Letters to the Editor: 09.01.16

On the Outgoing Tide

Springs

August 27, 2016

Dear Editor, 

Two young women jumped into the water off Louse Point a week ago to help save my young granddaughter from a terrifying slide toward Gerard Park, on the outgoing tide.

My daughter had been working our catboat upwind, against the current, to cut around the point. My two granddaughters, restless and tired — with life jackets on, thank goodness — jumped into the water even as their mother and I were yelling, “Don’t!”

The girls heard, “Do!”

The 10-year-old had just enough power to swim in to the beach, little by little. My 8-year-old didn’t. The current was dragging her backward, toward the open water between the point and Gerard Park. She was scared. So was I. I plunged in but didn’t have the power to reach her and bring her back. I shouted for help. Bidden but not required to respond, two young women leapt from their beach chairs and dived in after her. One set Fiona’s hands on her shoulders, the other swam alongside. Together they covered the distance easily. And set one glad-happy shaky little girl on the sand. 

Thanking them then, I didn’t get their names. I was reassuring the girls and taking them off the beach to meet their mother. I regret not taking that extra moment and want to publicly honor their quick compassion and ready help.

Sincerely, 

JULIE CLARK BOAK

Pleasure Recaptured

East Hampton

August 28, 2016

To the Editor:

Nearly 60 years ago, I remember leaving the theater on a cloud of joy after seeing Rex Harrison and Julie Andrews on Broadway in “My Fair Lady.”

That pleasure was largely recaptured last week seeing our own Bay Street Theater’s production of the play with a very professional and talented cast.

We are lucky to have so terrific a theater group right in our own backyard.

JOSEPH D. POLICANO

Rothko’s Legacy

East Hampton

August 23, 2016

To the Editor,

In her exemplary review of the writings of Robert Hughes, Gail Levin evokes Mark Rothko issues in her first four paragraphs, inadvertently suggesting that Rothko’s legacy remains in turmoil today. Happily, this is not the case. In the late 1970s, half of the Rothko estate was awarded to his children and the remainder to the restored Rothko Foundation. Upon conclusion of the division of the estate, as president of the Rothko Foundation, I wrote the following: “Almost ten years to the day of its reorganization in June 1976, the Mark Rothko Foundation, having successfully carried out its mission to record, conserve, and arrange for the optimum permanent disposition of the collection it received in trust, is, largely, shutting up shop. It all sounds simple. The foundation received five-ninths of the Rothko estate and in due course gave away some one thousand works to museums here and abroad.” 

The foundation’s largest gift was made to the National Gallery of Art in Washington. This September, the National Gallery will open a newly designed and dedicated exhibition space, displaying many of the Rothkos received from the foundation, affording the public an opportunity to see a number of Rothko’s works in a new, splendid setting.

DONALD BLINKEN 

September Poem

Cicada. Cicada. Cicadas.

You are the locusts of summer’s swain.

A buzz, a whistle, you lead this carnival of celebration.

(And do you hear night’s cacophony?)

We here know your frost’s warning, and are happy in these months of bliss ahead.

(Thanks for your forewarning.)

A beach b’que, a time of rest. Thank you for we have been blessed.

Now cicada, locust, you: leave your shroud as you progress. A reminder to us as we transform,

Warmed, embraced again by all eternity.

What? Too simple. You want nuance? Okay. (But no beach plums today.)

The locust jets between the trees: are those not ardent parties?

The spearing birds aim upon a fatted prey; should we be not sad?

That shroud, the shell you leave upon the branch: it’s amber and translucent and seeming prayerful.

Are we, the rest, not too?

BRUCE BLUEDORN

White’s Is An Icon

East Hampton

August 24, 2016

To the Editor:

Change is often hard, sometimes it’s good and sometimes it’s bad. Needless to say, East Hampton has grown since it was settled in 1648. One of the many great establishments in East Hampton is White’s Pharmacy. White’s first opened up in the year 1873 and has been one of the major anchors of the community. White’s has been able to give the community personal attention. They know your name, they know your family and their needs and are able to accommodate you in every which way. They are on the cutting edge in all their departments. White’s is not only a pharmacy but also caters to your personal needs.

White’s not only is a store but they also are involved in many aspects of the community. For instance they are proud members of the Chamber of Commerce, support many charities, many staff members volunteer within the community. White’s has also employed many people who are locals. White’s is not a part of the huge corporate world, so therefore they are not on overload with corporate rhetoric.

Over the past 143 years White’s has maintained its honesty, quality of work to its customers, and has a wonderful moral standing within the community. I am proud to say that White’s is an icon within our wonderful community, East Hampton!

DOLORES BRIVIO

Grey Lady Montauk

Montauk

August 26, 2016

To the Editor:

First off, I want to thank Laura Donnelly for choosing Grey Lady Montauk as one of your review locations. As an owner, I personally read and take all feedback very seriously and felt it was important to respond. 

