Send a Donation
Springs
July 14, 2026
To the Editor,
Another wonderful display over Three Mile Harbor, following their own longstanding annual event and in the footsteps of the Boys Harbor fireworks. These events are (and were) an attempt to raise money to support a worthwhile local charity.
I’m somewhat appalled at those who enjoy the event — and even profit from it — who don’t make any monetary contribution. Without a substantial profit, I can’t imagine that this tradition will continue for much longer.
I’m sure that all the residents who have houses on Three Mile Harbor host parties for upfront viewing. Boats come to dock in the harbor for premium spots. Harborfront restaurants charge huge sums for premium seats. I’m hoping private citizens, as well as harborside restaurants, boat chartering companies, local businesses, and all those who parked at Maidstone Park Beach will send a donation to the Clamshell Foundation, 37 Parsons Close, East Hampton 11937.
I will quote the editor in chief of Social Life magazine (July 4 issue): “The East End has always given generously to those of us lucky enough to call it home. This summer, let’s give a little back.”
LESLIE LEVI
Amagansett Day
Amagansett
July 20, 2026
Dear David,
Sometimes personal thanks are just not enough; a public expression of gratitude is necessary. Last Saturday afternoon witnessed the inaugural Amagansett Day, a celebration of the history, people, and institutions of Amagansett. Volunteers staffed nine historic properties that were open to visitors on the day.
Amagansett is a very special place, and each of the supporters and volunteers who made Amagansett Day a success is among the very finest you are ever going to meet.
I want to single out some for special recognition. The support of Peter Garnham and Victor Gelb made the event possible. My colleagues at the historical association, including John Courtney, Dave Robbins, and Greg Zwirko, along with the incredibly helpful Doug Kuntz, worked closely together with our good friends at the Amagansett Village Improvement Society, including Cam Gelb, Marguerite Gualtieri, Anna Bernasek, Eileen O’Reilly, and Alex Jordan. Max Honerkamp, Dana Kalbacher, and Rick Whalen devoted their afternoon to the community. Hugh King and Rainbow Chavis agreed to be our special guests. Leaders and staff from the Amagansett School, Life-Saving Station, Amagansett Library, Presbyterian Church, and Stephen Talkhouse deserve special thanks. My invaluable colleague, Barbara Moss, brought it all deftly together. None were paid. All deserve great appreciation.
We have endured heat, smoke, and a long drought. I take it as a lucky omen that the heavens saw fit to release a deluge that, with uncanny precision, fell heavily during the event. Many contended for the distinction of “most moist,” yet our doughty visitors, undeterred, made it all worthwhile!
The first Amagansett Day will not be the last. Thank you again to each who gave their time and to all who took part in this special celebration. The best is yet to come. One day, the Amagansett to Sag Harbor stagecoach shall ride again!
Sincerely,
DAN MONGAN
All It Took
Boonsboro, Md.
July 17, 2026
Dear David,
I want to thank you for all your help in finding my high school sweetheart.
After all the time that I looked in social media to no avail, all it took was a small, short letter to The East Hampton Star and the very same day that you published my letter my search ended.
Alice called me the very same day, and we had a wonderful, long conversation. It was discovering each other again, and I am sure that with our newfound relationship we will have a lot more conversations to look forward to.
The East Hampton Star made it so easy. I am more than glad I reached out to you.
Once again, thank you.
RICKY CONTRERAS
Simply Stop
East Hampton Village
July 20, 2026
Dear David,
Once again, I am writing to you in the hope of reaching a larger part of our community, about public safety on our roads. Specifically, I am concerned about the failure of drivers to simply stop at stop signs.
I walk my dog every day and am, by the very nature of these walks, crossing many streets in our village. I do not exaggerate when I tell you 95 percent of the drivers do not stop for stop signs. Most use stop as an acronym for “slightly tap on pedal” and then roll right on through, barely looking for any pedestrian traffic let alone other cars. Sadly, I have seen plenty of Village of East Hampton vehicles ignore the stop signs as well. Not quite the right role model for our community.
I cannot tell you how many times I have stood at the curb ready to cross the street and drivers roll right through the stop signs without even looking in my direction. Exiting the Reutershan Lot onto Newtown Lane is the worst example of this. Drivers are in such a hurry to get out of the lot that they rarely stop and then only look left as they keep rolling and looking for a break in the traffic to turn right into Newtown Lane. I have encountered the same issue on Railroad Avenue at both Lumber Lane and Newtown Lane. But the worst is the intersection of Gingerbread Lane with Race Lane and the Gingerbread Lane Extension. Almost no one stops there and it is right by the Elementary School!
Sunday night there was an accident at the corner of Gingerbread Lane and King Street. A car traveling west on Gingerbread Lane was hit in the rear passenger door on the right side by the car coming off King Street. By my observation, that accident most likely does not happen if the driver on King Street had stopped at the stop sign and looked at the traffic. Instead, he rolled through the stop sign and out too far, thereby hitting the car traveling on Gingerbread Lane.
