Friends, I'll be letting you know about the three gardens that got lost in the South Bronx and the two spaces they got moved into, with a net loss of 11,000 square feet and 16 years of hard community work invested in them; and what it was like going to court and hearing about this great "compromise."
And what it felt like, outside of having a sore back this week, from digging up dozens of trees and rose bushes, building sheds, and moving them, mulch, soil, bits and scavanging pieces of "Casitas, " in four days, before the bulldozers came on Monday....thousands of hours of volunteer work disposed of for town houses that the investors will never live in, but that will be rented out to the city as emergency Section 8 housing, at a pretty profit. And feeling my heart break as I helped others digging up and wrapping the roots of trees, and shrubs whose hearts were breaking, to try to save what they could from those beautiful Melrose area gardens, the beautiful gardens that some of you saw in the Melrose section of the Bronx during the 2002 ACGA convention, before the bulldozers came last Monday. And what it feels like, fighting for the Holy Rosary Garden on East 119th Street in Harlem to keep it from being eaten up the usual cabal of poverty pimps on the make, this time running a top heavy foundation (i.e., big salaries of executives, fat cat corporate perks) ostensibly helping female ex-cons, that HAS to built on a beautiful, well established community garden. And how this time, with Borough President C. Virginia Fields looking toward a mayoral run, and their term-limited citycouncil man looking towards retirement and consulting honorariums, the deck seems stacked at Community Board 11 in favor of the poverty pimps. It's the first Hannukah without my wife, a RN who used to do asthma work ups in the Bronx and Brooklyn as the bastards seem to be winning, once again. The poverty pimps cynically filling their pockets while acting that butter wouldn't melt in their self-righteous mouths. And to top it off, rich people are evicting world famous urban hawks from the eaves of their fabulously rich co-op on Fifth Avenue! Don't worry, I'll pour myself a good stiff drink, get my rear end to synagogue tomorrow, and continue fighting for open space and gardener equity afterwards, but right now it all seems a little bit overwhelming. For those who are just concerned with slugs.....;) Everbest, Adam Honigman > Subj: Money Talks, Red-Tails Walk > Date: 12/10/04 7:54:39 PM Mid-Atlantic Standard Time > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent from the Internet > > > > The Arrogance of Wealth: 5 Ave Coop Evicts Hawks After 11 Years on Ledge; Pres. Cohen Won't Talk By Henry J. Stern December 10, 2004 Most of you know by now of the destruction of the nest of the red-tailed hawk, Pale Male, and his mate, Lola. For eleven years, the hawks had nested on a ledge on the 12th floor of 927 Fifth Avenue (near 74th Street). They raised their offspring there, bringing food to their chicks until the young ones were able to go out on their own. The hawks became popular figures. The idea of wild birds surviving in a most urban environment captured the imagination of adults and children all over the world. Books and articles were written about the hawks, a film, "Pale Male," was made, and another movie is on the way. Sightseers traveled long distances to get a glimpse of the striking birds and their unusual habitat. A few days ago, all this was destroyed by a contractor at the order of the co-op board. The pigeon-repelling spikes that had secured the nest were removed. After finding their home gone, the two adult hawks circled the wreckage, bringing twigs to try to rebuild it. But without the protective spikes, the twigs were blown away. To put it mildly, the public and the press were distressed. A New York Times editorial sums up the case for the red-tails in persuasive prose. We cite its closing lines: "The hawks have gone out of their way to learn to live with us. The least the wealthy residents of 927 Fifth Avenue could have done was learn to live with the hawks." The Daily News' editorial (scroll to third editorial) came in the form of a letter from Pale Male. Link to it to get a bird's eye view of the problem. "We have heard all sorts of explanations as to why we were forced into the ranks of the homeless. We suspect it was simply that our snooty neighbors on Fifth Ave. were offended by our bodily functions and the occasional pigeon tartare that would fall to the sidewalks." Here are links to this week's