Letters to the Rockville Centre Herald Editor (Jan. 13-19)

Posted

Pantry can use donations

To the Editor:

Thank you to the Herald for Sharon Sheppard’s well-deserved recognition as Person of the Year. Our organization is pleased to be partnering with Sharon’s MLK Pantry.

We wish to clarify a few points: All money for the Pantry comes from donations from the local community and beyond. If you wish to make a donation, please make checks payable to the Anti-Racism Project, 30 Seaman Ave., Rockville Centre, or to the Sisterhood of CSBE, 430 DeMott Ave., Rockville Centre. Please be sure to note on the check that the donation is for Sharon’s MLK Pantry.

We are extremely grateful for the community’s generosity and heartfelt concern for our neighbors in need. We hope 2022 is a better year for all.

Rena Riback, Judy Rattner, Co-administrators, Anti-Racism Project, Rockville Centre

 

Shame on our senators

To the Editor:

It’s a real shame our elected leaders aren’t fighting harder for the people they represent, whether they’re Democrat, Republican or Independent. Meanwhile, we’re left empty-handed. Fifty U.S. Senate Republicans and two Senate Democrats are the reason why the Senate went on recess without passing the Build Back Better Act and the Freedom to Vote Act.

It’s unacceptable that while teachers and students continued to work the week leading up to Christmas, the senators said goodbye, neglecting their obligations. People were asking them all year to deliver results on affordable child care, climate action, housing and money in working families’ pockets. This is what Build Back Better would do for us, benefiting all of America, including Long Island.

We have been asking that every vote count in free, fair and secure elections, because Republican state legislatures are passing bills to make it harder for people to vote. That is what the Freedom to Vote Act would do, and again, all of us benefit when our voices are heard through our votes.

Thankfully, Sen. Chuck Schumer has said that both pieces of legislation will be taken up for a vote this month. Let’s hope the obstruction by these 52 self-centered politicians comes to an end and President Biden is able to sign them into law. If you have not already called Senator Schumer’s office, please do so today.

Elizabeth Stack, Rockville Centre

 

Blakeman’s decision is ‘misguided’

To the Editor:

The news generated by Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman’s recent publicity stunt of signing an executive order allowing school districts to decide on mask-wearing is nothing more than a glaring example of misguided judgment and poor leadership. Surely Mr. Blakeman knows he cannot supersede Gov. Kathy Hochul’s mask mandate or the state education commissioner’s similar order.

It is nothing more than playing to the cheap seats, on top of being quantifiably false (the idea that there is no science to support mask wearing as a Covid mitigation practice). It’s both an embarrassment and an invitation to those who believe such nonsense to cause disruption and only furthers divisiveness.

It’s a sad day in Nassau County to be represented by a person willing to sow discord to be more popular with a loud and uninformed minority.

Michael Ludwig, Ph.D., Rockville Centre

Ludwig is director of Hofstra University’s health education master’s program.