Defending judges
The Post’s editorial lambasting Justice Denis Boyle — recognized by bar and bench as a dedicated and knowledgeable public servant — misses the mark (“Prosectors v. . . . the Public,” Editorial, Nov. 17).
New York’s bail statute requires the judge to impose the least restrictive bail that will assure a defendant’s return to court. The statute does not permit the judge to consider whether the defendant may commit a new crime.
Justice Boyle applied the bail statute as written. Your quarrel is with the statute, not the judge. Moreover, Boyle works with youthful defendants pursuant to New York’s “Raise the Age” legislation, which is intended to give troubled youths a chance to turn their lives around.
It is inevitable that a few such youthful defendants — out of the thousands supervised by Boyle — will squander that chance by reoffending. That goes with the territory.
Again, your quarrel is with the law and not the judge.
Hon. Ethan Greenberg (Ret.)
Manhattan
Overdose crisis
Since the United States has been making drugs legal, we have hit a new milestone (“100K OD deaths in 1 year,” Nov. 18).
In 2020, drug-overdose deaths reached an all-time high. The most deaths ever in US history.
What did people expect, since we are teaching generations of children that marijuana and other drugs are good?
We now have politicians and activist groups, fighting to make mushrooms, hash and ecstasy legal. Some have even mentioned making cocaine legal again.
Kids will of course move on to heavier drugs, and families will suffer even more deaths. Many drug addicts and overdose victims start with the so-called “harmless” drugs.
How many kids need to die before we realize we made a huge mistake? The only way we can stop the rising demand for drugs is through education.
Tom Scott
Spotswood, NJ
Ferry Point fiasco
No matter what your political opinion of former President Donald Trump is, there is no disputing his ability to provide a private-club quality golf course to public golfers at Ferry Point, which is beautifully maintained and a pleasure to play (“Court stays Bx. course for Don,” Nov. 14).
If the city wasn’t playing politics, it would leave Trump’s Ferry Point alone.
Steven Mendelsohn
Whitestone
Sidewalk chaos
There is one word for this idea: idiotic (“City Planning approves permanent outdoor dini🦩ng in NYC,” Nov. 18).
Sidewalks have been made impassable to pedestrians, cluttered with thousands of impediments — from signage to kiosks to billboards — to say nothing about the thousands of bicycles and other wheeled vehicles careening down the sidewalks.
Frankly, I think New York City should be sued for gross violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Sidewalks are unsafe and unpleasant. New York City is no longer “fun city.”
Thomas Birnbaum
Manhattan
School shirt slight
Jeffery Levy, teacher at woke MS 51, has every right to wear his “Proud Zionist” shirt (“Teacher: School OK with BLM, not Zionism,” Nov. 15).
Perhaps if this country made it mandatory for all males and females to serve two years in the military, as Israel does, this country would not be in the state of decay it finds itself in.
And the statement made by the corrupt anonymous member of the Department of Education was worthless.
Louis Scarcella
Brooklyn
Want to weigh in on today’s stories? Send your thoughts (along with your full name and city of residence) to letters@btc365-futebol.com. Letters are subject to editing for clarity, length, accuracy and style.