Introducing Rocket for Hartford Selectboard

I’m writing regarding my candidacy for Hartford Selectboard.

I hear that people are curious, and I understand why. Who is Rocket? Is this a prank? Who is this person? I’d have the same questions!

In 2015, I legally changed my name to Rocket from Ryan Kim. There’s a longer explanation, but the short version is simply: I believe in freedom! I’ll happily explain further in another forum.

My motivation for running for Hartford Selectboard is simple: I want to be a productive citizen. Though I only moved to town from Addison County last year, I feel qualified and ready to make a positive difference.

My parents are small business owners, so I know how foundational the local economy is to our community. I have entrepreneurial experience, and I studied economics and served on the Finance Committee at Middlebury College. I’m now studying at Vermont Law, where I chair the State Relations Committee and am again on the Finance Committee. I feel confident that I have the right skills to competently contribute.

More importantly, I’m empathetic and believe there’s much wisdom in hearing the perspectives of people from all walks of life. I’m a Korean-American who identifies as a conservative-leaning moderate. (Surprising, I know!) My partner and adopted son are white, multigenerational Vermonters. My social community spans the political spectrum.

I’ve ridden my 250cc Honda Rebel solo across America. I’ve hitchhiked from Burlington to Los Angeles and from Miami to Seattle. I’ve been part of a black family reunion in Louisiana and shot Tannerite-packed toilets in Glendive, Montana. These experiences have taught me that people are natively good. We often want the same things — we just fall into bad patterns that hold us back from meaningful conversations.

My goal is to serve Hartford by being a good listener. I’m here for the general benefit of this community, to model contributory citizenship for my son and to be a good person and neighbor.

Thank you for considering me for Selectboard. I hope to have the honor of serving Hartford and am grateful for the opportunity.

Rocket

White River Junction

Belated thank-you to Paul Keane

I’ve been meaning to write this letter to the editor for years. I think the year was 2014, the 40th anniversary of the Kent State shootings: I wanted to thank Paul Keane for such a heart-wrenching article about his experience at Kent State. I kept thinking “I’ve got to write a letter” as I read more and more of his wonderful stories. Then in Thursday’s paper I was so pleased to see Mr. Keane address Neil Young and his stance against Joe Rogan and Spotify (“Generations later, Young still worth a listen,” Feb. 17). So sorry for such a long delay in conveying my appreciation of Paul Keane!

Rebecca Leake

Norwich

Latest NH voting maps disempower everyone

We have all heard much about redistricting recently, but I wonder if people have realized what this means for all of us in both parties. In the case of the congressional race, it would actually remove any impact we as individuals might have made with our vote.

If the two new congressional districts are designed to make sure that one goes to Republicans and one to Democrats, it will mean that our own votes become essentially pointless. In the 1st Congressional District the Democrats can’t win, and in the 2nd Congressional District the Republicans know they will lose. All suspense and uncertainty is lost.

We vote because we believe that each person’s vote could make a difference, has value and is important. If we know we cannot possibly change the outcome, why should we vote?

Please call or write to the governor to veto this redistricting and leave our districts competitive.

Elizabeth Knox

Grantham

Israel must be held accountable

The New Hampshire Legislature is currently debating a Concurrent Resolution (HCR7), “Reaffirming support for the nation of Israel and the location of the embassy of the United States therein.” Predictably, opponents of the resolution have been accused of antisemitism. Nothing could be further from the truth. HCR7 is the result of a well-funded Israeli political action campaign, in the interests of the Israeli government, in a desperate attempt to gather support in the face of growing international outrage at Israel’s apartheid policies. Opposition to a violent, repressive regime is not antisemitic. As members of the Jewish community in New Hampshire, we strongly oppose HCR7.

We call on your readers and our legislators to educate themselves about what is really going on in Israel/Palestine and bring to their attention the recently released report from Amnesty International, “Israel’s apartheid against Palestinians: Cruel system of domination and crime against humanity.” This report provides extensive legal documentation of the brutal reality of Israel’s apartheid regime over Palestinians and offers key recommendations on how the international community should respond. It must hold the Israeli government accountable. This latest contribution to the growing body of work by both Palestinian and Israeli rights groups, and the United Nations, offers vital proof of the systematic nature of Israel’s oppression of Palestinians. It also demonstrates that Israeli laws and policies are designed specifically to deprive Palestinians of their rights. The report can be found at https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde15/5141/2022/en/.

It shows that the Israeli state is irrefutably an apartheid regime. The New Hampshire Legislature should not endorse apartheid. We expect our representatives to support lasting peace, rooted in justice for both Palestinians and Israelis. We urge the members of our legislature to reject HCR7 as a first step on the right path.

Sharon Racusin
and Daisy Goodman

Hanover

Sharon Racusin and
Daisy Goodman are members
of Jewish Voice for Peace,
Vermont/New Hampshire.

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