To the editor:
Has Alberto Gonzales become a role model for our borough president (“Pols to Yards foes: Yer out!” May 26)? Consider Borough President Markowitz’s decision to not reappoint members of Community Board 6 who voted to reject Atlantic Yards.
He says that he wants to consider the need for fresh perspectives when making appointments to the board. Is a willingness to serve as his rubber stamp a “fresh perspective”? Those of us who live in the area served by CB6 don’t want its members to blindly approve the proposals of real-estate developers. What we desire is a board that will represent the interests of our community.
If Marty Markowitz cares about the future of Brooklyn, he should be doing all that can to reduce the size of Atlantic Yards and to ensure that CB6 has a membership that will do the same. If he is unwilling to do this, he should abandon the idea of running for mayor and, after switching political parties, seek a position in the Bush Administration.
His decision to not reappoint members of CB6 because they disagree with him indicates that he would fit right in.
John Casson, Park Slope
Hot dog time
To the editor,
Somebody better tell Gersh Kuntzman to do some research before he starts “acting” like he knows what’s going on in the competitive eating world (“59.5* Chestnut’s ‘record’ tainted by modern air conditioning,” June 9).
Gersh is spreading lies — like the one that air-conditioning has a major effect on competitive eaters. It’s false! These eaters have been training — and air conditioning, let me assure you, is not a big factor.
Capacity is the only issue, and air conditioning does not change that.
This year, Takeru Kobayashi will be pushed to his limits as a competitive eater. We all know Joey Chestnut is the best American eater we’ve had to date. He has shattered both the World and American record.
But, amazingly enough, I still think Kobayashi will prevail on the Fourth.
Like any red-blooded American, I want Chestnut to win, but I have a “gut” feeling Kobayashi will stretch his limits to prevail.
Brad Vincent, Apex, N.C.
Green Church blues
To the editor,
Does your Red Hook columnist Matthew Lysiak realize that the Bay Ridge United Methodist Church, which is so frequently the butt of his knee-jerk cynicism, has been in the National Register of Historic Places since 1999 (“Eulogy for the Green Church,” Bay Ridge Edition and online, June 9)?
The difference in tone between his benign article about the recent designation of the Saitta House (“Dyker Heights house is one for the ages,” Bay Ridge Edition and online, June 16), a less significant building than United Methodist, and his snide comments regarding the “Green Church” controversy lead me to conclude that Lysiak is out of his depth.
Please give the Green Church assignment to a reporter with some historic preservation chops.
Susan Sively, Bay Ridge
Paper is sexist!
To the editor,
Your self-congratulatory item about The Brooklyn Paper’s refusal to take ads for escort services (“Paper gets NOW nod,” May 12) left me with the impression that The Paper takes a strong stand against the exploitation and objectification of womÂÂen.
Then, last week, an article on summer reading was illustrated by a photograph of a young woman in a two-piece bathing suit taking a book from a bookshelf. The picture was captioned, “Stacked.”
I see that I was mistaken.
Susan A. O’Doherty, Brooklyn Heights
Benedict Marty
To the editor,
If Astroland goes, Coney Island will no longer be Coney Island. Borough President Markowitz could have come out against Thor Equities when it would have done some good, but he only plays a Brooklyn booster on TV.
In reality, he’s hell-bent to gut the borough’s soul because in his heart Brooklyn is nothing but a seed of Manhattan.
Scott Powell, Park Slope
Biased caption
To the editor,
As a resident of 535 Dean St., I would like to protest your sloppy reporting in an article about developer Shaya Boymelgreen (“The Shaya Report,” Park Slope Edition and online, June 9). You reported that the building has been “well received,” but placed a disparaging quotation from an architectural expert underneath its image.
Such selective captioning betrays the perspective of the article’s author — but not, I can assure you, the opinions of the building’s residents and neighbors.
Nadia Warner, Prospect Heights
The writer lives in Boymelgreen’s NewsWalk
Suspended disbelief
To the editor,
I really enjoy Nica Lalli’s column, but I was a little troubled by a recent version (“Nica and Hitch go with ‘God,’” Park Slope Edition and online, June 9).
I haven’t read her book, “Nothing: Something to Believe In,” but I’m wary of titles that appear to proselytize, whether the author’s religion is Christianity, Islam, atheist or whatever.
As a friend, I’d like to caution Nica against allowing herself to be forced into company that she probably doesn’t want to be associated with.
Historically, many religious groups, once given political authority, have persecuted the members of minority sects and faiths that don’t agree with those in power. Atheism has proved to be no exception — witness the U.S.S.R. and Communist China.
Just as a humble tolerant Christian wisely puts a safe distance between himself and the fanatic ideologues of the Religious Right, a prudent atheist should repudiate those who belittle or ridicule people whose unfounded beliefs differ from their own.
Mark Brennan, neighborhood not given
Wrong on Fourth Av.
To the editor,
As someone who has lived on St. Marks and Fourth for the 15 years, I am dismayed about the number of bars that have opened up in my neighborhood over the last year (“Fourth Avenue rising right,” June 23).
I wonder if you crossed the street to Mule or the Cherry Tree for a drink because they both have gardens that are packed in the middle of the week with midnight drinkers. I am happy that you see this as such a positive sign of “organic” development, but I would guess that you do not have to live with it. Your “renaissance” is another’s blight.
Amanda Sawyer, Park Slope
