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[ f ^ O M M U N lT Y p O R U M views of readersAtlantic Terminal's 470 Trees to Come Mean More for EverybodyBY I. LEON GOLOMBIn Fort Greene the 47 trees of SouthPortland Avenue are being pitted againstATURA-engendered stability, prosperity andrevitalization in downtown Brooklyn.Year after year we despair about the inability of our city to solve its problems ofemployment, housing, crime, lack of architectural integrity, transportation, drugsand so on. If our officials are lucky, they succeed in burying themselves in thebureaucracy, because %u2014 if they don%u2019t %u2014 opponents to reasonable approaches to solutions come out of the trees to chew them topieces.With the announcement of the Atlantic Terminal development the administration ofNew York City has finally chosen to face theoppressive problems of life in our city. Theplans of PDC and Rose Associates addressthese concepts as has not been done before.We are not being overwhelmed with sterile,crime-breeding, oversized anthills to housepeople; we are not being dehumanized withblocks of office monoliths and then left to suffer the resultant concrete canyons.I. Leon Golomb is a member of the NewFort Greene Committee. He is an artistand lives on Lafayette Avenue.Instead, virtually all aspects of urban lifeare being interwoven with each other tocreate the texture of a livable community.We can anticipate a complex that will makeFort Greene a better place in which to resideand work, as well as upgrading the quality ofDowntown Brooklyn.This is the prospect that %u2014 one can onlyassume %u2014 is the catalyst for the raginghordes who, armed with their verbalmachetes, pack public hearings.It appears to be safer in this city to donothing. For almost two decades Fort Greenehas been burdened with a wasted landscapeand a stagnation of commercial development, but all this is of little import to theagitators. Now that positive constructiveplans are ready to go forward, the vitriolicverbiage pours forth without logic or goodwill.Actually, the premise that the supposedimpact of traffic on the health of the block of47 trees (handsome though they are) shouldtake precedence over the health of an entireneighborhood is superficially symptomatic.More to the point are the narrow animositiesand persuasions that bring wrath over housing and storms over the supermarket. Thereis despair over the garage; there is contention over the cinemas; there is rebellionagainst retailing; there is annoyance withusage of the parks; there is argument overthe streets; there is trauma over traffic;there is wailing over the amount of daylight;there is trepidation over construction noiseand vibration; there is concern overtransportation.All this emanating from the egoistic reThe premise that the impact o ftraffic on the health o f the blocko f 47 trees, handsome thoughthey are, should take precedenceover the health o f an entireneighborhood issuperfically symptomatic.quirements of those few mounting their soapboxes to rail against the establishment. Someare non-residents of Fort Greene who desirea poor neighborhood that is a repository forall social services. Some are radical theoristswho have found yet another platform. Someare those for whom our potentially prosperous community is viewed as a threat totheir lives and livelihoods.From the majority, however, the prospectof a new, fully functioning neighborhoodevokes affirmative but muted response. Apassive, relatively uninvolved, almostapathetic community, silent in their supportand allowing planners to bear the brunt of thepolyglot of obstructionists sends a message togovernment that charity may be easier thanconstruction. In the future, officials may beinclined to do nothing and avoid the hassle.Commitment to the rich and powerful and indifference to the ordinary people can easilybe more rewarding. If one would expectgovernment leadership and determinationfor the solution of urban problems, thenelected leaders should be made aware thatthere is truly strong neighborhood enthusiasm and support for those solutions.And that awareness can only bestrengthened and encouraged by firm vocalsupport and by active participation atmeetings and hearings, by communicationwith media and government and by an inputof creative ideas. Voices loud and voicesclear to reward the hard, productive, imaginative work of those we elect to office (butwhich work is often less than forthcoming).The answer we need is supportive endorsement for progressive urban renewal and intelligent usage when achieved. Then 47 treeswill multiply to 470 trees.[ R e p o r t e r %u2019s N o t e b o o kDem%u2019s Greenpoint Dinner for D%u2019Amato Has Repercussions in the HeightsBY ROB TAYLORThe election season is underway and withthe handshakes, the promises, the endlessnumber of leaflets describing a candidate%u2019squalifications and the voter rallies, comesthat strange combination of alliances andfriendships called %u201cpoliticking.