Be a modern patriot and fight voter suppression — Letters

Nov. 23 — To the Editor:

Do Republicans seek to suppress votes? It seems so. They constantly repeat false claims about voter fraud. Realize, they wave this red herring as a distraction. Their real goal is to limit opposition votes so the ever-shrinking number of Republican voters can elect their candidates. Note well: they want minority rule.

To ensure their minority can act like a majority, Republicans state legislators have rammed through over 389 bills. They designed these bills to advantage Republicans in the polls. They have another 61 bills running through various legislatures with 31 that have passed through one chamber as of May 2021. This constitutes an organized and frontal assault on the vote.

Recall, colonial Americans drove out Britain in order to get the vote. Our ancestors fought and died for the vote and now Republicans state legislators are systematically stealing votes from our own citizens. Republicans are the new colonizers seeking to suppress access to the voting booth.

Today’s voting is virtually free of voter fraud. Eight states have mail-in voting with a fine record of voting security. Thirty four states allow early voting and 27 have no-excuse absentee voting, again with high levels of security. In contrast and against our sense of fairness eight states, so far, allow their legislatures to overturn legally binding elections. State legislators can now legally overturn elections!

State legislators have no right whatsoever to politically gag us. This is madness. What happened to one person, one vote? Raise your voice, resist their lies, and strengthen the vote. Keep the democratic experiment alive and well. Be a modern patriot and fight voter suppression.

J. Michael Atherton

Dover

Gov. Sununu should be concerned about lack of education funding in NH

Nov. 23 — To the Editor:

Gov. Chris Sununu was upset because he claimed that New Hampshire was 50th on the list of the states scheduled to receive federal funds from the Infrastructure bill recently signed into law by President Joe Biden. According to news reports, Sununu presented the president with his complaint in writing during Biden's recent visit.

It's too bad the governor doesn't show the same degree of concern regarding the fact that New Hampshire is and has been for some time 50th in the amount of state aid to education.

Anthony McManus

Dover

A free society which loves liberty will not endure such a government for long

Nov. 21 — To the Editor:

Throughout history, the question of how an authoritarian government could come to power was often asked. How could a political philosophy of extreme restrictive ideals and hatred towards a particular portion of the population rule over an enlightened society? The straightforward answer is when a group of individuals take control of a political narrative, the means and type of information communicated to, or blocked from the general population, they become authoritarian. Even today, an individual need not look too hard to see change within a political system, because the authoritarians of today are the once trusted individuals who control the channels of information. Unfortunately, many now run essential segments of the federal government.

Members of the Legislative and Executive branches of the federal government, and their respective bureaucracies, have no intention of honoring their sworn oath to the Constitution - their oath to the people of the United States. They, along with the financial and media allies, rule over the people for their own benefit, and not for the benefit of the country. The political elites are distant from the people they govern, as evident from their corruption and depravity and with assistance from their financial and media allies, are deliberately eroding the foundations of the republic.

America has become an oligarchy where only the privileged can rule, where only the privileged can hold political office. As a result, the people, the true sovereign of the United States, are systematically and fundamentally disenfranchised. What is more, their future political aims will further compel restrictions of certain freedoms and liberties, but let them be forewarned, for no free society which loves liberty and abhors slavery, will endure such a government for long.

“It is seldom that liberty of any kind is lost all at once.” - David Hume

David Hussey

Greenland

Maureen O'Connor offers thanks to Portsmouth Senior Center, volunteers

Nov. 22 -- To the Editor:

My friend Maureen O’Connor was telling me yesterday about how great the Senior Lunch at the Portsmouth Senior Center was last Thursday, Nov. 18 and that she would like to thank Brinn and staff of the senior center and the volunteers from the Portsmouth Fire Department I suggested that she put it in Seacoastonline and volunteered to help her do that. Here is Maureen’s statement, hopefully to be printed.

“In the giving spirit of the season, I’d like to thank Brinn and staff of the Portsmouth Senior Center for hosting a joyous Senior Thanksgiving Day lunch. In appreciation of great company, food and fun, I include my thanks for all the efforts of generous volunteers including our community Fire Department. Happy Holidays to all. Maureen O’Connor."

Thank you and Happy Holidays to you.

Sara Treacy

Portsmouth

Issues beyond the Seacoast are important, too

Nov. 21 -- To the Editor:

This has been a time of profound and complex emotions for humanity. As we approach the coming year with both apprehension and great expectations it’s worth looking at how we got here. No long dissertation, no excessive analysis…just verity and summary.

I have read and respect, as I suspect most readers have, the publisher of this newspaper’s goal to keep discussion in these pages confined to local and nearby events. Certainly, I respect and understand that. I propose that, important, also, are issues that reach beyond our Seacoast, beyond our region, and beyond our nation. Of such is where our world is at. Our nation and our planet have moved beyond only local and provincial issues. We ignore them at our peril. As in the macrocosm so in the microcosm.

I’ll keep this brief. Technically we earthlings have “grown” exponentially. We’re exploring other planets and systems, yet on Earth we’re fighting as children amongst ourselves, persevering in human intention and invention to outdo and to control others. If that isn’t also regional and local, I don’t know what it is.

For brevity’s sake I want to say what’s palpable: we humans are all in this together, whatever “this” turns out to be. Turning away from that can invite catastrophe. Of course, the McIntyre property issue is vitally important. And workforce housing. And bike lanes. And, how about losing our historic city to big money from out of state! Losing sight of the North Church steeple from every approach. And, ….?

We’ve dismissed education, knowledge, and reason. In our world of cultism, ego, and ignorance. America unwittingly has set the stage for world leadership changes and others are pushing us aside without so much as a “thanks for helping us get to where we are.”

Others are better with words than am I, so I’ll use theirs. “It’s a universal law – intolerance is the first sign of an inadequate education. An ill-educated person behaves with arrogant impatience, whereas truly profound education breeds humility.” (Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn). And. “The highest form of ignorance is rejecting something you don’t know anything about.” (Wayne Dyer). Each of us is guilty as charged.

Dick Rozek

Portsmouth

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Be a modern patriot and fight voter suppression — Letters