To the editor,
I read with interest your article “Fear in Flatbush” (Nov. 28), and I have a few comments about the “rash of robberies” and “stick-ups” in the neighborhood. Exactly who is committing these crimes? Local residents, outsiders, are you allowed to state whether they are black or white. It would be the first step in controlling it.
Anya Shiferson said she would like to know what has emblazoned criminals returning the city to the type of crime we saw in the 1990s. Perhaps the lackadaisical attitude of the mayor, who is tying the cops hands by telling them to turn a blind eye to criminal activities, not supporting the police, trashing stop and frisk, and allowing bridges, tunnels to be closed due to an incident in another state, etc.
“Scrawling anti-white messages on subway stations” and statements such as “don’t like white people moving into the neighborhood” would normally be considered racist remarks, but what is done when it is reverse racist comments like this? Nothing. Imagine if a white group said they didn’t want blacks moving into their neighborhood.
Mention of white cops being put in the neighborhood causes an uproar. Why aren’t black youths tired of the system apply to become cops and try to change the system they claim is biased? God knows quite a lot of money is spent recruiting them, training them, and encouraging their participation. Maybe it’s because they don’t want a job that requires you to put your life at risk for a stranger, time and time again. Or they just don’t want to go into that field. Is it a white cop’s fault there are not enough blacks on the job?
Why aren’t all the Al Sharpton and Jesse James supporters banding together and getting a plan to take back their neighborhoods from crime, drugs, and other dangerous activities? This would be something everyone — black and white — could get on board with. Most statistics prove most crimes are black on black, but it isn’t politically correct to mention it without getting called a racist.Phyllis Howell
Brooklyn
American or not?
To the editor,
Shavana Abruzzo (“A Britisher’s View”), along with the rest of us have been deluded into thinking that the three slain rabbis praying in a Jerusalem synagogue were “Americans” (“Where’s the anger over Islamo-psychos,” Nov. 28).
In fact all three of the so-called dual citizens emigrated to Israel and left U.S. permanently behind them between 25 and 40 years ago. They were not real Americans. They were Israeli nationals. Our citizenship laws have to be changed and strengthened. When the “dual-citizen” Israeli hitchhiker was killed while hiking near Jerusalem, it was not easy to discover that he never lived in the U.S., but acquired his citizenship through his grandparents who emigrated from our country back in the early 1950s.
I am a proud naturalized American citizen. My parents escaped Nazi concentration camps. My loyalty is to America, and only America. My mother said, “You can’t put one touchas (tush) on two asses (donkeys). The same is true for loyalty to your country. Get rid of dual citizens. Time for everyone to choose whether they are American or something else.Henry Finkelstein
Sheepshead Bay
Reverse racism
To the editor,
It’s stairway to hell! My heart goes out to the courageous black eyewitnesses who testified on behalf of Ferguson cop Officer Darren Wilson. These folks are being crucified by their own people and unfairly being labeled sell-outs, Uncle Toms, and snitches. The nerve of them for possessing a conscience!
In black America today overwhelming forensic evidence in a case doesn’t cut it. It’s all about “blackie being killed by whitey.” And why not? When we have a predominantly white liberal media sympathizing with a dead thug, the end result is massive rioting and looting.
Do you think it gets a little redundant hearing Channel 7, Eyewitness News, and CNN constantly referring to Michael Brown as a gentle giant and a young man destined to attend college? Virtually every TV network, with the exception of Fox News, still reports the story as the white police officer who shot and killed and unarmed young black man. Really? How about reporting that the slime-bag robbed a convenience store 15 minutes prior to his death? Or that the cowardly punk strong-armed a clerk half his size and exited the store with stolen goods. What a great loss to society. A man with such enormous character and integrity. Good grief!
The gate to heaven is a narrow one and anyone supporting the so-called legacy of a violent dirt-bag can burn in hell as far as I am concerned. May the gentle giant and his entourage of misguided moronic rebel rousing followers be destined for eternal life — with satan! Rick Lundberg
Sheepshead Bay
‘Ignorant’ rioters
To the editor,
The rioting in Ferguson, Missouri and the massive protests across the cities in America point to how ignorant the population has become. This country was built upon laws, sensible laws that guide our existence everyday, whether they like it or not.
Reporters, interviewing rioting protesters with their faces covered up like Muslim terrorists, broadcast outrageous statements about how they think the government and court system is run. These protesters, a product of modern revisionist education, are blissfully unaware of how their own system of laws works and believe violence is the only way to achieve change. We all see how well that philosophy works in the Middle East!
Only after the fires are put out and ravaged neighborhoods die away will people of all races come together. Time and cooler educated heads will prevail and whatever changes to laws that will be made, will be to the benefit and safety of all.
