S. newspaper industry lost 1,800 print outlets due to closures and mergers. In a democracy, the basis for self-government is an informed citizenry. Local news media, and newspapers in particular, bear the primary responsibility. As the result of closures and mergers, the American newspaper industry has lost hundreds of news outlets, shedding journalists and investigative reporters, leading to a more challenging news landscape. Ms. Reichel highlights various studies indicating that areas with fewer local news outlets and declining coverage not only have lower levels of civic engagement …

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To the Editor, The COVID-19 pandemic is just getting started and will be with us for another year or more. Getting people back to work and students returning to school is important but so is containing the virus. The two are not mutually exclusive. If we maintain social distancing and practice other safety measures, we can and will lessen the severe impact of the virus, free up resources in acute care facilities, and save lives until we have effective medications and vaccines. This should not be a partisan decision, it is an altruistic decision. To show our humanity we must all wear masks when near …

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by Roy Morrison The killing of Rayshard Brooks in Atlanta in a Wendy’s parking lot by Officer Garrett Rolfe is a reflection not only of racism, but also the transformation of police from protector to predator, and the criminalization of social problems like DWI. Officer Garrett Rolfe was a reputed “expert” in detecting drunk driving. “Failing” sobriety test automatically leads to arrest, slapping on cuffs, and, in this case, the shooting in the back of Rayshard Brooks. Yes, drivers if drunk should have their keys taken away, their car towed if not parked, and given a summons to appear in court facing appropriate consequences like …

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