Chamber of Commerce
Springs
March 3, 2025
To the Editor,
The Greater East Hampton Chamber of Commerce hosted an informative and productive meeting with East Hampton Village Mayor Jerry Larsen on Thursday as part of the organization’s ongoing Mornings With the Mayor series, held at the Baker House bed-and-breakfast in East Hampton Village. The conversation touched on a series of topics important to the business community including affordable housing, off-season parking restrictions and how they affect the village business community, the ongoing pursuit of a sewer system in East Hampton Village, and more recent issues facing the region’s immigrant population that have cropped up as a result of new federal policies.
We first would first like to thank Mayor Larsen for agreeing to this series of meetings with the chamber’s general membership. With so much division being sown in today’s national political environment, it’s refreshing to sit with local leaders, regardless of their political stripe, to discuss potential solutions to the problems facing our local communities. These are issues we can have a direct impact on through discussions like these and ensuing action.
The Greater East Hampton Chamber of Commerce is building new energy across the business community in East Hampton Town and it is meetings like last week’s with Mayor Larsen that will deepen our commitment to serving the needs of our business members.
Our next Mornings With the Mayor will be held in May, so members should stay tuned for details. Also, we will host a similar meeting between chamber members and East Hampton Town Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez on March 12, at 4 p.m. at Town Hall. Visit our website for more information and to become a member of this growing business organization.
Sincerely,
GAVIN MENU
President
Greater East Hampton Chamber of Commerce
Pending Lawsuit
Joshua Tree, Calif.
March 3, 2025
Dear David,
While away at Joshua Tree, I noticed The Star provided an update on my pending lawsuit against the village. A few comments and clarifications:
The village only became interested in settling when we secured the videos from the assistant district attorney’s office. As reported, the village “inadvertently” recorded over the originals.
Ms. Perillo refers to “multiple eyewitnesses,” yet the affidavits include only two — the Lot 1 attendant and the assistant beach manager, Lee Bertram. The attendant’s statement likely has been coerced, as the video clearly shows the young man was at least five feet away when I stopped and entered. And Mr. Bertram — the video captures his back to the entrance while sharing a video with the driver blocking the parking lot. Well, so much for their irrefutable evidence.
Contrary to Ms. Perillo’s claims, we have substantial evidence that supports our position. On the other hand, the village continues to frame its claims with no evidence. Should The Star consider posting the videos?
As for reporting, Chris Gangemi should note the Lot 1 entrance does not have a curb, and the usual safety cone in the right corner was not in place on the day in question.
Best,
DAVID GANZ
Feckless Efforts
Wainscott
March 1, 2025
To the Editor,
I am a year-round resident of Wainscott for over 20 years. I am deeply dismayed by the town board’s feckless efforts to substantially reduce the pestilence of helicopter noise from May through October.
My dismay is compounded by the apparent surrender by the town with its statement to settle the dispute. There is no settlement with the selfish users that will be meaningful to the residents in the flight-path cone. In a sense, the town’s failures have partially condemned the value of our properties.
Why is there not a solution in charging fees to the riders, or restricting the riders to one one-way trip per week? This can easily be accomplished with today’s technology. Just look at the way the little North Ferry handles traffic on its ferries. A combination of high user fees on the riders and restrictions on the number of uses seems sensible, kind of like your suggestion to import the New York City congestion pricing to the East End access roads (desperately needed).
Sincerely,
MIN ZHONG
All Work Together
Jupiter, Fla.
February 25, 2025
To the Editor,
I applaud the common sense of Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez, who seeks to settle the airport litigation. Over $10 million of taxpayer money has been spent on this boondoggle. These funds could have been spent on our seniors and children, rather than lawyers and consultants. We can all work together to finalize a solution that accommodates our residents, neighbors, and visitors to the East End.
GARY HERMAN
Deserve More Attention
Montauk
March 3, 2025
Dear Mr. Rattray,
In the discussion of East Hampton Town’s proposal to amend the zoning code to reduce house sizes there has been a focus on the aesthetics of overlarge houses and on preserving rural character, both of which are important. However, Concerned Citizens of Montauk would like to remind everyone that the environmental impacts of large houses, particularly their energy and resource demands, deserve more attention in the discussion.
