Opinion
My Turn: Discover and protect a Greenfield treasure
By WISTY RORABACHER
There is hidden treasure right here in Greenfield. Years ago, the treasure was in plain sight. Now it is practically unrecognizable except in the early spring. I discovered small nuggets of the treasure when Ted Watt, well-known naturalist and...
My Turn: Creating our own reality and staying grounded during times of chaos
By JEREMY WILLIAMS
Since what we focus on is where our energy flows, why not focus on good. We create our own reality, every moment of every day. Since this is the case, there is great news. We no longer have to focus on negative things unless we choose to.It has been...
Mike Conboy: Blaming U.S. for war in Ukraine misguided
I applaud writer Patricia Greene’s efforts to support peace in the world wherever it is threatened [“There would be no war in Ukraine without the U.S.,” Recorder, March 23], but I am unconvinced of the claim stated in the headline of her column. I am...
Leo Ojala: Santos for Pence
Mike Pence has made it clear he’s not going to hang around. King Con needs a replacement. George Santos is the obvious choice. He’s another New York con man. Both men are made of the same moral fiber. They both have disrespect, disdain and disregard...
Judge Laurie MacLeod: GCC key to literature program’s success
Thank you to reporter Anthony Cammalleri and the Recorder for publishing the article about the innovative programs supported by the Massachusetts Trial Court (“Promoting Justice,” March 21). I write only to make a minor correction regarding the...
David Parrella: Conspiracies and immigration
A recent My Turn in the Recorder blamed our problems at the border on a deliberate Marxist-Globalist conspiracy to destroy our country. Many of those who seem to hold these views are descendants of the Irish immigrants in the nineteenth century who...
My Turn: Greenfield’s record on housing strong, but more work to do
By ROXANN WEDEGARTNER
It’s hard to pick up a local or national newspaper that doesn’t have an article that is either about a housing issue or refers to a housing issue as a factor in the topic being discussed, whether it’s about a lack of affordable housing, or the need...
My Turn: To be or not to be — March’s dilemma
By JUDY WAGNER
This is March’s dilemma: Is it time to be spring or not? March has a tough role to play. It is haunted by the old saying: “In like a lamb, out like a lion; in like a lion, out like a lamb.” March is saddled with expectations of changeable behavior and...
Julia Duncan: Pandemic reflections
It’s been four years since the pandemic hit, yet sometimes it still feels like 2020. I was in a store in Greenfield recently where a young woman was shopping with two small children. All three were wearing masks. I think that’s child abuse, but I said...
Glenn Johnson-Mussad: Not a thankless job
I was born a twin and my mother already had a 22-month-old, so she was raising three children under the age of two. When people found this out, they often expressed how sorry they were for her. They tried to connect with her about how hard her life...
Richard Hilllier: Keep municipal flagpole policies ‘strictly municipal’
The policy for municipal flagpoles seems pretty straightforward to me. Perhaps I’m looking at it too simplistically, but here is my “opinion.”American flags, the state flag, the county or parish flag (whichever (is)(are) applicable), township flag,...
Thomas Newton: What veterans can bring to the ballot box
I writing in regards to the March 18 letter to the editor by Paul Gallo [“Gratitude for heroes who gave their lives”].In Mr. Gallo’s letter he describes viewing the World War II Cemetery in Nettuno, Italy and of the thousands of American white...
My Turn: Don’t fear the truth
By SONNY CRAWFORD
I fear that the bulk of the victims of mendacity in leadership have fallen in behind the former president.Through the abuse of persuasive, bogus artificial intelligence-generated ads, misrepresented doctrines, and manipulated quotes, the...
My Turn: Invasion at the border deliberate
By JOHN P. O’ROURKE
Our federal government has two primary responsibilities: 1) maintaining a strong national defense; and 2) ensuring a stabile economy. Both are fundamental and necessary for a successful country.Under the policies instituted by former President Donald...
My Turn: Let’s better understand each other
By KAREN K. DAVIS
I am sorry that a piece written by Recorder columnist John Bos [“Are there any responsible western Massachusetts conservatives?” Recorder, March 2] insulted writer Bob Pruitt, who responded with a March 13 My Turn [“Not everyone is happy with Joe...
Jim Bates: ‘No’ means higher energy prices
Headline Feb 27th — “Ratepayers fed up with high energy costs in Massachusetts,” — Duh, yeah!What did you think was going to happen, Shangri-La? Solar panels and wind turbines from the Berkshires to Cape Cod, an EV and heat pumps in every home? Along...
My Turn: A legend made in Iowa
By KAREN LIST
The thousands of women who played high school basketball in Iowa over the years look at the adulation surrounding University of Iowa star Caitlin Clark and think: “That’s about right.”Clark, as you probably know, is the NCAA Division 1 all-time...
Columnist Bill Newman: Alabama judge ruled on religious grounds
By BILL NEWMAN
Warning: The case from the Supreme Court of Alabama, discussed here, may cause severe nausea. Proceed with caution.The Supreme Court of Alabama recently decided a case about frozen embryos created, kept, and later accidentally destroyed at a fertility...
Karl Meyer: Supporting journalism helps protect democracy
It was heartening to see several recent op-ed page pieces supporting Sunshine Week, the national carve-out where publishers, editors, journalists and citizens highlight the necessity of access to government information, and the push for better access...
Edward M. Dowd: Military service not a Trump family tradition
Much has been written about Donald Trump’s attitude towards veterans and military service in general. In 2015 it was Trump that repeatedly mocked the late Senator John McCain related to his time spent as a POW. The former president commented that he...