WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES DECEMBER 21, 2017 17
LETTERS AND COMMENTS OP-ED
GIVING
THANKS FOR
CHRISTMAS
Christmas is a time for caring,
sharing and giving. It is a time we
travel to visit friends and relatives
and exchanging presents. But I feel
it is a time to recognize members of
our communities who do things for
others and some who go the extra
mile to help those in the most of need.
We also need to applaud our police,
fi refi ghters and EMS workers who do
their best to save lives and property
not only during the holidays, but all
year long. They risk their lives protecting
all of us. If you see any of these
tell them thank you for a job well done.
Also let’s not forget our brave men
and women in the military who are
serving our country and protecting
us all world-wide. Please say a pray
this Christmas for our heroes and
that God will keep them safe as they
do for all of us year round.
Frederick R. Bedell Jr.,
Glen Oaks Village
STRONG RESPONSE
TO A STRONG
EDITORIAL
I am a Democrat and Kirsten Gillibrand
is my senator, however the USA
Today editorial (“Will Trump lows
ever hit rock bottom?”, Dec. 12) is below
the dignity of any self-respecting
national publication. Now USA Today
appears in a worse light than Trump!
It behooves a newspaper to respect
the Offi ce of President even if
it doesn’t want to show respect to the
president himself. Obviously, the editor
did not listen to his mother when
she was “educating” him when he was
growing up!
Unlike other celebrities who have
admitted their guilt or paid their
accusers to keep them quiet, the accusations
against President Trump are
still allegations. In order to respect
the due process of law, Gillibrand can
request a Congressional investigation
or direct the accusers to seek legal
advice and bring the case to court.
Jacques Hakim, Bayside
Editor’s note: For the sake of preventing
“fake news” from spreading,
this letter requires a clarifying
response. First, the USA Today editorial
was published aft er the president
commented on Twitter that Senator
Gillibrand was “someone who
would come to my offi ce ‘begging’
for campaign contributions not so
long ago (and would do anything
for them).” Gillibrand later called
Trump’s tweet “a sexist smear” for
reasons obvious to anyone who
read the president’s comment.
The editorial was written,
according to USA Today, by members
of its editorial board — not a
lone, male editor.
Gillibrand has called for Trump
to resign the presidency over the
sexual abuse allegations against
him, but she has also called for
those allegations to be “fully investigated,”
as CNN reported.
Finally, in an age where some
attempt to confuse dissent with
disloyalty, we should be reminded
of something: While it behooves
a newspaper to be respectful to
everyone, in this country, newspapers
— and all of us as American
citizens — are permitted to speak
and write critically of the president.
Neither Congress nor the
president shall make or enforce
any laws abridging such rights as
protected under the First Amendment
of the Constitution.
Robert Pozarycki, Editor-in-Chief
Email your letters to editorial@
qns.com (Subject: Letter to the
Editor) or leave a comment to any
of our stories at QNS.com. All letters
are subject to editing. Names
will be withheld upon request, but
anonymous letters will not be considered
for publication. The views
expressed in all letters and comments
are not necessarily those of
this publication or its staff.
Food for Thought
BY ASSEMBLYWOMAN NILY ROZIC
It’s the most wonderful time of the
year … for some.
With the holiday season upon
us it’s only natural to get enveloped in
the giving mood. It’s an opportunity to
refl ect, set new goals, and appreciate
all that we have. As families across
the state prepare to dig into holiday
feasts, let’s remember that there are
many in our community who are still
struggling.
Hunger is a widespread problem
here in New York, where 1 in 5 children
struggle with food insecurity, according
to the hunger-relief organization
Feeding America. These children and
their families – 1.4 million New Yorkers
– are at further risk from federal
cuts to vital programs that help low-income
Americans put food on the table.
For instance, earlier this year, the
Trump administration released a
proposed budget that slashes federal
funding for food stamps by nearly
$200 billion over the next 10 years.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program (SNAP) helps 1 in 5
New Yorkers buy nutritious food;
cuts would force millions of families to
turn to food pantries to meet their basic
needs. As the federal government
decreases funding, it is up to advocates
and lawmakers to make anti-hunger
programs priorities in state and local
budgets rather than an aft erthought.
Fortunately, New York is continuously
at the forefront of fighting
poverty, combating inequality, and
creating more opportunity. Earlier
this year, the State Assembly fought
to create a 25 percent tax credit on
qualifi ed food donations that farms
make to food banks. We also made it
easier for school districts and colleges/
universities to donate excess food to
local community organizations, food
pantries and soup kitchens. Our
annual state budget continues to support
food pantries and coup kitchens
through an investment of more than
$30 million for the Hunger Prevention
Nutrition Assistance Program.
Even with all these eff orts, there is
still more work to do. Local pantries
are oft en struggling to keep up with
the growing demand, but we can
make the diff erence. Let’s commit to
extending the spirit of giving by volunteering
our time or donating money
and healthy foods to a food pantry. Our
eff orts can go a long way in helping
others this holiday season. To fi nd a
food pantry or soup kitchen near you,
visit http://foodhelp.nyc/emergency
assistance-en/. If you are interested
in getting more information about
local food pantries in Queens, please
contact my district offi ce. Our community
is stronger when we step up and
look out for one another.
Assemblywoman Rozic represents
the 25th Assembly District cover parts
of Bayside, Flushing, Fresh Meadows,
Jamaica and Little Neck.
A LOOK BACK
Street work truly never ends in
Queens; there’s always some road
somewhere in the borough where
improvements are made. This 1938
photo is evidence of it, as you can
see part of 79th Avenue near 88th
Street in Glendale being dug up at
left. The large building at right is
P.S. 113, which continues to educate
students today. Send us your
historic photos of Queens by email
to editorial@qns.com (subject: A
Look Back) or mail printed pictures
to A Look Back, ℅ The Queens
Courier, 38-15 Bell Blvd., Bayside,
NY 11361. All mailed pictures will
be carefully returned to you.
