Editor:

In rural areas like Congressional Districts 23 and 24, farmers rely on undocumented immigrants, especially year-round operations like dairy farmers, because those workers are largely ineligible for the H-2A visas.

While immigration was one of the major issues Republicans campaigned on last year, they have not proposed any comprehensive plans. Farmers want legal farm workers; they want changes to the immigration process.

Republicans like Claudia Tenney and Nick Langworthy vote against all reforms. Instead, they push enforcement and punishment. Newsweek reported (9/8/25) that Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids are putting an $8 billion farming business in New York at risk.

Democrats have proposed legislation to fix our broken immigration system. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) has proposed H.R. 3227 Farmworker Modernization Act of 2025. This act would provide a legal status for farm workers, protecting them from deportation and providing a stable labor force for the employers. It also streamlines and expands the H-2a visas to include year-round jobs and reduces bureaucratic delays.

Arizona Senator Rubin Gallego proposed the Securing the Border and Fueling Economic Prosperity Act in May this year. This act would bolster border patrol staffing and the use of advanced technology for drug detection.

Additionally, the legislation would overhaul the asylum system and address the root causes of migration. Our Congressional Representatives continue to squash immigration reform. They will not address the issue of immigration because having a campaign slogan is more important to our Republican representatives than solving real issues facing their constituents.

William Fine

Brockport

Editor:

When Charlie Kirk died and his wife forgave the killer, according to the New York Times, Marjorie Taylor Greene (MTG) heard all the angry words striking out right and left which surrounded her and learned what it was to forgive again. She was reminded of the teachings of her faith. Leading with a spear and living in a state of constant hate is not normal.

I know that I’m a normal person because I do a lot of grocery shopping. I’ve been saying for a long time that prices are going to be going up with tariffs and putting more of the cost on the backs of ordinary people. Someone who installs gold toilets in the White House and tries to shout people like me down – saying everything is more affordable can’t persuade me that my eyes deceive me.

Things are only more affordable for the rapidly expanding cohort of the very rich billionaires this administration has now proven it actually serves. That is not normal.  It’s normal in a real Democracy like ours was for our American government to look out for all of us.

I see bullies all the time, and those gold toilets don’t make a darn bit of difference when it comes to the truth. It’s little different than when normal people in ancient Israel listened and learned it was wrong to bow down to golden idols. Sometimes you just know it. Sometimes you have to see it yourself first.

Another thing that was reported about Margaret Taylor Green is that she and staff were on speakerphone with the White House when she was told that the Epstein files were being slow walked because it would hurt “my friends.”

I wrote till I was blue in the face that the Rule of Law was being ignored. She apparently also came to realize that excuses which pass the blame or are good for friends are not the same as justice for the victims of pedophiles. Very good sounding-off-the-cuff excuses are not the same as carefully considered application of the Rule of Law to dispense justice.

In the end it appears MTG remembered what America is about when she heard the unvarnished truth shouted in anger over that speakerphone. For her it was a good example of the proverb we learned as kids: “the truth will out.”

Recently a person wrote: “Somewhere in America, a young Hispanic girl is hiding in an attic, writing a diary.” I think it’s clear that there are a lot of good people in this country who are now taking mental notes out of concern or fear. Obviously all of us concerned about higher prices. For that Hispanic girl maybe getting her day in Court. But mental notes are being made by voting poll workers, National Guardsmen illegally deployed to do police work, parents whose infants can not get measle shots, people denied the cancer vaccine which was in late stage approvals, people with 2X medical premiums (a senior, mine were 4x), farmers with lost sales. In fact by all whose lives Project 2025 said would be displaced or destroyed. Whether or not the White House read it, the primary author of that tome is in the cabinet and it’s clear every cabinet member is aware of its marching orders.

Finally Greene observed war is always a way to hold onto power. International law has always been clear that boarding another country’s ships is an act of war. But more than that as a normal person it scares me stiff when I hear Putin’s twisted claims being repeated by our White House, fully expecting that free people will ever surrender on Putin’s terms. MTG is right to think this is an administration that invites more war on several fronts.

