My Turn: We need a bigger bed

By DOUG SELWYN

I read a children’s book that featured a man whose bed was too short. No matter how he squirmed or twisted, some part of him was off the bed. I thought of this when observing the tensions and struggles of our mayor, City Council, School Committee and school administration to fully fund our schools and the many departments in the city. No matter how we twist and turn, there is not enough money in Greenfield and we can’t fix that by ourselves. Our local money supply is too short.

Michael Ward and Doug Lyman: A firefighter’s tribute

Hats off to the members of the Northfield Volunteer Fire Department. The display of honor, respect and friendship shown for the sad and unfortunate loss of former members David Quinn Sr. and David Quinn Jr. is commendable. If you have never witnessed the firefighter’s funeral ceremony of the “Last Alarm/Call,” “The Tolling of the Bell” or seen Old Glory flying from an extended ladder truck it is very emotional and heartbreaking. The men and women of small town volunteer fire departments support a long and honored tradition of protection of life and property with service and dedication to their communities.

Todd Damon: DOGE team will bring good results

It doesn’t take much of a push to get unhinged segments of the population to commit physical or psychological acts of violence. Create an enemy and foot soldiers will follow. We see these well-organized behaviors playing out in blue cities across America once again. Vandalism, arson, and property damage are widespread. The organizers are calling it, the “Tesla Takedown” movement. Owners of these sporty electric cars are under attack. Drivers are being harassed, intimidated and at least one woman assaulted. Tough guy Tim Walz actually cheered the Tesla stock tumble, that negatively affected Minnesota’s state employees’ pensions.

Nelson Shifflett: Throw the bums out

Kudos to every person who attended a Hands Off! protest on Saturday, April 5, and thank you to the organizers whose hard work resulted in a turnout that often doubled expectations in every major city in the nation. I was one of approximately 350 citizens standing in the cold rain in Conway center where I was inspired to see so many people displaying signs protesting the various methods Donald Trump and Elon Musk are using to dismantle our democracy.

Nellie White: Library funding cuts ‘not the end of the world’

A recent letter claims that libraries are “a vital cornerstone of democracy” (April 1). The letter writer is entitled to her opinion, but that’s an absurd thing to say when many let drag queens in the front door. They shouldn’t be let in at all!

My Turn: Play fair, Deerfield

By EDITH and ALAN LIPP

The political race season is upon us again in Deerfield, which got us to thinking about an actual road race in a December 2012 international competition. The lead runner, Kenyan Abel Mutai, stopped just shy of the finish line. He had become confused by the unfamiliar signals.

My Turn: Democrats are just ‘Republican Lites’

By PAUL JABLON

The working folks who voted for Trump are beginning to figure out that he is hurting each and every one of them with his policies. If they, and the rest of us, are ever going to stop these actions and have viable alternative candidates in the future, we need to carefully look at how the Democratic Party let down all of us working folks in the first place. Though somewhat simplistic, I’d describe the vast majority of Democratic candidates as basically “Republican Lites.”

Edward M. Dowd: Join others in making some noise

Mark Twain said, “Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.” There is always much to support and love about our country. At the same time we have the most dishonest, ignorant, corrupt, and incompetent president that our nation has ever seen. This point doesn’t need to be argued as POTUS supplies proof of this every single day. Feeble attempts to justify his actions rely on distraction, denial and what-about-isms. Some of the more extravagant explanations of why Donald Trump behaves in such strange ways describes him as a genius playing four dimensional chess. Other pundits have more correctly observed that it is closer to the truth to describe him as putting the chess pieces in his mouth.

Lyle Hughes: Far left has ‘gone off the deep end’

I am sick of the far left’s antics. This crowd has really gone off the deep end. They swear all the time and think burning Teslas is cool. I thought they cared about the environment (guess not). Real Americans support President Donald Trump since he is actually saving this country from ruin; he’s a busy man and works very hard. When President Barack Obama played golf, liberals didn’t care, but when President Trump unwinds on the golf course, the left flies into a rage. These people are outta their minds.

My Turn: Fighting for our farmers

By U.S. SEN. EDWARD J. MARKEY

Western Massachusetts farmers are used to facing and overcoming challenges — from late frosts and damaging storms to droughts and soil erosion, and more. What they’re not accustomed to is the president of the United States standing in their way of earning a living and bolstering our local economies.

My Turn: Impact of USAID cuts in Uganda

By DRS. MATTHEW KANE and ANN MARKES

As most people are aware, USAID has been one of the agencies that have been most impacted by the cuts of President Donald Trump. Trump said that USAID was run by “radical lunatics.” Elon Musk, the head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency, called USAID “a criminal and evil organization” whose “time to die” has arrived. Although USAID is not perfect (no organization is), this is at a minimum a huge distortion of their work. USAID’s contribution to easing suffering and helping the needy has been amazing and recognized around the world.

Michael Magee: These are the times that try men’s souls

I gave this speech to a gathering of over 300 citizens at Memorial Park in Orange this past Saturday. People of all ages, veterans, teachers, workers, retirees, disabled and the able, gather each Saturday from 11 a.m. to noon to stand out against tyranny and for the American people.

Karen Traub: What to do when tax dollars fund millionaire golf games instead of libraries

When I was five and got my own library card, I enjoyed being entrusted with grown-up responsibility as much as I enjoyed the “kerchunk” sound of the machine checking out my book. I didn’t know this was my introduction to civic engagement.

My Turn: ADUs and the politics of fear

By SUSAN WORGAFTIK

In Al Norman’s April 2 column [”The growing crowd next door”], the politics of fear were in full display. His discussion of the changes in zoning to accommodate the state’s ADU law, presented some truly alarming statements and assumptions.

My Turn: The war on us has begun

Jon Oltman: And the takeaway is?

Congratulations to columnist Jon Huer (”How liberty itself killed liberalism in America,” Recorder, March 5), who has once again shown us all how smart he is, and how the America we now find ourselves in is an expected outcome given our history. If we had only listened to him all these years, then … what?

Edward Schwerin: Trump regime not the answer

To my fellow working people of Franklin County who voted for and have been supporting President Donald Trump — please take a moment and reflect on what is happening to our country. Trump just enacted a massive tax increase on working Americans. Tariffs are not paid by countries, they are paid by consumers with the money going directly to the U.S. Treasury. At the same time, the president is allowing a billionaire to make equally massive and destructive cuts to programs that we all rely on. I’m talking about farms, schools, health care, necessities for a functioning society that are available to all Americans, not just the wealthy, because of our tax dollars.

My Turn: You say you want a revolution

By DAVID PARRELLA

It was 1969 and a lot of us who were college freshmen that year spent a lot of time listening to the White Album by the Beatles. That one song in two versions kept replaying in my head.

My Turn: Support a trans sanctuary resolution for Greenfield

By TRYSTAN GREIST

I hope the City Council passes their draft ordinance protecting gender-affirming care for transgender people and a related trans sanctuary resolution as quickly as possible. Why? Because the situation for trans folks in parts of the country is dire. Texas is creating a registry of transgender individuals. We fear that camps are next. They’ve already banned gender-affirming care for youth and made it illegal for parents to raise trans kids. It’s very scary, and trans parents are looking for safe places to move. Other states are following suit with similar forms of persecution.