The protesters are calling for police to wear recording video and audio devices to capture events as they unfold. I pray that the media use this data and broadcast, without editing, the arrests and shootings to come. This will show that the majority of our police are not the bad guys.Robert W. Lobenstein
Marine Park
Agita, Al
To the editor,
Al Sharpton was in Sears. He was there to protest the fact that most all of the washing machines were white. So the clerk called the store manager, who asked, “What’s the problem here, Reverend?” Sharpton pointed at the machines and loudly complained that most of them were white. The manager replied, “Well, Reverend, it’s true that most of the washing machines are white, but if you’ll open the lids, you’ll see that all the agitators are black.” Amen.Sid Green
Mill Basin
• • •
To the editor,
The policy of this country is not to negotiate or sit down with terrorists, yet Mayor DeBlasio and President Obama welcome Al Shaprton to meetings, including the latest at the White House.
I looked up the word “terrorist” and it fits Sharpton like a glove. He is also a tax cheat besides being a racial arsonist. The only one who kept him in check was former Mayor Rudy Giuliani who saw him for what he is — a thug and rabble rouser.Cronin Miller
Midwood
Kid control
To the editor,
Our neighborhood youth needs to be scrutinized everywhere, not just on our school campuses. It is the responsibility of all people besides law enforcement to put a stop to those trouble-makers who incite others with their wicked ways.
All sensible adults must make a pledge to condemn kids who are disruptive in our communities, wherever the disruptions occur.
We must also nix all forms of harassment, and adults must set the tone for acceptable behavior. Some adults, unfortunately, lack human feeling for others and teach their children incorrect behaviors, including using foul language, demonstrating bad manners, and being bigoted. People need to be respectful and be treated with respect.Amy Kaye
Sheepshead Bay
Taxpayer strike
To the editor,
A Daily News headline read, “Thanks, Obama! Prez’ plan halts deport for millions.” All Americans should protest by not paying taxes. Why the hell should my hard-earned money pay for their cushy life in America? Oh, there’s more to the article — “parents could also get work permits.” We should not pay taxes if Obama opens the gates to illegal aliens.J. Brown
Bensonhurst
When, oh, when?
To the editor,
When are black leaders going to speak up and condemn black-on-black crime, instead of blaming cops? When are Muslim leaders going to condemn the senseless murders of innocent people by the radical Muslims? When will parents take responsibility for their young children? When will fathers raise their children with their wives, instead of just making a baby and walking away? When will the exaggerated claims of racism and the war on woman finally end? When will teachers stop getting the blame for failing students who don’t do their homework or even show up for school? When will the borders be secured? When will politicians stop lying to us? When will the streets in my area pave the streets that have been torn up for months?Maureen Parker
Sheepshead Bay
Bus cuss
To the editor,
I agree wholeheartedly with Ronald Cohen’s letter about our bus service (“Bus fuss,” Sound off tp the editor,” Nov. 21). I have never understood why I have to wait a half-hour or more for a local bus, only to have three of them arrive at one time (“Bus lane is slow lane, say locals.” Nov. 25).
He forgot to mention the B6, the Coney Island Avenue bus, which takes dozens of senior citizens to our center on Coney Island Avenue and Quentin Road every day. Why must we stand and freeze for 30 or 40 minutes waiting for our bus? I also fail to understand why I have to wait more than a half-hour on Kings Highway for a bus to get me to my doctor on Nostrand Avenue, when their are two bus lines running on Kings Highway, the B82 and the Kings Highway bus. I have had to give up on the buses and spend money on cabs in order to make my appointments on time.
I suggest creating lanes for buses only, and have express buses that may be able to avoid some of the traffic. Somebody must do something before someone gets really sick standing out in the cold waiting for a bus that should have come a half-hour ago.
Elaine Kirsch
Gravesend
Toll-light robbery
To the editor,
The article on the toll of the Verrazano Bridge was more telling than you know (“Bridging the gap: MTA wants to raise Verrazano tolls to balance budget,” Nov. 20). So there are 180,000 vehicles crossing the bridge daily with a daily revenue of $936,000, according to a transit spokesman. If you take half of the 180,000 and they pay $10 for EZ-Pass and have the other 90,000 vehicles ride free, that would still bring in a revenue of $1,800,000. Realistically, where is all the money collected in tolls really going?Joe Donato
Park Slope
Mayor DeDozio
To the editor,
New York Republican Committee chairman Ed Cox suggested the Mayor DeBlasio will be the Democratic nominee for president in 2016. That reminded me of the commercial that Hillary ran in 2008 in her bid for president: “Your kids are safe and asleep and the phone rings at 3 am in the White House, etc.”
I could only imagine if DeBlasio was president and the phone rings at 3 am while he is asleep, the phone would just ring and ring, and he would turn over and pull the covers over his head and continue to sleep.Peter G. Orsi
Marine Park
War heroes
To the editor,
When I read that soldier Brent Grommet’s German shepherd was taken from him when they returned from war, it made me very sad and as mad as hell. This young soldier and his dog, Matty, were together from the beginning at basic training to deployment in Afghanistan. Both were injured by a roadside bomb.
