Letters to the Editor

Worth reprinting

To The Editor:
Buried amidst articles past and present about World Trade Center rebuilding, school overcrowding, air quality and political arguing, was an important article by Jane Flanagan, “The fear of passing on fear to my son” (Column, Children, Jan. 16 – 22). I suggest you reprint this article, it is so useful.

One of the most important things a parent gives a child is development of coping skills, and the ability to love and enjoy. Here at Manhattan Youth our work before 9/11 but especially after 9/11 was to help children overcome fear. That required emphasizing some issues and de-emphasize others. It is important that the media and public leaders understand this concept since they influence children. Using laughter as a mechanism for coping is also strongly advised.

It is awfully important that parents understand how to cope with scary events. Children need parents who are positive when negative situations occur. We must handle scary events with an optimistic bias! In other words, “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.”

Bob Townley
Executive director, Manhattan Youth

Column begs a question

To The Editor:
Re “The disappearance of beggars” (The Penny Post, Jan. 9 –15):

Somehow I feel left out in this phase of “gift” giving espoused by Andrei Codrescu. This fluttering of dollar bills to gutter punks in New Orleans and his $30-dollar-a-week habit when visiting New York leaves me wanting for some of this largesse. We have to hook up.

If “Andy” has so much money, why doesn’t he throw it my way?

So I beg of you Andrei, not for your $30 dollar a week contribution for myself, but for others who are close by me and needy, like my family and friends, and also for my friends in the Greenwich Village community efforts and stuff. All I ask of you, Andy “Deep Pockets,” either give me a lump sum payment for a 12-week stay or take your colorful beggar, panhandling miscreants to another section of this world, preferably off this island.

Somehow breast-feeding, swaddled-clothed, street-urchin offspring aren’t what L.M.D.C. New York really needs today to spark it’s economy. Nor are $1 gutter punks.

Andy, I am so sorry for being so selfish, but as soon as you give me your money I will buy you a personal tee shirt. It will read: “Welcome to New York. Now Go Home.”

Lou Scrima

To The Editor:
Andrei Codrescu writes that there aren’t many panhandlers left (The Penny Post, Jan. 9 –15, “The disappearance of beggars”). Tell him to ride the N.Y.C. subways more often and for longer periods of time and he will be rewarded with more beggars than he can handle. He may have to buy their batteries or listen to their music but they’re still beggars.

Harry Friedler