Letters to the Editor: 03.24.16

For Ralph Carpentier

South Orange, N.J.

March 21, 2016

To the Editor,

We would like to thank The Star and our many friends and colleagues for their expressions of love, honor, and respect for Ralph Carpentier, and their kind condolences for us on our loss. Thanks also to the Seton Hall University Department of English for their kind donation to the Artists Alliance in Ralph’s  name.

We all miss him, and your support and recognition of his life and art has been invaluable.

MARTHA C. CARPENTIER

HORTENSE CARPENTIER

Theater Arts

Montauk

March 15, 2016

Dear Mr. Rattray,

We here at the Neo-Political Cowgirls wish to thank Maureen Rutkow­ski, the Montauk Community Playhouse, and the brave and hearty audience members who came out on Feb. 27 to experience our annual production of “ZIMA!”

It truly takes a village to make theater, and we couldn’t do it without the generous sponsorship and imaginative belief in us from Maureen, the Montauk Playhouse, the Montauk Chamber of Commerce, T.S. Home Maintenance, and Carolann Sandoval, our performers, our N.P.C. board and volunteers, and those who attended. A very special thanks also goes to our N.P.C. board member Nancy Cardoso, who is the creative thrust behind the gorgeous headdresses our performers wear each year. 

While “ZIMA!” is a magical, outdoor theatrical scavenger hunt for all ages that embraces the beauty of nature in winter, the board and supporters of the Montauk Playhouse are working hard to build their theater in order to bring even more exciting arts adventures (indoors) to the tip of the East End. We are always happy to partner with them in laying down the foundation of imagining all that could happen for our community once this theater is complete. 

If you haven’t yet, please check out their progress and goals for the theater and join in taking part in building a space for the theater arts in Montauk.

KATE MUETH

Founder, Artistic Director

The Neo-Political Cowgirls 

Wind Energy Forum

East Hampton

March 21, 2016

Dear David,

The Wind Energy Forum, sponsored by East Hampton Town and Renewable Energy Long Island took place on Saturday in the middle school auditorium. This event demonstrated just how successful a local community can be in coming together to better understand what contributions residents can make toward a more resilient East Hampton community now and in the future. 

Supervisor Larry Cantwell and Councilwoman Sylvia Overby, the town’s energy sustainability committee town liaison, spoke on clean renewable energy, including wind power, in addition to the town’s working strategies on energy efficiencies, in the effort to meet East Hampton’s Climate Action Plan guidelines. Saturday in the middle school auditorium there was a tide of confidence in local government you do not hear in today’s frightful national political debate. 

In addition to the program speakers and audience interest, many helped make the wind energy forum a success, including the East Hampton School District staff in finding the event site, and the event’s support from the East Hampton High School principal, Adam Fine, and the middle school principal, Dr. Charles Soriano. Thanks to the middle school custodians who just got everything right on Saturday morning. Thanks to Lynn Arthur, from South­ampton Town’s sustainability committee, who spent her time at the auditorium entrance welcoming attendees as they arrived. Her presence underscores the working relationship between the two town’s sustainability committees. 

A special thank-you goes to Aubrey Peterson, East Hampton High School’s bilingual social worker. For two days, his Science Club students circulated renewable-energy petitions to the student body. East Hampton attendees will deliver to the Long Island Power Authority trustees at their March meeting: 391 high school and middle school student signatures of support on renewable-energy petitions, 45-plus renewable-energy pledges from the wind forum, and 390-plus letters from the Renewable Energy Long Island website to Governor Cuomo, asking his support in assuring LIPA select only renewable-energy generation for all projects dedicated to meet the East End’s growing energy needs. 

Finally, in order to achieve East Hampton Town’s 2020 goal of 100-percent renewable energy resources, wind power must be included with solar and programmed energy efficiencies. The Deepwater proposed project must be approved by LIPA. These 15 turbines, 30 miles over the Montauk horizon, will deliver enough energy to annually power 50,000 East End homes. Permitting this new technology will contribute wind power as an additional source of renewable energy to a community eagerly working toward an independence from the generation of fossil fuels to meet the South Fork’s growing need for more power.

