Letters

Vets Salute The Gazette
To The Editor:

As a former WW II combat vet and speaking for veterans of all wars, we salute the weekly Gazette as an asset to our community. Its articles in pushing residents to fly old glory have produced a slight increase in volume of the American flag being visible, although the range desired is far below our goal. After all, it is not only a symbol of bravery and courage which we owe to our veterans. I have visited the great borough of Queens and have been disappointed at the lack of American flags. The flag deserves recognition every day, not only on holidays. This flag is stained with blood of brave individuals, namely our veterans, who virtually saved the world. America, ignite a spark of patriotism by showing our colors daily. I sometimes view strange flags which leads me to ask myself, Is this once great nation changing its direction and losing its values which this country was built on?

Walter Orlowski

Worth The Price

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

Lawrence Reuter, President

Metropolitan Transportation Authority

347 Madison Ave.,

New York, NY 10017

Dear President Reuter,

On behalf of the residents of North Western Queens I urge you to reconsider the MTA’s proposal to close a number of stations and reduce the hours of others. As a woman I can tell you that it is comforting to have a real human being present who has access to a phone especially during off-peak hours. I am sure we’ve all read about token booth clerks who have served as Good Samaritans by stopping a tragedy in the making or at least calling the police.

Replacing token booth clerks with mechanized MetroCard dispensers may seem to make sense from a numbers cruncher’s perspective but what will the final toll be in human terms?

As a woman I ask you to please reconsider your proposal.

Sincerely,

Sandra Vassos

City Council Candidate 22nd C.D.

Resident of Astoria

Obstruct Vote

To The Editor:

Six persons filed designating petitions to be placed on the ballot for the Democratic primary for the 22nd district of the City Council (Astoria). They are Peter Vallone, Jr., Sandra Vassos, John J. Ciafone, Mike Zapiti, Michael A. Mascetti and George Poulos. Nearly all the candidates have filed general objections against their opponents’ petitions.

Very shortly, specific objections to petitions must be filed; and hearings by the Board of Elections will not be held until early August 2001. Thereafter, appeals can be made to the state Supreme Court. Filing and answering specific objections takes up an enormous amount of effort and resources. This prevents the candidates from bringing the issues and differences among the candidates to the voters. The voters will be deprived of being fully informed.

Specific objections are usually based on overly technical matters and do not really show the intent of the voter. In fact, the process is very discriminatory against the elderly, because of their difficulty in signing their names on very small lines with very small print. In the last presidential elections both Republicans and Democrats keep refraining "let every vote count".

I would propose that the six candidates refrain from filing specific objections against each other. I believe it right and proper that the voters be allowed to choose among the six candidates. Without the objection process all candidates can begin campaigning and educating the voters on the real issues facing Astoria. I hope that voters will remember the candidates that brought specific objections and tried to disenfranchise the voters.

George Poulos

Astoria

Gall Of Graffiti

To The Editor:

Yes, it is truly "gall"; I just finished looking-up the Webster definition of the word "gall":

• something bitter to endure;

• bitterness of spirit;

• brazen boldness coupled with impudent assurance

I’ve given this matter some considerable thought and have come to the conclusion that there is a need on the part of the perpetrators to be recognized, noticed... they want the world to know they are here, and by leaving their logo indelibly on surfaces for all to see, their need for recognition is fulfilled (for a time).

In addition to their need for recognition by the rest of the world, they want their "disciples" to see how brave they are in trashing society with their logo but in most dangerous, inaccessible places! Take, for example, the iron structure at Queens Plaza where the N and 7 trains converge: the superstructure of the tracks, I mean. In these most dangerous, out-of-the-way places, graffiti can be seen? And I wonder!!!

Walls on buildings, e.g. the blank wall of BLOCKBUSTER on Steinway and 34th Avenue is an open invitation to these creeps to put their tattoos. There is an irresistible urge in the minds (?) of graffiti goons to put their Zorro mark! Theirs is an addiction as demanding as morphine/heroin!

Since I have no way of knowing how severely the police treat these miscreants, I can’t say what their punishment is and if these people are made to clean up their mess!!

In conclusion, I hope the graffiti-ites get their recognition in more acceptable ways, viz: psychotherapy, but mostly from God.

Very truly yours,

June M. Campise