Newsday's letters to the editor of 2018

Letters on school shootings, the National Rifle Association and gun safety.

This letter originally appeared on Feb. 23, 2018

While one might view the recent school shooting in Florida as a reason to despair, I find a reason to hope as I watch those brave students create a movement.

Many of these young people will be eligible to vote in the 2020 elections, and gun control will be their issue. I hope they will make a huge impact. Hopefully, Florida will change from red to blue. I’m in my 80s, but I plan to join these kids on March 24 in Washington.

Joe Squerciati, Hicksville

This letter originally appeared on March 4, 2018

A reader suggested that schools identify and counsel the troubled kids. In addition, there are social-emotional learning programs geared to children as early as first grade. Children are taught to recognize that something is amiss and seek aid.

By identifying problems early, these programs could prevent children from becoming huge problems at an older age. Parents also could be involved, and courses could be made available to expectant parents.

A successful mental health program could also have a positive impact on other problems. People want to feel good, so they overindulge in alcohol and food, take harmful drugs and smoke. If we are in touch with our emotions, we can generate our own good feelings without resorting to harmful practices.

Are we willing to take this giant step for mental health?

Stanley Gittleman, Baldwin

This letter originally appeared on March 24, 2018

I’m a junior at Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy High School. Last week, my school held a memorial in honor of those who lost their lives at the Parkland school shooting. While admirable, a memorial alone is not enough.

We should raise the minimum age necessary to possess a gun, should require psychological tests to be administered when someone attempts to purchase a gun, and every year we should implement obligatory checkups to ensure the owner is still fit to possess a firearm. Bump stocks should be outlawed throughout the United States.

The nationwide Parkland student movement is intended to send a message to Congress that the progressive youth of America do not support the National Rifle Association.

Tyler Goldstein, Plainview

This letter originally appeared on April 19, 2018

The April 16 news story “Guns seized on LI after phone threat” should send a message to the schoolchildren who have been marching to limit gun ownership.

Prohibiting weapons won’t protect the children from harm. Authorities said they found nine illegal assault weapons in a search of Robert Csak’s home in Lindenhurst.

The children’s parents have tried enforcing various laws restricting alcohol, drugs, gambling and tobacco, but abuses still occur.

Unfortunately, there is no easy way to control sick minds that would harm defenseless people. School safety will have to be ensured by alternative methods.

William Adams Littell, Moriches

This letter originally appeared on June 7, 2018

Michael Dowling, president and chief executive of Northwell Health, is right in his opinion piece, “See gun violence as a health crisis.”

So why doesn’t the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study gun violence as it does disease and motor vehicle accidents so that we can learn how to prevent it? Why isn’t such research funded? Could it have something to do with the powerful and far-reaching arm of the National Rifle Association?

Pamela Cheek, Riverhead

This letter originally appeared on Sept. 21, 2018

In the age of mass shootings, many school districts have taken measures to counter potential threats.

Roslyn High School, which I attend, has taken measures such as requiring students to wear student IDs around their necks at all times, and locking bathroom doors, which means students and faculty members must scan their IDs to enter.

While Long Island district administrators are undoubtedly working very hard to improve the safety of students and faculty, measures like these can instill a sense of fear and insecurity. They also instill a widespread sense of neglect and incompetence from the government.

In the end, what good will wearing IDs do if there is a shooter in the school? To identify us? Where is the government that is meant to protect the people?

The majority of us feel unsafe. We need to have stronger background checks for purchasing guns. We need a ban on assault weapons. We will not feel safe until our politicians do what they are elected to do and take action.

Mitchell Schwartz, Roslyn

This letter originally appeared on Aug. 3, 2018

Newsday reported that local districts are spending tens of millions of dollars in state bond act money to install cameras and secure entryways to make schools safer.

New York taxpayers will be stuck with paying the cost of that bond, plus millions of dollars in interest. Those costs should rightfully be paid by gunmakers, the NRA and its members, who enable the troubled individuals who use guns to terrorize and kill schoolchildren and teachers.

