[Ed. Note]: Promoted.
Hi Betsy,
Wow! You sure have been a busy bee lately.
I just received a copy of the press release you sent yesterday announcing you were traipsing to Brooklyn to blast! Blast! BLAST! conditions (?!?!) at Bushwick Houses.
Let's forget the silly little detail that you scheduled this 'blasting' for ten o'clock in the morning. What I found most intriguing was this little bit of wisdom written by John Collins, your communications guy and I assume signed off by you : That you are mad as hell and not going to take it anymore because senior citizens were left stranded until 2am waiting for the elevator to be fixed.
Now ... ahem ... let me get this straight Betsy ...
A 47 year-old Puerto Rican woman died on August 20th [1] due to said broken down elevator --along with the multiple daily little violences she had to contend with living in that building-- but somehow that didn't catch your attention?
An African American woman, also in her 40s, was the sheroe who got Errol Louis and me into that building after being ignored numerous times by 311, NYCHA, your offices, and numerous media outlets around the city ... and yet now you find the time to "blast" about it?
If I were a public advocate, I would assume that one of my principal points of focus would be to help the poor of the city --anywhere, everywhere, regardless of gender, age, race or ethnicity.
Yet ... and yet ... Betsy, are you telling me that all it took was to tell you that some senior citizens were left out in the cold one night, for you to do something about it?
Please Betsy, don't tell me these senior citizens happen also to be white; because that would be the ultimate insult not only to the memory of Lillian Milán, but to her living and very real Puerto Rican husband who is still living in that building.
Seriously Betsy, tell your communications guy that what he is communicating is not just troublesome but unbelievably nasty.
Anyhow, I hope you had fun with the blasting.
Have a great day,
liza
From: John Collins
Sent: Thu Sep 06 07:22:10 2007
Subject: ADVISORY: PA Gotbaum, Brooklyn Tenants to Blast Conditions at NYCHA Complex**FOR PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY**
September 5, 2007
Contact: John Collins
212.669.4193; 917.496.4587Public Advocate Gotbaum, Brooklyn Tenants to Blast Conditions at NYCHA Complex
BROOKLYN - Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum and tenants from The Bushwick Houses will blast conditions at their New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) complex THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6. Recently, senior citizens were stranded outside until 2 in the morning after the building's elevators failed to work.
WHAT: Public Advocate Gotbaum, Brooklyn Tenants to Blast Conditions at Bushwick NYCHA Complex
WHO: Public Advocate Gotbaum, Bushwick Houses Tenant Association President Gloria Bonilla, and Elected Officials and Tenants
WHERE: 811 Flushing Avenue (Between Bushwick Ave. and Garden St.) Brooklyn, NY
WHEN: Thursday, September 6 at 10:30 AM
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