I hope this is a year when more people like MTG demand normalcy. A year when all realize what’s good and decent and speak out and act – hopefully with every one joining together to throw slings like David used to kill Goliath. A year all step up each day all the way to the ballot box in November. And a year which ends with some rest, renewed friendship and a real start of our return to normalcy in 2028.

Respectfully,

Conrad F. Cropsey

Barre

Editor:

This past Friday evening and Saturday morning I had the opportunity to volunteer to ring the bell for the Salvation Army Red Kettle at our local Albion Tops.

This is a Thank You to all of you who donated your hard-earned money, whether it was a few dollars or change, towards those who are not as fortunate.

In this time of “affordability” your sharing goes to show the spirit of giving that is alive and well in our community.

A Thank You also goes out to Jami Allport of Genesee Orleans Ministry of Concern to promote this annual event. For those of you who would like to volunteer next year, just give Genesee Orleans Ministry of Concern a call and ask. You will find it heartwarming as well.

Jim Pratt

Albion

Editor:

After the election of Donald Trump, a year ago, I wrote a letter that I titled “Hate Won.” A year ago, I could only write about his hateful campaign promises; now I can write how he has fulfilled those promises.

The Trump administration has used racial profiling to make very public, aggressive arrests using excessive force by masked officers, in full tactical gear, including the use of military helicopters, to apprehend and deport people (including U.S. citizens) without due process.

Dressing officers in full tactical gear, purposefully using excessive force to make violent public arrests are done to dehumanize people. Officers wear masks to prevent accountability for using cruel and excessive force in violation of our Constitution and the law.

The leader of the Republican Party has called entire communities garbage, an ugly and hateful expression. Not one Republican has objected. It is obvious they revel in harming, subjugating and dispossessing those they consider the wrong race, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation.

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney and Congressman Nick Langworthy support the dehumanization of immigrants. Ms. Tenney, in fact wants to put an image of Mr. Trump on Mr. Rushmore for his policies of racism and hate.

William Fine

Brockport

Editor:

The Orleans County Veterans Affairs deserve thanks for providing a wonderful event  on Tuesday night at the White Birch.

Honoring so many Orleans County  veterans with this kind of event is a great way of thanking these veterans who gave years of service. Many were never recognized or honored in the past.

Please continue because these veterans are very grateful.

Jeanne Crane

Waterport

Editor:

It has been an honor to serve our community as Orleans County District Attorney and lead the office in overseeing hundreds of cases in local and county courts including the Integrated Domestic Violence Court, Drug Court, Youth and Family Court.

Our lean staff is active 365 days a year participating in arraignments on new arrests to follow due process, provide justice and keep our community safe.

We have hundreds of cases pending in local courts and many active indictments in County Court. That doesn’t include all of the traffic cases we prosecute for our ten towns across Orleans County.

That’s why it’s so frustrating when Governor Hochul and state legislative leaders ask local prosecutors like us to do more with less.

The recent pressure of criminal justice reforms coming from the State Capital have made it even harder to carry out our mission. Mandates like discovery reform are usually unfunded and can cause serious delays in our ability to prosecute crime and secure favorable outcomes in a timely manner.

I applaud the Orleans County Legislature for unanimously passing a resolution calling on Albany to reform our state’s discovery laws. That’s an important step in telling our state government that we’re struggling to keep up with their unrealistic demands.

But we must also prioritize public safety right here at home and focus on what we can control.

This year, a critical Assistant District Attorney position was cut from the Orleans County budget. That prosecutor handled several justice courts, assisted in presenting cases to the grand jury, and oversaw the supervision of investigations being conducted by law enforcement for cases not yet arrested.

In fact, we recently recruited a young, highly experienced felony prosecutor who could have been a wonderful asset to our community. Sadly, the budget no longer funds this position.

