To the editor,
In her April 4 op-ed (“Linda Sarsour: NYC’s Queen of Hate”) in the New York Post, Lahav Harkov, The Jerusalem Post’s senior Knesset correspondent, takes on Linda Sarsour for preaching hatred as she portrays herself as a champion of equality. Ms. Harkov is right on target. Sarsour’s hateful rhetoric, her support of far-left causes, and her belief in Sharia law are well known in the communities of Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights that she calls home.
In short, Ms. Sarsour is radical and wrong in her views. As Harkov says in her piece, this past week Sarsour shared a dais with Rasmea Odeh, who “was convicted in Israel of killing two Hebrew University students in a 1969 terrorist attack and of planning an attack on the British Consulate … Odeh has become a leftist hero. Sunday night she and Sarsour embraced, and Sarsour gushed to the audience about feeling ‘honored and privileged to be here in this space, and honored to be on this stage with Rasmea.’ ”
Ms. Harkov also briefly cites Linda Sarsour’s activities as executive director of the Arab-American Association of New York (AAANY). This organization is worth a far closer look. The New York Post reported on March 13 that the nonprofit hosted political functions for the Muslim Democrats and a phone-bank used by Sen. Bernie Sanders during his bid for president; violations of both state and federal laws!
On March 20, I sent a letter calling on New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman to investigate the AAANY, Ms. Sarsour, and its treasurer, Khader El-Yateem to see, if in fact, taxpayer dollars were used to promote political activity. To date, the attorney general’s office has not replied. Significantly, Mr. El-Yateem is a Democratic candidate in Brooklyn’s 43rd City Council District, and Sarsour is his biggest supporter, who emceed his campaign kickoff announcement. Sarsour stated: “If you elect Khader El-Yateem you will have better than the first Arab-American into the City Council. If you get him you get all of us into the City Council.” Brooklyn does not need someone who represents Linda Sarsour’s views in City Hall.
I hope readers would join me in calling for this investigation. This is America, Linda Sarsour is allowed to spew all the hate she wants, but she can’t use our hard-earned tax dollars to help finance her far-left friends.
Bob Capano
Bay Ridge
Bob Capano is a Republican candidate for Council in the 43rd District, covering Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bath Beach and Bensonhurst.
Seeking the truth
To the editor,
The fool in the White House who, in my opinion, is our make-believe President, lied about his tax return. He should release all his tax returns like all the other commander-in-chiefs. It is time to get to the truth about this information.
He lied about former President Obama hacking in Trump Towers. He lied about former Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara when he said he would keep him on.
Trump and the Republican Congress lied about healthcare. Why can’t we the people get the same health care that Congressmen and Senators get? We the American taxpayers are paying for Senators’ and Congressmen’s health insurance. Trump also lied about the Russian meddling in the American election.
Trump’s Republican slaves (especially House Speaker Paul Ryan, who originally didn’t want Trump to be President) should know better. They should tell the truth that they in fact do not care about low- and middle-income people. Robert W. Lobenstein
Marine Park
Schools are failing
To the editor,
Another day in the NYC school system and we had a stabbing occurr at John Bowne H.S. in Queens. This is allowed to go on since our politicians and so-called school experts refuse to acknowledge that the lack of discipline in far too many schools is the major reason for school failure. Imagine having these recalcitrant students in your class? Teaching is hard enough. You don’t need to deal with a criminal element in the schools. Some hard jail time is in order for these fiends followed by community service — cleaning out the bathrooms would be a perfect chore for them.
Our ultra-liberal lunatics refuse to do anything about behavior in the schools. Imagine, teachers are rated for competence while having potential killers in the classroom. In addition, far too many schools are led by Leadership Academy principals who never taught and are rating teachers. Let them go into the trenches and learn about the rigors of classroom teaching.
One is not allowed to mention the old term of the 600 schools for the unruly. As soon as those schools were closed, education in this city went southward quickly when this group was allowed to reenter classrooms.Why doesn’t the UFT demand the return of such schools? Has the hierarchy of this union been out of the classroom so long that they just no longer care?
Taxpayer money should not be going to schools where mayhem persists. Stop blaming teachers for the ills of society. Bring back the 600 schools and accept zero tolerance for disciplinary infractions. Make sure assistant principals and principals have taught for 10 years or more before entering the world of supervision.Ed Greenspan
Sheepshead Bay
Unreal estate
To the editor,
There seems to be one hideous structure going up in Sheepshead Bay. I believe the address is 1501 Voorhies Ave. This building is a terrible eyesore — dwarfing the entire neighborhood. How is it possible that the real estate industry has grown so powerful under Mayor DeBlasio? We have motels springing up all over the city, primarily to house homeless people. Unfounded perhaps, but not far-fetched, homeless being brought into the city, so (thus) the need for more motels.
The mayor is looking outside for funds because of litigation; his cronies seem to have a chokehold on the real estate industry. Take a look at this monstrosity in Sheepshead Bay and wonder how this could happen. Are the real estate people coming to his aid with much-needed money for criminal charges that are being brought up?Arnold Katz
Sheepshead Bay
It can be done
To the editor,
It makes sense for the MTA to cancel its ill-conceived subway station garbage can removal program. In the 1960s it was common to find both penny gum and soda machines dispensing products at many subway stations. Clean and safe bathrooms were readily available. It was a time when people respected authority and law. Previous generations of riders did not litter subway stations and buses, leaving behind gum, candy wrappers, paper cups, bottles and newspapers. No one would openly eat pizza, chicken, or other messy foods while riding a bus or subway. Everyone paid their way and there was no fare evasion.
Fast forward to today. Commuters have to deal with conductors who close the doors while [passengers are] crossing the platform attempting to transfer from a local to the express train. Try looking for the proper way to dispose of your old newspaper as more trash cans are removed from more stations. Riders have to deal with aggressive panhandlers, [riders] eating as if [they are] at home or [in a] restaurant, those hogging two seats, yawning, coughing or sneezing without covering up, and the release of flatulence. Women are routinely accosted by gropers while perverts engage in other unhealthy sexual activities.
It is now time to add, not remove, the number of garbage cans. NYC Transit should consider installing separate cans for recycling newspapers, plastic and glass, along with regular garbage. Selling advertising on sides of cans could generate revenues to help cover the costs of more frequent off-peak and late-night collection and disposal. If asked, the city Department of Sanitation would consider doing the same on the street adjacent to subway station entrances.
There are also solutions to dealing with waiting for or riding the subway and having the “urge to go.” The odds of finding a working bathroom for “relief” may be too late. Until the early 1960s, most subway stations had clean, safe, working bathrooms with toilet paper. Revenues generated from a 10-cent fee helped cover the costs. Why not consider charging a fee between 25 cents and a dollar? That would generate revenues to assign a matron along with covering security and maintenance costs. This could help provide secure, fully-equipped bathrooms at most of the 468 subway stations. Many riders would gladly pay this small price to ensure working bathrooms rather than face the current unpleasant alternatives.Larry Penner
Great Neck