Home Delivery

Dear Editor ...

Article tools

E-mail

Share
- Digg
- Del.icio.us
- Facebook
- Fark
- Google
- Newsvine
- Reddit
- Yahoo

Ever since that day in 1940 when William D. Grote of Mineola wrote to say he was supporting Wendell Willke for president over Franklin D. Roosevelt -- the first letter to the editor published by Newsday -- the paper has received on the order of half a million pieces of correspondence from readers commenting, in varying tones of indignation, on everything from foreign wars to barking dogs to Why can't the trains run on time? Long called "The County Irritant," the Newsday letters column has been the place readers have come to vent, to berate, to tweak, to opine. From the struggle of returning G.I.s to road rage on the LIE, here's a sampling of some of the things that have been irritating Long Islanders the past six decades.

Grow Your Own

January 20, 1942
I have noticed very few people make good use of the soil around their property. Wouldn't it be a good idea to teach every boy and girl over 10 how to grow vegetables? It should be a patriotic duty of everyone to make the most use of the soil . . . The slogan should be: "Make Nassau Self Supporting" or "More and Better Vegetables by Nassau."
Mrs. M.

Valley Stream

Forgotten $40 Man

June 6, 1947
Though it's a godsend that someone has had foresight and a bigger heart these days and came through with rental housing, what of those who still can't afford $60 per month, plus gas, electric and heating? Don't think the $40-a-week man is in the minority, for he is not. Are we to go without a home because we can't rent anywhere nor carry over the mortgage and upkeep to buy a home? Perhaps this calls for a new idea -- have the fellow quit his job or get a job to meet his living costs. Maybe jobs are easier to get than houses to live in, I don't know. We're all looking for the answer today. Have you got it?
C.R.
Hewlett

A Decent Place to Live

June 16, 1947
There are plenty of G.I. homes still empty, but nothing for the colored G.I.'s. We helped win this war. Let's build a housing project for colored people. We can live any place jammed in with in-laws and in unhealthy homes because no one thinks about giving us a place to live. I fought for a decent place for my wife to live, too. I am not asking anyone to give me anything because I spent four and a half years in the service -- 18 months dodging Japanese bullets in the Pacific. All I want is a decent place to live with my family. I can pay rent for an unhealthy place. Why can't I pay rent for a decent place? After all there are honest, decent, intelligent and loyal people in every race!
Ex-Staff Sergeant
Freeport

Dirty Dollars

June 9, 1948
I read with disgust your paid advertisement for the Communist party. If you are so hard up for money why don't you sell pencils on the street corners. It is a damn shame that a good paper like yours has to cheapen itself to make a buck. These stricken Reds lie, cheat and murder and you let them dirty your paper for a few of their dirty dollars. Please don't let them fill the minds of your readers with their damn lies.
An Ex-Newsday Carrier
Farmingdale

Red Menace In Huntington

January 24, 1953
Read with disgust (not surprise) that the Huntington American Legion Post plans picketing the new Chaplin film because the great pantomimist has been "labeled" (but never proven) a pinko. Once again jumping to the side of ignorance, prejudice, and McCarthyism, the Legion only proves to me that it is in the same class with the pinkos . . .
Non Joiner

Get breaking news alerts!