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Stigma only harms people seeking help

In response to the article about Brighton residents’ concerns about a possible methadone clinic (News, October 28), this sort of argument is exactly the sort of thing that prevents people from accessing and engaging in care. It is also ridiculous to assume that these individuals aren’t already in your community, because they are a part of your community.

More locations to access methadone will help the area greatly. As stated in the article, there is already a shortage of access to treatment, often with a waiting list to see a provider.

Another issue is the assumption that all of those engaging in treatment are criminals or inherently bad. The face of addiction is changing, and perpetuating this stereotype only prevents people from asking for help and engaging.

Over the years there has been a marked increase in heroin use in the suburbs. In February 2014, the Democrat and Chronicle published an article explaining that users are increasingly coming from the suburbs due to the price and accessibility of heroin.

Let us continue to promote an environment of treatment and support instead of perpetuating the stigma that creates barriers to recovery.

SHANNON KELLY

Livestock’s role in climate change

Fossil fuels are only part of the problem. It has come to light that animal agriculture is one of the major causes of climate change. So on an individual level, the biggest dent would be to switch to a vegan lifestyle. So let’s make a difference on a personal level first. Go vegan.

KEVIN R. MABEE

No absolution

We knew enough decades ago to have addressed climate change with far less disruption and pain than is now required, but our nature told us not to act despite the clear writing on the wall. And this is without question our fault, and does not bode well for the likelihood that we will start doing better now. Efforts like Mr. Frank’s (News, November 4) to make us feel OK about the evil we have already wrought get us nowhere on the journey we now face.

SANITY MONGER

The real victory was Warren’s

The big winner of this election (outside of the Republican Party) was Lovely Warren. She proved that without her prodding, Democrats will stay home, which they did, in droves. Maybe next time the Democratic Party will run a county executive candidate with at least some appeal to city voters. Sandy Frankel had zero appeal for the majority of city voters.

ANIMULE

Cameras are about the cash

The city says the red-light cameras are for safety, yet they stepped up the collection of fines by booting cars and adding penalties. Are there any red light cameras in Monroe County other than in the City of Rochester? I find it hard to believe that the only unsafe intersections (which require cameras) are within the city limits. It’s not about safety; it’s about the revenue it generates.

BART

The auction of Medley Centre was called off last week after an outstanding tax bill was paid. At least one reader was disappointed.

You guys know I bought, like, $40 worth of guacamole for this, right? Someone is paying me back for that.

LONELY MEDLEY CENTRE

This article appears in Nov 11-17, 2015.

5 replies on “Feedback 11/11”

  1. BART

    Studies indeed have shown that safety has improved at the intersections with cameras. There are no cameras outside the city not because none of the towns have elected to install them, not that all the dangerous intersections are in the city. There are hundreds of intersections in the burbs where cars fly through red lights all the time.

  2. From what I have seen, the red-light camera study was only a before and after tally of accidents. It didn’t account for traffic volume differences, the weather, and other factors that varied. So, the safety argument isn’t a particularly strong one.

    City council should end the red-light camera program because the working poor are being excessively burdened with multiple tickets and fees. We should be helping them become better drivers. Red-light photo enforcement is an irritant more than anything else.

  3. I have mixed thoughts on the red light cameras. On the one hand, I think people in the Rochester area are way worse than most of the rest of the country in running red lights. I’ve stopped for a red light, which I would have definitely illegally run had I not stopped, only to have the car behind me pull into the left turn only lane next to my lane, then proceed straight through the red light, probably 3-5 seconds after the light has turned red.

    If red light cameras focused on catching this blatant, dangerous behavior, I’d have no problem with them. However, it seems that they are increasingly used for much more minor violations, such as stopping with wheels barely over the white line, or someone making a cautious right on red with an almost but not quite complete stop. Something that if a policeman were on the scene, he/she would be highly unlikely to pull someone over and ticket them. If the red light cameras would focus on truly dangerous running of red lights, I’d be OK with them.

  5. “Instead of removing penalties, why not make them proportional to one’s income?”

    So people who are unemployed don’t get penalized? Even if you had to set a minimum fine, it still has to be high enough to actually discourage people from breaking the law. Maybe instead of complaining about fines people should just stop running red lights, especially if you can’t afford the tickets. How is it that I can drive though a red light camera every day for however many years it has been installed, and I have NEVER gotten a ticket? People need to learn how to drive and stop blaming everyone else for problems they brought on themselves.

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