Readers’ Column for the week of January 17, 2021

You may call the Owego Pennysaver Readers’ Column at (607) 687-2378 24-hours a day, or email comments to readerscolumn@stny.rr.com. We reserve the right to revise or reject any message. 

My friends, now that a new year has begun, we always seem to find ourselves with questions about the future. However, there is only one question that truly matters. That question is asked by Jesus Christ to each of us personally. “BUT WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM?” Simon Peter answered and said, “YOU ARE THE CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD.” (Matthew 16:15-16) What would your answer be? 

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I’m wondering when The Owego Pennysaver is going to start taking responsibility for spreading hate, lies and misinformation in this column. No more politics until you can be responsible and stop printing lies. 

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I can’t figure out why the so-called medical experts don’t use ultraviolet rays on COVID patients. They know that UV light kills COVID. There are stand up and lay down tanning beds out there. I think experts want to keep this going on for a little while longer.

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What a mess for those folks in Nichols about recycling. Nobody puts out a newsletter, a bulletin board, and nobody goes there. It had to be word of mouth and there was something in The Pennysaver, but call them and they don’t come and pick up the recycles, so people are lost. What do they do with their recyclables? 

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If anyone knows how to restore a scratched phonograph record, please leave the information in this column.

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I read that someone suggested not putting in the political comments in this column. I agree, and I also think TV stations should have their own political stations. They are always interrupting programs a lot of the elderly watch during the day and also, most of them are soaps. They interrupt them, why can’t they do that around 5 or 6 at night, when parents are home and they can hear the politics. A lot of older people don’t care about the political things and they should be having their own station if that’s what they want to do, to interrupt.

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An answer to last week’s caller about recycle pickup – we are using the RPM group from Owego. They do a better than great job for only $5 a month. They also will pick up your garbage and recycling for $70 every three months. Why are callers having so much trouble deciding whom to call? The RPM Group has also run a full-page ad in The Pennysaver. Their number is (607) 223-8714. Call or be square.

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If they are going to charge us extra for picking up our recyclables, why not just throw them in the trash?

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Pennysaver, please keep posting political views. It’s interesting on the different views people have and there is a lot of truth also. It’s not garbage; it’s different all the time. I read the opinions and I care; and I also enjoy the whole column, not just the political views.

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Two weeks ago I was telling about this nice grandparents book full of pictures where all of the photos are condensed in one book, maybe 10×10, easy to read with everything in one place and I love it. I left out where that can be ordered. It is Shutterfly. 

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I asked my granddaughter, what did you learn in school today. She commented, “We had CNN and I don’t like it.” Her older sister said she didn’t like either when she had it. I asked what exactly CNN is. We watch 10 minutes of CNN and then we talked about it. I said what about FOX News. Nope, just CNN. It appears to be a one-sided view of worldly events. Someone needs to check into the agenda they are teaching. Have they ever heard of fair and balanced? Something is wrong with this picture!

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Newark Valley Project Neighbor Food Pantry is in desperate need of a 19-20 cubic foot freezer. Does anyone have one they would like to donate or for a small fee?

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I admittedly abandoned my religious faith 50 years ago, and do not participate in any organized religious services. Can other readers inform me as to how the COVID crisis is being addressed in their churches, synagogues, mosques, etc? I do not see any theories of why this is happening to humanity forthcoming from the Pope or other world religious leaders, but perhaps I’m just not looking in the right places. Is the media keeping opinions, theories, and words of comfort from being expressed globally or do religious leaders just have nothing to offer? You would think there would be something on TV, radio and in papers, especially since regularly scheduled services have been so severely cut back. During difficult times when I was a kid there would be folks with signs saying the end is near or God is dead; depressing, but at least a conversation as to what may be happening on a higher plane. Televangelists offered some folks words of comfort and hope. Has the world become so secular that no one dares offer an opinion on any higher power’s part in this mess? I would be interested in hearing from somebody!

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Thieves have been among us since the first humans appeared (Egyptian tomb robbers; Biblical den of thieves), yet too many people comment here and on social media as if it was some new phenomenon that never happened when they were a kid.

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The St. Pauly Textile shed at St. Margaret Mary Church in Apalachin has reopened. Your donations of usable clothing, shoes, sneakers, belts, purses, linens, blankets and drapes help people in the U.S. as well as all over the world. Please bring your donations in TIED plastic bags. 