%u201dLast week, candidates kept hecticschedules trying to get the endorsements ofpolitical clubs and other elected officials.Thursday, May 28, was a particularly busyday, when five political clubs held their endorsement meetings, and the DemocraticParty organization in the WilliamsburgGreenpoint-Ft. Greene 50th AssemblyDistrict held a dinner honoring, of all people,Republican Senator Alfonse D%u2019Amato.The fact that an official Democratic Partyorganization in Brooklyn chose to honor aRepublican senator might be brushed off asone of those things politicians have to do tomake sure that their local party maintains itsstrength, but this particular instance sure annoyed a lot of people.That same evening, the West Brooklyn Independent Democrats (WBID), a BrooklynHeights reform Democrat club, held ameeting to endorse the candidates runningfor office.The WBID members who have a reputationfor political idealism and activism, anddemanded that the candidates who werethere to seek what was expected to be aroutine vote of endorsement, explained whyand under what circumstances they had attended the dinner. Then, to further asserttheir independence, some of the members ofthe reform-minded club attempted to adopt aresolution that said elected officials mustrefrain from making any political decisionswithout first consulting the political club%u2019smembership. The WBID members were acting with anger that they had been forced bydistrict leaders and elected officials to support candidates for a party leadership postthat they thought unacceptable.State Senator Martin Connor, of the WestBrooklyn (and Staten Island and Lower EastSide) 25th District, was particularly upsetwith the proceedings of the evening. A groupof WBID members had earlier picketed the50th District party dinner over the D%u2019Amatoappearance and a member of the WBID wasthere, since he represents part of thatdistrict. He accused some of the picketers ofcalling him a %u201cscab.%u201d He said he had made itclear to members that he would not crosstheir picket line and would only go to the dinnoi* oWot* T V A m o t o ln ftI WONT TAKE THAT%u201cThe use of the word scab was totally inappropriate and I won%u2019t take that,%u201d he yelled atthe club members whose endorsement for reelection he was seeking. %u201cThat%u2019s the area(Greenpoint and Williamsburg) where I getberated with letters about my votes on gayrights and equal rights and I haven%u2019t seenanyone in this club help me there.%u201dUndaunted by Connor%u2019s anger, members ofthe WBID said they had only yelled, %u201cSen.Connor, don%u2019t shame us by going inside.%u201dThe battle lines were drawn. Only in the environment of a political club house can everyyear occurances like political endorsementsHe made it clear to members thathe would not cross their picketline and only go to the dinnerafter D'Amato left.reach such piercing tension. The room waspractically divided at the center, idealists onthe left, pragmatists on the right.But Connor%u2019s beef was the least concern.Several weeks prior, the current male 52ndAssembly District party district leader, JohnMazzitelU of Bay Ridge, announced that hewould not seek re-election. The decision setoff a wave of behind the scenes politicalmaneuvering by party officials who wantedto find a candidate suitable for the entiredistrict which stretches along Brooklyn%u2019swestern coast from the Heights to CarrollGardens, Red Hook, and Sunset Park to include a substantial part of Republicandominated Bay Ridge.The 52nd District has been described as a%u201cnightmare to organize.%u201d With the extremesof a very conservative constituency in BayRidge, and a very liberal one in BrooklynHeights, a district leader who would be acceptable to the entire district is hard to find,especially when the issues of abortion, equalrights ami gay rights are in the forefront.Joan Millman of Brooklyn Heights hasbeen the female District Leader in the 52ndfor a number of terms, and with the politicalstrategy of strengthening the party organization in Bay Ridge an uppermost consideration, Mazzitelli was originally supportedalong with Millman. Now, applying the samestrategy to boost the Democratic Party effortin that conservative area, district partyleaders and officials decided to again try tonominate a member from that club for thevacant position.When they began to meet about the vacancy, the participants were apparently asked tokeep the discussions secret until an acceptable candidate was found %u2014 a commonsense political tactic when seeking to balancesuch disparate considerations. But, it wasthis policy of secrecy that annoyed some ofthe members of the West Brooklyn Club, particularly when they realized that one of theBay Ridge candidates being considered wasagainst abortion, equal rights and gay rights,positions that West Brooklyn IndependentDemocrats coukl never allow for a candidatethat club would support.