FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM DECEMBER 9, 2021 • THE QUEENS COURIER 23
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A vision for a better Queens and New York City
letters & comments
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BY GEORGE
ONUORAH
As a political science
and journalism
major in college,
I was ready to
immerse myself into
a career in public
service and government
and make a diff erence.
We ran a successful and high-energy
campaign for New York City Council
even though we came up short as the
incumbent prevailed. Th e fact that we
galvanized a lot of voters who were deeply
inspired by our vision for a better
Queens was no small feat. Nevertheless,
one always lives to fi ght another day.
Regardless, we impacted lives by providing
specifi c guidelines on how to safely
navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and
follow CDC guidelines and local health
directives.
Similar to incoming mayor Eric Adams’
campaign, our campaign clearly communicated
to voters the importance of
keeping our community safe by focusing
on the public health safety agenda and
stressed the signifi cance of law enforcement
and the need to refund NYPD (as
opposed to defunding it). In addition, we
developed new strategies to retrain police
offi cers who may deviate from established
protocols.
As a consequence of our experience
dealing with COVID-19, we highlighted
the importance of a clean environment
to prevent diseases and another pandemic
and turn a healthy community into a
thriving one. We also put more emphasis
on the current health crisis and shed light
on rising disparities in healthcare, especially
in underserved communities and
communities of color.
Our campaign was instrumental in
advocating for opening more vaccination
sites in Citi Field and Flushing Meadows
Corona Park, which led to increased vaccination
rates.
Finally, we developed innovative and
impactful strategies to achieve racial and
inter-racial harmony by reminding voters
that we are created equal and should fully
focus on building “one united community
of people.”
Last but not least, the joy New Yorkers
experienced aft er electing the second
African American mayor of the greatest
city in the world is no doubt immeasurable.
Mayor-elect Eric Adams will be the 110th
mayor of New York City as well as the
fi rst 21st-century African American mayor
overseeing a mini world with the United
Nations under his umbrella of leadership.
Furthermore, our new mayor Eric Adams
with his centrist vision and love for our city
will surely lead us to long-awaited economic
prosperity. No wonder I have heard him
state many times that “public safety is a prerequisite
to prosperity.”
I would like to stress the fact that
the mayor-elect’s vision aligns with my
vision. In fact, we share a similar ideological
credo, a burning desire for creating
inclusive governance and a passion
for our amazing city. We both recognize
the importance of emotional intelligence
when it comes to public service.
To say that I am very inspired and
emboldened is an understatement. I’m
fi red up and ready to roll my sleeves to
help the next incoming mayoral administration
go to work. Together we rise!
A WORRISOME
NEW VARIANT
A new COVID-19 variant named omicron
has just been identifi ed in South
Africa. Now this has us here in America
and the world worried. It has not been
determined yet if this strain could be
deadlier, but we have to wait and see
and hope for the best outcome. But
the World Health Organization fears it
might be more transmissible because it
has 30 mutations in the virus spike protein.
As reported, President Joe Biden
has taken the fi rst step to keep the
virus out of the United States and will
be restricting fl ights from seven southern
African countries including South
Africa. I hope and pray that might help.
As a senior citizen, I can’t help but
feel troubled and extremely worried.
However, my wife and I have gotten our
three COVID-19 shots as well as our fl u
shots, and we hope this will give us a certain
measure of protection. But because
of this new variant, I hope more people
will wake up and get their COVID-
19 vaccines. Finally, may God protect
America and the world from this new
variant.
Frederick R. Bedell Jr., Bellerose
WAS THE IRC SET UP
FOR FAILURE?
New York state voters approved a historic,
constitutional amendment in 2014
to implement essential changes in order
to implement a fair and transparent process
in redrawing the lines of our state legislative
and congressional districts every
decade, based on the census.
As NYS residents enthusiastically participate
before the envisioned, nonpartisan
Independent Redistricting Commission,
they are fed up with the irresponsible tactics
of the Republican appointed members
for abdicating their duties and drawing a
competing, confl icting version of the map
that defi es the law, data and demographic
changes, further marginalizing minority
communities of interest.
Th is betrayal will only confi rm incumbent
politicians’ boast that they will dictate
who they will represent, instead of
NYS’s 21 million diverse residents. Th is
strikes at the heart of democracy, and will
constitute an utter disgrace and waste of
the allocated $4 million public funds. We
urge all members of the commission to
put aside their diff erences, and perform
their duties fairly and independently.
Albert Baldeo, Ozone Park
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