14 JULY 14 - JULY 20, 2017 BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP
STAY HOME!
I am just one of a loud, large and
bipartisan chorus that has been criticizing
Mayor de Blasio’s trip last week
to Hamburg, Germany to join in the
G20 protests. The mayor left the day
after an assassination of a New York
City police officer, which only added
insult to injury.
New York City in recent months has
been plagued with all sorts of very
basic problems ranging from a transit
system that is failing New Yorkers,
city services that are not up to par, a
child welfare agency that leaves the
most vulnerable unprotected and
even questions concerning numerous
categories of crime increasing.
And the mayor has allowed property
taxes to go up well above the
effects of inflation while increasing
the city budget by 20 percent since
entering office. We are paying more
and getting less.
My point is that he has ample things
to do at home before taking his progressive
national political agenda on
the road.
And yet what I find most disturbing
is his lack of interest in the most basic
of his duties – leading as the city
mourns the murder of a police officer.
Police Officer Miosotis Familia’s
assassination shocked every corner
of this city. As mayor, de Blasio had a
responsibility to cancel a trip to Germany
to be part of a protest that had
nothing to do with him governing our
city to remain home with a stunned
Police Department and city.
It is almost as though Mayor de Blasio
does not care about New York City
unless it fits into his political agenda.
Combine this with a City Council leader
who talks about making her next
move a run for public office in Puerto
Rico and it is no wonder many are
losing faith in their city government.
***
Recently, Brooklyn’s Chinese-American
community celebrated China’s
control over Hong Kong. Twenty
years ago, the British long rule over
Hong Kong came to an end as its
99-year lease expired. I can understand
the Chinese community’s joy
in such an important piece of China
COMMON SENSE
BY JERRY KASSAR
becoming independent of a foreign
power.
But celebrating might be a bit premature.
Mainland China 20 years ago
agreed to abide by a set of rules that
guaranteed numerous freedoms that
Hong Kong residents enjoyed under
British rule. Freedom of speech, freedom
to protest and democratic elections
are just three of the guarantees
that were written into the transfer of
authority from the British to China. At
that time, I warned that there was no
way to enforce these “guarantees” and
in time they would evaporate.
Over the past few years, I have sadly
been proven right. Free speech has
been curtailed, protesters arrested,
and democratically elected officials
who disagree with Beijing not allowed
to take their seats.
Mainland or dare I say communist
China’s grip over the day-to-day
lives of Hong Kong residents and
the operations of its government has
essentially choked out of existence the
freedoms that were written into the
transfer-of-power documents and the
constitution that governs Hong Kong.
There is a lesson to be learned. Authoritarian
governments, no matter
what they call themselves, cannot
tolerate the freedoms we consider
basic to our existence. They will over
time move to stamp them out because
they find them a threat.
When interacting with these governments,
WE THE
PEOPLE
we should be wary of the
motives of their leaders and always
place the interests of America first.
Authoritarian governments, no
matter what they call themselves,
cannot tolerate the freedoms
we consider basic to our
existence.
DEATH OF A HERO
This tragic incident is likely to
be repeated while the quality of
life in the city steadily declines
since the City Council and City
Hall seem more concerned with
the rights of criminals than the
rights of law-abiding citizens.
Police Officer Miosotis Familia was
assassinated by a homicidal coward
while she worked the midnight tour
on an assignment in the Bronx to
combat an increase in crime at the
location. The entire city is lessened
by the senseless loss of this dedicated
12-year veteran.
Her family, especially her three
children, will feel the loss most
sharply but she will be missed by all
New Yorkers. She was universally
praised for having the compassion,
professionalism and respect that we
insist all first responders to possess.
Her sacrifice was the ultimate measure
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of valor and the most that could
be asked of anyone in the line of duty.
It prevented the killer from being
able to harm any other person. Other
police officers killed him as he fled the
scene of his despicable crime.
The killer was an ex-con and on
parole when he ambushed Officer
Familia and he was treated for mental
health issues. He received a mental
examination in a hospital a few days
before the attack. Doctors found him
to be sufficiently competent to be released.
Governor Cuomo ordered an
us investigation never of the hospital “to ensure
all proper procedures and safeguards”
were taken.
forget
The City Council spends its time trying
to decriminalize offenses, tie the
hands of law enforcement officers and
prevent the incarceration of criminals.
This criminal should have been in jail
or in a mental hospital. He should not
have had access to a firearm.
This tragic incident is likely to be
repeated while the quality of life in
the city steadily declines since the
City Council and City Hall seem more
concerned with the rights of criminals
than the rights of law-abiding citizens.
