Letters to the Editor
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‘Council Seeks New Ban on Smoking by Parents in Cars’
Councilman James Gennaro is introducing a bill to ban smoking in automobiles if a minor is present [New York, “Council Seeks New Ban on Smoking by Parents in Cars,”August15,2007].
His efforts are not new, dating back to his days as adviser to Council speaker, Peter Vallone.
What is new is the depth and intrusiveness of his efforts to “denormalize smoking.”
Clearly this man speaks to bigotry, grasping at every straw to justify sumptuary legislation. He wants to control everyone’s behavior. And he can’t; he can only try.
These efforts are based on data, both old and new, on the effects of secondhand smoke. This data is scientifically weak and controversial, as well as probably flawed.
The most recent example of this is found in the 2006 Surgeon General’s report on the effects of secondhand smoke.
And yet the data is presented with hubris as protecting the common good. Now come the children. Who will protect them? Will it be parents and guardians or councilpersons enacting laws?
Every such initiative, and there will be more, bite more deeply into freedom and liberty. That’s a concern that should be balanced against shaky science.
Robert Madden, M.D.
Former President
New York Cancer Society
Bronxville, N.Y.
‘Solons Aim To Reverse Ruling Curbing Asylum for Chinese’
I was surprised to read that Councilman Jerrold Nadler called my amendment to protect Chinese political refugees who are affected by the country’s forced abortion and sterilization policies “ignorant and absurd” [New York, “Solons Aim To Reverse Ruling Curbing Asylum for Chinese,” July 30,2007].
It seems crystal clear to me and many others that China’s barbaric population control policy inflicts extreme physical and emotional trauma on both the husband and wife — and that each is deserving of consideration for asylum in America.
Indeed, Congress passed legislation 11 years ago that the courts interpreted as covering both the victim and his/her spouse.
However, a ruling last month by the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals narrowed the definition of a political refugee to only the individual who was forced to undergo an abortion or sterilization by the Chinese government. While I consider the amendment a stop gap to protect asylum-seekers while I draft legislation to address the issue, it’s importance was highlighted when an immigration judge in Manhattan was recently forced to order the removal of a Chinese political refugee because her claim of asylum was based on the fact that her husband was the victim of forced sterilization.
I don’t consider it ignorant or absurd to want to protect innocent people from the barbaric practices of the authoritarian regime in China. I would tend to think Mr. Nadler’s own constituents who live in Chinatown would agree.
VITO FOSSELLA
U.S. Congressman
Staten Island, N.Y.
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