LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, Dec. 23
Fight speech with speech
To the editor:
I want to thank the white supremacists who delivered the Aryan Alternative to our home this morning, tied in a green bow. They have provided me the perfect opportunity to teach my daughter an important lesson: that there are those with small minds who spew intolerance and hate, and those with larger (rational) minds who must counter that hate with tolerance and love. Fight speech with speech.
Kathy Taylor
Magnolia Lane
Princeton
There’s plenty of Christmas everywhere
To the editor:
After reading Mark Hornung’s letter (The Packet, Dec. 16), I felt like there is no possible way we could both live in the same town. Christmas is everywhere and it starts in August.
In August, I walked into Stop and Shop in Hillsborough and there was a huge display with Santa and a snowman. September rolls around and Hallmark stores everywhere start filling their shelves with Christmas cards and ornaments. Then, from Thanksgiving to Christmas, there is not a store, bank, doctor’s office, restaurant that you can go into and not see Christmas. Every station on the radio is playing Christmas music. What more do you want?
Last year, at my daughter’s middle school concert, they played songs celebrating the season and, yes, there was a Christmas song or two. If you need more Christmas, maybe you should go to church.
Sue Robinson
Westbury Court
Montgomery
Keep religion in homes, churches
To the editor:
Merry Christmas to you, too, Joe Freda (Letter to the Editor, The Packet, Dec. 20). And relax when you get a chance.
Your letter tells me that you are less upset about the absence of the nativity scene during Christmas than the presence of the menorah during Hanukkah. But it just so happens that they come about around the same time every year.
To be sure, the menorah is hardly a religious symbol any more than the spruce. It is Jewish, all right; a celebration of one of the many chances the Jews had to fight for their lives, in this case uprising for seven days (seven candles on the menorah) against the oppression of the Syrians.
Jesus was born a Jew, and you shouldn’t resent his heritage. Celebrate yours with joy, not venom.
As to the commercialization of religion, I am with you. People should keep their religion in their homes and houses of worship.
Jasha M. Levi
Marion Drive
Plainsboro
Coverage needed for eating disorders
To the editor:
I am writing to bring your attention to pending legislation that could mean the difference between life and death for millions.
I am talking about Assembly bill A-333 and the companion Senate bill S-544, which would establish mental health parity in order to provide insurance coverage for those suffering with the genetic disease of anorexia nervosa or bulimia.
Anorexia and bulimia affect nearly 10 million women and 1 million men. It can take years to recover and can be fatal. In fact, anorexia nervosa has the highest premature fatality rate of any mental illness.
Recent studies have concluded that eating disorders are not, as had been believed, about vanity, or pressure to look good. It is a serious, genetic mental disorder. Treatment for those who suffer deserves to be covered by insurance as much as treatment for substance abuse.
There is a hereditary tendency to develop anorexia; 50 percent of identical twins get anorexia and 8 percent of fraternal twins, when the illness is present.
Our daughters, our wives and sisters as well as many men need our help for this deadly disease.
Mirah Riben
Allison Court
South Brunswick
Contentiousness costly to Montgomery schools
To the editor:
The past 10 years have demonstrated what concerned Montgomery Township citizens, volunteers, politicians, administrators, teachers and students can do when they work as a cohesive entity. The premise of the Board of Education was one of collegiality, dedication, achievement, enrichment, ongoing development, scholarship, expansion and success. Volunteers, each and every one, bore this responsibility to build an extraordinary community.
Their lofty vision, in concert with overwhelming community endorsement, both intellectual and financial, resulted in new facilities for our children; projection of our students into national recognition (e.g. second-to-none public school SAT scores); diversified sports and cultural programs; and a distinguished group of dedicated, knowledgeable administrators and faculty.
All this contributed to the development of our entire community and its spirit, reputation, camaraderie and pride. Not to be forgotten is that these activities and investments consequently helped increase the value of our homes. The historical legacy of that school board will be remembered as an era of excellence.
Unfortunately, the past 12 months have been a contentious year for the Montgomery Township Board of Education. I predict this will have a negative impact on the education and enrichment of our students. This "watchdog group" that now represents us has detached themselves from their primary mission to set and implement policy given community constraints, and transposed themselves into a combative group of citizens who showcase marginal vision and achievement.
We are losing ground daily. They are fixated on cents and nonsense with no leadership sense. True, they need to develop an approach that is within the financial limits of our community all of the community and not just their narrow, hearsay perspectives. They must realize that quality should never be sacrificed. They have and will continue to stimulate turnover of good community neighbors, good teachers, outstanding administrators, public endorsement and excellence in education. Their meetings permit the ramblings of special-interest individuals who contribute little, yet complain a great deal.
As a former university professor and dean and professional, I have experienced this naive mentality. My conclusion is that, unfortunately, when we look back, the legacy of this current group of cognoscenti will be an era of deconstruction, pettiness and non-productivity. Shame on them but most of all, shame on us for allowing this to happen.
Joseph A. Romano
Monroe Avenue
Montgomery

