BRONX TIMES R 24 EPORTER, JULY 3-9, 2020 BTR
BY TONY SALIMBENE
Sorry I missed our
meeting I advertised! Nice
turn out I understand but
a bit hot.
I guess my “corona crazies”
level went from a normal
5 out of 10 up to a 9 so
I decided not to risk it for
several reasons. One PSA
says “stay home,” another
says “get out and enjoy,” so
I don’t know what to do?
Congrats to the offi cers
I mentioned last issue,
we support them (and our
Color Guard) and know
they will continue in the
highest standards and traditions
of the American
Legion and Korony Post
253.
I understand Aunt Cathy
P. got some recognition for
her Support the Troops
volunteer work. Job well
done! And, thanks.
Until next time: Have a
great summer, best as possible.
Stay safe. I’m always
available at Tonysalmail@
gmail.com. Miss you and
bless you all in these diffi
cult and changing times.
See you all in September.
BY FRANK VERNUCCIO
New York’s descent is a microcosm
of the challenges facing
the entire nation. Its repeated
pattern of chaos under
“progressive” rule, followed
by revival when more rational
administrations take hold, is
an object lesson in how to, and
how not to, govern effectively.
Bill de Blasio is an updated
and even more radical version
of another wholly failed leftist
mayor, David Dinkins. In the
early 1990’s, Dinkins served
as the Big Apple’s chief executive.
He was soft on those
who rioted, created disorder
and committed crime. He presided
over record-high taxes.
He dwelled on that which disunited
his constituents, including,
especially, his use of
the phrase “gorgeous mosaic,”
denoting groups which retained
their identity instead of
becoming culturally united as
Americans, as opposed to the
use of the more familiar “melting
pot” which described the
molding of disparate groups
into a united citizenry.
Dinkins was more interested
in spending on social
service programs as a way of
fi ghting poverty, rather than
in expanding job opportunities
through business growth.
The result was disastrous.
Urban experts began calling
New York the “ungovernable
Ccty.” Crime soared. Businesses
were discouraged.
Rudolph Giuliani ended
Dinkins’ hope for a second
term, and immediately began
replacing progressive policies
with rational government.
He emphasized tough crime
fi ghting, holding city agencies
accountable and fi scal discipline.
He worked to encourage
job-creating businesses.
The results were stunning.
The “ungovernable city” became
known as “the world’s
capital.” Businesses began
moving into, not out of, town.
Crime levels dropped to almost
unprecedented lows.
The lesson has been wholly
lost on de Blasio, who is even
further to the left than Dinkins.
He concentrates on progressive
ideological issues
rather than actual governing.
As a left-wing extremist, (he
cheered on the USSR when
it put combat equipment in
Latin America) he sees businesses
as oppressors, and not
instruments of prosperity. He
ignores vital administrative
duties and prefers concentrating
on almost anything rather
than his actual responsibilities.
De Blasio’s administration
has made incompetence into
an art form. Just one example:
close to a billion dollars meant
for mental health issues have
gone missing. Both he and
his health commissioner, Dr.
Oxiris Barbot, ignored the onset
of the COVID crisis, and
called President Trump racist
and xenophobic for the emphasizing
the problem. As a
result, NYC became the international
epicenter of the pandemic.
De Blasio’s schools chancellor,
Richard Carranza, is
an ideologue who views the
COVID crisis not as a problem
but as an opportunity to push
education further to the left.
As noted in the New York Post:
“…as tens of thousands of New
Yorkers died around him, Carranza
callously said: “Never
waste a good crisis to transform
a system. We see this as
an opportunity to fi nally push
and move and be very strategic
in a very aggressive way
what we know is the equity
agenda for our kids.”
Similar to the national progressive
trend, de Blasio has
been at war with the NYPD
since his initial candidacy.
Time Magazine notes that
New York’s current mayor has
never been on friendly terms
with New York’s fi nest. The
strained relationship dates
back to de Blasio’s campaign,
when he pledged to reform the
city’s stop-and-frisk practices,
which the police credited for a
decrease in crime.” Murders
have soared, and New York
has suffered more intense
civil disorder than anytime
since the 1960s.
The sharp drop in NYC’s
fortunes and in its quality of
life is directly due to the implementation
of precisely the
same policies that national
progressives seek to enact
nationwide. Having failed to
learn from the consistent international
failures of socialist
regimes throughout the
world, leftists have also chosen
to ignore them when enacted
within America’s own
shores.
CIVIC CENTER
COMACTA
BY GUILLERMO FLORES
Quitting smoking and vaping
to improve overall health
during COVID-19
Let’s face it, 2020 has challenged
us all on many fronts.
The COVID-19 pandemic rattled
the globe, our country,
our state and our city. In our
beloved Bronx, we saw many
people contract and succumb
to the disease, becoming part
of the global death toll. Now
more than ever, we all have a
responsibility to improve our
overall health as well as the
health of our families and
loved ones. One thing is for
sure, when we improve our
overall health, our bodies
are better equipped to fi ght
off infections and disease.
We know the truth – smoking
tobacco increases risk of
compromised lung function
and severe disease and death.
Avoiding smoking and vaping
not only reduces risk of
respiratory infections it also
reduces risk of complications
from COVID-19. One study
found of current or former
smokers had more acute or
critical conditions or death
when the disease worsens.
At NYC Smoke-Free, we actively
work with housing organizations
and landlords to
assist them in implementing
smoke-free housing policies.
These life-saving policies
reinforce the importance of
maintaining healthy homes
free of smoke pollution and
deadly secondhand smoke.
Additionally, as our city has
reopened and social distancing
is crucial, we also engage
community-based organizations,
employers, faith-based
organizations to implement
tobacco-free outdoor air policies
for their grounds and entryways.
If you are interested in
implementing these healthy
policies or quitting to stay
healthy during the COVID19
pandemic and beyond, visit
www.nycsmokefree.org or
contact the NYC Smoke-Free
Bronx offi ce. At NYC-Smoke
Free, we are supportive of
all smokers who want to quit
and provide information on
where New Yorkers can fi nd
smoking and vaping cessation
resources. Together, we
will get through this and we
will be a stronger and healthier
community.
Guillermo Flores is community
engagement manager
for Public Health Solutions’
NYC Smoke-Free Program.
Comprehensive tobacco control
programs like NYC
Smoke-Free saves lives and
money by working to end the
tobacco epidemic and protecting
the health of all New Yorkers
through advocacy and
education. Email: gfl ores@
healthsolutions.org.
The Throggs Neck Community
Action Partnership is
a group of committed public,
private, religious organizations
and concerned individuals
whose goals are to develop
awareness of, and devise solutions
to the alcohol and substance
abuse problems and
other high-risk behaviors
among youth in our community.
The partnership meets
and works to strengthen the
coalition and implement prevention
and intervention
strategies through community
collaboration. Our goal is to
prevent use and reduce alcohol,
tobacco and other drug
use and their negative effects
on children and families. NYC
Smoke Free is one of our committed
members and above is
a highlight of their efforts.
CIVIC CENTER
Throggs Neck
Community Action
Partnership
CIVIC CENTER
Korony Post 253
Socially Distant Orchard Beach
VISIT US ONLINE AT WWW.BXTIMES.COM A quiet, socially distant Orchard Beach on Wednesday, July 1.
Photo by Alex Mitchell
/www.nycsmokefree.org
/gmail.com
/www.nycsmokefree.org
/healthsolutions.org
/WWW.BXTIMES.COM