eodpietdorial letters & comments
BreeAnna Lyn Mazzariello and Felix Leonardo Martinez Jr. Photo by Lidia
Grosso
BRONX TIMES REPORTER,BTR DECEMBER 11-17, 2020 13
BY THE BRONX TIMES
As the COVID-19 vaccine
is scheduled to arrive in New
York City next week, we as a
city need to stay vigilant.
This is the home stretch.
Although the end seems
near, we cannot let our
guards down. On the contrary,
we must double down
on our efforts to keep COVID
at bay and prevent the spread
to others.
Earlier this month, Governor
Andrew Cuomo said
that the state would receive
enough doses of the Pfi zer
vaccine for about 170,000
people, which include nursing
home residents and staff
and health care workers.
Of the 170,000 vaccinations,
Cuomo said that about
72,000 will go to people in
New York City. The governor
said that he expects the
vaccine will be available to
the general public in February
2021.
On Tuesday, a study from
the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
found that the
upcoming vaccine was safe
for distribution and “met the
prescribed success criteria.”
The Wall Street Journal reported
that the two-dose vaccine
cut the “risk of getting
COVID-19 by about half”
with just the fi rst dose and
was found to be “95 percent
effective” with the second
dose.
But while we wait for vaccines,
COVID numbers in
the city and state continue
to rise. Data showed that
the city saw 2,624 new cases
on Tuesday, Dec. 8, with a
seven day rolling average of
4.94 percent. That same day,
the state reported 9,019 new
cases, a little more than 1000
less than the numbers the
state was seeing at the height
of the pandemic in April.
Until February comes, experts
say to continue making
responsible choices to prevent
the spread of the virus:
social distance, continue to
wear masks in public places
and get tested often.
We now know that people
can carry the virus and
remain asymptomatic. In
these cases, it’s best to get
tested, especially if you
think you’ve been exposed
to someone who has recently
tested positive. To fi nd a testing
location near you visit
nyc.gov/covidtest. Testing is
free of charge at most locations.
This long battle is not yet
over; stay safe and smart
these next few months. Your
decisions could save someone’s
life.
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LET US HEAR FROM YOU
Letters to the editor are welcome from all readers. They should be addressed
care of this newspaper to Laura Guerriero, Publisher, the Bronx
Times Reporter, 3604 E. Tremont Ave., Bronx, NY 10465, or e-mail to bronxtimes@
cnglocal.com.
All letters, including those submitted via e-mail, MUST be signed and with
a verifi able address and telephone number included.
Note that the address and telephone number will NOT be published and
the name will be published or withheld upon request.
No unsigned letters can be accepted for publication. The editor reserves
the right to edit all submissions.
Dear editor,
In the Nov. 27 issue, BTR’s
resident “think tanker” is
rightfully concerned about
the potential for fraud associated
with ballot harvesting. It
is worth noting that the most
egregious examples of this type
of behavior have been perpetrated
by members of the Republican
Party. In 2018, GOP political
operative Leslie Dowless
was charged with conspiracy
and illegal ballot tampering in
connection with his efforts to
ensure a Republican victory in
a North Carolina Congressional
race. In 2020, the California
GOP illegally installed unoffi
cial ballot collection boxes,
leading to concerns that ballot
tampering was taking place.
Representative Mike Kelly,
mentioned in the COMACTA
column, frets that millions of
citizens have lost faith in the
electoral system, an unfortunate
development caused by
President Trump’s continuing
baseless assertions that he actually
won the election, despite
a mountain of evidence to the
contrary. Trump’s meritless
legal challenges have basically
been laughed out of court but
the damage has been done.
The Gatestone Institute is
referenced later in the column,
described by Wikipedia as “a far
right think tank” that “has attracted
attention for publishing
false or inaccurate articles.” No
matter, their fantasies support
the COMACTA narrative of a
fl awed election. DHS has stated
“There is no evidence that any
voting system deleted or lost
votes, changed votes or was in
any way comprised.” So who
are you going to believe, the Department
of Homeland Security
or the ideologue who writes a
weekly column that requires a
disclaimer from the editor?
The Dec. 4th column contains
so many outlandish falsehoods
and way out conspiracy
theories that one wonders how
the publishers could not be
embarrassed to feature such
writing in the BTR. The idea
that the COMACTA column is
a harmless exercise in opinion
writing ignores the reality
that demonizing ideological opponents
has resulted in death
threats to prominent offi ce
holders, anonymous bureaucrats
and politically motivated
violence by thugs associated
with right wing causes.
Pasqual Pelosi
To the editor,
This letter is addressed to
Pasquale Pelosi, who yet again
has an issue with the COMACTA
columnist.
Mr. Pelosi, you state how often
Republicans commit fraud.
Do you recall the 1960 presidential
election, replete with
allegations of dead people voting
for Kennedy?
I agree with you, the COMACTA
columnist should cite
sources of a more neutral nature
and not cherry pick. But
Wikipedia is not necessarily a
neutral and impartial authority
either. There is an arm’s
length list of controversies
listed on Wikipedia itself as to
its impartiality and neutrality.
I actually went to the source of
the COMACTA columnist and
found he quoted them syllable
for syllable.
Mr. Pelosi, freedom of
speech is arguably our most
precious right protected by the
Constitution. So long as you
are not engaging in libel or
slander, you have every right
to go through Throggs Neck
shouting from a bullhorn how
biased the COMACATA columnist
is. I wouldn’t have it any
other way. Indeed, this week’s
column assigns blame for lies
and violence solely to the left; I
virulently disagree.
But is it really necessary to
write about him every week,
week after week? Even before
COVID, our city, state and
country were facing some of
the greatest challenges in their
history. COVID has turned
these challenges into cataclysms.
Do you not understand
that the more you attack him,
the more stature and credibility
you give him? Do you also
understand that the more you
attack him, the more personal
your message seems and you
thus appear less impartial
yourself? Do you not understand
that no matter how valid
the message, the more we hear
it, the more it sounds like blah
blah blah? Couldn’t you fi nd
something else to write about?
As for your claim that BT/
BTR must issue a disclaimer
for every column he writes,
this is not the fi rst disclaimer
I have seen by a media outlet.
This in and of itself is not a
measure of his ability.
– Nat Weiner
Congratulations to our beautiful
daughter BreeAnna Lyn
Mazzariello and to Felix Leonardo
Martinez Jr. on their wedding
ceremony on Saturday, Nov.
14, 2020. The event took place at
the Valhalla Kensico Dam with
15 close family members and her
brother Jesse Ray Pereira who
offi cially married them. He became
offi ciated just to perform
the unity between the loving
couple. Jesse, you did a tremendous
job. We had a small family
gathering at Jesse and Kimberly’s
(maid of honor) house. Bree
and Felix planned their special
day in just two weeks. It was
a wonderful day and then on
Nov. 30, they went Cancun for
their honeymoon, where they
recited their vows once more on
a beautiful Caribbean beach.
Bree, we are so proud of you and
Felix, we wish you all the happiness
in the world. You both
have truly proven that you are
grown, responsible adults who
have falling deeply love and are
inseparable. May you be friends
forever in love and give us gorgeous
grandchildren.
Sincerely loving you always,
Mom, Ev and Chris Destefano
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