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The wrong island
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The Oct. 15 letter "The Face of Christ" advises all political candidates to venture to Ellis Island to read the memorable last lines of Emma Lazarus' poem "The New Colossus" on the base of the Statue of Liberty.
Though Ellis Island is located in New York Harbor, the Statue of Liberty, also in New York Harbor, is located on Liberty Island, formerly Bedloe's Island, not on Ellis Island, where immigrants previously were required to land. The writer directed the readers to the wrong island.
In a small way, this indicates the need to better educate students with our history and geography.
Incidentally, in 1956, by a joint session of Congress, a bill changing the name "Bedloe's Island" to "Liberty Island" was signed into law by President Eisenhower.
WILLIAM E. COYLE
Bethel Park
First Published October 31, 2012 12:00 am
