FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM FEBRUARY 3, 2022 • THE QUEENS COURIER 23
How Mayor Adams’ public safety success will defi ne his legacy
NO MORE RELIGIOUS
EXEMPTIONS REGARDING
COVID19 VACCINES Councilwoman Vickie Paladino, supposedly
a member of the Roman
Catholic Church, claimed to have a
religious exemption that would allow her to
work in-person without having been vaccinated
against COVD-19.
Th e Vatican’s “offi cial” position on the
matter?
“From the ethical point of view, the
morality of vaccination depends not only
on the duty to protect one’s own health,
but also on the duty to pursue the common
good.”
Th e archdiocese of New York stated,
“We are not opposed to vaccinations;
in fact, we encourage people to receive
them.”
So exactly what kind of religious exemption
is she claiming?
A city form says a worker would not
qualify for a so-called religious accommodation
if the request is based solely on
the belief that “the government should not
force people to get vaccines or interfere
with medical decisions.”
Well, in a NY1 interview earlier this
month, she espoused that very view.
“It’s called medical freedom. And I
stand for medical — I stand for freedom,
period,” she said.
Th erefore, her “religious” exemption is
fraudulent! As are all religious exemptions!
What kind of God would be opposed to
vaccines that save lives?
And for the City Council to state that
she’s “in compliance” is laughable. Her
only requirement is to test within seven
days of being in the council chamber?
She should be forced to attend every
meeting via Zoom — and she should be
fi ned!
Robert LaRosa Sr., Whitestone
GET VACCINATED NOW! According to a recent survey conducted
by the U.S. Census Bureau,
44,970,000 Americans — or 18% of
the 18-and-older population — say they will
either probably or defi nitely not get vaccinated
when given the chance to be vaccinated
against COVID-19.
Additionally, the survey revealed that
nationwide, a total of 19,860,000 people
— or 8% of the eligible population — do
not trust the COVID-19 vaccinations.
I fi nd that so very sad.
Personally, I believe in the COVID-19
vaccinations.
I am 72 years old and my wife is 68. I
have a history of asthma and my wife has
asthma.
We both have had all three of the
COVID-19 vaccinations, as well as our
fl u shots, and I’d like to share our experience
with you.
On. Jan. 1, 2022, we both tested positive
for the omicron variant of COVID-
19. Th e positive tests were among 90,000
positives on that day.
However, our symptoms were mild
because we were vaccinated. Had we not
been vaccinated, we could have ended up
in the hospital, or even could have died.
Th ere are several prominent fi gures
who have spoken out against the COVID-
19 vaccinations. In my opinion, these people
are endangering not only their lives,
but the lives of their friends, neighbors
and family, as well. I fi nd that to be very
selfi sh.
So, let me ask everyone to do one simple
thing and get vaccinated against COVID-
19!
Frederick R. Bedell Jr., Bellerose
oped
letters & comments
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BY GEORGE
ONUORAH
Mayor Eric
Adams, who
a s s u m e d
offi ce on New Year Eve,
Jan. 1, 2022, was anointed
mayor following a very contentious election
battle running as a centrist. He promised
to keep New Yorkers safer, a daunting
task even for a former NYPD captain.
Th e surging omicron variant put a
damper on Adams’ historic inauguration
as the city’s second African American
mayor. Still, history will chronicle Adams
as the 110th mayor of the greatest city that
is home to the United Nations.
New York City is facing a big challenge
with crime that will put Adams — a former
police offi cer — to the test. He won
his race on the promise that “Public safety
is the prerequisite to prosperity.” Other
equally pressing issues — the COVID-
19 pandemic, homelessness, housing and
rebooting the economy decimated by the
pandemic — are on his radar.
Th is newly minted mayor clearly understood
what it will take to surmount the
threat to public safety in our city, and
return to normalcy aft er more than two
years of hardship and deaths, with COVID
having eviscerated and paralyzed the economy.
Clearly, this pandemic upended life
with families and essential workers paying
a heft y price as many lost loved ones.
Th ankfully, Mayor Adams has the support
of leaders including President Biden,
who is due in New York City this week
to show Democratic solidarity at a crucial
time, as crime is becoming an impediment
to advancing the party agenda
across the United States. Without safer
cities where families can walk the street
without danger of assault, robbery and
even death, our democracy fi nds itself at
a bad intersection and abyss.
Mayor Adams’ predecessor, Bill de
Blasio, a die-hard progressive, should join
hands to assuage centrists bothered by
his support about defunding police. Like
every other leader before him, a better
legacy remains ideal.
Additionally, no meaningful public
safety discussion should ignore homelessness
and its connection with mental illness.
Presently in New York City, there are
about 48,723 homeless people, consisting
of 10,362 families and 15,346 children.
One should not ignore the challenges they
face and the stress they go through; plus,
it’s a public safety issue.
Since the advent of this pandemic, the
subway has become a rendezvous for the
homeless, lodging on the subway cars
and inconveniencing straphangers. Before
people wore face masks, at times, the emanating
odors could leave a whole subway
car abandoned because the pungent smell
can be unbearable. Th e ones that are mentally
ill and not on medication oft en create
havoc and engage in aggressive panhandling.
Some who perhaps have mental
and emotional challenges remain a
menace, leading to concerned advocates
calling for promulgation of new mental
hygiene laws or strengthening of the
existing Kendra’s Law of November 1999
(Kendra Webdale was pushed into the
subway track by a mentally ill man).
Th e law mandates involuntary outpatient
commitment or outpatient treatment and
grants judges the legal authority to mandate
treatment for those who are noncompliant
with meds or a danger to themselves
or to undergo psychiatric evaluation.
Th ose are safeguards to help keep
our communities and counties safe. Th e
serious implementation of this law may
have taken a back seat since the pandemic
and should be urgently strengthened.
Adams should also consider the deployment
of NYPD personnel and Mental
Health Crisis teams for transit safety.
Commissioner Ydanis Rodrigues of the
Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA)
should by now understand the magnitude
of this problem and is probably already
at the drawing board working on urgent
solutions to ameliorate them.
Addressing public safety in New York
City may ultimately require some police
offi cers to be reassigned from their desk
jobs at our 123 precincts to the streets
and subway where their training can better
be utilized. Replacing NYPD offi cers
will not be challenging at all. NYC has an
army of retired folks, patriotic volunteers
and community-minded individuals who
want to serve their city. Let’s think outside
the box and do what it takes to improve
public safety.
In the fi nal analysis, our goal of making
our city safer requires prudent management
of resources, effi cient manpower
allocation and streamlining of city
bureaucracy. Th ese are crucial actions for
Mayor Adams to advance his bold agenda
to reimagine post-pandemic NYC.
George Onuorah is the author of “Th e
Political Diary of A Rising Son,” a humanitarian
and advocate, and former City
Council candidate.
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