Specialist Grommet suffered traumatic brain injury, hearing loss, chronic pain, and post-traumatic stress disorder. This soldier who fought for his country, sustained serious injuries, and was almost killed only wants his partner and best friend back with him. This is not only a very small price to ask for, but it is also the law. Robby’s Law passed in 1990 and was signed by Bill Clinton.
This hero was told by higher-ups not to speak to the media about Matty the dog or he would wind up in Leavenworth. Talk about loyalty. These two want to be together again and deserve to be. Didn’t the government already do enough to disrespect and harm our veterans with the Veterans Administration scandal? I’m not holding my breath for the return of the dog to his best friend, after we saw the way the U.S. Marine Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi was held in a Mexican prison for more than 200 days, but I sure will be praying that Specialist Grommet and Matty are reunited. I would hate to think some bigwig took the dog home to his family and won’t give it back or worse. This is the very least we could do for one of our hero’s who was willing to put his life on the line for us.
I think those monsters being held in Gitmo are being treated better than we treat our own veterans. Our president authorized the release of five monsters for the return of one army deserter. Mr. President can’t you authorize the release of one dog for a hero?Rosie Boxer
Rockaway, N.Y.
Credit gas-bags
To the editor,
I went to a gas station expecting to use my VISA card to fill up my tank. Imagine my horror when I was told that by my using VISA to pay for the gasoline, the price would be 13 cents more per gallon! Yes, $3.45 cash per gallon versus $3.57 VISA per gallon. Outrageous.
I always knew VISA to be 10 cents more per gallon, but now it’s 13 cents more per gallon if one uses a credit card. Aaarrrgh.A. Smith
Mill Basin
Edu-vacation
To the editor,
I saw in the paper that so many children were absent more than 10 percent of the time during the last school year. This doesn’t take into account the students who are marked present and then proceed to cut classes and cause mayhem during the day.
My favorite was when parents would come to school and inform me and other teachers that they were going on vacation for 10 days to two weeks and demand that we give them the work in advance so that their child wouldn’t fall behind. This is absolutely ridiculous. If the child was not there when the work was being taught, the best the teacher could do was to give them pages to read and questions to answer from the texts. The supervisory staff should have stepped up to the plate to remind the parent that school was in session and that these vacation days were totally illegal. This was never done because principals fear parents.
Years ago if a child was absent excessively, the child was not promoted. This would never occur today, as supervisors look to get rid of children who are chronic discipline problems and whose absences are a relief both for them and the teacher.Ed Greenspan
Sheepshead Bay
Dems the breaks
To the editor,
Yes, it’s super important to be informed and to have opinions but a constant, repetitive drone of negativity, cynicism, anger, and fear accomplishes nothing. It’s far too easy to be critical of others. It’s much more difficult to devise something positive and or good, or to invest the time and effort necessary to become actively involved in local or larger issues and programs in place, or to spend some time trying to offer up something positive: an idea, a movement, or even something already in place that might spark change for the better.
C’mon, two wrongs do not make a right. Just because the other (red) side does it does not mean “we” should too. “We” lost the 2014 midterm elections because the right messages weren’t getting put out and what was being said did not engage the voters enough to get them to actually vote. Maybe it’s time to try other tactics?Barry Brothers
Homecrest
Blott Stringer
To the editor,
Comptroller Scott Stringer is a spoiled child having a temper tantrum. Perhaps he needs a time out. Who knew that taxpayers are paying for members of the NYPD Intelligence Division to serve as his personal security detail. Stringer recently fired four of New York’s Finest from this security detail because they were late in picking him up from his expensive Manhattan home one morning. Is anyone aware that Stringer is the target of any terrorist groups which would merit this level of protection? I seriously doubt that al-Qaeda, Hezbollah, Islamic State or any other terrorists are even aware of his existence.
Municipal employees could never get away with the same abuses. They could not use city vehicles during work hours to chauffeur spouses around town. At a minimum, they would have to reimburse the city for the costs of all these personal trips. The Department of Investigations needs to take a look at this serious potential waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayers dollars.
Let Stringer assign one of his several hundred staff members to serve as his personal chauffeur. Better yet he could set an example and follow Manhattan Councilman Dan Garodnick’s bill requiring employers with 20 or more workers to sign up for transit checks. Stringer could do likewise and give up both his free parking space at City Hall and his special police parking permit. He can use his transit check to purchase MetroCards. This will afford Stringer the opportunity to join several million constituents who use public transportation on a daily basis and also contribute to a cleaner environment. Stringer talks about being a friend of the 99 percent, yet he prefers the perks of a one percenter.Larry Penner
Great Neck, N.Y.