Newsday letters to the editor for Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Debate over our civic memorials

Some argue that Hofstra University should remove its statue of Thomas Jefferson because he was a slave owner [“Political correctness will distort history,” Letters, April 16]. Others say keep it because he was an important founder of our republic.

I suggest an alternative to remind us of both the ideals he proclaimed — including his dislike of slavery — and his failure to live up to them. Hofstra should put up a statue of Sally Hemings beside him. She was the slave who many historians believe bore him six children, some of whom were his property for at least part of their lives. Such a pair of statues would speak volumes about the founding of our nation and the injustice we still struggle to overcome.

Tom Goodhue, Amityville

There has been much discussion of taking down monuments or renaming public places that recognize historical figures.

It’s a complicated subject that is leading us down a slippery slope of moral equivalence. Would the progressive view advocate renaming the FDR Drive in light of the debatably legal, but certainly immoral, internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II?

Dennis Steiner, Oakdale

Disappointed in Gillibrand on Syria

I’m not shocked that Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand criticized the president’s bombing of Syrian areas of poison gas production [“Senator criticizes strikes, but LI pols show support,” News, April 15].

I never want her in a position of leadership involving the safety of our country and its citizens.

She usually mimics Sen. Chuck Schumer, but he did at least praise the move. Others, including Reps. Peter King, Lee Zeldin and Tom Suozzi, praised President Donald Trump. Gillibrand’s comments are out of touch, and we should all look to her positions when voting time comes.

Robert F. Casale, Glen Head

Public didn’t get to know Nowakowski

Long Island Rail Road president Patrick Nowakowski’s resignation is not good for the railroad [“LIRR chief to resign,” News, April 12].

I have tremendous respect for Nowakowski, having personally observed him as a daily commuter on the train, chatted with him and sat with him. Nearly everyone missed who he is. I’ve seen him stranded along with everyone else when a train hit a person on the tracks. I’ve seen him standing because of a lack of seating.

Kyle Strober, executive director of the Association for a Better Long Island, said Nowakowski is “a skilled technocrat who understands the nuts and bolts of the railroad, but he has failed at understanding the LIRR commuter.”

This description is akin to a doctor who is very skilled but lacks a good bedside manner. Ideally, we like to have a doctor who is great at both, but in many cases we don’t get that.

Sometimes, it’s a lack of people skills that drives a person to excel at his or her craft. To me, it would have been an easy fix to charge someone to be responsible for the LIRR’s communications and public relations components.

Michael Sullivan, Garden City

Ever since Helena Williams was fired as president of the Long Island Rail Road for no apparent reason in 2014, it’s been obvious to me that no one at the LIRR was listening to its passengers.

I used the direct email to the LIRR president on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority contact site; Williams was responsive. Since she held public meetings, I sometimes got to continue a conversation in person. You wrote her about a problem, and it got fixed. Period.

These days, you write the LIRR about a problem, and a month later it gets referred to some manager.

I hope that the new president, Phil Eng, will restore that email link, and make sure he reads the emails.

One other thing: no more “on time” displays on train platforms for trains that are five to 30 minutes late. Be honest with us about how long we’ll wait.

Ron Troy, East Northport

Make sure plumber is licensed and insured

The Hempstead Town Board unanimously passed a bill to strengthen rules for master plumbing licenses, specifically to penalize the “lending out” or misuse of such licenses [“Plumbing fraud bill OKd unanimously,” News, April 12].

Lending out takes place across Long Island, and it’s a type of fraud. This occurs when a licensed plumber allows an unqualified individual to perform work using his or her license. The unlicensed and often untrained individual completes work, and the master plumber meets a plumbing inspector at the site as if he or she had done the work.

This creates a false sense of security for people who believe that they are hiring professional, licensed plumbers. This practice puts residential homes and commercial buildings, as well as their owners, at risk.

Homeowners can contact local building departments to ensure a plumber is licensed and insured.

Joseph Cornetta, Dix Hills

Editor’s note: The writer is president of the Plumbing Heating and Cooling Contractors of Long Island.