One solution would be for us to try harder to be more concerned about each other’s health, welfare, and safety on our roads. The other would be for police to be present and hand out more tickets. A third idea is based on the little-known fact that anyone can report a traffic violation to the police. Maybe that’s the answer!
Please drive with care and get where you need to go a few minutes later but safely and without causing harm to someone else.
In the hope that we can do better,
MICHAEL GOLDSMITH
Needs Work
Amagansett
July 18, 2026
To the Editor,
The Town of East Hampton needs to take a serious look at is garbage disposal facility operation. The place is filthy and unattended. We need someone to rebuild, sweep, and power wash.
Also, the Verizon building on Pantigo Road needs work. The building is totally out of character for East Hampton. Someone, please plant a tree or two to hide this building.
Thank you,
GENE VASSEL
Told Me to Go
Springs
July 20, 2026
Dear David,
It’s incredible to me that Capital One Bank closed its branch here. The bank told me to “go to Southampton.” Gee, thanks. That would take an hour and a half in traffic right now, both ways.
Then they tell us we can just go to CVS and use that A.T.M. One problem: I went there today (Monday), and it has no money in it and it’s not going to be serviced until Thursday.
I just called Capital One Bank and told the prompt that I had a complaint. I did get through to a person who registered my comment. I suggested the bank could just rent the vacated M&T vestibule A.T.M.s and service them. But more people have to call with a complaint. I hope people will call.
Thanks,
SUSAN HARDER
Home Run
Amagansett
July 20, 2026
To the Editor,
On this date. July 20, 1969, we landed on the moon. In 1964, Alvin Dark managed the San Francisco Giants. While watching pitcher Gaylord Perry take batting practice, he uttered a now-famous quote: “There’ll be a man on the moon before he hits a home run.” Thirty-four minutes after Apollo 11 landed on the Moon, those at Candlestick Park witnessed Perry hit his first home run. From WSL Radio Amagansett (that’s history for another day).
Still here,
JOE KARPINSKI
Very Real Risks
Amagansett
July 20, 2026
To the Editor,
Gov. Kathy Hochul’s push for expanded battery energy storage across New York, especially on Long Island and in New York City, demands far more transparency and caution than we’ve seen so far. While the goal of supporting renewable energy is understandable, the absence of clear, specific siting guidelines is alarming.
Recent incidents, including the 2023 fire and PFAS contamination at the Cove Hollow Battery Storage Facility in East Hampton, highlight the very real risks these large-scale systems can pose to our communities, water supplies, and public safety. Yet the state continues to fast-track additional facilities without robust, location-specific standards to protect residents.
We need comprehensive siting criteria that account for proximity to homes, schools, and aquifers, along with strict fire safety protocols and environmental safeguards. Our communities should not be treated as testing grounds for unproven technology.
The health and safety of Long Islanders must come before political timelines. Governor Hochul owes the public a clear plan that addresses these risks before more facilities are approved.
Best regards,
PATRICE DALTON
In Rowan-World
Amagansett
July 17, 2026
To the Editor:
Christopher Gangemi’s “Boards Irked by Scofflaw Applicants” provides the theme for this week’s sermon.
The article describes two sets of wealthy folks flouting town zoning law: the owners of Rita Cantina, near Maidstone Park, and of 22 Shore Road in my neighborhood. The first group installed an unpermitted septic system, and moved a stairwell closer to the building, creating a fire hazard, while allowing its outdoor dining permit to expire. After years of litigation with the town, the restaurant owners did not even bother to show for a recent planning board meeting. On Shore Road, the owner disregarded the terms of a permit he received from the zoning board, failing to revegetate the disturbed dune, doubling the size of his driveway, and building a stone staircase.
Marc Rowan led the way and provided the model for people wealthy enough to hire teams of lawyers to render town law nugatory. Both Rita Cantina and 22 Shore Road mirror what Mr. Rowan did at Duryea’s: the unapproved septic, building structures on the beach. Mr. Gangemi’s article, without mentioning him, confirms that we live in Rowan-world now, in which the billionaires swagger like cattlemen in classic westerns, humiliating town authorities, while the rest of us are expected to remain frozen in fear.
There is even an element, buried in the article, connecting Duryea’s and 22 Shore Road: The attorney for the latter is Michael Sendlenski, once the East Hampton Town attorney, until he was scapegoated and forced out by the town board for a settlement agreement he signed with Marc Rowan. Mr. Rowan himself claimed that he made that dishonorable deal with Peter Van Scoyoc (and I believe him).
In a you-can’t-make-this-stuff-up development, ordinary (or at least less-wealthy) people of the town are (against all self-interest) forming ranks around Mark Rowan, claiming that any criticism of him is antisemitic. This is an unexpected local iteration of a tactic used throughout history, of conning the very people you are exploiting into hating someone else (often the people trying to help them). I never thought that would work here nearly as well as it has.
For democracy in East Hampton, before it becomes an endless iteration of Rita Cantina and 22 Shore Road,
JONATHAN WALLACE
Fully Documented
Springs
July 6, 2026
To the Editor,
It’s time. To prosecute or persecute. That is the question.
