FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.queenscourier.com DECEMBER 19, 2013 • THE QUEENS COURIER 33 HALL OF SHAME Murray Hill LIRR station Incidents of graffi ti have risen. The Courier invites you, our readers, to submit photos of vandalism — or addresses where you see graffi ti — for our “Hall of Shame.” Conversely, if a home or business has “cleaned up their act,” submit them for induction into our “Hall of Fame.” Send all high resolution JPG images (300 DPI) to [email protected] with a location and a contact number. Otherwise, contact us at 38-15 Bell Boulevard, Bayside, NY 11361. Help us take our borough back from the vandals! BY JOHANN HAMILTON What do you think of Mayor Michael Bloomberg It makes sense, students who aren’t vaccinated pose a health risk to the other students. Albert Sherman I don’t see why anyone would be against this policy; children are supposed to be getting their fl u shots anyway. Jaime Davis I just feel sorry for people who might not be able to afford a fl u shot for their children. What are they supposed I think it’s a good idea from a logical standpoint, because vaccinations are a good thing. But, it’s not right to force them on people who might not want to give their kids a fl u shot for whatever reason. Matt Clayton to do? Joann Banks I think the idea is good, but I’m not sure it’s his place to force vaccinations on students. George Thomas I think Bloomberg should just mind his own business. He’s on his way out of offi ce soon anyway, there’s no point in starting this up now. Kristina Ballard requiring fl u shots for students? oped street talk I agree with the idea, it’s in everyone’s best interest to get fl u shots. Derrick Logan On the one hand, I can see why it’s good for kids to be vaccinated, but on the other hand, it shouldn’t be forced on them, even though it’s for the best. Stacy Palmer We cannot forget the Philippines BY SENATOR TOBY ANN STAVISKY Just over a month ago, the strongest storm ever recorded crashed into the coast of the Philippines. Wreaking devastation over large swaths of Southeast Asia, Typhoon Haiyan has affected over 12 million people in the region and claimed thousands of lives. Even today, the death toll continues to rise. At press time, the latest count was over 6,000 casualties. It sometimes can be diffi cult to fathom the magnitude of a storm’s destruction and damage from half a world away. When the victims do not share our common traditions, history or culture, we may feel only remotely affected but that does not diminish the need to help others. I and many of my Filipino constituents have seen this growing apathy towards the storm’s aftermath, evident in waning press coverage and conversation about the disaster. Our feelings were confi rmed by a recent Pew poll which found more Americans were following news about the healthcare rollout than the aftermath of Haiyan. Fundraising numbers also corroborate this—one week after the typhoon hit, Americans raised about $33 million for relief efforts compared to $300 million in the immediate wake of Haiti earthquake in 2010. So let us be clear—the disastrous denouement of Typhoon Haiyan was total and utter destruction for millions. New York had a very small taste of the damage that natural disasters can bring when Hurricane Sandy struck our shores just over a year ago. Our friends and family in Staten Island, the Rockaways and Coney Island watched as their cherished homes and livelihoods were swept away by the storm surge. And as New Yorkers, we responded and rallied around our neighbors. I urge the people of Queens to see the victims of Typhoon Haiyan just as they saw and were moved to action by the victims of Hurricane Sandy. I urge you to treat them as your friends, your family, your neighbors. Which for many residents of the 16th Senate District, is true. According to a recent Asian American Federation analysis, Filipinos make up the fourth-largest Asian group in New York City, with most Filipinos living in Queens. The 16th Senate District alone is home to more than 10,000 Filipinos who mostly live in Elmhurst and Woodside, more than any other district in the state. Last week, my colleagues Senator Michael Gianaris, Councilmember Daniel Dromm and I joined many Queensbased Filipino groups to observe the one-month anniversary of Typhoon Haiyan at a candlelight vigil and to review fundraising progress. I was proud to stand with them that night and I pledge to stand with them until the rebuilding effort in the Philippines is fi nished. I hope you will join us. Contributions can be made to the American Red Cross specifi cally to support Philippine typhoon relief at www.redcross. org. Various Filipino such as organizations Gawad Kalinga (http://gk-usa.org/) are also accepting donations and are able to deliver services with very low overhead costs. If you are unsure if a non-profi t is reputable, you should check their rating on Charity Navigator (www.charitynavigator.org). Toby Ann Stavisky, the fi rst woman from Queens County elected to the State Senate and the fi rst woman to Chair the Senate Committee on Higher Education. She currently represents the 16th Senate District.
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