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J J d i t o m a l sLandmarks Needs More Money To OperateThe New York City Landmarks Commission and the recommendations of theMayor%u2019s Cooper Committee report on the body, as discussed in this week%u2019s issue, wouldprofoundly change the way the commission operates and the role that landmarks playin the city%u2019s overall quality of life. We can%u2019t fault the committee for its effort to solvewhat%u2019s often a vexing problem among preservationists, developers and building owners,but we think the priorities have been reversed.The Landmarks Law has been in effect for over 21 years now, and during that time ithas served the city well as a balance to real estate development, as a stimulant to property values %u2014 and therefore the preservation of our historic neighborhoods %u2014 and as aguardian of New York%u2019s rich cultural heritage. We see no reason to alter the law itself.The problem of landmarks in the larger urban picture is, not surprisingly, the properand speedy execution of the provisions and protections of the existing law. The commission, like other City agencies, is subject to the fiscal and political winds of change. Likeother agencies, it learns to cope with them.That the commission is able to work as well as it does under widely-reported conditions of inadequate funding and overworked staff is, to say the least, a miracle. It%u2019sday-to-day difficulties are, however, a practical problem. Consequently, they need acommon sense solution that relates to better administrative procedures, more staff anda better working relationship with the communities of people who live in the historicdistricts the Landmarks Law was created to preserve.Ironically, the Cooper Committee highlights these problems, while proposing sweeping ideas for change. The committee concluded, in fact, that its proposals couldn%u2019t beenacted without an adequate increase in funding. We believe such funding, if it doescome in the future, should be directed towards improving the administrative structureof the commission and strengthening its essential working relationship with the Department of Buildings. Indeed, without these improvements, the gaffes of the past that prompted the committee%u2019s formation by the Mayor will only repeat themselves.As for the Landmarks Law itself, a friend of ours has some simple advice: %u201cIf itisn%u2019t broken, don%u2019t fix it.%u201df i j o U N D FEEDBACK FROM READERSThanks For ForumI must commend you and your paper forprinting the article by Daniela GioseffiLuttinger (Community Forum) opposinghomeporting. It was very courageous of you,and I%u2019m sure if all of us continue to speak out,the people in power will get the message. P.S.Please publish Mayor Koch%u2019s response ifthere was one. %u2014 Sherri Rosen, Member ofBrooklyn Parents for Peace, Clinton Street.Ode To SeptemberI am going to %u201cSound Off%u201d on nice things aswe greet September! What a treasure ofmemorabilia for lover of film! I%u2019m still on airfrom %u201cHollywood %u2014 Legend and Reality%u201d atthe Cooper Hewitt Museum (E. 91 St. NYC).Arthur Lindo, who formerly was in publicrelations at the Brooklyn Museum now iswith Cooper Hewitt. The multi-media displayleaves one with a sense of loss as to what thesilent screen was, and what it is today. Thefabulous faces have been replaced withtechnology. Fred and Ginger, Valentino andChaplin, Dietrich and Lamarr are nowreplace by E.T. and other phenomena. All arereborn at this exhibit with film clips andphotographs.Another %u201cray of hope%u201d was Walt Disney%u2019s%u201cThe Great Mouse Detective%u201d which I saw atthe Cobble Hill Cinema. Here at last is areturn to the old Disney standard and cartooncharacters both skillfully drawn andtouchingly and wittily portrayed. VincentPrice as %u201cRatigan%u201d was brilliant.Another literary ray of hope was the moving of the Community Bookstore to CobbleHUl on Court St. I was able to purchaseGeorge Martin%u2019s %u201cVerdi %u2014 His Music, Life &Times%u201d (Dodd Mead) in paperback %u2014 amasterpiece I searched long and hard for.Recently I saw Mr. Martin give a brilliantlecture on the composer%u2019s %u201cDon Carlo%u201d at theMorgan Library. Welcome CommunityBookstore! I am certain people will travelfrom the Heights and everywhere to CobbleHill to peruse and to buy. Verdi is a rolemodel to be admired as an artist and a manof democratic and humanitarian fibre.Isn%u2019t it nice to know that %u201cThe times andseasons are a changing%u201d? Looking backsometimes helps us propel forward. %u2014 NinoPantano, President Street.Nicaragua Is VietnamThe saddest tragedy of all is failure to leamfrom life%u2019s hard school.Admiral Elmo Zumwalt, Jr. ordered use ofthe chemical Agent Orange in the VietnamWar. His son, Lieut. Elmo Zumwalt, 3d,thereby developed cancer, as did thousandsof other servicemen. Later, Lieut. Zumwalt%u2019sbaby