Letters to the Editor
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‘Silver’s Skepticism’
I would think that Sheldon Silver would have an additional reason to be skeptical of the Mayor’s plan for congestion pricing in midtown [Editorial, “Silver’s Skepticism,” June 11, 2007].
Mr. Silver might rightly ask, why is reducing traffic to midtown so vital, while the Mayor’s plan for downtown, which Silver represents in the Assembly, adds traffic by extending Greenwich and Fulton Streets through the World Trade Center site?
Does traffic sitting downtown somehow not add to greenhouse emissions? Isn’t this the same area that already suffered exposure to the cloud of pollution caused by 9/11?
The plan for downtown is worthy of Robert Moses and his love of the automobile. It will do for downtown and the movement of traffic, by the way, what the Cross Bronx “Expressway” did for the Bronx.
MICHAEL BURKE
Bronx, N.Y.
‘Awakening Music’
John McWhorter’s article, “Awakening Music,” is, sadly, correct in its evaluation of the use of music on Broadway today [Oped, “Awakening Music,” June 14, 2007].
Producers have forgotten that the Broadway stage experience is so uniquely New York, not only for those who attend the shows, but also for the talent, both on the boards and in the pits. They are taking the path of least resistance and least expense, to put on a show with no regard to just what Broadway should be all about.
And because of this, Broadway has become yet just another tourist attraction of New York City, like the “Magic Kingdom” is to Disney World, with electronic music and lip-synching, similar to Disney’s many children’s attractions.
JAMES FAY
Closter, N.J.
‘Time for Pete Seeger To Repent’
In his article on Pete Seeger, Ron Radosh mentions Henry A. Wallace’s 1948 presidential campaign, which included Mr. Seeger’s singing the Yiddish song “Hey Zhankoye” [Movies, “Time for Pete Seeger To Repent,” June 12, 2007].
I well remember Mr. Wallace coming to Boro Park shortly before Election Day. There was a huge rally on Thirteenth Avenue, the heart of the neighborhood. I specifically remember “Hey Zhankoye” being sung, and while I do not know that Mr. Seeger was the singer, the Radosh article suggests a strong likelihood that he was. How much the old neighborhood has changed.
MARVIN SCHICK
New York, N.Y.
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