The review that you published does not go unnoticed and I truly apologize that you did not have an enjoyable experience. We have three other Grey Lady restaurants in New York City, Aspen, Colo., and Nantucket, and take a lot of pride in our company, brand, and ultimately our guests’ satisfaction. While we have had some adjusting to do in Montauk during our first summer season, we are working to fine-tune things and return for our second season much stronger and better able to serve the Montauk and eastern Long Island community. 

As you may not know, we did have great success in winning the Judge’s Choice Award at Dan’s Grill Hampton event at Fairview Farm in July and have had some wonderful feedback from customers and busy nights throughout the summer. I hope that you will make it back next summer so we have the opportunity to make it up to you and show you why we have such a loyal customer following in all of our locations.

RYAN CHADWICK

True Itemized Costs

Bridgehampton

August 29, 2016 

To the Editor:

We have requested that the Sag Harbor School District and Wainscott Common School District provide us with documents related to the true itemized costs of the shared transportation services agreement entered into between Sag Harbor and Wainscott. Sag Harbor and Wainscott have voluntarily failed to locate or provide documents or any information to indicate that the costs in their shared services agreement reflect the true itemized costs that would be incurred by a prudent person in the conduct of a competitive transportation business.

Accordingly, McCoy Bus Company and Montauk Student Transport have filed a lawsuit against the Sag Harbor Union Free School District, Sag Harbor Board of Education, Wainscott Common School, and Wainscott Common Board of Trustees. Our position challenges the process by which the Sag Harbor Union Free School District, its board of education, Wainscott Common School, and its trustees entered into their transportation agreement for shared services. 

We believe that the Sag Harbor Union Free School District and Wainscott Common School entered into these inter-municipality contracts illegally and failed to follow the proper protocol set forth by the New York State Education Department or from past practice of other municipality shared agreements. In addition, it appears from the publicly available records that taxpayers of one district are improperly subsidizing taxpayers of the other district.

Moreover, based upon a review of publicly available records, it appears that the Sag Harbor Union Free School District and Wainscott Common School entered into this agreement without engaging in a comprehensive analysis of the true itemized costs of transportation. We believe that the districts’ failure to conduct a comprehensive itemized cost analysis and to solicit competitive vendor bids results in higher transportation costs to the taxpayers of both districts. 

We believe the costs under the current shared services agreement are not appropriate because the transportation provider school district, Sag Harbor, did not use a calculation consistent with the commissioner of education’s regulations for the purpose of assuring that charges reflect the true itemized costs that would be incurred by a prudent person in the conduct of a competitive transportation business.

Respectfully,

ALBERT E. McCOY JR.

President

McCoy Bus Company, Inc.

A New Superintendent

Springs

August 28, 2016

Dear Mr. Rattray:

The 2016-17 school year will begin next week. A few weeks ago, New York State residents learned that less than 40 percent of state students scored “proficient” in English and math, in grades three through eight. Pretty dismal, and a stunning disgrace given the amount of taxpayer money that is dispersed to Big Education in this state. 

The news for Springs parents and taxpayers was even worse, as Springs School students scored among the lowest on Long Island. 

The Springs School has a nearly $30 million annual budget and, with projected dropping enrollment, the school administration and board continue an unrelenting pursuit to build an extravagant school addition that could cost Springs taxpayers another $30-or-so million. 

The school unfortunately has been mired in controversy during the tenure of its current superintendent, who has signaled he will be stepping down at the end of this year, well ahead of his contractual commitment. The superintendent’s tenure has been marked by controversial personnel actions taken against longtime, well-thought-of employees; contracts entered into and payments made lacking proper legal authorization to an apparently favored architectural firm, and a plethora of lawsuits that taxpayers are paying to defend. The administration is in disarray and the students are suffering.

There is some good news, however. Two new school board members were elected in May with significant support from the Springs community. Hopefully, the new members will have substantial input into the selection of a new superintendent. The search for the superintendent should be nationwide, and the school board should take special care not to hire yet another double-dipping retiree who is simultaneously straddling retirement while attempting to manage the school.

The new superintendent should have youthful enthusiasm, be eager to grow with the school, and be committed to providing the best education possible to all students rather than using the school as a jobs center for cronies and friends. The school board’s advertisement for this job should read in part: Cronies and hacks need not apply.

As the new school year begins, let us all hope that this will be the year that the Springs School improves its academic performance, hires a terrific superintendent, and gets its priorities and expectations straight regarding the school’s addition. The community is engaged and will help if asked.

Sincerely,

CAROLE CAMPOLO

Terribly Disappointed

Springs

August 29, 2016

Dear David,

I’m a Springs District taxpayer and a resident of the neighborhood surrounding the Springs School. I am also on the town’s citizens advisory committee’s school subcommittee and the Accabonac Protection Committee. 

