Letters to the Editor
SOUTHOLD
Southold library is making do
The summer issue of the Southold Free Library newsletter, just out, includes welcome news. Acknowledging the rejection by voters last fall of a $6 million bond issue for library expansion and renovation, the staff is making do with more modest improvements. An office has been created for library director Caroline MacArthur on the second floor, up from first-floor space she shared with other staffers behind the circulation desk. The office is readily accessible by elevator. Also, a small room near the circulation desk has been set aside for quiet study.
The bond issue, which would have nearly doubled the existing 8,900-square-foot structure, was just too big, especially considering the state of the economy, and was defeated decisively, 582 to 402. That was just as well. The plan included an esthetically jarring three-story, glass-walled atrium connecting a new wing with the old building, an elegant red brick structure with hunter green trim.
Originally built in 1891 as the headquarters of Southold Savings Bank, the building received an addition in 1991 that conformed to the original concept. If need is proven, it could be expanded modestly again, but this time, one would hope, the plan would pay respectful attention to preservation of this historic structure. After all, this is Southold, dating to 1640, the first English-speaking town in New York State.
James Ahearn
GREENPORT
Who said what?
I am not a joiner. Never, in my long life, did I belong to any political party. Jumping on a bandwagon only to fall off when the cart crashes into a wall is not my style. I would rather scoff at those imperial politicians and their sycophant supporters who frequently lack clothes, clues and conscience. Of course, I have political views but they are my own, rather than those imposed upon me by a committee with its communal ears glued to the railroad track and sticky hands in my pocket.
Pithy sound bites issued by these fervent politicos, rather than separating them from the others, frequently blend into a dulling blizzard of similarity and, when we juxtapose them, a bit of ironic contrast.
Let me give you some examples so you can guess who said what.
1. “Socialism/communism leads to a country of deadbeats who depend on the government to see to all their needs through over-taxation of those who are willing to succeed.”
2. “Socialism is a fraud, a comedy, a phantom, a blackmail.”
3. “I have news for the misguided socialist elitists among us, who have thus far stifled the majority by accusing us of bigotry, prejudice, intolerance, bias and other names that have put some on the defense: Your attacks are ineffective.”
4. “The American citizen must be made aware that today a relatively small group of people is proclaiming its purposes to be the will of the People. That elitist approach to government must be repudiated.”
5. “Is government welfare a charity? If it’s not a government charity, then what is it?”
6. “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.”
7. ”I do have a political agenda. It’s to have as few regulations as possible.”
8. “The reality is if you put all these negatives in one candidate, you would still have a better candidate than the one they are pushing.”
9 “The leader of genius must have the ability to make different opponents appear as if they belonged to one category.”
10. “In this world of sin and sorrow there is always something to be thankful for; as for me, I rejoice that I am not a Republican.”
ANSWERS: 1) John Copertino; 2) Benito Mussolini; 3) John Copertino; 4) William E. Simon; 5) George Dengel; 6) Jesus Christ; 7) Dan Quayle; 8) Denis Noncarrow, Southold GOP chairman; 9) Adolf Hitler; 10) H.L. Mencken
Michael Edelson
MATTITUCK
Message for GOP
Southold Republicans: We Democrats are still waiting for a response to our request for a sign moratorium.
Art Tillman
chairman, Southold Town Democrats
GREENPORT
Sign moratorium won’t solve problem
It would seem that the Democrat and Conservative move to call for a moratorium on political signs would only make the problem worse, not better. Nothing in the town law prohibits an individual from purchasing any number of political signs and distributing them. It would be much more difficult to ask each individual to remove their signs than to contact the candidate’s party. At least if the political parties distribute the signs you know who to blame if they remain for too long after the election. By the way, I pass by a 2003 HORTON, EDWARDS, ROSS sign whenever I go by the dump in Cutchogue.
James Dinizio Jr.
SOUTHOLD
Don’t spoil it
We live in such a beautiful place, especially in the fall when lawns are happily decorated for Halloween. Political signs are “spoilers” and anything but happy these days.
During the recent congressional race Rep. Bishop’s signs were ripped out as soon as they appeared. Please, please spare us the signs and the ill will they foster.
Shirley Darling
CUTCHOGUE
Rein in cyclists
Does anyone else feel that the number of weekend cyclists on the road has become a hazard? I was traveling on Peconic Bay Boulevard this weekend following black spandex shorts and number tags. And not just five to 10 cyclists, it was more like 50 to 75 on the road at one time. Plus they all stopped at Mattituck park, taking up half of Peconic Bay Boulevard. I would hate for an accident to be a reason something is done about this. It is time to establish some regulations.
Maureen Quinn
MATTITUCK
It takes knowledge to combat drugs
I attended the anti-drug forum two weeks ago at Mattituck High School. I would like to thank the North Fork Alliance, Students Against Destructive Decisions and the Southold Town Youth Bureau as well as all the support groups that were there in support of it, such as Alateen, Outreach and the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department.
