Voice of the People for Nov. 27, 2008

The world's a stage ...

Manhattan: Re: "Play fair in school fight," by Cynthia Nixon and Kara Walker (Op-ed, Nov. 24): The Center School may have a higher percentage of minority students than Public School 199, but that doesn't mean the Center School's selection process is open or fair. I'm not sure that having 52% white students qualifies the Center School as racially diverse in a school system that is 17% white. Claiming diversity is a performance piece. But isn't that what Cynthia Nixon does for a living?


... and the students merely players

Manhattan: Moving the Center School from PS 199 sets a dangerous precedent. To postpone addressing the districtwide (citywide) shortage of desks, the Education Department is playing musical chairs with the schools. The more they reshuffle, the more the kids will be hurt.

The people have spoken

Brooklyn: I cannot believe some Voicers were poisoned into believing what was essentially the most hateful, inciteful and disgusting rhetoric ever in a presidential campaign. Socialist? Terrorist? Un-American? Pro-American? Not an American? Give me a break! If this fantasy had come from the Democrats (like Rev. Al, in particular), you all would have been screaming bloody murder. Fortunately, nearly 70 million Americans knew better.

Begs to differ

Fair Lawn, N.J.: I hate to break the news to all the people who think Martin Luther King's dream was realized. Barack Obama, judging by his past associations was not judged by the content of his character; he was judged by the color of his skin.


Required viewing

Neptune, N.J.: Every prospective parent should be required by law to watch and study the '80s sitcom "Full House," with an option to minor in "Family Matters." If everyone took lessons from these two wholesome shows there would no longer be any problems in the world.

Will Johnson

It takes a family

Rockaway Park: Poor performance in a school is based on many factors. One factor that is rarely addressed is poor parent involvement. Barack Obama specifically stated that "no education policy or program can replace a parent who is involved in his or her child's education."

Guy Nevirs

What's in a name?

Kearny, N.J.: It seems we are in this mess because of the excessive spending of the excessively wealthy, the excessive salaries of the excessively wealthy and the excessive lying and cheating of the excessively wealthy. Therefore, I believe that this crisis is not a recession, nor is it a depression. We are in the throes of a mighty excession.

Marge Redling

Nothing is for nothing

Bronx: One thing I don't understand about this bailout program is where our government is getting $700 billion. Does it just print new money or do we mortgage away our children's futures?

The law is the law I

Brooklyn: Assemblyman Dov Hikind is withholding the names of 60 alleged sexual predators within the Orthodox community because he wants the cases to be handled by the rabbis and their laws. When the Muslim community demand that Sharia (Muslim law) take precedence over local laws, will Hikind be an advocate for them also?

The law is the law II

Yonkers: As a former shop steward and union man, I have just one requirement about letting migrant workers unionize, and that is they should be able to show proof they are here legally. Letting illegal aliens unionize would be ridiculous.

Joe DiPino

Even in cyberspace

Brooklyn: As someone who lost her sister to suicide, I am horrified that those people watched Abraham Biggs' life slip away on the Internet and did nothing about it. If someone is crying out for help, help him! My thoughts and prayers are with this young man's family.

Doesn't love a parade

Staten Island: City and state officials want to cut everything and raise taxes but had the money to parade a bunch of antique cars for the renaming of the Triborough Bridge for Robert Kennedy. Wouldn't a simple ceremony have been adequate?

A loss for New York

Manhattan: My prayers go out to the family of Lt. Robert Ryan and his brothers in the FDNY. From what I read, he was a man anyone would have been proud to know. God bless you all. My prayers are always for the FDNY and NYPD. They alone in this life are heroes, as they continue to keep us safe by risking their lives for us. Thank you.

Terry Quidone

Whitestone: I truly believe that there are no finer heroes anywhere than our firefighters. Many have already sustained injuries and have lost their own lives to save others from devastating fires. The act of joining this dangerous profession shows these individuals are people who are so very, very, special. My Thanksgiving wish is never to hear of any more casualties among these wonderful people. They are worthy of the best of everything this world has to offer.