Letters & Comments

To the Editor:
It is with a heavy heart and utter disappointment and disgust that I find myself compelled to write this letter, the causation of which is the enactment of New York’s recent ill-conceived feudal firearms law. This law is an overbearing assault on individual Rights guaranteed by our Constitution! A knee jerk reaction to a heinous crime perpetrated by an insane individual, this does nothing to address the root of the problem, which is the state of mental health in this country, and the treatment (or lack thereof) of those so afflicted. In their haste to trample the Constitution of the United States under the pretense of public safety there was absolutely no thought put into this law, or the ramifications thereof.
While I am certain the 21 gun salute at the close of the Berlin Memorial Day Ceremony will be almost as dignified and respectful with BB guns as it was with the Garand rifles typically used which are now classified as “assault rifles” and illegal, I am not as confident our respected veterans who once carried these same rifles across Europe and the Pacific in defense of liberty and our Constitutional Rights will feel quite as proud or dignified marching down the streets of Berlin in our Independence Day Parade, a celebration of Rights and Freedoms, with broom sticks on their shoulders instead of their Garand rifles!
I must also point out that while we lack the funds to repair roads and bridges, we miraculously have funding to crush honest citizen’s Rights? Or is this destined to be yet another unfunded State mandate to be foisted upon the Counties?
While I maintain this travesty must be repealed immediately, I must applaud our State Senator Kathy Marchione for having the courage and wherewithal to stand up to the Governor and downstaters so eager to seize our Rights! And being in receipt of our copy of the Eastwick Press yesterday, dated January 25, which reported on the Petersburgh Town Board actions, I must also tip my hat to Petersburgh Town Councilman Duane Goodermote for his similar efforts to defend the Constitution.
There is yet another question that arises and that is this: If they can move so swiftly and without public debate to eliminate our Second Amendment Rights, which portion of the Constitution will they trample next? Our Right to voice our disgust with their actions, or perhaps the Right of the Eastwick Press to even be published?
Todd Hermann
Berlin

To the Editor:
In the December 21 article concerning the Town of Berlin’s taking possession of the former Berlin Lumber property and subsequent Town Board meeting notes, a small notation was made under the subtitle “NY Alert” in which Ivan Wager said that “eventually private citizens will be able to register for alerts.” It should be noted that this is not an eventuality but a reality: Citizens can sign up for email and/or telephone alerts by visiting the NY Alert Civilian Portal at https://users.nyalert.gov/.
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To the Editor:
I was born in Berlin and lived there for 17 years. I left to go into the service during the Second World War. I remember falling down up on the Plank Road, breaking my arm when I was about 10 years old. I was sitting on the side of the road crying, and Dougy Goodermote came by with his Model T car, stopped and gave me a ride home. I never forgot the kindness that he gave me. That was 75 years ago. I would like to give my condolences to his family and friends. God bless you all.
Thank you,
Bill Deyoe from Tucson, AZ.