Embryo ruling, school funding, GOP on border, Trump as Navalny

Embryo ruling a gross perversion

I, like many other women who’ve undergone in vitro fertilization, or IVF, am distressed over the recent Alabama Supreme Court ruling regarding frozen embryos [“Ala. top court: Frozen embryos are ‘children,’  ” News, Feb. 21]. Frozen embryos hold the possibility of parenthood for so many people who struggle, often quietly and in physical and emotional pain.

The stressors from the IVF process on a marriage, relationship, work and personal self-worth are enormous. No one undergoes this process without a good deal of pain and suffering.

I had many frozen embryos — 28 — as a result of several rounds of IVF. None of mine resulted in a viable pregnancy.

Never once did I or my doctors think that my frozen embryos, in their frozen state, were “living beings.”

My frozen embryos could never live without first prepping my body with further hormones, surgery and a lot of luck. That is, if the embryos survived the thawing process.

I did, finally, conceive a child with IVF. She is now 30 years old. She is the joy of my life.

The Alabama court in legally concluding that frozen embryos are people is as ludicrous as it is dangerous. The slippery slope created by this decision is already being felt in other states. Frozen embryos threaten to go the same route as Roe v. Wade.

This decision also negatively impacts the doctors, technicians and nurses who are involved with infertility treatment — for fear of being prosecuted.

By ruling that the destruction of an embryo could be considered a wrongful death in a civil lawsuit is a gross distortion of the issues and emotional decisions that every IVF candidate must wrestle with.

The Alabama ruling is a gross perversion of science and law.

 — Judith Rosen Lipner, Melville

Different ideas on funding our schools

It apparently is akin to a crime on Long Island to bring up the consolidation of school districts [“Seeking a better school funding plan,” News, Feb. 21]. So, how about a different funding formula? The state could assume all administrative costs, pensions and teachers’ salaries, and the schools’ portion of property taxes would target students and their programs. Everyone could benefit from this, including Long Island homeowners, who are being crushed by high property taxes.

— Tony Giametta, Oceanside

School funding accounts for over 60% of our property taxes, and we surely need a better plan. School choice, with private schools funded at just half the level of our public schools, would save us millions of tax dollars when 10% is shifted to these private schools. My wife and mother were New York City public school teachers over 40 years ago and loved it. But our high property taxes hereare a real and a growing problem that would likely cease for manyyears with school choice. Sadly, our political leaders seem to fear the teachers’ unions.

— Frank J. Russo Jr., Port Washington

The state Board of Regents seeks a better funding plan for students , its goal should be toensure equity of resources for all students in all communities. The plan should also include the elimination of the needAlso, is it necessary to have a yearly budget referendum for each community? Is there an alternative?

— Marshall Zucker, Wantagh

GOP could have said it fixed border issue

I’m a bit confused by the politics that led to the recent defeat of the bill that met the Republican Party’s demands regarding immigration, along with aid for Ukraine and Israel [“Approve aid to Ukraine,” Editorial, Feb. 13]. It seems that the bill failed so as to not provide the Democratic Party with a victory.

From my perspective, passing the bill would have been a victory for both parties, and if played correctly, a bigger win for Republicans.

All the Republican Party needed to pitch was that it succeeded in pressuring Democrats to make the necessary concessions regarding immigration, benefiting all.

The Republicans could go on to say that they held aid to Ukraine and Israel hostage in order to address a national problem, the southern border, that has existed for too long. How is this not a win for all?

— Robert Biancardi, Rockville Centre

Trump as Navalny: Is Zeldin serious?

Is there something in New York’s drinking water that is turning what appeared to be a somewhat bright and stable group of politicians into people with preposterous ideas?

First, Rep. Elise Stefanik refers to the imprisoned Jan. 6 rioters as “hostages,” echoing former President Donald Trump. None of them has been deprived of food, water, shelter or are being ravaged and tortured at the hands of captors.

Then we have former Long Island Rep. Lee Zeldin comparing Trump, whose lack of moral character is on display every day, to a true hero, Russian dissident Alexei Navalny [“Trump is not like Navalny,” Editorial, Feb. 21].

These New Yorkers are two desperate politicians willing to say anything or do anything to advance their careers. On view for all to see are the driving forces of blind ambition and the desire for power at all costs. How low will they go?

— Lisa Leshaw, Coram

Lee Zeldin equating Donald Trump with Alexei Navalny is laughable. Navalny, fighting for the people of Russia, stood up to a corrupt dictator and was likely murdered for it. Trump would just go to jail for committing his alleged crimes. He only cares about himself, not about the American people. He bows down to a murderer in Russian President Vladimir Putin. God help this country.

— Bob Horsham, Ridge

I find Lee Zeldin’s opinion on X (formerly Twitter) regarding the similarities of Alexei Navalny and Donald Trump concerning for the future of our democracy, but not shocking. Zeldin apparently is applying for a job at the future White House.

— Steve Claus, East Northport