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[h=1]E-mails from Staten Islanders, New Yorkers and those around the country beg the mayor to cancel the New York City Marathon[/h]
By Stephanie Slepian/Staten Island Advance
on November 02, 2012 at 7:21 AM, updated November 02, 2012 at 9:51 AM
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E-mail pleas from Staten Islanders, New Yorkers and those around the country are begging Mayor Michael Bloomberg to cancel the New York City Marathon on Sunday. Associated Press
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- "Postpone the NYC Marathon."
That is the subject line of more than 100 e-mails -- all the same form letter-style -- received by the Advance since Mayor Michael Bloomberg ignored the pleas to cancel Sunday's New York City Marathon.
The e-mails are not just from Staten Islanders, but from residents throughout the state and from New Jersey: Manhattan; Viola, N.Y.; Highland Mills, N.Y., and Maywood, N.J.
They are also coming from those around the country, from places like Austin, Texas; Forest City, Pa., and the most recent from Myrtle Beach, S.C.
A poll by Advance Editor Brian J. Laline asks: Is Marathon Sunday an insult to those suffering and dead on Staten Island and elsewhere?
The answer: A resounding yes.
Of the 2,727 people responding to the poll, 51.8 percent -- or 1,415 voters -- called holding the marathon a disgrace.
Borough President James P. Molinaro was the first to call on Bloomberg to cancel the marathon, saying that to hold it, with its staging are on Staten Island, would be "crazy, asinine."
"Do you realize how many police officers you need for a marathon? There are people looting stores on Midland Avenue. There is looting taking place in the homes on the South Shore that were destroyed. That is where we need the police."
But Bloomberg insists the marathon will not redirect focus from recovery efforts on Staten Island or throughout the city because he expects power in downtown Manhattan to be restored, free many of the police officers who are working there to direct traffic and otherwise deal with the outage.
Below is the text of the e-mail. Sign up on change.org.
Councilman Vincent Gentile' States: The decision to go ahead with the marathon on Sunday is being cast as a symbol of the city's resolve but part of our resilience is our commitment to recovery. There are still many New Yorkers who are devastated - people who have lost everything - they are living in rubble, without heat and without power. With some neighborhoods are still smoldering, I think postponing the marathon would be a better option.
To all the people that say it is foolish to postpone the Marathon Please read below: Please tell me where are we going to put the tens of thousand runners? They don't fly in and out the same day! The Hotels, food and Gas should be saved for all of our families who lost everything!
The traffic that it will bring into Staten Island will hinder rescue efforts. 1st responders are still pulling bodies from houses right next to the place where the Marathon kicks off!!
Yes they will donate some money to those affected by Hurricane Sandy but what about the resources they will use? What about the closure of the bridge? What about the thousands of cops and medics that have to be on standby?
The street closures? The Sanitation that has to clean up after them? Don't you think those resources will be better directed helping the parents who are still looking for their children and vice-versa?
Do you think that a bunch of people jogging through the 5 boroughs will drown out the sorrow of lost ones they have?
It won't make anyone feel better!! Councilman Vincent Gentile Andrew Lanza and other Staten Island Elected Officals are with us on this one. Please tell me How this is Foolish. Foolish is taking the 1st responders away from people finding their loved one to wait around for someone to pass out from dehydration.
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[h=1]E-mails from Staten Islanders, New Yorkers and those around the country beg the mayor to cancel the New York City Marathon[/h]
By Stephanie Slepian/Staten Island Advance on November 02, 2012 at 7:21 AM, updated November 02, 2012 at 9:51 AM
<tbody>
</tbody>
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- "Postpone the NYC Marathon."
That is the subject line of more than 100 e-mails -- all the same form letter-style -- received by the Advance since Mayor Michael Bloomberg ignored the pleas to cancel Sunday's New York City Marathon.
The e-mails are not just from Staten Islanders, but from residents throughout the state and from New Jersey: Manhattan; Viola, N.Y.; Highland Mills, N.Y., and Maywood, N.J.
They are also coming from those around the country, from places like Austin, Texas; Forest City, Pa., and the most recent from Myrtle Beach, S.C.
A poll by Advance Editor Brian J. Laline asks: Is Marathon Sunday an insult to those suffering and dead on Staten Island and elsewhere?
The answer: A resounding yes.
Of the 2,727 people responding to the poll, 51.8 percent -- or 1,415 voters -- called holding the marathon a disgrace.
Borough President James P. Molinaro was the first to call on Bloomberg to cancel the marathon, saying that to hold it, with its staging are on Staten Island, would be "crazy, asinine."
"Do you realize how many police officers you need for a marathon? There are people looting stores on Midland Avenue. There is looting taking place in the homes on the South Shore that were destroyed. That is where we need the police."
But Bloomberg insists the marathon will not redirect focus from recovery efforts on Staten Island or throughout the city because he expects power in downtown Manhattan to be restored, free many of the police officers who are working there to direct traffic and otherwise deal with the outage.
Below is the text of the e-mail. Sign up on change.org.