I was appointed, many years ago, to the Springs School’s long-term space needs committee and served on that committee for many years. The result was an expansion of needed classrooms. We also recommended a number of retrofits to conserve energy, including replacing windows and upgrading lighting. I re-designed the outdoor lighting at the school, since it was inadequate and inefficient. I did not design the lighting of the bus lot, but I have recommendations to make that lighting more effective and efficient without affecting the night sky and neighboring properties.

With all due respect, since I realize that the members of the board serve selflessly as volunteers, I was terribly disappointed when the Springs School Board appointed Mr. Smith and his company to continue to work on the school expansion. I was on the facilities committee and Mr. Smith was not receptive to the recommendations which arose after many hours of time spent by the members of the committee, especially the recommendations made by the teachers.

The school needs several classrooms immediately, not a huge parking lot. I’m also disappointed that the board did not more vigorously pursue the C.D.C.H., especially since the town supervisor said that he’d give the Springs School priority to use it. There is a legal means to obtain the use of that building, but the board would have to pursue it. I’d suggest that they look into it, and securing the services of another attorney.

Most important, the board should use the reserve fund to install an effective septic system. The well was poisoned and the school had to go on public water. Please remember, the school is surrounded by homes on wells, including mine, and is likely the cause of the urine pouring into Pussy’s Pond during the school year.

SUSAN HARDER

Keep That Light Focused

St. Lucie, Fla.

August 29, 2016

Dear Mr. Rattray, 

What will it take to rid the Montauk School of its board members who continue to put their needs and wants above the students?

The latest report from your paper (“Comptroller Faults Montauk School’s Financial Practices”) spotlights yet another reason why the members should step down. In addition, the superintendent would do well to follow the example of the Springs School Superintendent by resigning.

By piling money in unrestricted funds as they have been doing for the past three years, they prove one of two scenarios. They do not know what they are doing or, more disgracefully, they were purposely depriving students of programs that they had cut under the pretense of insufficient resources. 

The excuse that the district had to hold onto an enormous amount of money because of the teachers’ compensation insurance and special-education students is just another way of laying blame on someone else. 

The community would do well to remember that the board rejected a petition signed by 187 parents and concerned citizens that implored them to consider piercing the 2-percent tax cap and prepare a budget that would preserve small class size and bring back valuable cut programs. In reality, the board failed to disclose to the public that they actually had money but did not plan on spending it on the children. 

In retrospect, this situation reeks of deception. We already know from past practices that the board shows little repect for the teaching profession. (It’s not a good sign when the teachers show up at board meetings in black T-shirts; see “Montauk Teachers Want a Contract.”) Now we can surmise their priorities in regard to the students. 

In the past, the Montauk community has rallied and held meetings on other issues of concern. While this situation may not be as noticeable as beach conflicts or public drunkenness, it should not be ignored.  It took the New York State Comptroller to bring it to light; let us keep that light focused on the shadowy practices of the Montauk School administration, in defense of our teachers and students. 

Respectfully yours, 

MARY JUDGE

Costly Boondoggle

East Quogue

August 25, 2016

To the Editor:

I have just received a letter from Congressman Lee Zeldin celebrating the imminent “gift” of millions of dollars that the proposed Army Corps South Shore project will bring to the East End economy. (This is on top of the millions of taxpayers’ dollars paid out repeatedly to owners of barrier beach properties who are allowed to rebuild damaged homes in the same vulnerable place.) 

It is not clear what this means, just where this financial windfall will go. Army Corps projects extricate money from taxpayers; they do not award it to us.

I am truly stunned that Mr. Zeldin, a Republican and presumably a fiscal conservative, does not seriously question a project whose outcome will undoubtedly make things worse, and is unaware of credible scientific research showing that structural approaches to protecting barrier islands actually contribute to weakening the beach and reducing their defense of inland properties and the bay.

The Army Corps mission is not to protect habitat, ecosystems, or natural resources, but to expend megabucks, whatever the cost and however useless or potential destructive their projects are. The Corps has repeatedly shown its ignorance about barrier islands and bay ecology and has only been checked so far because of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service intervention. But now they are coming back yet again to foist on us, and the barrier island, another pointless and costly boondoggle.

The federal flood insurance program is what has allowed homeowners to rebuild in the same vulnerable location, as part of repeated perpetual handouts to wealthy property owners. It is time to stop the robbery of taxpayer money for projects that impair our coastal zone and its systems and habitats. It is time to start taking science and ecology seriously, rather than dangle mouth-watering sums of money in front of taxpayers at election time — money that does nothing but protect a few homes for a short time. But it is not the first time that a Republican in an election year would sidestep his fiscal principles in favor of unjustified federal expenditures for boondoggles, overcoming the traditional hostility of Republicans to enhancing the powers of the federal government.