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Since we have a vaccine now for COVID, the schools don’t need to prepare summer lunches this summer. This will save on food and a lot of paper products, which seem to be contributing badly to our environment. I hear the kids in stores and other places talking about saying its crazy to use paper when the schools have dish machines! Also they don’t like some of the lunches. I told my son they are doing what they are being told to prepare, and it’s not the lunch lady’s fault. Some schools are independent and go by the state nutrition guidelines and can prepare more options. We need to get our kids back in school.

 

National Political Viewpoints

I’m sick and tired of the double standards. Where was all the criticism when Black Lives Matter and Antifa were burning, looting and killing people? There was none. NONE! Now since a few Trump protestors got out of line it’s the end of the world. The media is at fault for this. 

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Well, you got to see the real Republican Party and their actions when the terrorists stormed our Capitol Building and the president encouraged this. What a joke. What a freaking joke! We’ve got to stop this. 

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Still like Trump? Maybe you ought to go see a psychiatrist. Good chance you’ll bump into Donald there.

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After that nonsense that happened on Wednesday, Jan. 6, the riot incited by Trump, as soon as he gets kicked to the curb I believe that it would be very appropriate that he gets charged with murder and he also gets charged with domestic terrorism; then him and his buddies can spend a whole lot of time in jail. 

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Are you kidding me? Biden and Harris seemed so concerned with the protest at the Capitol, but then again they said absolutely nothing all summer while our cities were being burned down, looted, rioting. Their speeches last week were useless. They have shown their true colors and they are dividers, even though they say they are going to unify the country. Well, I don’t think so. We won’t be unified until we get a republican back in office.

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It’s interesting that the democrats think the incidence at the white house was the worst ever. Where were all those hypocrites last summer when their friends were looting and burning down family businesses? It’s unfortunate that people died I admit, but every weekend in Chicago at least 10 people and usually a lot more are killed and democrats don’t say a word. At the white house, where this all occurred, brought to mind an old adage, you can only kick a dog so much before he’ll turn around and bite you. 

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I can almost see Donald Trump resigning in disgrace just like Nixon. Maybe Roger Stone will have two tattoos on him, one of Trump and one of Nixon. 

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Boy I sure hope all you Trump supporters are proud of your boy. He really is just a fool and all the rest of you people who think behaving like this is okay just makes me sick to my stomach. I have never seen people act like such animals in my entire life. It didn’t change anything and it won’t and I hope if they try doing this nonsense again that they all get arrested and get charged with domestic terror and whatever else they do, and get locked up. They should lock up Trump. By the way, you guys might want to try to start a GoFundMe to make sure you can help get him some really good mental health care, because he really needs it. That man is unhinged! So you might want to help him that way.

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For a group that claims to support the police department and the military, did you notice they were attacking and fighting with the police officers that were there? Boy, if you support those kinds of people and those hard-working Americans, I’d hate to think what you would do to a person you think is not worthy of your time. 

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Any support for the current administration, whether silent or visible, is supporting a dictator, is supporting a Nazi, is supporting a person full of hatred, and they are not true Americans. Anybody, whether it’s a flag, a sign, a hat, whatever, are not Americans because Americans would not stand by and tolerate this kind of behavior and endorse it. When you buy all that garbage all you are doing is lining his pockets, because he can’t even hang onto the money he’s got because he’s such a poor money manager in person, in general.

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How much stimulus money did Barack Obama give the average person? As far as I know, nothing. What a great guy.

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I was just wondering, how many of you Trump supporters support him now? 

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Now that the government has all three houses under their control, hang onto your money. They’re coming for your money and they’ll spend it the way they want to. 

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God help America! From day one, when President Trump was elected, Nancy Pelosi was after him, trying to impeach him. From day one, why? She should be doing her job! The congress people, all of them, should be doing their job for the people, not going after one person because Nancy wanted it so. For God’s sake, for America’s sake, STOP! The woman had no gun, and a cop murdered her. It showed it on TV. She was murdered and nothing is being done about that. They didn’t have riots. They didn’t burn and loot like the other previous ones did. Did the FBI go after the other ones that burnt their neighbors’ homes? 

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Impeaching Donald Trump, the best president of all time, is grandstanding nonsense. Vice President elect Kamala Harris bailed out rioters this summer. Perhaps she should be impeached soon too. Biden’s smartest move now would be to call a halt to Pelosi’s and Schumer’s lunacy and concentrate on the vaccine distribution. That would go an immense way to heal this nation’s wounds. 

