LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, June 18
By:
Personal attacks are in eye of beholder
To the editor:
An open letter to Carl Mayer:
In your recent letter to The Packet (June 11), you recommend the avoidance of "unpleasant, personal attacks," which can "poison the well," and of statements that are "libelous." You advocate a concentration on "the facts" and urge individuals to be "honest" and not to "attack neighbors personally."
You go on to make a number of statements about an elected official, whose actions and statements you describe as "bizarre," "libelous," "obsessed" and "confused."
Next you discuss the Princeton Environmental Commission, which you describe as "packed with cronies" and which you say is "toothless" like all other commissions, favors "torture" and has done "nothing to combat" the multiple environmental problems we face.
I heartily endorse your recommendation that individuals should avoid personal attacks and stick to the facts. If these precepts are followed, the tone of public debate is elevated.
Anthony C. Lunn
Chair
Princeton Environmental Commission
Hawthorne Avenue
Princeton
Referendum necessary on development plan
To the editor:
I attended a Borough Council meeting this last week at which the preferred developers of the downtown remodeling project presented their plans. The paradigms of "growth," of bringing "animation" to the downtown area, as well as "profit-making" were high on the agenda. Gone were considerations of potential "build-out" (Rep. Holt, strong enemy of "build-out," where are you?) and of overcrowding some 70 units here, about the same for Palmer Square, and another number nearby at Merrick.
This urbanization, beginning with a line of unattractive "row houses," apartment buildings some five floors high and possibly the first of many more, is likely to transform Princeton into a small city indistinguishable from hundreds of others. Is this really what we want our precious town to look like?
The conflict between cost and looks and amenities was already apparent at the meeting. The garage, presumably, will be at the charge of the borough after construction by the developer under a cost cap. Questions were raised about controlling the fumes and the lighting onto adjacent homes. These were categorized as "extras," so that we will soon have to choose between added costs and necessary amenities. The whole project, in fact, is based on some highly optimistic financial estimates assuming near-full occupancy. We may have to court weekend traffic in the manner of, say, New Hope to cover our budget. The borough’s projected tax revenues from the developer-owned rental units equally do not seem to take into account the added infrastructure costs: schools, street maintenance, sewers, etc. Nor does there seem to be a definitive assessment of the projected traffic flow (the developer said a number of times that this required further consideration) and access to the garage.
Do we really want to take on all these risks, fiscal, environmental and aesthetic? We have been exposed to a good deal of P.R. by Princeton Future and others, without having had the facts on these scores or the chance to say "yes" or "no" to the plan’s implementation. A referendum based on complete and candid information on all aspects of this project is called for before contracts are signed and ground broken.
Miriam Yevick
Pelham Street
Princeton
Join together to oppose racism
To the editor:
The members of Not In Our Town are appalled that anti-Semitic hate literature has been distributed by the National Alliance, a white supremacist group from West Virginia, in parts of Princeton.
Not In Our Town is an interfaith, interracial organization whose primary mission is to oppose racism and all forms of discrimination in Princeton. Following in the footsteps of our namesake in Bozeman, Mont., where citizens came together to oppose outside groups trying to provoke racial hatred, we urge our fellow citizens of Princeton to join together in opposing racism.
Together, we can make it clear to these outsiders that such actions are not acceptable in our town.
Michele Alperin
Robert Road
Pat Ramirez
Maclean Street
Wilma Solomon
Tee-Ar Place
Marietta Taylor
Hartley Avenue
Ann Yasuhara
Pine Street
Princeton
Ebtissam Ammar
Parker Road South
Plainsboro
Each of us must fight bias, bigotry
To the editor:
We all should feel outrage at the recent spate of hate literature, bias incidents and bias crimes that are happening in our state. From racial and religious hate mail planted in high school students’ lockers to bags of material packaged with anti-Semitic and racial hate messages to the attack on a gay high school student, our headlines are telling us stories that go against the fabric of our basic American beliefs.
