Parents driving carelessly, rehabilitated felons, Congress and more

Parents dropping off kids is scary

I have been reading other letters about drivers passing school buses and not obeying the laws ["Stop speeding past stopped school buses," Nov. 21]. Have you ever witnessed the driving and disregard for lives as adults drop off their children at school?

As a parent and retired educator, I have encountered many near-misses at entry and dismissal as selfish adults park and drive haphazardly in order to get the closest and most convenient parking spot. Then there are those who create their own "spot" so neither the child nor themselves have to walk a few extra feet.

Now as a grandparent doing drop-offs at nursery school, I am getting to relive this again. Please leave your house five minutes earlier and park in the designated area. And stay off your cellphone. If you need to talk, pull over in a less congested area.

Remember, all our children’s lives are special — not just yours.

— Francine Padula, Wantagh

Rehabilitated felons deserve 2nd chance

I reacted to the article on elder parole with great sadness ["Victims oppose parole reform," News, Nov. 10]. I can understand these victims’ point of view, and nobody can hold it against anyone who seeks eternal revenge on someone who has hurt them so much.

However, our prisons are part of the Department of Corrections, not the department of eternal revenge.

Everyone, victims included, should recognize that there are many older incarcerated people who, through working at self-improvement, are not the same people who committed whatever crime got them there. For those individuals, we might be able to say that they are corrected and therefore deserve to have a fair chance for relief at a parole hearing. I say they should have that chance.

— Barry Nobel, Oyster Bay

Congress still plays same old game

So Republicans are alarmed because the "socialist Democrats" are "spending money we don’t have" ["House OKs $2T social, climate package," News, Nov. 20]. Within the past 200 years, some politician found a printing press, some green ink and blank paper and started printing money that "we" don’t have.

Republicans do it, Democrats do it, and they all cry, "Look at what they’re doing to our grandchildren! Burdening them with this horrible debt!" You don’t like it, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell? Give the money for Kentucky back. Too much for you, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.)? How about if we throw another billion dollars into the coal industry? Some version of this bill will pass. The only thing that is certain is that there will be 535 elected officials telling their constituents how they "fought for" every single dollar.

— Chris Marzuk, Greenlawn

Bit of irony in LIer’s Rhodes scholarship

It is wonderful that a Rhodes scholarship has been awarded to Devashish Basnet, who at 7, not knowing English, was brought to the United States by parents who had fled their Asian homeland to seek political asylum ["LIer’s a Rhodes scholar," News, Nov. 22].

It is inspiring that a young man who overcame such disadvantages has succeeded in earning one of the world’s most prestigious academic awards. It is noble that he intends, after Oxford University, to pursue a law degree in international human rights in order to work for a more humane American immigration policy.

And it is indeed ironic, but especially gratifying, that the financial legacy of Cecil Rhodes, a proud British imperialist who regarded the British as superior to all other peoples, might serve to advance and promote the contrasting ideals of Emma Lazarus that are inscribed on the Statue of Liberty.

— Thomas A. Schweitzer, Port Washington

Pave highway seams in middle of lanes

After reading "NY roads pricey, dicey" [News, Nov. 21], I couldn’t help but think about how our main highways on Long Island are paved. It seems they are always paved lane by lane, making the seams land basically where the dashed   lines are. These are the first places the road deteriorates, mostly because they are also where the majority of the tires of cars and heavy trucks are riding. The constant pounding and weather accelerate the undermining of the asphalt.

Why don’t they start paving with a half-lane, beginning from the left lane, and then a full width paving lane, another full width   lane and then a half-lane? This would make the joints and seams be in the center of each driving lane where there is much less traffic, crossing and wear and tear.

I am sure these roads would not need paving as often as they do now.

— Anthony Palumbo Jr., Plainview