Vermont moose hunt
seems ill-considered

It was heartening to read Brenna Galdenzi’s statement challenging the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department’s proposal to kill more moose to control ticks in the Northeast Kingdom (“Another moose hunt proposed,” Feb. 27). She points out that global warming is what’s responsible for the increase in the winter tick population. Clearly the Fish and Wildlife Department has not thought through this issue. Ticks are carried near and far by other animals such as bears, foxes, coyotes, deer, birds, pumas, domestic pets, and humans. Does the department propose culling those populations too? Wouldn’t it be more sensible to advise citizens to dress properly when outside with rubber boots and gloves, to mow tall grass near buildings, rake leaves, mulch with wood chips and to use other harmless, nontoxic techniques to deter ticks? As for the Department’s concept of killing moose to stabilize their population, this fallacious argument would have to be applied to all creatures, great and small.

Fern Meyers

Etna

How is ‘discord’ pronounced?

I usually write letters prompted by issues like environmental protection, women’s rights and the separation of church and state.

But this time a Feb. 14 article, headlined “Bill seeks official pronunciation of Concord,” grabbed my attention. I thought: Wow. Talk about wasting legislative energy on probably the least pressing issue neighbors could disagree on.

The bill (sponsored by a Democrat! Who knew?) would codify the pronunciation of our state capital’s name as “Con-kurd,” not “Con-chord,” and our state’s name as “New Hamp-sure,” not “New Hamp-sheer.” Or for Tolkien fans, not even “New Hamp-shire with a long “i.”

So I wondered: Why is the Legislature worrying about stuff like this when there are pressing issues to deal with, like health care and public education?

Does the next step involve re-indoctrinating — or deporting — Western New Yorkers like me, who even after decades in New England still pronounce their parents’ sisters’ title so it rhymes with “can’t” instead of “haunt?”

If lawmakers are going to take on this issue, I hope they’ll also ban another language trend: turning ordinary nouns into pretentious advertising verbs, as in “I gifted” something rather than simply “I gave” something. I mean, if you want to use a single word for the act of swapping stuff, why not just say you “presented” a “present?”

OK. Enough of my shoulda-been-an-English-teacher rant. Next time I’ll stick to politics.

Rebecca Kvam Paquette

Hanover

A chilling speech

When I read this quote its effect on me was visceral.

CPAC, the Conservative Political Action Conference, held its annual meeting outside Washington DC late last month. It is attended by conservative activists and elected officials from across the US.

Activist Jack Posobiec opened the conference with this message: “Welcome to the end of democracy. We are here to overthrow it completely. We didn’t get all the way there on January 6, but we will endeavor to get rid of it and replace it with this right here.” Lifting up a cross on his necklace, he went on: “After we burn that swamp to the ground, we will establish the new American republic on its ashes, and our first order of business will be righteous retribution for those who betrayed America.”

These are the dying embers of what was once the bright fire of the Republican party. And a warning.

Catherine Kidder

West Newbury

All in favor...

Attention Upper Valley selectboard and city council members! Shaker Bridge Theatre has a show for you: “The Minutes” by Tracy Letts, running March 7 to 24. Join Big Cherry’s mayor and town council members for all the sidesplitting comedy and jaw-dropping horror of small town politics. The cast features 11 professional and local actors. It’s a wildly entertaining ride and an unforgettable, deeply moving story.

I’d like to make a motion to see you there. Can I get a second?

Jeannie Hines

Plainfield