To the Editor:

Dear Hooksett residents,

Several residents in town are telling me to keep my mouth shut until my inquisition is over. I cannot be quiet when I see an injustice being done. If I am removed, this is my statement: “Que sera, sera,” but I must speak out.

I have read in this newspaper recently to stop printing David Ross’s letters, and the former chairman of the Hooksett Town Council, Mike DiBitetto, referred to David as the court jester. I do not think David is a court jester and the Banner should not stop printing his letters.

Please attend a Hooksett Town Council meeting, we meet the second and fourth Wednesday at 6:30 in the town hall chambers.

In the past, some council members never reviewed their paperwork until they arrived at the meeting. David does his homework and is very articulate. The rules of government are very new to him right now, but he will learn the majority rules. Unfortunately.

In fact, sometime last spring I wrote a letter and chastised him for criticizing some of the actions of the town council. I challenged him to run for council and offered to give him the dollar (to file). He then would realize it is not so easy to get things done in government and can be very frustrating. He took me up on this offer and I am so glad. I gave him his dollar.

In the spring, a resident attended a meeting and he came out of that meeting and referred to the council members as trained seals. Well, the newly elected council members are not trained seals and they review their paperwork before arriving at the meeting. They do their homework, they ask many questions and do not go along just to be part of the pack.

I have been told that 40 percent of the students nationwide that graduate from high school cannot comprehend what they read. Obviously the former chair of the Hooksett Town Council, Mike DiBitetto, did not comprehend what I wrote on July 27 to the Banner and this is one statement in my letter.

“Let me tell you a little about Pat Rueppel. I am not in uncharted waters when it comes to standing up for wrongdoings.” This meant I stood up to injustices long before this and will long after this is over and as long as I have a breath in my body.

But obviously the former Town Council Chair Mike DiBitetto is one that falls into that 40 percent category because he did not comprehend what I was trying to tell you.

This is a statement from his letter of Aug. 3. I am not solicting anyone’s support or asking you to come to my defense. I just wanted you all to know I am not in uncharted water and can take whatever comes my way, I will stand up and defend something that I think is wrong regardless of the consequences:

“Last week, Councilor Rueppel wrote a letter which would mislead readers to believe that she has been charged with too much talking. She had the audacity to speak of her investigation, and in the same breath, call to mind the civil rights movement of the ’60s. She also called upon all good people to come to her defense, suggesting that her plight was somehow equivalent to that of the poor souls who were crushed under Nazi rule!”

As I said, my years in office here have been rewarding and we shall see if I am to stay or my territory is to be enlarged. That is the Prayer of Jabez.

Thirty seconds of silence before the meeting would be a good idea. A prayer would be better, but 30 seconds of silences is politically correct. David has learned PC, but I have not yet and never will.

Pat Rueppel
Hooksett Town Councilor

To the Editor:

God bless Mrs. Schooley, my high school English teacher. She was an inspiration to me by simply asking, “How’s your writing going?”

It had been a few years since I had seen her and the meeting was, in hindsight, a divine appointment. I lied and said “OK,” or something to that effect. I had forgotten my first love.

The Holy Spirit finally convicted me, about 14 years ago, to exercise this dormant talent. Before the Banner, I used to write to the Laconia Evening Citizen, The Belmont Better Times, The Concord Monitor and others. Some got printed, some didn’t. I consider the Banner printing my letters with such “brutal” regularity to be like a passing grade.

When people are motivated to start writing and speaking because of me, it is like “extra credit.” When some attack me for writing, it’s like a “plus” next to my grade. They usually end up confirming my positions and exposing their own. The pattern is still always evident; personal attack, deliberate misinterpretation, dire warnings, etc. “Be wary of my sinister plot to encourage a little tolerance for reverence at council meetings. Don’t let anyone who actually believes in Jesus and the Bible anywhere near the public schools!” (Hmm, school board, that’s an idea...)

Those who deny the existence of our Creator are the “self-worshippers.” They live in a dark world; life is an accident, death is the end, no purpose and no Savior to rescue them from eternal loneliness.

Considering that this is the professed belief of Mr. Beward, I have compassion towards him. The reason he hates my letters and doesn’t want others to read them, is to comfort his conscience and reassure himself of his authority over his life. He is his own god. He decides what is morally acceptable and good. There is no one above him, so don’t say there is. Keep your Jesus to yourself.

Darkness is the absence of light. Turn on the light, and darkness is gone. You can’t turn on the “dark,” you can only turn off the light. Thank you Hooksett Banner for guarding the light switch, aka the First Amendment.

David Ross
Hooksett

To the Editor:

Merrill-Follansbee American Legion Post 37 is in the process of updating the Veterans Park Monuments in Hooksett.

If you were a resident of Hooksett at the time you entered military service, please contact Post 37 with proof of your having served in the military so your name can be added to the monuments.

Or, if you know of someone who entered military service while living in Hooksett, would you please ask them to contact Post 37 so their name also can be honored for having served their country. This would also include people that presently could be living out of the area at this time.

