BY FRANK VERNUCCIO
With so much on the line
in the Middle East, why have
Progressive activists, and
some key Democratic Party
leaders been so critical against
Washington’s key ally in the
region?
Iran is on the cusp of
becoming a nuclear weapons
power. American Military
News reports that Israel’s
Defense Minister Benny
Gantz warned that Tehran is
moving rapidly ahead with
its nuclear weapons program,
in violation of its 2015 Iran
nuclear deal, known as the
Joint Comprehensive Plan
of Action (JCPOA). The U.S.
withdrew from the pact in
protest over Iran’s persistent
violations. Gantz noted that
Iran could enrich uranium
to weapons-grade levels very
shortly. Recently, he pleaded
with the United Nations
Security Council to take note
of the crisis and to respond
accordingly.
The Mullahs ruling the
Islamic Republic have not been
shy about their determination
to destroy both Israel and the
United States.
Iran’s despicable acts are
far more widespread than its
atomic weapons drive, but
Progressives have not made
the terrorist nation the subject
of their ire. Rather, they focus
on its most immediate target,
the nation of Israel. That’s
consistent with the anti-
Semitism of the American
Left.
Jacob Dennen, writing in
Digital Commons, reveals that
“In recent years, anti-Zionism
and anti-Israel rhetoric have
become hallmarks of the
American Left. Moreover,
many on the Left have
downplayed or denied the
severity of antisemitism.”
From current members
of the “Squad,” including
congressional members
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez,
(D-NY) Jamaal Bowman (DNY),
Ilhan Omar (D-MN),
Ayanna Pressley (D-Ma),
Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), and
Corey Bush (D-MO), to the
former vice chairman of
the Democratic Party Keith
Ellison and others, there is
a clear anti-Israel and anti-
Semitic wing that has emerged
within the Democratic Party,
a refl ection of the growing
infl uence Progressives have
on Democrat leaders.
It may go much higher than
congressional representatives.
Writing in Newsweek,
Bruce Abramson and Jeff
Ballabon asked in 2020, “Why
Won’t Joe Biden Repudiate
Anti-Semitic Democrats?…
Anti-Semitism has been on
full display among Democratic
leaders and left-wing protest
groups alike in recent years.
Leaders of the Women’s
March, for example, proved so
undeniably anti-Semitic that
even former DNC chair Debbie
Wasserman-Schultz felt
compelled to distance herself.
Yet those same anti-Semites…
were featured speakers at
this summer’s Democratic
convention. The Women’s
March since recruited new
leaders—who proved to be just
as anti-Semitic…
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, O 46 CT. 29-NOV. 4, 2021 BTR
Black Lives Matter protests
have likewise featured anti-
Semitic slogans from the
beginning. BLM’s offi cial
platform accuses Israel of
genocide, endorses BDS and
expresses such blinding anti-
Semitism that even many
desperate to support the
organization have dissented
… These groups form the new
base of Biden’s Democratic
Party. But the strain of
anti-Semitism runs deep.
Biden was only the most
recent Democratic leader to
embrace Al Sharpton, whose
anti-Semitic rhetoric led
to the 1991 Crown Heights
pogrom and the 1995 Freddy’s
Fashion Mart massacre.
Louis Farrakhan is rapidly
becoming acceptable among
the Democratic mainstream.
In 2008, the Obama campaign
paid to bury a then-recent
photo of their candidate with
Farrakhan. Today, New
Jersey Sen. Corey Booker
expresses a willingness to
meet him. Last month, Biden
and Vice President Kamala
Harris ran to meet and praise
known Farrakhan supporter
Jacob Blake, Sr.”
A Gatestone Institute
study, written by Alan M.
Dershowitz, reviewed the
effort by the Squad, who
have outsized infl uence on
the Democratic Party, and
discussed that group’s efforts
to eliminate funding for the
“Iron Dome” project, a purely
defensive system that seeks to
protect Israeli civilians from
terrorist missile attacks. Its
technology has far-reaching
uses for the U.S. as well.
Dershowitz writes: “The
time has come, indeed it is
long past, for the Democratic
leadership to stand strong
against the anti-American,
anti-Israel and anti-decency
squalid Squad. The leadership
can no longer stand idly by the
bigotry of their members. If
they persist in tolerating the
intolerable, they will lose the
support of the all-important
mainstream voters.”