I understand the need to keep taxes low and be responsible stewards of local tax dollars. We certainly shouldn’t take any cues from Albany or New York City on how to properly spend a dollar wisely. However, it’s incumbent upon our local officials to act accordingly when Albany politicians create an already burdensome system to make sure we have the proper tools to be successful.

It comes down to wants versus needs.

The District Attorney’s office needs to be available to assist law enforcement with oversight and advice for investigations, search warrants and subpoenas.

We need to be available for witnesses, victims, other agencies, and County Departments like the Sheriff’s Office’s newly-convened Threat Assessment Committee (TAC).

We need to reestablish this critical role in the District Attorney’s office so our staff can effectively seek justice for victims and hold accountable those who do harm.

When I took my oath of office, I pledged to uphold the Constitution and work tirelessly to secure justice and be an advocate for Orleans County residents. I will keep fighting for those values and our community.

Susan Howard

District Attorney of Orleans County

Editor:

Orleans County budget information recently appeared in the Orleans Hub, stating that the legislature has projected a $1,600,000 increase in sales tax revenue for next year (2026). The County expects to collect about 25 million dollars in sales tax revenue this year, with an increase driven primarily by inflated costs for everything we buy, resulting in a sharply increased tax revenue windfall for the County to spend.

Similarly, higher prices caused NY State to collect more sales tax revenue this year than was previously expected. Many residents in the State received refund checks to compensate them for this windfall of revenue.

Governor Hochul chose to “give back” a portion of this money to residents, because it was the right thing to do, rather than to “price gouge” residents by keeping it. We all know how costly it has become to live in NY State, especially for seniors and struggling, young families.

Our legislators were all voted back in, perhaps because they are doing a good job and often choose to do right by the people that elected them. If Governor Hochul is doing right for the people of New York State by “giving back,” perhaps she is setting a good example that might compel our County Legislators to do the same.

Winter is very tough on everyone living in Orleans County. Ever increasing utility bills must be paid to provide for basic necessities, such as heat and lights, together with the cost of operating appliances for preparing meals and washing clothes.

Wouldn’t it be a wonderful gift in 2026, if the County Legislators chose to “give back” to the people of Orleans County, by removing the 4% sales tax it collects on residential utilities paid by residents? New York State does not charge sales tax on residential utility bills. Why must the County impose them when sales tax revenue is up by millions of dollars? Paying taxes on utilities causes much of the hardship felt by so many residents. Everyone would benefit!

Sales tax revenue in Orleans County is ever increasing, much like the sales tax collected by New York State. Governor Hochul has “given back” excess funds to New York residents. Isn’t it time for County Legislators to finally do the right thing and “give back” to County residents what was overcharged due to inflation? Are these Legislators comfortable with “price gouging” the people that put them in office? I should hope not!

Sales tax revenue has been a “cash cow” for ever increasing County spending (over $100 million dollars for 2026), causing budgets to balloon year after year because so much money is available to them. They will tell you that more than 90% of the taxes are mandatory by NY State. Perhaps we need to let them know that it is time to push back on our behalf, instead of functioning as a vehicle to carry out NY State mandates.

Except for one legislator, who is a very sensible Democrat, all of the legislators are Republicans. Why are they so willing to behave like state Democrats when it comes to the mismanagement of NY State finances? Are they truly Republicans? Perhaps we need a reset in the Legislature to elect people who will serve as our representatives to benefit Orleans County residents, rather than NY State.

If all the legislators decided to remove the sales tax on utilities for residents ended up having a smaller pot of revenue, they could always raise the county tax bills that are paid in January of each year. Or, they could raise the fees you pay to the County every time you register your motor vehicle. I would hope they would not consider either of those options. Reducing spending is the correct solution to keep government in check.

