The way to save Brooklyn’s working waterfront
Brooklyn: Re “Ships, not homes, for Brooklyn port” (editorial, Sept. 26): The Daily News’ opposition to the Brooklyn Marine Terminal vision plan misunderstands a crucial fact: This proposal won’t destroy the working waterfront — it will save it.
Right now, the outdated, dilapidated piers along the Brooklyn waterfront are literally crumbling into the river. This proposal funds the construction of a fully modern, electrified port that can actually receive 21st-century ships and operate at a far higher capacity than it does today.
The plan also calls for the creation of 500,000 square feet of updated industrial and commercial space. In total, the revamped terminal would support around 2,000 jobs, up from only 350 today. That’s why this plan has the support of nearly every maritime and industrial stakeholder, including the Shipping Association of New York and New Jersey, the Maritime Association of the Port of NY & NJ, the Southwest Brooklyn Industrial Development Corp. and the local Longshoremen’s Association.
The plan’s proposal to build thousands of new affordable homes on portions of the site doesn’t hurt the port; it’s necessary to fund the port’s reconstruction in an era of massive federal budget cuts. The plan would also create 28 acres of new parks and public space, reconnecting communities to the waterfront instead of blocking them off.
We don’t have to choose between a working waterfront, affordable housing and new parks. Our communities deserve all three, and this plan offers a path to get us there. state Sen. Andrew Gounardes
Words that urge
Aiken, S.C.: I doubt I am the only ex-lawman who’s really ticked off watching the anarchist screaming at ICE agents, “Kill those” blankety-blanks and “shoot those… ” I keep hearing that the rhetoric to do harm and violence should stop, but Democrats like House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Rep. Maxine Waters, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Rep. Eric Swalwell, Sen. Adam Schiff and Rep. Jasmine Crockett, keep pouring gas on the fire by making statements that are not protected under the First Amendment. It is illegal to falsely yell “fire” in a movie theater and illegal for politicians to incite violence, conning the mentally ill to do their dirty work. Rioters can be arrested for breach of peace, disorderly conduct, making threats, etc., but I think charging the perpetrators with acts of sedition, rebellion or insurrection would shut down those anti-law miscreants. Gregory J. Topliff
Costly city
Cincinnati: The mayor of Las Vegas better do something quick. President Trump’s policies are killing Vegas. Only people like Trump can afford to go there. Non-white folks are afraid to go there. Canadians are retaliating against Trump by avoiding Vegas. I will not go back until they lower their prices. Mark Jessee
Taxpayer-funded fun
Windsor, Conn.: In case you don’t think Trump is spending our tax dollars wisely, i.e. the gold-festooned Oval Office, the new exclusive-membership Rose Garden Club and the Cinderella-approved 90,000 square foot ballroom addition to the White House, along with a multi-million-dollar taxpayer-funded trip with his granddaughter to a golf resort last weekend, keep in mind that members of his administration are grinding away putting our tax dollars to work on behalf of the American people. Case in point: $11 million was paid to rebuild a historic pier in Naples, Fla., after one of Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi “Puppy Killer” Noem’s financial backers called in a favor. This gave Noem a nice little vacation. She flew to Naples on a government plane to tour the pier and stayed for the weekend to get dinner with the donor, local cardiologist Dr. Sinan Gursoy, at the French restaurant Bleu Provence. Making America great again. Jonathan Brewster
Taxed by tariffs
Bronx: Please explain to me how Trump’s tariffs are not considered “taxation without representation.” Tariffs are taxes on consumers. Congress didn’t pass them, and Congress is technically our representative body. So why are we paying them? Maria Bonsanti
Party of one
Jamaica: People better remember when they go vote that the Republicans are doing the president’s bidding, not the people’s. Right now, with the shutdown about to happen, the Democrats are trying to get our affordable health care back for the people. God bless America! Charlene Black
Odd choice
Greenwood Lake, N.Y.: To Voicer Miriam Levine Helbok: Of all the politicians to quote, you picked Adam Schiff? Really?! Joe Fioramonti
Early-career
Middle Village: Does anyone remember when Jimmy Kimmel was on “Win Ben Stein’s Money”? Robert Chirieleison
Reading aid
Glendale: I enjoy doing the daily puzzles. However, the tiny print is getting more difficult to read. It would be nice if the Daily News provided a bonus magnifying glass to read the Bonus Puzzle page, sort of like the kind you used to get in a box of Cracker Jack. Laura Zimmer
Simply judgmental
Whiting, N.J.: Voicer Don Adler writes that it is OK to fat-shame. We struggle as a country with obesity for a variety of reasons, but Adler simplifies solutions for every overweight person out there by basically telling them to just go fix it. People like him who lack empathy (and I’m guessing he’s a perfect specimen) should keep their small-minded opinions to themselves. Bill McConnell
Acts of restraint
Hammonton, N.J.: I understand that a lot of New Yorkers aren’t smart. They are a product of a government indoctrination system, but does the Daily News need to print letters from idiots living in Ireland? Voicer John Fair is a straight-up idiot. If Israel wanted to conduct a genocide, there would be no living people in Gaza right now. It could replicate the British firebombing of Dresden, Germany, and everyone would be dead. While the IDF broadcasts its attacks to protect civilians, coalition forces killed hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and Afghans like there was no tomorrow. In the meantime, the Russians are kidnapping children, killing civilians and torturing prisoners of war. Russia is conducting genocide, not Israel. William Cook
Taken by force
Dover, Del.: Voicer Richard Sherman mentioned that Jews have a long-time history on the land in the Middle East. Those folks left for other countries. Using his thought process would mean that everyone who is not a Native American should leave the U.S. and return the nation to those who were here first. The British Mandate was established by Zionists living in Europe without any input from those living in Palestine. Prior to the Zionist invasion, Jews, Muslims and Christians were living in harmony, each group worshiping without any conflict. Zionism is in no way Judaism! The Zionists were the first terrorists to arrive in the area, attacking those living there. The King David Hotel in Jerusalem was bombed by the Zionists in 1946. We must allow for everyone in the region to live in peace without the fear of being attacked by the Zionist regime. Chalky White
Can’t hide the cruelty
Wappingers Falls, N.Y.: I am a longtime volunteer animal advocate and have supported the effort to end the carriage-horse business in NYC for a decade. Contrary to the claims made by carriage-horse profiteers Voicers Jill Adamski and Christina Hansen and the TWU, I don’t make a dime off my efforts. Adamski didn’t mention that she was filmed working a horse after a heat curfew was enacted. And the photo accompanying your Sept. 22 op-ed (“Why Adams flipped on NYC’s horse carriage trade“) that praised this cruel, corrupt industry should have been one of their many horses seen suffering and dying instead of the usual glorified photo of a horse pulling a flower-filled carriage in the park on a spring day. But you still couldn’t hide that the animal was shackled from head to toe with a painful metal bar stuck in her mouth, pulling a carriage load of 900-plus pounds. Yliana Franco
Under-invested
Plainview, L.I.: Mets owner Steve Cohen’s big mistake was merely spending $765 million for Juan Soto alone instead of arranging a package deal for Aaron Judge, Max Fried, Shohei Ohtani, Kyle Schwarber, Cal Raleigh, Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes all for a mere $2 billion, still leaving Cohen with almost $20 billion for the rest of his personal life. Richard Siegelman
