Letters
Olympic Slot To The Editor:

Does the Olympic Committee have no shame? They have the audacity to usurp the slot on the Women’s U.S. Skating Team earned by Emily Hughes through practice and competition and give it to Michele Kwan. Kwan has already won a couple of Olympic Medals and has lost to younger competition the past two Olympics...doesn’t that show a pattern?

What does this tell our children-that practice and hard work doesn’t matter?

Emily Hughes deserves not to sit on the sidelines in Torino, when it is she who earned the right to compete through competition and hard work...Don’t we characterize that as “The American Way”? Marie Proto Little Neck Key To Freedom To The Editor:

It seems as though everyone thinks that our system of government is a democracy. Our forefathers gave us a republic.

The Pledge of Allegiance pledges us to a republic and not a democracy. There is no mention of a democracy in our Constitution nor in any of our state constitutions. See Article IV, Section 4 in the United States Constitution.

A democracy is one of the worst forms of government because it is rule by a centralization of governmental power in a simple majority. This leads to a dictatorship, tyranny and eventual destruction. No nation has ever survived under a democracy.

A republic is rule by law. This form of government is what made our country great. We have a system of checks and balances which allow our laws to be changed only through certain processes.

Our forefathers gave us a republic because they knew the tyranny from where they came. As Benjamin Franklin said, “We will give them a republic, provided they can keep it.”

Everyone should read the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution.We must know about our heritage and the freedoms which our forefathers wanted us to have. Very truly yours, Janet McCarthy Flushing Save A Child To The Editor:

I was appalled and greatly saddened by the death of Nixzmary Brown, as most of us are after reading and watching the news this past week. Allegedly she was beaten and tortured by her stepfather, Cesar Rodriguez, and her mother, Nixzaliz Santiago, supposedly allowed this to occur. I just don’t understand how this could happen and how Nixzmary could fall between the cracks.

It seems to me that the Administration for Children’s Services didn’t do enough to save this child. Furthermore, this seems reminiscent of the Lisa Steinberg case, who was beaten and killed by Joel Steinberg, her illegally adoptive father. You would think that the ACS would have learned from that case and would do everything necessary to prevent this from happening again.

Without appearing redundant but this needs to be said again, we must stop child abuse. This must not be allowed to happen again or more children shall die. In my book no child deserves to be beaten and tortured like Nixzmary Brown was, for these children cannot defend themselves. We must all get involved and do something.

As stated on Friday by state child welfare officials, anyone who suspects that a child is being abused or mistreated can call the state hotline 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Anonymous calls receive the same attention as calls made by people who provide names. If the child protective specialist who takes the call determines there is reasonable cause to suspect abuse or maltreatment, a report is sent to the local child welfare agency. In New York City, that is Administration of Children’s Services, and in Nassau and Suffolk counties, it is Child Protective Services. The local agency is required to open an investigation within 24 hours, and has 60 days under law to complete it.

The state child abuse hot line is 1-800342-3720. The state office of children and family services Web site, www.ocfs.state.ny.us, includes more information about reporting suspected abuse.

Remember this too, “Evil thrives when good people do nothing.” Sincerely Yours Frederick R. Bedell Jr. Bellerose Backs Laws On Children To The Editor:

Two very important items that were pointed up in your January 25, 2006 issue of the Gazette really touched my heart deeply. Both have to do with children. I am strongly in favor of the murder [sentence] for all those who kill children through abuse. That tragic case about little [Nixz]Mary [Brown] really made us sad but in our sadness we must not let her die in vain. The life of a child is the life of a future, the life of hope and the life of a new beginning. Also, the governor enacting the furthering of Megan’s Law is important as well. Children must be free of the danger of abuse sexually through the elimination of sex offenders.

Also, I must raise my voice in agreement to the appointment of a special head to lead a commission to investigate and to help all of those who became ill due to the 9/11 rescue. These deaths that occurred recently are tragic but unfortunately and sad to say, there are so many who helped to rescue, to clean and to find the remains in the rubble of 9/11 who are so ill. We must owe them recognition not at their funeral through a plaque or a speech but when they are alive by trying to help them medically and psychologically. These people are our heroes and to have heroes suffer a living death through numerous illnesses brought upon by this disaster of infamy must not occur. We urge our readers to write to our lawmakers at the federal level and even to our president. Human life is sacred and those who helped to preserve and to rescue life must be given the opportunity to improve their own. Let us join together and join hands to achieve this end. Cynthia Groopman Long Island City Backs R2A Zoning To The Editor:

There has been much written and said about the contextual rezoning initiatives that have been passed or are in the process of being passed here in Northeast Queens. In particular, the new R2A zoning designation [that] has come under close scrutiny.

The initiatives have come about as the result of increasing overdevelopment problems in this area and the proliferation of huge out of context structures commonly known as McMansions. Where rezoning plans have already been passed, what has been the effect?