Removing the sales tax paid on utilities would enable legislators to proudly say they “did the right thing” to lower the tax burden and increase the quality of life for residents of Orleans County! This will help insure when it comes time for re-election, there will be a greater likelihood that voters will remember what the legislators had done for them (returning the over charged sales tax revenue and not “gouging” them) when it is time to cast their vote.

Voting for representatives who will work for you to make your life better here in Orleans County should be the primary concern for all who vote. We must demand that legislators, elected to represent the “people of Orleans County” actually work to benefit residents first and foremost, not just to enrich our financially irresponsible state government or to increase the size of our county government when elected.

Gary Deiboldt

Albion

Editor:

President Donald Trump recently pardoned Orlando Hernandez, the former President of Honduras who was serving a 45-year prison term in a US prison.

Hernandez was convicted in a U.S. court of taking millions of dollars in bribes to allow traffickers to move 400 tons of cocaine to the U.S.

Why did Trump pardon him? Perhaps someone from the Orleans Republican Party can help us understand.

Jack Capurso

Albion HS Class of 1960

Ashburn, Va.

Editor:

Elmira in the 1970s: Retired Police Chief Eugene “Gene” Golden, my father,  walked up to Karam’s Corner Grocery Store.  A newly formed SWAT team, in armor, were deploying to rush a home. Dad approached the officer in charge, “What’s going on Joe?”

“John Smith (alias) is threatening to shoot up the neighborhood with his shot gun.”

“I know John. He’s mentally ill. Let me try to talk with him.”

“Are you sure?” responded Joe. Dad assured him that it would be OK.

Dad knocked on the door, “John, it’s Gene Golden.”

John opened the door.

Seeing an open beer on the table, “John, are you going to invite me in for a beer, or what?”

John reluctantly did. The shotgun was on the table. They talked.

After a few minutes, John had surrendered the gun to Dad and walked outside with him. He       went peacefully with the police.

Several months later, in Elmira, the SWAT team surrounded a housing project in center town. The situation was similar. They sent in a robot. Then they stormed the place. One police officer was shot and killed.

It came out, after months of investigation, that the officer had been killed by “friendly” fire.

My father, admittedly was a big man, great athlete in his youth and had arrested many violent people, including, forcibly a famous serial killer, Freddie Wood. He contended that  “a police officer shouldn’t have to draw his gun more than a few times in his career.”

Interestingly in about 1993, Jerry Orbach, a police detective on Law and Order, said much the same thing. (By the way, I see Law and Order as being the most fair, respectful and realistic show on police and prosecution. In my opinion, most others are not respectful to police.)

It’s hard to know how many police officers are injured and killed by “friendly fire.” (There are innocent bystander victims as well.) Not all police departments share statistics with the FBI.  And like the banks, schools, Catholic and other churches, Boy Scouts, there’s a tendency to hide problems. Example: with NFL footballer/soldier Pat Tillman, the Army withheld that he’d been the victim of “friendly fire.”

I worked in criminal justice from 1959 to 2007 for 2 counties, NY State and Genesee Hospital Domestic Violence Program. I disarmed several violent men and physically intervened in domestic violent instances, among most dangerous for police to answer. In all instances, I controlled the situations without needing to use force. Police and Probation were called “Peace Officers.”

I recently heard a speech by the head of Police Training for New York State. He calls police “warriors.”  Who are we at war with – fellow citizens and humans? Fellow police? Studies show that police commit crime at about the same rate as average Americans.

We now know that to be true about priests, other clergy, bank and school employees.  Various studies show that major corporations have committed at least 5 felonies, another that 91% have committed at least two, that they were caught at.

The upper classes and connected get different results than the poor and worker classes.  Quality of defense lawyers and ability to afford expensive defense and get bailed out makes a huge difference, as well as preferential treatment.

In my opinion we expect the impossible from police and fail to support them.

In the past, our current president blocked many safety procedures that would have protected police and made their job safer and more doable:

1. He illegally purged 500,000 violent fringe folks from justice records.
2. Suspended rule that would have prohibited mentally ill from having guns.
3. Barred Social Security from sharing info on mental illness.
4. Halted required child safety devices on guns.
5. Deregulated exportation of “assault” weapons.