We need to be alert to the targeting and attacks against New Jersey residents who may look different or practice a religion different from our own. The freedoms upon which our country was founded have been a beacon for people from around the world and are an example of how an open society can create and support a better life for its people.
For us in the National Conference for Community and Justice, we believe that we must shine a bright light on the evils of bias, bigotry and racism and work to never let it go unnoticed or unchallenged. We encourage each of us to take positive steps to prevent bigotry from permeating our communities and our schools. It is up to each of us to work with our police departments and county prosecutors’ offices to report suspicious and bias incidents. Each county has trained bias crime officers to investigate and help bring to justice those who commit bias crimes. Our state has placed the resources of the Office of the Bias Crime and Community Relations in the Attorney General’s office to prosecute those who commit bias crimes.
At NCCJ, we have been fighting bias, bigotry and racism for 75 years nationally and 55 years in New Jersey by educating leaders and local citizens on these issues. It is up to us it’s our civic and moral duty, I believe to help our police and investigators, to help our neighbors and friends and to help our children (almost 50 percent of bias crimes are committed by and against young people) to live in a better society.
We also can stand with those who are targeted by hate and help our families, our communities and ourselves, as well, to ensure that each person is respected as an individual. New Jersey is the most diverse state in the country. We can be a model to reflect the richness and pride that diversity and multiculturalism bring to all of our lives. Let’s be sure there’s room for all of us in America.
Diane Schwartz
Executive Director
National Conference for Community and Justice
New Jersey Region
Church Street
New Brunswick
Take off your sheets and tell us who you are
To the editor:
An open letter to the National Alliance:
I am a veteran of World War II. I joined the U.S. Navy in 1944 and saw action in the South Pacific. I am proud of my service and if I wasn’t an old geezer, I would gladly serve my country today.
I am a confessed patriot and, incidentally, a Jew.
What are your credentials? Take off your sheets and tell us who you are.
Norm Ruskin
Nassau Street
Princeton
Keep up pressure to preserve Rockingham
To the editor:
Yours was a fine and somewhat encouraging article on Rockingham (The Packet, June 14), Washington’s home in Rocky Hill that is currently being renovated on the heels of yet another move. Yet there remains ambiguity concerning continuing availability of funds for this historic treasure. I experience doubt about the firm commitment of legislators to proceed with haste and honor in this matter.
In honor of our nation’s birthday, soon to be upon us, I ask readers to write to request the complete unfreezing of appropriated funds for Rockingham’s renewal. The treasured house is molding beyond correction even as I write. They wrapped it in Tyvek like a piece of mail, and left this shrine of independence to the elements. Now, at least, the lawn has been mowed and plywood attached temporary measures at best.
Such neglect sends a ghastly global message concerning our reverence for the father of this country, and the decisions and deeds that took place there. This is particularly egregious in a time when patriotism is being tested to the nth degree.
Please, sit up and take notice. Urge the powers that be to honor George Washington and the ideals he exemplified, about which he wrote at Rockingham’s green baize table.
Write to: Gov. James McGreevey, POB 001, Trenton, NJ 08625 and Commissioner Bradley M. Campbell, Department of Environmental Protection, 401 East State St., POB 402, Trenton, NJ 08625.
Carolyn Foote Edelmann
Salem Court
West Windsor
Irradiation debate: The beef continues
To the editor:
In response to Fran McManus’ letter (The Packet, June 14), the principal point of my June 11 letter was to applaud Wegmans for making irradiated beef available because this, in turn, makes eating steak tartare a safe possibility.
Ms. McManus replies that its safety is "a highly debated topic" because 200,000 Americans wrote in protest to have it removed from organic standards. This is in the face of the FDA having stated that it viewed 400 studies that showed no unfavorable effects from eating irradiated foods. Well, the latest issue of Scientific American states that close to one half of all Americans reject evolution. This in no way affects the validity of evolution, nor do the 200,000 letters affect the safety of irradiation.
