College essays, Trump and tax money, red flag laws and kids' suicides, and political attacks

Essay on essays gets an 'incomplete'

Fatima Rizzo’s point that we should not force college applicants to “identify with difficult moments to get into a school” does not reflect the true value of a college essay [“Why do colleges need a personal essay?”, Opinion, July 10]. The essay offers the admissions counselor the opportunity to understand the student’s ability to write coherently, organize their thoughts, proofread their work and, most important, establish the applicant’s ability to communicate a passionate point of view in writing.

With so many of today’s students dependent on text messaging and emojis as their prime form of communication, the essay confirms that a student is prepared for the rigors of college and the many points of view that person will have to communicate during undergraduate and graduate studies.

The essay is a valuable tool that goes beyond the topic at hand and gives the evaluator one more tool to assess the whole student — not just the one with superior grades.

— Jerry Grossman, Jericho

The writer is director of graduate management studies at St. Joseph’s University.

I disagree with the Canadian essay writer’s premise that applicants too often are forced to wrestle with past hardship rather than experience “the joy of moving on.” I’ve talked to my grandchildren about their essay drafts, and each discovered worthwhile insights in thoughtfully crafting an account of growing-up challenges.

But that’s not my concern here. I have recently seen that companies exist — legally? — that offer to write (or “polish”) a hopeful student’s essay for a flat fee. As a former English teacher, I’m beyond perplexed. Hiring a ghostwriter to produce one’s entrance essay reminds me of the cable series “Suits” in which a savant illicitly takes the LSAT for a Harvard University applicant.

Our Supreme Court has recently entered the battlefield of college admissions with its affirmative action decision. Now it needs a case in which it can rule on the legality of essay mill companies that openly promise a professional essay for $150.

— Hank Cierski, Port Jefferson Station

I think Fatima Rizzo missed a crucial point in the purpose of personal essays for college admissions. Colleges, especially the top ones, emphasize student body diversity. Top college brochures boast of “students from 150 nations and 50 states,” etc. Then they describe the gender, socioeconomic and ethnic diversity. Some go on to state the variety of political, religious and sexual orientation clubs.

Colleges want to know how a student can contribute to this. And the personal essay is critical in this endeavor. Going away to college is not just about learning to live away from home for the first time and taking classes. Ideally, it must also be about meeting fellow humans from far different places geographically, culturally and ethnically and learning to see others’ views and, most important, coexist and cooperate with them.

— Song Yu, Glen Head

When is it all right to 'waste' tax money?

So former President Donald Trump should plead guilty so it would save taxpayers money [“Why Hunter Biden is getting this deal,” Letters, June 22]?

Did anyone care about tax money when Trump was impeached twice? Or did anyone care about the charges in New York that many say should never have happened and are a waste of our tax dollars when he comes to town?

Do you think the average person would get a slap on the wrist for lying on a gun application, like Hunter Biden did?

— Howie Frisch, Baldwin

Red flag laws help prevent kids' suicides

Congratulations to the Suffolk County Police Department for its exemplary work with “red flag” gun cases [“Suffolk has red flag success,” Editorial, July 9]. Since “more than half the 45,222 U.S. firearms-related deaths in 2020 were suicides,” calls for help from friends and family are a vital first step in reducing the plague of gun violence in our country, but rigorously enforcing such laws is essential, too.

Also helping is the campaign of Brady United to Prevent Gun Violence, which does not want to prevent gun ownership by those who pass background checks but does want to eliminate ownership of assault and military weapons by civilians. The goal: to reduce suicides and accidental shootings in the home through public service ads entitled “End Family Fire.”

Locally, Northwell Health is also helping through its commercials encouraging parents to inquire whether there are unsecured guns in a home where their child is going to visit because guns are now the leading cause of death among children under 19 in America. And a high percentage of military and police suicides are from guns. Enforcing red flag laws has and will continue to reduce the plague.

— Gene M. Bernstein, Southampton

The writer is a member of the board of Brady United to Prevent Gun Violence.

Stop dog whistles to make us safer

It is no wonder that Americans have become increasingly fearful about being on the receiving end of physical attacks, whether by planned and random street assault, mass shootings by unhinged and extremist individuals, or the growing threat of political violence [“Safety worries in public spaces,” News, July 13].

The Siena Research Institute study fails to note the role of the public vilification of a person or group resulting in a violent act, which is an essential tool of the leading Republican presidential candidate, former President Donald Trump.

Measures taken by law enforcement are essential for restoring a sense of safety among us. At the same time, Republican lawmakers have turned their back on Trump’s serial dog whistles encouraging political violence.

In 2017, “fine people on both sides” legitimized racist and antisemitic violence by white supremacists. In 2019, “stand back and stand by” was a call to arms to extremists such as the Proud Boys. In 2021, “be there, will be wild” was the torch that ignited the Jan. 6 gasoline at the Capitol.

Unless and until mainstream members of his own political party strongly condemn Trump’s repeated efforts, through lies and innuendo, to stoke violence on his behalf, none of us is safe.

— Andrew Malekoff, Long Beach