There was a lot I did not know and I am glad I went. I did not know that “Kush” was slang for pot or that the percentage of THC in pot has gone from 3 percent to about 10 percent over the last 20 years. I did not know that there are shoes, soda cans and chapstick look-alikes that are actually manufactured to hide drugs, or that a 17-year-old caught driving drunk with a 14-year-old in the car could get four years in jail. I did not know that some studies of energy drink use suggest that their overuse by teens may be an indicator of future drug abuse.
During the two-hour presentation I was continually amazed at how much I didn’t know. If you were not able to attend, I would encourage you to spend time learning about current drug abuse trends and to attend any future workshops on the subject. As I learned, having informed parents in a community can be a great defense against the dangers of drug abuse.
Jerry Poole
MATTITUCK
A big thank-you to educator
As our daughter, Lauren, completes her education at Westhampton Beach Learning Center at BOCES, we would like to express our sincere appreciation to our director of special education, Tricia Desiderio, from the Mattituck-Cutchogue School District.
All we had to do was call and Ms. Desiderio was always there to listen and assist us. We were proud to have her represent us and advocate for Lauren over the years with her professional, dedicated and caring ways. We truly appreciate you and all you have done for us.
Charles and Joan Lucarelli
CUTCHOGUE
A historical thanks
The Cutchogue-New Suffolk Historical Council is pleased to announce that the village garage on the Village Green is complete and will be officially open to the public July 2 at our annual antiques fair.
The garage is the new home of a 1926 Ford Model T truck, originally from the local Fleet Farm and donated by Parker Wickham. It will also display a 1930 Ford Model A on loan from member Joe Limongelli, along with other items found in an old-fashioned garage, including a restored antique gas pump, thanks to Rich’s Auto Body.
I would like to thank the community for their generous support in helping build this new addition to the Green. We’ve raised almost half the money needed to build the garage and will continue our fundraising efforts throughout the year.
I especially want to thank Seifert Builders, Ken Dickerson Excavating, Chip Penny at Marjam, JP Hunter and Corazzini Asphalt for their generous support.
Special events such as last week’s successful garden tour raise funds for the village garage and will become annual events.
Coming up are a lobster fest on Sept. 17 hosted by Braun Seafood, and a pre-World War II antique car show on Oct. 15. Please check our website at cutchoguenewsuffolkhistory.org for more information or to donate online. And join us at our meetings in the old schoolhouse on the third Tuesday of each month. New members are always welcome.
On behalf of the historical council, we look forward to seeing you this season. All buildings on the Village Green are open on Saturday, Sunday and Monday from 1 to 4 p.m. for free tours.
Once again, thank you for your support.
Mike Malkush
vice president, CNSHC
CUTCHOGUE
So blessed
My family and I moved to Cutchogue in 1995 and I feel very fortunate to be in a community that is so family-oriented.
Through the years, we met so many wonderful families who have touched our lives, one of them being the Sheryll family. Over the years, Greg Sheryll has been to my house numerous times and is a very good friend of my boys, John and Joe Tardif. John has cerebral palsy; he is non-verbal and non-mobile. Greg has always made it a point to speak to John, include John in all the activities and has pushed him around in his wheelchair.
About two years ago, Greg approached me asking if there was anything he could do to help John. This was going to be a community service project that Greg would do in order to make his Bar Mitzvah. To raise the funds, Greg ran a raffle at Cutchogue East School, put cans out in the lunchroom so people would be able to throw spare change in it, sold pencils with John’s name on them and ran a successful car wash at the Cutchogue Fire Department. This money will go toward a mechanical lift to get John in and out of our pool, making life so much easier for our family.
As a mother, I have seen many wonderful and generous qualities in Greg over the years. This wasn’t just a project that Greg accomplished to help my family. I truly believe in my heart that Greg would have done this anyway. If you know his mother and father, Barbara and Marc, and their boys Jay, Sam and Brad, you would see that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
I feel so blessed to be touched by this family and their generosity. This is truly a wonderful community.
Shelly Tardif
JAMESPORT
It’s high time for watering regs
I read the Suffolk Times’ editorial in the Opinion section titled “Yet another warning”. With over four inches of rain falling within the past few weeks I still see automatic sprinkler systems putting water on the lawns. I see systems with broken heads that are pouring hundreds of gallons of fresh water an hour into the street and down the drains. I see automatic systems on even while its raining, and I also see people watering at 3 p.m. on a windy and sunny afternoon with much of the water either being blown away or evaporating. Yet with all this waste the town still has not implemented odd-even watering days based on your address, or imposed no watering of lawns between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.
So I guess that only when we run low on water, such as the severe drought conditions that exist in many areas of the country even now, will this town start some sort of water rationing. But by then it might be too late and there will be no more water left for drinking, and much less water for our lawns and shrubs.
