Don’t glaze over Ron Karenga’s violent history
Poughkeepsie, N.Y.: Re “Republican ranter calls Kwanzaa ‘BS’ “ (Dec. 28): It’s disappointing that the Daily News accepted Ron Karenga’s claim that he was convicted in a “politically motivated prosecution spurred by his involvement in Black nationalist politics.” Perhaps this was a knee-jerk response to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s right-wing political views or to her misspelling of Kwanzaa.
Also, as you point out, Kwanzaa is not a religion. But Karenga is hardly a hero. His organization, US, murdered four Black Panther Party members in 1969. That is undisputed and could have been discovered with minimal research.
The US organization was, at the least, manipulated by the FBI into attacking Panthers. But evidence from two former agents and others is that the group worked hand-in-glove with the FBI and the LAPD’s anti-radical unit in order to destroy the L.A. chapter of the Panthers.
In contradistinction to most ’60s activists who were prosecuted after confrontations with police, Karenga was convicted of horribly torturing two Black women in his own organization. The two women and his wife testified against him. The jury included six Black members.
Sentenced to 1-10 years, Karenga served just under four years and was almost immediately given a prestigious job in the Cal State university system. As one former Black Panther told the Black Agenda Report, “He’s arrogant and unrepentant, and even looked up to by a generation of young folks who know little or nothing about the man or his history.”
Sad to see the Daily News accepting Karenga’s self-promotion without investigation. Shirley Freitas
The hypocrite’s prayer
Fort Worth: As a conservative Christian, my 2022 New Year’s resolution is to strictly follow the teachings of Jesus and to welcome the stranger, except for those border-busting Mexicans; to heal the sick, except for those needing medicine or healthcare; to love thy neighbor, except for the gay, transgender or lesbian ones; to help the poor, except for those lazy druggies; and finally, to love thine enemies, except for those pro-choice, Trump-hating, anti-gun, mask-wearing Democrats. Amen. Sharon Austry
Rejoiced return
North Babylon, L.I.: “Mutts” is finally back. Hooray! Going to be a good year. Alan Stanley
Welcome back
Whitestone: Finally back! Yay! Missed it so much — best comic strip ever. Audrey Wolfe
Crowd control
Manhattan: With all the coverage about ringing in the New Year at Times Square, I saw nothing about the truly incompetent distribution of the innumerable barricades to pedestrian street crossings set up by police. Encompassing a very large area around Times Square starting before noon, the barriers caused thousands of people in these coronavirus times to stand shoulder to shoulder waiting to get clearance to cram their way through the foot-wide spaces the police would open — unpredictably — to allow some foot traffic. There was no way to know which streets would allow north-south or east-west foot traffic over the large area that was blocked off. Most police officers could not answer that question. While this incompetent barricade mess happens every year, the surge in coronavirus cases that we will see in the next week or two will be less of a mystery. Ingrid Eisen
Take it further
Manhattan: For a couple of weeks, we have been bombarded with either an article, editorial, guest opinion or letter to the editor supporting the extension of work-at-home provisions for city workers, even installing telework permanently. If the hype about improved productivity is true, there is little reason for public employers not to follow the lead of private concerns and outsource these functions. Fancy law firms pay a pittance for legal research done abroad rather than coughing up hundreds of dollars per hour for associates’ time. Why should the taxpayer continue to pay for services performed remotely if the same services are available a little more remotely at a fraction of the cost? Michele P. Brown
Big job
Manhattan: The greatest mayor in our lifetime, Rudy Giuliani, took over a city with more than 2,000 murders a year and in a few short years, reduced it to record lows; out-of-control welfare that he converted to WorkFare, and case loads plummeted; Times Square, which was a national symbol of NYC’s degradation, was cleaned up and economically revitalized — with most legal experts saying the latter two couldn’t be done because of constitutional reasons. As a former federal prosecutor, he knew the law and what had to be done. Like it or not, he broached no excuses and had the will and drive to succeed, and was beholden to no political movement. Eric Adams faces a city at a crossroads. He too knows the law and has bountiful energy and intelligence. Does he have the courage and fortitude to say no to the political system he rose through and apparently seeks to accommodate? John Brindisi
Coming in too hot
Sayreville, N.J.: I have been living in this country for more than 40 years and have often wondered why it is necessary for subway trains to enter the most crowded stations at full speed. On occasion, I have observed trains traveling slowly on their way in, then suddenly speeding up upon entering the station. As in the recent fatal incident at the Fordham Road station (“Man dies in bid to save friend on train tracks,” Jan. 2), if the policy was to enter at a sensible control speed, many lives would have been saved and injuries prevented. Will the MTA please take off your dunce caps and fix this? Desmond M. Chase
Facts and figures
Cleveland: The Medicare Advantage plan the city is seeking to impose on its retirees includes enrollment in the Emblem Health Part D pharmacy plan. By law, that plan provides actuarially exactly the same coverage as all other Part D plans, which vary only in how plan members reach the $7,050 true out-of-pocket drug purchases before catastrophic coverage begins. The Medicare Rights Center reports that the average monthly premium for a Part D drug plan in 2022 is $33.37/month, a little more than $400/year, while the Emblem drug plan collects a $125 monthly premium ($1500/year) from almost 200,000 NYC retirees. Why do the city and the unions allow Emblem to enjoy this excess profiteering of close to $200 million a year? Why does the city subsidize this outrageous monthly premium through payments to union benefit funds that reimburse retirees for a portion of that excessive premium? Who is guarding the public purse? James Collins
Great game
Hackensack, N.J.: If you missed the Rose Bowl on Saturday night, you missed the most exciting game in the history of the sport of football. Richard A. Naumann
Giant disappointment
Massapequa, L.I.: I have been a Giants fan for 60 years. When I turned on Sunday’s game, the Giants were already losing 7-0 with less than a minute gone. How could that be possible, I said to myself — then I saw our next possession and I saw why. It is a good thing they did not play at home; the Giants would have been booed off the field. Luckily, you could go to the Jets game for an exciting and entertaining game right up to the end. John Mara: Do the Giants fans have to go back to burning tickets and flying banners over the stadium again? Too bad we can’t bring George Young back! Ron Boehning
Vote of no confidence
Ocean View, N.J.: The Giants are a disgrace to football! The general manager needs to be let go before he destroys this great organization. The coach is very questionable in his play-calling. Everyone knew what the next play was before the ball was snapped. Why did he not pull the quarterback after the very first play and put in the young quarterback? What was he afraid of? That the young kid might put some points on the board and give the team a chance of getting a win? I doubt if my crew will be at the last home game. I know the four guys sitting next to me are not going either. There might be more security there than fans! Jim Fusco
