Letters

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 to go while they cleaned the facility.”

“Who’s gonna cut the lawn and clean my house rally.”

“Who’s watching the cats?”

“It’s funny what old people will do for free coffee and donuts.”

“They’re supplementing their SS income. I wonder if they get paid in cash or checks.”

“Going to get their Soros checks right after.”

“Where are the water cannons?”

“How come none of these people have jobs?”

And these are only a few of so many horrendous comments.

It seems to me that because there was one person in a wheelchair, these folks spewed their anti-age vitriol and tried to say that these peaceful demonstrators were paid to be there.

I, on the other hand, didn’t know that there was going to be a protest, or I would have joined them.

Of course, we all want criminals to be deported, but ICE is going after people who have jobs, who have been here for many years and who have families. Many of them do the jobs that so-called Americans don’t want to do. The fact that ICE wears masks, goes after brown-skinned people without warrant, separates families, zip-ties children, and literally “disappears” people the way they do in authoritarian countries is not something that we should venerate the way these commenters did. With Donald Trump as president, there has been a total lack of empathy for people less fortunate than many of us. I am so proud of the way some of our citizens are standing up for them.

The Letter to the Editor written by Mike Anthony [“Need To Adapt,” Letters, November 20] suggested ways that immigration policy could be changed for the better. It’s not that we want completely open borders, but we do care about our neighbors, people who work hard to support families, and the rule of law.

What is currently happening in this country is unconscionable.

Laurel Gerges

Quogue