Ferd Wulkan: What Project 2025 means for you

Have you heard about Project 2025? Written by Donald Trump’s allies, it’s the 900-page playbook that tells us what a Republican administration will do in the first few months if Trump and J.D. Vance are elected. It touches on just about every topic...

My Turn: Beware the unintended consequences

By MARGUERITE WILLIS

The Aug. 20 Recorder had a front-page article with a headline that read “Fish and Game unveils five-year plan.” How innocuous, until you read in the article that Charlemont and Hawley will benefit since they are listed as “environmental justice”...

Christina White: Artificial light at night hurts birds

A gentle reminder that as we reach for cozy blankets with cooler temperatures, birds start their migration south. Lights on at night can confuse them, making their journey more difficult and dangerous. You can see who and how many are migrating at a...

Sharon Jean Fertig: Conspiracy theories about Israel abound

In the My Turn “Past time to end wars in Ukraine, Palestine,” [Aug. 8], the author states that many of the Israelis killed on Oct. 7 were killed by the Israel Defense Forces when they were killing Hamas operatives. This is false and a conspiracy...

David Goldstein: Go Trump

A letter writer says “the coming election is going to be a fight between … order or chaos” [“Two candidates, two different visions,” Aug. 23]. That is true. With Donald Trump, law and order will return; he will secure the southern border to protect...

John Lund: Political apathy

There has been something that I notice about myself these days. I have been feeling more apathy toward a lot of things in recent years, and I have not been getting upset so much regarding different issues anymore, either.My apathy was in the formative...

Ann Fisk: A Montague Mug Race thank you

 When the weather forecasters report “cloudy with a few breaks of sun today,” don’t believe them. The morning of the 43rd Mug Race was anything but. A heavy mist fell early, a short burst of rain, then more drizzle. Thankfully by the time the cannon...

Victor Moschella: Illegal immigrants and the Electoral College

Illegal immigrants vote in our presidential election. For years, the Democratic mouthpieces have been giving lip service to the American public about “fixing” the illegal immigrant issue. Kamala Harris made mention of it during the Democratic...

Taking the razor to conspiracy theories

By DONALD JORALEMON

 What does a 14th-century philosopher have to do with assessing the reasonableness of current conspiracy theories? William of Ockham (1285-1347) is credited with the basic principle that, other things being equal, simpler explanations are to be...

My Turn: Harris flawed, but defender of democracy

By MADDIE RAYMOND

 Almost four years ago, I wrote an opinion piece, desperately pleading with the western Massachusetts community to help vote Donald Trump out of office. I offered a (then) 16-year-old’s perspective, leveraging my unique perspective as a young person...

My Turn: Hanging around the DNC

By PAUL TAYLOR

 When my son Sam and I go on our annual baseball trips, we like to explore. Games are usually at night. During the day, we walk. We especially like to explore neighborhoods. Sam is a Boston-based city planner who sees things urban in a unique way....

James A. Marples: Pleased with reuse of old Masonic Lodge

Having family in Massachusetts, I read the Greenfield Recorder article “Old Montague Masonic Lodge becomes dance studio” (Aug. 22). As a fifth generation Freemason myself, I am glad that the old Lodge Hall from the year 1872 will be repurposed as a...

Connecting the Dots: ‘Unselfing’ myself to join in flow of world

By JOHN BOS

Two weekends ago, I was one of 11 men in a weekend Quaker retreat at Temenos, a rustic compound of several cabins and a lodge sans electricity on Mineral Mountain on the other side of Shutesbury. We have been meeting there twice each summer until...

As I See It: Trump’s fountain of youth comes at a certain cost

By JON HUER

Quite reminiscent of “Hitler worship” among Germans, peaking after he easily conquered France, America’s own “Trump worship” among his followers has been noticed by Trump watchers. This phenomenon seemed to have peaked at the GOP convention in...

My Turn: In memory of Milo Shamus Maloney (Jan. 19, 2012 - Aug. 21, 2024)

By BARRY ADAMS

On Wednesday, Milo Shamus Maloney suddenly left a life created specifically for him, and his canine siblings; lives intentionally designed to be protected from the endless vagaries and vicissitudes of human folly. Milo’s life encompassed big love,...

Jeremy Williams: Two different visions

Two candidates with totally different visions of the future. One positive, the other not so much. Looks like the upcoming election is going to be a fight between inclusion or division. Happy against angry. Looking forward or going backward. Order or...

My Turn: Just marry an American? It’s a lot harder than that

By RAZVAN SIBII

Among the countries that take in a lot of immigrants, the United States stands out for its heavy emphasis on “family reunification.” What that means is that many people who become naturalized Americans do so because they have a spouse or a close...

Guest columnist Lois Ahrens: ‘Broken system’ — Worthy bills left behind

By LOIS AHRENS

 According to Progressive Massachusetts, in the formal session that began in January 2023 and ended July 31, 2024, of the thousands of bills submitted, only 5.82% passed.But lest you think this minuscule number was legislation meaningful to most...

Constance Pike: Shout-out to police for ensuring public safety

We do not always realize in these stressful times of divisiveness in our country how difficult it can be for the peacemakers, the police. Demonstrations, both positive and negative, can take a toll on those who serve to protect us.I applaud Police...

Margot Parrot: Peaceful standouts met with bullying

 For the past several weeks, the Athol Democratic Town Committee, together with town committee members and friends from nearby towns, have been doing peaceful standouts for our Democratic nominee for president around Athol and Orange. We hold signs...