In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue..

According to Alf Evers, in his book Woodstock, History of an American Town, my mother s family arrived in this land on 24th of August 1682 on William Penn s ship The Welcome.  I am no outsider. My ancestors  were in the military fighting battles in the American Revolution and have fought in other battles through World War II.  Others served in peace time.  I did not serve in the military. I protested Viet Nam  and Iraq; that does not mean that I am not a patriot. I respect all members of our armed services. At the time , I disagreed with government policy; dissent is a another   form of patriotism..According to my father, some of his ancestors were farmers, one of those Thomas s in his line owned, the land that the  Capitol is built on; it is called Jenkins Hill.  His father, my paternal grandfather, had been a coal miner, the family coming originally from Wales. I am a proud American and it would be a priviledge to represent the 19th Congressional District of New York in Congress.