stories, editorials and columns about the birds' plight. It is interesting that everyone who has written on the subject appears to be on the side of the red-tails. No one stuck up for the board's action. Times: "New York Celebrities Evicted on Fifth Ave., Feathers and All," by Thomas J. Lueck, 12/8, ppB1, 3; "Newly Homeless Above 5th Ave., Hawks Have Little to Build On," by Thomas J. Lueck, 12/9, ppB1, 11; "Squatting Rights," editorial (cited above), 12/9, pA40 Post: "5th Ave. roost roust," by Gersh Kuntzman, Braden Keil and Letitia Rowlands, 12/9, p2; "Poultry 'in motion'," by Mark Bulliet, Braden Keil and Heidi Singer, 12/10, p10; "Pale Male dealt a nesty blow," by Dr. Keith L. Bildstein, 12/10, p11; "Flip the bird to Paula and the rest of those hoity-toity residents," column by Andrea Peyser, 12/10, p11. Her column is exquisite; far more pointed than what we have written. News: "Homeless hawks: Booted from 5th Ave. nest," by Austin Fenner and Tracy Connor, 12/9, p3; "Beyond the pale," editorial (cited above - scroll to third editorial), 12/9, p54; "Suite Revenge," by Austin Fenner and Tracy Connor 12/10, p6 Sun: "Fifth Avenue Hawk Loses Nest," New York Desk, 12/8, p5; "Bird Lovers Chant For the Return Of Hawks' Nest," by Richard Pyle (AP), 12/10, p2 Newsday: "City Hawks evicted from Fifth Avenue nest," by Richard Pyle (AP), 12/7, not published, on website; "NYC Hawks Seek Nest Workers Took Down," by Verena Dobnik (AP), 12/8, not published, on website Our feelings on this matter are strong. The people who live in this luxurious co-operative are among the most privileged in the city. They should thank God for their wealth and good fortune. They should not destroy the home of a living family of another species. A sad aspect of this case is the absence of any sense of shame by the co-op residents or board. Their chairman, Richard Cohen, refuses to speak to the media. Even though his wife, Paula Zahn, is a television reporter, he holds himself above the press, and feels no need to explain his board's action. His distinguished surname, Cohen, signifies descent from a priestly caste. He does not live up to that fine name by his apparent disregard for living creatures. Fortunately there is still time to correct the problem, and we urgently hope for peace for both the hawks and the tenants. The co-op's lawyer, Aaron Schmulewitz, said that the co-op's engineers found the nest was "a hazard that probably violated city regulations." No city agency, however, appears to have complained about it. The charge against the hawks is that, after they finish eating, they drop pigeon carcasses on Fifth Avenue (heaven forbid). The building is well-staffed with doormen b can't they remove the dead pigeons? Technically, the building's action is within the law. It would have been against federal law if it had been taken while the chicks or eggs were within the nest. But late fall is not the season for reproduction, so there was a window of opportunity for the unscrupulous board to destroy the nest. Nonetheless, it is against a moral law b that we should care for less fortunate creatures and have reasonable regard for other forms of life. And moral law does not change with the seasons. In the case of Pale Male and his mate, the two red-tailed hawks have brought pleasure and pride to so many New Yorkers and visitors from around the world, that the wanton destruction of their home by a bunch of selfish millionaires is a disgraceful act. (We know they are millionaires because of the value of their apartments, not counting their other real estate, stocks, bonds, fine furniture, jewelry and cosmetics.) These people have been blessed in life. For their representatives on the board to display the selfishness and insensitivity we have seen this week is living proof that material wealth and kindness to others are qualities that are often poles apart. A well-known tenant in the building, Mary Tyler Moore, has spoken out against the board's action. "I can't imagine the lack of empathy that exists in these people's hearts," she said. We call on city officials and people of conscience to express themselves on this matter. We believe that most New Yorkers feel that what has happened here is a sin, or at least a trespass, against nature. Anyone who wants to go on record with those sentiments, or the opposite viewpoint, is invited to e-mail us, and we will report on how you feel. Our hope is that, in this holiday season, the directors of the co-op will soften their hearts and allow these distinguished residents of 927 Fifth Avenue to resume their peaceable occupancy. Let their fine building be a shining example of peace between species. Let 927 symbolize kindness, not cruelty. Henry J. Stern [EMAIL PROTECTED] New York Civic 520 Eighth Avenue F Floor New York, NY 10018 (212) 564-4441 (212) 564-5588 (fax) www.nycivic.org Change your subscription http://www.nycivic.