To the editor,
Councilman Vincent Gentile’s and Justin Brannan’s op-letter in the Dec. 2–8 issue of the Bay Ridge Courier distorts America’s history of immigration. There are two sets of immigrants: Those who built America and those who siphon its riches. Since both Messrs. Gentile and Brannan are educated, I must conclude that they know the clear distinction between classes of immigrants and are making an attempt to deceive the readers for political gain.
The authors’ statement “Diverse cultures … are the backbone of our country” is misleading since, en masse, pre-mid-’60s, immigrants came here legally, did not break U.S. law, assimilated and welcomed the opportunity to work while practicing their culture without disrupting America.
They are the ones who built America. They did not work in the underground economy, and they did not ask politicians to steal American workers’ hard-earned money in exchange for votes.
Emma Lazarus wrote in part (in “The New Colossus”), “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,” not “Give me your criminals, your freeloaders, your dysfunctional messes yearning to live for free.”
Elected officials on both sides of the aisle have made gross errors that have led to the current immigration debacle. Two such errors are President Lyndon Johnson’s Immigration and Nationality Act of 1964 that abolished quota systems based on national origin, and President Ronald Reagan’s Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, which was an amnesty law that allowed some 3 million illegals to remain in the United States.
Messrs. Gentile’s and Brannan’s pet peeve is that Donald Trump said disparaging remarks against women and made offensive remarks towards many individuals. All true, but the authors’ primary objective should be the wellbeing of America, not their personal idiosyncrasies.
Democrats rigged the primary to insure that Hillary Clinton was their candidate. Perhaps if Trump would have run against a candidate other than Hillary — say, Elizabeth Warren or Bernie Sanders — he might have lost. The authors should be concerned with a crooked Democratic party, not with Trump.
One would think that with New York City as a haven for illegals (better known as a sanctuary city), a Marxist communist mayor who has been running for re-election since Day One while involved in unethical and possibly illegal shenanigans, additionally spewing anti-cop rhetoric and allowing criminals to pursue their trade unabated, the writers would be concerned with rectifying the mess left by Bloomberg and continuing with comrade Bill. Aiding Preet Bharara in his federal investigations would be a good start.
America stood up to a lawless Obama as a mass repudiation of his domestic and foreign policies, with Hillary as his Secretary of State for half of his tenure. America rejected the status quo along with the oppression of the blue-collar working class, they rejected the snobs in Washington’s inner circle, they rejected illegal immigration, they rejected Obama’s business-stifling regulations, and they rejected the mainstream media telling them that Hillary had won before the first vote was cast. The fed-up consortium came to the polls, voted for a better America, and won.
But, of course, Messrs. Gentile and Brannan want to continue their misguided and failed liberal activism. Why? Post-WWII liberal policies have failed across the board.
How many times can you hit yourselves over your heads before you realize that it’s dangerous? The authors additionally state that “The soul of America is on trial here” and “It’s time for us to stand up and testify.” We did, gentlemen — on Nov. 8, America stood up and said, “Enough.” Contrary to the authors’ opinions, America’s divisiveness is about those who want to change America for the better and those who don’t. From your op-letter gentlemen, I know which side you’re on. How misguided and sad, how very, very sad!Elio Valenti
Not news
To the editor,
Since Donald Trump was elected, I have seen the media scramble for anything they can find to implicate that election in a rise in “hate crimes.”
Really? Nasty graffiti scrawled on a subway bench insulting Allah is a hate crime? Why do we never hear that word used when a Catholic church is vandalized? Idiot kids drawing swastikas on a playground sign — a hate crime?
Unfortunately none of this is new to us here in NYC. This crap was around all through the Obama administration and well before that, but liberals are selective in their outrage. This 64-year-old remembers swastikas scratched on bathroom doors way back in high school. The only thing different now is that the media jumps on anything to fuel the fires touting the “epidemic of hate.”
We NYers live, work, and commute cheek by jowl with a panoply of ethnicities, races, religions, and varied gender identities — we don’t have to love it all, but we sure don’t hate each other or this city would be in tatters.