William Hastback, Smithtown

This letter originally appeared on Aug 8, 2018

A reader complained that taxpayers will be saddled with the cost to secure schools with cameras and other security measures .

I agree with him that schools should be safe places and our children ought to not worry about terror in their schools. But this gentleman does not think things through. He wants to punish the gunmakers, the NRA and my fellow NRA members for the cost of these security measures. Consider that guns themselves do not kill people. After all, far more people are killed by cars than guns, and I do not see his outrage targeting automakers. As far as the NRA and its members are concerned, this is a false argument; there has not been one mass shooting by a member of the NRA.

So, who can we blame? How about the people who commit these heinous crimes?

John Savin, Massapequa

This letter originally appeared on Nov. 1, 2018

I keep thinking how each of the victims of the Kroger shootings in Kentucky and the Tree of Life synagogue massacre in Pittsburgh started their days, perhaps with hope and joy, and never knew that their lives would end so soon in yet more heinous acts by American extremists consumed with hate.

This country always has had problems, but the last two years have brought out such horrors that I no longer know how to deal with it. Yes, we all need to vote, but the damage has been done and it will not just go away. It is time to wise up and rise up because it is happening here!

No matter what your political ideology, this is about humanity and what we’re willing to accept. I don’t care whom you voted for. I care only that you are willing to call out people for their behavior.

This hatred didn’t occur just because of the current administration. It was always there, but the mores of our society frowned upon it, and it was kept somewhat at bay. Not any more! These people have been empowered, and until we all act to stop them, they will thrive. We can accept the unacceptable or we can have the guts and the humanity to speak out and come together to reclaim our society. Is this the world you want to leave to your children and grandchildren?

Ronni Katz, Bellmore

Two opposing views on the burden of debt and the consequences of borrowing.

This letter originally appeared on March 24, 2018

Student loan debt is holding back a large percentage of people from fulfilling their dreams, causing them to delay homeownership and starting families. According to a 2017 survey from the National Association of Realtors, 80 percent of millennials don’t own a home.

There are some student loan programs that help recent borrowers, such as plans that limit payments to a percentage of income.

However, people like me are still struggling. I graduated in 2002 and owed $90,000. I filed for bankruptcy, but student loan debt is not dischargeable. Because of late fees and penalties, I now owe more than when I graduated.

Under Chapter 13 bankruptcies, wage earners are put on a repayment plan, usually for five years. Making the student loans dischargeable would allow borrowers like me to pay back a percentage of the loans.

Evan Kent, Copiague

This letter originally appeared on April 10, 2018

Does anyone take responsibility for his or her actions anymore? The March 24 letter “Reduce student loans in bankruptcy filings” left me bewildered.

The writer stated that student loan debt affects fulfilling personal dreams, including home ownership and family status. He acknowledged receiving a college degree in 2002, and unfortunately filing for bankruptcy sometime thereafter.

Why should such debt become dischargeable? When you take a loan and graduate college, you become responsible for the repayment.

Late fees and penalties are a consequence of not being fiscally responsible. This is not a free ride.

Neil Katz, Nesconset

Concerns about the new tax bill’s impact on LI homeowners.

This letter originally appeared on Jan. 2, 2018

Long Island homeowners with property taxes above $10,000 who will get clobbered by the tax bill shouldn’t be fooled by Reps. Peter King and Lee Zeldin voting no on a bill they knew would pass anyway.

If King and Zeldin cared about the homeowners they represent, they’d announce they won’t support Paul Ryan as speaker of the House, won’t support President Donald Trump in 2020, and will work with Democrats to obstruct every bill Trump and Ryan want to pass.

Michael Terk, Westbury

This letter originally appeared on Jan. 2, 2018

I support President Donald Trump, and my taxes are projected to increase by $11,000 under the new Republican tax plan. Obviously, I’m not happy!

Unlike most whining and complaining liberals, my anger is directed at tax-and-spend politicians at the state and local levels.