LINDA JAMES

More Thinking

East Hampton

March 11, 2016

Dear David.

As you already know, I am no fan of wind farm turbines. Well, seems as if they might be worse than I thought. Suppose whales, disoriented by the low-frequency noise they generate, started grounding themselves on our beaches in season. It seems that is happening on the European west coast and on Great Britain’s beaches now. They do not smell very good. In fact, dead whales make a ghastly smell. More thinking is in order.

It is heartening to read that the town board has decided to watch the “sea rise” and cope with it as it occurs rather than spend copious sums that result in no effective change. A good thing, since all projections done by computer model since the 1990s have been wrong. As I have stated before, adding sand to the beaches in Montauk is helpful. But it should be clean quartz sand from other continental terminal remains from the last ice age. 

PETER C. OSBORNE

What Has Changed

East Hampton

March 18, 2016

Dear Editor,

My family has been driving on the beach at Napeague for decades. While many things in East Hampton have changed, beach driving is one of the remaining traditions that we can still enjoy. Over the years on summer weekends, you will find many people who have packed up their truck, ready for a relaxing day at the beach. These people are small-business owners, police officers, E.M.S., volunteer firefighters, teachers, other hard-working East Hampton residents and their families. 

These people respect the beach and respect one another. That hasn’t chang­ed, but what has changed is the number of houses that have been built in the dunes. There is an organization of these homeowners that is stating that beach driving is dangerous. My wife and I bring our two young children to Napeague, and we have never felt they were unsafe or in any kind of danger. These same homeowners are saying they are concerned about preserving the beach, that the driving is ruining the beach. Yet, they offer an option of just moving down the beach a little farther, instead of in front of their homes.

This group is complaining that the local people who drive on the beach are pushing litigation regarding this case, when in actuality the litigation is due to the homeowners’ lawsuit to privatize the beach.

Beach driving is a tradition that does not need to be eliminated because new homeowners would like a private beach.

JASON HREN

Keep Beaches Public

Montauk

March 19, 2016

To the Editor:

Through my eyes, I CfAR. I grew up in the Naugatuck Valley of Connecticut, not on the water, but since I was young I’ve had an East End Long Island connection. My aunt and uncle used to have shark boats in Montauk. I was young and only experienced it through stories, photos, and trophies. Then many years later, I met my fiancé, who brought me out here to experience all of its beauty myself.

One of the first places I was taken to was the Napeague stretch — Truck Beach, Family Beach, whatever everyone is calling it these days. It was there that I head-on faced the beautiful ocean, the amazing family camaraderie, made new friends, met actual family members, and to this day have had some of the best times ever.

We both work in the landscape field like many others here, and most of us work six days a week during the summer months. We look forward to Sundays and packing up our Jeep and heading down to the beach to meet up with friends and family and enjoy a beautiful day at the beach.

 There is a new group out there called SAFE. They are trying to put a stop to 4x4 access to the beach and the parking of the 4x4s on the beach as it is allowed currently. They want to privatize the beach for themselves. Among other false allegations they are claiming that children are in danger because the 4x4s drive recklessly on the beach and that we all use it as our personal toilets, unlike the septic systems they have in the dunes that sustain the homes there.

I have never once witnessed any problems on Napeague at all. All of the children who are there have basically grown up on that beach, as did their parents. There are first responders, E.M.T.s, police officers and real people who enjoy this stretch of beach, along with the homeowners. If any one of us there ever sees a child, or anyone else for that matter, in danger, we jump to action. If someone is disrespecting this area, we handle it. If someone is driving recklessly (normally an out-of-towner who does not know how to drive on a beach), we police it and let them know they are wrong. If we see garbage on the beach, we clean it up, and also after ourselves.

The lies that are being told along with the fabrication and Photoshopping of photos is a blatant attempt at making the good, hard-working, local people of this community look bad. We may not have all of the money in our bank accounts as these entitled, rude, ignorant people have, but there is one thing we all do have — respect.