There will always be nasty, sick, and prejudiced people who go after those who are different from them, and they should feel the full force of the law when they menace or — God forbid — physically attack. And there will always be stupid kids who write offensive things on subway benches and locker room doors — some are so sick as to deface a house of worship.
Of course there is no excuse for this behavior, and there is also no excuse for the nonsensical level of panic and hysteria following the Trump election. Life goes on and as the bible says, “There is nothing new under the sun.”
Let’s keep things in perspective, Okay?Anna Czarnowski
Queens
Liberal lackeys
To the editor
I’m a subscriber to Courier Life for many years and enjoyed publications, but after departure of Shavanna Abruzzo, Stan Gershbein, Carmen Santa Maria; your Newspaper became just another lackey for “The New York Times” and liberals trying to destroy our country. So since now on, please, cancel my subscription, because every issue goes to the garbage can, straight from the mailbox.
Regards.Michael Frishberg
Marine Park
Shelter skelter
To the editor,
In late 2015, the residents of the Brooklyn neighborhood Kensington received news that a homeless shelter would be going up in their neighborhood. People were concerned. A Facebook group formed. Residents expressed their fears.
One Kensington resident, Catherine Barufaldi, expressed a simple sentiment: “How they are welcomed will speak volumes about each of us and our community as a whole.”
Kensington took this call to action seriously. The community’s local Girl Scout troop designed welcome cards for the shelter’s first residents. Others donated gift cards to local supermarkets and businesses, along with cookies, toys, games, and diapers. As a result of their efforts, they have been recognized as a compassionate community by the Coalition for the Homeless.
Maspeth and Kensington are demographically similar places. Maspeth, in fact, has a higher average income than Kensington. The two communities’ crime rates are identical. There is no clear reason these communities should react in such wildly divergent ways to the same issue.
But Kensington threw its time and energy into supporting the homeless. Maspeth has spent its time and energy on constant protests to show them just how unwelcome and unwanted they are.
Ostensibly, the shelter protests are about solutions, not shelters. Shelters, to be sure, are not ideal. Homelessness and poverty are complex issues, and it is well within any residents right to disagree with the mayor’s approach to these issues. But this rallying cry would be much easier to take seriously if there was any indication that any of these protesters were working for real solutions. Instead, it is transparently clear that the groups primary concern with the Holiday Inn shelter is not its lack of kitchens or subway service, but its proximity to their own backyard.
Thirty-five homeless people froze to death on the streets of New York last year. These people probably would have benefited from affordable housing initiatives. They would have benefitted from facilities with kitchens. But, first and foremost, they needed shelter. In winter, lack of shelter kills.
Maspeth’s protests speak volumes about the community as a whole. It should rethink what it has decided to say.Sarah Jaffe
Queens
Stan and Carmine
To the editor,
Your farewell tribute to Shavanna was excellent. However, you were very unfair to Stan and Carmine by not at least giving them the same opportunity to say farewell to their readers after writing for your publication for over 20 years.
I know how they feel, because about a year ago I was let go from Sheep
Allan Rosen
Manhattan Beach
What the frack
To the editor,
I would like to draw attention to the new power plant under construction in Wawayanda, New York, the CPV power plant. Although the power facility is located 80 miles north of Brooklyn, the effects and implications of the plants completion is dire for the safety of all New Yorkers.
In 2014 fracking was banned in New York State thanks to the efforts of grassroots environmental organizations like the Food & Water Watch. Although fracking is banned, the CPV power plant will be using fracked gas to fuel energy production. This in itself undermines Governor Cuomo’s fracking ban.
Moreover, the sheer development of this facility only strengthens our dependency on fossil fuel use and implies that we will rely on it for decades to come, as the infrastructure developed today is intended for long-term use. This fossil fuel dependency is detrimental to any efforts performed by New York City to reduce our emissions, especially if the emissions are being produced just north of the city. The CPV power plant is a dangerous idea and needs to be stopped.
Nicholas Ali
Canarsie
