Dear Editor:
I have become extremely disheartened with the diatribes featured in full and front-page articles in our local papers. The issue seems to be of personal nature to the publishers/owners of the respective papers. It concerns events that happened over 30 years ago. I do not understand the relevance this debate has to our community, Philipstown, Putnam County or even New York state. Are you papers really the platform with which to conduct this debate?
It is unfortunate that your personal agendas are taking center stage. In the 10 years I have lived in Putnam County the PCNR has devolved from a small-town paper covering local news, school graduations, and the general goings-on of the community to a paper featuring articles that seem to incite hostility, cast blame and support certain personal agendas.
For the past few years I have been perplexed by the prominent Easter coverage one local church seems to receive from one of the papers. I have never seen prominent coverage by either paper of Easter celebrations at other local churches, much less Passover or Ramadan. While I know there are many Catholics in Philipstown, they by no means comprise the only active religion in the area. One year we were treated to an Easter morning view from one of the publisher’s multimillion-dollar home. The photo featured a spectacular Hudson River view shortly after sunrise. While it was a nice photo, it seemed odd to me to see this knowing that the grounds of the home prominently feature signs indicating video surveillance of anyone passing by, as well as high fences, walls and gates protecting access to the home.
Are these local papers or the personal screed of two wealthy individuals?
I am sending this letter to the editors of both the Putnam County News and Recorder and The Paper.
Charles K. Burleigh
Sadly I see that PCNR has instigated their relentless point of view since their ownership began. I agree with you to a degree, but there is a moment when you say “enough” and stand for what you see is a continuing dialogue of hostility and a personal attack. I support The Paper to say “enough” and I think that being said they will ignore the rest. I wish more citizens would say “enough” too and perhaps we won’t march toward suppression in our local and national press.