To the Editor:

Mr. Hank Robar’s delightful “toilet art” must be making an impression on someone around these parts.  There were three anonymous “sound offs” in last weeks edition of NCTW, with some very unfair, belittling “sniping” of Mr. Robar’s ongoing protest of village policies. Questioning Mr. Robar’s motivations for the toilet art is fair enough, however there were just plain ugly and churlish remarks made about Mr. Robar personally (wah, wah, wah crybaby???).

The writer assigns childish motives and mocks Robar in writing.  I’m surprised they were published.

All three entries certainly appear to come from just one writer, who believes that multiple letters would make it appear as though there is a community wide-backlash against Hank?  

The writer admits to “not knowing the whole story” and claims that Robar has “lost touch” with his original reasons for the toilet placements.

Also, the claim that Robar’s toilet statement is not affecting anyone on the village board or local politics is based upon what?  Since we do not know the identity of this sniper-in-the-grass, these letters critical of Hank could just as easily have been submitted by anyone working for the village or related to same. This sniper never once had the courage to approach Hank to ask him why he is doing what he is legally, morally, and ethically permitted to do!

 In the best tradition of America, Robar is exercising his freedom of speech.  If free speech is only allowed when it is non-controversial or not upsetting to someone, then what value would there be in it?

Perhaps if everyone put a toilet display in their yards, the village would have thought twice about the long-lasting debacle of the power-house on the village falls?  

This alone, along with many other reasons, could lead to similar protests on any number of issues that affect the taxpayers of the village.

While I do not fully agree with Mr. Robar’s political views, as a fellow citizen I fully support and defend his right to have them and to express them in whatever fashion he deems to have the most impact. I encourage Hank to stand firm in his colorful protests and to let no amount of anonymous sniping and name-calling derail his legitimate freedom of speech.

Frank J. Thies, Potsdam