56 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, December 1, 2017
READERS WRITE
Phillips’ questionable social media use
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n a previous letter to your publication, I pointed out that state Sen. Elaine Phillips was using paid social media ads in an ethically questionable way. I also suggested that Phillips clear up any potential conflict of interest by publicly disclosing how such ads were being funded and how much was being spent on each ad. Well, of course, Phillips has done none of those things. In fact, her recent social media ads
have been what I can only describe as frivolous and wasteful. One example is a “sponsored” Facebook post Phillips published on Oct. 20. The entire content of this post was Phillips bragging about an award she had received from the American Institute of Architects. It is, of course, Phillips’ prerogative to share such an achievement on her official Facebook page. However, it is not her prerogative to spend what I assume
is taxpayer money to promote a post with no educational or informative value. Phillips placed a similar Facebook ad on Nov. 24. In that “sponsored” post, Phillips’ staff congratulated her on her progress toward achieving a fifth degree black belt. Unless Phillips’ staff took up a collection to pay Facebook, there is no way they can justify “sponsoring” that post. Like the Oct. 20 ad before it,
it was completely devoid of educational or informative value. Since these ads revert to ordinary unpaid posts after a short time and don’t leave tangible evidence behind, Phillips and her people seem to think they can waste taxpayer money with impunity. Hopefully, the residents of New York’s 7th District will hold Phillips to account for this cavalier attitude. While she isn’t up for re-elec-
tion until next fall, don’t be afraid to call her Mineola office at (516) 746-5924 in the meantime and share your opinion on this matter. Of course, if taxpayers aren’t footing the bill for these ads, I would love for Phillips or a member of her staff to write in to this publication and set the record straight. However, I won’t hold my breath. Matthew Zeidman New Hyde Park
Civil liberties lawyer questions VGN plan
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ough to swallow, even harder to digest were statements made by New York Civil Liberties Union (Nassau County Chapter) Director, Susan Gotterher, at a recent Village of Great Neck Board of Trustees meeting. Her appearance – a scant 48 hours before Nov. 23 – Ms. Gotterher did not endure a tedious village Agenda in order to wish those in attendance – Happy Thanksgiving. Be skeptical (she advised). Be very skeptical of outside consultants who attempt to sell (unsuspecting) leaders a bill of goods. The Smart City wireless technology system authorized by the Mayor and Board (with minimum public awareness — let alone public awareness of the system’s full range of capabilities) — had been recommended by a consulting com-
pany with a poor track record (she said). And this new, untested system (for which Great Neck residents will be the guinea pigs) has an extremely high failure rate elsewhere (she warned). This system (with 800 new LED street lights) is scheduled to start being implemented on Monday, Nov. 27. It will require approximately four weeks to be completely installed, according to Joe Gill, Village Clerk. At the conclusion of a rather unnerving, eye-opening letter which she read aloud (and submitted to Village Attorney, Peter Bee), Ms. Gottehrer advised that if they failed to have thorough understanding and answers to the points she raised with respect to safe practices and procedures for data, then they (our elected leaders) were not in a good position to go forward with this imminent proj-
ect. Her abbreviated remarks were as follows: This system (with the addition of two wires) has audio and video surveillance capabilities. Did someone forget to share this information with Village of Great Neck residents? This system will collect data. Do our elected officials fully understand who will be in possession of this sensitive data? Do they understand the term, “hacking?” Who in the village has the skill set to manage the Smart System (and the sensitive data) after the ten-month initial pilot program? Do elected officials understand the consultants they authorized are merely middle men who will be hiring more contractors to perform this complex installation? Did I mention that these (original) consultants have a poor track record? Shouldn’t all recommenda-
tions (by these consultants) be viewed as highly suspect? Two concerned Great Neck residents have given hundreds of un-paid hours of their time over two years to deliver a similar message, but they did not possess the credibility of the NYCLU. So while the satisfaction of finally being validated may be sweet — the message remains the same. Not all technology is good technology. Not all consultants, with sweet talk and big promises, should be invited into our incorporated villages to make sweeping changes that may or may not be in the public’s best or secure interest. Tomorrow morning, when you start your day, sprinkle a healthy dose of skepticism on your corn flakes. Are you listening Long Island leaders? Are you listening Village of Great Neck Board of
Trustees? By the way, did you fail to inform the Great Neck public before unanimously awarding and upping another new consultant’s fee from $10,000 to $100,000? This recently approved contract is intended to authorize consultants to assess Middle Neck Road for future growth and development. Why are you planning on obtaining public input After the consultants have already lined their pockets? What happened to public input first and transparency first. Let’s be thankful for the gift of free speech and let us turn these scenarios around — before the damage is done — and the damage is lasting. We are counting on you, Mayor Bral, to get it right. Judy Shore Rosenthal Village of Great Neck
In U.S. of Trump, don’t expect justice Continued from Page 16 Controlling the press/defanging the Fourth Estate: the role of a free press is to serve as a watchdog on those in power, especially the government. Trump has waged an actual de-legitimizing campaign, calling every story and every media organization which raises questions about his governance and his administration as “fake news”, actually threatening to take away a broadcast license, and now, sending his DoJ to challenge a merger between AT&T and Time Warner (for the first time since Nixon) not be-
cause it is monopolistic, but to force Time Warner to shed CNN, the object of a Trump vendetta. And yet, the Trump Administration’s FCC, under Ajit Pai, a former Verizon executive, has no problem with the merger of ultra-conservative Sinclair Broadcast Group with Tribune Media which would reach 72 percent of American homes. This follows Pai’s determination to overturn net neutrality, which is designed to give a level playing field across the now ubiquitous and essential cyberspace. Just this week, James
O’Keefe, whose scams have brought down Acorn and Planned Parenthood, through his Project Veritas, tried to scam the Washington Post in order to bolster Roy Moore. O’Keefe should be prosecuted for industrial sabotage and fraud – no different than poisoning a Tylenol bottle. But a politicized Department of Justice under Sessions won’t prosecute. On the other hand, a West Virginia reporter was arrested simply for shouting out a question about health care at (then) HHS Secretary Tom Price and a
Code Pink activist was arrested, prosecuted and tried for giggling during Jeff Sessions’ confirmation hearing. Discrimination in sentencing: African-American men serve prison sentences that average almost 20 percent longer than those served by white men for similar crimes, according to a study by the U.S. Sentencing Commission. There has a consequence for voting rights as well, with as many as 6 million blacks (one in 13) disenfranchised because of a prison record. Raise your hand if you be-
lieve Jared Kushner will ever go to jail for lying to Congress and federal agent, conspiracy, treason, dealing with sanctioned Russian banks and oligarchs, and obstruction of justice? Can you imagine what would happen if instead of Don Jr., it was Chelsea Clinton who met with the Russians? But as long as you can imagine a different result depending upon who is president, judge, prosecutor or defendant, or which party is in control of Congress, there is no “rule of law” or equal justice.