On Long Island, my school district has one of the highest-paid teaching staffs on the planet, and Nassau County has one of the highest-paid police forces in the country. Both political parties pander to teachers and police to secure their votes.

Stop voting for politicians who love to spend your money to keep themselves in power!

Robert Kralick, Glen Head

Readers debate the merits and annoyances of the 5-cent bag fee.

This letter originally appeared on Jan. 11, 2018

We are all becoming aware that when shopping at supermarkets and department stores in Suffolk County, we must bring our own bags or pay 5 cents per bag from retailers.

If the intent is to stop the pollution of our streams, roads and waterways with bags, I believe our politicians have failed. People who are slobs and litterbugs will continue to be. It is up to our local code-enforcement officers to enforce litter laws.

As a former recycling educator for the Town of Islip, I recycle my plastic bags as liners in my garbage receptacles, and then they go to the waste-to-energy incinerator near the town airport.

Repeal the bag fee and punish litterbugs directly. If people wish to bring their own bags to the stores, that’s a good thing, too.

Richard Albanese, West Islip

This letter originally appeared on Jan. 18, 2018

I’m so excited to see the bag fee in Suffolk County. Plastic bags are a huge threat to our marine life and coastal ecosystems, and they clog our waterways.

I cannot count the number of times I have seen plastic bags blowing over our beaches or floating in the ocean. Plastic bags never completely biodegrade; they break down into small pieces that can end up in our water supply or leach toxins into our ground.

While this may seem inconvenient to some, we must be ready to embrace change. It’s important to remember the long-term benefits for our public health and environment.

Katelyn Hill, Smithtown

This letter originally appeared on April 27, 2018

The April 20 news story “Survey: Shoppers’ acceptance is in the bag” said shoppers have begun carrying reusable bags after being charged a 5-cent fee for plastic bags.

Yes, I bought reusable bags, only to get to the cash register and realize they were all in the car. Did I pay the 5 cents? Yes, a couple of times, but then I began keeping the bags where I can see them. However, why am I being charged 5 cents for a brown paper bag that is biodegradable? It’s ridiculous!

Carolyn Newson, Riverhead

Letters on President Trump’s commentary throughout the year.

This letter originally appeared on Jan. 13, 2018

I have no problem with President Donald Trump’s “vile” comment \[about Haiti and some African nations\]. There is no doubt that the countries he referred to are totally dysfunctional, and the proof is the huge numbers from those nations who have entered the United States legally and illegally.

Trump’s comment only repeated what millions of Americans believe about those nations. It’s great to finally have a president who has thrown leftist political correctness out the window.

People coming from those nations aren’t the cream of the crop. Those who come are often uneducated, unskilled, unable-to-speak-English and those who never seem to assimilate into American culture and adopt American values. They become a heavy burden on our taxpayers and many wind up in our prisons. The areas they settle in soon begin to look like the countries they left.

James H. Wood, North Babylon

This letter originally appeared on Jan. 21, 2018

Norwegians have universal health care. Why would they want to come here?

Phyllis S. Schumtz, Nesconset

This letter originally appeared on Feb. 9, 2018

President Donald Trump declared that the Democrats’ refusal to stand and applaud his State of the Union speech is “treasonous” and “un-American.” You can’t make these things up. Even “Saturday Night Live” could not have come up with this Trumpian episode.

Trump, unquestionably the most ignorant president in our history, has no clue what treason means and no comprehension of what it means to be American. His comments in this case were clearly those of a would-be dictator. Is there no end to the insanity and horrors of this presidency?

Bob Arrigon, Setauket

This letter originally appeared on April 29, 2018

The deeper I read into the April 22 editorial, the more incredulous I became. The media admit no culpability whatsoever in the present condition of our country.

The media spend 90 percent of their reporting attacking President Donald Trump. Trump supporters aren’t following him because of his personality. We support his policies: higher wages, lower taxes, fewer government regulations, record-low unemployment, and a possible nuclear-free North Korea.