I am 77 years old and worked for 50 years so I could retire in peace, but for the past two years I have been defending myself against a false and vindictive allegation made against me because I stood up to certain people and prevailed when I presented a petition to the appointed Springs Park committee disputing unpopular changes they and the board wanted to make in August 2024.
As someone who was present at the meeting wrote to The Star, “I can say unequivocally Barbara was nothing but polite and patient, presenting a point of view shared by the majority of us who use the dog park. I wish I could say the same for [the Committee]. I was shocked at their rudeness and failure to respectfully engage in dialogue not only with Barbara but everyone from the community who was in attendance.”
After that meeting on Aug. 19, 2024, a person with whom I was having a conversation pointed to the most-challenging committee member standing across the parking lot from where we were. I naively thought a civil conversation with him might help reach some compromise, so I made the effort, stopping my car for a pedestrian, continuing around and stopping a second time where I had seen him standing on the side of the lot. He walked to my car and subjected me to body shaming, nonstop laughing, and insults. I left.
The next morning, he accused me of trying to run him down, and broadcast a fantastical email stating, “I stood still in the middle of the road, and she had to swerve out of the way again and again. Three times!!!”
Two hours later, he made a completely different statement to a police officer against whom I had filed a complaint in 2022 when I was tailgated for miles, cut off, and threatened by someone who was subsequently arrested in Florida for another road rage incident in which he pulled a gun. Police Officer Habe’s report read that he saw the car follow me out of a dead-end street, told me to leave, said I “left the scene,” wrote it up as a “misunderstanding,” and let him go. I’d called for help four times.
On Aug. 27, 2024, the committee member made a third conflicting statement to Officer Habe that was also inconsistent with his “witness’s “ statements. He claimed I had been speeding, swerving, slamming on the brakes, and aiming at him, when a surveillance video showed he had actually approached my stopped car. A witness for the prosecution said I had gone around twice without driving toward anyone.
On Aug. 28, 2024, Officer Habe called me in to make a statement. I gave him the name of an eyewitness. He showed me a zoomed-in version of the surveillance video confirming I had done nothing remotely like the allegations and then arrested me. His body cam video recorded everything.
Then on Jan. 9 at a pretrial hearing Officer Habe confirmed my statement, testifying I had driven carefully around the lot, slowing to let a pedestrian cross, continuing around and coming to a complete stop where I remained for a few moments speaking to someone he could not identify, after which I left the lot. That testimony, using the best evidence, the video, does not make out the crime of reckless endangerment but shows that complainant and witness accusations have no validity.
Officer Habe admitted he was not at the scene, had no real evidence to support the charge, never called the exculpatory eyewitness, and made mistakes on the paperwork. Inexplicably, the judge ruled he was credible and had probable cause. Motions to reopen that hearing when I became a pro se defendant were denied despite having a legal basis.
A motion to dismiss had been filed on Nov. 27, 2024. The judge took eight months to deny it, refusing to look at any evidence. To this day, he says it’s the job of a jury, meaning that any accusation, however flimsy, would require a trial to determine whether an accusation has enough merit to proceed. Current motions to dismiss and to recuse were handed to the prosecutor to evaluate. When a judge who is supposed to be impartial relies on the prosecution to effectively rule on motions, a defendant has an unsolvable bias problem.
The district attorney told three attorneys early on that he, “didn’t want to get involved in the politics.” That may refer to the pending civil suit against the town when the actions of a court officer caused me to have permanent heart damage. He would not explain the context of that statement, but clearly dragging this out will malign my reputation and protect the supervisor, also a defendant in that case. It may also refer to the complainant, who is married to a well-known actor.
That is not the way our system is supposed to work. Judges and district attorneys must do their due diligence to determine that a case has enough solid evidence to press charges. If there is reasonable doubt, they must not prosecute.
As a pro se litigant, I have been refused the right to speak. The judge chastises me for changing attorneys every time we have a hearing or conference. When I respond, he tells me to “stop talking,” and has threatened contempt if I don’t. My pro bono attorney, Joseph Giannini, has been an invaluable source of guidance and support because he zealously speaks up in my defense, but the judge has now imposed a court-appointed attorney on me that I will have to bring up to speed, which is burdensome, unnecessary, and will interfere with that relationship. I don’t even qualify for legal assistance; I am neither indigent nor incompetent. Not to brag, but the district attorney bureau chief said I was “very capable, smart, and precise in [your] arguments.” Okay, I bragged.
A judicial system should not allow elected officials to abuse their power by failing to hold them accountable. Immunity, qualified or absolute, must not be used to absolve bias or politically motivated actions committed by judges or prosecutors. This system must be corrected. Complaints have been filed with the New York State Commissions on Judicial and Prosecutorial Conduct. Everything is fully documented.
Two years of a life is a lot of emotional and financial stress for a senior citizen, but I will not capitulate or take any offered plea bargain. There is something called integrity, upon which I will rest my case, and I firmly believe the truth will out.
