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Brooklyn Daily
To the editor,
Why does the Obama administration keep dragging its feet on mandatory 21-day quarantines for people suspected of being exposed to the Ebola virus? If I wanted to buy a horse from any African country, that horse would undergo a mandatory, 60-day quarantine at a federal facility before being allowed to mingle with other horses.
This policy is in effect in just about all other countries. It seems that there is a disease in Africa called African horse sickness. This disease cannot be transmitted to humans — only horse to horse. Because of this highly effective quarantine policy, African horse sickness has not ever spread to horses inside the U.S. I could not even transport my horse from state to state without a health certificate! This is why the Obama’s no-mandatory-quarantine policy is so bizarre. Does the U.S. government value horses more highly than humans?
Two agencies of our government have a mandatory quarantine policy: the Department of Agriculture for plants and animals, and now the Defense Department has implemented a mandatory, 21-day quarantine for all U.S. troops returning from western Africa. Yet, Obama still refuses to quarantine other suspected Ebola victims that come here. Thomas Eric Duncan, the first person to die of Ebola in the U.S. had a valid visa, he lied about Ebola exposure, and he was allowed to enter the U.S. That’s quite a difference between official policy for horses and humans!
Knowing that our livestock is so well-protected makes me happy. It’s just too bad that American citizens are not as well-protected. The president should remember that perception is truth.David F. Podesta
Marine Park
• • •
To the editor,
“Mr. President, Fox News is urging that you sign an executive order temporarily banning flights from Ebola-endemic areas for the safety of the American people.”
“Fox! It figures. People have a right to travel and besides, they’d just come thru Canada or Mexico or the Duchy of Grand Fenwick. By the way, any country reporting any new outbreaks recently?”
“Yes, sir. Israel.”
“Hmm, anyone see where I left my pen?”
On July 22, 2014, the Federal Aviation Association banned U.S. flights into or out of Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport for “the safety of the traveling public,” when a single rocket exploded one mile from the airport.
Stephen Finger, M.D.
Mill Basin
Palest-whine
To the editor,
Here we go again! We have a nice, friendly basketball game between our Nets and Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv teams, and a Palestinian has to come in with a flag which to the Israelis is like a red flag is to a bull in Spain (“Kings Bay Y head attacked at Barclays,” online Oct. 9).
It is obvious she came to disrupt the game. Does she think anyone cares what she thinks? She knows better. She just came to make trouble. Did anyone check out a connection between Kiswani and the other trouble maker in Bay Ridge? You should.
People pay good money to go to these games, and they want to relax and enjoy the experience, not see selfish, me-me-me adults ruining their day. There are other ways to express anger than to ruin what might have been a lovely afternoon for families and singles because of a single-minded woman’s political bend. There is a time and place for this lousy behavior. Why it is allowed — period — is beyond me.
The people in that arena were a captive audience for that woman. They had nowhere to turn. We don’t need this aggravation here, miss.Diane Hunt
Bay Ridge
‘Beirut’ Bay Ridge
To the editor:
Most Muslims hate our country. They force us to accept Islam, then destroy our way of life, and inculcate shariah law. They love only our benefits, which they accept willingly. How can America ever forgive what happened on 9-11 or the Boston Marathon bombing, or the killings of our soldiers on our military bases? Why didn’t we deport Muslims who were happily dancing on 9-11?
Muslims occupy a lot of New Jersey, Bay Ridge is turning into Beirut, and soon all of America will be called the Muslim United States. America wake up. In spite of the threats we continue to accept Muslims from all over the world. S. Dobrovol
Coney Island
NYPD blues
To the editor,
I am a reader of your paper and I look forward to reading it every Friday morning. I have one comment to make about your police blotter. You don’t cover any news from the 60th Precinct.
I have lived at my present address for 49 years. Prior to this I lived in Sea Gate, and in the 60th Precinct for about 70 years. I know there has been a lot going on. I would like to see the 60th Precinct mentioned in your column. Robert Spector
Coney Island
‘Flawed’ system
To the editor,
The American system is extremely flawed. Virtually everything we, as school students, were taught academically is made up of bull. The school system does not teach us how to be independent thinkers, but instead it teaches us how to be dependent drones. The employment workforce is, and always will be, racist and sexist. Society is biased against gays, but too chicken to even attempt to investigate the massive corruption that takes place behind the walls of the federal government.
