LETTERS: Huntington Station problems run deeper, and more

Huntington Station problems run deeper

As Huntington Station resident, I've been heartbroken by the uptick in violence in my community. But I've been even more disappointed with the news coverage of it.

To be fair, I am happy Newsday is covering the stories: We need this focus to (hopefully) shame our leaders into giving this crisis the attention it deserves.

My outrage stems from how no crime in Huntington Station is reported without cross-referencing it to the closing of Jack Abrams Intermediate School.

Last week's tragic murder of a young man on Railroad Street was reported with a map as being near Jack Abrams . However, it was even closer to two other public schools: Jefferson Primary and Stimson Middle School.

Perception has become reality in our town. The board of education member who ultimately cast the deciding vote to close Jack Abrams said you cannot make people go to a school they don't want to attend.

When Jack Abrams is mentioned in every article about violence in Huntington Station, it lulls our community into believing crime is localized. It is not. It is spreading. Had our community, and readers throughout Long Island, read reports without references to Jack Abrams, maybe they would have realized this problem runs deeper than the few blocks surrounding the school.

Amy Giles

Huntington Station

Bench Mets who skipped Reed visit

I've always considered Carlos Beltran the most cowardly of so-called All-Stars, seemingly deciding on a whim which games he would mentally show up for at the ballpark. I'm not particularly surprised that Beltran chose not to be with his teammates when they did something wonderful the other day, visiting true heroes, our injured soldiers, at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. .

Beltran was joined in his absence by Luis Castillo - who said that seeing the patients would have been too devastating for him - and Oliver Perez. Beltran said he had a meeting with his own charitable foundation. But there are times, clearly, when one must face up to the greater chance to do the greatest good, particularly when every other one of your teammates - except for that night's rookie, first-time starting pitcher - has accepted the responsibility.

Economics dictate that Beltran and company can't simply be cut without attempting off-season trades. But the Mets should do the right thing and bench these musketeers of mediocrity for the rest of the season. Playing Major League Baseball is a privilege, and these jokers simply don't deserve to play on the fields of New York.

James H. Burns

Valley Stream

Spend U.S. dollars here, where needed

A recent article stated that the United States expects to spend about $6 billion a year to train and support Afghan troops and police was outrageous ["U.S. may spend $6B a year to train Afghans," News, Sept. 7]. The money to be given would not be for teachers, professors, criminal justice or other positive forces, but for army and police.

Will 300,000 such forces by late next year really change their values, mores, civic responsibility and other aspects of democracy? I say no. We should spend the $6 billion on U.S. schools, colleges and trade schools, and their teachers, professors and other professions influencing national and international students. The cost benefit of $6 billion in Afghanistan versus in the United States is obvious. Spend it here.

Art Mittelstaedt

Port Washington

Outrage at coverage

of Florida pastor

I am outraged at the news media for providing a platform of hate that comes from Gainesville, Fla., stretches around the world and forces public officials, generals and an elected president to respond to such stupidity .

Instead of ignoring the Rev. Terry Jones and letting him burn a Quran in ignorance and silence, the news media legitimized him to the point where a pretty busy Gen. David Petraeus and an always under fire President Barack Obama were actually pressured to comment on the impact that Jones' Quran burning might have on the world.

This guy was on international television and websites telling the world he's on his way to New York to meet with those involved in the decision to build, or not build, a mosque near Ground Zero. The news media has actually made him a hero.

Leaders around the world are concerned that his burning the Quran will endanger Americans overseas, threaten the security of the United States and the lives of American servicemen. I say this is the fault of the media, every single news outlet that gave this guy a podium.

What's next? How about Bible burning to criticize the pope, or burning the Torah to pressure Israel? Will you also give those people an open microphone?

Joseph Maniaci

Ronkonkoma

Why is there so much media attention paid to an obviously ignorant, so-called Christian pastor who has a following in Florida of fewer than 50 people?

I don't see Holocaust-deniers get this kind of attention, or Hitler lovers, and there are significant numbers of such people. Whose agenda is served by the antics of this man?

It matters not at all that a significant number of Americans are increasingly Islamophobic: a significant number have racial bias and/or anti-Semitic prejudice, too, but they aren't given high-profile media platforms to express that hatred.

Is it because we are approaching an election season in a recession, and have a president named Barack Obama?

Robert W. Mays

Freeport

Society's view of obesity problematic

I read with interest the opinion piece on obesity .

It is frightening that being overweight is now an accepted part of American culture - it's even seen as a disability. Children are taught to be happy with the way they look and respect people for who they are, yet nutrition-less meals are served in schools as we cut back on fitness programs.

Gene Towba

Plainview