In the name of justice,
BARBARA FELDMAN
Circles in the Water
Amagansett
July 16, 2026
To the Editor,
Partly inspired by the first dead humpback I witnessed in Amagansett in 2018 and made more urgent by the recent loss of a humpback in Montauk, I came up with a story, one that needs support and visionaries to realize it.
“From the Depths of Time: A Whale Song” is about an 18-year-old high school student who is saved from drowning during a surfing competition by an orca and slowly develops the psychic ability to pick up signals from whale language. She shows as a messenger, or empath, for the whales how humanity can save the oceans.
What is astonishing is that humpbacks have started reaching out to us, trying to communicate with us by making circles in the water, an element I conjured in the story several years before I learned about the humpbacks. Something is happening that is much greater than the vagaries of artificial intelligence. It is interspecies communication writ large.
Nan Hauser, one of the top humpback whale researchers on earth, thinks the idea is “brilliant” and so does her friend who got the Oscar for “My Octopus Teacher.” Chris Eyre, a Native American director who did “Smoke Signals” and “Dark Winds,” feels the idea is “ profoundly meaningful.” The idea is a prayer for our time for we have arrived at an inflection point for life on earth. Heat waves are expanding, the smoke from the Ontario fires are burning, and there are still those who cut all mention of climate change, science, education, and health care funding to wage unconscious wars abroad.
On several occasions we had the opportunity to be greeted by and touch the gray whales in Baja, who come to greet us after forgiving humanity for our trespasses, according to the son of the Mexican fisherman who reached out to touch one over 30 years ago. But their numbers have catastrophically declined from 20,000 to about 13,000 because of the drastic loss of copepods in the Arctic. Cetaceans — whales and dolphins — are caught by the hundreds of thousands every year in nets, and one whale, a fin, was just found dead and pregnant, on the front of a cruise ship in Alaska. Our species has little regard for the others of the world. The gutting of the Endangered Species Act, basically for the life force of the planet, may be the final nail in the coffin of the future.
George Orwell, who knew about dystopias, once wrote that we are all inside the whale. With all our toxins and plastic and industrial waste bleeding into the blood of the world, it behooves humanity to salvage what is left of the seas and its great minds, the cetaceans.
Leviathan was once considered a beast, a monster, as Thomas Hobbes called his tract. The commonwealth with its wealth and riches, its strength, with all its sedition, and sickness and civil war is indeed a leviathan playing havoc with creation. Perhaps we humans should be considered the true leviathans today, reckless, unmeasured, without equipoise.
What is certain is that without the whale and dolphins we will not make it to the end of the century. The whale of our own ignorance will devour us, but unlike Pinocchio, who survived Monstro, and Jonah the biblical whale, will we be able to extricate ourselves from the jaws of extinction?
I once had the privilege of hearing Paul Watson recount the time he tried to intercede on behalf of a whale. His Zodiac boat swerved between a Russian harpooner and the whale he and his crew were trying to protect. Eventually the Russians won, as a pool of blood poured into the ocean. As the whale was dying, it shot an immense look of pity at Watson. The pity was not for itself but for the entire human race. Later Watson was to learn that the oil taken from the whale, perhaps the purest on earth, was to be used to lubricate intercontinental ballistic missiles. He knew then and there that our species had completely lost its mind.
Roger Payne, a bioacoustician who spent a lifetime studying the sounds that whales make, once suggested that no Shakespeare, Beethoven, or van Gogh could ever make up for the loss of life force on Earth. This decade will decide whether humanity crashes on the waves of time or if we can avert a shipwreck beyond our wildest reckoning.
CYRIL CHRISTO
Under Attack
Riverhead
July 20, 2026
To the Editor,
The recent visit by the Secret Service to the homes of certain residents of eastern Long Island raises troubling questions.
All people residing in the United States should be aware of the rights afforded them under the Constitutions of the United States and the State of New York. Notwithstanding the fact that constitutional protections are under attack, the legal framework outlined in these documents remains the supreme law of the land.
The framers made clear that power comes from the people, not the government. That principle grew out of the colonists’ experience under royal rule, including taxation without representation, trade restrictions, and crown-imposed requirements that they buy and sell goods only through England. These abuses helped ignite the Revolution, whose success ultimately led to the Constitution.
This new framework ultimately included the Bill of Rights, which for the first time guaranteed essential protection for the citizenry. Under the Fifth Amendment, for example, every person has the right to remain silent when questioned by the government. No one is required to speak with government officials simply because they ask. Individuals may tell law enforcement that they do not wish to answer questions, and no one should fear that exercising this right suggests they have something to hide. They are merely asserting constitutional protection. The right to remain silent applies even after an arrest.
Although a person must comply with a lawful arrest, that compliance means submitting to the arrest—not answering questions. Most people know that police must warn arrested individuals that they have “the right to remain silent.” The law protects that right, even after an arrest. These protections are no less applicable for those not taken into custody.
Once a person communicates to law enforcement officials that they don’t wish to speak, the officials’ implied permission to be on the person’s property is no longer viable. Therefore, it is more than appropriate to ask the law enforcement official to leave.