Quite simply, bigger houses use significantly more energy to run and more natural resources to build. Building materials, energy required for extraction, manufacturing, transport, and assembly, alone can account for up to 50 percent of a house’s total energy demand.
And while you may retrofit a house to be as energy efficient as possible, the size of the building is still the largest factor to consider. Research shows that building size is by far the strongest predictor of residential energy consumption, more important than retrofit measures.
Beyond materials, larger houses often have a higher life cycle energy demand due to larger areas that need to be heated, cooled, and lit. This is partly because the share of energy consumption that goes to appliances, electronics, and lighting has risen. This makes intuitive sense, since large homes often have more or larger appliances and luxury items like hot tubs.
This doesn’t even touch on the strain large houses place on other natural resources including our water systems. Larger buildings create more impermeable areas, such as covered and paved surfaces, reducing water’s ability to soak into the ground and undergo natural filtration. This increases runoff pollution and limits the replenishment of our drinking water supply.
C.C.O.M. supports the recommendations that resulted from intensive study by the town’s zoning code amendment working group reducing the gross floor area formula to 7 percent plus 1,300 square feet.
Sincerely,
REBECCA HOLLOWAY
Concerned Citizens of Montauk
Empty Performance
Amagansett
March 1, 2025
To the Editor:
Christopher Gangemi’s article “Protesters Press LaLota for Town Halls” (Feb. 27) contained an amusing nugget of information: The Montauk demonstration was organized by the East Hampton Town Democratic Committee.
See the contradiction? The committee has relentlessly, for years, retaliated against any Democrat who criticized it, including those elected to the committee itself, the town board, and the trustees. The town fired an Amagansett citizens advisory committee member who proved to be too much of a gadfly, and board members have shouted down citizens whose views they disliked (including me).
The town Democrats using a classic free-speech medium, a demonstration, is an empty performance, even a farce. An autocratic local party that does not tolerate freedom of speech exercised its First Amendment rights to call out a totalitarian-leaning elected official of the other party. Imagine me saying “yay” in a barely audible voice.
For democracy in East Hampton,
JONATHAN WALLACE
Hamptons Bonbon
Amagansett
March 3, 2025
Dear David,
I wouldn’t ordinarily write The Star about another paper’s content. But when a national paper stokes division in Amagansett I hope to be forgiven. Subscribers to the Wall Street Journal were treated to a nice little “hatin’ on the Hamptons” bonbon this week. To wit, a transparent journalistic beat-up about a personnel change at the Amagansett School.
I know and like everyone involved, including the former employee. But seriously, national news? Personnel decisions are never easy. Throughout, the school board behaved professionally and continues to have my complete confidence. “Fun” journalism based on conspiracy theories is not a public service.
Respectfully,
DAN MONGAN
The Red Envelope
Amagansett
March 1, 2025
Dear David,
Have you started asking the real questions about the Maria Dorr hearing yet? I see it has now made its way to Newsday, The Wall Street Journal, New York Post, even People magazine is even covering it.
Let’s not forget it was not the original two cards Cassie Butts received. It is the third red envelope the child returned with. Did all the intended recipients confirm they got a card? Allegedly, six red envelopes were brought to school by the child’s family. How many other red envelopes existed in the school during the holiday season?
Cassie Butts testified knowing the card was missing at 10:08 a.m. Ms. Butts was not told by Christina McElroy until around 12:45 p.m. Ms. Dorr had an envelope at 8:37. Anyone else have a red envelope until 11:47 when McElroy entered the mailroom? We will never know.
To quote the Wall Street Journal article by Joshua Chaffin, “Loeschner admitted on cross-examination that before he had even accessed the surveillance footage, Rodgers slipped
him a piece of paper with the relevant times — 8:24 a.m. and 8:37 a.m. — scrawled on it. He acknowledged this was inappropriate.