I guess it is asking too much to expect a congressman to educate himself on these critical environmental issues. Voters have a right to expect candidates to not pander to a small privileged minority or a government agency without a mandate to put the coastal zone habitat and system first. All evidence and past experience with the Army Corps of Engineers reveal a record in which protecting the environment is a blank page.

If East Enders want serious action, their best bet is to demand an end to the federal flood insurance program, so that those who live and build in flood zones, whether coastal or inland, assume full fiscal responsibility for their loss. Ask Congressman Zeldin to sponsor legislation to end it, and if he refuses, ask him why. 

The only rational solution is to retreat from the coast and prohibit new construction or substantial renovation of damaged homes. Tragically, the proposal in the 1970s to include the barrier beach from Moriches Inlet to Shinnecock Inlet asart of the Fire Island National Seashore was crushed by development interests with the help of Congressman Otis Pike. 

Get the Army Corps off the Long Island shore! I created a button in the 1970s with that slogan. I have a few on hand if someone wants one.

Sincerely,

LORNA SALZMAN

The Times They Are A-Changin’

(With Apologies to Bob Dylan)

Come gather ’round Montauk

To this place you call home

And admit in the waters

Blue algae has grown

And pollution in ponds

Is the seed you have sown

If your land to you

Is worth savin’

Then you better start clearin’

A nitrogen-free zone

For the times they are a-changin’.

 

Come surfers and shopkeepers

Who depend on this soil

Don’t let the development 

Get so out of control

The cesspools are archaic

Polluting our ground

And the department of health

Has no program it’s wagin’

Our town board’s backbones

Need to stiffen and firm

For the times they are a-changin’.

 

Come planning board members

Please heed the call

The oceans are chargin’

Against geo-bag walls

The U.S. Army Corps

Go FIMP yourselves all

There’s an ocean at Ditch

And it’s ragin’

It’ll soon flood our coastline

And scuttle our homes

For the times they are a-changin’.



Come mothers and fathers

Of East Hampton Town

Your kids are the future

And we’re in a countdown

Our workforce and laborers

Are needing some homes

Our affordable housing

Is rapidly agein’

Please stop building McMansions

And rein in your greed

For the times they are a-changin’

 

The coastline is drawn

But its mark isn’t cast

Today’s mean high tide 

Will later be last

As the bluffs’ high peak

Will no longer hold fast

The sand on our beaches is

Rapidly fadin’

 

The hotels on the dunes

Will later be past

For the times they are a-changin’

LOUIS CORTESE

Big Difference

East Hampton

August 29, 2016

To the Editor:

The food pantry at Windmill 2 faces relocation, not eviction! Big difference!

Over the past 10 years the food pantry has grown to the point that the Windmill 2 Community Building now houses an outdoor walk-in freezer, indoor freezer, outside bins for food donations, large Dumpster, food storage in cellar, two days’ use of the Community Room, and weekly food pantry traffic. Too much for our Windmill 2 complex of 48 units. The food pantry’s use of the Windmill 2 Community Building looks like a Costco warehouse.

Most of the food pantry relocation complainers do not live at Windmill 2. People who signed a petition against relocation were later found to have been coerced into signing, fearing that their food pantry privileges would be revoked. Now, when I pick up my food, people are unpleasant. Folks, this is my home.

A suggestion to the complainers: Call Vicki Littman, your director of the food pantry, and the food pantry board. Be part of the solution!

LALLY MOCKLER

Ban Sprinkler Systems

Montauk

August 28, 2016

To the Editor:

 Kudos to Edwina von Gal (and to Gertrude Murphy, but that is another issue) for her letter titled “Emeralds” on the environmental damages that the asinine quest for perfect lawns has caused. 

This relates to another problem that should be addressed: our perennial water shortage. I find it incredible that there is no ban on the automatic sprinkler systems that waste our water to no useful purpose. Much of the water ends up on roadways and sidewalks, in any case. 

Of course it makes sense to irrigate vegetable gardens that contribute meaningfully to our sustenance, but to expend this precious resource on the vanity projects that are lawns and nonnative landscapes is folly.

HELEN SEARING

 

Toxic to Aquatic Life

Wainscott

August 22, 2016

To the Editor:

A major risk to our water supply hasn’t been openly discussed. This is the use and bulk storage of hazardous chemicals within the water catchment area that provides for our drinking water and upon which our natural wildlife, pristine beaches, and bucolic ponds depend.

A facility which intends to use and store hazardous chemicals is aggressively being pursued and is planned for Wainscott, on Montauk Highway. The facility is a Tommy Car Wash Express franchise, a.k.a. the Golden Car Wash.