Here’s a news flash: I don’t care about a porn star from the president’s past. Nor do I believe the Russian collusion story.

Our frustration isn’t with the president, it’s with entrenched politicians on both sides of the aisle and a complicit media. Too many politicians are not the public servants they claim to be, but mere mortals who will do anything to obtain and keep their positions of power. Shameful.

Michael Sparks, Rocky Point

This letter originally appeared on May 7, 2018

I read a letter from a supporter of President Donald Trump who doesn’t care about the president’s personality, the possibility of Russian collusion or the porn star in his past.

So, I have one thing to ask: Would the reader brush aside all those things if they were attributed to Barack Obama or any other Democrat in the White House? I seriously doubt it. Don’t blame the media for your tunnel vision.

Ron Fehntrich, Brentwood

This letter originally appeared on July 29, 2018

In the letter asking why Trump supporters are angry, the word “Democrats” should be substituted. Does that letter writer read the papers or watch TV? All the anger is from Trump opponents. His press secretary was asked to leave a restaurant. An Uber driver refused to serve a group of young adults wearing “Make America Great Again” hats going to a Trump Hotel function. Liberals protest conservative free speech on college campuses.

Marlene D’Amelia, Hicksville

This letter originally appeared on July 29, 2018

Racism, sexism, hatred, violence; hostility to free speech, the press and human rights; protectionism and trade wars with many nations, even allies, but not Russia. This is America 2018.

Steven Ross, Kew Gardens

Two views on the special counsel.

This letter originally appeared on Jan. 15, 2018

Robert Mueller, the special counsel charged with investigating Russia’s interference in the 2016 election, has been under constant threat since his appointment. The citizens of the United States deserve to know the truth about Russia’s role in the presidential election.

The most precious democratic ideals necessary to prevent tyranny are transparency and accountability. Our presidents must be held to the highest standards; therefore, they need to be subject to fair and independent review. Those of us who lived through the Watergate scandal remember this only too well.

Mueller’s investigation must continue, and our elected officials should fully support him against any threat of firing.

Lisa Oldendorp, Massapequa

This letter originally appeared on June 12, 2018

I call upon my elected representatives to make a stand against the assertion by President Donald Trump that he has the “absolute right” to pardon himself.

I have no intention of being part of a tyrannical country or insulting citizens who have fought and died to establish and maintain the democratic practices of this republic. My elected representatives have an obligation to ensure a system of checks and balances against a president who would make such a statement.

Trump is unfit to serve as president, not because of his policies, but because of his willingness to undermine our democratic processes and the stability of our country.

James Nevola, Copiague

Various reactions to the offenses reported this year.

This letter originally appeared on Jan. 25, 2018

As New York State faces a budget deficit of $1.8 billion, the report that $10 million was paid by the state to resolve sexual harassment cases is disturbing. While resolving such claims might be a prudent legal strategy, the offenders should have significantly contributed to their settlements.

Legislative hearings should be held to explore corrective legislation to address this serious issue. Sadly, too many alpha males behave with a sense of entitlement, and the taxpayers are obliged to pay for their sins.

Was anyone in the Department of Corrections fired or demoted for the vulgar conduct leading to the reported $732,837 settlement paid?

Roger Adler, Brooklyn

Editor’s note: The writer is a criminal defense lawyer.

This letter originally appeared on Jan. 31, 2018

I take some exception to the description of sexual harassers as alpha males.

Alphas are supposed to be protectors, defenders and role models, not creeps and felons. They should, of course, be made to pay for their offenses out of their own pockets, not the government’s, and their offenses also should be made public, as should the names of the people who enable them.

These men aren’t alphas; they’re cowards. I can’t begin to imagine the pain, humiliation and powerlessness that women (and men) feel as victims of sexual predators. But I share their outrage, as I believe most right-thinking men do. Even us alphas.