This can be difficult because anyone in this situation may feel intimidated by a federal official displaying a badge. For that reason, it is important to assert your rights respectfully.
We should all step back and question why taxpayer-funded law enforcement professionals are being tasked to conduct these inquiries. Questioning government conduct is not unpatriotic. It is quite the opposite. It is the highest form of patriotism.
At this point, we all know that this is about the indictment of James Comey for the now-infamous sand scribbling “8647.” We also know that millions of people across this country have posted the same thing on Facebook and Instagram, as well as sign displays on their property. Notably, most people are aware that to “86” someone means to throw them out. Anyone who has any experience in bars and saloons knows this is a common phrase used by bartenders to throw someone out for misbehavior.
I have been a lawyer for 52 years. I served more than 10 years as a prosecutor in Suffolk County, approximately 23 years as a criminal defense lawyer in New York and across the country and concluded my career with 12 years on the New York State Supreme Court bench.
In my opinion, these government agents are pursuing this inquiry to avoid the legal problem in Mr. Comey’s case, known as selective enforcement. If it can be shown that millions of people used the same phrase Mr. Comey used while exercising their free-speech rights and not being prosecuted,
Mr. Comey has a strong basis for dismissal on selective-enforcement grounds. Constitutionally, that claim is also known as a denial of equal protection of the laws under the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution and the New York State Constitution. By investigating thousands who posted the same thing, the government can then argue that the selective enforcement argument has no merit. Of course, saying that none of the thousands that posted “8647” meant it as a threat except Mr. Comey stretches credulity.
My prediction is that Mr. Comey’s case will be dismissed or he will be acquitted by a jury. No citizen should have to go through the tension, fear, and legal fees associated with defending yourself from a frivolous claim. Citizens everywhere should step up by not cooperating with government agents. This will act as a protest on this overwhelming waste of taxpayer money and further serve to send a message to the government that this conduct by our taxpayer paid professionals will not be tolerated.
PETER H. MAYER
Motivation Political
Southampton
July 20, 2026
To the Editor:
“LaLota Plays Hardball” (The East Hampton Star, June 25) reports Congressman LaLota has threatened to withhold federal infrastructure funds from East Hampton Town and Village because these municipalities have approved legislation regarding the involvement of local police departments and other local governmental resources in immigration enforcement efforts within their jurisdictions.
Based on this reporting, it appears that the congressman has adopted the strategy of retribution politics, withholding taxpayer dollars in order to punish those who might disagree with his policy, in this case, to punish elected officials representing the interests and concerns of their constituents, accusing the officials of being more interested in currying favor with the New York City mayor than fulfilling their responsibilities to their constituents.
The congressman’s threat suggests that he feels more strongly about supporting ICE’s immigration enforcement strategies than recognizing the legitimacy of elected officials representing the concerns and interests of their constituents. I encourage the congressman to view the public hearing at which the legislation was adopted. It’s available on the East Hampton Town website. However, the congressman’s prioritization suggests his motivation to be more political than representative. He may dismiss that analysis as partisan or naive or simplistic, but it is only as partisan or naive or simplistic as retribution politics is crass and petty and juvenile.
In other communications to his constituents (July 16), the Congressman argues that ICE’s immigration enforcement efforts are designed to make communities more safe, assuming that the presence of noncitizens in a community, de facto, results in increased crime.
National statistics, based on Federal Bureau of Investigation crime data, show that noncitizens commit proportionally less crime than citizens. Other statistics show that less than 3 percent of the noncitizens caught up in the current ICE enforcement efforts have been convicted of a felony or violent crime, and more than half of those apprehended have no criminal records at all.
Recent local statistical reports evidence East Hampton’s municipalities as having some of the lowest crime rates on Long Island. Where is the danger to public safety? Where have ICE immigration enforcement efforts decreased crime statistics? Could the congressman be proselytizing for a solution in search of a problem?
In that same communication to constituents, the congressman misrepresents that East Hampton legislation as protecting noncitizens guilty of serious crimes. The legislation explicitly prohibits the town from either cooperating or participating in civil immigration enforcement with the federal government. Further, unless a judicial warrant is presented, no town personnel, nor town resources, can be used to help with federal immigration enforcement.
Reaching out for every available red meat trope, Mr. LaLota blames the so-called cashless bail laws in New York State for the rash of crimes plaguing East Hampton and other communities on Long Island. In fact, N.Y. has eliminated cash bail for most misdemeanors and nonviolent felonies. However, the policy is not completely “cashless.” Judges retain the authority to set cash bail or remand defendants to pretrial detention for most violent felonies, sex offenses, and certain other qualifying offenses.
I would agree with Congressman LaLota that public safety is a priority. Thankfully, by all verifiable metrics our communities are safe. Now if we could only do something about our deteriorating infrastructure.
FRANCIS ZAPPONE
Directive From Trump
East Hampton
July 16, 2026
Dear Mr. Rattray,
In June 2025, Nick LaLota provided the decisive “yes” vote for a bill that cut $1.1 billion in federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which includes the Long Island television station WLIW. Mr. LaLota initially voted “no” but switched to “yes” after talking with Speaker Mike Johnson on the floor of the House. The directive to cut this funding came directly from the Trump administration. Perhaps Mr. LaLota changed his mind to avoid any political retribution from Trump.
