Feedback: An Alum Leads a Recovery; Defending Trump; Coexisting with Sharks

Preventing a Repeat of the Merrimack Valley Gas Explosions

A FABULOUS ARTICLE about Joseph Albanese (Questrom’92) and recovery from the Merrimack Valley gas explosions (“It Was a Suburban Disaster. Questrom Alum Joseph Albanese Led a Military Recovery.” Summer 2019), but nothing is said about preventing a repeat. Columbia Gas was not solely responsible for the gas explosions. The government of the commonwealth of Massachusetts bears some serious responsibility for a poorly drafted law on the books. If I want to replace a stove in my home, I have to use a licensed plumber or gas fitter. If Columbia Gas wants to replace gas mains in the street, they do not have to use licensed plumbers and gas fitters. This statute is beyond belief.

Stuart Schrier (LAW’81)
Dorchester, Mass.

In Defense of Trump’s Immigration Policy

IT’S SAD THE AUTHOR of this article (“Paving the Way to Citizenship,” Summer 2019) would write that President Trump is hostile toward immigrants and making it harder to apply for citizenship. In fact, President Trump totally supports legal immigration and a pathway to legal citizenship.

Peter Parsons (COM’65)
Mission Viejo, Calif.

I FIND THE SENTENCE “With President Trump’s hostility toward immigrants and his recent policy proposals that would make it harder to apply for citizenship—and the fear his administration has sown among green card holders as well as those who are undocumented…” highly partisan, divisive, and misleading, if not hateful. I was admitted to this country in 1977 as a “Refugee, conditional entrant,” received my green card in 1979, and was naturalized at Faneuil Hall in 1982 with my wife and three children. After my wife passed in 2006, I remarried, to a Hungarian woman. She obtained her green card and subsequently became a naturalized US citizen this year.

Her Hungarian friends told her in November 2016 that “Trump will kick you out of the United States because he does not like immigrants,” or something similar. What really happened was that our Trump yard sign was stolen. These things are the result of anti-Trump sentences like the one in your article.

I did not find Trump hostile toward me, my family, or now toward my immigrant wife. My wife had no fear as a green card holder, her citizenship application was straightforward—we did it on our own. The process was completed in less than nine months. President Trump’s policies are designed to maintain law and order in this country. Congress’ role is to make or change immigration laws, open the borders, and give documents to those undocumented if it so decides in our democracy.

I am proud of my MBA from BU, sent one of my sons to BU, and wish that Bostonia magazine would remain fair and truthful.

Janos G. Komaromi (Questrom’82)
North Andover, Mass.

Swimming with Sharks

I APPRECIATE Greg Skomal’s advocacy of compassionate coexistence with seals and sharks (“Sharks Return to the Spotlight. So Does Greg Skomal.” Summer 2019). As he notes, people have to manage their own behavior.

David E. Shellenberger (LAW’78)
Bethel, Conn.

Props from Our Readers

CONGRATULATIONS ON THE changes to the most recent Bostonia. I usually skip around to read various articles, but when this issue arrived I was hooked on the first article and then read every article cover to cover. Thank you for making Bostonia a very enjoyable read!

Alice (Pyle) LaMarche (Sargent’66)
Rockledge, Fla.

I JUST WANTED to share how much I have enjoyed the past two alumni magazines, Winter–Spring 2019 and Summer 2019. I have always been a proud Terrier, but this year I have been reading Bostonia with awe and appreciation—cover to cover—to learn what our wonderful University is putting out into this world. I’m so proud. I love BU—now and always. Bostonia is a must-read. Keep it up.

Molly Weinberger (Wheelock’95)
New York, N.Y.

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