Letters to the Editor: ‘LaLota voted wrong’

Southold
I was wrong

I provided information to Times Review that I have since learned was inaccurate. My opponent Dan Ross and I have both been screened by the Judicial Screening Committee, Suffolk County Bar Association and found qualified. I apologize for this error and any confusion it may have caused. Thank you.

Brian Hughes
Mr. Hughes is the GOP candidate for Southold Town justice. 

Calverton
Political signs are just litter

It seems that every year the political signs littering the sides of our beautiful roads get bigger. I guess local politicians believe that we all vote based upon who has the largest sign. But, did you ever wonder who’s paying for these signs and what they want in return for their contributions? I contend that we should view each gigantic sign as an IOU to big moneyed interests and developers. 

Jerry Silverstein

New Suffolk
LaLota voted wrong

The U.S. House of Representatives has now elected a new speaker, the presiding officer in the House and the second in line for the presidency. The new speaker is Mike Johnson, who has not accepted President Biden’s election and was a principal architect of one of the efforts to overthrow it. It is a national disgrace to have such a person in this position, so high up in the presidential line of succession. Our congressman, Nick LaLota, was among those who voted for Mr. Johnson to be speaker. Is this how we want to be represented?

Stanley Brown

Glen Cove
John Underhill wasn’t that bad

As a Captain John Underhill descendant and president of the Underhill Society of America, I would like to ask that those involved do further research into the life of Capt. John Underhill. Before any action suggested in the article of Oct. 18 by Steve Wick is taken to take down or revise the historical marker outside Southold Free Library, I believe researchers should read “Newes from America,” written by Capt. John Underhill in 1638, which might help to explain his history as an “Indian fighter” and gives his own account of what occurred during the Pequot Wars. Also, there are other resources that should be reviewed and researched. We would like to request additional research be done, a thoughtful discussion on the matter be done and that no action be taken on the historical marker until all takes place.

Susan McMahon

Cutchogue
Why mention the war in that story?

I am respectfully curious why you felt the need to reflect editorially (whether fairly or not) on the Israeli-Gaza war in a recent article ostensibly reporting on the appointment of a new rabbi for a local synagogue (“Reform synagogue hires rabbi,” Oct. 26). I confess, being a Jew, having thought that the editorial em-pha’-sis was on the wrong syll-ab’-le, but I can respect that others (including some Jews) less familiar with history might share your apparent viewpoint. But I must ask, would you have commented on child molestation in an article about the ordainment of a new parish priest? Or the practice of beheading journalists in an article about Ramadan? Yours is a paper I admire and respect. If it weren’t, I wouldn’t bother to write.

S. Mazur

Southold
Here we go again

I wrote this letter in May 2022. It turns my stomach, breaks my heart and enrages my intellect to read it again. Thoughts and prayers don’t bring back lives. I cannot comprehend how ANYONE with a heart and brain can support assault weapons. Tragedy upon tragedy, families devastated, fingers pointed — repeat, repeat, repeat. I think it is fair to say that we don’t have all the mentally ill people in the world and yet this country has the vast amount of mass shootings. I truly don’t believe there is one solution, but as a society we must find a comprehensive plan to help avoid these tragedies. Common-sense gun control, mental health awareness and encouragement to get that help are just two of the changes that will help. I don’t pretend to think that is the be all and end all solution, but we are failing our children in this country when they are taught from preschool about active shooting drills.

Rosellen Storm

GREENPORT
Rotary changes lives

What a wonderful story about the Rotary exchange student from Australia! I just returned from Belgium, where I visited the exchange student (I call her my exchange daughter) I hosted back in 2000-01. She has been here several times and we have been to Belgium several times since then. If anyone is considering hosting a student from another country, I say do it; it’s the best experience you and your family can have and you will have lasting memories and the added bonus of an extended family! Your article just brought back many remarkable memories!

Christina Dinizio

Laurel
Get rid of the leaf blowers, please

Well, fall is here so get your ear plugs ready. Every single day from now until Christmas we will be hearing those noisy leaf blowers. I really don’t understand why gas-powered leaf blowers cannot have a muffler attachment. In my opinion there should be a muffler requirement for all gas-operated leaf blowers. To make matters worse, I have see most of the landscapers just blowing the leaves onto the road, where eventually they end up on a neighbor’s property or in the storm drains. In my opinion, something must be done to quiet these things down and strict enforcement to require all landscapers to pick up the leaves and not blow them into the roadway.

Vincent Falco

Greenport
Our grandfather found that skeleton

This is a response to Mr. Bredemeyer’s question as to the whereabouts of the Indigenous skeleton once exhibited at the historical society. The historical society returned it to my brother, Joe Townsend, the grandson of the man who discovered it while digging a foundation for his home in Orient in the early 20th century. He gave it to the director of the Indian Museum, who returned it to the tribe for proper burial in their sacred grounds.

Susan Johnson

Cutchogue
Evil must be stopped

Why do we Americans continue to elect reactionary government officials instead of visionary and forward-thinking individuals? At this point in time “we need leadership that meets the valor of our military,” said former staff sergeant and Medal of Honor recipient David Bellivia, I can only echo the same thought.

The hideous inhumanity that took place in Israel is evil! It may have been prevented had our present leaders withheld money from questionable humane support as the prior administration had done. We are now left with a international crisis in the Middle East which has claimed American life.

The winds of a wider war are stirring. Those who refuse to understand history are condemned to repeat it! These are dangerous times, as were those that led to World War II. “The only thing that will allow evil is for good men to do nothing.” Hamas is a terrorist organization that has controlled Gaza since 2007, when they murdered the opposition government there. They exist to eliminate the Jewish state. How any American could protest against Israel knowing this is inconceivable?