Citizens for Access Rights needs the town’s support in winning this battle, and everyone who has ever enjoyed an afternoon at this area needs to get involved and also show support. Keep East End beaches public, and continue to allow the 4x4 access to the beaches that we have it for.

Sincerely,

KELLY DILLEY and  

JEFF KIGER

Close Circle of Hosts 

East Hampton

March 21, 2016

Dear David,

I write this letter to The Star in hopes that Secretary Clinton reads it and decides that it deserves her attention.

I want to ask her this: “Do your regular, prosperous hosts in East Hampton, people whom you honor with your frequent presence, pay for their Hamptons employees’ health insurance, or must their workers out here buy it largely or entirely on their own?”

I do understand that the secretary might regard putting such a question to her close circle of hosts an unreasonable intrusion on their privacy and hospitality. But even with the Affordable Care Act, health insurance in the Hamptons remains very expensive and often inadequate. For such very wealthy friends not to provide adequate coverage could reflect poorly on the strength of her pledge to achieve effective and affordable health care for all Americans.

We have come to learn much about who Donald Trump, her likely opponent in November, really is. But I feel we still know too little about who Hillary Clinton is. We can start by learning more about the people she chooses to hang out with.

Thank you.

RICHARD ROSENTHAL

500 Superdelegates

East Hampton

March 21, 2016

To the Editor:

When I realized that 500 superdelegates had more influence than millions of voters, I wanted to know who these people were. So I called one on the phone. 

“Hello, is this Bruno Salvatore?” I asked.

“Yes,” he said.

“My name is John Smith.” (Not true.)

“So, what do you want?” he said.

“I’m a reporter for a local paper.” (Not true.)

“So what, who cares?” he said. (Probably true.)

“Well, I want to know who you are committed to,” I asked.

“I ain’t admitting to nothing,” he yelled.

“No, no, not admit, commit.” 

“I ain’t committing to nothin’.” He seemed confused.

“Who are they?” I asked.

“Hey, no more questions or I come there and break your leg.”

I tried one more time.

“Whom are you voting for?” I asked.

“What, you don’t hear so good? I’ll break your leg.”

Since I wasn’t getting answers, and I like my leg the way it is, I ended the call with “Have a nice day.” 

Bruno ended it with “I come over and break your leg.”

It leaves you to wonder who are these people with more power than all of us combined.

FRANK ACKLEY

In the Dark of Night

Sag Harbor

March 21, 2016

Dear David, 

In recent times we appear to be identifying ourselves as a culture and a government and we don’t like what we see. We are in trouble, resulting in the creation of Donald Trump and extremism that he represents. But I’m more concerned with the millions of Trump’s offspring; they will be difficult to deal with.  

An aside caught my eye in The New York Times when their leading columnist Thomas Friedman actually wrote, “What if the United States had a truly savvy deal maker like Donald Trump negotiate the Trans Pacific Partnership free trade accord instead of the wimpy Obama team? I mean, be honest, folks, would you let Barack Obama sell your house?” 

I had no idea so called normal people could be brainwashed so easily, but research has proven there are real and latent fears at play here.

Senator Bernie Sanders has it right in the dark of night. How often have we heard the mantra, “I would vote for Sanders. I like him, but what hell are we afraid of?” If in doubt, be aware of the baggage Hillary carries. She has stolen issues from both Sanders and Elizabeth Warren and also carries baggage from her husband, Bill. At times he sounds like a Neanderthal man. Too long in power one gets stagnant. To them, all that matters is the party — people come last. Even lame duck Obama is speaking about the party. Why is he so threatened? 

Senator Sanders has it right. Everyone else running for president has flipped, especially Hillary, according to the whims of popularism and thoughts that sound better than hers. At least Sanders’s message remains the same. He speaks truth to power.

Always a touch of humor: Chris Christie and Sarah Palin embracing each other and Donald Trump, while Ben Carson adds another gem, “There are two Donald Trumps.” And many puppets. Please stick to religion.

