Giants are winners
To The Editor:
I was absolutely enthralled while reading Julie Shapiro’s short piece on the Giants football team (“Giants win national championship, but are denied trophy” news article, Dec. 11 – 19). Until reading that story I had not heard of the Giants and had no idea who they were or where they played their games. In spite of that I am now a fan. Any team of young players who can overcome such a dramatic and unfair set back only to rally and play the game to such a high degree of athleticism is an inspiration to us all.
In the end, the players learned a valuable lifelong lesson. The real opponent is an unyielding and at times blind bureaucracy. This opposition will be in their lives a lot longer than those they face on the football field and will constantly challenge them as they go forward. If they continue to face life’s inevitable disappointments with the same sort of class and determination they displayed on the football field they will truly have fruitful and meaningful lives.
With that in mind I wish the members of the Giants football team well and offer them a big shout out and cheer for standing tall and being the first rate champions that they are.
Lawrence White
To The Editor:
Re “Giants win national championship, but are denied trophy” (news article, Dec. 11 -19):
Thanks for keeping us informed. I look forward to picking up the Downtown Express every week. The easy way you give us the Downtown news is refreshing at a time when double talk is so prevalent.
This is my take on the above mentioned article:
While I understand the need for regulations, in this particular case it seems that the players are being punished for administration error. Should a kid get held back because the teacher forgot to include or misspelled the student’s name in the class roster? The Downtown Giants won fair and square. If there’s blame/punishment due, the administrators should step up to the plate, not the kids. We, the adults must teach fairness by deed not paperwork. How can we expect our youngsters to trust us when effort is not rewarded but instead, is punished?
Go Downton Giants! You are true winners, in the best sense of the word. And no trophy can minimize your glory.
Felicitaciones [Congratulations]!
N. Ruiz-Arango
Uncoordinated construction
To The Editor:
What’s happening around Southbridge Towers?
I know that in the past, I’ve written about the construction around Southbridge Towers, but, now, unfortunately, I have more to add to the list of annoying disruptions. Since I was born and raised in a tenement in Little Italy, I am experienced in dealing with the noises and sounds that come with city living. I’ve lived at S.B.T. for over 35 years and have dealt with fire engines, ambulances, and the constant hum of traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge, but my patience is getting exhausted.
Almost every street surrounding S.B.T. is either closed, or partially closed due to some kind of construction or excavating job. The sounds of jack hammers constantly tearing up the streets and bulldozers dropping large chunks of concrete into dump trucks start at 7 a.m. sharp and go throughout the day; six days a week. Sometimes on the seventh day Con Edison fills the void and rips open one of the newly paved streets and continues the concerto of noise. Let’s not forget the film crews that come in the middle of the night with a convoy of trailer trucks and confiscate all of the public parking spots (which are usually occupied by city cars, anyway!)
Last week, when the weather was unseasonably mild, two of those trailers, that had their generators running all night and day, were polluting the area with their exhaust fumes. And, now, last but not least, the Department of Transportation, in their infinite wisdom, closes “ALL” of Pearl St., from Frankfort St. to Fulton St., while they re-pave the streets for the umpteenth time. Residents of S.B.T. had no way of getting to our underground garages. People were not allowed to cross the street after walking their dogs at the dog run.
Now I don’t want to sound like a grumpy, old, middle age man, but, I have to ask, does anyone care about our community? Do you think that the city planners can keep the residents of the affected neighborhoods informed about “complete” street closures and things. Yes, some improvements have been made, but, all of this work, being done at the same time, is truly “an accident waiting to happen.” In no time, the trials for the 9/11 terrorists will be held blocks from S.B.T., and these street closures and inconveniences, and, all of the pollution; noise and otherwise; will seem like nothing, compared to the anxiety we will all be experiencing as we imagine what’s going to happen next.
Joseph Morrone
Terror trials
To The Editor:
Re “Chinatown activists press fight to move terror trials” (news article, Dec. 11-17)
Nobody can compensate those who live at the terror trial site sufficient monies to bring peace of mind and safety. Where was the security and safety when the Times Square bomber rode his bike in the middle of the night and bombed the U.S. recruitment center? Where was the security when gatecrashers joined the Obamas at a recent White House fundraiser? Where was the security a few years ago when a pedestrian was beaten by hooligans directly behind Police Headquarters under the watchful eye of the “ring of steel” that is steadily turning into a noose around the necks of local residents? Community leaders like Jean Grillo and David Stanke (“Fear the terror trials — that’ll make us safer,” Talking Point, Nov. 27-Dec. 3) should volunteer their own neighborhoods for the terror trials instead of supporting them in ours. Keep your money and leave us in peace.
