Endorsing
Bob Menendez
To the editor:
When Jon Corzine became governor and named Bob Menendez to replace him in the Senate, I was initially concerned. Could then-Rep. Menendez effectively fill Gov. Corzine’s shoes and hold onto the Senate seat in this year’s election?
Less than a year later, I’m happy to say Sen. Menendez has dispelled my concerns and exceeded all expectations.
Sen. Menendez has compiled an impressive record since joining the Senate. He led the opposition to the Bush Administration’s unsuccessful plan to allow a Dubai-owned company to control several Eastern seaports. He introduced legislation to give seniors more time to enroll in prescription drug plans without incurring a penalty. Sen. Menendez successfully obtained funding for a U.N. task force to curtail the genocide in Darfur, Sudan.
And on environmental issues, Sen. Menendez’ record is unparalleled. He introduced legislation to promote renewable energy, voted to prevent oil drilling in sensitive areas such as New Jersey’s coastlines and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and consistently voted in favor of bills to protect the safety and welfare of animals.
On the issues that matter, New Jerseyans can count on Bob Menendez to do the right thing. That’s why I enthusiastically support his re-election and look forward to voting for him on Election Day.
Eddie Konczal
Monroe
High school plan
an intrusion on park
To the editor:
Once again, the elected and employed officials of Monroe Township have publicized the proclaimed advantages of swapping 152 acres as open space for 35 acres of county land in Thompson Park for a multi-story high school.
Not that markers of the dimension of the intrusion onto the great open space of the park have ever been flagged for all to see. Not that the acreage to be swapped by the township is not already pieces of property that developers have surrendered to the citizens in exchange for closer construction than allowed by code. Not that anyone who read the 2003 referendum wouldn’t know that the site of the $82.9 million tax-financial high school was not identified. Not that any grownup who has been through a school system shouldn’t know that having 13-year-olds share playing facilities with 18-year-olds is a bad educational situation particularly given the recent references to drugs at the high school level.
When is the camaraderie of the township with county officials going to be relegated to second place, the future of the irreplaceable beauty of the Green Acres at the heart of Monroe to be honored by the county and state officials to whom we entrust our parks and our money, and a few good architectural firms to be offered opportunity to develop the existing high school plant?
Think what New York City would be with out the intact dimension of Central Park.
Alice C. Hardie
Monroe
Hezbollah claims
false victory
To the editor:
On the front page of a a New Jersey newspaper on Monday, there was a news article describing a two-hour interview given on Lebanese television by Hassan Nasrallah, and if it would not be for the death, injuries and devastation on both sides of the Israeli border, would be considered ludicrous.
In explaining why he had unleashed a devastating firestorm for 34 days, he could only say that he never dreamt that his group (completely controlled by him) had made a "mistake" when it kidnapped two Israeli soldiers that led to war. He did not mention that when the two Israeli soldiers were taken, there were others there that were killed and badly wounded , while on their own soil. He did not list all of the provocations that Israel overlooked while hoping for peace, in the years since they left Lebanon, at which time that country could have prepared for prosperity and betterment of their own people.
Anyone that commits a calamitous crime with such horrendous results would love to use this excuse of not realizing what he was doing, but people will not buy that nonsense. The article said that perhaps he was trying to mend political fences before the arrival of United Nations Secretary Kofi Annon, expected the next day.
Mr. Annon has his own dirty laundry to hide. Perhaps he would like to tell the world how it was that Hezbollah was able to build such deep tunnels that ran for miles underground (with toilets and showers), as well as thousands of deadly missiles and explosives, while under the supervision of United Nations forces that were put there to prevent exactly such things from happening? When Israel left southern Lebanon a number of years ago, it was to see if peace could be achieved between the two countries. The time and effort to build up fortifications and deadly weaponry should have been spent to help the Lebanese people to better their way of life and their economy.
I would be interested if Mr. Nasrallah, who was so quick to falsely claim "victory" the day after the truce went into effect, and had his people hand out money to those whose lives were destroyed, and his cohort, Kofi Annon, have given any thought to doing something to help the people of northern Israel to ease the pain and suffering that was inflicted on Israel, as well?
Marilyn Shustak
Monroe