Ms. McManus says that her statement that irradiation kills pathogens "in no way confirmed the safety of irradiation." She adds that "pathogens that occur on meat represent a serious threat to human health and must be eradicated from the food system." Doesn’t killing pathogens eradicate them and, thus, by her own logic, doesn’t irradiation make the beef safe?
She goes on to attack agricultural subsidies, the meat processing industry, meat packing safety, inhumane treatment of animals, depletion of earth fertility and the patent system. Each of these is worthy of more attention and debate than time and energy permit.
To conclude, we subsidize and pasteurize milk; again, hurrah for Wegmans for offering me irradiated ground beef so I can have steak tartare!
Kenneth Barnhart II
Windrow Drive
Plainsboro
Focus on Animals thanks supporters
To the editor:
Focus on Animals would like to express our heartfelt thanks to Ewing’s Mayor Wendell Pribila and council members Michael A. LaRossa and Les Summiel, former Sen. Dick LaRossa and Ewing’s Animal Control Officer/Shelter Manager Ralph O’Bryan for support and taking the time from their busy schedules to appear at Focus On Animals Dog Carnival on June 9 at Banchoff Park, West Trenton. All proceeds raised at this event go for homeless animals.
Focus on Animals would like to thank the wonderful sponsors and vendors that helped to make the Dog Carnival a success: Antinoro’s Food Stand, Bensalem Aquarium & Pet Center, Best Buy’s Electronic Store of Bensalem, Block Buster Video, Boston Market, Carvel Ice Cream, DePersico’s Art Inc., Dip-A-Dee-Doo Ice Cream, Donna’s Hair, Domino’s Pizza, Dr. Garuba-DMV, Ewing Park Commission, Ewing Police Department, F.D. Subs, Ground Round, Hamilton Pet Meadow, Lawn Barn of Langhorne, Lucas Ford of Burlington, Marazzo’s, McDonald’s, Oxyfresh, Precious Pets, Re/Max Tri County-Joan George & Evelyn Bohr, Reigning Dogs & Cats of Newtown, Roberts Pet Shop, Rosedale Mills, Sea Breeze Tanning, Super Fresh, T. Van Der Lee Hair, Vic’s Paws ‘N Claws, and Wilson’s Meats.
We would like to express our appreciation to all the animal lovers young and old who came from all different locations in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, who participated not only in the dog shows but also in the Doggy Paw Painting, Doggy (stuffed) Toss, Toe Nail Clipping by Vic’s Paws ‘N Claws, Chinese Auction, Dog Toy Sales, Bake Sale and Flea Market.
On June 10, Focus On Animals was notified that the Ewing Animal Shelter is at capacity and seven dogs are scheduled to be euthanized. We are in critical need of compassionate loving people to either adopt or volunteer to foster these homeless animals. We desperately need additional funds to take these homeless animals off death row and house them in a safe private shelter without the threat of a death penalty. Focus On Animals is a nonprofit, all-volunteer animal rescue organization. We are a member of The Animal Welfare Federation of New Jersey, an advocacy group that works toward achieving legislation on such issues as mandatory spay/neutering laws, puppy mills and knowledge sharing among rescue group and shelters.
Our mission is to improve the quality of life of shelter animals, impact adoption rates, provide medical care to shelter animals, provide foster homes for animals that may need to be socialized/preparation for their new homes, reduce the stray population through spay/neuter initiatives and end the suffering of strays on the streets through education.
Volunteers are desperately needed. Help save a life. This is your opportunity to make a difference in an ongoing battle of destruction of innocent speechless animals that are not fortunate enough to have a kind, loving family to take care of them. Anyone interested in adoption, providing a foster home, giving a tax-deductible donation or volunteering may contact Focus On Animals, Post Office Box 745, Princeton Junction, NJ 08550.
Nina Stanton
Director of Public Affairs
Focus On Animals
Glen Road
Monroe