By Bill Kregler
I attended the hastily put together rally in Diversity Plaza in Jackson Heights Dec. 9.
It was sponsored by City Council member Daniel Dromm and titled “Unity Trumps Hate.” Though it did not have a permit, the rally started off as a call for unity but then transformed into an anti-Trump forum. Dromm told of a story where a 7-year-old girl began crying when she mistakenly thought Donald Trump was going to visit her school. Dromm said the reason why the girl was upset was that she believed she would be deported. Of course, the crowd of about 200 ate this up like a free meal. What it did show was that kids as well as their parents were being mislead about the facts.
This continued to gravitate into more anti-Trump rhetoric. To have this hate rally on Veterans Day was also lost on the crowd and not a word mentioned of this day.
Dromm should focus on the problems of his district and less on stirring the emotions of people to hate. First clean up Diversity Plaza, which is nothing more than a pigsty. The filth from the thousands of pigeons and their droppings to the loitering vagrants have brought crime to the area and lowered the quality of life. Stop calling the people opposed to the Pan Am Shelter racists and address the lack of transparency and communication between City Hall and your constituents. Respect and follow the vote of your community board of not wanting bike lanes along Queens Boulevard that have seriously impacted the community.
Donald Trump is the president-elect, so get used to it. Allow him the same opportunity that Barack Obama was given when he was elected president. Work with Trump to turn this country around and make America great again.
Bill Kregler
Woodside
