‘Union Made Stadium’

Brian McGuire’s article [“Union Made Stadium,” Opinion, April 11, 2005] gave me a good chuckle.

Neither Jets owner Woody Johnson nor I have ever discussed sections 240 and 241 of the New York State labor law with one another or with state lawmakers. As we work to secure swift approval from the Public Authorities Control Board to meet our construction timeframe for the New York Sports and Convention Center, taking on yet another legislative battle unrelated to our goal of securing necessary approvals is unfounded in reality.

In fact, the mere thought is exhausting.

L. JAY CROSS
President
New York Jets
Manhattan

‘Can We Stop Illegals?’

In 1956 I attended a debate between William F. Buckley Jr. and James Wechsler (then editor of the New York Post) about Mr. Buckley’s book “God and Man at Yale.” It was a riveting debate, both informative and entertaining. I never could have imagined then that I would some day have to be so critical of his analysis [“Can We Stop Illegals?” Opinion, April 11, 2005].

And yet, what is one to make out of an analysis that compares the situation that was faced by the East German government in 1960 of keeping its citizens from fleeing their tyranny with that of the United States, which is today facing a problem of illegal immigration into its country?

All the East German government had to do to solve its problem was give their citizens more personal and economic freedom, but because of their sick social system, they chose an inhuman solution.

Our current problem is totally different. We face an agonizing trade-off between two desirable goals – security from terrorism and our tradition of helping deserving people improve their economic status. But we are a great democratic society, and we can, over time, find workable solutions to this trade-off.

There are many important factual aspects to our immigration problem that are now being studied by social scientists: What effect does unskilled immigration have on wages (and upward mobility) of Native Americans? How can we best detect potential terrorists among immigrants? How much should we depend on employers to detect illegal immigrants? By how much can we increase quotas for legal low-skilled immigrants? Etc.

The findings of these studies and their injection into our democratic political process will eventually solve the problem. No need, Mr. Buckley, to ask for Israel’s advice on how to build walls.

DAVID M. O’NEILL
Senior Economist
Center for Business and Government
Baruch College, CUNY
Manhattan

‘Venezuela Untouched’

Re: “Venezuela Untouched, Taking In the Slow, Sunny Charm of Margarita Island,” Kathleen Willcox, April 8, 2005. Margarita is not the only “untouched” place in Venezuela. It is a beautiful country all around with very nice people. As a Venezuelan, it hurts to see you write that besides Margarita, Venezuela is ridden with “strife.”

I would like to encourage Ms. Willcox to go back to Venezuela and visit the Andes region, specially the city of Merida in the Merida state and its surroundings. Or to visit the Parque Nacional Morrocoy in the Falcon state, with all its beautiful keys, white sandy beaches, and crystal clear waters. Or to visit the Hato el Cedral in the Venezuelan plains, with its amazing wildlife and beautiful landscapes. Or maybe go into Puerto Ayacucho, right in the Amazonas, in the middle of the tropical jungle, where she can get to see how the Venezuelan Indians live. Maybe go to Canaima and visit Angel Falls, the highest waterfall in the world and its entire environment.

I can also mention other places all outside of Margarita Island, some bigger than others but just as beautiful and free of whatever kind of “strife” you can think of.

LUIS A. CHAVEZ
Madison, Wis.

‘In the Sites’

In the recent article about the Williamsburg/Greenpoint rezoning [“Mayor’s Brooklyn Rezoning Proposal Is in the Sites of Community Groups,” Jill Gardiner, New York, April 4, 2005], the following is incorrect:

“The mayor’s plan to rezone more than 184 blocks of Brooklyn waterfront land would allow developers to erect large buildings along the two miles stretch in exchange for including a certain amount of lower- and moderately priced units.”

There is no “exchange.” The developers are allowed to erect those towers, up to 40 stories, with no affordable housing whatsoever, as of right. If they choose to use what most consider very weak incentives to build some affordable housing, they can build even “taller” than the original plans allow.

MARISSA BOWE
Brooklyn

---

Please address letters intended for publication to the Editor of The New York Sun. Letters may be sent by e-mail to editor@nysun.com, facsimile to 212-608-7348, or post to 105 Chambers Street, New York City 10007. Please include a return address and daytime telephone number. Letters may be edited.