‘Love-In at the Delacorte’

The second paragraph of Liesl Schillinger’s August 29 theater review [“Love-In at the Delacorte”] – on Page 1 of the The Sun, I think – read:

“John Guare and Mel Shapiro’s witty, fast-paced musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s ‘Two Gentlemen of Verona’ first appeared at the Delacorte back in 1971 …”

Messrs. Guare and Shapiro certainly adapted the Shakespeare play, and Mr. Guare penned some clever lyrics, but neither contributed any music to the show. Galt MacDermot composed the lively music and score. Trouble is, Ms. Schillinger doesn’t get around to mentioning Mr. MacDermot’s name until late in the fifth paragraph of her review.

Messrs. MacDermot, Guare, and Shapiro are actually the coauthors of this “witty, fast-paced” musical adaptation of “Two Gentlemen of Verona.” Attention – if not proper respect – should be paid.

D.F. RUTGERS
Manhattan

‘The Donald Duck Vote’

The New York Sun editorial [“The Donald Duck Vote,” August 30, 2005] desiring the Board of Elections to scrutinize the voter rolls in far greater detail overlooks two points. Firstly, the Board of Elections is already tasked with a complex and laborious mission simply in getting the voting machinery (literal and figurative) to operate at all; you are very probably putting too much on the board members’ plate by asking them to undertake another equally complex and laborious mission. Secondly, and more importantly, the professional ethos of the Board of Elections is aimed at facilitating and expanding the vote, trying to minimize voter error rather than to correct voter fraud; their ethos probably renders them permanently unsuited for the task you have in mind. I think you would be better advised to call for the creation of a separate bureaucratic organization, unconnected to or autonomous within the Board of Elections, tasked exclusively with pruning the voter rolls.

DAVID RANDALL
Brooklyn

‘Doubtful Registrations’

The story Tuesday about the number and types of fraudulently registered voters is truly appalling and rightfully merits its front-page headline [“City Voter Rolls Riddled With Doubtful Registrations,” Meghan Clyne, Page 1, August 30, 2005]. Equally appalling is the reaction of John Ravitz, the director of the New York City Board of Elections. Rather than place the blame on the registrants, shouldn’t the Board of Elections review an application before placing someone on the voter’s roster? I am shocked that in New York City people can register as cartoon characters, probably multiple times, at addresses that belong to schools and other municipal buildings. It appears that no one on the Board of Elections even reads an application before approving it. Mr. Ravitz – get your act together!

ERNIE DAHL
Manhattan

‘Rape Treatment’

Re: “Rape Treatment, Conviction Rates Vary by Borough,” Bradley Hope, Page 1, August 29, 2005. I am very appreciative that The New York Sun featured a front-page article about the state of rape treatment in New York City. It is only when the city’s newspapers will focus on rape as a policy issue that they can help support needed change.

I would like to comment on two issues from the article that require clarification.

In the article, a quote attributed to me about the “gruff, doubting nature of police questioning” does not reflect my words nor my opinion of the NYPD. The New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault has long recognized and appreciated that the development of a Special Victims Division within the NYPD with a high-ranking officer in charge is making a difference. This division is responsible for the selection, training, supervision, and accountability of all Special Victims Squad personnel. The Alliance has found the Special Victims Liaison Unit, part of this division, responsive and progressive, and we consider the Special Victims Division to be part of the collaborative team that responds to the acute care needs of rape victims.

The second point is in reference to an inaccuracy. The article states that victims who are brought to non-municipal hospitals will not benefit from a specialized program. The municipal system has come a long way in developing specialized care in their emergency rooms. However, there are many private hospitals such as St. Luke’s-Roosevelt and Beth Israel in Manhattan and Long Island College Hospital in Brooklyn that have well-developed rape crisis and forensic examiner programs and a number of other hospitals that have rape-crisis programs. Efforts made by many private hospitals should not be minimized or undervalued.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

HARRIET LESSEL
Executive director
New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault
Manhattan