America's differences are its strength

Major League Baseball belatedly, here in the year 2020, has designated the players of the Negro Baseball Leagues, major league player status ["MLB status coming for Negro Leagues," Sports, Dec. 17]. Long overdue is my tempered response. All the men who played in this league were unequivocally professional players.

This segregation is a symptom of what America was, and it represents the struggle for equality that continues today. For us to evolve as a nation we need to acknowledge, examine and teach our truthful history.

America is a nation of immigrants, and the only exceptions to that are Native Americans who are indigenous to this land and African Americans whose ancestors came here on slave ships. These are facts, and for America to evolve we need to have the capacity to differentiate facts from innuendo and conspiracy talk.

In the past four years, we have seen a resurgence in white nationalist groups such as the Proud Boys, the Ku Klux Klan and others. These misfits are bolder and have flourished in recent times. It is our collective responsibility to actively squash their hateful ignorance.

The mosaic of cultures, beliefs, religions, shades of color and differences in lifestyles is the precise strength and beauty of America. We are a gumbo mix of flavors from every corner of the planet. With all of our differences, we are all Americans.

We are all imperfect. We are, though, capable of redemption and empathy. Our history has shown that as a nation, we do have the capability to foster care for our fellow citizens both nationwide and worldwide.

Let’s strive to be a reflection of truth, morality and goodness.

Steven Taub,

Melville

Readers debate Zeldin’s support of Texas suit

Regarding the letters decrying Rep. Lee Zeldin’s support of the Republicans’ initiative to "overturn" the results of the presidential election, with one going so far as suggesting his court martial, let me offer an opposing view ["Zeldin’s support of brief is a travesty," Dec. 16]. Our democracy depends on a fair and transparent election. In my view, there was fraud in this election, primarily resulting from voluminous mail-in ballots that could allow for ballot manipulation; the question, to me, is how much was there? Hence, the current process. There has been testimony on this subject before state legislators, analysis of Dominion voting machines and accounts of ballots being prepared by workers off-premises. There also have been accounts of ineligible voting by dead people, people who moved, and duplicates. If those readers who wrote in against Zeldin believe it’s OK to cheat, that’s their unfortunate prerogative. I prefer an honest election process and therefore support Zeldin’s efforts.

Bob Esposito,

Lake Grove

The Socialist Party of Long Island didn’t fix the election so Rep. Lee Zeldin won fair and square as he did the prior election. So the mud squad comes in to do the dirty work. Long Island seems down to a 50-50 party split, but sadly, the coverage seems to me 90-10 from political cartoonist Matt Davies. To me, that’s not good for America. I view New York as a failed state, with high crime and mass migration of high taxpayers replaced by low-income taxpayers who need help just to live. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist here to see socialism doesn’t work, and many receiving aid understand that it is bad but still continue to take it. It’s odd that broke Democratic states that want bailouts for their mismanagement have people leaving for red states with Americans who salute our flag, sing our national anthem and run a state that is usually in the black.

Robert Casale,

Glen Head

The recent letter stating that Rep. Lee Zeldin should be jailed or tried for treason, in my view, was extreme, to say the least. Perhaps Newsday next will publicize a public tar and feathering. I believe Zeldin won because he appealed to the moderate, sensible mainstream. To me, his Democratic opponent was perceived as a hyper-progressive, super-socialist college professor. I believe that Newsday’s seemingly continuous hostility and bias will only ensure increased stature and future growth for the Republican Zeldin in an overwhelming Democratic state.

Paul H. Schmutz,

Nesconset

We have recently experienced an attempted coup d’etat by defeated President Donald Trump and his allies. I am ashamed that my congressman, Lee Zeldin, supported the Texas suit to overturn the votes of four swing states that legally elected President-elect Joe Biden ["Zeldin backed suit on election results," News, Dec. 12]. In doing this, he effectively argued that his own constituents who voted by mail should be disenfranchised, that a state (Georgia) that counted its votes three times should not be trusted, and that the legally selected electors of four states should be invalidated. In my view, my congressman has disrespected his office and certainly my right to vote and thousands of others in his district. I say he should be ashamed of his conduct, which is deeply against the spirit and legality of American democracy.

Jeffrey Levinton,

Brookhaven

Last week, the Supreme Court summarily dismissed the latest attempt to overcome the presidential election. The suit was clearly lacking facts and merit. And yet, our congressman, Lee Zeldin, signed on to it. He is a lawyer and has sworn to uphold the Constitution. He has ignored his legal knowledge or sworn oath to please President Donald Trump. In either case, to me, he has shown himself to be without honor.

Mary Negra,

East Setauket

In this family, democracy is special

My wife’s eyes filled with tears as she heard the news reports that democracy has endured amid repeated failed attempts to invalidate millions of legitimate votes from the presidential election. You see, my wife’s late mother’s name was Democracy. Democracy was born in Italy in 1914, and her father, it seems, had political leanings that were ahead of his time. Democracy arrived in the United States in 1939, just before the start of World War II. Upon hearing Democracy’s name, the naturalization judge who granted her U.S. citizenship determined there was no need to ask her any questions. For the rest of her life, Democracy cherished her American freedoms and was proud to exercise her right to vote. As she showed up every election day without fail, she loved hearing the poll workers proclaim, "Here comes Democracy!"

John McNally,

Shirley