SOUTHOLD
I was happy to see that Sonia Spar was recognized by your newspaper for all of the community work she has done and continues to do over the years. What was even cooler is that she named several people who helped her along the way. You know what they say: “It takes a village.”
Elaine Goldman
RIVERHEAD
Opinion is not fact
Meta just ended its Facebook and Instagram fact-checking program in favor of Free Speech, like the policy on X. With the rise of Trump, social media and some so-called news outlets, my question is: When did society forget the difference between opinion and fact?
Free speech allows us to say anything we want, as long as it doesn’t cause harm. The usual example is yelling fire in a theater, which can cause a stampede to escape, causing injury to others. We have defamation laws, which allow persons or businesses harmed by false statements to sue for damages. I can say I disagree with Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg and I believe this will cause more harm than good, because that’s my opinion. I cannot say Trump made a multimillion dollar deal with Zuckerberg to change Meta’s rules in an effort to gain political advantage. I can’t say that because I’m making that statement as fact without any evidence provided by myself or others.
I may be suspicious and express my opinion that there may be more details related to this rule change that have not been shared, but there is no information available that would allow me to express any details as fact. The real problem arises when millions of people read my made up “factual” statement and believe it is not just my opinion, but actual fact. This can influence politics, business, criminal prosecutions and more, which can cause harm.
Remember, harm is the only limit on free speech. My opinion can never cause harm, because it is just my opinion and you can choose to agree or disagree. But false facts carry more weight and may actually harm. So again, when did we forget the difference between opinion and fact?
Fact-checkers on social media will never remove opinions, because they are free speech. But we have reached a point where the volume of incorrect or unsubstantiated “factual” statements has grown so large the general public is making decisions based on bad information. Many think this is a positive development. Do you?
Glen Sherman
MATTITUCK
Thank you!
I would like to say thank you to the very kind young lady who helped my mother last night. After leaving the Mattituck Marketplace, my mom misstepped and fell in the parking lot. You, whoever you are, came to her aid and helped her to not only safely stand back up, but also to pick up her groceries, which had fallen under nearby cars. I just want to say thank you for your kindness, goodness and warmth.
Gail Ammirati
GREENPORT
Constables for Fishers Island?
Policing faraway Fishers Island [“Board approves funding for Fishers Island barracks fix” Jan. 9] certainly provides a challenging problem for the Town of Southold. Within the island’s overall nine square miles, some 230 year-round residents inhabit about four square miles of the land. The summer increase to about 2,000 inhabitants only adds to the difficulty of finding a viable solution. Ideally the return of the state police would be preferable and socialize the cost of the service statewide. But it is an imperfect world.
Police work should be both effective and efficient and is often driven by creative thinking. If we think of the island as a separate “entity” yet a responsibility, perhaps that helps. While local crime is principally related to property, it still requires police resources. While it might be effective to dispatch two Southold officers to provide patrol services, it is not efficient or perhaps even practical. But the town might be able, through the use of the New York Criminal Procedure Law and local legislation, to create the position of constable. These peace officers, generally substantially lower paid than police, are delegated special law enforcement powers based on geography and duties. The training is usually about 15 weeks but waivers may be available for interested retired police.
If the office of constable — fulltime, part-time and/or seasonal — can be created, those appointed would have conditions of employment including living in provided housing as needed on the island. Fringe benefits would be limited and an hourly rate of pay offered based on experience. Any off-duty response to emergencies would be compensated. This would obviate the need for the regular displacement of Southold officers, save money, provide needed services efficiently and offer an interesting job opportunity. The town attorney may decide to research this possibility.
Michael Butler
Mr. Butler is an attorney and retired Nassau County police captain
SOUTHOLD
Be wary
Take a moment to think of taking Greenland and the Panama Canal — not ruling out use of the military. I, and hopefully most Americans, have studied history, and it is eerily similar to Hitler’s takeover of Europe. I am trying to be pragmatic about the new administration, but this rhetoric scares me. A great deal of people say it’s just his way of talking. Maybe it is, but I would be wary of a man who even muses aloud about this.
Rosellen Storm
MATTITUCK
Wrongful death bill
Re “Disappointment follows Hochul’s veto,” Jan. 9: As an attorney handling many wrongful death cases, the hardest moments in my career have been telling families that New York does not recognize the emotional loss of a child and the value of your child’s life is based on pecuniary loss only. How much can a 2-year-old contribute to their household? This complete derogation and disrespect for the people in New York State is no doubt driven by the strong insurance lobby. This is unacceptable and should be one of the reasons to make sure that our next governor is completely committed to signing this bipartisan legislation.
Susan Karten
AQUEBOGUE
Where’s the transparency?
Despite his campaign promises of transparency, Supervisor Tim Hubbard has kept critical information about town projects shrouded in secrecy. Is there any justification for the clandestine negotiations with an unvetted master developer for a Town Square (where are Petrocelli’s financials?) to millions spent on a hockey rink used mostly by rich kids from out of town? But revelations about the much maligned IDA’s failure to comply with state disclosure and open meetings requirements — although not surprising — are beyond the pale. Mr. Hubbard and his cronies have kept the public in the dark about wasting taxpayers’ monies for their friends and donors for too long. Let’s send them packing in November.
Ron Hariri
The post Letters to the Editor: Timely recognition appeared first on The Suffolk Times.