Thomas Smith
ORIENT
LaValle is wrong to oppose gay marriage
Senator Ken LaValle claims, erroneously, that “he didn’t think his constituency was prepared to accept gay marriage.” This from a senator whose district includes Port Jefferson, the Hamptons and the North Fork — all areas housing thousands of gay families and their supportive neighbors. He appears to align himself with bigots like “the Donald,” John Boehner, Newt Gingrich and state Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. I wonder if they are still reeling over freeing the slaves or giving women the right to vote.
They don’t get it, but both respected Quinnipiac and Siena opinion polls show that 58 percent of New Yorkers do “get it.“ Indeed, nationwide those in favor of LGBT rights now outnumber those opposed.
For timid politicians lacking the courage to do the right thing, religion usually trumps the civil rights they are elected to protect. They are influenced by conservative churches and fundamentalist lobbying groups like the National Organization for Marriage. Doesn’t Senator LaValle know there still is separation of church and state in this country? Marriage for gays is, as for straights, a sacred pledge to honor the mate. The model is not great for heterosexuals, who now have a 50 percent divorce rate.
The District of Columbia and five states (New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont) already permit gay marriages. California lost its right to Prop 8. Can he imagine the significance of such a precedent in a democracy, taking away civil rights from a minority? Another 12 states recognize or accept marriages or civil unions from jurisdictions that allow it. Our Empire State traditionally has led, not followed, the nation.
At latest count, 17 countries sanction fully recognized gay marriage and some 24 others recognize civil unions and registered partnerships as civil, not religious, contracts. Even staunchly Roman Catholic countries, including Ireland, Argentina, Brazil, Spain, Portugal and some parts of Mexico, recognize gays’ right to marriage with the same benefits as heterosexuals. The USA considers itself a first-world leader and dictates to others what they must do to improve their civil rights records. On Friday, the State Department of the U.S. hailed the passing of a U.N. Human Rights Council resolution granting equality to LGBT people as “historic.”
There are over 1,100 federal rights and hundreds of state rights that straights get and gays don’t. So, yes, gay marriage is important to this last disenfranchised minority in Senator Lavalle’s state.
He might consider the Pledge of Allegiance recited by every school child in America celebrating our republic. Its lines are NOT “with liberty and justice for all heterosexuals.” Our Constitution guarantees, among other “inalienable rights,” “the pursuit of happiness.” It does not say “for straights only.”
If Senator LaValle is so determined to deny the rights he enjoys to others, I suggest he heed the words of Whoopi Goldberg: “If you don’t like gay marriage, don’t marry one.”
Edwin Blesch Jr.
MATTITUCK
It’s about time Catholics speak out on gay marriage
For a long time us Catholics wondered when the big wigs were going to speak out on gay marriage.
Well it looks like someone rang their bell and woke them up.
Archbishop Timothy Dolan and our own Bishop William F. Murphy went public. Loud and clear. Alleluia.
It’s about time.
What they proclaimed was what us loyal and true Christians, especially us die-hard Catholics, have been beating the drum for: “The State should not pretend words have no meanings and relations are the same.” Right on guys.
So to the spineless politicians upstate, play your political games but don’t tread on us. Christians are alive and kicking. But if, God forbid, these wimps pass a new law, “it will compromise any and every truth” as we believe and proclaim.
Jack McGreevy
MATTITUCK
In response to gay marriage letter
Yes there are, and will always be, false teachers. Yes, God loves, John 3-16.
The Greek word used in this text for “love” is Agape: Christ’s love, not to be confused, nor compared with man’s love, Porneo, or Eros. Jesus is the light of the world, yet men rejected Him, for they loved darkness. Mankind till this day, loves darkness.
The fruits of religion foster hate. Look at history.
God’s ways are not man’s ways. Members of the Sanhedrin were scholars. Jesus called them vipers. A letter writer last week quotes what he calls the “famous” passage in Leviticus 18 cited against homosexuality, then re-writes it to say it was an admonition against inhospitality. I don’t know what Bible he was reading, look at the King James 1611 edition. The word is abomination.
Marriage is between one man and one woman.
Civil law is not God’s law. Look at John chapter 3, verses three through seven.
For over 30 years I had the opportunity to fill the pulpit of many a denomination in your area. In Mark chapter one, John the Baptist cries out in the wilderness. Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Jesus came to save, warn, and forgive, not to begin a religion.
This same Jesus is coming back. At that time, every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that He, Jesus is Lord.
Then comes the great white throne, judgment. It will be too late then to choose.
Today we live in the Laodicean church age, Rev 3, 14-22. Malachi warns the teachers of their responsibilities, to speak out in a loud voice.
As for this writer, I judge not. I am ashamed of matters in my past. I have sinned in thought, word, deed and through silence. I deserve ever-lasting hell.
But through the agape love and grace offered through the faith of Christ I am forgiven, washed in His blood.
I have acknowledged my sin, repented, and have the promise of forgiveness. God is a holy God, human kind is sinful.
Have you asked Him into your life?
Stephen Nostrom