Councilman Vincent Gentile' States: The decision to go ahead with the marathon on Sunday is being cast as a symbol of the city's resolve but part of our resilience is our commitment to recovery. There are still many New Yorkers who are devastated - people who have lost everything - they are living in rubble, without heat and without power. With some neighborhoods are still smoldering, I think postponing the marathon would be a better option.
To all the people that say it is foolish to postpone the Marathon Please read below: Please tell me where are we going to put the tens of thousand runners? They don't fly in and out the same day! The Hotels, food and Gas should be saved for all of our families who lost everything!
The traffic that it will bring into Staten Island will hinder rescue efforts. 1st responders are still pulling bodies from houses right next to the place where the Marathon kicks off!!
Yes they will donate some money to those affected by Hurricane Sandy but what about the resources they will use? What about the closure of the bridge? What about the thousands of cops and medics that have to be on standby?
The street closures? The Sanitation that has to clean up after them? Don't you think those resources will be better directed helping the parents who are still looking for their children and vice-versa?
Do you think that a bunch of people jogging through the 5 boroughs will drown out the sorrow of lost ones they have?
It won't make anyone feel better!! Councilman Vincent Gentile Andrew Lanza and other Staten Island Elected Officals are with us on this one. Please tell me How this is Foolish. Foolish is taking the 1st responders away from people finding their loved one to wait around for someone to pass out from dehydration.
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money, business, advertising, a diversion
NYC and it's residents need the marathon to be run
I don't think security will be jeopardized, and I don't think efforts to restore power will be impacted either
NYC and it's residents need the marathon to be run
I don't think security will be jeopardized, and I don't think efforts to restore power will be impacted either
I agree on some points .........but the start of the Race is less then a mile were they are still searching for bodies .
The start of the marathon is a very festive event yearly , and I am sure people ( who lost loved ones ) will take offense to that behavior...........Again I feel truly blessed as my family are all accounted for .
people do mourn differently, I hope they find the strength to endure. reading some of the stories about how they died is truly heartbreaking, also knowing how some of those deaths could of been avoided
I might be one of the people tempted to test fate, so I'm not judging either
I might be one of the people tempted to test fate, so I'm not judging either
NYRR is donating at least $1 million, or $26.20 each -- the length of the marathon -- for each of the more than 400,000 expected to run.
Other donations include $1.1 million from the Rudin Foundation, $500,000 from race title sponsor ING amd $26,200 from PASHA Events, one of the marathon's caterers.
Other donations include $1.1 million from the Rudin Foundation, $500,000 from race title sponsor ING amd $26,200 from PASHA Events, one of the marathon's caterers.
Politicians from hard-hit areas, including state Sen. Liz Krueger and city council members David Greenfield and James Oddo, all called for the race's postponement or cancellation, arguing the city's resources shouldn't be diverted from hurricane relief.
Senator Liz Krueger @LizKrueger
Many elderly/disabled trapped w/ no food or electric! Tell @MikeBloomberg @nycrr to move marathon, focus on recovery. nyti.ms/Wb69u3
David G. Greenfield @NYCGreenfield
Mayor now says "marathon will not redirect any focus" from recovery. Hard to believe. Has he been to Seagate, the Rockways or Staten Island?
Senator Liz Krueger @LizKrueger Many elderly/disabled trapped w/ no food or electric! Tell @MikeBloomberg @nycrr to move marathon, focus on recovery. nyti.ms/Wb69u3
David G. Greenfield @NYCGreenfield Mayor now says "marathon will not redirect any focus" from recovery. Hard to believe. Has he been to Seagate, the Rockways or Staten Island?
Sen. Krueger -- whose district on the eastern side of Manhattan suffered severe flooding and power outages that forced the evacuation of three hospitals -- described a nightmare situation to The Huffington Post Thursday.
People are trapped on roofs, she said. Disabled people can't get help. ConEd workers can't get through traffic to power lines in need of fixing, and they're running out of gas for their trucks.
"And yet we have a marathon going on sunday," she said, "which in theory will require an enormous amount of police and ambulances."
She suggested that the 8,000 volunteers who signed up to help with the marathon should instead help with hurricane relief. And as for the runners, Krueger sees them as a valuable resource. "We can use them running up 80 flights of buildings," she said, "saving elderly people."
People are trapped on roofs, she said. Disabled people can't get help. ConEd workers can't get through traffic to power lines in need of fixing, and they're running out of gas for their trucks.
"And yet we have a marathon going on sunday," she said, "which in theory will require an enormous amount of police and ambulances."
She suggested that the 8,000 volunteers who signed up to help with the marathon should instead help with hurricane relief. And as for the runners, Krueger sees them as a valuable resource. "We can use them running up 80 flights of buildings," she said, "saving elderly people."
A poll by Advance Editor Brian J. Laline asks: Is Marathon Sunday an insult to those suffering and dead on Staten Island and elsewhere?
The answer: A resounding yes.
Of the 2,727 people responding to the poll, 51.8 percent -- or 1,415 voters -- called holding the marathon a disgrace.
51.8% is a resounding yes? LOL
The answer: A resounding yes.
Of the 2,727 people responding to the poll, 51.8 percent -- or 1,415 voters -- called holding the marathon a disgrace.
51.8% is a resounding yes? LOL
