No respect for Sununu

On April 14, on the ABC This Week television show, Gov. Chris Sununu expressly endorsed Trump, as follows:

“Just to sum up,” Stephanopoulos said, “You support (Trump) for president even if he’s convicted in (the) classified documents (case). You support him for president even though you believe he contributed to an insurrection. You support him for president even though you believe he’s lying about the last election. You support him for president even if he’s convicted in the Manhattan case. I just want to say, the answer to that is yes, correct?”

Sununu answered: “Yeah. Me and 51% of America.”

I used to think he was a pretty decent governor but no one can respect Sununu any more after this shameful and cynical political move. And how naive he is if he thinks that dumping Nikki Haley, whom he proudly supported over Trump, and cravenly turning a brown-noser toward the would-be autocrat bible salesman and con man will curry favor with the latter!

He’s also fooling himself about the 51%. The cult leader lost the 2020 popular vote by over 7 million and it will be more in 2024.

John Bronson

Orford

Athletes are not employees

In response to Jim Kenyon’s most recent diatribe regarding the Dartmouth men’s basketball team’s effort to unionize (“Some Dartmouth alumni pressuring unionizing athletes”; April 17), and the position the college has taken:

I’m a strong supporter of Dartmouth athletics, through annual contributions to various Friends groups, including Friends of Basketball. I’m also inclined to support any effort that enhances the quality of the Dartmouth experience for undergraduates.

However, I find the unionization of the men’s basketball team a bridge too far. Members of the various varsity teams are not employees of the college, they are students who choose to participate in an extracurricular activity. If they choose not to participate, they lose nothing other than the privilege of playing a game that they enjoy at the varsity level. They do not lose anything financially; they do not lose or have reduced the financial aid that some of them receive; and they can still play the game they love as a member of club basketball or on an intramural team.

And what if all the intercollegiate teams at Dartmouth decided to unionize, and their union demands the players be paid? The cost of doing that for 33 varsity teams at Dartmouth would bankrupt the Athletic Department, and ultimately result in the downgrading or the demise of all intercollegiate sports at Dartmouth. Do all student athletes get paid the same? Does a football player get paid the same as a squash player, even though football may be a revenue producing sport, and squash produces no revenue for the college?

To classify student athletes as employees of the college equates Dartmouth to a business, with one of the products that business produces being men’s basketball. If a business produces a product that year after year costs more to produce than it earns in revenue, very soon that product will be discontinued, and in some cases the employees producing that product may be fired. I’m certain that result is not what the members of the men’s basketball team desire, but that may indeed be what happens if this unionization is successful.

John Engelman

Hanover

Ballet company milestone

City Center Ballet, a cornerstone of the Lebanon arts scene, is poised to celebrate a remarkable milestone — a quarter-century of dedication to the art of ballet and a commitment to fostering cultural enrichment in the community.

Since its inception in 1999, City Center Ballet has been synonymous with grace, elegance and artistic innovation. From captivating performances to nurturing young talent through its sister ballet academy, the Lebanon Ballet School, the organization has continuously elevated the cultural landscape.

The anniversary celebration, on May 4 at Lebanon Opera House, promises a spectacular performance, showcasing the talents and achievements that have defined City Center Ballet’s journey. The audience can look forward to classical ballet pieces highlighting the versatility and depth of the company’s repertoire. This performance aims to not only celebrate the past 25 years, but also inspire a new generation of dancers and arts enthusiasts to embrace the beauty and discipline of ballet.

City Center Ballet extends a warm invitation to all to join in the celebrations and looks forward to seeing everyone at the performances at the Lebanon Opera House.

Marc Cohen

Cornish

The writer is treasurer of City Center Ballet’s board of directors.