A Reality Check

To the editor,

The powers that be have destroyed Iraq during the Persian Gulf war and returned in 2001 to destroy Iraq’s entire infrastructure. Up till now a million Iraqis have been killed, mostly innocent civilians and children, the result of weapons of mass destruction. Both were preemptive wars and no threat to the greatest superpower on the face of the earth. Then went on to destroy the infrastructure of Afghanistan in the name of the tyrant, Osama bin Laden. However, the story does not end here, the infrastructure of our own country has also been destroyed. Millions of innocent Americans are suffering, some are dying. One in four of our own children now live under the poverty level. Maybe the time has come for a reality check.

In peace,

Larry Darcy

Sag Harbor

Bless the Vets

Dear Bryan:

We, at Honor Flight Long Island, have had the privilege of escorting over 750 World War II veterans to their Memorial in Washington D.C. On Veterans Day 2011 we had the honor of escorting 38 Vietnam combat veterans to their Memorial known simply as the “Wall.”

Words cannot express the experience of spending the day with these men and women.? It is moving, it is touching, it fills all of us with pride and it is deeply meaningful for the veterans. For the WWII veterans who are in the twilight of life, it is a chance to remember and to be thanked for saving the world from tyranny. For the Vietnam veterans it was something different. It was an opportunity to be welcomed home.

Words cannot express the experience of spending a day with these men and women.? The emotions of the day are deep and powerful. They are on display because love for our country, love for America and answering the call of duty when duty called is foundational to the character of these men and women.

God Bless them and their families forever and forever. God Bless them for preserving our freedom.

Bill Jones

Hampton Bays

P.S.? Thanks to Claire Walla for her fine article on the trip. One important note is that I did not serve in Vietnam; I am an era veteran, not a Vietnam veteran.

Bill’s Been Here

Dear Editor:

I couldn’t help but chuckle when I read Ms. Wright’s letter of November 10; when she asked Mr. Bill Jones and I quote: “have you ever been to Sag Harbor?” Well let me set the record straight for Ms. Wright.

Bill graduated from Pierson in 1968, where he was class president for most of his high school years. He went on to graduate from West Point in 1972 (I even attended that one with the late Dennis Early). His family still owns two properties on Division Street up from Korsak’s Market (remember that one?) where his mom and sisters still live.

His father, “Duke” Jones, was the Southampton Town Clerk for well over 20 years or more. He consistently drew the most votes every year at that elected position. That’s probably where Billy got his love for politics as he served in the Suffolk County Legislature.

I’m not writing this letter to defend or criticize Billy’s political views as I haven’t seen him in many years; but trust me Ms. Wright, Bill Jones has been to Sag Harbor.

George Finckenor, Jr.

Boca Raton, FL

See A Better World

Dear Editor,

Reference letter from Marjorie Wright, your paper, November 10, 2011.

Thanks Marjorie for the best letter I have seen in the Sag Harbor Express in the last 40 years. The junk that Mr. Jones puts out hurts our nation each time it’s put out there to read — and this from an individual who graduated from West Point and was raised in Sag Harbor.

I was raised in Sag Harbor myself, I spent 22 years in the United States Air Force and taught in an Air Force ROTC Program for 17 years. So, yes, I will defend his free speech — that doesn’t mean as an American I believe anything he says — beyond Right Wing!

Thanks again Marjorie for standing up for those who see a better world and country than Mr. Jones.

Roger M. Butts

Ret. USAF and School Teacher

Upper Marlboro, MD

Selfish Thief

To Whoever stole My Mother’s Mailbox,

No doubt you think your prank was funny. My Mom is imagining her mailbox in a college dorm room or a high schooler’s bedroom. Or perhaps you thought that it was worth some money as a collector’s item, painted by a local artist. You are out of luck on that account. It was painted by an elementary school art teacher trying to brighten up her Mother’s mailbox that was installed only after it became too difficult for her to navigate the two blocks to the post office.

What bothers me most is not the theft itself. It is your sheer sense of entitlement: that if you wanted something, you could just take it and the consequences would be negligible. The mailbox can be replaced (although the mail inside cannot, you could be looking at federal charges of mail theft if you are caught). My 22-year-old can see the police station from the attic bedroom he lives in so that he can give his Grandmother the care she needs.

As you unscrewed the mailbox from its post, the two-year-old-child of my mother’s tenant slept in a room ten feet away. As my family and the young family who also lives there slumbered, you felt comfortable stealing their property in full view of the Sag Harbor Police Station.

In this season of advent, as my 87-year-old blind mother struggles to come to grip with the recent death of her grandson, you made the season just a little bit dimmer. There is no doubt in my mind that your parents have always gotten you out of any misbehavior that you have gotten yourself into. Your actions are shameful. Not only have your parents done a terrible job in raising you, but you have shown the world that you are a selfish thief.

Elizabeth Yennie

Sag Harbor

Giving Thanks

Dear Editor:

The Sag Harbor Community Food Pantry would like to thank WLNG and Dave Lee for helping get the word out that we were in dire need of Thanksgiving turkeys this year. Thank you to all of our volunteers who generously donated turkeys, to Evie Ramunno and Jack Reiser for purchasing and delivering 30 turkeys to the Pantry when we fell short of the number needed —?100 local needy people were given food last Tuesday.

Our appreciation to Ruth and Cindy of The Cupcake Factory in Water Mill for donating pies, the East Hampton Rotary for collecting food, the Sag Harbor Elementary School for the large food donation and members of the Catholic Youth Group for baking and donating pies.

In addition, a huge Thank You to all of those individuals and businesses who contribute to the Pantry on a year-round basis.

We are looking for some strong people to help us set up on Tuesday mornings and accept deliveries once a week. Please call Barbara at 725-2880 for more information.

We wish everyone a Happy, Healthy Holiday Season.

Barbara Wolfram, Vice President

Sag Harbor Community Food Pantry

Kind and Honest

To the Editor:

Please publish.

Dear People of Sag Harbor

Some kind person found my red leather makeup case in the road in front of the Sag Harbor movie theater last Saturday night. It had fallen out of the car — it was on my lap — as I rushed out of the passenger seat to get in line for “Margin Call.”

The line was long, and although everyone knows the theater is huge, a long line is a long line, and my instincts told me to get there ASAP. The case had credit cards inside, and the honest person who found it made sure it was turned in to the police station. Then the citizen called around to find someone who knew me (I would not have noticed the case was missing for days), finally reaching the editor of the Shelter Island Reporter, Peter Boody. I wrote articles for his paper recently, and he called me at home on a Sunday to say my property had been found.

So thanks to a good citizen of Sag Harbor, who is anonymous apparently, I do not have to cancel credit cards, or worse, find out that someone used them.

Thank you, thank you, kind honest person, whoever you are. Happy Thanksgiving.

Elizabeth Laytin

East Hampton

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