Letters: Misguided plans for Bel-Aire Cove Motel

I don’t think the Town of Southampton or the Hampton Bays school district should react with such great joy that the Bel-Aire Cove Motel, which houses poor families, is expected to be purchased and razed by the town and replaced with luxury condos [“Town aims to buy motel,” News, Aug. 20].

Hampton Bays school board president Kevin Springer calls the place “disgusting” and affirms that children shouldn’t have to live in such conditions. But I believe that with the demolition of this motel these children would be homeless, and would likely be sheltered out of his school district.

The town and the district don’t appear to care about the welfare of these children. If they cared about the children and the poor, they would build a few affordable rental units on the property.

Harry Katz, Southold

Trump right to revoke clearance

I disagree with Opinion page writer Heidi Gilchrist, who questions President Donald Trump’s decision to revoke former CIA Director John Brennan’s security clearance [“Why play politics with security clearances?,” Aug. 18].

Brennan is unlike any of his predecessors. They kept their opinions and biases, if any, to themselves. Brennan lost his objectivity. If there was any truth to Brennan’s accusations about the 2016 election, he should have expressed them with evidence before Trump was elected. Brennan thought Hillary Clinton was going to win the election, and now he displays his partisanship and besmirches President Trump.

Bottom line: No objectivity, no clearance.

John Begley, Northport

New York should outlaw pet leasing

Thank you for bringing attention to the controversial issue of pet lending in our state [“Financing your furry friend can get hairy,” News, Aug. 15]. The practice is unethical for obvious reasons, but what is most upsetting is animals being treated as commodities. Welcoming an animal into your home as a pet should be a lifetime commitment, and businesses that engage in this predatory lending practice do not honor the special bond between people and their pets.

I stand with the New York State Animal Protection Federation in support of a bill passed by both houses of the State Legislature to ban the leasing of pets in New York. I hope fellow concerned citizens will write to Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo to urge him to sign the bill.

I also encourage fellow Newsday readers to consider pet adoption instead of buying from a pet store. Thousands of animals in shelters across the state are looking for a forever home and for people to love them.

Leslie Granger, Wantagh

Editor’s note: The writer is president and chief executive of Bideawee, a no-kill animal rescue organization.

Check moral compass on way to greatness

Greatness is an ideal to aspire to [“America’s quest for greatness,” Editorial, Aug. 17]. It is something we strive for, aim toward. It is a goal, a journey. It is not a location or ultimate destination.

From time to time, we must look back on where we started to see where we are heading, to check whether we are on course. Are we progressing toward this ideal of American greatness or going backward?

To progress to greatness, we must face facts truthfully. Now is the time to check our integrity and moral compass, because the path we choose will affect our pursuit to greatness.

Holly Gordon, Bay Shore

The problem with free college tuition

Opinion page writer Isobel van Hagen bemoans the “punishment” of the crippling student loan debt facing many American college graduates [“The comic extremes of student debt,” Aug. 19]. This alleged punishment is self-imposed by the folks who took tens of thousands and sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars in loans and promised to pay them back.

Many students used the money to attend pricey schools, while many of their peers went to less expensive universities or community colleges, worked while attending college, sometimes delayed college to earn money, joined the military to gain access to educational benefits and worked hard to earn scholarships. These students employed the good old-fashioned American values of hard work, delayed gratification, frugality and determination. Sadly, this is undesirable for some, and they praise the message of “free education” from the likes of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and congressional Democratic candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Van Hagen refers to this Democratic socialist promise as a better solution.

Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher is credited with a quote that appropriately addresses this issue: “The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people’s money.”

Michael Cisek, East Islip