What if the United States
were attacked as Israel is?
Regarding the Dec. 6 letter, "Boycott Israel over settlements":
I wonder what song the writer would sing if it were the United States being hit by rockets lobbed by Hamas.
Would he recommend boycotting America? The Palestinians who live in Israel are certainly not oppressed. As Israeli citizens, they have the same rights and privileges as the Jews. Furthermore, did we not build new settlements when people moved west and displace the Indian nation? Still, this writer spews his hatred of the Jews and might incite a new wave of anti-Semitism.
Where was his voice and the voices of the people of the world when Jewish men, women and children were led to their slaughter in the gas chambers?
Our nation has fought battles to ensure liberty and justice for all - whether white, black, yellow, red, Christian, Muslim, Jew, Buddhist or atheist. Yet a people who gave to the entire world the belief in one creator and the Ten Commandments, a people from whom the Christian world gained a savior who was born a Jew, and whose birthplace, holy places and churches are protected by the state of Israel, is still being impugned by people of small and hateful minds.
I truly hope and pray readers are not impressed by such letters. In this time when we celebrate the holidays of our choice, may we all come to the realization that the only way to reach our goals is through cooperative effort, understanding and respect for each other, so that we may truly achieve "peace on Earth, good will toward all men."
SELMA BOUDOV
Northfield
Use foreclosed homes
to help Sandy's victims
How about using all the foreclosed homes as temporary housing for the families displaced by Hurricane Sandy?
We bailed out the banks. Maybe they could step up and help these families. I called and left this idea with Gov. Chris Christie's office and Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office.
JOAN MAHON
Villas
We must clean up
roadways to A.C.
On my way to work every day I take either the White Horse Pike or the Black Horse Pike, and I am frustrated by what I see.
I realize we just had a terrible storm, but why would anyone want to come to this area anymore? It's an absolute disgrace.
All of the mayors of these neglected areas should be terminated. While it will take a while to rebuild, there is absolutely no reason why there should be garbage and trash everywhere from Pleasantville to Atlantic City and from Absecon to Atlantic City.
No one is demonstrating the kind of leadership it takes to clean this up so we stop looking like Detroit instead of Atlantic City.
The horrible line of motels on the Black Horse Pike should be closed by the local health department and bulldozed down. Doing these things would not take a lot of money, but they would help to make visitors want to come back to Atlantic City.
BARRY KOOB
Egg Harbor City
Property tax relief
is 30 years overdue
I had to smile when I read that the Assembly was working on a "jobs" bill. I assume this one will be for the private sector. But the two political parties crafting this bill are a little late. More than likely 30 years late. That's about when our property taxes started to climb .
I wonder what company that needed to recruit workers would open up shop in New Jersey. Finding workers would be difficult in a place where property taxes are at least $500 per month.
I realize that time marches on. But 46 years ago the mortgage on our house was $196 a month and that included taxes. Today, that amount doesn't even cover a week of just my taxes.
ED DEAN
Somers Point
A.C. needs cooperation
to regain conventions
Regarding the Dec. 12 story, "A.C. convention numbers falling/Visitors Authority hopes to reverse decline in total events, attendance":
In the 1960s, Atlantic City had plenty of conventions. We had 15 great restaurants that could accommodate both large and small groups with unique menus, and they were enjoyed by many conventioneers. After unfavorable publicity following the 1964 Democratic Convention, the city experienced a decline in hotel rooms, restaurants and Boardwalk retail stores.
The legalization of casinos created a boom for the city, but there was a lack of attention to non-casino attractions and revenue, such as hotel rooms and improvement in convention services.
The future presents a tremendous challenge. We need to attract the small convention market that can utilize our convention center. We can do this by reducing set-up costs to be more competitive. We can also reduce the cost of a hotel room, along with dining in casino restaurants and local restaurants. The casino hotels, the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority and participating local businesses - in a working relationship with the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority and other agencies - can achieve this goal of increasing our competitiveness with other cities.
CURTIS KUGEL
Margate
Many people find it easy
to support taxing the rich
I keep seeing letters to the editor and hearing news reports saying polls show the majority of Americans are in favor of raising taxes on the rich.
Am I the only one who thinks you don't need to take a poll to find out that most people are going to say that? I can just hear the pollster's call now: "Would you be interested in paying more taxes, along with the rest of the country, to help the national debt, or would you just prefer that someone other than you pays more?"
Only one word comes to my mind - "Duh!"
STEVE McCLURG
Brigantine