Stan Bratskeir, Sands Point

This letter originally appeared on Oct. 7, 2018

A Sept. 30 reader letter said that Christine Blasey Ford’s description of being attacked at a teen party is common. “Get over yourself and get on with your life,” the reader wrote.

That letter reminds me that as long as women feel what this reader feels, we can never move forward. It also is the ugly reason most women don’t come forward.

Sherri Pastolove, Westbury

This letter originally appeared on Oct. 7, 2018

The reader who wrote “get on with your life” had the best letter on the subject. However, I would have added, “You went to a party knowing that there would be boys and liquor. What did you expect, a checkers tournament?” And where were your parents?

M. David Graubard, Flushing

This letter originally appeared on Oct. 7, 2018 

A reader suggested that teen girls who go to parties knowing there will be boys and liquor should not expect a checkers tournament . So tell me, can a girl or woman expect to go to a party where the boys or men just behave themselves? What is the cutoff age? What you are saying is that whether or not the boys or men can be expected to have self-control is the girl’s or woman’s responsibility.

I. Am. Damn. Sick. And. Tired. Of. That. Message.

Parents, teach your boys proper behavior.

MaryEllen Scherer, New Hyde Park

One reader’s quadruple threat.

This letter originally appeared on Jan. 25, 2018

As I watched marches for the advancement of women, I had to wonder. I live in Hempstead and have a female town supervisor, a female county executive, a female representative in Congress and a female U.S. senator. I guess Sen. Chuck Schumer had better watch out.

Joe Maccone, Westbury

Feel-good stories our readers shared.

This letter originally appeared on Jan. 27, 2018

I was walking on the shoulder of Jericho Turnpike because the sidewalk was filled with snow, but the lane was blocked by a parked vehicle. My only choice, it seemed, was to walk into oncoming traffic, which I couldn’t see. What was I to do?

Lo and behold, an Old Westbury police car came along, and an officer asked whether he could help. He offered me a ride back down the road to my home at The Arbors Assisted Living at Westbury.

He put my walker in the front seat and me in the back. He saw my Korean War hat, and I told him I was 85 and had served in that war. He told me his grandfather also had served.

The village police department should be proud.

Bernard Fradkin, Jericho

This letter originally appeared on Aug. 1, 2018

What a great story about Liberty basketball player Tina Charles.

This woman donates her full salary to needy causes and is an icon to be followed in all sports.

You don’t need to donate your whole salary; just do things to make an impact with your celebrity. It will go a long way.

Lisa Gloffke, Levittown

This letter originally appeared on Aug. 4, 2018

We work very hard to teach our kids proper manners, yet here we have devices that teach them that it’s OK to tell “Alexa” (or worse yet, yell at her!) to do something without first saying the magic word (please).

The programmers missed an opportunity here, as I’m sure Alexa would agree.

Rick Meuser, Huntington Station

This letter originally appeared on Oct. 25, 2018

With Stony Brook University switching to the term “royal” instead of king and queen for homecoming, I have to wonder just when Mr. and Mrs. will be eliminated and all sexes will get the title of Mz. It’s just a matter of time.

Thomas W. Smith, Riverhead

Opinions on government salaries, permit fees and more.

This letter originally appeared on  Feb. 7, 2018

I read “Copping big pay raises” and got to the part where for three successive years, Northport police officers will each receive a $25,000 bonus.

I read it again and again and was still thinking I had read it wrong.

Police have very hard jobs, but how much is enough? Those who choose to be officers know what is involved. They put their lives on the line every day. I just don’t understand the bonus part. Did they all do something outside of what their duties are, or is it just a bonus for being a police officer?

Because police are paid by taxing the public, there will come a point when taxes just won’t do it anymore.

If you want to give out bonuses, let’s give them to nurses and teachers. Oh, what the heck. Bonuses for everyone!

Edward Tardibuono, Levittown

This letter originally appeared on Feb. 9, 2018

Some of my most pleasant memories of growing up were our family trips to Nunley’s Carousel in Baldwin. We always tried to grab the brass ring and get a free ride.

