An open letter to City Councilman Peter Koo (R-Flushing), state Assemblywoman Grace Meng (D-Flushing) and state Sen. Toby Stavisky (D-Whitestone):
You were elected to represent all the people of the Flushing area. Many of us in the non-Asian community believe you are not fully representing us nor are you hearing us.
For several months we have had meetings regarding the use of English in stores and on their signs. We have gotten nowhere. All we hear are what seems to be one excuse after another. Enough is enough.
The time has come to stop pampering the storekeepers and hear the constituents who voted you into office. We want and need change.
It is not only for safety reasons that English should be on all signs, but it is also a show of respect for this country and a welcome to non-Asians to shop in the stores.
It seems the stores will not voluntarily install the English signs inside or outside. Why won’t you either strengthen the already-existing law or rewrite a new law either in the Council or the state Legislature and do this in our lifetime?
If you are afraid of losing votes, remember that we vote, too. This is an issue that will not be forgotten come election time. Here’s hoping you can fix this before we meet at our polling place.
Mary Ann Boroz
Flushing