The Tommy Car Wash franchise heavily promotes and encourages on its website (TommyCarWash.com) the purchase and bulk storage of hazardous chemicals. It reads: “By using a bulk chemical system you can manage your chemistry in-house more efficiently than you can with standard drums. Bulk chemical systems use large holding containers.”

The TCW franchise sells cleaning products in 30-gallon and 55-gallon drums, and the more drums a car wash buys, the greater the discount. If a TCW franchise buys enough drums containing cleaning chemicals to “Fill-A-Skid” (a pallet), it receives a 5 percent discount. If a TCW franchise buys enough drums to fill four skids, it receives a discount of 20 percent. It is estimated that a TCW franchise is likely to have, on site, anywhere between 1,500 to 2,000 gallons of cleaning chemicals, all of whichment area.

Of the estimated 1,500 to 2,000 gallons of stored cleaning chemicals, it is reasonable to expect (based on chemical products sold via TommyCarWash.com) that about 75 percent will be acutely toxic, with published warnings that include, “Causes severe skin burns and eye damage,” “Extremely corrosive to mucous membranes, mouth, throat and stomach and other organs,” and “May damage fertility or the unborn child.” Three cleaning chemicals sold have the following warning: “Fatal if Swallowed: Causes Severe Skin Burns and Eye Damage,” and two other chemicals warn: “Fatal in contact with skin.”

More than half the chemicals sold via the TCW franchise website have warnings not to allow the cleaning chemicals to enter the ground or waterways and that the cleaning chemicals are toxic to aquatic life.

It only takes one absentminded employee who is most likely earning a minimum wage to accidently spill a 55-gallon drum of hazardous chemicals, or for a truck driver unloading a skid to accidently drop five 55-gallon drums containing hazardous chemicals, to pollute our groundwater. Of greater concern is a pervading culture of recklessness, insofar as there is no mention anywhere of a disaster recovery plan for when there is a spillage of hazardous chemicals.

The TCW franchise claims to recycle its water by using a “biological waste water restoration” system, but this system is not a system specifically designed to eliminate hazardous chemicals and detergents from entering or our water catchment area.

The TCW franchise’s recycling system has not been certified or approved by the federal Environmental Protection Agency, the State Department of Environmental Conservation, or any other environmental organization. It has not been accredited as a system that complies with any environmental standards whatsoever.

The published recycled water quality levels by the TCW franchise are scant, and of the water quality levels, none offer any form of environmental protection. In fact, its own promotional literature states that “the wash will treat, clean and restore for reuse up to 85 to 90 percent of all water used in the wash process.” In other words, at least 10 to 15 percent of contaminated wastewater will remain untreated.

The TCW franchise has failed to address many contaminants that have been cited by the E.P.A. and that car washes are known to produce, most notably phosphates (which cause excessive growth of nuisance plants in water bodies); benzene, lead, zinc, chromium, arsenic, nitrates, and other metals; pesticides and herbicides; detergents (including biodegradable detergents that can be poisonous to fish); chemicals, such as hydrofluoric acid and ammonium bifluoride products, and solvent-based solutions (which are harmful to living organisms), or chemicals and oils used to maintain cleaning machinery (for automatic systems).

Where the TCW franchise documents cite “BOD1 levels less then [sic] 150 mg/l,” note that this is extremely high for recycled water. This is 150 times the level found in most pristine rivers. Moderately polluted rivers may have a BOD in the range of 2 to 8 mg/l. Municipal sewage (treated by a three-stage process) would have a BOD value of about 20 mg/l. In fact, this BOD level is closest to that found in untreated sewage.

The TCW franchise’s own literature even stops short of guaranteeing its own poor “water quality expectation” criteria by saying that “the restored water should reach the water quality levels.” There are no assurances that it will reach its own water quality expectations.

The water recycling system relies on hauling the “bio-sludge” to a “sewage treatment plant for proper disposal.” The nearest wastewater treatment plant that accepts industrial “bio-sludge” is in Lindenhurst — over 60 miles away from the proposed site for the car wash, on busy roads.

There is no reference anywhere to residual detergents and cleaning chemicals, which drip from cars after exiting the car wash, nor any mention of spot-washing cars with a brush or towel outside the confines of an enclosed car wash, nor any mention of the wastewater created by industrial-size loads of towels and rags that will have to be washed separately in a washing machine.

The issue of code compliance and oversight has not been addressed. Who will be testing the water for chemicals and ensuring that the TCW franchise will be hauling away its bio-sludge for treatment and not releasing it down the stormwater drains?

Wainscott is currently experiencing the worst environmental conditions it has ever experienced, especially with regard to the quality of its drinking water and the increasingly toxic conditions which are destroying the unique ecosystems and wildlife refuge of Georgica Pond. 

