Opinions

Editorial: A House Deserving of Worship

Editorial Board on May 8, 2019
There may be no other structure more unique and iconic to Sag Harbor Village than the Old Whalers’ (First Presbyterian) Church on Union Street, which on Sunday, at 11 a.m.,... more

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Our Neighbors

There was a post that appeared on Facebook from 27east describing the anti-ICE demonstration in Westhampton Beach on Friday, November 14. Scrolling through the comments, I was horrified to see the worst of human nature in print. The video showed numerous people of various ages peacefully holding signs such as “Fire Ice,” “We were all Immigrants,” “Abolish ICE,” “ICE is un-American,” “ICE — Hands Off,” etc. However, the comments posted below the video denigrated the participants with the following: “One can only assume this was a AARP-organized event.” “The [assisted] living facilities in the area need somewhere for the residents ... 21 Nov 2025 by Staff Writer

Owed Full Truth

Congressman Nick LaLota’s latest newsletter suggests that either he thinks we, his constituents, are ignorant, or that he, our representative, is willfully ignoring and misrepresenting the public facts. First, contrary to his statement that he supports “expos[ing] the full [Epstein] network, protect victims, safeguard innocent people, and ensure justice is never weaponized,” prior to his vote to release the Epstein files held by the Department of Justice and FBI, he did not sign the discharge petition to get legislation onto the floor of the House. It was not until the president changed his tune on Sunday, November 16, and said ... by Staff Writer

Who's To Blame?

It is Ed Surgan [“Warped View,” Letters, November 20] who seems to have the warped view. He lays the blame for the level of illegal immigration in our country squarely with the Democrats, but there has not been a successfully passed immigration reform bill since the Simpson-Mazzoli Act of 1986, signed into law by President Ronald Reagan. Attempts in 2007, 2013 and 2021 all failed to gain enough traction to pass, and the most recent bipartisan bill, in 2024, was killed by then-candidate Donald Trump. So, if there is a need to place blame at anyone’s door, that blame should ... by Staff Writer

Time To Feast

Every year, I say I am going to do this. Finally, I’m going to say it before the madness begins. Christmas does not end on Christmas. It begins on Christmas. The period before is one of preparation, called Advent. It’s supposed to be spiritual preparation, but we also live in worldly reality. So that’s also the time to shop, mail cards, wrap, clean, decorate, bake and, especially for women, run yourself into the ground. The 12 days of Christmas begin on December 25 and run to January 6, which is called the Epiphany. This feast day commemorates the arrival of ... 20 Nov 2025 by Staff Writer

Landmark Status

At the Sag Harbor Cinema on Saturday, a group of admirers came together to pay ... 19 Nov 2025 by Editorial Board

Emphasis Needed

This week’s Southampton Press comments were spot on, publishing two letters concerning our environment. One of the opinions addressed the sacrifices to our well-being that are made when overuse of water and chemicals to maintain a beautiful lawn overshadows the dangers involved. In addition, the tremendous overuse of plastics in packaging and wrapping is going to continue to take ever-increasing tolls on the environment and, more significantly, our health. My main concern is that the younger generation, from grammar school children forward, are not made aware, through more vigorous emphasis throughout their education, of the dangers to our environment. Things ... by Staff Writer

Protect Horseshoe Crabs

Group for the East End lends its voice to the inhabitants of our natural environment that cannot speak for themselves. Take the American horseshoe crab. These arthropods have survived five mass extinctions on planet Earth in their 450-million-year existence. That’s an extraordinary feat. They are known as a keystone species, meaning other animals, such as migratory birds, depend on them for their own survival. Horseshoe crabs also have contributed to lifesaving medical advancements and improved human health. Now, it is our turn to help them. Comprehensive studies released this past summer reaffirm a drastic population decline over the last 25 ... by Staff Writer

Not Normal

It has been one year since the election of Donald Trump to a second term of the presidency. Within my limit of 450 words, I have listed below an abbreviated review of what is not normal for an American president, as the whirlwind of choices Trump has made have blurred the boundaries of normalcy. • It is not normal for a president to send military or National Guard to American cities when there is no crisis, just because he feels like it. • It is not normal for a president to condone terrorizing people and arresting them because they don’t ... by Staff Writer

Define the Problem

To solve a problem, the critical step is defining it. What are the root causes of our immigration crisis? 1) Lack of economic opportunity, especially in Central and South America and Mexico, but all over the world, in reality. 2) Political unrest fueled by authoritarian regimes, or by religious fanaticism, or any combination thereof. 3) Destruction caused by repeated and worsening climate issues: floods, typhoons, hurricanes, fires, drought. 4) Global connection via internet to all corners of the world. The have-nots can see what others do have. 5) The illegal drug trade, closely related to item 1 but also just ... 18 Nov 2025 by Staff Writer

Need To Adapt

I’m not typically keen on dueling Letters to the Editor, but in my best Inigo Montoya voice, my response to Highway Superintendent Charles McArdle is: “I did not say what you think I said” [“Oversight Failure,” Letters, November 13]. Let me try again by melding our two points of view: If governments at all levels continue to ignore necessary infrastructure maintenance while our planet continues to warm, expect the kinds of things that happened at Sunrise Highway to happen with more frequency. The combination of more intense storms with shoddy maintenance programs will cause more damage and impact on our ... 17 Nov 2025 by Staff Writer