New Unit Not Responsive

In reference to your article regarding the new commander for the 52nd Precinct (article, May 31 – June 13).

I tried to contact the new “Quality of Life” just yesterday and it seems not many officers know who is in it. In addition, did you know that there are only two officers assigned to that unit? How are two individuals going to handle all these complaints? Also, they will only be contacted if they are called thru 311. I called the precinct to complain about a tire shop on Webster Avenue that had their music blasting. The first time I was spoken to nicely but the second time the officer asked me what did I want him to do, stop what he was doing and tend to it? Now, I pay that officer’s salary.

N. Cintron

Sympathy for Dog Owner

I would like to express my sympathy to readers Angel and Jose, who lost their beloved dog to a pit bull on May 17 at 205th Street and Webster Avenue (letter, May 31 – June 13). The pit bull slipped its collar and dashed across the street; it attacked and killed their beloved pet. Lots of us understand the pain of that kind of loss. Our dogs are part of the family, and deeply loved. It’s a mutual affection. While nothing will ease the trauma of such a violent encounter, perhaps there is some comfort in knowing that many in the community do care.

Annette Porter

My heart goes out to Angel and Jose, the letter writers whose Shih Tzu was killed by a large dog. As the owner of two Pomeranians, I understand the kinship they felt with their little member of the family. I also noted the juxtaposition of that letter with Justin Arundell’s poem on the opposite page. Justin rightly decries the laziness of many dog owners who fail to clean up after their canines. I love my dogs. They are very real members of my family, and when I take them out, I have a bag with me to clean up after them. If you truly love your dog, do the same.

One other thing. Whether you own a dog or not, there is another pollution problem here in Norwood: chicken bones. Almost every day I have to pull a bone away from my dogs. Bones splinter when chewed by a dog, and those shards can pierce the dog’s intestines, sometimes leading to a fatal condition known as peritonitis. Whether it is poop, bones, bottles, or bags, we have trash cans on most corners. All of us need to use them! Let’s keep Norwood one of the best neighborhoods in NYC!

David Webb

Against Condom Distribution

I think “dismay” is the correct word to use to describe my feelings as I descended the steps of the Mosholu Parkway El station a few days ago during the evening homeward rush from work. A male and a female, both probably in their twenties, were earnestly and cheerfully distributing free condoms with the MTA logo on them. This was in the midst of a typical crowd from our neighborhood: many Hispanics, African-Americans, and representatives of the international mix that inhabits Norwood. As is normally the case, there were teenagers, possibly from nearby DeWitt Clinton High School, and no doubt they were accepting the offered condoms, as they might free lollipops or samples of a new flavor of chewing gum.

The significance of this scene is made even worse by the fact that it is our beloved mayor and city government that is behind the free condom distribution. We are being told that this is supposed to combat the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, particularly HIV/AIDS, but it is difficult to understand how this will be the practical result, in a community that experiences the gamut of social problems – teenage pregnancies, a high percentage of out-of-wedlock births, child neglect and abuse, drug dependency, etc. – many of them directly or indirectly related to irresponsible sexuality. Boys are wearing their pants below their hips, putting their hands on their crotch in public, while the girls are bursting out of tight jeans and exposing generous views of their midriffs and cleavages: do we need another public message that “hooking up” is just fine so long as you protect yourself?

Is our mayor sending his minions into orthodox Jewish neighborhoods to distribute free condoms? I doubt it. Would any mayor do this in a Mormon neighborhood, where the level of social problems reflects a conservative attitude toward sexuality, and a lower level of extra-marital sex helps the community prevent many of the problems we see around us in Norwood? Highly unlikely! Mayor Bloomberg’s free condom distribution is a misguided and patronizing quick-fix that encourages a self-defeating culture.

It also tends to divide our community, quite a few of whom espouse the conservative family values they grew up with in foreign countries and are trying to teach to their children.

Frederick J. Kurtz