CIVIC CENTER
Community Action
Civic Association
BY STEVEN GLOSSER
The Pelham Parkway
Neighborhood Association
(PPNA) held its monthly
community meeting at its
new location 2134 Barnes Ave.,
on Tuesday Oct. 12. It was very
well attended with more than
40 people in attendance. Our
featured speaker was Stephen
Caruso, citywide community
affairs offi cer for The City
of New York Department of
Sanitation (DSNY).
Before Mr. Caruso spoke
there were announcements
from representatives from the
offi ces of Councilman Mark
Gjonaj and Assemblywoman
Nathalia Fernandez. Ms. Lisa
Agosto from Bronx House also
spoke with updates regarding
Bronx House programs
offered to the community.
Caruso then explained that his
offi ce is the information center
for sanitation, informing the
public of sanitation policy
and attending community
meetings to get feedback on
problems and issues for the
Sanitation Department. Mr.
Caruso explained that due to
budget cuts and COVID the
DSNY cut many programs
and events. There was also
a cutback of litter baskets in
the commercial areas. He
was pleased to inform us that
the 7-day a week litter basket
service is back. Curbside
organic pickups has returned
but the resident must enroll
in the program. The DSNY
has also restarted the Safe
Disposal program to dispose
of bulbs, paints and anything
of that nature. Please call
the DSNY Customer Service
number at 212-291-1220 for
more information, and any
service issues or questions.
There will be dedicated
leaf collections on Nov. 27
and Dec. 11. The leafs must
be in special collection paper
bags designed specifi cally for
that purpose. On the topic of
snow removal, after a winter
storm we are asked to remove
snow and ice to create a path
that’s at least four-feet wide,
but don’t shovel snow into
the street. Also clear space
around fi re hydrants and
sidewalk corner ramps.
Mr. Caruso informed us
that snow training removal
has started and the city is
looking for workers. If is
anyone interested, please call
the Customer Service number
given above. He reported that
building and property owners
are now getting ticketed.
It’s the responsibility of the
property and store owners to
keep the areas clean and neat.
There was a big discussion
on the missing litter baskets
in the community. It’s a twoway
street, we need the litter
baskets to keep areas clean yet
they aren’t there. The DSNY
has removed litter baskets due
to the fact that they are fi nding
personal trash and cardboard
in the corner baskets which
is against the law. Baskets
can be requested by calling
the customer service number
212-291-1220. The DSNY will
conduct an investigation of
the area and determine if a
new one is warranted or to
replace a missing one. There
is one needed at Cruger and
Brady avenues, which they
will look into, he said.
The PPNA reported to
Mr Caruso that we would
like baskets at White Plains
Road and Brady Avenue,
Cruger and Lydig avenues,
and Holland and Lydig
avenues. This will be looked
into, he said. He reported
that they are not expanding
recycling bins along Pelham
Parkway and White Plains
Road. An attendee reported
that sidewalks along Pelham
Parkway South from White
Plains Road to Williamsbridge
Road are loaded with trash.
All recycling should be in
a clear plastic bag. If needed a
DSNY supervisor will open the
bags and issue tickets if this
practice is not followed. The
PPNA reported to Mr Caruso
that the many trestle’s under
the above-ground subways
in the neighborhood were
inundated with trash. We gave
him the following locations:
Brady and Mathews avenues,
Lydig and Bogart avenues, and
Sagamore Street and Cruger
Avenue. Mr. Caruso listened
intently and wrote down the
information given to him.
This was a very productive
meeting hosted by the PPNA
and we thank Mr. Caruso for
attending. The next general
meeting will be on Tuesday,
Nov. 9 7 p.m. at 2134 Barnes
Ave., with three very special
guests. Please plan to attend
this important meeting. The
PPNA works year-round to
improve the quality of life
in Pelham Parkway. We can
always be reached by email
at pelhamparkwayNA@
gmail.com. Always look and
follow us on Facebook for all
current happenings in the
community. Get involved in
your community. It’s time.
CIVIC CENTER
Pelham Parkway
Neighborhood
Association
/gmail.com