Glass in the streets never a good idea
I would like to second John E. Brown's opinion in his letter to the editor of Jan. 20.
Everyone should go out and take a look at the glass pieces littering our streets. Using glass pieces to melt ice on our roads is NOT a good idea. It may be economically sound, but it's not environmentally sound.
As I was walking my dog today, she began limping and crying. She had a piece of glass about one-third of an inch in diameter stuck in her paw. It was quite sharp. I took a look around, and the road (Walling Boulevard) was just glittering with clear and green glass, and many of the pieces were quite large. My own street is a "minefield"!
This is not good for our pets or wild animals, not to mention the tires on our cars. It's also not good for our children.
When spring comes, that glass is going to be in our driveways, our yards and our homes. When I brushed my boots off, pieces of glass flew off and onto the porch.
If you have small children, they may pick up that glittery stuff and put it into their mouths or step on it.
The glass being spread on our streets is going to be a hazard unless it's pulverized to the size of grains of sand. It would be even better if we could go back to just sand.
Caroline Cleinman
Oneonta
Uzenski, Mayne ensured our freedom
As a veteran of the War on Terror in Afghanistan, I've found solace in trusting God's providence when dealing with the death of a fellow soldier, or facing the prospect of my own death. Young people die every day while living a "normal" civilian life.
The Daily Star and other media outlets cover these events with lamentable regularity.
While the untimely death of a young person in any situation is tragic, Cpls. Nick Uzenski and Michael Mayne died in noble, honorable service to their country, knowing the risks they were facing as they moved forth with their respective missions. These aren't young lives unfulfilled, but rather young lives that fulfilled a potential and purpose many of us will never grasp. Through their service, these men exhibited a character that, unfortunately, exists more as an exception rather than the rule among young people today. They undoubtedly developed understanding and selflessness from being part of something far bigger than oneself.
We live in a nation where the politics of war get top billing. The shortcomings of our service members are brought to light far more frequently than their successes. We no longer appear to be a nation at war, but rather a nation inconvenienced by war. It takes the death of one (or several) of our own for most to truly feel the impact and meaning of the most important word in the name of the country they gave their lives in service of _ The UNITED States of America.
For their families and friends, I pray for peace and closure. For us all, I pray that through their service and sacrifice, we truly value and understand the freedom and safety that young soldiers like Cpls. Uzenski and Mayne have ensured us now and throughout the history of our great nation.
Jared Miller
Oneonta
Miller is a sergeant in the 691st Medical Team (Forward Surgical) in the Army Reserves based in Utica.
Charges just a way to discredit Corrigan
When I read in the paper that Jason Corrigan had been arrested, I thought it was strange the way the situation seemed to unfold. When I first saw the announcement, I thought Corrigan had been violent or had gotten mixed up with drugs. However, it was only a complaint from a former mayor, who Jason grouped in as a part of the crooked city elite, and a girl who seems to not have remembered what happened in her life between the months of June and October.
Because Kim Muller is the one pressing the charges, when they don't amount to anything more than a violation, and needed a restraining order to "feel safe," shows me that what Corrigan said about the city Dems is probably true.
Why else, immediately after the election, would a complaint from her and this girl come out at once?
I supported Erik Miller's campaign, but if anyone saw the mayoral debates, you know that Corrigan easily won the verbal arguments and tore Dick Miller on the downtown contract that saw his company receive thousands of dollars of our tax money.
Miller's only response was that Jason was a liar, but never said how he was a liar or what he was lying about. Maybe it's me, but I don't think that money was earned, if you look at our downtown, and for the fact that Miller admitted that the new stores on Main Street had nothing to do with him.
Overall, because Muller has something to gain by attacking Corrigan, and the fact that a girl made a complaint at the same exact time, but can't remember when Jason supposedly touched her, makes me believe that this is nothing more than just an attempt to get the people of Oneonta to discredit Corrigan.
Delaney Parry
Sidney
Terrorism a response to West's colonialism
Gerund C. Fontainne's Jan. 18 letter presenting terrorism as free-floating evil against the innocent West compels me to point out that this terrorism is the ultimate response to decades of invasion, domination, exploitation and manipulation by the West of the Near East. However, I do not condone terrorism, for it is as horrific and inhumane as the wars we have initiated against countries in the Near East.
In the 1920s, Britain and the U.S. gained considerable control over Near Eastern oil resources. In 1939, FDR declared Britain could "have" Iran, we could "have" Saudi Arabia, but the two countries could "share" Iraq and Kuwait. This assumption of privilege made both countries work behind the scenes to ensure that each had steady access to oil resources. This led to actions that violated Near Eastern sovereignty and culture. Over the decades, this policy began giving validity to Muslim extremists, who saw us as Satan. Extremists could get back at us only through terrorism.
Mr. Fontainne feels his Near East experience validates his analysis of terrorism as simply barbaric violence. While his memories of the Near East are interesting and nostalgic, I fear he ignores our decades of intrusion and violation. However, he is not alone in this. Our government and many Americans feel we are entitled to act as a colonial power anywhere on the planet in order to sustain our power and wealth.
I believe only when the West changes its self-interested control of the Near East can we expect the decline of terrorism. Instead, we continue trying to control it by military might and political domination, which sow the seeds for the very terrorism we decry.
Samuel E. Wilcox
Cooperstown