To go with the comment section: A comment from Sam Hagedorn wrote, ‘Wait, what? The rival candidate for the superintendent job had already watched the security camera footage? That’s actually bonkers.”
There’s no proof that there was a gift card in the red envelope Ms. Butts carried into the mailroom. There’s no evidence that Ms. Butts put the gift card into the mail slot of the therapist, and not into Dorr’s mail slot. No footage of Ms. Dorr or anyone inside the mailroom. A red envelope? One that would be guaranteed to stand out on camera? If there were a gift card, how did Ms. Butts know that, know it was taken, know the amount?
The fact that Mr. Rodgers presented the timing of the videos in my opinion proves that he was in cahoots with Ms. Butts. How else would he have gotten this? Why didn’t anyone call him to testify?
It is well known Mr. Rodgers wanted any administrator job. He allegedly interviewed for several spots over the years he didn’t get hired for — East Hampton, Springs, Westhampton. The one here was almost certainly going to go to Ms. Dorr. Especially coming off as one of three Long Island schools to get a blue ribbon — again. In my opinion, Mr. Rodgers has substantial motive to set Ms. Dorr up.
Michael Rodgers’s home allegedly sold in Westhampton for $1.875 million early this February. Glad to see he is profiting, as he lives rent-free in the Amagansett School-owned home provided by the school board. Red Envelope Express has run off the rails, Board President Wayne Gauger, I wonder what Jerry Larsen thinks of his police sergeant’s actions?
Still here,
JOE KARPINSKI
My Father’s Legacy
East Hampton
March 3, 2025
Dear East Hampton Star,
I tried to keep this as short as I could. To begin with, my father was the famous Broadway lyricist and songwriter Sheldon Harnick. His passing has not been easy for either me, my sister, or (especially) my mother, and not just due to having to handle the grief of losing someone dear. My father was a great proponent of social justice and many of his shows included songs about just this subject. He’s best remembered for “Fiddler on the Roof,” in which a Jewish family must contend with, among other things, a Russian czar who thinks of them as vermin. “The Rothschilds” is about Mayer Rothschild and his family emerging from poverty and oppression to having actual political power through money. “Fiorello!” is about Fiorello La Guardia’s lifelong fight against Boss Tweed and the gangsters of Tammany Hall who ran New York for many years.
The events of the past month have been difficult for me to watch, as I’m sure it is for many (hopefully most) of those reading this.
In light of what has been happening in politics in this country, I have to say that it’s really a mercy that my father passed when he did. After all, he and his generation fought a war against the tyranny of Adolf Hitler and now we have a new fascist world rising with our own president turning us into an Axis power.
One of the great tragedies of my father’s life is that one of his pet projects never got to Broadway and more’s the pity because it is so relevant to what is going on today. The show is called “Dragons” and is based on a play written by a Russian Jew named Evgeny Schwartz. This is political satire disguised as a fairy tale about a town oppressed by a three-headed dragon. This has relevance to current events because Schwartz borrowed this dragon from a Ukrainian folktale about a three-headed dragon who terrorized Kiev and was eventually slain by a holy knight. In the play, the dragon represents oppressive government and each head represents a different kind: monarchy, fascism, and socialism. The show doesn’t suggest that there is any “best way” to govern but rather begs us to remember to take care of one another whatever form of government we choose.
I grew up with my Dad writing his musical adaptation for which he provided book, lyrics, and music — 100 percent Sheldon Harnick. I came to view politicians through the lens of this story and have often felt like the show’s cat character: “I wanna swear and gnash my teeth and tear my hair!” Watching what has gone on in world politics for the past 30 years or more. But since last November, I’ve been seriously seeing our newly and lawfully (unfortunately) elected government as a dragon in the very sense that Evgeny Schwartz and my father were writing about. It might be tempting for someone to think that most of it was written with Donald Trump in mind. It wasn’t. Nor any specific dictatorial, fascist, or socialist leader. There is a song, “I Love Power,” which has lyrics which sound like things President Trump and Elon Musk have both said and yet the song is more than 40 years old. If you want to hear the song, there is a performance of it by my father in the compilation “Sheldon Harnick: Hidden Treasures,” which you can probably find on one or another music app.
