Letters, Week of Oct. 31, 2013

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Kudos to Stringer and Dwellers

To The Editor:
Re “Stringer asks C.B. 3 to ‘reconsider’ ban of LES Dwellers group” (news article, Oct. 24):

Stringer should be applauded for calling into question Community Board 3’s suspension of a very legitimate community group called the LES Dwellers. That group is only trying to defend its neighborhood from the effect of an onslaught of liquor licenses coming to the Lower East Side. Like the L.E.S., other Downtown areas, like the Meatpacking District and Petrosino Square, are turning into a living hell for residents due to the rowdy crowds and terrible traffic brought on by the increasing number of late-night / early-morning venues with liquor licenses. Groups like the LES Dwellers are doing a public service for locals in the area now unfortunately called Hell Square.
Elaine Young
Young is a member, Community Board 2, and former member, C.B. 2 Executive Committee

Dwellers are doing a good job

To The Editor:
Re “Stringer asks C.B. 3 to ‘reconsider’ ban of LES Dwellers group” (news article, Oct. 24):

How do I sign up for LES Dwellers? As a longtime resident of the East Village, I can attest to the inordinate amount of noise on weekends until 4 a.m. and the vandalism that ensues. We need fewer bars and new community board leadership that doesn’t pander to the bar owners.
Bonnie Rosenstock

Thanks to all the parents

To The Editor:
Re “Deborah Glick has been there for kids and schools” (talking point, Oct. 24):

I wish to thank the parents from all over Lower Manhattan for their kind words, but even more for their commitment and dedication to improving education for all children.
Deborah Glick
Glick is assemblymember, 66th District

Sweeney’s yin to Trip’s Yang

To The Editor:
Re “More of Sweeney’s dirty tricks” (talking point, by Trip Yang, Oct. 24):

I’d like to respond to the vituperative talking point from Margaret Chin’s campaign manager, Trip Yang, by taking the opportunity to congratulate him for running a successful campaign — despite the fact that 42 percent of the First City Council District (and an overwhelming majority of the Village and Soho electorate) chose to support Margaret’s opponent, as did the editorial boards of both this paper and Downtown Express. Incumbents generally win with more than 80 percent of the vote, witness Rosie Mendez.

However, I am baffled why Mr. Yang ignored the substance of my talking point that revealed Councilmember Chin’s move to quickly and quietly pass the contentious Broadway Soho Business Improvement District immediately after her primary election win. Instead, his response devolved into a personal attack not only against me, but also Chin’s defeated opponent, Jenifer Rajkumar, as well as the Downtown Independent Democrats, the reform political club of which both Margaret and her husband are dues-paying, voting members. Mr. Yang’s response is quite the non sequitur.

Margaret’s victory should have been an opportunity for her to reach out to her constituents who didn’t support her. Unfortunately, she and her surrogates chose to open old wounds and walk the pathway of division, instead of commanding the high road of unity.

For example, at the Downtown Independent Democrats’ September meeting, held in my loft, Margaret’s opponent, Jenifer Rajkumar, introduced a resolution endorsing Margaret’s re-election and calling for all of us to work together in the future. The resolution was immediately and unanimously adopted.

So, although D.I.D. continues to be a progressive and independent political voice in Lower Manhattan, seeking reconciliation, it is disheartening to learn the councilmember does not feel the same way and employs her staffer to introduce salt into old wounds.

Nevertheless, D.I.D. will continue to take the high road and will not respond to any future scurrilous and unfounded attacks from Mr. Yang. Instead we shall move forward and work with our fellow Democrats to help elect the first Democratic mayor in 20 years.
Sean Sweeney

Chin ignores human trafficking

To The Editor:
Re “More of Sweeney’s dirty tricks” (talking point, by Trip Yang, Oct. 24):

The unprovoked attack by Margaret Chin’s surrogate, Trip Yang, was unwarranted to say the least, nor would Yang have the personal autonomy to make such statements without the approval of Ms. Chin.

After I was publicly critical of her tenure, Councilmember Chin pandered to me in 2012, via a well-respected Lower Manhattan elected official, who begged me not to further condemn the clearly misguided Chin agenda.

Even though during the 2013 campaign cycle I was approached on numerous occasions for comment on the councilperson, the record will indicate that I was silent as to Chin’s treacherous vision. I respected the voters’ mandate from 2009. Besides, it was clear that Chin was becoming a polarizing political hack and did not need any assistance achieving her self-destructive goal.

However, my campaign for Manhattan district attorney is, in part, inspired by Chin. At a number of public events, I personally asked Chin to assist in addressing the scourge of human trafficking. I showed her a copy of the Village Voice, in which most of the prostitution ads depicted young Asian females. One would think that as an Asian woman with the power of elected office, Chin would want to help end this scourge of slavery. Unfortunately, Chin’s indifference makes her part of the problem rather than an instrument for good progressive values.

One can only surmise that Chin’s blind eye to the sexploitation of her fellow Asian women is either her indifference to human tragedy or political expedience.

She realizes it would be political suicide to go after the power brokers behind the sex-slave industry. If Chin should ever decide to take her position as an elected official seriously, she should unveil a plan to address the global problem of human slavery, which continues to rear its ugly head in Lower Manhattan.

Regarding Chin’s ridiculous “Republican” attack, Margaret, lest you forget, 150 years ago the Republican Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, which officially put an end to slavery. Even in today’s world that sounds pretty progressive to me
Pete Gleason
Gleason is the Republican candidate for Manhattan district attorney

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