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S * HOP! THERE'S^ iNOMÔH n s SM5M> AND BftgAO FOR AU. OF MS,«. MF FAiUtV HASM T HM> A « 0 0 b >M B A ÏW A MONfHL SSSM B e responsible this July F ourth This year, the Fourth o f July falls on a weekend, a wonderful opportunity for Am ericans to extend this wonderful holiday to three days. However, we offer a word of caution and a hope for responsibility. Please do not use the holiday as an excuse to drink heavily, to drink and drive o r to do o ther foolish things that place you and those around you in danger. Please boat responsibly as the waterways will be heavily trafficked, and if you are the operator of a boat, limit your drinking or, better yet, don’t drink at all. You have the lives o f others in your hands. If you are going to be water skiing or jet skiing, dont act foolishly. Respect the potential dangers you face and protect yourself and others as well. The use of fireworks is illegal unless you are a pro fessional and have a perm it for a fireworks’ event. Each year, our em ergency room s are filled with those who have been hurt, sometim es seriously, by using illegal fireworks. It’s not worth it. Attend one of the events conducted by the professionals and enjoy the fireworks as a spectator. We have listed them in this paper for your convenience. There are other dangers lurking out there, many of which you can avoid by using com m on sense and good judgment. As families and groups gather to cel ebrate Independence Day, it’s a tim e to enjoy each others company and to recall the wonderful bless ings we have in this country, all the result o f the hard work, dedication, com m itm ent and fortitude o f those first Am erican citizens who had a bountiful vision for this country. The benefits they saw for future genera tions were based in a sense o f personal responsibility that is as vital today as it was in 1776. Hai e a happy and safe Fourth. ¡««fe t mart w m® mm V * d ^ ^ A É 9 S T A !S 0 N !f i > Subscribers can post comments on this letter and other letters , stories and articles and photographs in this newspaper at www.babylonbeacon.com R e a d e r s ’ V o ic e s : Letters and Commentary i t i s p a r t o f t h e A m e r i c a n s y s t e m Dear E d itor: In my lifetime, I m ay never understand people like Lei Lani Yeswoit (Letters, Readers Responds to editorial on Health Care, April 7 & 8, 2010). It is clear that she is against Big Government’s attempts to tread on her individual rights - a position with which many agree, myself included. It should also be clear to even the m ost naive observer, that the ACLU is an organization that fights for individual rights. And yet, Ms Yeswoit chooses to attack the ACLU. Ms. Yeswoit is (I think rightfully) upset with politi cians of all stripes, for overstepping their bounds. I tend to take issue with broad-brush com m ents like* “they do not read the bills they vote for” (I’m sure m ost do, although they may not understand every thing they read), or “they do not read ... the Consti tution” (again, I have no doubt m ost o f them do), if only for sheer lack of evidence. Because such statements are superfluous and improvable, they have no value or place in a civil conversation. I do understand the general frustration, however But somehow, h er frustration turns quickly from the aloof, “progressive/socialist/M arxist” politicians, to an attack on the A C L U Here’s my second issue: attack either the politicians or the ACLU; attempting to do both in a 500-w ord letter to the editor is going to fall short. And it did. Apparently, the fact that the ACLU isn’t a finan cial overseer or regulator doesn’t stop Ms. Yeswoit from decrying the fact that the ACLU didn’t do enough to stop the federal governm ent from “taking over our banks, our automobile companies ...” etc. I think Ms. Yeswoit’s frustration is that the ACLU, while indeed fighting, is simply not fight ing for the things that she considers im portant. Here’s m y third, and (hopefully) final, issue: it doesn’t seem to m atter to M s. Yeswoit that while she m ay not consider the things the ACLU is fighting for im por tant, there are people in the country for whom those things are im portant. She believes the things that are im portant to her should be im portant to everyone - and she doesn’t see the irony o f that position. I’m not a fan of many of the argum ents the ACLU makes, but I will defend their right to take those posi tions and to fight for them . If Ms. Yeswoit believes her rights are not being protected adequately, she is free to start her own organization to defend whatever rights she pleases. But there would be plenty of p eo ple just like her, probably lined up around the block, to whine about the fact that her organization wasn’t fighting for “the right” rights. If nothing else, realize that if you are fighting against Big Government, and I am fighting against Big Gov ernm ent, then we’re probably on the same side. We may be fighting in different battles, but it’s likely the jsame war. Joseph M arsh M assapequa Park The Beacon Newspaper invites readers to present their views, ideas and issues. Please submit letters to the editor to us at 65 Deer ParkAve., Babylon NY11702. Letters should be signed and include a daytime telephone number fo r verification purposes only. We do not accept personal thank you notes, political endorsements or anonymous letters, but will, under some circumstances withhold the name o f a writer upon request. BEACON NEWSPAPERS / Postage Paid-Babylon Post Office, Babylon, NY 11702 (USPS0396-8000) Copyright 1999 CJ PUBLISHERS, INC. “THE PAPER THAT WORKS” A conttialion of newspapers and adUoni cowing Babylon, Lindenhuist Copiague, Massapequa, Amityvifle, North Babylon, Weit Babylon, Wyandanch, Deer Part, Oix H ü . Wheatley Height«, West Islip, Brentwood, Brightwaters, Bay Shore, Islip, East islip, Oakdale, SayvSe, E Patchogue, PUchogut, Boten*, Holbrook, North U n d ertint Main Oflk»: 65 Dew ParkAve Babylon, NY own Newspaper tor the Town of Babylon & blip O fth l Newspaper for the Viag» of Babylon and Babylon School District - Lindenhurst School District West Babylon School Dietrict• Deer Pad: School District• North Babylon School District-West blip School District-Copiague School District • wyandanch School District H ie Beacon— the paper ihat works f e t DEADLINES FOR THE NEXT EDITION:: ADVERTISING: 3 PAL FRIDAY E0IT0RIAL: 3 PAL THURSDAY POUNDERS EDWM0 0. WOLFE, JANE a WOLFE PUBUSHB» CAROLYN t ALFRED JAMES SW F DONNA CONSOLA LYNNOOLUII E-MAIL ADDRESS: acjnews 0 icn.com Postmaster: Please return all change of addresses to: « Deer Fuk Aw, Babylon NY U 7 B. Al lams sent to Tha Beacon lor putfealon consideration beoome tie property oflhe Beacon. Compoeaon ReeponsMity: The newspaper w l not be table lor errors appearing ln any advertisement beyond tre cost ot space occupied by the error. Subecriptioa Rates: By Mall in NY State: $ 2 S per year $ 40 Tor 2 years Ont of State: $35 per year / $H far 2 yean Senior Citizens over 65 Tike 10 % Discount Paid Subscriptions are notwefundable. PHONE: (631)587-5612 FAX: (631) 587-0198 o^sotwuu, /