“Warriors” or Peace Officers?  I asked my sister, Rosanne Leach, who’s worked as a mental health nurse in the community and at Rochester State Hospital, whether she’d ever worried about our father coming home from work in his 34 years. We both agreed we hadn’t.

Police training now seems to make a mantra out of its dangers. Police work is more dangerous than a lot of jobs. But many other jobs are more dangerous, notably construction and farming.

By the way, Eugene F. Golden was named “New York State Police Chief of the Year” in 1962, among other awards for his leadership in the field.

My father and I say “Peace Officers.”

Robert E. Golden

Kent

Golden, a former Orleans County Director of Probation and member of NYS Probation Commission, worked 43 years in criminal justice. He plans to follow up with a series of articles on police, including the difficult and even impossible expectations we, the public have.

Editor:

District members, please take note that it is my intention to run for the office of Fire Commissioner for the Albion Joint Fire District, which has a term of 5 years.

I would like to highlight my qualifications for this position. I served on the Executive Board at the Town of Niagara Active Hose fire company for four years, along with holding the Fire Lieutenant position for two years simultaneously.

I have over 400 NYS fire training hours and served six years as an active status firefighter for one of the busiest fire departments in Niagara County. After 7 years in Niagara County, my family and I purchased our home in the village of Albion and returned to Orleans County. I am a local native, born and raised in Albion, and graduated from Charles D’Amico High School in 2011.

As the position fire commissioner is an unpaid elected position, I will be maintaining my full-time role as I am a Project Manager/Estimator for a fire protection company. My duties as described entail people and project management, inventory management, contract review, contract negotiating, sales, and estimating based on NFPA requirements and NYS Fire codes/Building codes.

Additionally, I am also responsible for finding material and items needed at fair pricing, working with subcontractors, assembling purchase orders, working with our billing team to ensure invoices are accurate, and reviewing our division’s operating numbers month to month. All the above will translate well into the fire commissioner role.

I hope to have your support in the election, on Tuesday, December 9, from 6 to 9 p.m. at Hoag Library 134 S Main St., Albion.

Derek Howes

Albion

Editor:

On December 13th at 5:30 p.m., the heart of Barre will once again glow with a warmth that no winter chill can diminish.

Now in its 8th year, the Barre Tractor Parade has grown into a charming holiday tradition.  A celebration not just of the season, but of community, creativity and the rural roots of Barre.

At a time of year when holiday events can feel increasingly commercial, Barre’s Tractor Parade stands proudly apart. It doesn’t rely on a grand budget.

Instead, it draws its magic from the hands of local farmers, families and businesses who transform their hard working tractors into rolling works of art, draped in twinkling lights and bursting with personality. A reminder that the most meaningful traditions are often the ones we build together.

More than a light parade, it reflects the heart of Barre itself. Neighbors gathering, children and adults bundled up and generations sharing stories of their favorite tractor.

Join us at 5:30 pm on December 13th for another year of bright lights, shared laughter and a town that continues to shine from the inside out.

Respectfully submitted,

Betsy Miller

Barre Betterment Committee

Editor:

I read with grave interest your recent article, “Central Hall will be vacated by county and put on market – County Historian to move to space next to Subway in Albion.”

As someone who served as Orleans County Historian from 2015 to 2020, and who worked extensively in Central Hall during that time, I feel compelled to provide additional context about the building, its history of use, and the implications of this relocation.

When I began my tenure, Central Hall was fully occupied. The County Treasurer occupied the main floor, Information Technology used the second floor, and the Historian’s Office was relegated to the basement. That basement space was barely temperature controlled; winter workdays often meant running space heaters to reach the low 60s. There was no humidity control.

These conditions—combined with the historian’s cramped “office” and lack of proper storage—resulted in collections being scattered between the basement and the attic. Decades of inadequate environmental controls inevitably led to damage to those resources.

