A quick shout-out to Sean Hart, communications director for the Monroe County Democratic Committee: Thanks a lot, Sean. You and the other political operatives may have filed challenges to every non-Democrat-endorsed candidate, but you should have just left the Green Party alone. Yes, you got the only person with the courage to run against King Duffy off the ballot. Now the mayor doesn't have to speak to his record. Congratulations on stifling democracy.

But here's what you and the rest of the corporate cronies did not count on. We are not going to take this lying down. I hope you don't think that the small group of political novices who dared speak truth to power is just going to go away. We're not.

"It's just politics": We hear that all the time. But tell that to the families in Rochester who have been living in abject poverty for generations. Talk about politics to the people who just lost their jobs or who just finished school and can't find one. Well, the only people who like your "politics" are the ones who already have and those who have not are fed up.

Sean, tell the MCDC to start getting ready to file challenges next year and the next and the next. The Green Party's been sleeping and you just woke us up.

DAVE ATIAS, GATES