Letters to the Editor – April 7, 2022

Vermont groups continue the call to end U.S. participation in the war on Yemen

To the Editor:

On Sunday, March 27, activists from Brattleboro to Burlington again coordinated rallies calling for the Vermont delegation to act further to end the U.S.-backed war on Yemen. The Congressional Progressive Caucus statement of March 25 urged Pres. Biden to act but did not present a timeline for their next step, the introduction of a new Yemen War Powers Resolution. We thank Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) for being one of the four senators signing that statement.

On March 1 in Burlington, at the offices of Rep. Welch (D-VT) and Sen. Sanders, Vermonters called for a new resolution from Congress to force a floor vote in Congress to end U.S. participation in the catastrophic conflict, which has entered its eighth year.

Participants in Charlotte, Burlington and Brattleboro included members of Champlain Valley Cohousing, Windham World Affairs Council, Centre Congregational Church, The Vermont Workers’ Center, Burlington Friends Meeting, All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church, Indigo Radio, Friends Committee on National Legislation, Action Corps, Brattleboro Solidarity and the owner of Everyone’s Books.

The U.S.-backed, Saudi-led invasion of Yemen began during the Obama administration and was meant to quickly oppose and topple the Houthi regime which had seized power. The invasion has degenerated into a bloody civil conflict. Despite Biden’s repeated statements that the U.S. should end its aid to Saudi Arabia for this war, and in his first days in office that he was going to do just that, the U.S. continues to use our tax dollars to send weapons to Saudi Arabia and provide logistical support to the Saudi air force. This aids in perpetuating the war and the blockade that keeps food, medicines and fuel from reaching the starving population of Yemen. I definitely don’t want to be complicit in this or any war.

Catherine Bock
Charlotte

Thanks to our Legislators

To the Editor:

It is one thing to voice support for a cause. It is another to actually succeed with legislative action.

An antiquated state statute has limited potential earnings on endowment funds by nonprofit cemeteries for years. The board of Morningside Cemetery reached out to Rep. Mike Yantachka and Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale for help. Both visited the historic property in East Charlotte and helped us write a bill.

They then shepherded the statutory changes through the House and Senate committees, including close examination by the state treasurer. The bill was signed into law by the governor last week.

Charlotte’s representation in Montpelier is in very good hands.

Nancy Richardson
Charlotte

Richardson is president of the Morningside Cemetery Association.