On May 2, 1973, New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster was executed in cold blood on a New Jersey roadside by “Black Liberation Army” member Joanne Chesimard. She was charged, tried, and convicted of murdering Trooper Foerster and sentenced to life in prison. In 1979, Chesimard escaped from prison and later fled into the waiting arms of the tyrant Fidel Castro in Cuba. She has been living as Castro's guest since then and she has renamed herself Assata Shakur. Frankly, it's too bad that she is not in a different area of Cuba - Guantanamo Bay - as we are sure our heroic American soldiers could find a place for her there.
To most people, the Chesimard story is a simple one about a single murderous, anti-American, cop-killing terrorist. Case closed. Of course, however, normal values do not seem to exist on many of our college campuses. We were disgusted and flabbergasted to read that this terrorist enjoys a place of honor on the City College campus. That is what she is - a domestic terrorist.
Then, to add insult to injury, the school's spokesperson Mary Lou Edmondson had the audacity to defend the presence of Chesimard's name on a community center at City College, stating that the school is “a place to discuss and argue ideas.”
The questions we must raise are: What ideas are being discussed and argued at City College? Does CUNY really consider the idea of murdering police officers in cold blood an example of “ideas” that are open to discussion and argument?
The fact that CUNY employees would attempt to defend this outrage begs the question: “What is going on over at CUNY?” Has the whole system been totally and completely infected with anti-Americanism that it would defend the rights of terrorists to murder the law enforcement officials who keep us safe from harm?
A terrorist is a terrorist … period. A terrorist who murders in the name of some warped political ideology is just as much a terrorist as someone who murders in the name of a warped conception of religion.
We urge you to take the appropriate action to rename the community center. Allow us to recommend the “Detectives Rodney J. Andrews and James V. Nemorin Community Center.” That could spur discussion of the virtues of heroism and devotion to duty, and the difficulties faced by our police officers on a daily basis.
We ask that you notify us in writing as to what actions, if any, CUNY is planning to take in order to correct this matter.
James S. Oddo, Minority Leader
Dennis P. Gallagher, Minority Whip
Andrew Lanza,
City Councilmember, 51st District
‘Thankful' For Courier Story
I just read the article [on my Big Brother Lenny Waxman] today. Thank you so much. I just don't have the words right now. I'm not sure that I will ever have the words to thank you for letting the Waxman family know how I feel. I just have to work hard each day here to make up for it. Hopefully we can get the job done here so one day no other soldier will have to come here - one day. Thanks again.
Samuel Williams Jr.
Somewhere in Iraq
State Should Butt Out
Missing throughout all this coverage of the Berger Commission and the similar State pronouncements is a very simple and fundamental question: Why is the state even involved in this process?
In just about any other business, whether it's barbershops, pizza parlors, doctors' offices, or even newspapers - the owners and workers wake up each morning trusting to the marketplace, that is the consumers, to decide whether they survive or come crashing down.
Yet for some reason, in the case of hospitals, the state intervenes from beginning (the “Certificate of Need” process) to, in this case, the end.
Why is someone/some group designated through the political process even in this game?
Let Parkway, and all the other hospitals, compete on a level playing field without all this interference. Competition works a lot better, and often a lot fairer, than government fiat.
Danny Burstein
Forest Hills
‘Save Our Hospitals'
I'm very concerned about the Berger Commission's recommendation to close some hospitals including the New Parkway Hospital among others in New York.
I personally believe that closure of any hospital, especially in poor and minority neighborhoods, would greatly affect the delivery of healthcare services in our communities. For this reason I'm spearheading a community initiative “Save Our Hospitals,” with strong support from community based organizations and interfaith groups across the city.
I would like the opportunity to provide our support to your hospital by petitioning and reaching out to the elected officials who will be responsible in deciding the future of Parkway and other medical facilities.
With this initiative, we intend to send a clear and strong message from our community, that we are ready, willing, and able to stop them from closing our hospitals.
Enrique Lugo
Coordinator “Save Our Hospitals”
Letters To The Editor
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