Letters to Editor
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- Written by Mark Richards
- Category: Letters to Editor
Published in the Suburban Trends, February 28, 2018
In the wake of the school shooting in Florida, it is disturbing to see the uninformed masses out there demanding more gun laws.
It is more than a reminiscent of the civilian population of Germany in the early 1930s demanding "law and order" and a strong government and leader to "save" Germany from the political violence in the streets that was occurring at the time.
A certain political leader did emerge at that time and I think we all know who that was!
There are approximately 300 million guns in private citizens hands, yet only a miniscule fraction of those are ever used in a crime or mass shooting, clearly gun ownership is not the problem.
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- Written by Mark Richards
- Category: Letters to Editor
Originally published in the Suburban Trends, 12/13/2017
Regarding "Take time on legalizing marijuana" (Suburban Trends, Editorial, Dec. 10):
Why are so many in the journalism profession timid and lukewarm about defending individual liberty on all issues? A case in point would be the editorial in which you urge caution in repealing laws against marijuana in New Jersey.
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- Written by Mark Richards
- Category: Letters to Editor
This letter was published in The Record, 12/6/2017
In the Dec. 5 edition of The Record, a letter appeared in which the writer insinuates that Libertarianism is somehow part and parcel of conservative Republican politics. Most Republicans I know are just as hostile towards the Libertarian pro-freedom viewpoint as Democrats on the left are. Neither group thinks that individuals should be allowed to make their own choices in life with regard to personal freedom or economic freedom. To their way of thinking, we exist to serve the greater collective; this is the basis for every authoritarian and totalitarian ideology that has ever blighted human history.
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- Written by Mark Richards
- Category: Letters to Editor
This letter was published in The Record, 11/23/2017
Judge Ray Moore of Alabama calls himself a Constitutionalist; if so, his copy of it doesn't resemble the one I have in front of me as I write this. Where is the government granted power to decide who can fall in love and be married or what substances you may put into your body? Like most "social conservatives," Moore has disdain for personal civil liberties that he doesn't approve of.
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- Written by Murray Sabrin
- Category: Letters to Editor
Published in The Record, November 17th
Regarding: “If you want services, pay taxes” (The Record: Your Views, Nov. 15):
The letter writer asserts that people should stop complaining about taxes because they – taxes – pay for schools, police, garbage, pickup etc., but commits an egregious misconception about these services. Namely, that they must be paid for by using coercion, which is the essence of taxation.
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- Written by Jay Edgar
- Category: Letters to Editor
Imagine a horse race where the faster horses are given a head start. This is how New Jersey elections are run. The incumbent politicians have given themselves advantages in elections and have paid for it with your tax dollars.
As of October 12th, Democrat Phil Murphy has received $7.4 million in public funds, Republican Kim Guadagno has received just under $2.1 million in public funds. Libertarian candidate, Peter Rohrman, has not received any public funds. NJ’s matching fund program allows candidates to be given $2 from public funds for every dollar they raise. Candidates from other political parties and independent candidates are excluded by setting a minimum level of $430 thousand that must be raised to qualify for the program. The more successful your campaign, the more money you get from the government. In true Orwellian newspeak, NJ Election Law Enforcement Commission Chair, Jeff Brindle, says that these funds allow those who qualify to “mount competitive campaigns”.
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- Written by Mark Richards
- Category: Letters to Editor
This letter was published in The Record, 10/4/2017
I wonder if the people making such a big deal over some players in the NFL not standing for the national anthem realize we didn’t even have an “anthem” until the 1930’s and the tune to which it’s played isn't even American, but the tune of an old English drinking song. The same could be said about the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag, which wasn’t written until the 1890s and by a self-avowed Socialist named Walter Bellamy at that.
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- Written by Mark Richards
- Category: Letters to Editor
This letter was published in The Record, 9/14/2017, USA Today, 9/13/2017, and the Suburban Trends, 9/20/2017
While racism, bigotry and hate deserve to be condemned, I can't help but observe that many of the letter writers to The Record display an appalling lack of historical knowledge despite their noble intentions.
For example, I see the concept of secession being labeled as treason when applied to the South in 1860. If that’s the case, then the original 13 colonies should be condemned for seceding or breaking away from England in 1776. Keep in mind that the states brought the federal government into existence not the reverse.
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- Written by Mark Richards
- Category: Letters to Editor
This letter was published in The Record, 9/7/2017, USA Today, 9/6/2017, and the Suburban Trends, 9/13/2017
In the three weeks since the violence in Charlottesville, not many people have taken note that the “Alt Right” white nationalists and the “Antifa” counter protesters actually have some things in common. For example, both groups are hostile towards a free market economy, in that they both oppose free trade. Recall the “Occupy Wall Street” rallies of several years back, when many of the same people and organizations that were in Charlottesville were also involved in the “Occupy Wall Street” movement. Both groups believe in censorship of those they don't agree with. If either side ever got in power you could kiss the Bill of Rights goodbye. Can anyone imagine the white nationalists, the Ku Klux Klan, or National Socialists (Nazis) allowing blacks, Jews, Hispanics, Asians or people in the LGBTQ community the right to own guns or have First Amendment rights? The other side would do the same thing in a heartbeat.
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- Written by Mark Richards
- Category: Letters to Editor
This month it will be one year since I was charged with "harassment" and "criminal mischief" in the "People's Republic of Gladstone and Peapack". What heinous act did I commit to warrant those charges? Are you ready for this? I left history magazines at the drive-up windo at th Peapack-Gladstone Bank in Gladstone, NJ! Apparently leaving reading material in areas frequented by the public is not allowed in the"Constitution -free zone" called Gladstone!
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- Written by Jim Tosone
- Category: Letters to Editor
Published in The Record, 11/11/2016
Regarding "2016 county, municipal, election results" (Page L-3, Nov. 9):
Those who voted by absentee ballot should be aware that they were not in the unofficial results posted on the website of the Bergen County clerk at 11:18 p.m. on election night. Nor were they in the vote totals shown in The Record the following day. There were 33,000 absentee ballots, about 8.5 percent of the total votes cast.
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- Written by Mark Richards
- Category: Letters to Editor
This letter was published in the Suburban Trends, 1027/2016
Allow me to respond to two letters which appeared in the Suburban Trends on Oct. 12, 2016. First, we had a letter by a writer who usually goes on an anti-Japanese rant every December on the anniversary of Pearl Harbor, even though World War II ended over 70 years ago.
This time around the writer attacked athletes like Colin Kaepernick who didn’t stand for the national anthem at recent football games. The writer equates patriotism with blind nationalism evidently, which are two different things entirely. I wonder if all the "Fox News Conservatives" out there realize America didn’t have a national anthem until the 1930s or that the tune to which the anthem’s lyrics are set to is actually an old English drinking song.
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- Written by Erol Sirimoglu
- Category: Letters to Editor
Originally Published in The Record, October 18, 2016
Regarding "A meeting of the minds at freeholder forum" (The Record, Oct. 14, 2016):
At the Bergen County freeholders candidates forum last week there were seven candidates: six "Republicans: and one Libertarian.
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- Written by Mike Mazzeo
- Category: Letters to Editor
Published in The Record
I have been reading the many less-than-positive things people have to say about Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton for this election.
It seems the majority of people find both to be a "hold your nose" choice. Their aim seems to be to keep the other from winning the election.