%u201cMy heart and soul is in reform politicsand the WBID,%u201d said Lonni Cacchione, avice-president of the club at the meeting.%u201cBut, when we opposed this candidate, wewere told our position was an arrogant position.%u201d Cacchione said the club was beingforced to endorse an unacceptable candidateand compromise its ideals. %u201cNo candidate, nomatter how qualified is worth sacrificingreform politics,%u201d she said.Other party leaders felt differently. Theysaid there were time constraints that made itnecessary to expedite the process. JoanMillman, the incumbent female districtleader seeking re-election, explained that%u201cthe intention had always been to find a candidate that was acceptable to the entiredistrict.%u201d%u201cWhen acceptable candidates are found,they have the opportunity to presentthemselves before the club,%u201d Millman said.%u201cThe club can then reject them if they so like.No one is suggesting that this right be takenaway.%u201dOthers had harsher comments about theresolution. The district%u2019s Assemblywoman,Eileen Dugan, said she found the resolutionoffered to limit her right to make up her ownmind before announcing her decision %u201coffensive%u201d and said that the problem arosebecause the West Brooklyn Club found theproposed male district leader candidateunacceptable.Connor, who was president of the clubbefore winning his first term in the Senate,Continued on Page 31Rep. Owens Girds for a Major Election Challenge from Roy InnisBY ROB TAYLORWith a potentially tough Democraticprimary challenge ahead of him, about 100members and guests of the Parkway Independent Democrats held a fundraiser Sunday, June 1, for U.S. Representative Major R.Owens, 12th District. Owens, a two-term congressman from Central Brooklyn is preparing for a primary race against Roy Innis, thenational chairman of the Congress for RacialEquality (CORE), a neo-conservative groupcritical of social welfare programs.During the fundraiser held in a 16th floorpenthouse apartment overlooking theBrooklyn Museum and Botanic Garden,Owens said he expected Innis %u201cto reduce thecampaign to anti-crime issues.%u201d%u201cThey%u2019ve labeled me an ultra-liberal andthey want to make that point,%u201d he said.KaHavfa fKot Klonlr nno n m 4aaliberal for black constituents. I%u2019m just goingto run on my record on national and international issues.%u201dOwens was introduced by veteran actorand political activist Ossie Davis who spokeeloquently about traditional black community issues such as jobs and affirmative action.Davis spoke for nearly 30 minutes and at onepoint apologized for speaking so long sayingthat it was because of his Baptistbackground.Many of the assembled guests were enthusiastic about Owens%u2019 campaign, thoughsome expressed reservations about the difficulty he faces running against Innis. Innishas been endorsed by Gen. WilliamWestmoreland, the National Rifle Association and President Reagan. The presidenthas called him %u201ca responsible blade leader.%u201dAlthough Innis has yet to officially declarehis candidacy, last week, May 29, he opened anew office of CORE inside Owens%u2019 congressional district Election observers fear thatthe race is designed as a test to see howliKoral rtio Klnnlr oWfnpnfo tn ilv ice Ao K nor.cent of the voters in the 12th District areblade, the election could serve as a test of thistheory.Owens said be does not expect to spendmore than $100,000 on his campaign. %u201cMycampaigns are always run on a shoestringbudget,%u201d be said. %u201cThis is the 10th poorestcongressional district in our country. We willbe mobilizing our volunteer forces, that iswhat we have to fight with.%u201dThe fundraiser came at the beginning ofthe primary campaign season and was attended by other candidates up for re-election,including Assemblyman Melvin Miller, 44thDistrict, and Roger Green, 57th District, andState Senators Velmanette Montgomery,22nd District, and Martin Markowitz, 21stDistrictFollowing his own fundraiser, Owenswalked two flights downstairs and endorsedan opponent of Markowitz, Maurice Gumbs,who was holding his own fundraiser in thesame building.%u201cHe%u2019s a tool, he was a tool in the boroughnresw iflnt%u2019s rtffirp %u201d sa id fW n n s ra f o rrtn a tnMarkowitz who has recently been implicatedin the HYFIN Credit Union scandal. %u201cI%u2019vehad appeals from him asking me to stay outof the race. But, I%u2019m here today to endorseMaurice Gumbs as a candidate.%u201dJu n e S, 1986, TH E P H O E N IX , Page 35