{"id":346094,"date":"2026-09-14T07:32:08","date_gmt":"2026-09-14T07:32:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/346094\/"},"modified":"2026-09-14T07:32:08","modified_gmt":"2026-09-14T07:32:08","slug":"readers-sound-off-on-protecting-data-privacy-dantes-writings-and-the-9-11-ceremony","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/346094\/","title":{"rendered":"Readers sound off on protecting data privacy, Dante’s writings and the 9\/11 ceremony"},"content":{"rendered":"

The retail lobby\u2019s selling us out to DHS<\/p>\n

Manhattan: Re \u201cOrganized retail crime can be stopped<\/a>\u201d (op-ed, Aug. 8): A coordinated effort from the retail lobby across the country and in New York openly advocates for the Combatting Organized Retail Theft Act, or CORCA. While organized retail theft is a problem, the solution shouldn\u2019t require the retail lobby to sell out Americans to DHS and ICE.<\/p>\n

While CORCA claims to address a legitimate concern, the bill does little to prevent or reduce shoplifting or cargo theft. It would significantly expand DHS\u2019 authority to collect, analyze and share personal data of U.S. citizens, providing few meaningful civil liberties safeguards and limited accountability. The person who decides which data gets shared with DHS will be handpicked by the director of ICE. This comes at a time when ICE, with its masked agents, continues to be responsible for unimaginable tragedies. Supporters ask Americans to trust them that DHS won\u2019t use this vast trove of data for harm. I know I speak for many New Yorkers when I say: We will not simply trust them.<\/p>\n

Knowing that the bill is indefensible on its merits, the retail lobby is urging Congress to sneak it into the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a must-pass legislative package. A broad coalition of more than 130 civil rights, criminal justice reform and immigration groups are asking lawmakers to reject CORCA. Now it\u2019s up to Democrats in the Senate to do so.<\/p>\n

Brian Meegan<\/p>\n

Disenchanted<\/p>\n

Selden, L.I.: What\u2019s happening to Puerto Rico is a shame. \u201cLa isla del encanto\u201d \u2014 Luma Energy is leaving half the island without any lights. Then there is scarcity of water. Meanwhile, they\u2019re leaving broken water pipes everywhere. President Trump should remove their people. They\u2019re creating a famine all over the island.<\/p>\n

Hector Delgado<\/p>\n

His economy<\/p>\n

Massapequa, L.I.: Since our current White House resident is so fond of attaching his name to everything, shouldn\u2019t we call the price increases on his watch \u201cTrumpflation\u201d? I should explain that I removed the \u201cin\u201d from inflation and just added his last name. Clever or dumb?<\/p>\n

Paul Pepe<\/p>\n

Timeless words<\/p>\n

Seaside Heights, N.J.: Today marks the 705th anniversary of the death of Dante Alighieri, Italy\u2019s \u201cIl Sommo Poeta\u201d \u2014 the supreme poet and author of \u201cThe Divine Comedy.\u201d By elevating the language of ordinary people into great literature, he helped establish the linguistic and cultural foundation of a united Italy. For generations of Italian immigrants to New York, that heritage became an enduring bridge between the old world and the new. But Dante\u2019s message belongs to everyone. His journey through Hell, Purgatory and Paradise reminds us that the path toward a better place often begins by confronting darkness. His words, \u201cSegui il tuo corso e lascia dir le genti\u201d \u2014 follow your own course and let people talk \u2014 remain remarkably relevant. Perhaps this anniversary offers an opportunity to welcome Dante\u2019s spirit back into our public life: innovation, imagination, inspiration and intensity.<\/p>\n