I can give you one example from here in Bayside. Before rezoning, my block was zoned R3-2, a general district classification that covered a multitude of housing types. R32 encourages high density types of development. Back in 1961, when zoning was last done, city officials zoned large areas of Queens under this designation in the expectation that the city’s population wold grow to 16 to 20 million people by the beginning of the 21st century. That did not happen. Our population is somewhere over 8 million people.

My block consists of mostly oneand some two-family detached homes on lots of at least 40 by 100 feet. R3-2 does not reflect the housing on my block or thousands of blocks in our area with that designation. R2 would be the proper designation, however, R2 contains loopholes that allow for the construction of McMansions and the like. That is why R2A was developed by the City Planning Commission. R2A cuts out the loopholes.

Getting back to my block, our new designation is now R2A. There was an old home on a 60 by 100 foot lot that was in very bad shape. It was demolished after R2A went into effect on my block. It has been replaced by a large one-family home that fits fairly well into the neighborhood character. If the lot was still R32, two two-family homes could have been constructed on this lot. If the lot was R2, a McMansion could have been constructed on this lot. R2A worked to the benefit of the community in this situation.

There are those who say that R2A prevents people from expanding their homes. At a civic meeting some months back, I asked John Young, Queens chair of City Planning, about that. He responded that for the Bayside rezoning area, only about two percent of the homes would be out of compliance, which means that they would be too large to expand. The vast majority of homes could expand.

I believe that a lot of thought and planning went into the R2A designation. Many experts have examined the regulations of this classification carefully and they believe it is fair and it does work to the community’s benefit. For the areas where contextual rezoning has not been completed, the time has come to complete those areas. No more procrastinating.

Will rezoning alone solve all of our overdevelopment problems? No. There [are] still other issues. The community facilities problem still needs to be addressed in many areas. The Department of Buildings must enforce all zoning and building regulations. Some buildings and neighborhoods in our area may merit city landmark designation. Many people would like to write deed restrictions on their property that could be enforced by the city. All of these factors have the potential to positively affect the rate of development in our neighborhoods. Henry Euler Bayside Retaliation Is The Answer To The Editor:

Re: “Wait Out Terrorists”, Queens Gazette, Jan. 18, 2006, [from] John Carno, Astoria.

Mr. Carno has a very naïve understanding of what must be done to protect, preserve and defend the way of life in this nation.

“We know retaliation is not the answer.” What was done after Dec. 7, 1941? Fortunately, in earlier days, Commander-InChiefs [President Franklin D.] Roosevelt and [President Harry S] Truman displayed national leadership that overshadowed the existence of any John Carno attitude of “wait and see” at that time. Chet Gusick Whitestone Shopping Mysteries

To The Editor:

“Attention shoppers: Aisle 2 is now in Aisle 6.” It seems every time you finally know where to find an item in your local supermarket, it gets moved again. Searching for that elusive jar of low carb peanut butter? Frustrating, isn't it?

Who are these employees blocking the aisles, packing out merchandise on shelves raised so high that Michael Jordan would have trouble reaching his steak sauce? Who are these people that keep moving products around and can't even tell you where to find a can of corn? Well, I'm one of them. Working for a national sales and marketing company, I represent products you use every day. My duties include placing them on shelves according to the manufacturers' and stores' specifications, thus ensuring that you can't find them or reach them.

If you’re not savvy enough to realize that these workers you see packing out products from Nabisco or Coke or potato chips do not work for the store, then it's time to wise up. The aisles are often teeming with non-store employees. Getting their products out on the shelves or selling floor by the vendors is essential. However, much of the other work being done by non-store employees is often unnecessary, frivolous, perfunctory, and repetitive. The work often gets physical and dirty, but someone has to do it; like moving boxes of cornflakes from the top to bottom shelf. It's not a snap, crackle. or pop job, but it's not rocket science either.

But honestly, folks, is a jar of mayonnaise going to sell better in Aisle 8 instead of Aisle 7? I don't think so. Do customers really care whether Cocoa Puffs or Fruit Loops are at the front of the cereal aisle? I doubt it.

Please don't yell at me if your shopping cart knocks over an egregiously placed stack of bottled pickles. I don't create the obstacle courses and gauntlets that shoppers must navigate around in every aisle. If Vermont maple flavored syrup is really corn syrup from New Jersey, don't blame me. You want the real thing? Read the ingredients or go tap a tree. And please, people, if you have to pry your Lean Cuisine dinner out of a mini glacier in the store's freezer, ask customer service for an ice pick. I am not Admiral Byrds Eye. For the disgruntled customers who keep asking me where to find "oyster stew", try the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Cape Cod...and my name is not Stu!

If you see me moving rice, it doesn't mean I have an Uncle Ben. My Aunt Millie did not use her recipe in the sauce you buy and just because I moved some plastic sandwich bags does not mean I'm the Man from Glad!! Is it a Wonder Bread is so hard to find?

So the next time you see someone working in a store [who] you suspect is a store employee, before you ask them what aisle the vinegar or chunky noodle soup is in, give them the benefit of the doubt and go find it yourself. Mmm Good. Mark Lane Little Neck