Thanks Councilor Honan
Dear Editor,?????
Councilor at Large Tracey Honan will soon be stepping down from her post on the Winthrop Town Council. I feel impelled to thank Councilor Honan for her fortitude and leadership during some seriously difficult times here in our town.
Tracey has been Councilor at Large during the COVID pandemic. She’s been an outspoken leader and supporter of both civil rights and human rights across the board. She physically stepped up during the infamous Diana Ploss Thursday “visits” to Winthrop a few years back. Tracey actively protested against Ploss’s spirit of hate and intolerance of people different than herself and her beliefs.
Tracey continued representation on the Winthrop Council when both David Green and Ramona Cooper were gunned down by a hate-inspired perpetrator on 06-26-2021.
Not only was Tracey Honan outspoken on issues of human rights of all kinds, she WROTE some profound statements or proclamations of Council support for equal rights for persons of all races, genders, creeds, nationalities, and sexual identities. She’s part of the reason the Winthrop Commission for Diversity, Inclusion, & Community Relations still exists and flourishes.
Hats off to a valiant woman who rallied for those who many times cannot rally for themselves. Thank you for your service, Councilor Honan!
Sincerely,
Donna Segreti Reilly
Regarding the Flag Debate
Dear Editor,
I have read the November 30,2023 editorial on Winthrop’s flag policy. It appears that cities and towns across the country are having very heated debates about a flag policy. It have a very simple and direct way to solve this issue. Fly only three flags period. The Stars and Stripes, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the POW flags only. All other flags have no place in our public buildings, squares or memorials. If people are compelled to fly other flags to show support then they can do so on their property!
This seemingly endless debate over whether other flags be allowed to fly with our red, white and blue is absurd.
John Tranfaglia
On Flags: This Is Not the Job of Town Council
Dear Editor:
I read with interest a recent article in the Winthrop Transcript, titled “Council Debates Town Flag Policy”. The issue came up at the Winthrop town council meeting on November 28, 2023 as a result of the vicious attack on Israel by Hamas terrorists from Gaza and Israel’s response to the unprovoked attack on its civilians.
The Hamas attack on Israel and Israel’s response was followed in various locations in the United States by several antisemitic and anti-Israel demonstrations purportedly in support of the residents of Gaza who were caught in the retaliatory strikes against Hamas by Israel.
I would like to express my thoughts on the Matter.
I am strongly of the opinion that raising an Israeli flag – or the flag of any other nation or international entity other than that of the United States is not a proper town council function. The town council has other more appropriate actions to debate and act upon.
Flying an Israeli flag can be done by any resident or organization in the Town of Winthrop. They can place an Israeli flag, or other appropriate symbol, in their window, on their front lawn, on the back of their shirts or wherever they wish. They can also make a more significant statement about their support for Israel and, at the same time, help the victims of the Hamas terrorism. By donating to any one of a number of Jewish, Israeli, American or international charities. One such charity is Magen David Adom, which is the Israeli version of the American Red Cross.
Respectfully,
Burton Figler