It Is Congrats For Courier Coverage

Thank you for such elaborate coverage of the Queens Botanical Garden's annual Rose Ball. The spread was spectacular! We so appreciate your coverage of events and programs here at the Garden. As a non-profit community garden, this type of coverage helps the local community know what is happening in their won backyards, as well as help us make the Garden, a great resource for the community, visible.
The photo and article about the Tai Chi was also really appreciated. Tai Chi is such a joy for seniors in Queens, and we are so pleased that they are acknowledged, especially since they support the Garden in so many ways.
Best regards,
Susan Lacerte

Developers Still Eye Fort Totten
What bothers me more than anything else is the future of Fort Totten. I honestly believe there is a group of realtors who would love to demolish Fort Totten and build homes and apartments on the site.
Since this land can be considered like the island of Manhattan, hi-rises can be built facing the water. The granite blocks, some weighing more than 2,000 pounds, located in the Totten Battery, also known as &#8220Old Fort,” can be removed and sold.
I do not know the names of the persons that I once took on tour, who, when we were all gathered in the Old Fort, were figuring out how they could profit from the sale of the granite blocks.
A few questions from me exposed this group as real estate agents on a venture of sorts. I have been on the lookout for years for these persons.
Queens has grown rapidly and within this wonderful borough stands historic Fort Totten. This fort faces the East River, Long Island Sound, and Little Neck Bay. Homes facing the water are valued at much higher prices and homes across Little Neck Bay and are selling for $1 million or more.
Why have I written about this?
Do not allow realtors to get this land. Permit me to repeat again, this land belongs to all of us for our children and grandchildren.
Jack Fein
Fort Totten Historian

Courier Deals A Helping Hand
I thank you very much for posting my letter and printing the names and addresses for the Senior Centers in my area.
The nearest one is the Pomonok Center and they tell me that they teach all the card games.
Doris Stern
Flushing

We Must Restore Trial By Jury
Under the U.S. Constitution, the 7th Amendment is the right to a speedy and public trial by jury and the 8th Amendment prohibits cruel and unusual punishment.
The Bush administration has promulgated any kind of torture by American interrogators short of organ failure or death. Techniques that are more forceful are outsourced to foreign governments. Many of those captured turned out to be innocent.
Many Americans may be unconcerned by the fact that most of those tortured at the hands of the Bush administration had Arabic names. Denial of the right to a trail by jury and torture of American citizens is already underway. The Bush administration has openly stated that U.S. citizenship is no guarantee against indefinite detention without trial.
We must contact our representatives in Congress and demand a restoration of the universal right to a trial by jury and strict adherence of the prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment along with the prosecution of those officials who have violated and sanctioned those constitutional violations.
Janet McCarthy

Who Pays For Pols Trip To Israel?
I read David Weprin's article about going to Israel six times. In the past there have been troubles in Indonesia, Nepal, Somalia, Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi, and between India and Pakistan.
I didn't read about politicians going to these countries.
But if Israel is involved in wars then politicians from New York City will go there because there are many Jewish voters living in New York.
P.S. Who pays for the trips? It is wrong for the taxpayers to pay.
William Witting
Maspeth

Questions About Flag Etiquette
As a dedicated weekly reader of The Queens Courier, more and more I see our American flag displayed with the field of stars on the right. I have seen this on various buses and trucks, as well as on the right arms of several U.S. soldiers. I believe this to be incorrect.
I know there are or were guidelines as to how far to fly or display the U.S. flag.
Would you please print the official guidelines, whether original or revised, as to how to properly display our flag?
Joseph R. Bechtold
Bayside

Editor's Note: Try this website: https://www.flagandbanner.com. Scroll down to the Helpful Documents list at bottom of the page and click on Flag Etiquette and all your questions will be answered.