The NYPD must complete its bulletproof
shielding program for its
vehicle fleet. If the NYPD bulletproof
shielding program had been completed,
it could have saved the life of this
police officer.
Mayor de Blasio’s response? Hop on
a plane to Germany to protest the G20
summit. The Group of Twenty (G20)
is an economic forum for the national
governments and central bankers
BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP • JUNE 5 - JUNE 11, 2014
WE THE
PEOPLE
BY BRIAN KERIN
WE THE PEOPLE
BY BRIAN KERIN
from 19 countries plus the European
Union (EU).
Critics assail it as a platform to
move the globe toward an international
world order. Mayor de Blasio must
believe that his presence in solidarity
with the protesters is more important
than the issues that trouble his own
little burg.
GOP Assemblymember Nicole
Malliotakis, who is running against
the mayor, called the trip “a slap in
the face of New Yorkers who deserve
a mayor who works for them.” It is
hard to understand why he decided to
join left-wing protesters in a foreign
country when the city is dealing with
BY BRIAN KIERAN
the assassination of another NYPD officer
and while it is uncertain whether
the killer slipped through the cracks
of the city mental health system.
We deal with mentally ill homeless
people every day in our streets and
subways. A report from the Department
of Homeless Services reflected
that the homeless population in New
York City increased nearly 40 percent
in 2017. It would be nice if City Hall
would pay attention to that as well.
The G20 summit is an important
international event, not a municipal
one. We need President Trump at the
summit protecting the interests of the
U.S. We do not need Mayor de Blasio
in the streets of Hamburg confronting
German riot police.
Hospital situation
need of triage
College Hospital seems to be destined
Victory Memorial Hospital, Peninsula
Vincent’s Hospital.
proposed plans are short on service to
on dollars in the pockets of developers.
to believe that, as the city grows,
increases
prospers,
fewer
health
Do we
chain
bank on
hospitals?
the company that wins the proposal
be obligated to provide a large
facility to compensate for the
service hospital it will replace.
Congressmember Hakeem Jefferies
opportunity to complain that the NYPD
low-level marijuana arrests in
hinted that this may be an indication
Blasio is really not serious about
following through on his campaign
promises to assure the NYPD scrupulously honors
individual citizens civil rights.
He stated that “new administration promised
change but instead we get more of the same.”
That is not true. The number of arrests for low-level
marijuana possession
has dropped and NYPD
policy is not to force a
suspect to display small
amounts of pot in order
to make an arrest.
Governor Cuomo has
proposed decriminalizing
possession of 15
grams or less of pot whether hidden or in plain view,
which would take this controversy and its attendant
political baggage off the table. It would be nice to let
police offi cers perform their duties instead of being
pawns in a political chess game.
Mayor de Blasio has fulfi lled an incredible amount
of his promises in a very short time. He has imposed
the extra protection of an inspector general for the
NYPD and signed off on the laws passed by the City
Council which may leave police offi cers subject to
lawsuits for negligent performance of their duties.
He has provided universal pre K without a tax
increase. He is settling the outstanding municipal
worker contracts neglected by Mike Bloomberg for
the next mayor to handle. He is championing Vision
Zero to reduce traffi c fatalities to zero. It is unfair
to question his commitment to his ideals or to the
fulfi llment of his promises.
The City Council will pass 11 laws and four resolutions
to create a Vision Zero environment for our
streets. The new laws provide a lower speed limit for
city streets and enhanced penalties for reckless drivers.
The state legislature must approve the changes.
We also need the state legislature to provide a
reasonable number of speed cameras to enforce the
new laws. Let us hope that our legislators will work
together as a group to see that these changes and
improvements are made quickly.
Brian Kieran is an attorney who works as a Principal
Law Clerk in the Supreme Court of the State of New
York in Kings County and is a Democrat.
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Brian Kieran is a community activist who works
for the State of New York and is a Democrat.
Double decked headline
fit alloted space
“Mayor de Blasio has ful lled an incredible
Mayor amount Bloomberg of his promises continues in a very to push short
a
fantasy time.
that, if he had more power,
everything would be okay. When so
much is at stake, it is not the time to
make political statements or play
games”.
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feugiat. Fusce laoreet vehicula laoreet. Nam
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consequat venenatis lobortis, libero eros porttitor
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elit commodo vel vehicula quam ultrices. Sed at
massa sed lorem facilisis ultrices.
Brian Kieran is a community activist who works
for the State of New York and is a Democrat.
Double decked headline
fit alloted space
“Mayor Bloomberg continues to push a
fantasy that, if he had more power,
everything would be okay. When so
much is at stake, it is not the time to
make political statements or play
games”.
COMMON
Double decked headline
BY BRIAN KIERAN
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