Volume 78 / Number 16, September 17 – 23, 2008 West and East Village, Chelsea, Soho, Noho, Little Italy, Chinatown and Lower East Side, Since 1933
Letters to the Editor
Furious fashion victim
To The Editor:
In regard to your Aug. 20 article “Dressing like a harlot isn’t the half of it on Village stroll,” The Villager and reporter Laurie Mittelmann should be ashamed of themselves. The glorification of these common street hustlers, thieves and prostitutes and their fashion habits is an unbelievable abomination. For years, law-abiding residents have had to put up with the disgusting street trash that pours out of the Christopher St. subway stations and infiltrates the streets of the West Village from the West Side Highway to Sixth Ave. every Friday and Saturday night. These people are a heinous nuisance and danger to the neighborhood where decent families try to live and raise their children.
You seem to think they add “charm” and bring character to the neighborhood while they commit crime, solicit sex, urinate, defecate, do drugs and perform lewd sex acts in the streets and vestibules of homes in the area. What are you people smoking? I assume, the crack these people are selling!
Wake up, The Villager. If it’s fashion you want to see and report on, try Bryant Park during Fashion Week. I’m still in shock over this ridiculous article.
John Jonas
Nutsy to call Palin ‘Nazi’
To The Editor:
Re “Palin’s book-censoring bent is blast from the past” (talking point, by Jerry Tallmer, Sept. 10):
Nazi Germany? Jerry Tallmer compares Sarah Palin to Nazi Germany? Come on, Jerry. You can’t be serious. With a little fact-checking and slightly less bias, Jerry would easily be able to see that the whole “book-censoring” story about Sarah Palin is false. Maybe Jerry should use someone other than Gail Collins as a source for his information. Actually, Palin never asked that books be banned: No books were actually banned; and many of the books on the list that Palin supposedly wanted to censor weren’t even in print at the time, proving that the list is a fabrication.
The level of hatred on display in the media and right here in the West Village tells me that Palin must have been a great pick for vice president. Keep on digging that hole all the way to Nov. 4.
Joe Ward
Connor fallout factor
To The Editor:
Re “Squadron beats Connor while Silver holds seat” (news article, Sept. 10):
Martin Connor’s 30-year reign as our New York state senator for District 25 has finally come to a close. Needless to say, the comedy team of Cancel and Quinn need to have the curtain come down on their political careers, as well.
For those who are unaware, Ms. Alice Cancel — female Democratic district leader for the 64th Assembly District, Part B — is employed by Connor. She will now become eligible to join the ranks of the unemployed. She should use this time to locate a real job for herself before she and her spouse — Mr. John Quinn, male Democratic district leader, 64th Assembly District, Part B — are challenged for their seats in 2009.
Former District Leader Ms. Norma Ramirez will be announcing shortly that she will be challenging Cancel. Since Cancel was employed by Connor, he regularly defended Cancel’s ballot petitions and challenged Ramirez’s petitions and right to be on the ballot.
While Connor legally pursued Ramirez like a bloodhound from the New York City Board of Elections all the way up through the courts, she still managed to achieve ballot status, with the exception of the last race, in 2007. When Ramirez defeated Cancel in 2003, New York State Assemblymember Sheldon Silver went all out to defeat Ramirez in 2005.
Only one of the five candidates who are expected to run for City Councilmember Alan Gerson’s seat — which will become vacant due to term limits in 2009 — will receive the support of Silver, and only one of the four remaining candidates will be supporting Ramirez’s efforts to unseat Cancel. One of these unannounced candidates, who is close to Ramirez, has already approached Cancel’s political club, Lower East Side Democratic Club, for support. Cancel and Quinn would consider supporting the City Council candidate if the candidate can persuade Ramirez not to challenge Cancel. The candidate is looking for the support of all three.
Roberto Caballero
Caballero is president, Lower East Side Political Action Committee
Consider political impact
To The Editor:
Re “Squadron beats Connor while Silver holds seat” and “Getting bashed by Sarah Palin and shot by police at the R.N.C.” (news articles, Sept. 10):
According to the numbers provided in your article on the election, roughly 10,000 out of 62,000 eligible voters in the 64th Assembly District bothered to vote. Therefore, roughly 11 percent of the eligible voters supported Silver. That means that Silver continues to occupy the second-most powerful position in Albany by getting one out of nine voters to support him.
The indifference, cynicism and uncaring attitude of the general population undermine democracy and society. How can our government preach democracy and freedom to the nations of the world when 84 percent of the people don’t vote?
As for the article on the Republican Convention, Nick Brooks describes the scene as “a battlefield.” Smashing windows of stores and police cars, setting off M-80s: Sounds to me like an angry mob venting bitterness in an antisocial manner. There are socially acceptable ways to protest and criticize those in power. I do not see anything constructive or useful in such behavior. If the St. Paul police overreacted or indiscriminately punished reporters and photographers, that is wrong. However, there is certainly provocative and illegal behavior depicted here.
If Mr. Brooks wants to elevate our society, why doesn’t he focus his camera on people and organizations seeking to bring healing and light into our society, rather than publicizing mob violence?
Michael Gottlieb
E-mail letters, not longer than 250 words in length, to news@thevillager.com or fax to 212-229-2790 or mail to The Villager, Letters to the Editor, 145 Sixth Ave., ground floor, NY, NY 10013. Please include phone number for confirmation purposes. The Villager reserves the right to edit letters for space, grammar, clarity and libel. The Villager will not publish anonymous letters.