I like to think that I inherited my father’s wish to see injustice set right. It grieves me that the world he tried in his own way to make a better place has suddenly not only slipped back to where it was when he was a child but with the United States decidedly on the side of dictators whom he railed against all his life.
I can’t keep from breaking down in tears when I listen to the song “In My Own Lifetime,” which he wrote for Mayer Rothschild, but he might have written for himself as well. For myself, I grew up in the last third of the Cold War with the ever-present threat of nuclear exchange, though I never experienced a bomb drill. With what the current administration is doing with the assistance of Elon Musk, we are entering an era which is even more dangerous.
I will close by mentioning my favorite song my father ever wrote, “The Merry Little Minuet,” This song was made famous by the Kingston Trio and many people wrongly attribute it to them. They also significantly altered it when they performed it. Fortunately, there are plenty of people performing it correctly on YouTube. For a song he wrote after reading The New York Times in 1950, it’s amazingly timely.
My point is less to promote my father’s work and more to point people to songs which might help them deal with what’s going on. It just happens that my father has a huge repertoire of such songs and thankfully many have been recorded. It’s one of the few things which keeps me sane these days. And my own small bit of rebellion is to sign off on most emails with the salute “Glory to the Dragon!” with three dragon-head emojis. I live in hope that the world will see “Dragons” staged in my lifetime but that seems doubtful. Thanks for reading.
Sincerely and sadly,
MATT HARNICK
No Need?
East Hampton
March 3, 2025
Dear Mr. Editor,
Hope all is well at The Star. Thank you for endorsing my idea of congestion pricing in last week’s editorial. You may or may not remember that several months ago I had made that recommendation for the East End. It would certainly help to curb traffic and perhaps development.
My real aggravation is the bellyachers who are complaining about Trump, Musk, and DOGE. Just think about our current mindless state of the general population when it comes to money and subscriptions. These people — and there are a lot of them — actually need an app to tell them where their money is going and what to cancel! What kind of brain dead assholes are out there? And you say there is no need for DOGE?
Best regards.
As always, yours to command,
JEFFREY PLITT
To President Trump
Amagansett
February 28, 2025
To the Editor,
President Donald J. Trump, I am from the country of Georgia, and I experienced Russia’s invasion of my country on Aug. 8, 2008. I know what it means to have your territories occupied by Russia. Georgia has lost 25 percent of its land, which remains under Russian occupation, and many Georgian people cannot return to their homes.
My country lost the war with Putin, but President Zelensky has given us hope. He is an international hero. He does not fight only for Ukraine’s peace but also for Georgia’s peace, Moldova’s peace, all post-Soviet countries, and the whole world.
You are involved in this. As Nikita Khrushchev once said, “We will take the United States down.” That has always been Russia’s plan since America’s existence. Do you want to see that happen? If Ukraine goes down, America will sink too. Do you want the tyrant Putin to destroy freedom and democracy? Whose side are you on? Are you with him or with freedom and democracy?
Your arrogance makes it seem as though you act like you own Ukraine because you are helping the country. But you do not own Ukraine, and you do not own Zelensky. Your mission is to protect the world’s freedom and democracy. Focus on that and stop enabling Putin. He is a bad guy.
Do not become like him, or the world will hate you for the rest of your life. You have a chance to be on the right side of history. Stop acting like a loser and show real strength against Putin. You are the president of the United States — act like it.
Support Zelensky, and support world peace. Be on the right side of history!
Sincerely,
TSISNAMI (SISSY) SAKVARLISHVILI
Deserve U.S. Support
Montauk
March 1, 2025
To the Editor:
The disgraceful behavior of the United States president will be old news by the time this letter appears, so I am writing to ask that supporters of democracy donate to Nova Ukraine, a charity rated four stars by Charity Navigator.
The Ukrainians are holding the front against Russia’s invading forces, and they deserve U.S. support. Their president shouldn’t be made to grovel before a petty tyrant in the Oval Office. Feb. 28 was a dark day for democracy in the U.S., though it did highlight a leader for democracy, Ukrainian President Zelensky.