Over recent years, the county has had several opportunities to correct this. The addition to the County Administrative Building could have provided a more secure, accessible space for the Historian’s Office—either within the new footprint or in the vacated third floor of the County Clerk’s Office, which offered elevator access and immediate proximity to other historical records.

Later, thanks to the unwavering support of Legislators John DeFilipps and Ken DeRoller, the unused second floor of Central Hall was slated for renovation for the historian’s use in late 2019. COVID-19 delayed progress, and my departure in 2020 meant I never saw that effort reach completion. Legislator Fred Miller also deserves recognition as the lone dissenting vote in the recent 6–1 decision and for his support of local history.

Another chance came when the County Treasurer moved to the old Bank of America building on South Main Street. That transition could have allowed the Historian’s Office to shift into the main floor of Central Hall—a far more accessible space that included a secure vault, an invaluable asset for preserving rare and fragile collections. Even the entrance ramp would have offered a meaningful improvement over navigating the building’s stairs.

It is understandable that maintaining Central Hall—a building once fully occupied and now housing only one of its original three departments—represents a financial challenge. I was once told the deteriorating brickwork alone carried estimates north of $100,000 for repairs, and officials now project annual savings of $90,000 to $110,000 by selling the property. Those costs are real. But so is the opportunity.

Orleans County has long lacked a centralized, fully resourced hub for its municipal historians. Many municipal historians operate without offices and receive only modest stipends, leaving valuable local collections scattered in basements, attics, and closets across the county.

Central Hall, with thoughtful investment, could have become a collaborative, inclusive space—an accessible home for preserving, organizing, digitizing, and sharing the county’s history with residents and researchers far beyond our borders. Our heritage is uniquely rich and deeply connected to the broader story of New York State, the United States, and the world. It deserves a home that reflects that significance.

Perhaps a small gesture to offset sales tax gains?

Instead, the County Historian’s Office will now occupy a strip mall—a site built atop land once home to some of Albion’s most stately mansions. The symbolism is hard to ignore. At a moment when the county is celebrating its Bicentennial, and when our local historians remain among the most active, dedicated and community-engaged in the state, this decision feels particularly short-sighted.

Important questions also remain unaddressed:

• With historically significant collections housed in a plaza with food establishments, who will handle pest mitigation should mice, insects, or other pests be drawn to the paper-based materials?

• Will the county invest in appraising and insuring rare or valuable artifacts now that they are being moved into leased space?

• What assurances exist that the property owner will maintain the building if a roof leak, sewer issue, or fire in an adjacent unit threatens the collections?

• What are the projected property tax breaks for commercial properties that are partially “leased” to governmental agencies?

• And with projected savings from the sale of Central Hall, will the county reinvest even a portion of those savings (or proceeds from the sale) into better resourcing the Department of History, including appropriate compensation for the extensive off-hours work the role of County Historian requires?

Orleans County has benefited enormously from the dedication, expertise, and passion of its historians—often without providing the support and infrastructure such essential work deserves. As the county turns the page on Central Hall, I hope leaders will reflect on the broader cost of undervaluing the stewardship of our shared history.

Matthew R. Ballard

LeRoy, NY

Former Orleans County Historian (2015–2020)

Editor:

The nation needs more energy and something needs to be done. The current permitting process can take a decade to bring new energy sources online.

There are many solar, wind and battery storage projects waiting to be connected to the grid, but can’t be for lack of transmission capacity. Congress needs to update the permitting process through a comprehensive permitting reform bill.

This legislation would not increase the size of government, but it would reduce energy costs and increase the size of the economy by increasing the energy supply. I am hoping Congresswoman Tenney will co-sponsor a bill to do this.

We at Citizen’s Climate Lobby support real solutions that favor jobs, economic growth and enhance our global competitiveness.

As a lifelong Republican and a member of Citizen’s Climate Lobby, I know that Conservation is Conservative!