By permitting a TCW franchise within the water catchment area, it will place the quality of Wainscott’s drinking water at greater risk and further jeopardize the unique ecosystems downstream.

No one has offered any guarantee that a Tommy Car Wash franchise will not negatively impact our drinking water, nor has anyone offered any guarantee that it will not harm our unique ecosystem.

Accordingly, it would be reckless to permit the storage of hazardous chemicals and to allow its precarious use within our water catchment area.

SIMON V. KINSELLA

 

Southold Town 

Helicopter Advisory Committee

 

Housing Hulks

Amagansett

August 26, 2016

Dear David, 

Does anyone feel that the recent glut of newly built housing hulks is not architectural? My dog refuses to walk by certain among them (biological comment).

Even the ubiquitous, boring, Leland cypress doesn’t help much.

Why anyone would want to lay claim to a representative of upper-income (saneness?) is a mystery. The only human-scale rooms are the baths. “You must see the bathrooms,” the real estate agent bleats. 

“Why?” I respond. “Are you selling it separately?”

Think of the philanthropic well that might result from the loss of a “shoe sanctuary.” (The wise man said to me, “If they’re looking at your feet, honey, you’re in trouble.”)

I strongly urge our local leaders to resist, restrict, and rebuke these shelter horrors unless they have proven physical links to the common good.

All good things, 

DIANA WALKER

 

Threat to a Treaty

Montauk

August 27, 2016

To the Editor:

The force of the United States government is once again arrayed against the sovereign great Sioux Nation. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, along with the State of North Dakota, and against the advice of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of the Interior, have rushed through the permitting process to build a 1,200-mile oil pipeline that intrudes upon sacred land and burial grounds of the Sioux people. The pipeline would imperil the drinking and irrigation water supply for more than just the tribal community if a leak were to happen.

An Op-Ed piece by David Archambault II in The New York Times of Aug. 25 tells a more complete story of this recent betrayal of Native American rights by the Army Corps. I urge you to read it. I urge the Town of East Hampton to stand with the nearly 90 tribes that are gathered on the banks of the Cannonball River to protest this threat to a solemn treaty. And to protest the construction of 1,200 more miles of investment in an obsolete and dangerous fossil fuel technology. Keep it in the ground!

JANET Van SICKLE

Dangerous Campaign

East Hampton

August 21, 2016

David:

My d­ad, Vic, was very patriotic. He served in the United States Army twice, once during the Great Depression and again during World War II. He told me many times, “You fight for your country, right or wrong.”

Vic was a tough guy from Crown Heights, Brooklyn, a street fighter and Army amateur boxing champion, undefeated in both venues. I saw him cry one time, when John F. Kennedy was assassinated. I asked him, “Dad, why are you crying?” He responded, “Because Kennedy represented the hope and future of you young people.” When J.F.K. said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country,” he was speaking to my generation of young men, readying us to fight and stop the rising threat of communism in Southeast Asia. 

In 1966, still only 21 and having graduated from Hofstra University, I joined the U.S. Marine Corps and was sworn in by reciting that “I, Joseph Giannini, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.”

I deem Hillary Rodham Clinton and Donald Trump domestic enemies of our Constitution and our democracy.

I am a mustang, a Marine who rose through the ranks, from private to captain. I volunteered for and served in Vietnam in 1967-1968 as a Marine infantry officer. In my prime, I served with and led young Marines in combat. My dad was very proud of my service in the Corps and Vietnam. I never told him that early into my tour I knew Nam was all lies. We were not fighting communism, or for freedom and democracy. We were caught in the mess of a civil war. 

In country, the lies did not matter. We never talked politics. All we had was each other. We loved each other to death. Some survivors never speak about Nam. Some, decades later, spoke for the first time. I mustered out of the Corps because I feared returning to Vietnam, getting killed. 

Instead, I went to law school on a then-shameful G.I. Bill. I practiced criminal law until I was recently forced to retire, due to service-connected disabilities. Along my slough I learned something about human nature not so good, about character and leadership not so good — traits most important during this strange and dangerous campaign for our future president. 

Our president, our commander in chief, our leader must have the following: experience, intelligence, integrity; wisdom, and good judgment. Donald Trump is a child-man who goes off at the mouth and says stupid, mean, incomprehensible things. He has none of the above traits. Hillary Clinton is a serial liar, willing to do and say anything for the Clintons’ quest for power and wealth. She has none of the above qualities. Hillary puts her and Bill’s self-interest and greed above our welfare and security.

It’s common knowledge that the Clinton Foundation is a racket, a slush fund for the Clintons and their cronies. It takes millions of dollars from foreign countries, foreign corporations, and foreigners. Doesn’t this make them agents of their donors? Isn’t this pay to play? As much as two billion has flowed into their foundation, making the Clintons fabulously wealthy and the darlings of the 1 percent and the status quo. 

