Your article “Creepy
scene at Putnam Legislature Meeting” revealed the sad fact that someone
elected to serve on the legislature was “frightened” and had “horrible
thoughts” after seeing five women in red robes and bonnets. These women were
dressed as characters from ‘The Handmaid’s Tale,’ a prize winning book, opera,
film and television series which portrays women who have lost control of their
reproductive rights and their right to speak. The legislators (who apparently
cannot tell the difference between a hood and a bonnet) had no problem passing
a resolution which contains numerous errors, untruths and sensationalist
fabrications in order to call for repeal of portions of the Reproductive Health
Act. They have no problem cutting off any meaningful citizen input to their
deliberations, by permitting citizens to speak only about matters on that day’s
agenda and only after they have finished voting. At their prior meeting in
April 2, they apparently did not experience “horrible thoughts” when
a supporter of their dishonest resolution revealed that his polarizing and
divisive tactics were inspired by the tactics that led to the civil war a
century and a half ago. The legislature has no problem with trying to take away
our freedoms, preventing us from speaking, and endorsing inflammatory
falsehoods, but they are too fragile to handle the sight of silent women in
bonnets. It’s very sad.
Dwight Arthur
Mahopac
May 15