Sound Off To The Editor

To the editor,

I just spent a few days in Philadelphia, showing my grandsons where our American history began. First stop was the Liberty Bell, where people proudly stood alongside, posing for photo after photo. The next stop was Ben Franklin’s grave to pay our respects, then to the immense United States Mint across the street, where millions of coins are made each year. A final trek was taken to our appointed tour of Independence Hall, where the 1776 Declaration to make us independent from England was made. Here, too, we saw the desks where representatives of the newly-free 13 colonies, now states, worked out details for our Constitution. I was rather dismayed, though, that there, on U.S. government–National Park property, the gift shops were selling memorabilia all made in China or other foreign countries. I was going to buy a Liberty Bell for the kids but those were all made in Taiwan. I was about to buy a copy of the Declaration of Independence only to find that it was printed in Vietnam. And the real kicker — the U.S. Mint was selling American-made coins, though all other mint related items in the gift shop were from China.

I would think we would be supporting our fellow Americans by selling American-made items in government run parks and facilities. I guess I was wrong. Is there anything that can be done to establish and enforce a “Buy America First” rule so we will be spending money for memorabilia, and that money would stay on American soil?Robert W. Lobenstein

Marine Park

Giving ‘em hail

To the editor,

Today any shlemiel or shlepper can become a taxi driver by simply owning a driver’s license. Just send away for it and receive “TC” plates to put on your car. Now, you are a full-fledged cabbie and can charge for rides.

I’ve been putting band-aids on my family myself for years. Can I apply for “MD” plates? If yes, call me Doc.

Bill Glassman

Sheepshead Bay

Let Hizzoner do it

To the editor,

Governor Andy Cuomo is to be commended for calling a special session of the State Legislature and extending control for two more years. The New York City public schools system should be at the control of the mayor to allocate funds as His Honor sees fit. Mayor DeBlasio is correct that with 132 local school boards that would be added would cost the city $1.2 billion. It does not take much courage to force a measure down a subordinate’s throat and have him or her assume responsibility if there is limited or no control. If the state were to incur the expense for the municipality out of (its) own pocketbook that would be a topic meritorious to consider. As it stands now, if the state takes control (it) should pay for it. Now, if all does not go well with the mayor taking control, there is no reason why the city can’t elect a new mayor. Remember, he who pays the piper should call the tune.

Elliott Abosh

Brighton Beach

Count him out

To the editor,

My response to the DeBlasio campaign committee. Day after day I receive solicitations from them asking for donations. I have repeatedly asked them to remove my name from their mailing list but they refuse to. Please consider printing my response to them which appears in the next paragraph. Thanks.

On Tue, Jul 11, 2017 at 06:03 PM, Bill DeBlasio wrote:

Good evening, Edward. Thank you for opening this email. I’ll keep it short. As I think you know, we have an important campaign fundraising deadline that comes to a close at midnight tonight.

So I want to ask you to donate to my re-election. And I want you to do it for a specific reason. I want you to donate because you believe that with four more years we can continue to make tremendous progress towards ensuring every single person has the opportunity to make it in New York City — no matter where they come from or matter how much money they have.

Bill DeBlasio

Real quick: Remove my e-mail address from your list. Voting for you once was more than enough. On numerous solicitations, I have asked you to remove my name and your campaign has not complied. Who is working for your campaign, special education students in the New York City school system? Enough is enough. Please follow my instructions and delete my e-mail from your mailing list. Why can’t this be done? How stupid are the people who work for you? I’d never vote for you again. Let’s see: Rachael Noerdlinger, constantly at odds with the police; increase of homeless people and panhandling in the streets; you made sure to give us Melissa Mark-Viverito as head of the City Council. She supports FALN terrorists, and with Gail Brewer proposed Ethel Rosenberg Day. How do you honor a convicted spy who got the electric chair? Class sizes in public schools remain high. Complete lack of discipline helped by you and the Chancellor decreasing suspensions. We have to pay your lawyers from taxes? Going to Germany while the city grieved the loss of a police officer who was assassinated by someone who should have met his maker years before.

You probably agree with Judge Schiffman in freeing recalcitrant people, one of whom tried to grab a police officer’s gun. You are a disgrace to the city. Even those of us who voted for Mrs. Clinton will not vote for you.Ed Greenspan

Sheepshead Bay

Slime doesn’t pay

To the editor,

Community Board 10 wants a clean sweep? Go right to the source…how about a clean sweep of the uncivil slime-balls who dump garbage in our neighborhoods? The Department of Sanitation can only do so much and cops are tethered from enforcing quality-of-life crimes by Mayor DeBlasio. How many New York City neighborhoods have declined because good people have left leaving the slime-culture behind? Fuhgeddaboudit! Civility is gone.

Consider Bay Ridge from Third Avenue and above…

I observe illegals on the corner waiting to get picked up for day work, the unemployed roaming the neighborhood in the middle of the work day and kids walking to school — most are fine, but others are out of character for the neighborhood. They smoke pot, wear pants down to their groin, hats at an angle and pitchforks in their heads … and where are the books? Where are the parents?

Of course I must remember to look down at the sidewalk to avoid dog feces. Self-absorbed dog owners walk their dogs on sidewalks without cleaning up and also allow their dogs to urinate anywhere, creating the stench du jour. We also have the scourge of the city urinating in public with the blessing of City Hall. What happened to “Curb Your Dog?” How about “Curb Your Human?” Yesteryear is coming back; in the 1800s, Third Avenue was a cow path.

I take a respite from evading feces only to observe morons driving bicycles on sidewalks causing pedestrians to scurry. I maintain a straight path causing riders to swerve. One such moron drove into the side of a building and another drove so fast that he failed to take the turn, crashed into the corner of a wrought iron fence and was thrown from his bike, bloodying his face on the sidewalk. What if he would have hit a pedestrian? How about bike lanes on sidewalks, Mr. Mayor?

With ample public garbage cans, slime-balls still litter the streets and either place their open house garbage in them, or dump it on the sidewalks.

The noise is out of control — again, with the blessing of City Hall. Motorcycles and kid-cars make loud, disturbing noises, likely giving insecure male drivers a hold on their masculinity when people turn to acknowledge the noise. My ninth- grade health teacher called the vehicles “extensions of the drivers’ penises.”

We lack ample parking spaces, prompting Lenore Skenazy to write an article proposing a utopian solution and stating that parking spaces on the street belong to the city. More accurately, Ms. Skenazy, they belong to the taxpayers — and that’s the key. How many parking spaces are occupied by cars whose owners do not pay income taxes?

Double-parked cars frequently reduce two driving lanes to one causing unwarranted traffic jams, while some car dealers store cars on taxpayer-owned parking spaces and sidewalks.

Instead of “Pre-K for All,” the mayor’s goal should have been “Civility for All.”Elio Valenti

Brooklyn