Bitcoin mining, school shootings, 9/11, and George Santos

Don’t pay bitcoin miner’s salary

What’s wrong with this picture?

Newsday’s recent investigation into the Suffolk County clerk’s office about illegal bitcoin mining yields an employee doing this with the county funding the resources [“Records: Suffolk had suspected bitcoin mining,” News, April 9].

The employee, Christopher Naples, is still on the county payroll and has been suspended with pay?

He apparently already has received more than $230,000 while suspended for operating the devices on county property.

How does this make sense?

County officials have to do better. Corruption could contribute to the county’s decline if we allow it.

— Thomas Melia, Oak Beach

A Suffolk County assistant manager of information technology admitted he installed bitcoin mining devices in the county data center in the county clerk’s computer system and stole at least $6,477 in electricity.

He has been suspended but was paid $149,721 last year alone. Why do we allow this? If we cannot fire him, his salary should be suspended. It’s little wonder that the county is dealing with a huge deficit.

— John Condon, Huntington Station

School shootings — ‘only in America’

From the writing of the Constitution until 2008, the Second Amendment referred to a state militia. The National Rifle Association convinced Americans that the Second Amendment gave individuals a right to bear arms. Not so.

It wasn’t until 2008, in District of Columbia v. Heller, that the Supreme Court ruled, 5-4, that the Second Amendment protects a personal right to bear arms for self-defense: “like most rights . . . the Second Amendment is not unlimited. [It’s] not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever and for whatever purpose.”

There have been nearly 400 school shootings in the United States since Columbine High School in 1999 [“The gun insanity: When will it stop?” Letters, April 2]. Mexico is the next highest country with eight. More than twice as many Americans own guns per capita than the next highest country, Yemen.

The AR-15 is the favorite weapon of mass murderers. During the 10-year ban of assault weapons, school shootings decreased. Mass shootings have dramatically increased since the ban expired in 2004.

Guns are one of the leading causes of death of children in this country.

Congress must end this uniquely American crisis that has our children fearing for their lives.

— Claudia Borecky, Merrick

Honor 9/11 deaths and Pearl Harbor, too

If our lawmakers are considering making 9/11 a federal holiday, I have a suggestion “Lawmakers: 9/11 should be federal holiday,” News, April 10].

It is unfortunate that days of commemoration such as Memorial Day and Veterans Day have morphed into shopping opportunities besides time to honor those who gave their lives.

Maybe they should consider taking a few hours on the anniversaries of both those horrific days to read the names of the more than 2,400 U.S. personnel who lost their lives at Pearl Harbor.

Nearly 3,000 died at the World Trade Center, Pentagon and in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, and they should be remembered, too, of course.

— Irma Gurman, Smithtown

Start weekly town meetings with Santos

Rep. George Santos (R-Nassau/Queens) shows neither shame nor decency in remaining in office [“As Santos basks in spotlight, issues persist,” News, April 7]. So, if he’s going to stay, let’s make him work.

Former Rep. Steve Israel, who represented the same Congressional District 3, explained that a large part of the job is constituent casework: helping veterans obtain benefits, delaying a foreclosure, etc. “With Santos in seat, CD3 lacks representation,” Opinion, March 17]. To do that, you must be here, interacting with constituents. Santos apparently hasn’t done that. Maybe he doesn’t know the job.

Let’s help him out by inviting him to weekly town meetings in communities across CD3 via the “Request an Appearance” button on his government website. That way, our representative can hear our issues and concerns and then respond and act — like a real working politician. If he fails to show up, a stand-up cardboard image of him would serve just about as well. We could email the meeting’s minutes to his office.

We finally could confirm that Santos is legitimately employed. He’s paid $174,000 a year plus health insurance and travel and personal expenses. For this, we should make him do something he has seemed to show no appetite for: working for a living. It may be the best way to get rid of him.

— Roger Mummert, Syosset