This week, it’s rumored the Clintons are returning to Amagansett and East Hampton. Another opportunity to play and work. Cash in and cash out. It only costs $34,000 per person to attend her fund-raisers. If you cannot afford that, $10,000 will get you a photo with Hillary. For a mere $100,000 you could have lunch with that woman.

In this campaign, I find something bothering and unusual: Three high-profile draft dodgers — Bill Clinton, Donald Trump, and Rudy Giuliani — three fortunate sons.

Clinton registered for the draft in 1964, then got at least five deferments because he lied and ran to Britain. In 1970 he got a high number in the lottery, saving him from service and from Vietnam. At least six other young men went to Vietnam in his place. Most likely two were killed and two were seriously wounded. Most survivors are still suffering from service-connected disabilities, many from exposure to Agent Orange.

Trump got five deferments during the Vietnam War, four for attending college and one for a bone spur on one foot (he cannot remember which). He has openly bragged that his biggest fear during the Vietnam War was getting an STD. Five young men went to Vietnam in his place. You can surmise what happened to them, and how some of the survivors are still suffering from service-connected disabilities.

Giuliani, the tough guy from New York, got at least eight deferments during the Vietnam War starting in 1961, four for college, three for law school, and one for clerking for Federal Judge Lloyd MacMahon. In 1970 Rudy got a high lottery number. End of game. Eight young men went to Vietnam in his place!

The rise of Trumpism lies at the feet of most of the G.O.P. leaders. They neglected their working men and women for their own self-interests, thus losing contact and credibility. The G.O.P. violated our most precious principle: “Government by the people of the people and for the people shall never perish.” Their most important constituents rightfully feel they have no power and no democracy. The party elites have created a monster that they cannot control, allowing Trump, a TV-reality superstar, to trash the G.O.P. and run for president and commander in chief. Our presidential campaign is now a TV reality mega-show.

President Obama and other rich and powerful Democrats are responsible for Hillary being their nominee. Obama, during his campaign for president, used Hillary’s vote for the Iraq war against her. Obama showed us that her vote was based on political expediency and terrible, deadly judgment. Then after he was elected, knowing full well that Hillary is a bona fide hawk, he makes her secretary of state. Run that by me again.

As a result of the Benghazi hearings we discovered, contrary to law, that Hillary left State with all her emails, then destroyed 33,000. We also know, contrary to law and rules, while at State she used a private email and server for all her State and personal emails. Hillary put her and Bill’s paranoia and self-interest above our national security. This shows terrible judgment and criminal culpability. When finally caught, Hillary repeatedly lied to us and Congress about the emails.

Some things very strange and dangerous happened during the F.B.I. investigation of Hillary and her emails. Bill had a private meeting with our U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch. The meeting was at least an appearance of impropriety. Bill is a disbarred attorney. He knows better. Their chat caused Ms. Lynch to recuse herself and our Justice Department from the pending investigation of his spouse. Then our attorney general told the F.B.I. to decide whether to prosecute or not, and to decide what charges to bring or not.

Unheard-of conduct. The F.B.I. is the investigating arm of our Justice Department. The F.B.I. gathers evidence, then Justice Department attorneys decide whether to prosecute or not and what charges to bring or not. The following Saturday, after the above meeting, the F.B.I. interviewed Hillary for three hours. Then, three days later, the F.B.I. ended their yearlong investigation of Hillary and her emails by giving her a pass. This is top-down politicizing of a criminal case by those, including Obama, that believe they are above the law. They also believe we are so stupid, and our attention span so short, that their misconduct will shortly disappear into a black hole.

The reality: We have the two most hated persons in America running for the most important office in our land. Neither Hillary nor Trump has the requisite experience, intelligence, integrity, knowledge, or good judgment to be our leader. Trump is an egomaniac and will say and do anything to enhance his self-delusions. Hillary is a serial liar and will say and do anything to enhance her and Bill’s power and wealth.

We are better. We deserve better. They demean us. They should drop out.

Semper fi,

JOSEPH GIANNINI

Evangelicals and Trump

East Hampton

August 29, 2016

To the Editor:

In the most pathetic and fictitious explanation why evangelical Christians are supporting Donald Trump, a west Georgia professor, Daniel Williams, explains that it’s all about the Supreme Court; that these so-called “values voters” are not disturbed by Mr. Trump’s racism, misogyny, and violent rhetoric because a conservative court will support their positions on overturning Roe v. Wade, gay marriage, and school prayer.

Mr. Williams wants us to believe that evangelicals aren’t embracing Mr. Trump as the Republican Party does because they are also racist, misogynistic, and violent — an enormous bag of crap that reeks of hypocrisy and virulence that allows them to think that Jesus will still love them even with these transgressions. Which he will, providing they repent for the next 3,000 years.