PAT LUKASZEWSKA
Admiration
East Hampton
March 3, 2025
To the Editor,
In the same way that Americans revere Winston Churchill’s defiant stance against Nazi Germany as bombs fell on London, so, too, do we feel profound admiration for Volodymyr Zelensky and his defense of his people.
The contrast of Zelensky with our homegrown Neville Chamberlains is striking and so the world (outside of Moscow) scorns and vilifies them.
The stench of their “deals” is marking us as a playground for dictators and oligarchs.
TOM MACKEY
Once a Democracy
Montauk
March 3, 2025
To the Editor,
Not one but two days of infamy. Thus far. Doubtless more to come.
On a lower level of dishonorable perfidy but from the same motive is the surrender of the current administration to power-hungry, avaricious tech and business interests, including the president and his family, at the expense of the overwhelming majority of Americans who are trying to exist in what was once a democracy, however imperfect.
HELEN SEARING
Grab Those Assets
North Haven
March 3, 2025
Dear David:
Friday’s ambush of Ukraine’s President Zelensky, televised worldwide from the White House Oval Office, was a deliberate setup of this courageous leader of our already victimized European ally.
Clearly, Vice President JD Vance was positioned as Donald Trump’s attack dog to support his planned vicious harangue and to keep him on track. It should be noted that Lindsey Graham had warned Mr. Zelensky before this meeting, advising him, “not to take the bait.” Afterward, President Trump said smugly, “I think we’ve seen enough. This is going to be great television, I will say that.” Then he told reporters to leave the room. This is prima facie evidence that a White House version of a bully’s schoolyard brawl was a setup, a deliberate sucker-punching. Why?
Perhaps Mr. Trump’s purpose was to display superior strength to his congressional supporters, some of whom are already drifting away from him? Perhaps he has actually joined Vladimir Putin by supporting his criminal invasion? We already know Mr. Trump’s lifelong history of transactional dealmaking is based on deception, greed, and opportunism. I suggest he is likely playing the role of a modern day post-Civil War carpetbagger, plundering the assets from a weak and defeated nation.
President Trump wants to grab those Ukrainian mineral assets even before any actual peace talks or security agreements begin! No hedge fund investor or real estate speculator in the Hamptons would fall for such a flimsy deal, so why should Mr. Zelensky? None of this is good for either country — or for world peace.
Adult voters in the Hamptons have better ethics and understand that effective negotiations must be much better than this. We cannot further tolerate our political representatives behaving like this. We must demand that our representatives in Washington, D.C., challenge this president’s outrageous behavior.
Our current House Representative Nick LaLota might still fear President Trump, who demands complete Republican support, but we must phone his office at every opportunity to convince him to actually represent his real constituents here, and to stop pandering to Mr. Trump, who is ruining us all with his personal vendetta. Mr. LaLota needs to understand we can vote him into oblivion and the lame-duck Mr. Trump cannot save him. We have to convince him, or actually get rid of him. Please feel free to call his D.C. office at 202-225-3826 to express yourself.
There is no doubt that President Trump has, in just five weeks of his second term, ravaged the good order and effectiveness of our government under the guise of “DOGE” and a flurry of legally questionable executive orders. Our once respected standing in the world for defense, foreign aid, humanitarian concern, and international cooperation for world peace has exploded into grave doubt.
I have not been as embarrassed or ashamed of our government since the Vietnam “police action,” a tragedy that lured so many fine soldiers into a battle under falsehoods and deceptions, costing so many lives and broken spirits, as well as national treasure. We cannot risk this again.
Mr. Trump spoke to President Zelensky about who “has the cards,” as if this is a game at one of Mr. Trump’s many failed casinos. These are actual wartime negotiations, Mr. President, lives are at stake here, there, and everywhere.
We must return our own government to sanity.
ANTHONY CORON
A Little Too Late
Montauk
March 3, 2025
Dear David,
A brand-new book, written by none other than Jake Tapper, will contain information about how Democrats and the media colluded to obscure Joe Biden’s cognitive decline. This would be great if he weren’t complicit in the cover-up.