Rob Johnson

Medina

Editor:

I want to thank you and reporter Ginny Kropf for promoting and often attending our many programs scheduled each year to benefit the Cobblestone Society & Museum.

Ginny recently posted details of our upcoming December events before including responses to some additional questions she posed. She encouraged me to use this forum to share the answers, which she felt held merit for an additional communication with your followers.

Our “Simply Christmas” event scheduled for Saturday, December 6 at 11 a.m. is the third holiday program we’ve offered to the public in consecutive years. They have always included Christmas music, readings and/or stories.

Current trustee and treasurer Maarit Vaga initiated this holiday event with its deliberately chosen title so that from year to year the theme of the event could change.  Our first “Simply Christmas” program allowed Maarit to share traditions and customs from her Scandinavian heritage, with an emphasis on St. Lucia.

Last year St. Nicholas Day was the focus. This year in “Simply Christmas: A Community Musical Quilt” the spotlight is on locally talented individuals. Just as a beautiful quilt is the result of piecing together individual bits of fabric to make its design, the program’s variety of music – vocals, instrumental and sing-along – plus readings, will come together to kick off the Christmas season for the audience in a delightfully entertaining way!

I am super excited by the skill level of the various performers that will participate. Of note, Aaron Grabowski (baritone, Director of Music/Holy Trinity), Susan Walders (alto, flutist with E-Yah-Pah-Hah Wind Quintet), Bradeen Walders Erakare (soprano) and husband Sebastian Erakare (tenor) are teaming up as a quartet to perform Riu Riu Chiu, a Spanish Renaissance Christmas madrigal, sung unaccompanied.

All are welcome at the Cobblestone Church to celebrate the season.

Sue Bonafini, Assistant Director

Cobblestone Society & Museum

Editor:

News of the My Lai incident broke in November 1969, during my tour of duty in Vietnam.  The My Lai incident happened March 16th, 1968, in Quang Ngai province when members of the 23rd (Americal) Division killed between 347 to 504 women, children and elderly unarmed civilians. It was a war crime.

While some in the military tried to white-wash it, the Vietnamese knew what had happened. It made winning the hearts and minds of the Vietnamese citizens more difficult. And it contributed to the American public’s attitude in opposition to the war.  Returning soldiers, such as myself, were shunned and tainted as drug-addled murderers.

My tour of duty in Vietnam was from July 1969 to July 1970 with the 101st Infantry Division in Thua Thien and Quang Tri Provinces. Most of our operations were in the jungles of the Annamite Mountains, with very limited operations around villages.

My unit did not kill civilians, nor did we kill friendly soldiers, (South Vietnam soldiers). However, I know the intense hatred of the enemy, the rage and anger and desire for revenge. I know how atrocities happen. I also know the moral injury suffered by those of us who killed enemy soldiers.

The oath taken by members of the military includes: “I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So, help me God.” The Uniform Code of Military Justice states explicitly that this requirement does not apply to “patently illegal orders.”

In Nov. 1969, when news of the My Lai massacre broke, my unit commander called us together and made it clear to all of us, officers and enlisted, that orders to kill civilians are illegal and not to be followed. Furthermore, he made it clear that orders to kill unarmed P.O.W.’s is illegal.

It is also manifestly unlawful to issue orders or follow such orders to kill unarmed fishermen. While the administration has stated that those targeted are drug smugglers, they have offered no evidence to support that claim. They have offered no evidence that they are armed, or intend to smuggle drugs, if they have any, into the U.S.

There is no evidence that the occupants of those boats threaten in any manner, shape or form the U.S. We are not at war with Venezuela. Following “patently illegal orders,” and killing without due process diminishes how our allies view us and gives our enemies fodder.

It shakes the foundations that America stands for ideals and that the law is king not arbitrary capricious whims of those in power. Finally, it diminishes how we feel about ourselves, as citizens living in a democracy.

William Fine

Brockport