Shelter Island Reporter Letters to the Editor, Dec. 29-Jan. 2

A keystone of our strength

To the Editor:

Linda Puls’ letter of Dec. 24 warrants a response. 

I have no illusion that the cult of Trump will be open to persuasion by facts. But it’s important that some misstatements be addressed lest they take root in the minds of others. Even our fellow citizens with whom we disagree, deserve the respect of a response. When their positions seek to undermine our democracy, a response is mandatory.

No election is perfect. It would be impossible for 150 million citizens to vote without some irregularities. Even 1,000 complaints could sound impressive; but as less than one thousandth of one percent of the votes cast, they would be statistically irrelevant.

Even William Barr said that there was no evidence of irregularities that would have changed the election’s outcome. Every judge who has ruled on the issue concluded that no credible evidence of fraud has been produced.

The Trump lawyers have not alleged fraud in court, lest they subject themselves to sanctions for lying in a legal proceeding. Fraud charges have been limited to press events.

Proof of the legitimacy of the election goes beyond the comparative credibility of those making statements. Time after time, recounts of paper ballots conducted under the supervision of Republicans reconfirmed the results.

The so called “evidence” cited by President Trump as “proof” of irregularities is specious. He says he was ahead in the voting before the mail-in ballots were counted, implying without evidence that those ballots were manufactured to erase his lead. Mail-in ballots were cast before the polls closed, and could not have been manufactured after the polls closed to erase a Biden deficit.  

We all know that free elections whose results are accepted by us, win or lose, are the keystones of American democracy and our strength. For that to be undermined by the president and those acting at his behest, would have been unthinkable before President Trump and will hopefully become unthinkable again.

Rep. Zeldin joining an effort to undermine an election was worthy of your editorial of Dec. 17. Ms. Puls expresses anger at perceived Democratic misbehavior and consequences that she ascribes to Democratic policies. I disagree; but to refute her positions would take pages.

Disagreements are to be resolved within the system, not by attempting to destroy it. It’s hard for me to reconcile the fundamental attack on our democracy with true conservative principles to which she claims adherence.

MARITN NUSSBAUM, Shelter Island

Legacies

To the Editor:

Re: Linda Puls letter of Dec.24. Perhaps the most harmful of President Trump’s legacies is the mistrust in our elections by large numbers of Americans that he has engendered. It has been reported that 70% of Republicans, apparently including Ms. Puls, honestly believe that the president was cheated out of wining.

How can this be? The Trump administration and his supporters have filed about 60 lawsuits in various parts of the country seeking to invalidate the election results.  Numerous judges in a number of states have rejected all but one. (The single exception was a Pennsylvania case which resulted in a review of the voting in a particular district but found no change in the outcome.) Those “signed testimonies” mentioned by Ms. Puls, were either not offered by the plaintiffs or were found wanting by the judges hearing the cases.

Among the judges who heard these cases were Republicans — some appointed by President Trump — as well as Democrats. Are we to believe that all of these judges were part of the conspiracy to steal the election?

The recent Texas case reached the U.S. Supreme Court, which now includes a clear conservative majority, three of whom are Trump appointees. That case was rejected on technical grounds but even the dissenters, who voted to actually hear the case, agreed that the plaintiffs had offered no evidence proving fraud.

More recently, William Barr, the recently resigned attorney general, announced that his office could find no evidence of widespread abuse.  No one can reasonably accuse Mr. Barr of being anti-Trump or a tool of the Democrats. 

As I said at the outset, this is a terrible legacy challenging the honesty of the single most critical element in our democracy — the vote. It divides our country into what seems to be irreconcilable factions. 

Ms. Puls, I am a Democrat, but neither I, nor my many Democratic friends, can be described as radical. We were all disappointed with the outcome of the 2016 election, but never did I hear of any Democrat accusing the Republicans of fraud.

I hope President-elect Biden can make good on his promise to re-unite the country, and I hope that you do, too.

HERBERT M. DEMBITZER, Wilton, Conn

Thanks to the community

To the Editor:

We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to the Shelter Island Police, EMS and first responders who came to the scene to help me when I was hit by a vehicle on Nov. 27, 2020. My family and I are grateful to you for your rapid and professional response administered in my time of need.

We also want to express our gratitude to the broader Shelter Island community and all of our acquaintances and dear friends who have expressed concern and provided support following the incident and during this difficult period.

We are extremely touched by the outpouring of kindnesses and offers of help that we have received. Despite the traumatic event for my family and this stressful period for all, we have been moved by the community’s ability to come together and provide support as we endure.

 Our very best wishes to all for health and happiness in the New Year.

LUCILLE MORGAN, Shelter Island