In early June of last year Mr. Tapper reported in a Wall Street Journal article “Biden Shows Signs of Slipping,” quoting the White House communications director’s assessment of the piece as a complete and utter editorial fail that makes you wonder who (The Journal is) taking orders from.
Joe Biden has long been known to cross the line with women, sniffing little girls’ hair and earning the nickname “Creepy Uncle Joe.”
If you paid attention, all news was accumulating proof that President Joe wasn’t doing all that great. Jake Tapper’s job as a so-called journalist was to dig deep.
Michael LaRosa admitted that the campaign was aware from day one the 81-year-old’s age was an issue and aides were scared to death of letting him do off-the-cuff interviews ahead of the election. President Biden needed the press. When he needed them most, they didn’t trust him. Admissions and lies are finally coming out, a little too late. The American people were gaslighted,
In God and country,
BEA DERRICO
Inflammatory Words
St. Petersburg, Fla.
March 2, 2025
Dear Editor:
This is in response to “Guestwords”: “Time to Name a Thing” by George Dietrich. Mr. Dietrich’s pontification about Christian nationalism hides behind his own prejudice and bigotry toward faithful followers of Christian denominations other than his own. To support his argument, he inserts inflammatory words describing Christians who don’t subscribe to his political ideology as things, specifically, evil things. He uses all the usual slurs and hateful, fearmongering labels to preach to his choir. He describes Christians who don’t share his views as Christian supremacists, Christian nationalists, white supremacists, heretics, unpatriotic hypocrites, and bigots to promote his concept of religious freedom: hatred. He writes: “The ‘Christian’ in Christian nationalism is more about identity than religion. It carries with it assumptions about nativism, white supremacy, authoritarianism, patriarchy, and militarism.” Is Black Lives Matter Black nationalism?
Mr. Dietrich, a man of the cloth, doesn’t know anything except what he hates. And what he hates most is anyone or thing who would challenge or question his own beliefs, intentions, and religious home, the Lutheran Church. He resorts to name calling to make his point, a true sign of weakness. I would argue God would be displeased with Mr. Dietrich and his tactics to persuade people to think those who don’t agree with him politically are evil, radicalized “things.” Theologically speaking, just as Mr. Dietrich is displeased with President Trump, or anyone who may have voted for him, and Elon Musk, he must remember Jesus condemned no one. Mr. Dietrich should not throw stones less they bounce off a wall and hit him in the head, God forbid.
The clergy’s purpose is to provide spiritual guidance and faith-based comfort, not religious self-righteousness and political divisiveness. I respect Mr. Dietrich’s right to speak his truth, but he should recognize his truth serves one purpose: his own and not God’s. There is no “me” in Jesus. Mr. Dietrich, if he truly is a believer, is here to serve the Lord, not who he identifies with. John 8:32: “And you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”
CAROL DRAY
Our Sacred Right
Amagansett
March 3, 2025
Dear Mr. Rattray,
I wanted to get back to you as quickly as possible, but we were away for nearly four weeks and I was unable to retrieve messages until Friday. And then, hello, no messages from you. Should have given you my WhatsApp number. Next time.
We were, of course, on the island that I keep returning to due to my unwillingness to explore other parts of the world, which I realize is indefensible. Nonetheless it was, as always, great to be back. What had changed for Mary and me is that we spent the entire time avoiding the sun, having both endured significant skin cancer events and Mohs surgeries in recent years. Thus, more time reading under the umbrella, wearing giant, sad-looking hats — you get the idea.
At our hotel one of the guests had heard about my book “1000 Days in St. Barth” and wanted to know where he could get a copy. I told him they were sold out, though they used to be available on Amazon. Later he told me he’d found one, used, for resale on Amazon for $2,995 and another on the American Book Warehouse site, reduced from $3,689.99 to $3,602.95! Somewhat flattering, but really ridiculous, I thought. So I took his email address and sent him a PDF of the book. He thanked me but said, “I can’t put a PDF on my coffee table!” Boo-hoo.
