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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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

Chip Ainsworth is correct in his March 22 “Keeping Score” column that pickleball is a sport that “even a rhinoceros could play.” But one of its positives is that it’s a great participatory sport that can be, and is, played by many different species.

Picture a state. Any state. Now picture the state having endured a weather disaster. A tornado, flooding, fires, earthquake. Now picture the state asking for federal assistance in the tone of Ben Stein from Ferris Bueller: FEMA? FEMA? FEMA? Anyone?

In response to Nelson Schiffrett’s April 2 letter, “Lead and we will follow,” go to Jessica Craven’s “Chop Wood, Carry Water” website, which is published every day with a list of things that one can do to counteract the Trump administration’s antics. The list includes letters to write, people to call and what to say, petitions to sign and information about public demonstrations. It is very uplifting and inspiring to read these posts and take some small action. It has improved my mental health. And today’s news gives me heart that Schiffett and I are not alone. The tide is just beginning to turn!

By MICHELLE SCHUTT

April is National Community College Month and a great time to reflect on what makes GCC and all community colleges so special.

By ANDREW MOREHOUSE and CHARLOTTE BONEY

The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts recently received troubling news: the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has canceled a portion of its food deliveries through August — an estimated $440,000 worth of food we were counting on. While this represents only 1% of our total distribution last year, it’s a serious shortfall that will force us to draw on emergency reserves to purchase food. Even more concerning are the proposed federal cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). These cuts would deepen food insecurity across western Massachusetts and further strain our already overburdened food assistance network.

By JON HUER

On March 23, 1775, Patrick Henry, a political hothead from Virginia, declared: “Give me liberty or give me death!” and history gave America its liberty and death. One could not be given without the other.

By MIKE HANNIGAN

I am stunned at the potential losses for library services throughout Massachusetts with the proposed elimination or reductions in federal IMLS funding.

The wanton destructiveness of unelected, unconfirmed Elon Musk and his dodgy minions will result in no savings to the federal government, only long-term damage. Firing Pentagon employees so more can be spent on drones doesn’t make our country safer; it merely enriches certain favored defense contractors at the expense of veterans and other workers.

By PAM HARTY

By LIZ BROWN

Thanks to the Trump administration for its latest demonstration of government transparency by including an editor from The Atlantic magazine in a group chat about attack plans on Houthi targets in Yemen. By shrewdly refusing to designate the operation “highly classified,” and refusing to hide behind the security of their government-issue phones, the actors in this exciting drama allowed us to view how a truly merit-based cabinet operates, freed from the incompetence of DEI hires.

Improvements to U.S. transportation infrastructure and aviation safety systems are indisputable ways to “make America great again,” but unfortunately very little is being done.

I left the Pioneer Valley in 1978, chasing careers in Andover, Nashua, New Hampshire, and Windsor Locks, Connecticut.

By RICHARD FEIN