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi Return-Path: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Received: from rly-yi04.mx.aol.com (rly-yi04.mail.aol.com [172.18.180.132]) by air-yi01.mail.aol.com (v103.7) with ESMTP id MAILINYI14-7c741ba1b091b2; Fri, 10 Dec 2004 16:54:39 -0500 Received: from web9.plainhost.com (plainhost.com [208.179.130.69]) by rly-yi04.mx.aol.com (v103.7) with ESMTP id MAILRELAYINYI45-7c741ba1b091b2; Fri, 10 Dec 2004 16:54:18 -0500 Received: (qmail 5160 invoked by uid 1552); 10 Dec 2004 21:41:28 -0000 Date: 10 Dec 2004 21:41:28 -0000 From: "Henry J. Stern" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Reply-To: "Henry J. Stern" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> X-Priority: 3 List: complete List-Archive: <http://www.nycivic.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi?f=archive&l=complete> List-ID: <complete.web9.plainhost.com> List-Owner: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> List-Subscribe: <http://www.nycivic.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi?f=s&l=complete> List-Unsubscribe: <http://www.nycivic.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi?f=u&l=complete> List-URL: <http://www.nycivic.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi?l=complete> Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Precedence: list X-Mailer: Dada Mail 2.8.14 Content-type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: binary MIME-Version: 1.0 Subject: Money Talks, Red-Tails Walk X-AOL-IP: 208.179.130.69 X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative by demime 1.01d X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain The Arrogance of Wealth: 5 Ave Coop Evicts Hawks After 11 Years on Ledge; Pres. Cohen Won't Talk By Henry J. Stern December 10, 2004 Most of you know by now of the destruction of the nest of the red-tailed hawk, Pale Male, and his mate, Lola. For eleven years, the hawks had nested on a ledge on the 12th floor of 927 Fifth Avenue (near 74th Street). They raised their offspring there, bringing food to their chicks until the young ones were able to go out on their own. The hawks became popular figures. The idea of wild birds surviving in a most urban environment captured the imagination of adults and children all over the world. Books and articles were written about the hawks, a film, "Pale Male," was made, and another movie is on the way. Sightseers traveled long distances to get a glimpse of the striking birds and their unusual habitat. A few days ago, all this was destroyed by a contractor at the order of the co-op board. The pigeon-repelling spikes that had secured the nest were removed. After finding their home gone, the two adult hawks circled the wreckage, bringing twigs to try to rebuild it. But without the protective spikes, the twigs were blown away. To put it mildly, the public and the press were distressed. A New York Times editorial sums up the case for the red-tails in persuasive prose. We cite its closing lines: "The hawks have gone out of their way to learn to live with us. The least the wealthy residents of 927 Fifth Avenue could have done was learn to live with the hawks." The Daily News' editorial (scroll to third editorial) came in the form of a letter from Pale Male. Link to it to get a bird's eye view of the problem. "We have heard all sorts of explanations as to why we were forced into the ranks of the homeless. We suspect it was simply that our snooty neighbors on Fifth Ave. were offended by our bodily functions and the occasional pigeon tartare that would fall to the sidewalks." Here are links to this week's stories, editorials and columns about the birds' plight. It is interesting that everyone who has written on the subject appears to be on the side of the red-tails. No one stuck up for the board's action. * Times: "New York Celebrities Evicted on Fifth Ave., Feathers and All," by Thomas J. Lueck, 12/8, ppB1, 3; "Newly Homeless Above 5th Ave., Hawks Have Little to Build On," by Thomas J. Lueck, 12/9, ppB1, 11; "Squatting Rights," editorial (cited above), 12/9, pA40 * Post: "5th Ave. roost roust," by Gersh Kuntzman, Braden Keil and Letitia Rowlands, 12/9, p2; "Poultry 'in motion'," by Mark