He May Be An Ex-Con Crazy Uncle, But At Least He Has A Sane Peace Plan
Dear editor:
Abe Hirschfeld (“Ex-Con Beach Commissioner Announces Peace Plan, Intent to Move Back to Miami Beach; Introduced by Convicted Mayor,” published
Jan.9) is no joke, no fool. Most media introduce him with a broad wink, as you would a crazy uncle upstairs, but media always does that to anyone with something important to say, while
fawning over the blowhards and warmongers. In fact, his is one of the few sane voices out there. What Hirschfeld wants for the Holy Land is what the whole world longs for itself: genuine
democracy, one person one vote for every citizen, both Jew and Palestinian.
Many thinkers of the caliber of Abe Hirschfeld, from Noam Chomsky to Edward Said, have given up on the current fraudulent "peace process" (the
two-state solution), because one State will be rich and powerful, the other poor and weak, a sure recipe for continued conflict. Of course, Mr. Hirschfeld's farsighted Jeffersonian
proposal will get nowhere, because while it would indeed bring peace, it would mean the end of the Zionist settler-state for Jews only. The Israeli military-religious-complex would never
hear of it. I wouldn't, if I were them. And cut off the flow of billions of American tax dollars? They'd have to go get jobs.
Dale Walker
Guy Baggers, Alton Road Speed Bumps, Selfish Coral Gablerers, Shadowesque Figures Who Wear White Shirts and Socks But Can’t Dance, The Honesty of John Simon, Etc.
To the Editor:
Here’s what the message is about what goes on in the city – and it should get you going too, since it’s your money. Yesterday I was walking up to 41st from
10th, (stopped off at Burdines because they were having a 40% off sale), went through City Hall, and crossed over to the Miami Beach Convention Center sidewalk.
Wouldn’t you know it? It’s been nicely painted over, the right color and all, and here’s where the problem begins. This has been done to hide the cracks that are
starting to appear, after having been badly filled in. Now mind you, this is the same sidewalk that has been recently put in to replace the old sidewalk because of a sprinkler system that
hadn’t been provided for to keep the expensive palm trees from dying. The reason the concrete is starting to crack up is that the areas covered are too large to bear the stress without a
rebar bed. Another way to do it is to lay the cement in smaller sections (4 x 4, 4” thick) with cushioning between areas to absorb the natural expansion and contraction of the ground. You
know what it’s going to cost to do this over? Now, any engineer worth his salt could have gone to Home Depot for advice, he would’ve been told exactly what to do, what materials to get,
and had his truck loaded for him by a bunch of nice-guy baggers who you don’t even have to tip. For this kind of work, we don’t need costly-to-the-city bids, or professionals. Just give
the job to whoever show up and will do it the cheapest, since it’s going to have to be done over anyway.
Could we not have been observant enough to see that this is exactly what the State went through on Alton Road this past summer when they laid down the cement slabs
that the buses rest on when they stop off to pick you up? I told the work detail what kind of trouble they were going to have, and before you know it – they were done. Guess what they had
to do as all the slabs broke up and became dangerous not only for the bus passenger, but for our beloved reckless speedsters of the Alton Hwy. One thing it did do was slow them up a bit
as it just became too dangerous even for them and their skateboard style of traversing our streets. Let’s hope our City Fathers have a better grip on handling what we can’t see.
I was criticized at a City Committee meeting for always looking for what’s wrong in the city, and not looking at the good side of things. You know what, they’re
right. You know what, I expect things to be done right, that’s what you’re supposed to do if you’re proud of your work and are responsible, so that you can be called back and recommended
the next time. The Torah says that if you see something wrong and look the other way you may as well have done it yourself. Remember that. Why can’t we be world-class and be better than
anybody? Coral Gables calls itself beautiful because they care about themselves.
Last, but not least, I will wrap things up with what bugs me most of all: that’s the people who go around espousing numbers and fine print and ad infinitum to sell
their banality, total lack of sensibility and how clueless they are about creativity, beauty and taste – which is what it’s all about. Numbers are for us to use, honestly, and not the
other way around. Some of these espousers are friends of mine, they are very glib at this and like my other form of folk, the marketers, as this is very easy and easy to hide behind, so
you don’t have to take a stand on anything and blend in. These are the shadowesque figures that don’t dance at parties, wouldn’t be caught dead in anything but a white shirt to match their
white socks with sandals or buy a mini-car.
Would you respect John Simon if he told you to go see something even though it’s a piece of c#@p, just because he’s being paid off? Or worse yet, wants you to like
him?
Shalom,
Milt Montalvo
Not a Basketball Fan
Dear Editor:
When the basketball team kept losing, it was boring. Then, when it kept winning, it was boring. Sameness is boring. But wonder is not.
Jean Robbins