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Last week in the column someone mentioned that Mr. Trump “always thinks of the little people, not the rich people.” I believe the opposite is true and Mr. Trump uses the little person to serve the rich person. How do I conclude this? From Mr. Trump’s behavior. He gave enormous tax cuts to the rich and super rich and very small tax cuts to the working and middle class. The average person wants clean air and water and Mr. Trump personally rolled back all the clean air and water standards. He pardoned his rich friends. He didn’t pardon the little guy. President Trump said the pandemic was a hoax, he said it was contained; he said we’ve turned the corner, we won’t hear about it after Nov. 4 and he said we should be digesting disinfectant. President Trump got the best treatment when he went to the hospital. The little person can’t get that kind of care. He refused to wear a facemask, infecting dozens of secret service agents. Now the little people are dying in droves, not the rich. Mr. Trump can only view people of what he can get from them, as we are worthless to him.

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After Biden and Harris get in it will be straight down the toilet.

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I just heard someone say Trump will be a lonesome lizard. They are so correct.

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Here’s an idea for when Trump leaves office. He could get into the music business by starting a brass band he calls Lying Donnie and the Trump Heads. They like to blow their own horn. 

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There really needs to be term limits on all political leaders. Nancy Pelosi is 80 years old. She needs to resign but she doesn’t think so, so somebody needs to tell her she is no longer competent, if she ever was. She needs to resign along with a lot of the others. We need new members in our government leadership.

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Something posted by Andy Borowicz on his Facebook page is worth repeating for those who may have missed it: “After 9/11 I don’t remember Republicans saying we should leave Osama bin Laden alone because it was time for healing.”

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People insisting that the Capitol invaders stole classified information from desk drawers and laptops have no clue about the requirements for handling classified material.

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Seems like the Republican Party is at a crossroads. Do they continue to support and worship at the altar of Trump, or, do they reevaluate their goals, morals and principles, and again become the Republican Party?

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If you think it’s okay for a business (a bakery perhaps) to refuse service based on its beliefs (as in not offering its service to gay people) then you cannot then object to a business (like Twitter of Facebook) not offering service based on beliefs to an individual (like a politician) who doesn’t conform to those beliefs. Get it now?

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Interesting the huge media coverage of the mostly peaceful protest in the Capitol. The violence was minimal when compared to the protests, or better-labeled RIOTS in Portland, Chicago, Detroit, New York City and others, where neighborhoods were burned, senseless violence and murders, and blocks occupied by these terrorists. Interesting that there was little to no coverage by the major media outlets on any of these tragedies. But we are now to be led by the fresh and innovative Democratic Party. We have the puppet president who is at best a figurehead. Then we have Pelosi and Schumer who did nothing but obstruct the last four years. The new fresh air in Washington really smells.

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Trump is being silenced by all social media avenues with a barrage of excuses for doing so while known terrorists still have their access and their comments are acceptable. Those congressmen and women that objected to the certification for the reason of let’s investigate the fraudulent claims are now losing major corporate sponsors, Freedom of Speech has never been more challenged than now. So prepare for higher taxes and large price increases in your fuel and oil costs. Have you noticed gasoline at the pump has increased nearly 20 cents a gallon since the election? Prepare for less fortunate people getting higher government subsidies so they become dependent on the government. Prepare for the rich having the best lawyers and loopholes, so once again the middle class will bear the burden. I have yet to truly see the democratic agenda other, than to undo the good things Trump did. But it is safe to say we are going back to the swamp leadership; corrupt, believers in big government, and far more suited to make decisions for you and how and where YOUR money is spent.

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The tragic events that took place at the Capitol on Jan. 6 should sadden and appall everyone. After four years of Donald Trump in the White House it should surprise no one that something like this happened. Only Trump with his hateful rhetoric and reckless style could stir up and provoke people into insurrection. Only Trump with his narcissistic personality could give a voice to those who flaunted Trump flags and banners as they stormed the heart of our government. Only Trump with his vision of a divided America could rouse fringe groups from the shadows and bring the worst of the worst to the forefront. Trump’s ploy to divide the country, sow chaos, and promote civil unrest under the guise of election fraud had succeeded beyond his wildest dreams. This was the perfect storm that had been brewing ever since the first days of the Trump administration, simmering beneath the surface, sometimes barely noticeable, but always there. Despite Trump’s futile efforts to overturn the election and subvert democracy, his delusions of a second term have been summarily crushed, and his deplorable legacy has been forever set in stone. As Joe Biden and Kamala Harris replace Donald Trump’s abysmal administration built on deceit, quicksand and trumpery, the recovery and rebuilding of our country can begin. 

