Letters To The Editor: Dec. 21, 2023

A Traitor And Abomination

Editor:

The following is the oath of office that every president of the United States has recited as the official start of their presidency:

"I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of the President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

President Donald Trump incited the mob that invaded the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Presidential candidate Donald Trump has stated that he wants to terminate parts of the Constitution, and has parroted the sick and twisted barbaric dictator Adolf Hitler by calling his opponents "vermin."

At a recent town hall campaign event in Iowa, presidential candidate Donald Trump stated that he will not be a dictator "except for day one."

Donald Trump continues to betray his country and is beyond abominable.

Mike Rice

South Wellfleet

Thanks Harwich, Again!

Editor:

On behalf of the Guild of Harwich Artists, I thank the wonderful town of Harwich and our visitors for supporting our 11th annual Holiday Ornament Sale. This fall we sold over 220 hand-painted miniature ornaments at our Art Gallery at 551 Main St., Harwich Port. Net proceeds will be split between the Harwich Children's Fund and the Children's Center.

In this manner the Guild, now in our 43rd year, demonstrates our continuing commitment to art and community. For more information visit our website, guildofharwichartists.org.

Michael Rudden, president

Guild of Harwich Artists

Dismayed Over Sewer Delay

Editor:

I am writing to express my dismay with Orleans backpedaling on the commitment to complete the sewer systems as promised by extending the completion date to 2067. This is simply a poor decision which seems to be an extension of all the backpedaling and years of delay by previous select boards that have already delayed this project dramatically. The fire station and library, as necessary as they may be, are effectively immediate gratification for those of us here today at the expense of future generations.

Alan George

Orleans

Get Priorities Straight

Editor:

Does it seem like some of the Cape's local officials are out of step with their community's actual needs?

Across the Cape, our infrastructure is crumbling, bridges are falling apart, and water quality is degrading. Yet town taxes continue to rise, and living here has become markedly less affordable.

I've learned that Falmouth officials want to spend tens of millions of dollars on a government-owned broadband network. This despite the fact that there are perfectly good private companies in the business of providing broadband services. It’s a shame that supporters of this massive expenditure would rather attack a group raising those concerns, Mass Priorities, than actually address those concerns in their own right.

Let’s call on our local officials to get their priorities straight and dump the idea of implementing a government-owned broadband network. We need better roads and bridges and infrastructure in general — not another taxpayer burden.

Barbara Matteson

Chatham

Museum Event Highlights Role

Editor:

On Dec. 14, the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History held a fundraising event at Ocean Edge in Brewster. The museum was guaranteed a successful event by the outstanding generosity of Ocean Edge in donating all of the meals for the attendees. This was impressive and resulted in a significant donation to the museum.

All of the businesses and institutions along Route 6A in Brewster are vital to the economy of the town, but one only needs to drive past the museum on a rainy summer day to realize the importance of our museum of natural history to Brewster as well as the whole Cape.

The museum used the event to honor two individuals for outstanding environmental contributions on the Cape: Susan Finnegan for her many years of bird banding on Wing Island, and Fran Smith for his many years of restoration work on the Quashnet River in Falmouth. In addition, the museum presented plans for a more vital role on Cape Cod by incorporating exciting new programs for all its visitors, especially children.

It was interesting to observe that in spite of all that Ocean Edge and the museum committed to this event, not one select board member or town official was present — sad.

Joseph Swaluk

Brewster

A Stroll Well Done

Editor:

The first-ever Orleans Holiday Stroll on Dec. 15 was a wonderful event which my friends and I enjoyed so much. It was amazing that the women of the small business committee were able to accomplish this with the participation of all the businesses in town, all open for those late hours, all offering food and drinks, discounts on purchases, and many with music. The whole evening was magical, and the town of Orleans looked like a fairyland, so beautifully lit and decorated. I certainly hope this will be an annual tradition. Thanks to those owners for a job well done.

Anne Tufts

Brewster

Impact of Citizen Action

Editor:

The crucial impact of citizen action was highlighted recently at the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History’s “Nature’s Night” dinner. Over 150 people were on hand to see the Friends of Wing Island (FOWI) receive a Nature’s Ambassador award for their successful efforts to stop the town of Brewster from building a large-scale boardwalk over Quivett Marsh to Wing Island.

Inspired by Liz Perry, a local artist, by the slogan “Stop the Boardwalk, Save Wing Island,” hundreds of local residents came together to organize community forums, put up signs along Route 6A, pass out flyers and engage with the community at the post office and dump. They went door to door to get the 200 signatures needed to call a special town meeting to bring the issue to a vote. Held on March 6, 800 people came to that meeting to set an attendance record and to overwhelmingly vote against the project.

The result is far more than an unsightly boardwalk across the much loved and iconic Quivett Marsh. It means the protection of Wing Island as a habitat for wildlife and the hundreds of birds who use it as a life-saving stopover on their long-distance migrations north and south. This is well documented by Sue Finnegan and her bird banding team for over 20 years.

Together, we won a victory of crucial and historic importance for preserving nature.

Mary O’Neil

Brewster

Co-op A Great Opportunity

Editor:

Regarding the Dec. 14 article “Co-op Seeks To Buy Herb Shop Property:”

The 15-acre diverse property for sale where Great Cape Herbs is located in the heart of Brewster, also named the Great Cape Tiny Village, is a healing sanctuary for not only nature and animals, but for anyone who wishes to walk in peace or sit while drinking a cup of coffee. The Great Cape Co-op was established to preserve the land and maintain the availability of that atmosphere in a time of over-development and loss of green space. There has been a lot of controversy and confusion over the past two years about this property and I am glad to see it finally being reported accurately.

The concept of a co-op has taken me several months to understand. It basically is a community of people who have equal shares in a vision and together decide how to manage a property. It is a private corporation (LLC) with a board and officers elected by the share owner/members.

The Great Cape Co-op mission is to have this property remain private, but be open to the public to use and connect with nature. An individual's investment not only saves the beauty and charm of this land, there is the possibility of monetary gains in the future, which can go to purchase other places to protect and preserve.

Being part of the co-op connects you with how the property will be in the future (a health center, arboretum, healing plants/garden classes, wetlands conservation, stage for outdoor events, areas for children to nature play, etc. are just some ideas). I believe becoming a member of Great Cape Co-op is investing in the future of Cape Cod and letting a part of it remain as is.

Debera First

Harwich

An Inappropriate Wish?

Editor:

I was appalled to read that Michael Franco wants Santa to give him a BB gun like that of Ralphie’s from “A Christmas Story.” How sad that so many years later a gun is an unfulfilled wish. Hopefully Santa will be in his life but with something more appropriate.

Lynn Landy

Chatham