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Peoples column

Peoples Column

Justice not always served Editor, OBSERVER: Far left judges seem to forget their oath to follow the U.S. Constitution and often invent their own logic. Logic which does not require any relationship to the written words of the U.S. Constitution. Fulfilling a campaign promise, Joe Biden nominated Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court. Ironically, the woman nominated because she is a woman could not define a woman, when asked at her U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing. For some justices, there are warning signs and Jackson not being able to define “woman” ...

People’s column

Settlers, not immigrants, built country Editor, OBSERVER: Some would argue that immigrants built this country, but they didn't. Settlers did. Were settlers immigrants? No they weren't. Immigrants come to a developed nation looking for opportunity. Settlers go to an undeveloped land and create opportunity. That's very different. That might seem like splitting hairs, but it's splitting facts from delusion. Settlers had no infrastructure, no government, no roads, no welfare, no economy. People who immigrated here later did not come to build it from scratch. Immigrants still do ...

People’s column

‘Nasty’ politics continue in village Editor, OBSERVER: When I retired from SUNY Fredonia in December 2015; my wife and I decided to stay in Fredonia. We continue to like that the village is friendly, has relatively low local taxes, and the very good entertainment provided by the Rockefeller Arts Center and the 1891 Opera House. The village of Fredonia political situation has become so nasty that I want to make several comments as a retiree. First, it is obvious that the water controversy and dreams for the future of the village are already doing a pretty good job of ...

People’s column

Is there ‘courage’ in our capital? Editor, OBSERVER: It's time to call upon one of the Stoic virtues to pull us out of this tailspin we find ourselves in. That virtue is courage and we are in desperate need across most segments of our society. Colleges, businesses, law firms, media outlets, press corps and of course politicians have chosen cowardice over courage, and it will most likely cost us our republic. What we want in life, what the world needs, all of it is on the other side of fear. All of it is accessed through courage, should we choose to wield it. And not enough of ...

People’s column

Congress should handle tariffs, not the president Editor, OBSERVER: I am not a lawyer but I can read and understand simple English. The US Constitution says in Article 1, Section 8 : “The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and excises”. It does NOT say that Congress can delegate that power to any other authority or individual. Where are the “Strict Constructionists” who claim to be conservative? There is nothing in the US Constitution that gives the president the authority to raise and lower tariffs up and down at whatever whim strikes ...

People’s Column

Adding clarification to Amphitheater Editor, OBSERVER: It is inaccurate, indeed deceptive, to write or describe performances taking place at the current Amphitheater without distinguishing between the original historic landmarked Amp that was demolished in 2016 and the $42 million imitation built in 2017. The current Amp is a replica of the one designed by its co-founder, Lewis Miller, and needlessly destroyed 124 years later, and so it’s simply wrong to say FDR spoke at the Amp on the eve of WWII or the orchestra is performing there during the 2025 season. The historical integrity ...