To The Editor:

I would like to thank the recent letter writer who complained of Hook & Ladder’s Fire Company boot drive on Main Street. The writing was classic Jonathan Swift “A Modest Proposal.” Imagine anyone opposed to funding a voluntary fire company who risk their lives to save lives and property not their own. Further imagine someone criticizing the simple dropping of a few dollars in a boot while stopped at a traffic light. Imagine claiming the boot drive was unconstitutional. (The US Supreme Court has held not only that municipalities may set rules and regulations as to streets and sidewalks, but Constitutional discrimination occurs as to suspect classes … Water Rescue and the Newtown Forest Association are not suspect classes.) A masterful work in parody, I hope.

I write, 1) to acknowledge the parody of the boot drive letter; and 2) to note since 2016 the promotion of misinformation and conspiracy theories to confuse the public, i.e. ObamaCare was saved by Trump, Trump had a health insurance plan, Trump had an Infrastructure bill, tariffs are paid by governments not consumers, COVID-19 would disappear by Easter, the economy was great with Trump, the January 6th insurrection was Black Lives Matter, White Nationalists chanting Jews will not replace us are “good people, too,” there was extensive fraud in the 2020 election but just for Trump, Medicare and Social Security are safe with Trump, etc. There were more than 3000 blatant lies by Trump during his Presidency. Vance gaining.

So, don’t be misled by the misinformation and conspiracy theories of those that espouse the above. Supporting our first responders is right and good, and so is supporting our democracy by voting for those who promote truth and justice, for all.

Jim Gaston

Newtown