Rich Scorce
To The Editor:
Re “Move terror trials“ (letter, Dec. 4 – 10):
Lynn Rogoff is absolutely correct. The terror trials belong in a military tribunal in a military camp not in a federal court in Downtown New York. If you can try some of the terrorists in military tribunals as A.G. Eric Holder will, you can try all of them in military tribunals. Those who murder thousands of civilians do not earn extra rights that those who kill soldiers do not. That is idiocy. It is an endorsement of jihad. The N.Y.P.D. is good; they cannot be everywhere all the time. In fact, the N.Y.P.D. recently revealed that Holder, in a breathtaking display of irresponsibility, never contacted them about staging the trials in N.Y.C. (and that’s the word: staging). Wouldn’t that have been a good idea? Now we should trust this guy with our lives? Khalid Shaikh Mohammed sets foot in the city, some fanatic will yell “Akbar Allah!” and New Yorkers will die. That is not fear mongering; that is learning from history. Very recent history. Like say, Ft. Hood. And even if an attack is not successful can you imagine the lockdown in response? Our way of life is gone. And for what? To grant terrorists Constitutional rights? We lose our freedoms for rights that are not theirs to begin with? They’re terrorists. Who, on Sept. 11 would have imagined such a thing? By supporting this indefensible nonsense, local Democratic officials are playing politics with the lives and freedom of New Yorkers. They are shameful hypocrites. Voters should remind their political officials to whom they owe their first allegiance, not to mention their paycheck.
Michael Burke
Spruce boost
To The Editor:
Re “Parents try for old and new: P.S. 234 & 276” (news article, Dec. 4 – 10):
One of the Tribeca parents and a resident who is identified as living at 24 Warren St. in your article is quoted as saying, “I’m not entirely sure where Spruce St. is,” and “It’s a completely different neighborhood. It’s probably a perfectly fine and nice neighborhood, but it’s not our neighborhood.”
I know I share the opinion of other Downtown parents, regardless of the neighborhood we live in, that this resident’s ignorance and attitude is yet another clear example of the growing exclusionary and elitist “gated-community” mind-set that has seeped in to his “neighborhood.”
I invite this reader, and others who share his selective and superior thoughts to throw caution to the wind and venture outside of their perfect and homogenized triangle. When standing facing north on any street west of Broadway simply take a quick glance to the right and you’ll see another world. Yes, it’s hard to believe, but simply continue to walk east maybe a few blocks and you’ll find Spruce St. I know you’ll be surprised to find a ‘perfectly fine neighborhood’ that unlike some people in other areas, is perfectly accepting of everyone.
Joel Roodman
The bard’s still immortal
To The Editor:
Two of Southbridge Towers’s elderly residents, Larry Vide and Richard Ensor, recently gave us a presentation of readings from Shakespeare in the community room for us to enjoy. The words of the great 16th century playwright and poet remain as vital and thrilling as ever in this, the 21st century.
Shakespeare was indeed a prophet, as all of the great elements, facets and lessons of the history he knew continued to assert themselves between his time and now. In the Vide/Ensor presentation, we heard a variety of excerpts from both his plays and poems. One of my favorites, from “As You Like It,” is “…all the world’s a stage.” Now that I am very elderly, the beautiful sound of those words maintain their luster. With the passing of time the ending “…sans taste, sans sight, sans everything” reaches me as especially meaningful. The elderly in this the 21st century or any century, for that matter, can never misinterpret those words.
The plays, sonnets and songs were all there in this reading to remind us of ourselves. One such moment occurs in Ophelia’s song (from “Hamlet”) about her father’s death and burial. The excerpt from “MacBeth” brought me back to my high school English class; they were acted out by Larry Vide forcefully.
These are all very inspiring moments that should be continually spoken or acted out. It is essential that they be kept alive and saved from oblivion, never, never to be forgotten.
Geraldine Lipschutz
FROM THE WEB
“Billybey replacing noisy ferries with quieter models” (news article, posted Dec. 10):
I started seeing the new boats today [Dec. 11] and it was obvious something had changed since I was able to sleep past 6 am. The reduction in noise and vibration is more than 50%. The new boats (Hoboken and Brooklyn) aren’t even noticeable. Although the Yogi Berra makes its occasional appearance every now and then, the majority of the noise is gone. Goodbye Christopher Columbus!
Thomas Flanagan
