Forum, Aug. 13: ‘NIMBYism’ is simply name-calling

When a developer plans to erect a huge building project in your neighborhood, life changes are in the offing. Residents naturally resent it and resist it. The “Local and Vocal” story (Aug. 8) calls such resistance “NIMBYism.” That’s just plain name-calling. We don’t allow name-calling on the playground, and shouldn’t allow it in civic debate.

Homeowners buy their homes because they liked the place. They liked it the way they bought it. If an outsider wants to redevelop your neighborhood (more traffic, more people, taller buildings, less space, brighter lights, etc), you naturally resist. The “Not In My Backyard” (NIMBY) put-down is simply a device to bring playground bullying into the planning office.

Next time your neighborhood is under siege, ask the developers how many apartments or offices they have “developed” next to their own homes.

ROBIN CARPENTER

Lebanon

Police officers put their lives on the line every day for you and me and their families and themselves. And they should never have to meet the troublemakers on an even footing. They should always have the advantage. This is real life, not some Tom Cruise/Keanu Reeves/Denzel Washington movie where they run down alleys, dive over cars and slide down roofs to catch on the rain gutter to avoid dropping several stories.

When an individual attacks police officers with some kind of weapon, whether it’s a gun, a bat or just fists, the officers should have the advantage. Because if the officers are injured and not able to defend themselves, they may not be there to help you should you need help another time.

A few years back, I had an incident where I thought a police officer should be involved. The Hartford Police Department told me that all available officers were on the other side of town at the scene of an accident.

Had it been a real emergency, I would have had to take care of things myself. That’s the reality of life. If you, as the head of household, don’t want to take the responsibility to protect your family, that’s your choice, but I wouldn’t want you part of mine.

I defy any one of those who signed the letter against Hartford police Cpl. Eric Clifford to put themselves out there on the line in front of a crowd of shouters, club swingers or against one antagonist and see what they’d do. Talk him to death? Cut and run? Reality!

ARTHUR S. PEALE

West Hartford

On behalf of Vermont Volunteer Services for Animals Humane Society, I’d like to thank Home Depot for its very generous donation of 24 infrared thermometers. All vehicles at the Hartford Police Department, Windsor County Sheriff’s Office, and the Woodstock Police Department are now equipped with their own temperature gauge. Four Hartford residents also kindly donated these devices to four of their favorite officers.

Knowing that the temperature in cars rises dramatically in the sun in a matter of minutes, and that “cracking” windows does nothing to help circulate air, children and animals have suffered and died when not rescued immediately. Home Depot’s donations will very likely save lives.

We are especially thankful to Home Depot employees Maryann Kenney and Lynn Bazilbhuk, who presented the donation to the officers, for their time, energy and enthusiasm.

Together, we truly do make a difference.

SUE SKASKIW

Bridgewater

The writer is executive director of Vermont Volunteer Services for Animals Humane Society.

With the passage of the New Hampshire budget, Granite Staters got a reminder of what has been clear for years: Far from being a moderate, Gov. Chris Sununu is an extreme, right-wing partisan. Sununu jammed extreme, ideological measures through our state’s budget process, like siphoning money away from our public schools, interfering with the relationship between a woman and her doctor with extreme measures like mandating ultrasounds, jeopardizing funding for women’s health care and threatening doctors with jail time.

This isn’t new territory for the governor, though. In February, he opposed the American Rescue Plan and with it, the expanded Child Tax Credit, a tax credit now providing relief to almost 90% of New Hampshire’s children.

If the kind of extreme, partisan politics practiced by Sununu sounds familiar, it’s because we have seen it practiced for over a decade in Washington by Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., now the Senate minority leader.

By jamming through these extreme and polarizing policies with no regard for the consequences to people’s lives, Sununu is clearly taking his cues from McConnell.

New Hampshire doesn’t need McConnell and his brand of partisan, obstructionist politics. We deserve leaders who listen to Granite Staters. We don’t need them taking pages from the McConnell playbook.

VIRGINIA O. IRWIN

Newport, N.H.

The writer is a former member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives.