FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.qns.com JULY 28, 2016 • THE QUEENS COURIER 29 oped letters & comments DANGERS OF K2 SHOULD LEAD TO POT LEGALIZATION K2 is touted in the communities as an alternative to marijuana because it allegedly provides a high similar to marijuana while not being detectable by common drug tests used today. Unlike marijuana, which is natural and has been proven safe and nonaddictive, K2 is a synthetic chemical that is sprayed on greens. I have been working in the mental health/substance abuse fi eld for 30+ years and I have never been this concerned about a substance. K2 frequently induces auditory hallucinations even in those who have never experienced auditory hallucinations prior to using K2. Even more disturbing is that the hallucinations frequently continue after K2 use is discontinued and those who have used it may be required to take psychotropic drugs to control the hallucinations for the rest of their lives. I would ask the city, private employers and parole/probation offi cers to seriously consider discontinuing drug testing for marijuana. So many individuals in jobs where random drug tests are routine turn to K2 to avoid a positive marijuana drug test, but in doing so, subject themselves to the possibility of experiencing psychotic symptoms for the rest of their lives. Marijuana has been decriminalized in New York City. We really need to have it legalized. Bob Grabowski, Jamaica WILL DARKNESS TRUMP DEMOCRACY IN NOVEMBER? It is not hard to be a fortune teller during this election process. If Trump loses in November one can already hear his rantings that the “system is rigged,” that he won the election and his supporters were robbed! Trump supporters are a collection of citizens who are fearful and longing for the yesterdays that never existed except on TV’s “Father Knows Best.” If Trump loses they will raise the voice of outrage. It is conceivable that civil unrest and threats of heinous acts will follow Trump’s declarations of foul play. None of this would be surprising considering the dark image of America Trump decried throughout the primaries and during the convention. Once hatred and fear are the hallmarks fomented by Trump the savior, the dogs of internal confl ict are released. It is remarkable and shameful of the elder statesmen of the Republican Party that so few have had the courage of their alleged principles. Some stayed away from Cleveland, but that in and of itself is no badge of courage! Ed Horn, Baldwin RESTORING EDUCATION WILL HELP REBUILD LIVES Regarding Elsie McCabe Thompson’s letter in your July 14 issue: Yes, I too mourn the deaths of Philandro Castile and Alton Sterling, and feel for the families of the slain offi cers in Dallas and elsewhere; but her appeal for the voters to come out just when “we have opportunities to advance change,” in my estimation, requires a look back. I mourn the facts that we have high school graduates today who do not know that their names begin with capital letters; that they never had a civics class in which they could have learned about their duty as voters; that many of them do not know how to hold a pen or a pencil, but know only too well how to push a button; that youngsters come to school hungry, thirsty and ill-prepared for learning; and so on. We are graduating students who cannot read with comprehension or write well, and never had a chance to learn what it is to become civicminded individuals. We know how to pour billions of dollars into Afghanistan, even after scoundrels have walked off with the loot, but we bicker over budgets that deny the children the right to the dollars that their parents are paying in tax money for the education of their children. Today, the average graduate cannot even tell you where Afghanistan is located, much less tell you why it is of importance to the United States. I would invite Mrs. McCabe Thompson to look back at all the wonderful, enlightening and useful courses and syllabi that have been dropped from the curriculum and examine whether or not some of them should be reinstated. That might decrease voter apathy. William D. Isaacson, adjunct full professor, Nassau Community College THEY THANK US, AND WE THANK THEM FOR THEIR SERVICE! Dear Victoria Schneps-Yunis: You publish a great weekly newspaper, and thank you for remembering our veterans! Mark I. Koppelman, Queens County Council, Jewish War Veterans of the USA MODERNIZING A LOOK BACK VOTER REGISTRATION ONE CATCH AT A TIME BY ASSEMBLYWOMAN NILY ROZIC With the Pokémon Go craze sweeping the nation, some campaigns have taken to using the app to catch – and register – voters. Campaign organizers for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton have used the location-based augmented reality game to register players at “gyms” and “PokéStops.” It is a strategic use of technology that demonstrates the power of diversifying outreach to maximize voter turnout. Look no further than this year’s presidential primary election in April to understand the importance of voter outreach. Turnout in New York has reached historic lows. The percentage of registered voters who cast their ballot in gubernatorial elections declined to its lowest point of 33 percent in 2014. In non-presidential elections between 2001 and 2015, voter turnout across the state only once exceeded 41 percent in 2002 and tumbled to a low of less than 18 percent in 2015. The real way to increase voter rates are through changes that reduce and eliminate the needless barriers to participation. Handwritten forms, data entry errors, multiple deadlines and other defects in the system continually make it diffi cult or impossible for voters to vote. Oregon, California, West Virginia and Vermont — have all moved to automatic, innovative registration systems. This year, the State Assembly passed legislation to overhaul the election process in order to increase voter participation, ensure greater access to the polls, protect voting rights, and promote effi cient, voter-friendly registration and elections. The New York State Senate should follow suit. As we consider updating our electoral system through universal, automatic voter registration, early voting, or pre-registration of 16- and 17-year-olds, we must also remain cognizant of the additional barriers to civic engagement. Recently, the City of New York announced updated voter registration forms available in fi ve new languages, including Urdu, Haitian Creole, Russian, Arabic and French. Google also announced a new widget that appears in certain search results, such as “How do I vote,” “Register to vote” or “Online voter registration,” to give people the information they need to cast their ballots come November. These efforts to improve access electorally refl ect a commitment to involving more voices in the process. Ultimately, we all share in the responsibility to register to vote and get others to register as well. It should be a year-round movement that stresses voting not only as a means to become politically involved, but also as a way to have a say on issues that matter most to us. This election we all have a right and an obligation to vote, and participate in choosing our leaders who speak up about issues that deliver on our values and voices. New York State Assemblywoman Nily Rozic represents the Queens neighborhoods of Flushing, Queensboro Hill, Hillcrest, Fresh Meadows, Oakland Gardens, Bayside and Douglaston. Here’s how Jamaica Hospital appeared in 1924, then located on what was then Van Wyck Boulevard. During the 1950s, the Van Wyck Expressway was developed in place of the roadway, but the hospital (of course) remains in operation to this day. It has also undergone extensive renovations since its construction to better meet the medical needs of Queens residents. Send us your historic photos of Queens by email to editorial@ qns.com, share them on our Facebook page, or mail printed photos to The Ridgewood Times, 38-15 Bell Blvd., Bayside, NY 11361. All mailed pictures will be carefully returned to you.
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