Chris Gallant, on the other hand, will not waiver in his support of his constituents rather than serve to rubber-stamp Trump’s agenda. Do you want someone who will stand up for your interests or someone who will fall in line with the demands of the Trump administration? Come November, the choice will be yours.
SALVATORE TOCCI
Speak Truth to Power
Huntington
July 13, 2026
To the Editor,
On July 5, I took part in a protest to demand a boycott of Marc Rowan’s restaurant Lulu Kitchen and Bar in Sag Harbor. I am writing to set the record straight regarding defamatory public posts from some members of the Sag Harbor community. Let me first explain why I took part in this protest.
Mr. Rowan is a far-right billionaire and a Trump-appointed member of the so-called Gaza Board of Peace. This misnamed group has nothing to do with peace; it is an organized attempt to reap real estate profits from the ruins of the genocide in Gaza. Its goal is to build a luxury beach resort on the freshly buried bones of Palestinian children. To accomplish this, Mr. Rowan is actively supporting the ongoing genocide of Palestinians and the concentration of the survivors into ever-shrinking “ghettos.” This is being done in violation of international law. Anyone who lives in or has spent time in the Hamptons will recognize the local billionaires’ bullying and sense of entitlement in this brutal land grab in Gaza.
My personal decision to join this protest felt like an obligation that arose from my Jewish upbringing. I took part to honor my mother’s first cousin, who survived Auschwitz from July 27, 1941, until Jan. 27, 1945. I took part because my mother was a child refugee who fled Germany, Belgium, France, and then North Africa all before her fourth birthday. I took part because my ancestors were Yiddish-speaking Jewish socialists who perished in the Warsaw Ghetto uprising. I took part in the protest at the billionaire Mr. Rowan’s restaurant because I have inherited a moral radar to recognize ethnic cleansing and genocide when I see it. I joined this action because Israel’s crimes against Palestinians are being done in my name. I took part because Jews have always joined social justice struggles.
We fought the pogroms in Czarist Russia. We fought for workers’ rights in the old country and in the United States. I joined this protest to honor my ancestors who died in Europe and those who survived and came here. I was honoring the brave Jews who joined with their brave Black comrades in the famous lunch counter sit-ins to disrupt segregated dining. My participation honored the Jewish and Italian immigrants who joined forces in the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union to fight the greed of the rich that led to the Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire. The spirit of our protest honored this multigenerational Jewish tradition that has always resisted the greed of billionaires and the brutality of racism. I joined because I see the reflection of my own people’s history of suffering and resilience in that of Palestinians as they face daily Israeli attempts to erase them from their land.
It makes me sad to see that Rabbi Daniel Geffen of Temple Adas Israel has mischaracterized this protest as being motivated by antisemitism. How can a rabbi so misunderstand Jewish traditions that he would make such a claim? With his letter to the community, Rabbi Geffen erases our beautiful tradition of tikkun olam, the desire to repair the world.
Marc Rowan was not the target of this protest because he is Jewish, he was targeted with a peaceful protest because his actions were deplorable.
Like all people, Jews have a diverse set of opinions on all topics, including Israel. And there is a generational shift in the Jewish diaspora’s views of Zionism and Israel. Polls show that huge numbers of us see Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocidal. As a member of Jewish Voice for Peace, I have met so many other Jewish folk who are angry that this is being done in our names. When Rabbi Geffen calls our protest antisemitic, he feeds the collective blame of all Jews for the crimes of a foreign power, a classic antisemitic trope. And this tethering of all Jews to Israel’s crimes is driving a terrifying rise in antisemitism.
The defamatory lies that Rabbi Geffen and others have repeated have real-life consequences. They raise tensions in the community. They weaponize the accusation of antisemitism in a way that undermines the fight against real antisemitism. Rabbi Geffen may not realize this, but the climate of hate that he participated in has led to online threats of violence. Since our peaceful protest, my personal identifying information has been published on social media (by an individual in the community whom I have identified but will not name here). This doxxing action has caused me to receive threats of violence (from individuals I also have identified but will not name here).
You can disagree with the strategy we used, which was briefly disruptive of those dining inside the restaurant. But know that we did this in a long tradition of peaceful social justice protests. The only violence that took place in Marc Rowan’s restaurant came from the manager and a few individuals who were enraged at our message. Numerous videos document that they repeatedly grabbed and shoved each of us by our necks and violently threw one of our group to the floor. By law, management had a right to call the local police, but they had no right to put their hands on us. Despite being assaulted, not one protester raised hands in self-defense.
If you oppose protests that are peaceful but disruptive, then you oppose the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., you oppose the Montgomery bus boycotts and the Greensboro lunch counter sit-ins. If you claim we protested at Mr. Rowan’s restaurant because he is Jewish, then you are spreading hateful and defamatory lies.
