Six months after Oklahomans sent supplies to help New York residents battered by Hurricane Sandy, New Yorkers are returning the favor.
New York Assemblyman Phillip Goldfeder came Wednesday to the state Capitol to tell lawmakers that volunteers in his district are filling trucks with blankets, food and supplies that are scheduled by the weekend to start heading for Oklahoma.
“This is our way of paying it forward,” Goldfeder told The Oklahoman. “We only survived because of the kindness of strangers from across the country and it’s our job to find a way to give back.
“New Yorkers are so used to giving, we’re very rarely on the receiving end,” he said. “In this instance we really needed support and the residents of Oklahoma were there for us, and the residents of Queens are going to be there for Oklahoma.”
After Hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc in late October, one of the first batches of food and supplies to arrive in his district came from Oklahoma, he said. His district is in southwest Queens and includes the neighborhoods of Ozone Park, Lindenwood, Howard Beach, Broad Channel and the Rockaways.
“We’re going to stand with Oklahoma until you’re back on your feet,” he said.
Rep. Paul Wesselhoft, R-Moore, planned to take him to parts of Moore flattened by Monday’s tornado.
(Source: News OK)
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4 Responses
Kiddush Hashem
Let’s not forget that moment when Senator Inhofe voted against government help for Sandy victims…
Phil has no business being there to support them…It’s a stupid political stunt.
Dear Mister Chamor,
You clearly do not know Phil Goldfeder. He may be a politician in the strict sense of the word, and a rookie at that, but were I to be called as a character witness, I could testify 180 degrees the other way from what you claim. You sound like a no-holds-barred cynic. Being a politician does not always equal being a stuntman, especially when the motive for joining the government (as his is) is entirely from a sense of duty to his community (do you have that? Or do you sit around looking to find fault? Waste of G-d given energy, sir). And btw, while Oklahoma’s governor’s vote on Sandy funding is questionable, he has submitted his explanation, which at least shows he is consistent, if not exactly what you WANT. But let’s say for the sake of argument that the governor was a horrible fiend. Goldfeder is helping citizens who helped us. Even the Torah has something to say about that: Lo sikom velo sitor.” Just thought I’d point that out.
Now, go back to your corner and start mumbling, Mr. Chamor
You have a valid point and I appologize if my comments were understood to be an attack on Mr. Goldfeder’s sincerity. This has to do with an eye for an eye – especially when many know that the anti Jewish politicians of OK probabnly had us in mind hen they voted NO.
I’m almost prepared to bet that had it been a neighboring state, they would have voted YES….