Long Beach Letters

Thanks for highlighting DWI issues

To the Editor:
I thank the Herald for bringing continued information and awareness regarding the different topics, issues and perspectives that relate to DWI ("The cold side of a DWI arrest," Sept. 17-23). Sari Zeidler's article was well written, bringing to light the perspective of all that is entailed during a DWI arrest.
However, as important as it may be to share this insight, I believe that if you were to write a series of articles from a DWI victim's perspective, your series would be endless, which is why something has to change. And awareness and education of our young people is key. I also believe that it’s the implementing of consistent legislation regarding DWI that needs to be addressed. Until then, this ongoing, senseless, life-altering devastation will continue on its deadly path. And I say this from a victim's "real life" perspective.

Donna M. Pisacano Brown
Point Lookout

Deck stacked with politics?

To the Editor:
I want to add my support to Alan Symons's opinion about keeping the deck at Vito's restaurant (“Pizzeria deck should stay up,” Sept. 17-23). This is one of the businesses that works to create a sense of community. I am a Walks residents and I love to stroll to the boardwalk and see the "beachy"-looking set up overlooking the dunes there. There seems to be no good reason for insisting on demolishing the deck. Are there some ulterior political motives? I can't imagine what they would be.
Kate Falvey
Long Beach



Is Randi listening?

To the Editor:
Regarding Randi Kreiss’s column “Political wing nuts grab all the headlines” (Sept. 10-16): Randi needs to wake up. Republicans have not offered any health care solutions? Has she been on a different planet for the last eight months? Let me say it one more time: tort reform; allowing insurance companies to sell insurance over state lines; allowing organizations to buy medication at bulk prices, like the Veterans Administration does, as Al D’Amato suggested last week (“Take a close look at the numbers and see what works”) ... Hello, Randi, are you listening?
How much longer does she think she can go on pretending not to hear these very real and correct solutions to our health care problems? Blaming the other guy is getting so old. Thinking of President Obama’s plan for health care brings to mind a line from one of the Austin Powers movies: “Lies. All lies!”
Pamela Czerwin
Oceanside


Randi’s allegiance is clear

To the Editor:
In her column “Political wing nuts grab all the headlines (Sept. 10-16), Randi forgets that wing nuts apply to both sides of the wheel. Opposites don't always attract consensus, and she is adjusting only one side. Selective hearing creeps into viewers who pick the liberal left’s talking points, but here it is jazzed up by calling them "progressive liberals," obviously for effect.
The public's lack of confidence in the president and the main media — as evidenced by the town hall meetings and subsequent “tea parties” and as touted by the loud Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh — is caused by questions and facts that were never addressed by Obama. As does the media, so Randi again attacks personalities instead of providing facts to counter.
ACORN, whence President Obama came, has scandals and suspected fraud. Where is the outcry? The Census Bureau has just backed off working with ACORN because of investigative issues raised by Fox News. Does the public have a right to know where government money is being used and whether it is being used for political reasons? Some of the appointed czars have been questioned about their background and suspected socialist tendencies.
The GOP is not the party of No! The Democrats have had control of the House and Senate for the past two years under President Bush and now have a Democratic president also. The GOP does have a few health care plans but doesn't control the committees where bipartisanship starts and can't get recognition. In the Senate, Senator Dodd has not released his amendments for anyone to look at. Obama's oratorical but confrontational health care speech was not the way to beat Congress into bipartisanship. You could hear the words but not the heart. While he mentioned tort reform, he indicated it wouldn't be in the bill. I guess we should trust him.
No to troops in Afghanistan? My word, Randi, your many columns and notes to your grandkids scorched President Bush to bring them home. The 20 percent of the stimulus funds that have been spent is rife with fraud, and ACORN is a prime example. Who in Obama's circle is looking at it? The John Adams project, an affiliate of the ACLU, is outing CIA covert operatives. Who is looking to protect our people? Unfortunately, leading the charge is the Fox Network. They are loud and brash but deal in facts and questions. Please refute the issues with facts and educate us instead of putting on your cheerleader outfit to tumble for the liberal media agenda.
Bill Maron
East Meadow

Ambivalent about Kennedy

To the Editor:
I want Randi Kreiss to know how much I enjoy reading her columns. With both of us being of a certain age and living parallel lives, I often find myself totally agreeing with her thoughts and feelings.
Her column about Ted Kennedy (“Taking the measure of a complicated man,” Sept. 3-9) exactly expressed my own conflicting feelings about him. Though Kennedy proved himself to be a wonderful statesman, there will always be Chappaquiddick. I just can't seem to forget about it. When the Triborough Bridge was renamed the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge, I told everyone who would listen that I thought that upon Teddy's demise, the bridge in Chappaquiddick should be renamed the Edward M. Kennedy Bridge. What do you think about that, Randi? Thank you for providing me with your astute observances.
Diana Rosenblum
North Bellmore