The Catholic Church is guilty of all of the above. Its members secretly molest young boys, then dictate to gays about how they should live. They don’t say a word about the genital mutilation of young African girls. Pompous, holier-than-thou believers. See them, don’t wanna be them.
Everyone is too busy and too content worrying about what someone else has or what someone is wearing. People should mind their own business.Sebastian CasalenovaBensonhurst
Landlording it
To the editor,
How terrible to read how landlords in this town live the life of luxury while their tenants live in conditions that are beyond belief. This continues because under the rent stabilization laws, landlords get their automatic increases for expiring leases. Why not pass legislation stating that no landlord shall receive such increases until all violations in their respective buildings are removed? You would then see landlords rush to fix such violations.
This rule should be in effect for rent-stabilized and rent-controlled apartments, and it needs to apply to smaller units and cooperative buildings as well. In the latter, renegade co-op boards remain in power, as there isn’t a quorum at meetings to vote them out, and therefore they can do as they please.Ed Greenspan
Sheepshead Bay
MTArrrghhh
To the editor,
I travel from Brooklyn to Manhattan on the subway about four times a week and am inconvenienced by construction delays and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s lack of notification. It should inform each station in advance and advertise the affected ones on major radio and TV networks.
I believe Mayor DeBlasio should take over the agency, as this is a city function more than the state’s burden. After the 1965 and 1966 New York City transit strike, Gov. Rockefeller relieved Mayor Lindsay in controlling the agency after the state raised the transit workers’ salaries. The president of the Transport Workers Union, Mike Quill, told Mayor Lindsay “There is going to be a transit strike and there is nothing you can do about it.”
The mayor can take control of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority with just a phone call, once said former Manhattan Borough President and City Council Speaker Andy Stein. This may also give Mayor DeBlasio, who clearly admits he is not a good administrator, a chance to improve his administrative ability and give commuters a chance to express their problems and frustrations.
It is also a sad fact that IRT lines run express on Saturday and Sunday, whereas in Brighton Beach only the Q runs express and not the B train, and they are clearly the ones who suffer more than anything else. Elliot Abosh
Brighton Beach
Speed demons
To the editor,
Time after time I’ve either read or heard about many hit-and-runs by cars where someone was usually killed. It was no surprise about a women being hit and killed by a biker in Central Park. I feel sorry for the family that lost a wife and mother. The down side about Brighton Beach is some bikers think the Boardwalk is a place to speed. We’ve got seniors, and children who use the Boardwalk, and in my heart I hope neither gets hit by some out-of-control biker.
When you bike down Emmons Avenue and make a left turn, there are bike lanes going from south to north, and on the other side of the street the lane goes in the opposite direction. Crossing over Coney Island Avenue going west there is a bike lane, and once again on the other side of the street there is a bike lane which ends at Neptune and Coney Island avenues as well. What do we consider a sidewalk? Not a place for anyone to bike ride, but for people to walk on. Being courteous of walkers should be the theme and concern every day.Jerry Sattler
Brighton Beach
Mental block
To the editor:
It is unfortunate a woman was harassed by a mentally ill, homeless man (“Crazed vagrant threatens to behead Arab community leader,” Sept. 12). To his brother he is merely a pain, but the suspect could be put in a hospital, recover, and have a normal life.
Many thousands of mentally ill people recover in hospitals every year. Movies and TV give the impression that they can’t recover. This is inaccurate. The public has many wrong ideas about the mentally ill. One is they are violent, but they’re more likely victims of crime then perpetrators of them. I would say to Bill Boshell, get your brother into the hospital fast. Winter is coming and homeless people have been known to freeze to death in winter. Jerome Frank
The writer is a member of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Toke-n law
To the editor,
Senator Charles Schumer’s call to ban synthetic marijuana would not be necessary, if he would come out of the closet and support legalization of the real thing. Consumption of marijuana for both medical and recreational use is part of mainstream America, transcending generations.
Creative entrepreneurs will always provide the citizens’ desire, regardless of government approval. Consumers have voted with their dollars, making marijuana consumption a multibillion-dollar enterprise today. Legalize it and add a sales tax. Revenues will more than cover the costs of any abuse. Our tax dollars will be better used if police and judges spend more time prosecuting those who commit real crimes against individuals or property than going after those who consume or distribute marijuana.
Larry Penner
Great Neck, N.Y.