Housing in Portsmouth: Shotgun wedding v. match made in heaven: Letters

Housing in Portsmouth: Shotgun wedding v. match made in heaven

April 14 -- To the Editor:

It would be wise for the City of Portsmouth to prioritize the plan for affordable or work-force housing on Lafayette Road which was proposed by the good people of Christ Episcopal Church, and to put the controversial Pannaway Manor project on the back burner. From the beginning, the Pannaway Manor project has been very much like a shotgun wedding, but the Christ Church proposal sounds like a match made in Heaven.

Christina Lusky

Portsmouth

I saw the April 2 Rye selectboard meeting in a positive light

April 12 − To the Editor:

Nick Toumpas (LTE April 10th) may not know it, but he helped show the merits of the policy (RSA 41:8) that was discussed on April 2nd

I was at the same meeting.

Toumpas saw the Selectboard changing a policy. I saw them clarifying, and then codifying, a policy in existence since 2017.

He saw an "arrogant, condescending and disrespectful" Board. I saw a Board invite, receive, accept, and apply feedback from the public.

He said it happened with very little notice to the public. I first heard of the issue when it was raised over a year ago in a public meeting.

We attended the meeting because we both care about our town. We saw things completely differently. Together, our diametric perspectives would serve a board or commission well because of our opposing views. Together we would represent the interests of most - if not all - constituents, vs. a subset.

Jennifer Madden

Rye

York incumbents doing a fine job and deserve re-election

April 12 -- To the Editor:

I read the article yesterday about Carol Allen running against Todd and Marilyn for a selectboard seat. I am sure Carol is very capable and I am sorry she has suffered a loss. However both Todd Frederick and Marilyn McLaughlin are doing a fine job and neither one should be replaced. I am always glad to see people step up to serve but, in this case, it isn’t currently necessary.

Georgia C. Bennett

York, Maine

City Council should revisit and pass cease fire resolution

April 12 − To the Editor:

Thank you Councilors Cook and Denton.

We have all witnessed a horrific attack in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023 with 1,139 deaths and 250 taken hostage by the Hamas rebels. There is no excusing the violations of human dignity and human rights of that attack, no matter what the justification may be.

On the other hand, Israel’s non-proportional response to that attack which has now caused the death of over 32,000 residents of Gaza (the majority of which are women and children) should also be condemned. The US government is currently providing many of the military weapons that Israel is using against residents of Gaza. These are being used to attack and drop hundreds of bombs on a civilian population. Yes, it is probably true that there are many Hamas fighters hiding within the population, but that does not justify collective punishment of all residents.

I am convinced that most Americans and most other countries support the right for Israel to have safe and secure borders. But that must also be the case for the Palestinians. American taxpayers should not be asked to subsidize perpetual wars in the Middle East. There must be a plan to provide safety and security to both Israelis and Palestinians.

That is why an immediate ceasefire is needed to avoid more deaths from bombs, starvation, and disease. That ceasefire will allow an opportunity for all parties involved to look for a long-term solution to this conflict.

The Portsmouth City Council should allow the ceasefire resolution proposed by Councilors Cook and Denton to be discussed and it should vote in support of finding a peaceful solution to the current conflict.

Peter Somssich

Former NH State Representative, and former Portsmouth Democratic Chair

Portsmouth

I have left the Democratic Party over 'progressives' hatred of Israel

April 12 − To the Editor:

After 30 years of active participation; including door-to-door canvassing as a teenager, a U.S. Senate and gubernatorial campaign staffer, and running locally as a candidate for two elected positions, I am no longer a Democrat. The progressives have completely hijacked the Party. Their hatred of Israel has been very eye-opening for me. Several minority groups in the U.S. have inexplicably aligned themselves with this ideology.

The United States started two massive wars after 9/11, one of which lasted nearly 20 years. During a joint session of Congress on September 20, 2011, President George W. Bush said: “Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists”. Why is Israel held to a different standard? It is surrounded by groups that seek its destruction: Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran. (All of which are designated as terrorist organizations or their supporters, according to the U.S. Government) On October 16, the U.S House progressive “Squad” called for an immediate Israeli cease-fire... The smoke from the October 7 Hamas terrorist attacks had not yet even been fully extinguished. Imagine if our closest allies told us to stand down nine days after 9/11.

Henry Moscowitz, a Jewish man, was one of the original founders of the NAACP over 100 years ago. Rabbis marched arm-in-arm with MLK Jr. over the bridge in Selma, Alabama. Two Jewish men advocating for civil rights in Mississippi were murdered by white supremacists in 1964. The list goes on and on. Israel and the Jewish people are experiencing their worst moment since 1948. Why isn’t that support reciprocated by the groups that we have stood by countless times?

Due to President Biden’s complete surrender to the progressives, I won’t be voting for his re-election this fall. Nor will I vote for any other candidate currently on the ballot.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

Jay Lieberman

Portsmouth

If the shoe were on the other foot…..

April 14 − To the Editor:

Let us analyze this presidential election and break it down into its most simplistic and basic components. Let us also strip away all the normal conventions of past elections such as polls, rallies, fundraisers, and Super- PACs that have in many ways gotten us to where we find ourselves in this 2024 election cycle. I suggest that both Republicans and Democrats take a deep breath and step back from all the noise and distraction of 24-hour news cycles and partisan political cable channels. This election in no way resembles any other election we Americans have ever witnessed. Additionally, the world is more turmoil than it has been since the second World War.

Everything about this election shouts hyperbole with almost no nuance or shades of gray (no pun intended.) With name calling, false allegations and wild (false) claims like “even execution after birth,” regarding the subject of reproductive rights from the Republican candidate, the gloves have come off and hitting below the belt has become acceptable in the fight for the “soul of our nation.” While ignoring all collective experience with presidential elections, consider the role of the American president. They do not control the price of gas, nor do they create recessions or affect increase or decrease in inflation. Their most serious and demanding responsibility is the role of commander in chief, though they cannot alone declare war. They are, at best, leaders who can encourage us to be our best with inspirational speeches, like Kennedy, Obama and Reagan. They are the face and voice of our country to the rest of the world while assuming the role of clergy in times of loss and crisis in our country.

This election comes down to two issues: age and mental health. Our choices in this election are two men, ages 81 and soon to be 78. The older of the two is fit, does not dye his hair, or go the tanning salon and has lived a life of service to his country as a U.S. Senator. He has experienced the loss of both his wife and children in a car accident as well as losing a son and military veteran to cancer at an early age. The “younger” man (at almost 78) appears to be suffering mental health issues. He grew up a privileged, entitled bully, who is a pathological liar and clinical narcissist. He is on his third marriage, sixth bankruptcy and is under indictment for fraud and election interference in pursuit of money, fame and a relentless quest for power. He is juvenile in both his behavior and language while exhibiting no signs of intellectual capacity despite proclaiming himself a “stable genius.”

If the shoe was on the other foot, and my party’s candidate refused to concede his defeat in a fair election and then went on to incite a riotous insurrection in the nation’s Capital in an attempt to overturn the results of an election, I would change party affiliation and vote for the older man worthy of respect and by example demonstrating that he has a heart, a soul and a sense of empathy and compassion.

Stephen Philp

Portsmouth

WRITE TO US

Please keep letters to 250 words or less. Submissions must include the writer’s first and last names, city or town and a daytime telephone number (which is for verification purposes only and will not be published). Send letters or commentaries to opinion@seacoastonline.com. Letters from Seacoast-area writers addressing local topics will be given priority for publication.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Portsmouth housing: Shotgun wedding v. match made in heaven: Letters