More troubling, however, is Mr. Trump’s willingness to overturn the Johnson Amendment of 1954 that prohibits nonprofit organizations, like churches, from participating in political activity. Imagine, in our financially twisted electoral system, allowing contributions for political purposes to be tax deductible. While this concept is tantamount to putting our political system up for sale, it should help us to understand that nonprofit status of religious institutions is an abomination and should be rescinded. We need to understand that in the core of all religious institutions is a virulent form of fascism that threatens democracy and disrespects human rights.

The sanctity of human life issue is the trickiest. Outside of the U.S. our place on the respect-for-life scale puts us somewhere between Attila the Hun and Nazi Germany. I’m sure Attila would not agree if he were around. Our evangelical friends should understand that the U.S. was created in the past 5,000 years and during that time we have killed millions of indigenous people and slaves, willfully and sometimes happily, often in Jesus’ name.

School prayer doesn’t jibe with the traditional values of the U.S. Constitution, which predates the evangelical movement in the U.S. It clearly defines the separation of church and state because of 2,000 years of religious precedent and the fear that some religious group will impose prayer on us and destroy our traditional values.

Homosexuality, et al., is really the trickiest. Why do evangelicals care about what homosexuals do in the sack? I think they do because they believe the mythology of sexual liberation and excess that is attached to the homosexual identity. There seems to be an underlying envy, call it what you want, for this kind of sexual freedom and emancipation. But because they watch too much Fox News and have no homosexual friends, they can’t possibly understand that more often than not the sex lives of gay people are no different than their own. Too little sex, unsatisfying sex, wanton sexual desires, wet dreams, and way too much porn, etc.

So, we have never believed in the sanctity of human life, can pray the other 16 hours when we are not in school, and can find an appropriate online porn network. But don’t support Trump because you want to impose your twisted piety on the rest of us. Jesus was a giver, not a taker.

Professor Williams ends his piece by questioning whether the evangelical movement will sell its soul and create its own demise. A more appropriate question would be, does the movement actually have a soul or is Trump who they really are?

NEIL HAUSIG

Vote, My Friends

East Hampton

August 26, 2016

Dear Editor,

During these dwindling days of August one reflects on the summer past and regards the prospect of the months ahead in these most critical times in the existence of the greatest country the world has ever known. There is no country in history which emerged from an amalgam of hope and promise, combined with bloodletting and determination, like America. The country has grown and prospered to a degree never even imagined by its founders.

Overcoming the errors, mistakes, horrors, and transgressions which naturally occurred, living down the wars and killing, international and domestic, overcoming the hard times of crime, poverty, and the vagaries of economic distress, America still stands as a beacon and example to people around the world.

Through the years of its progress there have been the skeptical pronouncements of many that America would someday be brought down by forces smoldering within its own borders, that it would topple, weighted down by the very nature of man himself. But, at least till now, no such fall has occurred. It has survived, basically, with some missteps, by reason of the faith and belief in its brilliantly conceived Constitution and the strict adherence to the rule of law and justice.

Still, the voices of doom and destruction gurgled beneath the surface, straining to replace the general positive optimism of the majority of the citizenry with fear and distrust, hatred and divisiveness, as has come to pass and brought down so many other countries through the decades.

And then, one day not long ago, a trickle of unrest stirred in the land. Cracks and openings began to appear in the formerly impenetrable shield of good thoughts and understanding. Politics became stringently conservative as many sought solutions to personal grievances through unbridled, thoughtless activism, and politicians rose to take the lead in advancing a fringe right-wing ideology. Slowly at first, and then more rapidly, a strong minority arose on the right. Though not strong enough to overwhelm the principles and values that had brought peace and general contentment to the majority, it persevered.

However, just as an illness not treated may blossom into a life-threatening disease, this right-wing acidic activity progressed through the system of government until it was brought to a volatile, extremely dangerous, and life-threatening crescendo with the addition of a strong, vociferous, underestimated, noncompliant, thoughtless, and incompetent faux leader to whom it adhered, and thus completed the formation of the perfect storm that could destroy the very foundation of the country.

Fortunately for America, that wonderful document formulated 240 years ago has provided a means to thwart this torrent of alternative right-wing progression. Time was needed for a discourse, and examination of the road ahead was presented by the presidential election. With its adversarial format and airing of controversies and differences of opinion, it presented the country with the opportunity to think about its future, and for the solid majority to turn the new wall of destruction and negativity back against itself and hold the country in its former great place in the world.

The added wisdom gained from the winning of the fight to survive will preserve our heritage and defeat the emissaries of destruction.

Vote, my friends. Vote to strengthen this great republic and for the continued enjoyment of the real America by your children and grandchildren. 

Vote for Hillary Clinton.

RICHARD P. HIGER