‘Silverstein “Confused” by Mayor Questioning Role’

It is easy to understand Mayor Bloomberg’s frustration with the redevelopment of ground zero. [“Silverstein ‘Confused’ by Mayor Questioning Role in WTC Site,” Julia Levy, Page 1, October 24, 2005].

For starters, it has been four years since September 11,2001, and it appears that little progress has been made in its redevelopment. More importantly, New York is in the midst of an affordable-housing crisis.

Motivated by both of these factors, the mayor is right to insist that the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation and Lawrence Silverstein re-examine their plans for ground zero. If the developers acknowledged the needs of the city, the ground zero area would be developed completely differently. New York doesn’t need another massive office tower; instead, it needs more housing to accommodate the growing desirability of city living.

SANDY ABOULAFIA
Brooklyn

‘Good Sense on Guns’

Your October 21, 2005, editorial “Good Sense on Guns,” was anything but. You cite “studies even suggest[ing] that gun control is counterproductive, although this proposition is currently the subject of vigorous debate among academics.” Those supporting that suggestion share legitimacy with those “suggesting” that creationism is a valid scientific theory and that the earth is flat.

You, in turn, suggest that the Second Amendment “covers” gun makers by shielding them from accountability for recklessly supplying their product to that minority of retailers who they know leak large numbers of weapons to the crime market; and “covers” the negligent retailers themselves.

Notwithstanding comments by its sponsor to the contrary, had the legislation you admire so much been law two years ago, no compensation for their tragic losses would have been available to the victims of the D.C. sniper.

Apparently, you would rather have shielded the gun shop that supplied the weapon to that criminal, and to many others, in reckless disregard for any precautions to avoid supplying guns to such criminals.

To hail congressional legislation actually implementing such a shield reflects, at best, ignorance of the meaning of the Second Amendment and of the realities of the crime gun market. More likely, it reflects a malevolent disregard for public safety in pursuit of your editorial board’s ideological agenda.

DANIEL FELDMAN
Executive Director And General Counsel
New York State Trial Lawyers Association
Manhattan

‘The Art Behind the Architect’

How much more must art do? Rather, what transgression upon sensibility has “Mother and Child” committed? [“The Art Behind the Architect,” Louis Torres, Letters, October 21, 2005].

Does it lack concern for the basic qualities of fine art, i.e., form, medium, composition, color, texture, technique, reason, and historical context? I have heard of the “reasonable man” in the law of torts, the “man learned in the art” on questions of invention and innovation, and “l’homme moyen sensuel,” the man of average instincts as to the standard of obscenity.

Who are these hypothetical reagents, the “ordinary people” with whom Mr. Torres associates? Certainly, the shallowest among us. The ordinary folk I know will tell you, “If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it’s a duck.”

I personally prefer realism. And for me, art strives to dissolve the boundaries between natural reality and abstract reality. If the artist can convince me of the sincerity of his enthusiasm and convey to me that beauty therein lies, then he has validated his work.

However, the exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which contains examples of the sculpture and drawing in which Santiago Calatrava works out his essential architectural ideas, was not meant to be more than just an invitation to get to know the designer. Indeed, I see no crime in that.

QUESHAUN SUDBURY
Long Island City, N.Y.

‘Seeing Daggers’

The New York Sun editorial said, “The reason those taxpayers are ‘disproportionately burdened by high property and state income taxes’ is that they’ve been electing tax-raising Democrats from Mrs. Clinton’s party” [“Seeing Daggers,” October 19, 2005].

Correct me if I’m wrong but hasn’t New York had a Republican-Conservative governor since 1995, and a majority Republican State Senate since 1966?

JERRY SKURNIK
Manhattan

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