In summary, no one likes Trump; Ted Cruz no one has liked in the past in Washington. Divisions in politics are off the wall. Some good advice may come from Elizabeth Warren: “I’m not a liberal or conservative, don’t put a label on me.” Notice Sanders called himself progressive, and politicians loved the label and fight for it till this day. Come on, Hillary, try to be honest just one time. Sanders has it right in the dark of night.

In peace and truth, 

LARRY DARCEY

Free-Market Fantasies

East Hampton

March 20, 2016

 To the Editor:

Free trade and the endless flow of bullshit around it typifies the American dilemma, the inability to differentiate between reality and fantasy. On the Democratic side of the election, Sanders pounds Clinton for her support of trade agreements that have cost us jobs. Republican Trump talks about trade deficits and how he will renegotiate imbalances with China, Mexico, and Japan,  and create millions of jobs. Both are delusional at best, and both feed into a fantasy that free trade is a real and viable concept.

Free trade as part of a free-market economic model is theoretically enticing but almost never comes to fruition. Opening our economy to inexpensive raw materials and products will eventually raise the living standards of the places we trade with and allow them to purchase our products and create more jobs here. Realistically, we search out cheap labor and make enormous profits on the products it creates. Often labor costs in undeveloped countries are 10 to 15 percent of domestic labor costs and create a downward spiral on U.S. wages to compete. Our short-lived middle class emergence from 1945 to 1980 began to fall apart as we made more and more of our products outside the country and began chipping away at domestic wages and benefits.

Relationships tell the story best. Our relationships with Latin America, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East have ranged from near-slavery to indentured servitude. Virtually every relationship served to the benefit of the U.S. and to the detriment of the home country. Not only were the trade relationships imbalanced, but the political manipulation was extensive and profoundly detrimental. The brutality and often inhumanity of the relationships were the underlying values on which they were based.

Into this trade reality, President Reagan and the Chicago free-market team, with complicity from both Dems and Repubs, set upon the country, betraying  the middle class based on supply-side free market and trickle-down fantasies, treating it exactly the way they did our other trading partners — Latin America at home, and sometimes worse. (If you supported supply-side theories you were either an idiot or a criminal. Criminality wins the day by a landslide.)

While sustaining the fantasy of a functioning middle class, it created a massive credit apparatus and a cheapo products economy to keep workers consuming at the level of higher wages and higher expectations (see credit cards, McDonald’s and Walmart). Where we are today is a product of a complicity between corporate America and the government. The redistribution of wealth was the natural outcome of these policies and the shift from a labor-based economy to a capital-based system. The deregulation of the financial system, analogous to giving cocaine to 5-year-olds, and the changing of bankruptcy laws, etc., exponentially sped up the process.

For any politician to go on about trade agreements is at best disingenuous. The trade agreements didn’t create the problem, they exacerbated it. If we don’t go back to the root of the problem and make a decision about what kind of economic system we want, we are simply pissing in the wind. Pissing downwind is usually a problem for the pisser, but in this case the entire country is downwind, and it’s impossible not to notice.

NEIL HAUSIG

The Wisdom of Love

East Hampton

March 17, 2016

To the Editor:

“Time to make the doughnuts.” I say,  “time to make the doughnuts.”

The wisdom of love supersedes all conditions and ultimately finds itself in an insane asylum of a world.

ANTHONY J. COLETTI

Billy Joel Is Helping

Patchogue

March 14, 2016

To the Editor, 

It is really great that in this current era of toxic world events, someone like Billy Joel is helping youth in the arts. As Albert Einstein once said, “Imagination is everything.” And the arts if anything are imagination.

FRED GASREL

Hit That Ball

Southold

March 5, 2016

Dear Editor, 

I was never much of a material person. Just as long as I can get by, there is nothing I really possess that I put up with pleasure, except my three children. I guess you could say I could beat amateur tennis players, a claim to fame! It’s kept me young at heart. And pros as well. It surprised me! I’ve beaten!

When I played in Southold, on an avenue by the school, people could hear me hit that ball on Route 25 downtown, far off!

ANITA FAGAN