Letters

One year later

Living through the horrific experience of the bombing of the World Trade Center has put so many things into clear relief. The very real threat of terrorism has in fact gotten worse after the bombing of Afghanistan and the policies pursued in the Middle East and now with Iraq.

Secondly, our public health system needs a total overhaul because the anthrax crisis has never really been resolved. And when an outbreak of a disease happens like West Nile virus no one in the government has a comprehensive plan. And third, our civil rights are being flushed down the toilet.

The toxic and hazardous conditions which still face N.Y. workers is also a crime. The EPA hasn’t responded to the crisis of the continuing dangers of asbestos in the air or even on the fire trucks which travel all around this city.

And now we find out that Christine Todd Whitman refused and covered up the environmental crisis in and around Ground Zero because she was more concerned about getting people back to work on Wall Street.

I think the system has proven to be rotten in response to this tragedy and I believe there is a better way. But unless we keep the lessons alive … we are doomed to be the pawns of the rightwing who control the Supreme Court and the White House and is real scared about losing their control of the Congress. So we have got to get organized on the elections or we’ll be in a deeper mess.

A NYC reader

Juarez murders

Please start headlining the Juarez murders. See “Missing Young Woman,” the documentary on PBS. A witness, who was silenced and ignored, reports that it is the police who are doing the killing. The police on drugs.

I’ve never written to any editors about anything in my life before … but after seeing this documentary, I just could not sit there – over 400 women have been murdered by the corrupt police for years and not for any political reason – just for fun. This is horrible. There are no words.

Lillie Palmervia e-mail

Health care jingle

The cost of stayin’ healthy has doubled in a year
My health care provider has fallen on its’ ear
They say it was a knock-out with a one, two punch
The providers threw the towel in and the doctors went to lunch
45 million people without medical assistance
Who’s gonna survive, who’s gonna go the distance
Its gonna cause a riot, it’s gonna cause a rumble
We got to fight our way out of the Health Care Jungle
My health care package was wrapped real tight
It came with monthly payments, and the cost was outa sight
Now the rents comin’ due, there’s no food upon the plate
How can folks stay healthy
When they live in such a state
Now they offer you a new plan, it only costs a little more
But don’t expect the service that you had before
But they have to make more profit, that’s easy to see
They take from you and they take it from me
Then they take it all with bankruptcy

Ed HayesWindsor CA

Fast cash

The PWW needs to get some fancy, dare I say, Madison Avenue-type promos. I know that the paper is great but we need to reach out to people who are new readers to contribute the cash needed to keep the presses rolling. Or maybe the editorial board should solicit ads from small business that don’t have the cash to buy ads in the corporate papers. I love the paper but as my Mom always says, “Money doesn’t grow on trees!”

S. Savonvia email

Peace movement grows

Keep up the reportage on the organizing against the war on Iraq. It helps us get a feel of what’s really going on in the country. The polls say Bush is slipping but sometimes you need to know what kind of organizing is going on to believe it!

K Smythvia email