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I just read Congressman Tom Reed’s lame reasoning for not impeaching President Trump. Reed’s concerned about a rush to judgment, but says he’s ready to censure today. This is hypocrisy; if you’re ready to censure, you’re ready to impeach. Reed is worried that impeachment would be divisive. What’s more divisive than inciting domestic terrorists against our Capitol? Whose feelings are you trying to protect, the terrorists? When terrorists attack our country, we strike back to remove the threat, that’s the American way.

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Three decades past our nation’s wealthiest counties were dispersed across the nation. Today the five richest counties surround Washington D.C. The greatest accumulation of individual wealth and power has been to the tech and social media giants. These media giants are legally obligated to maximize wealth for their stockholders, however with free hand they exclude and suppress what they define as wrong thinking. They allow some news but not news contradicting their narrative. They are lessening profit (dividends) to widows, orphans, and pension funds and are legally unaccountable. Their legal charter is a media platform and not a content provider. They have immunity from liability as a content provider. Like the Bolshevik monster they have morphed into an Orwellian Ministry of Truth. Their truth! These are the gods of what you should and shouldn’t know and how you should think. Missing is any code of ethics or morals. Unlike Microsoft, Alphabet (Google and YouTube) and Twitter have made pornography part of business. Effective Jan. 1, 2021, YouTube terms and conditions have expanded business into pornography. Perhaps, they will slowly expand this into hard-core porn in the pursuit of greater profits. Contrary to Anti-Monopoly laws Facebook bought Instagram to further control what you should think. In free-world foreign news I see that they are horrified by what social media is doing to America. They aren’t stupid. Forrest Gump said, “As stupid is as stupid does.”

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Cheney’s statement suggests that part of what is driving the Republican willingness to entertain impeachment is that there will be more coming out about Jan. 6 and Republicans want to dump Trump rather than be associated with him. She wrote, “Much more will become clear in coming days and weeks, but what we know now is enough. The President of the United States summoned this mob, assembled the mob, and lit the flame of this attack. Everything that followed was his doing. None of this would have happened without the President. The President could have immediately and forcefully intervened to stop the violence. He did not. There has never been a greater betrayal by a President of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution.” Heather Cox Richardson — January 12, 2021.

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I could care less what your party affiliation is, but when the people we put in office to watch over all of us, and make decisions for our well being continue to do nothing to make our lives better and get paid for it, and waste millions of OUR DOLLARS and LIVES, they should be the ones to be let go and blackballed. If you did this in your field of work would you still have a job where you got paid and have free medical benefits after doing your job for only 10 years of service?  

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Are all the folks opposing antifa essentially admitting to being profa? Do they even know what the “fa” part is an abbreviation for? How many will look it up before responding? 

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So VERY upsetting what happened at the Capitol Building on Jan. 6. All of you Republicans that are still flying your Trump flags and banners should be ashamed of yourselves! He kept going on and on about the election results and how under the Democrats it would be utter chaos. Then, what happened? He called on his people to be there on Jan. 6, riled them up, and caused the chaos and coup attempt. Trump should never be believed!

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I do not want to hear one word from any Trump supporter ever again about how good he is. He will go down in history as the worst of the worst. He and his entire family need to be locked up and forgotten forever.

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Anyone else find it interesting that President Trump’s 1st Amendment rights are being trampled on? I thought free speech was a right of ALL Americans. Who’s next? Anyone who disagrees with “president” Biden?

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A member of Congress has articles of impeachment ready to go the minute Joe Biden’s inauguration is over. Based on collusion and illegal activities in connection with Russia, China, and the Ukraine. Couldn’t happen to a more deserving individual.

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I just went onto Google and listened to Trump’s speech the day of the march over to the Capitol Building. His exact words were as follows: “I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol Building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.” None of that sounds like incitement to riot. He did not say anything to be impeached by Nancy Pelosi. His Ukraine call was not an impeachable offense either, but Pelosi wanted to get this on his record just to destroy him. Makes you wonder if this was her plot just to get him out of office all along. He is a businessman and not a politician, and they didn’t like that. One last thing, the big tech companies need to be stopped. Thank you for letting me vent and being a fair paper by printing both sides. God bless America and freedom of speech.

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So they want to impeach Trump again. Well, if they go that far then Kamala Harris should be impeached for her stand on the 2020 riots when she said the protests should not stop. She raised a million dollars to bail out the rioters who destroyed businesses and all the destruction over the summer. Trump called for a peaceful march. The ones who did the damage on the Capitol should be prosecuted as well as the ones who did millions of damage in the summer.