The billionaire class think that they can take what they want, violate local laws, mistreat those without power, and then attack anyone who tries to criticize them with violence and lies. They are wrong. Ordinary folk can repair the world (tikkun olam) when we stand together and speak truth to power.
JOSH DUBNAU
Free Speech
Montauk
July 20, 2026
To the Editor:
I’ve always applauded The Star for its balanced content, but recently I have cause to question my own opinion. I’ve written several “Guestwords” for The Star over the years, but my latest work submitted on March 2 has remained unpublished with no explanation. I’ve followed up with the paper several times to no avail except to get the suggestion that I submit it as a letter to the editor, which does not have the prominence of a “Guestwords” column.
The essay tells the story of a 20-year-old Palestinian friend of mine who had his family home raided twice earlier
this year by the Israel Defense Forces, once to arrest his father without charges who was freed four months later having lost half his body weight, and later to beat his son in front of his family and interrogate him with an assault rifle trained at one of his knees.
My last published “Guestwords” piece, “Beautiful People in an Ugly World,” may have disturbed certain influential residents, since it told of my monthlong visit to Palestine in 2024. It certainly caused a few vitriolic letters coupled with some supportive ones, many of the former essentially calling for my banishment from the paper. If this current rejection of my essay is, in fact, the outcome of these demands for censorship, it would be a disturbing development, one more step, albeit a local one, in the suppression of free speech in America at a time when we desperately need to hear all sides of the Palestinian story.
JEFF GEWERT
Break in the Rain
Amagansett
July 20, 2026
Dear Mr. Rattray,
As you are well aware, I pretty much use bar soap exclusively. Jergens was my go-to brand for years, but Mary made me switch to Cetaphil Cleansing Bar — three times as expensive, but the opportunity to have silky smooth skin. Fine. Well, a couple weeks ago I took an outdoor shower and there was no bar soap in sight. Instead, a 23.6-fluid-ounce squeeze bottle of Olay Advanced Moisture Renewal Blend Body Wash stood on the shelf. What could I do but give it a try?
Mr. Rattray, all I can say is this: amazing! Right on the front of the container it says, “with Collagen Peptide, 20% more moisturizers & Shea Butter.” Hell, yeah! And on the back these words, “hydrates to plump skin’s surface cells, locking in natural moisture.” Isn’t that something we all want? Imagine some Olay mixologist genius figuring out the perfect proportions of water, petrolatum, sodium trideceth sulfate, sodium chloride, cocamidopropyl, betaine, trideceth-3, niacinamide, tocopheryl acetate, panthenol, butyrospermum parkii, c10-30 alkylacrylatecrosspolymer, and 20 other chemistry things I never heard of. You know how much I love syllables, but that’s next level. And no, I have not received compensation from the Olay people for that endorsement!
But that’s not why I’m writing, Mr. Rattray. You were missed at the author discussion at the East Hampton Library on the 9th for my book “My Meeting With Putin.” I called your name; we all turned to look around the room for you. You were not there.
I think it went well. That’s what people said. And the Q. and A. at the end was lively and engaging. Hard for me to judge, but I think you would have enjoyed it. I’m certainly grateful to the library’s very helpful folks, Steven Spataro and Scott Raynor, who make these events possible.
I do want to share a related story which turned out to be one of the most surprising and serendipitous occasions for me in recent memory. On Saturday evening, there was a break in the rain, so Mary and I decided to walk to Rosie’s in Amagansett and have dinner at the bar. The place was packed, so we went next door to Rowdy, which was also overflowing, but we had a glass of wine and watched the conclusion of the England-France game. Wild. Still, no room to dine, so we walked across Main Street to Meeting House. Nothing.
Finally, we defaulted to Doubles, ordered from their takeout menu and sat at one of the few tables in the joint. All good. Then a couple walked in with their two young sons. They asked if they could take the extra chair at our table and, of course, we said, “Of course.” Now they and the kids were sitting next to us.
When there are small kids nearby, Mary is immediately engaged. She taught little ones in Southampton for over 25 years. Loves ‘em, and they are immediately drawn to her. The next question: “And where are you folks from? Are you on vacation?” They were visiting friends in Amagansett, from Tenafly, N.J., where they live. “Oh, are you from New Jersey?” And the father, Paul, explained, “Well I’m originally from Moscow, but my parents emigrated here when I was 9.” He had me at “Moscow.”
I turned to Paul’s wife, Sasha, and asked, “Are you also from Russia?”
“No, I’m from Ukraine. Kyiv. My family also emigrated here when I was 9.” Now the hair was standing up on my arms. How is this possible that I’ve written a novel about a guy who has an idea for ending the war in Ukraine and am now meeting and chatting with a lovely couple who were born and raised in two places that are at the center of the story? I told them about the book — the fantasy I’d had about ending the war — and they looked at me with smiles and raised eyebrows. A little embarrassing because I knew that they knew far more than I knew about the background of this conflict, whether it could be resolved peacefully, how their remaining relatives in Russia and Ukraine viewed the overwhelming circumstances. I insisted that I wanted to give them the book, so contact info was exchanged.