I think Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone has taken this concept to a new level with recent appointments to his administration. He is handing out numerous six-figure salaries during a fiscal crisis.

Here’s a unique concept: replace the carousel with a gravy train!

Jason Elan, Bellone’s spokesman, downplayed these expenses, calling them a “long-term reorganization strategy that will result in savings for taxpayers.” He estimated this would save $29,581 annually.

With the fiscal crisis Suffolk County is experiencing, those savings will be like throwing a deck chair off the Titanic. It looks good, but the ship is still sinking.

Warren Healey, Rockville Centre

This letter originally appeared on April 2, 2018

There is a no more compelling argument for moving out of New York State than the March 26 exploreLI feature article about summer permits and fees, “Spring for that summer permit.”

Not only do we have to pay sky-high property taxes, sales taxes and utility rates, shoppers in Suffolk County now have to pay a 5-cent bag fee.

And as the Newsday article details, a $35 stargazing fee for four-wheel-drive beach vehicle access. This is beyond ridiculous.

Anthony Cataldo, Moriches

This letter originally appeared on June 5, 2018

Long Island has long been the land of multiplicity, with its 13 towns, 124 school districts and scores of fire departments all protecting their own turf. These entities have turned empire-building into an artform.

We get to vote on approximately 3 percent of the school budget, not on the mandates and contractual obligations that are the most costly. Voters know the fix is in because they have virtually no say. If they reject budgets, districts propose the same budget again under the guise of “the voters have no idea what they’re doing.”

If the voters have the temerity to reject the budget a second time, the districts punish the people most likely to vote for the budget, the parents of schoolchildren, through program cuts. All this while teachers have figured out how to opt out of being judged for their job performance. It would be so much easier if districts would simply send a bill each year for the tax increase due and forgo the games.

John Hubbard, West Sayville

A juror’s response to the case.

This letter originally appeared on June 5, 2018

Fourteen other jurors and I lived in that courtroom during the trial of John Venditto and Edward and Linda Mangano. We sat through five dozen witnesses, saw and heard more than 1,100 pieces of evidence and listened to many recordings. We spent 12 weeks reliving many re-enactments of possible scenarios of events over the course of almost 20 years. We heard people trying to remember what happened as far back as 10 years ago.

We watched the 20-year-plus political careers of Venditto and Edward Mangano, and the friendship of the Manganos and witness Harendra Singh, torn to shreds.

Some jurors who were not from Long Island had no clue as to whom the defendants were, or about the political structure of Long Island, including town supervisors and the county executive. It was a whole new world to us.

Some people commenting online say we were paid off and maybe we knew some of the people. We were not paid off and did not know these people on trial.

All 15 jurors were people who had clear minds free of any judgment, and we put in our civil duty. We put 12 weeks of our lives aside to bring some justice to the people of Long Island. We debated, we agreed to disagree. We were very close to bringing verdicts for the last two, but unfortunately, we could not complete our task because the judge called a mistrial. If I had to go back and serve on this case again, I would.

My advice to those who comment on this case is that they first should have taken time to sit in and listen to the evidence. Live it for yourself and see what you would say. Hopefully, you will get picked for a case someday and do your duty.

Anika Smith-Watson, Jamaica

He said the U.S. ‘was never that great’ and readers reacted.

These letters originally appeared on Aug. 22, 2018

Gov Andrew M. Cuomo gave me a compelling reason to send my first letter to Newsday. I write on behalf of my father, a World War II veteran, my nephew who fought overseas a couple of years ago and veterans everywhere. Cuomo said he feels America “was never that great.” Perhaps millions of immigrants here illegally are fighting to get across our borders because we’re not “that great.” Is it possible that thousands of military personnel are risking their lives each and every day because America has never been “that great”? This awful country we live in enabled Gov. Cuomo to rise to the influential position he enjoys today and has given Americans freedoms and opportunities unparalleled to other countries. If anyone asked for my opinion, I would say Gov. Cuomo is not that great.

