Gerrymandering, congressional districts, Southampton and Shinnecock Indian Nation
The Shinnecock Indian Nation recently started clearing land for a new gas station in Hampton Bays. Credit: Tom Lambui
I feel like a pawn in a gerrymander game
I live in Massapequa Park. The catch-all name of Massapequa seems to be a pawn in gerrymandering within three evolving congressional district maps [“Legislature OKs redistricting maps,” News, Feb. 29].
In 2022, what turned out to be a short-term map fix confused us about where our district was. We had no idea who George Santos was and didn’t realize we needed to get to the polls and vote against him. When he was ousted and Rep. Tom Suozzi became the Democrat running in our apparent district, we cast ballots in the early voting on its first day.
In the middle of Suozzi’s brief representation of us, the map has now suddenly put us into the 2nd Congressional District with part of Suffolk County. I feel cheated that my vote helped put Suozzi in office, but I will have no opportunity to vote him back with a fresh two-year term.
Next year, I’ll get to vote for a Nassau County executive, but this year, I’ll vote for a member of Congress representing more Suffolk County constituents than those in Nassau. It’s not fair.
I remember the days when “gerrymandering” was considered a bad thing. Now it’s merely the norm.
— Joanne Talbot, Massapequa Park
Give Shinnecocks credit in new project
After reading about the Shinnecock Indian Nation’s efforts to build a gas station and service plaza off Sunrise Highway in Hampton Bays, I was struck by the hypocrisy of state and Southampton Town officials [“Fueling nation’s future,” Our Towns, March 4].
For all that politicians say about supporting the Indigenous people, they seem to be working contrary to that stance. The Shinnecock Nation has the right to lift its people through economic growth. It’s what this country was built on, and yet the state stands in the way.
It seems the state wants to make decisions for anyone living in its borders. The Shinnecock Nation, though, is a sovereign nation and has the right to proceed regardless of the state’s desires. I applaud the nation’s efforts to move forward despite this unreasonable opposition.
— Scott Schubert, Dix Hills
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