Pleas for peace
On a recent trip to Laos, it was with great shame that I saw
the results of the US bombing during the Vietnam War. US pilots
indiscriminately dropped more than 250 million cluster bombs, hitting schools,
hospitals, and temples, killing thousands of innocent people. Historic sites
are filled with bomb craters; ancient relics were destroyed or scared with
bullet holes. Hundreds of people, many children, are still killed and maimed
every year by unexploded ordinance.
                 Our
government has accepted minimal responsibility for cleaning up the mess it
left. US bombs fill villages in Laos as a reminder of the cruel and senseless
destruction.
                 In
Laos (and previously, Vietnam and Cambodia), I saw the faces of the people our
government describes as “collateral damage,” and I found that I could never view
my country in the same way again.
                 Modern
Americans have never experienced the horrors of war in our land. If they had, I
wonder how eager they would be to support our government, as it moves to “shock
and awe” the world by dropping 3,000 bombs in two days on a virtually
defenseless country. Or how proud they would be to send young men to spread
terror and kill innocent people in the name of peace — or democracy — or
revenge — or whatever other name we give to justify the atrocity our country
is about to commit.
                 Lynda Howland, Pittsford
Fear does strange things to people.
                 It
makes them support a president who has not released promised funding to states
to support anti-terrorism security measures, including the state struggling to
recover from the greatest humanitarian, economic, and psychological disaster in
US history.
                 It
makes them willing to believe that somehow it will be okay when funds are
diverted from their parents and children, leaving them to suffer from massive
cutbacks in medical insurance and education.
                 It
leads them to support an administration whose meathook diplomacy has alienated
friends and potential allies in the fight against terrorism.
                 It
leaves them willing to believe that war is the only possible way to deal with a
brutal and inhumane dictator, despite the fact that their Central Intelligence
Agency director and many of their military leaders have expressed grave
reservations about the planned war.
                 It
makes them willing to strike out against someone — anyone — while people
and leaders of nations all over the world oppose their choice of targets.
                 And
it makes them support a “shock and awe” strategy that is estimated to
kill 500,000 civilians, half of them children.
                 Does
it leave us unable to see that there may be another way?
                 That
is my fear.
                 Barb Deitz, Rochester
I have sent the following letter to President Bush:
                 Dear
President Bush: I respect you as our leader. I understand your deeply sad and
angry feelings for our nation after 9/11. I too had those same feelings. I
understand the fear you have for our safety from terrorism and hate. I too have
those same fears. I appreciate the difficult position you are in to protect and
take care of all the millions of people in our great country.
                 I am
not sure what the answer is, but please consider that war is not the answer. We
cannot solve our problems by bullying the bully, or by taking an eye for an
eye, or by being the most powerful. We can only fight with unity, peace, and
love — not just by being powerful but by being a powerful example of peaceful
leadership for all.
                 As
you are listening to me, please also listen to the other hundreds of thousands
of voices, who are getting stronger every day. Who are gathering in nations all
over the world to communicate their message of peace.
                 I
don’t hate all of the men and women and children who live in a terrorist’s
country just because there are terrorists who live there; and I don’t want
those men and women and children to be harmed or hate me and my neighbors and
friends and family because of the decisions of my government.
                 Please,
sir, do not lead us into fear, hate, and revenge. Help our country set a
positive, democratic example and lead us into peaceful unity with all nations.
                 Michelle Macirella, Washington Road, Pittsford
Second class
In this city, you can’t hold political office if you also
work for city schools. And I don’t mean that you can’t be a school board member
and a school employee at the same time. That would be understandable. Now,
though, you can’t serve on City Council or be mayor of Rochester if your
employer is the Rochester City School District.
                 Don’t
ask me why. No other New York State city has such a policy. I don’t know
whether any city in this country does. But I bet that lots of folks will now look
at Rochester like we’re a little strange. And I wouldn’t blame them. The
supposed reason for this weird decision by our City Council is that someone who
works for the school district and serves as a member of the City Council might
have a conflict of interest.
                 But I
don’t buy it. It’s not like it’d be unprecedented to recuse oneself in
instances when City Council matters overlap with school-district issues. Those
occasions would be quite rare because, from all I know, City Council has shown
precious little interest in city schools’ issues — except when it comes to
insisting on a balanced budget or taking money away from city schools.
                 Wouldn’t
it have made more sense for an accomplished Councilman like Tim Mains to recuse
himself once a year than for his colleagues on the City Council to
disenfranchise and relegate to second-class citizenship up to 6000 individuals?
                 The
six politicians who voted for this unwise and undemocratic measure were wrong.
And they have wronged all of us in the process. This offensive vote should be
challenged — or these politicians should be.
                 Adam Urbanski, president, Rochester
Teachers Association
Choice and EC
Re: articles on Emergency Contraception (“EC to the Rescue,”
February 19, 26): The science of EC is (almost) irrelevant. The real issue is
that people holding certain beliefs use their political power to deny safe and
effective medication to those who do not share their beliefs.
                 No
one is forced to use EC. Those who deem it somehow unethical or ill advised
have the choice not to use EC. Yet the opponents of EC use argument after
argument — a number clearly at odds with the science — to deny the choice
of EC to those who are not swayed by their arguments.
                 It is
particularly unconscionable to delay or prevent rape victims from using EC.
They are victims! They should be the foremost object of concern. And, again,
even such a victim is not forced to use EC.
