|
An
open letter to Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy:
Long Island
Advance August 2, 2007
Since
you re-opened the Trap and Skeet Gun Facility in
Southaven Park a year ago, we have displayed protest
signs on our property along our backyard. During the
night of July 4, someone shot one of our protest signs.
The police officer that responded to our call on July 5
stated that it was three shots from a shotgun, and he
recovered two of the shells. The gun shot went through
the sign and our fence. Since then we have witnessed
cars pulling over and individuals jumping out and
kicking down the signs, driving by and yelling
obscenities day and night, and our garbage being strewn
across the road. The community has documented a very
long list of other incidents that seemingly coincide
shortly after any form of protesting or public speaking
against the gun range. All incidents have been reported
to COPE.
You
seem to think this was a great idea, re-opening a closed
gun range in a growing residential area, but we can
assure you it was not. It is time for you to take action
and stop the insanity. The situation is out of hand and
is getting worse.
We
are appalled that you have re-opened this facility and
yet you have not come to see firsthand what you have
inflicted on us. You have destroyed the quality of our
lives and thousands of others. The constant sound of
impulse gunshot noise is enough to make any sane person
mad. Maybe the residents here should come to your
neighborhood on a Sunday morning at 9 a.m. and share the
“Sounds of Yaphank” with you. We are sure your family
and neighbors would not appreciate the startling sound,
and just maybe, you would call code enforcement and ask
them to issue noise violation tickets to us. We hope
the campaign benefits you received for this debacle were
worth it knowing you have destroyed our peace and the
negative impact you have had on thousands of lives. It’s
all on your shoulders now, Levy.
Joanne Steigerwald
Yaphank
|
