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                                    (JoM M U N lT Y pO R V M views OF headersAtlantic Terminal Plan Tv Hnnrt V X \\ J f V / * JL JL $f %u00a7f J L i l \\ , JLBY TED GLICKYour recent editorial in support ofJonathan Rose%u2019s, Ed Koch%u2019s and HowardGolden%u2019s Atlantic Terminal plan (%u201cProgress,Finally, At Atlantic Terminal%u201d ) revealed awoeful series of blind spots on the part of youreditorial staff.First, how can you call a project that is going to end up providing no housing for anyonemaking less than $30,000-$35,000 (from recentstatements of Kathy Wylde of the HousingPartnership, it is clear the $25,000 minimumis going to rise to at least this level) a year aproject that will %u201cswing wide the door of opportunity for the people and neighborhoods ofDowntown Brooklyn.%u201dApproximately $2 billion of investment isbeing made in the planned %u201cdevelopment%u201d ofdowntown Brooklyn; Rose%u2019s plan is the onlyone that will build any housing; and studiesmade by Pratt Institute confirm that between80% and 90% of the people in theneighborhoods surrounding ATURA are completely left out. Moreover, studies done inother cities have clearly shown that largescale office development of the kind beingplanned inevitably leads to large scaleTed Glick is die Coordinator of theDowntown Brooklyn Tenants Federationwho lives at 467 Pacific Street and is thechairman of the ATURA Coalition.displacement of low and moderate incomepeople.For just Atlantic Terminal alone, we cananticipate literally thousands of peopleforced to leave their homes in the comingyears. Where is the %u201cdoor of opportunity%u201d forthese people %u2014 or don%u2019t they count?Where are the %u201cdiversity of possibilities%u201din the housing, environmental and transportation areas? There are already four %u201chotspots%u201d in the Atlantic Terminal area, spotswhere pollution levels exceed federal standards. This will double to eight once the project is built, according to Rose%u2019s own projections. The downtown Brooklyn neighborhoodshave one of the highest levels of cancer in thecity, due to the high volume of traffic passingthrough now, as well as the pollution thatcomes over from New Jersey and from somelight industry in the Gowanus section. Andstudies have shown that if the Navy Yard incinerator is built, some of that pollution willalso come this way. The only possibilities wein the ATURA Coalition see in the environmental area are for higher cancerrates, more respiratory problems, etc.Do people know that under Rose%u2019s planthere will no longer be a free transfer at theAtlantic Terminal subway complex betweenthe IRT and BMT trains? And how willanyone benefit from an increased volume oftraffic?A 11 T h o O o rtn lo TJcm oninlhi T > f\\r\\r JF JL v / l / lWe have not been about stopping Rose%u2019splan; we have been about changing it to be aplan that will benefit and not disrupt and hurtthe existing community.Now, however, that is in the process ofchanging. Since we have gotten no changesfrom Rose and only limited %u2014 if important %u2014concessions from the Board of Estimate, itappears that we are now left with two options: roll over and play dead and let ourneighborhoods be decimated, or move tp stopthe Rose/Koch/Golden plan. We are not going to roll over and play dead. Through legalactions, demonstrations, sit-ins and otherforms of action, our growing movement is going to make its presence felt even more nowthan prior to the Board of Estimate vote.One last question for the Phoenix: whatspecific, concrete programs do you suggestfor dealing with the homeless crisis, with thewidespread displacement in the brownstoneneighborhoods, our air quality problems, theescalation of rents for small businesses, anda spcific plan, or set of plans, for insuringthat jobs from all of the development slatedto take place go to those who need jobs in ourarea? These are the issues facing %u201cthe peopleand neighborhoods of Downtown Brooklyn.%u201dDo you have other answers?Ted G lick at th e B oard of E stim ate h e aring on the ATURA plan. (Phoenix/K ochPhoto)We in the ATURA Coalition don%u2019t see Atlantic Terminal as a panacea. All we have beenasking for throughout the last year ofmeeting after meeting is for a plan that isjust and fair, that meets the needs of the majority low and moderate income population inthe area instead of increasing our problems.Peter, Paul A n d Mary Take A Stand In Support O f Senate CandidateBY ROB TAYLORIt comes as no surprise to hear Peter Yarrow, a member of the folksinging trio, Peter,Paul and Mary, talk about the group%u2019s musicas an extension of their political and socialbeliefs. Now celebrating their 25th anniversary, they have continued to harmonize tunesabout social and civil justice with personalactivities that illustrate their dedication.Next week they will be appearing in a firsttime performance with Pete Seeger, whowrote two of their most popular songs, andTom Chapin, in a benefit concert for U.S.Senate candidate, Mark Green, at BrooklynCollege.%u201cOur support of Mark is a vehicle to mounta challenge to Reaganism by electing aDemocratic Senate,%u201d says Yarrow, about theformer Nader raider who is mounting whatmany political observers say is an impossiblechallenge against GOP incumbent A1D%u2019Amato. Yarrow is a longtime friend ofGreen%u2019s and the Brooklyn concert marks thefirst time he, Mary Travers and Noel PaulStookey have performed in Brooklyn sincetheir early %u201cstomping ground%u201d days, 18 yearsago.The idea of performers holding politicalfundraisers for candidates is not necessarilyunique as this campaign season has witnessed a slew of movie stars and musicianssupporting their favorite politicians.Peter, Paul and Mary are old hands at thetradition as well. In 1984, they worked on 27different campaigns, according to Yarrow,and since 1983 have played in more than 300benefits for both candidates and causes.Known for their opposition to the VietnamWar and currently as opponents of theReagan Administration policies towardNicaragua, apartheid in South Africa, and assupporters of increased assistance tohomeless individuals and families, Peter,Paul and Mary%u2019s decision to aid Green%u2019s candidacy underlines Green%u2019s dedication to somesimilar philosophies and causes.