Sunday letters: RI's unsung housing hero; wokeness gone too far; betting on nuclear power
Setting an example for helping the homeless
There are three kinds of people in the world. Those who talk about helping others and occasionally donate a few dollars to that effort to make themselves feel good.
There are those who volunteer at organizations that help the downtrodden. They are more dedicated but they leave their assistance at the organization's door at the end of the day.
Then there are those who, without trumpeting their good deeds, help the less fortunate around the clock every day of the year out of the goodness of their hearts.
That's where Russell Archambault of Woonsocket enters the picture ("A Place to Land," News, March 10). For decades he has worked quietly to provide clean, affordable housing to those in dire need in the 56 rooms at his two Woonsocket rooming houses.
Mr. Archambault keeps the houses clean and safe, and forgives rent on occasion when the roomer is really down on his luck. His philosophy in his own words: "I will not throw someone out who's trying their best. The money does not matter to me."
This man truly cares about people. He shows how one person can help alleviate the suffering of our society's homeless. A great example for all, especially for our government. If Russell Archambault can help the housing-deprived in such a laudable manner, and do it while maintaining his own financial security, why can't government do likewise?
Rhode Island Housing Secretary Stefan Pryor needs to shadow Russell Archambault for a few weeks and take his advice on how to help the homeless while spending little. If his methods were exported statewide, perhaps our homeless population would decline and our housing budget decrease.
Mr. Pryor, or our governor, should declare Russell Archambault "Housing Hero of Rhode Island." It would encourage others to emulate Mr. Archambault and might stimulate our government housing employees to work a bit harder doing what they are paid to do.
Lonnie Barham, Warwick
Wokeness gone too far
Wokeness gone berserk has been revealed in a memo written by RimaAnn O. Nelson, the Veterans Affairs’ assistant undersecretary for health and operations.
The Feb. 29 memo, titled "Removal and Replacement of V-J Day in Times Square Photographs," ordered the photograph’s removal to maintain a “safe, respectful, and trauma-informed environment.”
The memo argued that the photo “depicts a non-consensual act” and did not meet the agency’s no-tolerance policy around sexual harassment and assault. The photograph, widely known as The Kiss, was taken on Aug. 14, 1945, the day that Japan announced its surrender to the United States. Backlash surrounding the memo was even addressed by the White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre confirmed during a recent press briefing that the VA would not be banning the photograph.
I have been a patient at the Providence VA Medical Center for 30 years and I was employed there for many years. Apparently this person has a lot of time on her hands if this photograph has incensed her so much. The patients and the health care workers have many more serious problems to deal with than a picture that has stood the test of time.
If the photo truly offends her sensitive nature then perhaps she should simply stop staring at it or perhaps read a book about the horrors of World War II and that two mature people kissing to celebrate has nothing to do with harassment of any kind except in the mind of someone who needs to educate herself on the dangers of playing Big Brother.
John Cervone, North Providence
Nuclear the safest way to go
The United Nations' COP28 conference late last year showcased two agreements: triple renewables, triple nuclear.
In both military and industry careers I built both. Nuclear was safest with least harm to the environment. A half dozen plants in tiny footprints supplied more energy than all U.S. planned continental offshore wind. Nuclear fits existing coal-grid sites without literally mountains of resources from China for solar-wind. Nuclear runs continuously 100 years vs. solar-wind intermittent 10 years before “repowering” or landfilling. Of 440 plants worldwide, one accident in Chernobyl in 1986 killed fewer than 100 people (according to the World Health Organization), mostly responders and about 15 latent deaths due to negligence by the Soviet government in not disbursing iodine tablets (to prevent radiation absorption in the thyroid gland).
China, Russia and India are building 100 reactors for the energy-poor in Asia and Africa while the U.S launches an economically disastrous political experiment: filling our oceans with leviathan windmills requiring fossil plant backup 60% of the time. The fossil industry hates nuclear; they stoke ridiculous radiation fears to ensure enormous profits from solar, wind, and fossil plants that back them up. Their human boardrooms don’t fear low nuclear radiation. Neither should we. They fear carbon-free nuclear electricity. It alone replaces fossil fuels, all of them, transportation included. No new grid. No backup. No ocean required.
Michael Armenia, Newport
An overlooked Black musical star
Another Black History Month has come and gone, and as usual there has been no mention of Rhode Island’s greatest Black musical artist: Sissieretta Jones, better known as “Black Patti.”
During her career, Jones sang for several presidents, as well as British royalty. She was also the first Black woman to sing in Carnegie Hall. Her image and brief biography appears on a large streamer in the R.I. Music Hall of Fame, located on Main Street, Pawtucket.
Lloyd Kaplan, Warwick
Taking up arms against addiction
I laud The Providence Journal for its exceptional front-page story on the important work being done by Rhode Island peer counselors ("How RI peer counselors spark hope for recovery," News,Feb. 18). Addiction is a thief of life, and those in its throes suffer significant direct and collateral damage, from loss of jobs, relationships, and family, to loss of self-dignity, self-respect, and self-love. Death, the ultimate loss, is not an uncommon result. And unfortunately, addiction does not discriminate.
Fortunately, neither does recovery. It's available to anyone who genuinely wants it. Active recovery restores much of what was lost through active addiction. No, the journey of recovery isn't an easy one. It can be a long and challenging journey. But it is a journey very much worth making. Because it's a journey towards a better life.
For those interested in making the journey, I recommend SMART Recovery, the leading alternative to traditional 12 Step programs. SMART vigorously promotes a secular message of self-empowerment and self-management, and its tool-driven program consistently and reliably delivers results for individuals seeking to rise up and meet the possibilities of their own life through committed, sustained recovery. I've seen firsthand its ability to move lives forward. One of those lives is my own.
One need not be a peer counselor or in recovery to take up arms against the scourge of addiction. Whether we realize it or not, everyone has a stake in this fight. Addiction diminishes lives and weakens communities. A weakened community diminishes us all.
Michael J. DiStefano, Jamestown
The writer is the senior New England Facilitator for SMART Recovery, and runs weekly recovery meetings at Anchor Recovery, Warwick.
Shameful behavior by cheering students
As a Providence College alumnus, I was both embarrassed for and disappointed with the PC students cheering at the recent PC-UConn game at the Amica Mutual Pavilion. The expletive-filled "cheer" the students gave UConn coach Dan Hurley, one that could be heard nationwide by the Fox viewing audience, was uncalled for. This same shameful behavior also took place when former PC coach Ed Cooley was "welcomed" home at the Georgetown game recently.
I'm guessing that the students neither care nor respect the fact that such behavior gives a terrible impression of a great Catholic college. Too bad that an opportunity to put our proverbial best foot forward was wasted.
David Taraborelli, North Providence
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Sunday letters: RI's unsung housing hero; wokeness gone too far; betting on nuclear power
