At Portsmouth public comment, refrain from personal attacks: Letters

At Portsmouth public comment, refrain from personal attacks: Letters

Oct. 18 — To the Editor:

This year the mayor has made several reasonable requests regarding the nature of public comment and resident behavior at council meetings. While acknowledging that elected officials are fair game for criticism from the podium, he asked speakers to refrain from making personal attacks on members of the city staff. Some residents have simply ignored the request. The mayor’s thick skin is impressive, but my feeling is that no-one on the dais — elected volunteers who are procedurally unable to defend themselves — should be the subject of nasty and cowardly personal attacks.

The mayor also asked residents in the chamber to reserve applause for the celebratory moments when citizens are being acknowledged for their accomplishments and service to the community. The mayor is wise enough not to try and enforce these requests; he depends instead on a cooperative sense of respect, decency, and good faith from the public. The obvious goal is to achieve more respectful civic engagement and less vitriol. Given the sad, current state of political discourse, anything we can do to chip away at the chronic divisiveness and cynicism towards government that plague us is worth the effort. For reasonable adults, this is not a big ask.

I applaud Councilor Andrew Bagley for backing up the mayor with a point of order at the last council meeting. I hope other councilors will add their support too, as far as is procedurally possible. I am convinced that the vast majority of residents and voters would prefer a more orderly chamber during council meetings and certainly, at a minimum, expect the council and city staff to be treated with respect. There’s another practical reason for this effort. Real civic engagement is more important than ever and for many people this means getting involved in the business of their local government. Individuals can make a difference in a small city like ours. Behavior like we’ve seen recently in the chamber is more likely to deter than encourage attendance at meetings. It would also give residents considering a run for public office second thoughts about doing so.

Freedom to speak must be balanced against freedom from vitriolic attacks. I hope the mayor and council, with the lightest of touches, find ways to improve the tone of public comment in the chamber. I also hope the public responds accordingly in the spirit of his requests.

Gerald Duffy

Portsmouth

District 24 NH Senate candidate Debra Altschiller will defend rights of all of us

To the Editor — Oct. 17

We New Hampshire residents proudly embrace our state motto of “Live Free or Die.”  We generally resist efforts to increase the power of the State to influence our daily lives.  Granite State Republican politicians loudly pledge their allegiance to this ideal.  And yet these same men, and they are predominantly men, simultaneously favor state control over a pregnant woman’s medical decisions. As the father and grandfather of women, I find this hypocrisy bordering on the obscene.

Debra Altschiller of New Hampshire Senate District 24 is a long-time defender of a woman’s right to make her own medical decisions.  When the U.S. Supreme Court took away a woman’s constitutional right to manage her pregnancy free from governmental intrusion, then-Rep. Altschiller immediately introduced an effort in the New Hampshire House of Representatives to codify a woman’s right to manage her private medical decisions. In contrast, her Republican opponent supports State control over a pregnant woman’s medical decisions.

Those of us in Senate District 24 have the opportunity to elect a senator of impeccable intellectual integrity who is committed to defending the rights of all Granite Staters.  Please vote for Debra Altschiller on Nov. 8.

Randolph Werner

Rye

Note: Debra Altschiller is the wife of Seacoast Media Group Executive Editor Howard Altschiller.

If you look at Chris Sununu's actions they do not align with his image

Oct. 17 — To the Editor:

Nov. 8 is coming up fast. We are heading to the polls again.

I am writing to reach others like myself who voted all Democrat but went Republican for Governor and voted Sununu. Chris Sununu came across as a “purple” governor making decisions based on needs of the state rather than the party. Results of the last election reflect this thinking, making him a favorite with both parties.

Now, on current issues of environment, women’s choice, and loan forgiveness Sununu is no longer “purple.” Chris Sununu’s decisions and statements now align him more with his party than with New Hampshire. Sununu refused to call a special legislative session to address the issue of codifying Roe and protecting the right of women to choose. He vetoed stricter requirements on the proximity of landfills to water bodies, despite bipartisan support in the House and Senate. In effect, declining to protect New Hampshire’s Merrimack River, Lake Winnipesaukee and Atlantic Ocean from pollutants that can leach from landfills. And, in our state with one of the highest loan debt averages in the country, he opposes student loan forgiveness.

Sununu’s presence on social media portrays an enthusiastic leader traveling around New Hampshire shaking hands with Granite Staters and supporting local businesses. I like this image. What I have come to realize, however, is that his comments and actions are not aligned.

Vote blue down the ballot.

Nov. 8, there is so much at stake. Vote every oval, every office, every election. Vote to Live Free.

Jennifer Tichy

Rye

Send your letter to the editor: Email to opinion@seacoastonline.com

Bolduc and Leavitt cannot be trusted to preserve our democracy

Oct. 17 — To the Editor:

Let’s assume for discussion that Bolduc and Leavitt know full well that the Big Lie is a hoax. But they support it. As craven politicians they are pandering to the basest low-information voters of their party and they cannot be trusted to preserve our democracy.

On the other hand, perhaps they truly believe, in the face of all evidence, that the prior election was stolen. Then their intellects and judgments are deeply compromised and they are not qualified to serve in the highest offices of the land.

Snuff out the Big Lie. Vote for candidates who accept election results. Vote Blue in ’22.

Jonathan Caldwell

Stratham

Vote Tom Sherman to end extremism

Oct. 17 — To the Editor:

I first served in the New Hampshire Legislature with Dr. Tom Sherman when he was in the House of Representatives.  From his first year, he was fighting for health care for all NH residents. In both the House and then the New Hampshire Senate, he has been respected as a principled, thoughtful, and committed policy maker dedicated to decisions based on fact, understanding of issues and long experience with the people he serves. He reminds me of New Hampshire’s popular former governor, John Lynch.

On the other side of the spectrum is our current governor, Chris Sununu, who has used his veto power to be complicit in supporting the extreme legislators that have blocked many policies that the people of New Hampshire support.

Sen. Sherman has pledged to take serious steps to make New Hampshire a partner in addressing the challenges to the climate caused by our reliance on fossil fuels.  He understands we can do this economically. However, for years, Sununu, a friend  of the fossil fuel industry, has thwarted every attempt to encourage alternative energy, from statewide electrical power to  a small school trying to put up solar panels.

Dr. Sherman has worked with legislators from three states to coordinate responses to Covid. Sununu and his Executive Council have interfered with funding for COVID prevention.

With his Executive Council, commissioner of education and anti-public school allies in the legislature, Sununu has helped to funnel millions of taxpayer dollars to well-to-do families to send their children to private and religious schools. Dr. Sherman is a supporter of dedicating our taxes to our public schools.

As a doctor, Sherman understands why women must be given control over their and their families’ choices regarding having more children. True freedom, basic rights.   Sununu, again  bowing to the extremists in the legislature, joined them in throwing up hurdles to abortions.

Sununu is an affable functionary of the fossil fuel industry and the extreme ideologues of his party. We need Tom Sherman as our governor, who respects opinions of the people of this state and makes policy decisions based on what is best for New Hampshire.   Sununu is bad medicine. Join those of us who feel Dr. Tom Sherman, as our next governor, will be the best prescription for a fair and healthy New Hampshire.

Rep. Judith Spang

Durham

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: At Portsmouth public comment, refrain from personal attacks: Letters