58 Years After Los Alamos

By Henry J. Stern
July 16, 2003

    LOOKING BACKWARDS: This week the New York Resident had a special issue on the 150th anniversary of Central Park.  They asked me to write a column on city parks, and I chose the esoteric subject of Parks commissioners in the mid-20th century.  It is a somewhat picaresque account.  If you would like to read it, hyperlink "Yale 2, Princeton 1", which refers to the three gentlemen who managed the agency in that era.

SUN WARMS ALL BUT ONE: The New York Sun article Monday about New York Civic elicited a favorable reaction from forty-five subscribers, who wrote warm notes, and one dissenter, who did not like either the Sun or Mayor Koch, whom he called a "faux Democrat".  When I told the former Mayor about the gentleman's opinion of him, he replied: "I revel in his comment, and quote me."  That's Koch.

MAKE UP YOUR OWN MINDS: With regard to the Sun, you don't have to agree with every editorial position they take to welcome the appearance of a new honest and independent newspaper in New York.  The trouble with political orthodoxy is that the observant have a set of positions and are distressed at any deviation from whatever it is that they firmly believe.  This occurs on both the left and the right, it is not characteristic of any particular viewpoint; there is more of the left in New York, and more right in the red states. I believe that people should make up their own minds on issues on the merits, and not decide on the basis of whatever their crowd says, i.e. peer pressure.

   But there is no question that it is more difficult to think for yourself, and easier to rely on authority.  This is especially true when one lacks expertise in the subject matter, e.g. a scientific dispute.  You have to apply a rule of reason, and figure out, in part intuitively, what is most likely to be true.  I know that mayors and commissioners rarely have all the facts when they make decisions, particularly when some facts will be determined by future events, e.g. tax receipts.  There is a great deal to be said for common sense, and I am not ashamed to rely on it.  Unhappily, common sense is not spread evenly, and it is not taught by Kaplan, his successors or his rivals.

PEEK-A-BOO, THE LENS SEES YOU: Our venture into free thought concluded, we revert to the events of the day.  A Daily News report from Albany by Joe Mahoney tells us about red-light cameras. It is incredible but true that the City of New York, pop. 8,000,000+, does not have legal authority to install cameras to catch drivers who run red lights and cause accidents.  The City must beg approval from the Legislature for the number of cameras and the conditions under which they can be used.  A Democrat from Rochester has so far, blocked the city's plans.  Read the story, and come to your own conclusions.

EVERYONE BUT GREER: Begin with today's installment on the Brooklyn judicial scandals.  Newsday: Anthony M. DeStefano, and Graham Rayman (with a chart of contributions), Daily News: Nancie L. Katz, two stories.  Post: Denise Buffa and Kati Cornell Smith.  The defense lawyer for indicted Judge Gerald (they all seem to be Garsons) is trying to get the wiretap evidence of corruption thrown out, even though the tape was made with the approval of Brooklyn's Administrative Judge.  After all, if His Honor cannot commit crimes in his own chambers and robing room, he would have to go out into the street.  He could catch cold, run into vengeful criminals, or be observed by detectives, even prosecutors.  Where is justice?

Henry J. Stern is the director of NYCivic.