Long
Island Advance
July 15, 2010
Sophomoric behavior
representative of
county
Childishness and bullying were
evident on June 19 at a press
conference held in Yaphank by
Brookhaven Councilwoman Kepert and
County Legislator Browning in regard
to a recent Pine Barrens Commission
ruling that places the future of the
Suffolk County Trap & Skeet Range in
jeopardy.
The
supporters of the range chose this
moment to display immaturity that I
wouldn’t have believed possible if I
hadn’t seen and heard it myself. The
inconsiderate, churlish and vulgar
behavior demonstrated by the
supporters of the range, though
staggering, was not surprising.
Apparently, their job was to
interfere with whatever was said by
anyone who appeared to be “against”
the range and when Kepert and
Browning spoke, their comments were
completely drowned out by sophomoric
and infantile ranting.
This time was different in that any
semblance of decency was thrown out
the window especially when the
range’s concessionaire chose this
very public moment to not once, but
twice, verbally assault a woman from
our community by screaming
obscenities at her at the top of his
lungs in front of over a dozen
witnesses, two newspaper reporters,
children from our neighborhood and
children that some of the range
supporters brought with them. He
actually had to be restrained by one
of his own employees who perhaps
sensed that his anger might escalate
beyond verbal abuse and ushered him
from the area.
The
concessionaire is in all respects a
representative of the county. If he
chooses to verbally attack a woman
in public and encourage this sort of
behavior demonstrated by his
supporters then what does that say
about the county itself? The actions
of the concessionaire at the range
as well as the childishness of those
who are quite fond of telling
everyone about “their rights” is a
virtual carbon copy of the way in
which County Executive Steve Levy
chooses to deal with adversity—to
cover his ears while someone else is
talking.
John Matthews
Yaphank
