Editor, Times-Union: I was surprised to see Brian Linky's name on the front page of the weekend edition. Even more surprised to read about a 44-year-old beating up a 15-year-old (at least that's what battery sounds like even though it could be grabbing a shirt or pushing someone away).
Seems that there was nothing mentioned about the kid who tossed the Linky boy's ball over the fence and refused to go after it when Dad told him to. Brian was arrested by the police whom he tracked down and asked to help resolve the problem. And the kid who stole the Linky's property and pitched it over the fence? ... Are you kidding?
My 9- and 7-year-old asked me if it's always so confusing to be an adult. They didn't understand why a father was arrested for trying to stick up for his kid, especially when in that same weekend edition there was an article on page 8A about a 15-year-old shooting a gun near a school to scare another kid and on page 8B there was another thing on teens planning to kill in their school.
So if you're wondering "how in the world could a grown man could get in an altercation with a 15-year-old boy?" ... maybe you should wonder what the boy (and his buddies) did or said. Should a man know better? Sure. But let someone pick on your children and see how easy it is to just sit back and say, "boys will be boys." Not so easy when it's your kid.
Joe Kois Warsaw
Vote
Editor, Times-Union: In recent news it was reported that only about 55 percent of us vote. This is so sad. However, we have been inundated with political ads for about three weeks already by an incumbent and a wanabe for Congress. It will continue until election day. Ridiculous! I am certain that this turns many people off, so they do not vote. This is so sad.
There is no way that the amount being spent by these people is justified, based on the pay that they get for the job. IF they get elected. Thirty days before the election day is ample time for a candidate to give us his or her qualifications for the job they are applying for from us, We The People. We are not stupid, but they must think we are. We The People need to get on the members of our state legislature and Congress to enact a time restriction into law.