%u201cOur singing has real meaning, not asnostalgia, but as a contemporary message,%u201dsays Yarrow, adding that the music of musicians like Peter Gabriel and Sting today arereturning to a social and political message.%u201cI think there has been a re-emergence ofPeter, Paul and Mary because there has beena movement again to music of conscience. Idon%u2019t know if it w ll reach the proportions itdid in the 60s, but the times are urgent, theMMMW Mt V> V VA J W* UKV* WiVk V W W \\S ** *%u00bb%u00bb()strength out there.%u201dFrom his apartment on Manhattan%u2019s Westside, Yarrow coordinates most of the politicalactivities he works on. His phone rings constantly with requests and questions about thePaul S to okey (Taylor Photo)Our singing has real meaningnot as nostalgia, but as acontemporary message.issues and work he has immersed himself in.With two children, he also has to tend to theirneeds and spends time trying to coordinatetickets for his teenage son to see the Metsplay in some of the World Series games.One cause of immediate concern to Yarrow, his %u201cabsolute commitment andpassion,%u201d is the hunger strike of the VietnamVeterans opposed to the U.S. government%u2019ssupport of tiie Contras fighting in Nicaragua.%u201cThey have not received the press coveragethey deserved,%u201d he says after going toWashington to try to build support for thestrikers%u2019 cause.It is actions like these that make Peter,Paul and Mary%u2019s support of Green morecredible than the run-of-the-mill celebrity%u201cstumping%u201d for their favorite politician.%u201cFor me, it%u2019s really more than MarkGreen, it%u2019s a stand for my daughter, for myson ... for me,%u201d he continues. %u201cIt is just mybelief in the human condition and if the vehicle to improve it is with someone like MarkGreen today or the New York City Coalitionfor the Homeless, that%u2019s what my life has tobe all about. We%u2019re people trying to dosomething together.%u201dHis words may sound dated to some,youthful, naive or as Yarrow puts it, %u201credbaiting,%u201d to others. But his years of politicalexperience have taught him some practicallessons as well, mainly attack the oppositionhead on and where it will hurt.%u201cI am ashamed of the representation ofNew York State in the United States Senate,%u201dhe says referring to D%u2019Amato. %u201cWe chose tohave the benefit in Brooklyn because we haveto get the Borough involved with Mark%u2019scampaign.%u201dGreen has targeted New York City%u2019s heavyDemocratic registration as the key to winning election and has concentrated a greatdeal of his efforts trying to convince localvoters to remain loyal to the party and notcross to the GOP and vote for D%u2019Amato.Yarrow likens the situation to David slaying Goliath. %u201cGreen won the primary thatway,%u201d he says about the candidate%u2019s victoryover John Dyson, an early favorite in theDemocratic primary.So Yarrow and his friends continue to singabout %u201cjustice and freedom%u201d as one ofSeeger%u2019s tunes says. Excited about the performance with Seeger, Yarrow plugs theshow, %u201cWhen you have the four of us togetherand Tom Chapin, I hope someone in the audience has a tape recorder, illegally ofcourse.%u201dThe concert will be held at the Walt Whitman Theatre at Brooklyn College, Oct. 30 at8pm. For more information call 212-239-2910.Assemblymember Celebrates Women To Get VotesBY ROB TAYLORFaced with a tough general election battle,incumbent Ft. Greene AssemblymemberRoger Green intensified Iris campaign Monday night, launching an all out effort withsome of his strongest supporters, women.At a fundraiser for the candidate honoringseveral Brooklyn women who have madecontributions to Green%u2019s re-election bid orhave worked with Green on legislation,guests were repeatedly reminded that thetraditional Democratic voters in the 57thAssembly District had to vote for Green onthe Liberal Party line in this year%u2019s election.%u201cEveryone that you can think of, if theycan Dreaine ...,\wife of the late Malcolm X and an honoredguest at the fundraiser, %u201cit is our responsibility to get them to the polls and make sure theyvote for Roger Green.%u201dShabazz%u2019 plea for the packed group ofmainly women at Sheila%u2019s Restaurant in Ft.Greene comes as Green faces one of thetoughest tests of his political career. After being removed from the Democratic primaryballot in August because of irregularitieswith his nominating petitions, he is now running as both an independent and Liberal Partycandidate. With only 445 registered Liberalsin the 57th A.D. and 36,731 Democrats, Greenhas to convince the Democrats to overlookparty loyalty and cast their ballots in hisfavor.A six-year veteran in the State Assembly,Green says he has concentrated much of hisenergies on legislation supporting servicesfor women ana erwaren. Tatung credit torlegislation supporting programs like prenatal care and nutritional services for pregnant women, and day care centers statewide,targeting the women in his district tor thefundraiser appeared to be a logical step.So the message was given several timesthroughout the evening. %u201cNov. 4 is a verysobering date,%u201d said Dr. Marion Starling,who was one of the women honored by Greenat the fundraiser. %u201cWe have a very tragicsituation.North Brooklyn Congressmember EdTowns added, %u201cWe%u2019re going to make sure thateveryone who doesn%u2019t vote for Roger Greenon the Liberal line will feel guiltyafterwards.%u201dWith these speeches, the telephone lineswere set up and the volunteers were organized for canvassing local neighborhoods.Seasoned politicians often say that it is thefinal iwo weeks ot a campaign mat count tnemost and the campaign volunteers that helpthe effort during this period make a great difference in an election%u2019s outcome. Green sayshe is prepared for the battle. %u2014 R.T.O c to b er 23, 1986, TH E P H O E N IX , Page 35
                                
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