Letters

Asks Mayor’s Aid
To The Editor:

I was pleased to see that your paper has a column in which citizens can address Mayor Giuliani directly.

I have two very serious complaints:

1. My welfare benefits were cut off by error in 1996. I have tried approximately 20 times to reapply.

2. I am seriously ill at 59 years old, yet the local welfare offices have repeatedly refused to speed the application process to accommodate me. As a result I am without any income and without Medicaid.

Hopefully, someone in the Mayor’s office will act to reverse what is now a terrible injustice.

Thank you for your cooperation and help.

I can be reached, c/o Dr. Levine

6 Clinton St.

New York City

Sincerely,

Lenore Guinsburg

Electronic Gazette

To The Editor:

Great to get you on the internet. I’m living in Belfast Northern Ireland, but I lived in Astoria at 31st Avenue and 34th Street for many years and still have family and friends there. It’s great to catch up on all the goings on...are your offices still on 34th Ave? Do you have a greetings section?

JM

Editor’s Note:

It’s great to hear from our old friends. Yes, our offices are still on 34th Avenue. We do not have a greetings section but we’re printing JM’s missive as to let others out there know he says hello.

Keep logging on to our site.

State GOP Going To The Dogs

To The Editor:

"Hard-nosed" Republicans?

Although it wasn’t apparent to most people, this week [Oct. 17th] we saw two new items that reveal some differences between state Republicans and Democrats on animal humane legislation.

The first event occurred on Oct, 11th when a stray rotweiler entered the Loving Care daycare center in Jamaica and bit and mauled 2 children, aged two and four years. This horrible incident could have been prevented. Hungry stray dogs are not usually this vicious. They have to be trained to behave that way.

Early in 1998, significant humane legislation died in Albany because Democrats opposed it. While the law would have increased penalties for all kinds of animal abuse, it focused particularly on the escalating practice by gangs involved with dog fighting competitions to instill the "killing instinct" into pit bull dogs by pitting them against defenseless puppies, kittens and small dogs. The Democrats argued that the law would have been disproportionately enforced against African–American youth. To extend that "logic", perhaps we should repeal the homicide laws because they’re disproportionately enforced against people who murder! In fact, as the attack at the daycare center shows, these laws are intended to increase the safety of the community, as well as prevent cruelty to animals. This is how ridiculous political correctness places innocent lives at risk. Just ask the parents of the children that were nearly killed whether they feel the Democrats served their interests.

The second incident occurred last Thursday [Oct. 12th] when Kelly Knowles, 24, was sentenced under the so-called "Buster’s Law" to six months in jail, a fine of $2,500 and 120 hours of community service at the Hudson Mohawk Humane Society (www.APBnews.com). The Troy, New York graduate student pleaded guilty last month to abusing his puppy, and will be the first person to serve a jail sentence under a new state law. The law, named after an abused cat, makes animal abuse a felony.

Here again this legislation was lead by Republicans. Senators Roy Goodman and Frank Padavan had pushed the legislation through (S5166) and [Governor George] Pataki signed it into law last year. While human life wasn’t at risk in this particular incident, it marks an important milestone: Humane treatment of other sentient beings is an ineffable index of a civilized culture. Cruelty towards animals, in the very least, is now known to be an uncanny predictive marker of sociopathic personalities: A high correlation exists between abuse of animals during childhood, and later adult serial violent behavior and murder.

Twice honored by the ASPCA, Senator Padavan sponsored legislation that stopped medical experimentation with animals requisitioned from shelters. Padavan also stopped the painful method (decompression) that animals had been euthanized by shelters. In Queens, Senator Padavan's 1976 law prohibits the hunting of migrating shorebirds in Little Neck Bay and its inlets.

This past July 1st, Padavan was the only political leader to attend the Flushing animal rights rally demanding that South Korea enforce their anti-dog torture statutes and to close their illegally operated dog meat restaurants. And he was notified about the rally only two days before it was to occur. I know, because I helped to organize that rally.

Sincerely,

Gary Krasner

Holliswood

Praises City Sanitmen

To The Editor:

It seems whenever we read something written about our city workers, it’s always a negative thing. So we’d like to say something positive for a change. This is in regard to the Sanitation Department, although it’s hardly or never being recognized nor praised for the filthy, dirty work they do throughout our great city.

We’ve been residents of Astoria all our lives and have resided in Garden Bay Manor now for well over 25 years. To date we have the nicest, most polite and considerate sanitation workers, who have been handling our area for a number of years now.

Especially these two gentlemen, Mr. Samuel Restagno and Mr. Robert Farrington, there isn’t a day that goes by that one doesn’t see one of them either greeting a resident, or lending a helping hand to an elderly person who’s disposing of his/her trash.

Both these gentlemen are middle aged and show fine upbringing from their parents. Showing not only respect, which is certainly a lost art nowadays, they have also showed on numerous occasions their compassion for the elderly, as well as the youth of our area.

It’s time that men like these not only be complimented for their hard work but, also looked up to as fine examples of decent, hard working and caring human beings.

We thank you for printing this and hopefully now, others will start to appreciate all the workers of our fine city.

Very truly yours,

Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Chimenti

Astoria Heights

Why Were Bushes Cut?

To The Editor:

A copy of the following letter was received by the Gazette.

Mr. Gary Strong, Director

Queens Borough Public Library

89-11 Merrick Blvd.

Jamaica, N.Y. 11432

Dear Mr. Strong:

Besides being the District Manager, I am also a gardener and a resident of 31st Street. For years I walked past a vacant weed infested yard of the Steinway Library. About eight years ago I thought I would like to personally add a bit of beauty to my community by gardening this yard. I spoke to the former director for permission and was told this would be nice of me. All I asked was that [library] maintenance weed, water and clean this yard.

All the plants in this yard have been paid for and planted by me. No expense to the library. It turned out to be an attractive little garden in our community. The Carefree Wonder and floribunda roses were large and in full bloom when the maintenance workers cut them down to the stub last month. Does this make sense? Each December, I personally prune all the roses and bushes in this garden. I feel volunteers in any community should be encouraged to continue their work rather than be discouraged. I asked for nothing but support. Now I feel compelled to ask that those rose bushes that were destroyed be replaced. It’s only right to ask that this error be corrected and that your staff take pride in the labor that was donated to beautify this garden in our community.

Sincerely,

George Delis

District Manager

Community Board 1