Igor La Manna<\/p>\n

Safety first<\/p>\n

Amelia, Va.: Common Sense Media does more than reviews. It trains reviewers to flag \u201cmild peril\u201d: a shove, a scary creature, a jump scare in media made for children or teens. Kids get scared. A bad night of lingering fear is real. But that\u2019s not the same kind of harm as abuse, a violent home, untreated parental mental health problems or a teenager with nowhere safe to go after school being pulled toward drugs or gangs. We already have G, PG, PG-13 and R, plus similar age systems for games and television. Those systems should be accurate and well run. But the evidence of life-changing harm from abuse, violence, instability and neglected mental health is overwhelming. Keep the age bands. Put child-focused money and professional time where the consequences follow a child after the screen goes dark.<\/p>\n

Robert Hammonds<\/p>\n

Disproportionate reality<\/p>\n

Staten Island: Re \u201cThe NYPD is still over-policing Black and Latino men<\/a>\u201d (op-ed, Aug. 16): It\u2019s not that our NYPD is over-policing Black and Latino men. It\u2019s because they are the ones committing most of the crimes.<\/p>\n

Fran Bocignone<\/p>\n

Data mine pollution<\/p>\n

Geneva, N.Y.: I\u2019ve had generally favorable feelings about Gov. Hochul\u2019s administration except for one critical action she has taken. I live on Seneca Lake in the Finger Lakes, and her decision to allow the continuation of Greenidge Generation\u2019s pollution of the lake at Dresden resulting from its Bitcoin mine is atrocious. I think that almost all residents who live on or near the lake are dead set against Greenidge continuing to operate, and per her actions, possibly expand into an AI hyperscale data center. It has to make voters wonder what quid pro quo might be involved. Whatever benefit Hochul might receive from her decision will certainly result in the loss of a substantial number of votes in the region. Her decision to allow the continuing pollution of the largest and deepest of the Finger Lakes is a huge mistake.<\/p>\n

Sam C. Bonney<\/p>\n

Unseemly<\/p>\n

Massapequa, L.I.: Thousands of family members and friends gathered Friday at Ground Zero to remember and mourn loved ones lost in the 9\/11 attacks. It was a solemn day for most people who attended. As the names of the fallen were being read, Mayor Mamdani and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez could be seen sharing a laugh. Really? What in God\u2019s name is wrong with you people? If that wasn\u2019t bad enough, Hochul and Sen. Chuck Schumer were seen slithering away before the ceremony was finished. Do us all a favor and don\u2019t show up to any solemn event if you can\u2019t act appropriately or if you don\u2019t intend on staying past the photo-op! You\u2019re all a bunch of phonies. The families of those heroes deserved better.<\/p>\n

Michael J. Greaney<\/p>\n

Improper attendance<\/p>\n

Clearwater, Fla.: It was bad enough that Mamdani was present at the 9\/11 ceremony after many New Yorkers begged him not to attend. But to carry on smiling and laughing with Ocasio-Cortez during the somber ceremony as many were weeping for their loved ones who perished 25 years ago is a slap in the face to every attendee. It\u2019s apparent that Mamdani and AOC are immature, ignorant of how to conduct themselves and lacking refinement. And just imagine, AOC may be thinking of a presidential run in 2028. Wake up, New Yorkers. It\u2019s time to vote both of these feckless leaders out of office. New York needs some common-sense leadership.<\/p>\n

JoAnn Lee Frank<\/p>\n

Taxpayer-funded<\/p>\n

Brooklyn: Mamdani is using $70 million of taxpayer money to fund city-run grocery stores. The city-subsidized stores will put numerous legitimate grocery stores out of business, of course. Not to worry \u2014 the mayor will then use millions more in taxpayer dollars to give grants to the hard-working people he put out of business. As an unindoctrinated citizen, I find it very hard to comprehend the \u201cwarmth of collectivism.\u201d<\/p>\n

Frank Congiusta<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The retail lobby\u2019s selling us out to DHS Manhattan: Re \u201cOrganized retail crime can be stopped\u201d (op-ed, Aug.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":346095,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[9,24,264,11,10,299],"class_list":["post-346094","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-new-york","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-city","tag-new-york-county","tag-new-york-headlines","tag-new-york-news","tag-opinion"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/346094","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=346094"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/346094\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/346095"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=346094"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=346094"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=346094"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}