Articles on 9/11 resonated
To The Editor:
I have lived in New York City all of my life. Like so many New Yorkers, looking back at 9/11 is difficult for me, for I lost two friends both named Jonathan, both under 30.
One was a friend of my son’s who worked for Cantor Fitzgerald; his body was one that was never found. The other was a firefighter, the son of Lee Ielpi. I remember the day Lee carried his son out of The Pit. Even 10 years after this tragedy, it brings back so many memories.
Several of the articles in your Sept. 8 special supplement, “Out of the Ashes: Looking back at 9/11,” truly resonated for me. I thought they were excellent. The articles reminded me of the local restaurants that collected clothing that we brought for the firemen. They also had a Red Cross group that was collecting money to help. Local restaurants stopped serving customers and cooked all day, and a group of people drove the food that they prepared to take to the rescue workers.
Thank you for publishing these articles, for as difficult as they were to read, they recaptured a period of time in New York City that was truly the worst of times and yet was a moment that united every person in this city.
Laura Behar
Very touching piece
To The Editor:
Re “Will he remember? World Trade Center was his playground” (“Out of the Ashes” 9/11 section, Sept. 8):
Such a nice article. May we all remember the lives lost on that day, and that after 10 years America still stands as a beacon of hope despite our enemies’ wishes.
Lionel Bachmann
Made me cry
To The Editor:
Re “Cheering the rescue workers: My month on the median” (“Out of the Ashes” 9/11 section, Sept. 8):
I really like this little essay. Made me cry with remembrance — and thankfulness.
Lisa Yo
Fashion’s Night Out of Control
To The Editor:
I didn’t go by the Kardashian girls’ event, but I heard from residents it was a zoo. Pauly D spinning for those two is East Coast reality TV trash famous for doing absolutely nothing of worth entertaining West Coast reality TV trash famous for doing absolutely nothing of worth. DJ’ing is a talent, and I have yet to see Pauly display any talent as I channel surf, so doubt his qualifications as a DJ.
I was involved in the 1970s and ’80s club scene in Soho and knew lots of the famous DJs and these guys had talent and creativity.
Fashion’s Night Out is getting progressively worse and more disruptive. By 9 p.m. I could hear hordes of young men on West Broadway, two blocks away, hollering in unison, like soccer fans at the World Cup.
Then at 10:30 it got real bad on Prince and Greene Sts. Apparently, Kanye West the rapper, who lives in Soho, was spotted, a flash mob of underage kids appeared and chaos reigned as people were screaming, hooting and blocking traffic.
The problem is the stores freely offer free booze, unlimited, without a license from the State Liquor Authority to anyone who enters a store, regardless of age, never ID’ing. Visit a few stores and you get drunk.
Police vans were called to Prince St., which was closed then at Mercer St. to westbound traffic.
It is a disgrace. No N.Y.P.D. presence before the event — then too little, too late. Packs of young, drunk kids roaming around. It didn’t end till midnight. It was like Ft. Lauderdale spring break, but at least in Ft. Lauderdale there are police present.
Mayor Bloomberg and Anna Wintour, whose dumb idea this was, need to end this nonsense before someone gets hurt. The S.L.A. needs to send enforcement agents that night to bust anyone distributing alcohol to minors.
I heard the scene was even worse in the Meat Market.
Coincidentally, I walked past Anna Wintour’s home in Greenwich Village on Sullivan St. and it was quiet. She wouldn’t pull this crap in front of her home, nor would Bloomie allow it on the Upper East Side. Those dowagers would be up in arms. But they pull this nonsense year after year.
Who cleans up all the garbage left behind on the streets after this event? Will Wintour? Will the city not fine the residents if they get a ticket? Time to end Fashion’s Night Out.
Sean Sweeney
Bridge plan is dangerous
To The Editor:
Re “Delancey / bridge bicycling” (Scoopy’s Notebook, Sept. 8):
I’ve been cycling my son over the Williamsburg Bridge to and from school for seven years, and am thankful he’s going into middle school this year and I won’t have to deal with this terrifying change.
Cars routinely fly down the bridge ramp into Manhattan through the red light. I can’t tell you how many near misses we’ve had. With the change the Department of Transportation is implementing, crossing Delancey St. through that small opening in the wall will be like sticking your head into a guillotine.
I’ve always thought D.O.T. should raise the crosswalk there about 4 inches, so the cars can’t speed through it and to prevent cars from idling in the middle of the crosswalk when the pedestrians have the light.
We spend billions of dollars on highways and bridges for automobiles in this country. If Bill di Paola’s design will save lives, why is it not worth considering?
Robert Hickman
Alphie’s always in season
To The Editor:
Re “Analysis: The shrinks of August” (notebook, by Alphie McCourt, Aug. 25):
It is always a relief to hear from Alphie McCourt, be it summer or winter.
Marta Szabo
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