November 10, 2007: Vol. 30, No. 44

To the editor,

In response to Gersh Kuntzman’s recent column about bike riding (“They all want me dead now,” Park Slope edition and online, Oct. 20), Gersh would not have to publish his obit, because he would be gone. I, on the other hand, would have to make funeral arrangements and have to bury my younger son. This is something a parent should not have to do.

As a devoted father of two special children, Jane and Ben, consider what life would be for them without a dad. Gersh should reconsider his mode of transportation for the future.

Wishing him a long, productive and happy life.

Bernice Kuntzman, Rye Brook, New York

Editor’s Note: The writer is the mother of Brooklyn Paper Editor Gersh Kuntzman.

Go go Gowanus

To the editor,

In a recent column (“Big Plans for Canal’s Future,” Carroll Gardens edition and online, Oct. 26), Ariella Cohen mischaracterizes the position of a broad coalition of groups that have come together to advance a vision for the Gowanus Canal.

People in our community have big dreams for the area around the Gowanus Canal — a unique mixed-use place, affordable housing for a wide range of people, good jobs, and a better environment.

But they also have legitimate concerns about out-of-control development, fly-by-night contractors, housing they could never afford, architecture that takes away from our quality-of-life, and growth without plans for traffic or schools.

Our new coalition of community, housing, labor, environmental, manufacturing, and arts groups addresses both the dreams and the concerns. Our platform (available at www.prattcenter.net) calls for development that is green and affordable and mixed-use — and also fits into the surrounding community.

Along the way, we will have tough decisions to make, and there will likely be some tradeoffs between density in some places and our other goals (affordability, creating and preserving good jobs, infrastructure investments).

What’s important is that we have a transparent and open process in place so that people who live in the neighborhood have a real voice in the future of their community.

Brad Lander, Park Slope

The writer is a member of CB6

Post-it not

To the editor,

Hey, I love The Paper, but what’s with those headlines? Yeesh!

I like puns as much as the next gay, but “Gays won’t shack up with Bruce” (Oct. 27) reeks of the New York Post, a paper I don’t believe our borough’s best newspaper should emulate.

“Shacking up” is an outmoded and derogatory term for two adults living together without getting married. Many straight people already believe that gay people are immoral — and the use of such a term reinforces stereotypes about gay and lesbian people.

As such, it denigrates the many fine citizens of Brooklyn who have not yet won equal marriage rights.

Dave Hall, Boerum Hill

Monitor this!

To the editor,

There is no logical reason for the city to be trying to push the Monitor Museum folks off their property using eminent domain (“Will Greenpoint museum be next victim of city land grab?” Williamsburg-Greenpoint edition and online, Nov. 3).

The city claims to be doing it in order to create public waterfront access. The Monitor Museum has always wanted community waterfront access. Instead of taking the land, the city should be helping the Monitor Museum move forward in its efforts to create a home.

Laura Hofmann, Greenpoint

Capone speaks!

To the editor,

As a mother of three small children, I wanted to create a pre-school experience that gives parents piece of mind that their kids are not only safe, but growing and learning about the world (“Day-care center in a bind,” Park Slope edition and online, Oct. 27).

My staff and I were overwhelmed by the positive response of parents who enrolled their children. We were blown away by the continued support of the patient parents on the waiting list for Parker’s Place.

Parker’s Place is a labor of love. It is a pre-school with a heart and a soul, designed with input from both parents and children.

I wish I could say the same about getting permits and approvals from the city. Trying to navigate the departments like Buildings and Health is like a fraternity hazing. For months, my staff and architect attempted to get straight answers from the Buildings Department. What we have learned — the hard way — is that there are no clear rules, each office gives you a different answer, and different people in the same office interpret regulations differently. The lack of accountability and clear decision-making has made this experience much harder than it needed to be.

Deborah Capone, Park Slope

The writer is the operator of Parker’s Place

Raising them right

To the editor,

Smartmom has made my day — no, my year (“Teen Spirit is her little mushroom,” Nov. 3)!

In her column, she showed that she has learned the hardest lesson of truly good parenting: that children have their own songs inside of themselves, gifts that they brought with them that only have a little bit to do with you, and if you just provide safety and a minimal amount of basic guidance and nurturance, those gifts will express themselves magnificently.

It takes true love and the dedicated downsizing of one’s ego to be able to acknowledge that one’s child is “growing on his own without the bright artificial light of his mother’s attention.” If I could, I would give Smartmom the equivalent of the Best Parent Oscar for that awareness.

Peter Loffredo, Windsor Terrace

©2007 The Brooklyn Paper