In August 2006, you ran an article on Queens College's free job and life skills training program for women called Women and Work. Because of your wonderful article, many deserving women found their way to the program. In fact, we accepted 60 women, rather than our usual 40, because of the incredible demand.
The article was written by Melissa Chan, whose mom was accepted into the program and now has a job with Queens College.
I sincerely hope that you will find your way clear to run another story and to continue to be a force for women in need in our community.
Carmella T. M. Marrone
Executive Director,
Women and Work
Queens College
More Troops Not The Answer
President Bush may be planning to increase troops in Iraq in the hope of crushing the insurgency before we withdraw from that country. Many people may not know that we used that same strategy in the Philippine-American War in 1898. However, to achieve victory in that war, we did quite a bit more than just adding soldiers.
On August 14, 1898, 11,000 American ground troops were sent to occupy the Philippines. They met stiff resistance from insurgents but they were successful in defeating a Philippine Army that vastly outnumbered them in just over three years time.
Here is how they accomplished this.
More American soldiers were brought into the fighting - 126,000 were eventually deployed. They began taking no prisoners, burning whole villages, and torturing the enemy. They also established concentration camps for civilians suspected of being guerrilla sympathizers.
Our military's harsh tactics led the Filipino insurgent leaders to throw in the towel and on July 4, 1902 then-President Theodore Roosevelt declared the Philippines “pacified.” More troops and a callous disregard for human life and rights had beaten the insurgency. Would we be willing to use that “winning” combination today in Iraq? I suspect not and I am glad of that.
Martin H. Levinson
Forest Hills
Friends And Enemies
Ms. Schneps-Yunis,
I am writing in response to your column of 12-28-06. In that column you state, that you are saddened and shocked that Mr. Hevesi was forced to resign, and that you agree that anyway you look at it - it is a tragedy. You also wrote that you hope time will heal his pain and that he earned a second chance along with the information of your long relationship with Mr. Hevesi.
I find all of what you said noble and true. However I wonder why, as Publisher and Editor, you would allow the picture on page 14 of Mr. Hevesi. I have to say that picture depicts a beaten man and places Mr. Hevesi in the most unflattering light one could choose. If you are such a friend of Mr. Hevesi, why choose such a picture? Why not run either no picture or a file picture that depicts him with honor and valor as opposed to the editorial statement made with the picture you chose to print? Mr. Hevesi, regardless of his mistakes, deserves better and certainly much better by someone representing herself as feeling for the situation he now finds himself in.
I would have to say that with friends like you in his corner he does not need to worry about how his enemies are treating him.
Larry Menzie
Forest Hills
Editor's note: Columnist's views and opinions do not influence the presentation of spot news events or good photos in The Queens Courier
Run Rudy Run
ayor Rudy Giuliani took his first official step toward a run for the White House in 2008. I am thrilled that Rudy is running for president. Here is an ex-mayor who after 9/11 was known as America’s Mayor. Unfortunately, he will have an uphill climb, and I don't think he will be able to get conservatives on his bandwagon. He is pro-choice, favors same sex marriage, gun control and is for stem-cell research. He has to be able to swing Middle America which I don’t think he will be able to do. Yet time will tell. Good luck Rudy for New York remembers your courage and your leadership on that day of infamy.
Frederick R. Bedell Jr.
Bellerose
When A Raise Is Not A Raise
Mayor Michael Bloomberg is so busy patting himself on his back for the new teachers' contract that he has no time or vision to see how demoralized the teachers of New York City public school students have become under his regime. I'm not even going to mention the salary. While it is a good income, it is not a raise. A raise is more money received for doing the same job. Teachers are now doing more than ever.
With the extra days added in the beginning of the school year and the extra time added on to our day, we are probably not getting a raise at all. I wouldn't mind the extra time if it was used to better my students' education, but it is not used this way.
Staff development, as it is called, consists of having teachers who have taught for maybe 2 years, telling experienced teachers what to do. We sit around in a room, or an auditorium and waste time.
The new professional assignments we have been given are anything but professional. Potty patrol is not what I went to college to do. Teachers can no longer decide how to spend their time in school. We have no time to speak to parents, guidance, write college recommendations, or do any of the hundreds of things we normally do.
Mayor Bloomberg, the contract you offer us is no bargain and not worth the paper it is written on.
Linda Silverman
Bellerose