son was bom with a learning disability.All was the result of Agent Orange and theVietnam War. 57,000 Americans died. Otherthousands came home mutilated physicallyand mentally. Our nation was weakened.Nothing was gained. Yet Admiral Zumwaltsays, knowing what he knows now, he woulddo the same thing over again!President Reagan is preparing to do justthat %u2014 this time in trying to overthrow thelegal Nicaraguan government. That is whysadness for the Zumwalt family heightensconcern that again American families willbecome similar victims.The contra terrorists, financed by U.S. taxpayers, cannot possibly win. Our militaryknows that. So now we are sending American%u201cadvisers%u201d %u2014 just like Vietnam. Next will beAmerican troops %u2014 just like Vietnam. Mexico%u2019s greatest writer, Carlos Fuentes, told uswhat to expect %u201cwhen the body bags startcoming back.%u201d He warned, %u201cIf Nicaraguawere to be invaded by U.S. troops, you%u2019d seeall of Latin America rising up in great anger%u201dto fight the Americans.The tragic suffering of the Zumwalt familyand all Vietnam War victims will have beenin vain if we do not leam the lesson and makeour voices heard by the President and Congress: %u201cNo More Vietnams.%u201d %u2014 Alice Gordon, Surf Avenue.Collins Cuts RecordBelfast folksinger Ray Collins received awarm reception from a large appreciativeaudience at his open-air concert at the bandshell in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, on August23rd last. It was standing room only in the2,000 seat amphitheatre as Collins performedballads and songs of protest.Standing alone in the centre of the hugestage, the audience took to him as he sang inIrish and English, accompanying himself onguitar and bouzouki. The audience especiallyenjoyed his energetic solo on the bodhran(Irish drum).Collins spoke about life under British rulein Ireland and ended his set with a newlycomposed piece entitled %u201cSong of Freedom,%u201dthe title track of the new album on which he ispresently working. The album will be a compilation of original songs and music. It will bereleased early next year. %u2014 KathleenO%u2019Halloran, Irish Arts Center, 553 West 51stSt., NYC.A Crack WarningA POEM ON CRACKIt%u2019s about a drug, a drug called crack,It will break your pocket, and your back,First coke and dope, and now this crack,All the things, to make the mind go wack.You%u2019ll say I%u2019ll smoke, just only one,But soon you%u2019ll need, a friend a gun,To keep up with, this new found thing,And see the trouble, that it will bring.You go 3 days, without no sleep,Is that the life, you wanna keep,Kids 9 thru 12, is smoking just that,Again that thing, a drug called crack.You%u2019ll smoke it up, and feel real good,Another day, as I knew you would,The pipe is heavy, yes that%u2019s my word,You%u2019ll hear sweet songs, just like a bird,Or you might roll, the cigarette,And watch the things, that you%u2019ll forget.First you%u2019ll get, a quick big rush,Then everything, goes very hush,You think it%u2019s great, a real big thrill,To have to crash, by taking a pill.The drug is so heavy, that%u2019s why it%u2019s calledcrack,It has no age limit, gives nobody slack.You%u2019re going crazy, truly losing your mind,To smoke and smoke, and say I%u2019m fine,When was the last time, you made love to agirl,Instead of the pipe, melting crystal pearls,You%u2019ll eat less and less, and get real thin,A full course meal, do you remember when.The day must come, for you to stop,Before the man, I mean a cop,Takes you in, that place is jail,To see a judge, and get a bail,So come to your senses, before it%u2019s too late,For in that world, you%u2019re sure to hate,So go to school, and get your head straight,Or find a girl, before it%u2019s too late.So heed my words, and listen well,Don%u2019t say I didn%u2019t warn you, before you fell,It has no age limit, gives nobody slack,That dangerous drug, known by the name ofcrack.%u2014 Alonzo PritchardAlonzo Pritchard is 32-years old andlives in the Gowanus Houses. Currentlyunemployed, he worked for SportMagazine for five years and was inspiredto write the poem after witnessing thewidespread use of the drug in hisneighborhood.WE INVITE READERS TO SHARE THEIR VIEWS IN THIS SOUND OFF SPACEThe editors welcome letters from readers on all subjects that relate to our Downtown Brooklyn area communities.To make certain that your letter is published, we ask that you keep it to less than 500 words and that it is typed. Longer viewpoint pieces may be considered for our Community Forum column which runs frequently in these pages.A,l letters to both Sound Off and Community Forum spaces must be signed and we ask that readers include their telephone numbers for verification. We do not publish unsigned or anonymous letters.S ,m OF %u2122E JaimesThe scene on Montague Street in Brooklyn Heights. (Phoenix/Koch Photo)Page 38, THE PHOENIX, September 11, 1986