ELECTION DAY BONUS: What losing free speech looks like
Capital District to receive $800 million in funding Stefanik voted against
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They call themselves the North Country Light Brigade.
It's just a handful of them, older, passionate, concerned citizens wanting to do something to make a difference in these troubled times.
From our conversations, they came together because of their shared concern over climate change, but as the world changed around them and the politics became increasingly acrimonious, they needed to weigh in, they needed to make their voices heard by shining lighted messages from the overpasses of busy thoroughfares.
It is a simple example of our free speech.
The lights are home-made.
Strands of Christmas lights nailed into the shape of letters inside a wooden box that makes them easy to carry.
As they have added more letters, the messages have gotten longer, but not any more popular in this conservative corner of upstate New York.
They have posted their messages over the Exit 19 overpass.
At Centennial Circle in downtown Glens Falls.
And on the bike bridge over Quaker Road in Queensbury.
That's where I found them on Election Eve.
From time to time this year, I've stopped in to visit with them, to get their take on their cause and their persistence.
They believe in America.
And exercising their freedoms.
And leading by example.
As we stood on the bridge, their message this night was "Harris 4 the people."
Their mission, I believe, is to let other like-minded people in the community know they are not alone.
One or two cars honked approval as we talked, but not many Monday.
But as we stood there in the gathering darkness, a young woman leaned out the back passenger window of a speeding car yelling at the top of her lungs, "Fuck Harris you bitches."
The enthusiasm of the anger over a simple message of support for a presidential candidate was startling.
But up on the bridge, not one of the Light Brigade flinched.
I imagine they've heard it before.
A few minutes later, a white pickup truck pulled into the Key Bank parking lot below. A man got out of the truck and began taking photos with his phone, then yelled, "Assholes!"
He began pacing around the parking lot while on his phone.
A man up on the bridge asked if he could help him.
"Get that shit off the bridge," the man yelled about the lighted letters. "That's public property."
"Then, call the police," came the answer.
"I have," yelled back the man.
A minute or so later, a second car pulled into the parking lot and blocked the entrance into the bank. It finally drove into the parking lot and parked. There was a feeling in the air that something was about to happen.
A minute later, the man from the truck was holding his phone so it lit up his middle finger so everyone on the bridge could see it.
This was a middle-aged adult man on Quaker Road in Queensbury practicing a somewhat less mature version of free speech.
I sensed he was proud of his mastery of modern day technology.
A minute or so later, the man reached into the cab of his truck and held his hand on the horn for 30 or so seconds in an attempt to annoy the people on the bridge.
While the Light Brigade folks did not show it, I was concerned.
Who was the man calling?
Was like-minded Trump supporters like the ones that descended on downtown Glens Falls threatening violence in 2018 on the way?
This was simple free speech up on the bridge.
Guaranteed by the Constitution.
It is what makes our country so unique.
But not in the eyes of the man in the pickup truck. This was an act of intimidation. It was clear he did not believe the Light Brigade had the same free speech he enjoyed while screaming "Asshole" at those on the bridge.
Finally, a Warren County Sheriff's car arrived and the man in the truck - whose vehicle was still blocking the entrance to the bank - walked over to the officer and appeared to be having an animated conversation.
One of the Light Brigade suggested it might be a good time to leave.
"We still have six minutes" another said of the original one-hour plan.
They stayed another six minutes.
It was then they packed up their lights and loaded their cars.
The man was still talking to the police below.
None seemed to be bothered by the angry man who had called the police.
I suspect the officer told the man there was nothing he could do because the Light Brigade was doing nothing wrong.
It was their right.
Depending on the results on today's presidential election, that might not be true a few months from now.
As I drove back up Quaker Road, going under the darkened bike path bridge, the two cars were still in the bank parking lot.
So was the police car.
CHIPs Act
There were many of us skeptical when the state gave Global Foundries $1 billion in tax incentives to build its chip plant in the Capital District. But it is clearly paying dividends.
In the latest influx of money from the federal government, the Albany NanoTech complex was selected to received $825 million as part of the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act that Rep. Elise Stefanik voted against.
Consider that before voting today.
The money will fund a National Semiconductor Technology Center Extreme Ultraviolet Accelerator that will help the United States make the most advanced computer CHIPS in the world.
Again, this is what Rep. Elise Stefanik voted AGAINST.
While campaigning for New York Republican Brandon Williams, Speaker of the House, Rep. Mike Johnson, said the House would try to repeal the Chips and Science Act if they maintain their majority.
Rep. Williams looked uncomfortable with that answer since it might cost him votes. He later told Johnson that repealing the CHIPS Act would be bad for his district since it is supposed to received $6 billion in funding.
Johnson apologized and later said he did not hear the question.
Johnson also voted against the CHIPS and Science Act.
Dixville Notch
It has been tradition that that the small town of Dixville Notch in northern New Hampshire, N.H. becomes the first community to announce the results of its voting on Election Day.
When the six votes were counted shortly after midnight Tuesday, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump were tied 3-3.
Ken Tingley spent more than four decades working in small community newspapers in upstate New York. Since retirement in 2020 he has written three books and is currently adapting his second book "The Last American Newspaper" into a play. He currently lives in Queensbury, N.Y.
We also did the same message Sunday night at Exit 19 overpass, and had a completely different response. Lots of beeps, many from tractor trailer drivers. These angry people are only making themselves look really bad. Basically what they are saying is no one has the right to think differently than they do. Apparently after the Mike Kibbles and Brooke Boices are no longer out there spewing their hatred, these poor low life morons don't have a leader anymore. Must make them so angry that they NEVER think that they also can do the same thing themselves. Guess it's much easier to be loud mouth assholes.
A SHOUT-OUT TO WARREN COUNTY SHERIFF, AND NEW YORK STATE POLICE FOR THE SUPPORT THEY GIVE US WHEN WE DO OUR LETTERS!!
A big thank you to The Light Brigade for sticking your neck out!