New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg says Sunday’s marathon won’t divert resources from victims of Superstorm Sandy’s devastation.
Bloomberg responded to criticism of his decision to hold the race at a news briefing Thursday. He notes that electricity is expected to be back on in downtown Manhattan by Sunday, freeing up an “enormous number of police.”
He says the sanitation workers and fire fighters who are aiding storm victims are not involved in the marathon. Race organizers have said they’ll use more private contractors than in past years to minimize the strain on city services.
Bloomberg says “this city is a city where we have to go on.”
Staten Island Borough President Jim Molinaro slammed the Mayor when speaking to ABC News.
The race’s staging area is on Staten Island and Molinaro said it would be “crazy, asinine,” to have the race after what has happened.
“My God. What we have here is terrible, a disaster,” Molinaro said Wednesday. “If they want to race, let them race with themselves. This is no time for a parade. A marathon is a parade. Now is the time to put your shoulder to the wheel. If they want to prepare for something, let them prepare for the election, not a marathon.”
“Do you realize how many police officers you need for a marathon?” he asked. “There are people looting stores on Midland Avenue. There is looting taking place in the homes on the South Shore that were destroyed. That is where we need the police.”
The residents of Staten Island are pleading for help from elected officials, begging for gasoline, food and clothing three days after Sandy slammed the New York City borough.
“We’re going to die! We’re going to freeze! We got 90-year-old people!” Donna Solli told visiting officials. “You don’t understand. You gotta get your trucks down here on the corner now. It’s been three days!”
Staten Island was one of the hardest-hit communities in New York City. More than 80,000 residents are still without power. Many are homeless, and at least 19 people died on Staten Island because of the storm.
One of the devastated neighborhoods was overwhelmed by a violent surge of water. Residents described a super-sized wave as high as 20 feet, with water rushing into the streets like rapids.
(AP / ABC News)
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8 Responses
And this is the guy that just endorsed Obama for President.
If I was a police officer assigned to the marathon, I would refuse to serve. Now is not the time for a marathon.
Bl$$mberg is an arrogant, selfish, completely out of touch, idiot! He is thrilled that there is a lack of gasoline. It makes his fantasy utopia of no cars/trucks/delivery in NYC! Only walkers, joggers, bikers, skateboarders, etc… The greening of NY – of course while HE flies around in private jets & has limo’s waiting. His lack of Rachmonis has one thinking, is he really “Me’Zera schel Avraham Avinu”!
What’s a bum!
This is the same guy who made fun of “the 10,000 black hatters”
Joe Yeshivish:
You happen to be right on the money. Charlotte R. Bloomberg, the mayor’s mother, died not long ago at the ripe old age of 102, but years earlier in 2003 she was honoured by Hadassah Hospital for a huge donation that created the hospital’s Mother and Child Center and in one of the speeche Judy Swartz who is a National Hadassah Board Member and head of the Sarah Wetsman Davidson Hospital Tower said that it was especially meaningful because Charlotte’s children were adopted so there’s your answer!!!
I don’t want to get into adoption here, but if he is adopted jewish and has a bris, he’s just as jewish as you.
But he is an inconsiderate fool.
Just announce a bris on the south shore of staten island where the mohel will di metziza bipeh and the caterer will serve 300z sodas, you can be sure the city will pay plenty of attention to the neighborhood.
Regardless of how you feel about Bloomberg–and I agree his decision is unconscionable–your comments about adoption are disgusting and hurtful to the many Jewish families who have adopted children. My mother was adopted after being almost placed twice in non-Jewish homes despite the fact she was born Jewish. She married the grand-nephew of the Satmar Rebbe. Her descendants are in Agudah schools. Your statement is a shanda and proves that being frum does not necessarily prevent people from being something worse than unmentionable.
#5, what does “adopted Jewish” mean? If the birth mother is not Jewish then the child needs not just a bris but gerus by a kosher beis din, and if not then the child is not Jewish. But this whole thing is nonsense anyway. He’s not adopted. I think “vadim” just make that up.