                 Fortunately,
a few anti-abortion advocates in the Legislature understand this. But their and
others’ concern for the victims of rape may yet be trumped by the powerful few
who seem to find it hard to show empathy even for rape victims.
                 Sidney Shapiro, Parkwood Avenue, Brighton
EC’s value
I wanted to express my appreciation for your recent articles
on Emergency Contraception. You make excellent points on all fronts: exposing
the outrageous agendas of anti-choice groups like Feminists for Life, laying
down the harsh reality that exists for sexual-assault victims who end up in
Catholic hospitals (or under the care of conservative doctors), chipping away
at the myths that surround the “morning-after pill.” Hopefully your
work will enlighten folks, and the world will be a better place for someone
because of it.
                 Andrea Lipomi, Child Street, Rochester (Lipomi is Reproductive Choice chair, Rochester NOW.)
Monroe life
“Committed to protecting the character of our
communities” is a cornerstone of the Smart Growth Coalition. The proposed
Monroe Avenue Business Improvement District will do just that. Yes, it will
cost the commercial property owners in assessment fees. However, the benefits
will be tremendous.
                 Monroe
Avenue has come a long way from what it was 30-plus years ago. It has
interesting stores and architecture that reflect the history and interests of
the neighboring population. Like any project, money, caring people and
vigilance are necessary to maintain it. If the area looks appealing and
interesting, people will be attracted to it. They can walk and bike to one-of-a-kind
stores, without driving to outlying malls. As word gets out, people will come
from further away.
                 Imagine
people coming into — not leaving — a city area to shop, eat, and live!
Reinforcing our cities and villages is the way to build caring communities that
function to the benefit of all.
                 Jane Schmitt, Smart Growth Coalition, Fawn
Ridge Road, Henrietta
Bikers brought smiles
On Saturday, March 1, Duce Duce Crew, an African-American
Motorcycle Club in Rochester, held “Duce Duce Day 4 Kidz.” It was a
four-hour event to let children ages 10 to 15 enjoy interaction with the
bikers, receive free pictures sitting on crew members’ bikes, participate in a
free art workshop on drawing motorcycles, win beautiful biker prizes, enjoy
entertainment from a color-guard step team, and get all the free refreshments
they wanted.
                 Although
“Duce Duce Day 4 Kidz” was a success that put smiles on the faces of
many children in the community, Duce Duce Crew would like to address an issue
brought to our attention during the event:
                 As
hundreds of flyers for the event went out to children from James Madison School
of Excellence during the week leading up to “Duce Duce Day,” several
irate parents called the school, upset that “a bunch of drug dealers”
were being allowed in their children’s school. It is hurting and shameful to us
as Black people that after working tirelessly to make this day a success for
the children, our own community refuses to see anything positive in this event
and stereotypes a group of Black men who ride motorcycles as “drug
dealers.”
                 It is
this negative thinking that allows the media to keep feeding the public with
negative images of Black men. It is this same thinking that hides the fact that
all the members of Duce Duce Crew
hold legitimate jobs and work hard.
                 Several
members even own their own businesses, including a family restaurant, an auto
detail/car accessories shop, a barbershop, a construction business, and an art
business.
                 Some
of the members worked double shifts the night before the event and had to be to
work directly after, but still made it their duty to be there for the kids.
                 For
those of you who were unable to make it, it was truly a beautiful thing to see
the time that our members spent with the children. As children dropped question
after question on the crew members, not once did one of the members get
impatient with the kids. In fact, the bikers were so eager to answer questions
that they were competing with each other to do so.
                 As
the children participated in the art workshop, all of the Duce Duce Crew
members went around to each child to give them individual attention and
positive feedback about the motorcycles that they were drawing. Some of the
members even sat down and participated themselves.
                 In other
words, not one member was at this event because they had to be, but because
they wanted to be. Not one penny was made off of this day, but many dollars
were spent to make it happen. All because Duce Duce Crew truly cares about
giving something to the community in which most of us grew up. We sincerely
care about the children because we feel, as Black people, that it is our
responsibility to show our own children that there are clean and fun and safe
alternatives to a life on the streets.
                 On
behalf of Duce Duce Crew, all 14 men and 3 women, we would like to make it
clear to the city of Rochester that no matter how much negative publicity we
receive, we will continue our efforts in helping the children. We will not
allow such false comments to negate the good of “Duce Duce Day 4
Kidz.”
                 We
challenge any parent who feels it was wrong for Duce Duce Crew to be at their
children’s school: Talk to any child or parent who came to the event. And we
want you to know that any time Duce Duce Crew holds an event such as this, you
and your children are welcome. We are confident that you will walk away with a
smile on your face just as all of the participants did on March 1.
                 We
would like to thank SWAN for allowing us to have “Duce Duce Day 4
Kidz” at the James Madison School of Excellence. We would also like to
thank The Mighty Men of Valor for providing much of the refreshments. We would
like to thank Hollink Motorsports and Cyclestop for donating such beautiful
biker prizes for the children. We would like to thank the drill-colorguard step
team “Teamwork” for their wonderful performances.
                 And
we would like to thank all of the children who came to the event. It was a
pleasure to work with such a fine, respectable, and well-behaved group of kids.
                 Nori Vazquez, Rochester (Vazquez is a
member of Duce Duce Crew)
This article appears in Mar 19-25, 2003.