Mind if I keep talking about myself, Mr. Rattray? Grateful, thanks. I mean, if I turn our attention to national and world affairs, the air’ll be sucked right out of this moment. So, continuing: I’d taken a copy of my more serious book, “Uniting the States of America: A Self-Care Plan for a Wounded Nation,” to the island with the idea of leaving it in the hotel lobby library and grabbing some Lee Child “Jack Reacher” thing to read. The same gentleman mentioned above took the “Uniting” book and read it in a day. He later told me that he’d really enjoyed it, respected the conversational manner in which I’d presented ideas and suggestions for our (more united) future, and ordered three more copies on Amazon, two to give to friends. You can imagine how proud I was to hear that, Mr. Rattray. Mr. Rattray?
It was also gratifying to me that Professor Frank Sesno, in his televised C-SPAN interview with former New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu, referred to the book by name, referencing the chapter “Small Steps” in one of his questions to the governor. Definitely a proud moment; it’s not easy building awareness for a self-published book. In fact, it sucks even attempting to. To that end, before we’d left for the island I mailed dozens of copies of the book to individuals I thought might benefit from reading it: at least 10 governors, multiple senators, editors of big city and small-town newspapers, political science professors from universities across the country. Little response, although I did receive thoughtful “Thank-yous” on official stationery from Governors Abbott, Pritzker, Whitmer, and Moore from Texas, Illinois, Michigan, and Maryland respectively. I’ll take it.
I also sent copies of the book to President Trump and Vice President Vance. I have no doubt they would benefit from reading it — or from having it read to them over Diet Cokes. I’d be happy to give an author reading myself, no charge.
While we were away Mary read several books. I never found a “Jack Reacher,” so I devoured the New Yorkers I’d brought, then went diving into those rabbit holes we seem to find online. Terrible addiction. For example, I’d always wondered if sea gulls ever died in midair over the ocean. I mean, you’ll occasionally come upon a dead gull on the beach — but how did it die? Heart attack? Collision? Natural causes? So I asked Meta AI if sea gulls ever die in flight. The answer was thoughtful but not definitive. It “could happen” if, for example, the gull was struck by lightning or a severe storm had brought exhaustion and it could no longer fly, or some predator bird had attacked it. But there were few, if any, sightings due to the unusual conditions under which that might happen. Okay. I guess.
We saw hummingbirds humming among the tropical flowers and I wondered if they build nests. You never see them just perched on a branch, thinking hummingbird thoughts. So of course I asked (figured it was an easy question, so I Googled it). Yes, hummingbirds build tiny little nests. And their eggs are about the size of a small jelly bean! And there’s one species called Anna’s hummingbird (Calypte anna) — that’s my youngest stepdaughter’s name! A rabbit hole leading to birds’ nests. Nice.
The mind wanders, doesn’t it, Mr. Rattray? So I asked this question of Chat GPT: “Can U.S. citizens legally initiate impeachment proceedings against President Trump?” ChatGPT responded with [a] detailed answer:
“No, U.S. citizens cannot directly initiate impeachment proceedings against a sitting president. [ . . . ] Would you like to dive deeper into any part of the impeachment process?”
I answered, “No, that was helpful, thank you.” Pretty sure I knew the answer to my question in broad terms, though not the details. But I was reminded of a disconcerting fact I’d discovered in researching the book: In the past two decades fewer than 30 percent of America’s registered voters voted in the primary elections, where our choices in the general elections will be made. Leading me to wonder, if we don’t engage in our sacred right to vote, how can we pretend to have a government “of the people, by the people, for the people” (Lincoln’s words)?
Maybe events of recent days will make sense in some grand scheme of things I’m unable to comprehend. But at the moment they’ve got me scared shitless, and I believe that process I asked the chatbot about could begin sooner than later. Till then, I might suggest we avoid the rabbit holes and let those we elected know how we feel, whatever we feel. There’s a reason it’s called participatory democracy.
To sunnier days ahead,
LYLE GREENFIELD