The Mail

Humming Along

Given NY Press' position on pedestrian safety in NYC and the general outlook of its readers, I thought the following would be appreciated. Riding my bike downÊthe BoweryÊtoward the Manhattan Bridge, I was a near victim of the all-too-typical car-door-ing. The assailant was beyond stereotype: thick-necked, 40-something, gym-built meathead with an unmussable coif of thick black hair to match his porn-star moustache driving-you guessed it-a white Hummer. I stopped before splattering my head against his door and I didn't catch whether he had Jersey plates, but I think it's a safe bet. After berating the schmuck for ignoring his rearview mirror, he shoots back that his mirrors were turned in, as if disconnectingÊyour brakes would suddenly relieveÊyou of the responsibility to obey stop signs and lights. I calmly explained to him that since he's the driver of a Hummer, he can't be too fuckin' bright. It was about that time that he started ranting something about scratches on his door. I bid a strategic retreat, but let the record show: man on bike 1, Cro-Magnon in Hummer 0.Ê

Mike Strassman, Brooklyn

Norman Siegel for Public Advocate

In a time where corporations have more access to politicians than citizens, Norman Siegel represents a much-needed change in campaign ethics. In the letter: "Rasiej the Roof!" (The Mail, 8/3) the Communication Director for Rasiej chose to flout how beholden his boss is to campaign contributors.

Rather than spending all his time fundraising, Siegel is actually defending the Public.

I am just a biker who is happy that someone who will actually protect our First Amendment rights is running for Public Advocate. Kick ass, Norm.

Rev. Phil Sano, PDX

Post-Op

Regarding your piece in "The News Hole" (8/3) mentioning the cruel and callous NY Post headline "The Arafat Lady Sings," mocking the grief of Suha Arafat upon the death of her husband, this type of tawdry stunt is nothing new for the Post. In fact, a previous example outdoes it for depravity.

Back in the 1980s, when compulsive bully Ronald Reagan was emperor, he loved to commit aggression against tiny, defenseless nations like Nicaragua, Grenada, Lebanon, and so on.ÊOne such victim nation he repeatedly attacked was Libya. One time they were trying to kill Qaddafi by bombing Tripoli. One of the targets was a tent he slept in.ÊHe wasn't there, but an infant girl he had adopted was. She was killed.Ê(Let's see: killing an innocent baby-not terrorism when the U.S. does it. Just "collateral damage.") Of course no regrets, apologies, compensation was forthcoming for the civilians killed (and foreign embassies damaged). No more so then when the U.S. Navy shot down an Iranian jetliner in an international commercial air corridor, and then lied and said it was diving at them.

Qaddafi's wife was naturally distraught, as you would expect any person who is not a monster to be over the murder of her infant girl. But the rage and grief of a mother over a murdered baby cannot abash louts and thugs without the capacity for shame, that is, without consciences.ÊSo the Post ran a photo of her yelling on the cover with the screaming headline "CURSE OF THE CAPEWOMAN" (a ridiculing reference to her Arab robes).

That's it; gleefully mock those you wound so cruelly. The Post certainly is consistent over the years. Consistently indecent and despicable.

Jason Zenith, Manhattan

Smelling a Ratner

Dear Editors: Just wanted to send kudos for Aaron Naparstek's recent column, "Same as the Old Boss" and his ongoing critical coverage of the Ratner saga. I also applaud your paper for making this issue one you consistently cover (unlike some old gray ladies around town.)

Daniel Goldstein, Brooklyn

He Can Play "Stairway to Heaven," Too

Great story on Richie Baxt. His fame has spread to the Opposite Coast, too. Anyone going to NYC to gig will probably be carrying his number.

I really have to read your rag more often. Good writing. Good mix of subjects. Just plain old good stuff all 'round.

Erik Jay, via email

Stuff This

In his July 27 piece on last fall's strange Ohio vote, Matt Taibbi says of the 2000 presidential election in Florida that, "The evidence for this theft has been there for everyone to see for five years now; few serious thinkers even dispute the matter anymore, just as few Democrats would even bother denying now that John Kennedy stole the 1960 election."Ê

Actually, there'sÊvery good reason to deny that JFK stole theÊelection. Mostly, this meme comes to us from theÊGOP-inspiredÊnotion that Chicago Mayor Richard Daley stuffed ballot boxes for Kennedy, enabling him to win in Illinois and thus prevail in a tight election. Nonsense! Ê

Assuming forÊthe momentÊthat Daley indeed stuffed ballot boxes in Chicago (conceivable but not somethingÊthe GOPÊever actually sought to prove),ÊNixonÊwould have had to have overcome nearly a 9,000-vote margin for JFK statewide. And there's at least as much reasonÊto assume that Republicans who controlled most of the rest of the stateÊwere busy stuffing their own ballot boxes. In any event, NixonÊdecided against contesting the Illinois outcome.Ê

But that's not even the half of it.Ê

Even had Nixon won Illinois, he stillÊwould have lost the election because he still wouldÊhave had to overturn results inÊat least two other states. WhileÊthe 1960 electionÊwasÊclose in the popular vote,ÊKennedy won handily in the electoral count, and the loss of Illinois by itself would not have changed the result.

So unless you are prepared to believe that Democrats stole the election by rigging the outcome in multiple states (for which there is not only lack of evidence, but also a lack ofÊfurther innuendo), there's no way Nixon didn't lose fair and square.Ê

Here's hoping the New York Press among other publications will stop perpetuating this egregious meme, which Republicans continue to use as justification for their own electoral chicanery. Regards,

Ronald M. Legro, Milwaukee

I live in Toledo, Ohio, and I would recommend that Matt Taibbi take a look at the unfolding Coingate Scandal in the State of Ohio. This involves Mr. Thomas Noe, a largeÊcampaign contributor to President Bush's re-election campaign, as well as a $10,000 contributor to Arnie in California.ÊMr. Noe was a major Republican player inÊOhio for the last 10 years. Mr. Noe hasÊstolen over 10 million dollars from a rare coins investment fund his firmÊmanaged for the state ofÊOhio's Bureau of Workman's Compensation.Ê

Mr. Noe's wife, Bernadette, was the chairwoman of the local Republican Party and held a position at the board of electionsÊin Toledo.ÊThe board of elections was so poorly run locally, that Ken Blackwell andÊthe state of Ohio are now running it.ÊI should note that the democrats are not without blame for theÊlocal board of elections fiasco.Ê Ê

Governor Bob Taft,Ê5 of the 9 justices on the Ohio Supreme Court and dozens of other state and local politiciansÊare embroiled in this unfolding scandal.

Additionally, the State of Ohio has lost 225 million dollars on investmentsÊmade with a firm that employees Gerald Forbes daughter.Ê ÊMr. Forbes has been a long time advisor and political ally of George Voinovich, one of Ohio's Senators.Ê Ê

I think Mr. Taibbi might find this a very interesting story ... and I would suggest listening to Louden Wainwright's "Dead Skunk" before he begins to examine this, as it is "stinking to high heaven." RegardsÊ

Frederick Palm, Toledo, OH

WHEELS OF STEEL

Dear Mr. Aaron Naparstek, "RECLAIM THE STREETS" is a fascinating and well-written article. It reminds me of the emperor who wore no clothes. Why hasn't anybody else pointed out this now blatantly obvious fact?

Since NYC and most of the country has embraced James Q. Wilson's "Broken Window" theory (zero tolerance), why do the police ignore such dangerous behavior? Thanks for your perceptive article,

Michael Loftus, via email