They said they’d be driving back home the next day and maybe could stop by our house, just across the street from Amber Waves. When they left the place, there were warm handshakes. I said, “myr” to both Paul and Sasha. Meaning “peace” in Russian and Ukrainian, respectively. They smiled. In the book I name the new, neutral nation Zemlya Mira-Zemlya Myru. Land of Peace, in each language.
When Mary and I exited Doubles, it was pouring rain again. And I’d left our small umbrella on the bar at Rowdy. Damn. So, we dashed back to Rosie’s for another beverage and some lively conversation. Then home after the rain had stopped.
The next day, Sunday, was sunny and beautiful. Clean air again! I got a call from Paul; the family was having breakfast at Amber Waves if I wanted to come over. I did. I signed a book and ran across the street. Young Theo was finishing his egg wrap.
“Did you write that book, Lyle Greenfield?”
“Yes, I did, Theo.”
“Cool.”
Before we could part Sasha said, “Wait, I have something for you!” I followed her to their car, and she pulled from the glove box a star pin that read, “You did it!” and a small card that read “Hey you. You’re pretty f—ing awesome. That is all. Keep that s—- up. — A Passing Stranger.” So sweet and exactly my language.
I wished them an easy trip back to Tenafly. They promised to tell me what they thought of the book. I’m nervous about that, but excited. They’re pretty f’ning awesome.
Mir, myru,
LYLE GREENFIELD
Perfect Example
East Hampton
July 20, 2026
Dear David,
David Saxe’s letter in last week’s Star (“Should Be Ashamed,” July 13) is the perfect example of an attempt to divert attention from a substantive discussion of peace in Israel and Palestine to try to shame those people who are trying to open up that dialogue.
In my June 29 Star letter, “Our Best Chance,” I commented on a recent event in the Hamptons with two peace activists who both lost family members in the conflict — a Palestinian, Aziz Abu Sarah, and an Israeli, Maoz Inon — individuals from a terrific organization called Combatants for Peace. Aziz and Maoz see themselves as human beings who believe in fostering a culture of dialogue, brotherhood, a culture of forgiveness, a culture of peace on both sides. Combatants for Peace is about opening up that dialogue on both sides and is a rebuttal to a broken world and a belief that more violence can ever bring security.
Aziz and Maoz have met with great support from Pope Francis, Pope Leo, and Jon Stewart, carried the torch at the Winter Olympics, been on “Democracy Now,” C-Span, have held numerous talks at universities and given numerous news interviews around the world. They’ve received honors around the world, including by the Israeli organization the Abraham Initiatives.
My co-host, Asma Rashid, and I were honored to do a recent event with them at the Islamic Center, which is also available for viewing in its entirety on LTV (“The Radical Imagination — Real Talk in the Hamptons.” Aziz will be at Authors Night this summer, do another show with us on LTV, and he has been welcomed to do an event at the Bridge Shul in Bridgehampton. Hopefully at some point, the Jewish Center of the Hamptons will also find the time to invite and welcome them to their beautiful facility. And yes, Mayor Zohran Mamdani invited them to City Hall to discuss and support their peace work.
Mr. Saxe, in his letter, has not one word about combatants, but devotes his entire column to lambasting Mayor Mamdani. The mayor is willing to listen to Aziz and Maoz but not Mr. Saxe. That pretty much says it all. Mr. Saxe will be quite busy calling out people he thinks should be shamed —- if he chooses. Or he can take the opportunity to listen to Aziz and Maoz speak, read their book, “The Future Is Peace,” and comment substantively on any agreements and disagreements he might have with them.
Very best,
JIM VRETTOS
House Party
Montauk
July 20, 2026
Dear David,
The Cool Kids Clique has finally been dismantled. Eric Swalwell (Nancy Pelosi’s best friend) and Ruben Gallego had big presidential plans, and Jimmy Gomez, at present under investigation, who treated the House as a big party. Months ago, this trio was widely seen as the future of the Democratic Party. Mr. Gomez had founded the Dads Caucus and scored spots on two powerful House committees.
The San Francisco Chronicle and CNN dropped stories that sent the Nancy Pelosi protege falling on his face, almost in the gutter. A woman who worked for Mr. Swalwell accused him of sexually attacking her while she was too intoxicated to consent. CNN cited three other women who stated he made unwanted advances, which included sending explicit messages. Please let us not forget his aide who allegedly is a Chinese spy.
Mr. Gomez and Mr. Gallego scrambled to distance themselves but quickly became the focus of scrutiny and remarks from fellow Democrats repulsed by their behavior.
Democrats tried to totally destroy Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, with the statement and push for “believe all women.” (Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, a Democrat.) This undignified interrogation was part of the party effort to smear Mr. Kavanaugh as a rapist and also a gang rapist.
Mr. Whitehouse was not impressed with said allegations concerning Graham Platner. Finally, Mr. Whitehouse had to withdraw his endorsement of Mr. Platner after another woman came forward accusing him of rape. Sex and lies run amok in Washington, D.C.
In God and country,
BEA DERRICO