Post 37 can be contacted at 5 Riverside in Hooksett, or by calling 485-7781.

Charlie Humphries
Service officer
Merrill-Follansbee Post 37
Hooksett

To the Editor:

I”d like to give a big thank you to Rich Pichette for stepping up to the plate (no pun intended) for helping out to complete the new Hooksett Little League field located at Hooksett Memorial School.

Rich volunteered his time and equipment (Pichette Bros. Construction Co. Inc.) to help finish the field before the start of the new school year.

It’s people like Rich that make Hooksett a great community to live in. Thanks again Rich, for all the help to complete this project!

Paul Boucher
Hooksett

To the Editor:

The First Amendment allows Mr. Ross to express his views as frequently and publicly as he chooses ­ though Mr. Ross doesn’t seem to think that this same amendment applies equally to people other than himself and those of his political persuasion.

Perhaps the Banner should institute a policy that no one person can have a letter to the editor published more than once quarterly. This policy would include all flammers (in the parlance of Internet e-mail) regardless of political alliance. Should this be adopted, then, at least, each letter would have to be well thought out, articulate and demanding of other reader’s attention. This may also prod Mr. Ross into creating a blog where he can rant on forever in public.

D. T. Hughes
Hooksett

To the Editor:

I am writing in response to the letter David Ross saw fit to send in the Aug. 24 issue of The Hooksett Banner.

I took exception to his calling college students “pesky” and his claims that college students “have no future” in New Hampshire. In 2004, I was a student in New Hampshire who exercised my right to vote. I graduated in 2005 and now, in 2006, I am a homeowner in Hooksett.

Although I did not pay New Hampshire taxes while I was in school, or “dealt” with the sheriff, for the nine months out of the year I lived here in New Hampshire, I did volunteer my time for community service projects, spent my money in the state, and even did an internship under a state representative. I fell in love with New Hampshire and have made it my permanent home.

Perhaps Mr. Ross wants to rewrite New Hampshire’s laws, but part of what makes New Hampshire a great state is its provision for domicile voting.

Sarah Foster
Hooksett

To the Editor:

The history of now defunct Chief McGonigle was well-known by taxpayers and the three blind mice at the time of his hire.

Thanks, Pete!

Let’s start at the beginning when conveniently, Mickey Mouse Don, Mighty Mouse Vic and we can now agree, Danger Mouse is Pete.

I brought taxpayers and cameras to the house of cheese meetings because they kept losing parts of tapes of meetings! Remember, and I guess we can call the taxpayers’ money the cheese.

I, along with taxpayers, brought a document from the Superior Court of Merrimack, docket number 83-m-520 to those cheese-eating vermin, Jacqueline P. McGonigle v. James J. P. McGonigle.

The short version is he struck his wife, threatened her with bodily harm, and the court agreed.

Brought to the attention of these cheese-craving small-eared vermin, and it fell on deaf ears. Remember? Thanks, Vic.

The mice change but the house of cheese stays the same.

Ten years ago, McGonigle or Montplaisir, those sharp cheese-addicted vermin went with the most costly cheese again.

Stay tuned Allenstown. More costly facts to come.

B. Gerald Valliere
Manchester

To the Editor:

My name is Bob Bruce and I’m a Democrat running for Executive Councilor in District 4 of our great state of New Hampshire.

This campaign is about bringing independent leadership, efficiency and accountability to Concord on behalf of the people in District 4 and the people of the state of New Hampshire.

District 4 deserves a positive, ethical, proactive executive councilor representing them. I am not a career politician. Like you, I understand the true needs of this district and this state, like bringing contracts to New Hampshire that will put our workers back to work, using responsible employers.

One of my priorities as District 4’s executive councilor is to develop a highway plan that’s viable for New Hampshire and our environment.

From the state of New Hampshire Web site:

The five Executive Councilors are also from the “citizen body” as none are full-time professional politicians. They are truly “citizen representatives” to the Executive Branch.

I am a husband, father and grandfather who served in the Navy during the Vietnam War. Additionally, I have served in law enforcement, as a firefighter and have worked in both military and civilian aviation. Currently, I am a test engineer in data storage systems.

As my prospective employers, I want you to know that running for executive councilor is the most important job interview of my career. You will evaluate whether my life experiences and passion for a better New Hampshire qualify me to represent you in Concord.

As an executive councilor, I’m not going to base my decisions on partisanship. However, I believe Gov. Lynch and Councilor Pignatelli have shown the kind of leadership we need and I plan on joining them in moving a PRO-NH agenda forward.

The issues we face are New Hampshire issues not political ones.

When I was in school there was a saying from a book, “you’re either on the bus or you’re off the bus.” This campaign bus is not stopping for anyone or anything that gets in its way. The bus stops when Ray Wieczorek calls me in November to tell me he concedes.

On Sept. 12, vote for the candidate that has the capability, willingness and passion to lead our party to victory in District 4.

I look forward to being your eyes and ears in Concord, ensuring that the executive branch of our state government is fiscally conservative and above reproach.

Send a neighbor, not a career politician to the council.

Bob Bruce
Candia