Kelly Gusew, Lake Ronkonkoma

“GOP buys gov ticket to Canada” recounts Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s wince-worthy comment that America “was never that great.” Artless? Yes! Badly off the cuff? Yes! Worse than anything President Donald Trump has said? Absolutely not! We need Cuomo and all politicians to be better. We have become a nation living in a polluted sea of rhetoric. Where are the true leaders? Where are the intelligent minds? Where are our elected leaders who truly care about their constituents and America? Both sides are appalled by vicious or not-well-thought-out comments. However, where is the outrage over loss of rights, the deconstruction of our Constitution, or the threat to our civil rights and freedoms? Poorly chosen words are the least of our problems. Cuomo is the governor of New York. Trump is the president of the United States. Who has the weightier responsibility and greater sphere of influence? My answer is Trump. We’re all Americans. We need to demand that our politicians act on behalf of all of us, not for themselves.

They all emulate carrion flies waiting for each other to fall to feed on their common errors and embolden themselves in order to win votes. I no longer have a desire to be Republican, Democrat, Progressive or whatever else is out there. I demand that some decent candidates finally do the right thing by America and not be motivated by self-interest. Yes, Cuomo messed up, but his sentiment was clear. America needs to be what it claims to be. Until then, we are not as great as we could be or should be.

Olivia Salina, Eastport

A debate on the policy.

This letter originally appeared on June 20, 2018

Regardless of how you feel about illegal immigration, the minors who were brought here by their parents, with no ability to consent, are innocent of any crime. Because of this, it is cruel and inhuman to take them away from their parents and families. They should be kept together until their fate can be decided. This is the right, legal and humane thing to do.

Laurie Giordano, Setauket

This letter originally appeared on June 20, 2018

I don’t see the problem that so many people are having with the separation of children from adults who have entered the country illegally. We are a nation of laws and no one has the right to enter illegally, nor to bring their children with them.

I am sure that when people who seek asylum are denied, the government will try to deport them with their children. The longer they fight, the longer they will be apart from their children. Reunification can be accomplished by renouncing pleas for asylum and agreeing to immediate voluntary deportation.

James H. Wood, North Babylon

Letters on George and Barbara Bush, bias advisers.

This letter originally appeared on May 3, 2018

I met Barbara and George H.W. Bush on a cruise in February 1993. I had served in the Marines under Presidents Ronald Reagan and Bush and considered them American heroes, so this was a magical moment for me. Bush was the first president I voted for, and I viewed their marriage as a true partnership.

The newly former president looked tired and sad, but Barbara Bush appeared behind him vibrant and energetic and pushed him to greet us. Later, I saw them holding hands in a large group. She nudged him into the crowd.

Another time, they entered the dining room to a standing ovation, and this time the president looked happy. I eventually introduced myself. He was very gracious, and when I asked how he liked the cruise, he said he had been opposed to it but Barbara had insisted, and she always knew what was best for him.

When I learned of Barbara’s passing, I realized she and the president taught me that every strong leader needs someone just as strong, if not stronger, to support and push him or her now and then. They faced challenges together with dignity and courage.

Joe Campolo, Ronkonkoma

This letter originally appeared on May 13, 2018

Facebook’s decision to hire “bias advisers” has persuaded me to do the same. I find keeping up with changes in common parlance tough enough in old age. For the longest time, I thought “friends with benefits” meant they had health coverage or a pension.

Political correctness mystifies me. Why call a “manhole” a “maintenance hole”? By the time I grasp what “Watch out for the maintenance hole!” means, I’ve fallen to my doom.

I’ve just learned that I’m a “person of advanced age,” rather than a senior citizen. That’s fine, as long as I get my “person of advanced age” discount. When someone sneezes, I say, “God bless you” without knowing whether the sneezer is a believer. I’ll keep doing so until it becomes a hate crime or I’m mandated to attend sensitivity training.

People should be protected from me by a bias adviser!

Richard Epstein, West Babylon