Ash Wednesday misrepresented in article

Newsday’s article "Tweaking a Lenten ritual" [News, Feb. 17] explains the 2021 change to the religious Lenten ritual of receiving ashes on Ash Wednesday and includes one description of the ash as an "ashen smudge." For most Catholics, the ashes have always represented the sign of the cross, not a sign of smudge.

Jane O’Brien,

Wantagh

Masks dropping low in HS basketball

Since Long Island high schools resumed playing boys and girls basketball, all the game-action photos in the sports section show at least one player with a face mask down around the chin. I’m sure that is not according to the new rules. Is no one monitoring these games?

Paul Permakoff,

Northport

What alternatives did Cuomo have?

I am not a strong fan of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, but I’ve come to admire his handling of the pandemic. I’ve read the complaints in recent letters and the statements of politicians critical of his actions regarding patient transfer and housing ["Cuomo should open visitation for seniors," Letters, Feb. 18]. Acute patients were exceeding hospital capacity and overwhelming staff. Would the critics have begun turning away critical patients to die so nursing home residents, in facilities whose staff should be familiar with infection control, could stay past their acute phase? The Javits Center was inadequately staffed, equipped or supplied to support COVID-19 patients, which the project’s military leadership admits. Military and civilian systems are not integrated to allow for speedy patient selection and transfer. Conversely, nursing homes are part of the "continuum of care" and should have increased staff and infection control oversight to safely accept and house those patients. The mistake Cuomo made was releasing from liability for outcomes those nursing homes that did not do so. Any criticism should be accompanied by a reasonable alternate strategy. I’ve yet to hear one.

Cynthia Lovecchio,

Glen Cove

Boy Scouts’ award not girls’ only shot

The article "Prepared for pioneering" [News, Feb. 12] showcased the first four females on Long Island to earn the Eagle Scout award from the Boy Scouts. While indeed an accomplishment, and I congratulate the four, I disagree with the article’s saying that they are trailblazers who "have cracked the glass ceiling of Scouting." The highest award in the Girl Scouts of the USA is the Gold Award, and earning it entails the same work and dedication as earning the Eagle Scout award. Since its inception in 1916, the name of Girl Scouts’ highest award has changed, so perhaps that is why it’s less well-known, but girls have been earning it for more than 100 years. I congratulate the four who have earned the Eagle Scout award, but let’s not imply that girls have to join the Boy Scouts to have that opportunity.

Giovanna Pulver,

Garden City

Schools’ performing artists deserve better

Kudos to Ariana Glaser for pointing out the gross inequity in how the performing arts and the performing sports are being treated completely differently by public school districts on Long Island ["In defense of the arts in LI schools," Opinion, Feb. 15]. Her statement that many districts "have always regarded arts offerings as the poor stepsibling of sports programs" requires no more obvious proof than high-contact sports performers being allowed to return to competitive playing fields while our public schools’ stage and music performers continue to be denied access to their own playing fields for performances. Stages are dark and silent; concert spaces remain empty. Perhaps of greatest concern, as Glaser points out, is that "the artistic void created by the pandemic may be too great to ever fully overcome." I implore state and local politicians to treat the performing arts students at our educational venues with at least as much dignity and respect as they accord our student-athletes.

Jim Incorvaia,

Westbury

Editor’s note: The writer, a former high school theater director, is theater chair at Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts in Wheatley Heights.

Thomas op-ed on trial was outrageous

I turn to Newsday for calm, reasoned opinion and reporting of the news. I appreciate the range of thoughtful opinion pieces by everyone from William F. B. O’Reilly to Cathy Young to editorial board writers such as Mark Chiusano. But I was disappointed to see a reactive, irrational screed from Cal Thomas make it onto your pages ["Impeachment trial was bad drama," Opinion, Feb. 14]. The piece did not engage with any meaningful aspect of the trial. Instead, it announced that the Democratic Party was simply trying to "satisfy the left’s ravenous base," a claim that a quick look at polling data disproves. It drew from the false narrative of former President Donald Trump as an anti-corruption crusader and branded all congressional Democrats as "swamp creatures," which is Orwellian doublespeak. If Newsday’s editorial board chose this piece to achieve "balance" or "diversity of views," the only balance it achieved was to balance intelligence with stupidity. If I want something outrageous, I’ll turn to Fox News.

Alex Dillon,

Cedarhurst