LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Stop depending on the government

Posted

Editor, The Press:

(re: “Why did voting precinct move? Nov. 11)

A long time ago, I was attending services at a small church on West Tremont Avenue. When preaching to the parents with school-aged children, the pastor would say, “I don’t want to hear what the government is not doing for you. I don’t want to hear what the teacher is not doing for you. I want to hear what you’ll do for you.”

Barbara Connolly, who wrote a recent letter about why a voting precinct moved, is a wonderful example of relying on government.

For senior citizens who can’t make it to the polls or have difficulty, there is something called absentee voting. There also is early voting, which began Oct. 23.

Ms. Connolly did not specify when she said she got an “e-mail that wouldn’t connect you.” In case it missed her notice, there are other forms of communication. She states she didn’t call the telephone number listed because she was more interested in the candidates. You can’t vote for any candidate if you don’t know where to vote. Nor should you ever assume.

I voted 20 minutes after early voting began. And 10 minutes after early voting began, I did not know where to vote. Three clicks of the mouse button, and I later found out.

There is the main elections board office on Broadway, and there is the office on the Grand Concourse. Either is extraordinarily easy to contact by telephone. Either could assist you in about five minutes.

There is also 311, and while I have not had success every time I called them, the rate has been quite high.

Instead of whining and complaining about what the government is not doing for her, why doesn’t Ms. Connolly understand how different technology and other factors — especially COVID-19 — have made our lives, and be more proactive?

My automobile registration expires Jan. 31. I have not received a renewal notice in the mail. That is because the Department of Motor Vehicles is no longer sending out renewal notices.

Rather than complaining about it, I took the proactive approach. I telephoned them and scheduled an appointment at a local DMV. That is what people who don’t make excuses do.

Nat Weiner

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Nat Weiner,

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