Support and advice for Alex Morse

In response to “Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse to Challenge Richard Neal for Congress,” published online July 22, 2019, at valleyadvocate.com.

Godspeed Alex. Take back something for the rest of us broken folks.

— Steve William Lindsey, Facebook comment

Remember the Vets, caregivers and the elderly. Current powers care more about the rights and well-being of big pharma than they do about citizens. But that’s just my experience. Hopefully Valley Advocate reports more on that topic.

— Joey Janas, Facebook comment

Alex Morse go get him!!!!

— Thomas J Kielbania Jr., Facebook comment

Thanks for some good news

In response to “Between the Lines: A Focus on Some Good Political News,” published June 13 – 19, 2019.

I just now read your good news column from June 13 and want to say thank you! It’s brilliant and so important, first, because the news you report is major and under-reported and, second, because I think that it’s much more effective to inspire folks to do good and look for good than to drown them out with bad news. Yes, there’s lots of titillating horrific news on a daily basis but we won’t figure our way out of this paper bag by wallowing in it. Also, giving bad news so much coverage seems to reinforce the trend: do something super nasty to get attention. We can only stop that trend by pulling the plug on coverage of the daily psychotic moves of those blinded by money and power. Those of us feeling oppressed by the ruling stupidity and short-sightedness need to know and see that even small actions will add up to larger impacts. Those of us addicted to news of the latest craze need help getting clean, not enabling…

Unfortunately, I don’t have an example of positive legislation just now but I will keep on the lookout and follow your column.

— Louise LeGouis, Bernardston

Greenfield’s status as a ‘Safe City’

In response to “Two Years after failed vote, Greenfield adopts ‘Safe City’ ordinance,” published online July 18, 2019, at valleyadvocate.com. 

Thank you for pointing out that those who ran last time on supporting the ordinance were elected, and those against it were not. That is all the data needed to show that a majority of people in Greenfield support these protections, and we will not be defined by a vocal, xenophobic minority.

— Hillary Hoffman, Facebook comment

Sorry even though I don’t live there you basically passed an ordinance that you will not enforce the law. What’s next not targeting heroin dealers because they provide a service to the community? What happens when the federal government says they will no longer provide funding because of not enforcing federal law?

— Jason Keith, Facebook comment

Humble, hard-working families fleeing the violence and repression our nation’s policies created in their countries are not our enemy. The wealthy and powerful robbing us blind and distracting us from their deeds by attacking refugees and migrants — they might just be closer to an “enemy.”

— Isolda Ortega-Bustamante, Facebook comment

Call them ‘concentration camps’

In response to “White Supremacy in the White House,” published July 18 – 24, 2019.

“Detention centers” is a phrase that takes away from the reality of how poor the conditions are. Use the right words. Concentration camps.

— Chris Phoenix, Facebook comment

Concentration camp / noun / A place where large numbers of people, especially political prisoners or members of persecuted minorities, are deliberately imprisoned in a relatively small area with inadequate facilities, sometimes to provide forced labor or to await mass execution. The term is most strongly associated with the several hundred camps established by the Nazis in Germany and occupied Europe in 1933–45, among the most infamous being Dachau, Belsen, and Auschwitz.

So when does the forced labor or mass murder start, idiot?

— Keith Rauh, Facebook comment

Don’t give them any ideas….

— Sandi Arnold, Facebook comment

I agree that they are concentration camps, and that makes it important to protest to our elected representatives and actively support reputable NGOs at these sites. The alleged $775/day being spent by private businesses operating centers should be investigated, and guardrails put on the allocation of further funding to ease conditions and the process bottlenecks that have led to large-scale detention.

— Terry Gilman