Bulliet, Braden Keil and Heidi Singer, 12/10, p10; "Pale Male dealt a nesty blow," by Dr. Keith L. Bildstein, 12/10, p11; "Flip the bird to Paula and the rest of those hoity-toity residents," column by Andrea Peyser, 12/10, p11. Her column is exquisite; far more pointed than what we have written. * News: "Homeless hawks: Booted from 5th Ave. nest," by Austin Fenner and Tracy Connor, 12/9, p3; "Beyond the pale," editorial (cited above - scroll to third editorial), 12/9, p54; "Suite Revenge," by Austin Fenner and Tracy Connor 12/10, p6 * Sun: "Fifth Avenue Hawk Loses Nest," New York Desk, 12/8, p5; "Bird Lovers Chant For the Return Of Hawks' Nest," by Richard Pyle (AP), 12/10, p2 * Newsday: "City Hawks evicted from Fifth Avenue nest," by Richard Pyle (AP), 12/7, not published, on website; "NYC Hawks Seek Nest Workers Took Down," by Verena Dobnik (AP), 12/8, not published, on website Our feelings on this matter are strong. The people who live in this luxurious co-operative are among the most privileged in the city. They should thank God for their wealth and good fortune. They should not destroy the home of a living family of another species. A sad aspect of this case is the absence of any sense of shame by the co-op residents or board. Their chairman, Richard Cohen, refuses to speak to the media. Even though his wife, Paula Zahn, is a television reporter, he holds himself above the press, and feels no need to explain his board's action. His distinguished surname, Cohen, signifies descent from a priestly caste. He does not live up to that fine name by his apparent disregard for living creatures. Fortunately there is still time to correct the problem, and we urgently hope for peace for both the hawks and the tenants. The co-op's lawyer, Aaron Schmulewitz, said that the co-op's engineers found the nest was "a hazard that probably violated city regulations." No city agency, however, appears to have complained about it. The charge against the hawks is that, after they finish eating, they drop pigeon carcasses on Fifth Avenue (heaven forbid). The building is well-staffed with doormen can't they remove the dead pigeons? Technically, the building's action is within the law. It would have been against federal law if it had been taken while the chicks or eggs were within the nest. But late fall is not the season for reproduction, so there was a window of opportunity for the unscrupulous board to destroy the nest. Nonetheless, it is against a moral law that we should care for less fortunate creatures and have reasonable regard for other forms of life. And moral law does not change with the seasons. In the case of Pale Male and his mate, the two red-tailed hawks have brought pleasure and pride to so many New Yorkers and visitors from around the world, that the wanton destruction of their home by a bunch of selfish millionaires is a disgraceful act. (We know they are millionaires because of the value of their apartments, not counting their other real estate, stocks, bonds, fine furniture, jewelry and cosmetics.) These people have been blessed in life. For their representatives on the board to display the selfishness and insensitivity we have seen this week is living proof that material wealth and kindness to others are qualities that are often poles apart. A well-known tenant in the building, Mary Tyler Moore, has spoken out against the board's action. "I can't imagine the lack of empathy that exists in these people's hearts," she said. We call on city officials and people of conscience to express themselves on this matter. We believe that most New Yorkers feel that what has happened here is a sin, or at least a trespass, against nature. Anyone who wants to go on record with those sentiments, or the opposite viewpoint, is invited to e-mail us, and we will report on how you feel. Our hope is that, in this holiday season, the directors of the co-op will soften their hearts and allow these distinguished residents of 927 Fifth Avenue to resume their peaceable occupancy. Let their fine building be a shining example of peace between species. Let 927 symbolize kindness, not cruelty. Change your subscription at http://www.nycivic.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi ______________________________________________________ The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and to find out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org To post an e-mail to the list: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription: https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden
