Volume 17 • Issue 25 | Nov. 12 – Nov. 19, 2004
Letters to the Editor
To The Editor:
Thank you for your balanced article about Liberty Community Gardens (news article, Oct. 22 – 28, “Gardeners fight B.P.C. ouster”).
As a gardener, I am certainly aware that this was leased after the tragedy of 9/11 and the destruction of gardens due to the “temporary” Rector St. bridge (Letters, Oct. 29 – Nov. 4, “Condo on gardeners”). I am also aware that there is no available land to replace these gardens, as buildings go up in this upscale neighborhood.
The land the islands occupy are zoned as open space for public use. The space, prior to leasing for gardens, was dark, full of diseased trees and shrubbery, and apparently used as and informal dog-run, full of garbage.
Condo owners were not concerned then.
Now that this is a place where some local residents can come into direct contact with the growing process and benefit all, they are suddenly concerned about residents of Battery Park City looking like they are “down-scaling” their property.
Surely a compromise can be reached.
Miriam Kimmelman
Biker’s kudos
To The Editor:
Re “Bikers’ Houston St. party raided” (news article, Nov. 5 – 11):
Thank you for the even-handed and closely observed reporting on the police presence at last Friday’s Critical Mass and after-party, both of which I attended. This was the only account I’ve seen to reconstruct in detail what happened on Houston St., and corresponds with my perception that the police acted excessively and in retaliation for the cyclists’ asserting their legal rights.
A couple of points of clarification: Though the police distributed fliers designating a route, Judge Pauley’s order did not require cyclists to follow it. Nor did all cyclists receive one — I didn’t. Still, cyclists at the front of the ride (where I was) tried to follow police instruction and to stay together. A few cyclists broke off around Park and 49th St., but no one followed them. The only time I saw people deliberately scatter was an hour later in Chelsea, where a police roadblock created a fear that riders were going to be trapped and arrested.
If threats to public safety are a concern to the city, it should act to reverse the climate of fear newly created by the police brass — and then, more seriously, do something about the everyday intimidation and violence by automobile.
Carol Wood
Kerry youth
To The Editor:
Regarding the story about the little girl collecting money for John Kerry’s campaign (news article, Oct. 29 – Nov. 4,“5th grader sells toys for Kerry”):
It is a shame that this girl’s parents have her brainwashed. I’ll bet that before the election, about three-quarters of the people who voted for Kerry never even heard of him. Also, he doesn’t need her money because he is a millionaire. She should be giving the money to less fortunate people.
Another thing, what did Kerry do for America besides call our soldiers “war criminals,” a la Jane Fonda? My nephew died in the Twin Towers on 9/11 and my son-in-law is being deployed to Iraq with his unit this month. The president did the right thing about invading Iraq. Whoever believes they didn’t have a hand in it is very naive as to what’s going on in the world. All our boys who died liberating France during World War II must be turning over in their graves. It’s a shame that France, Germany, and Russia won’t help in trying to get these cowards that are killing people all over the world. I’m surprised that Spain pulled out instead of going after the men that killed their people. We should dismantle the Statue of Liberty, gift wrap it, and return it to France. We all know that these countries are getting oil from Iraq and that’s why they wouldn’t help the U.S.
Getting back to the girl…they shouldn’t let a child get involved with these decisions until she is old enough to make up her own mind and vote for whomever she feels would make a better president and not for a specific party.
George Marmo
WWW Downtown Express
