Queens DA op-ed used scare tactics

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Manhattan: Acting Queens DA John Ryan’s op-ed reeks of something foul yet so familiar: law enforcement’s fearmongering tactics that have driven many eras of destruction on black and Latinx communities (“Bail out of this botched reform,” op-ed, June 17). Ryan is invoking the old trope of the “dark” villain in his call to scare us out of bail reform. But no one is buying it.

It is revealing that not once in his op-ed does he mention that New Yorkers detained pretrial at Rikers Island are presumed innocent and that their current incarceration is simply a result of not being able to buy their freedom. Also missing is the acknowledgement of the need for any reform at all.

These reforms — ideas that have been tested in states throughout the country — are the only way we can start to dismantle mass incarceration, close Rikers Island, and restore fairness to a system that has long preyed on communities of color.

Unlike other efforts from prosecutors around New York City to modernize their practices, Queens has been the lone holdout refusing to let go of their decades-old Giuliani-esque approach to law enforcement. Queens residents will be well served when his tenure finally ends Jan. 1.

Marie Ndiaye, supervising attorney of the Decarceration Project at The Legal Aid Society

Chop, chop

Howard Beach: If you live along the southern part of Brooklyn or Queens, you might have noticed a marked increase in helicopters overhead. I have, and so have many of my neighbors. Then, we heard Uber planned to start a helicopter service to the airport. Then, the chopper crashed in Midtown. Voicer John Ost wrote a pretty good letter with his concerns about a tragic accident in Manhattan. What are we, chopped liver? Could not they have a problem to or from Manhattan? The suggestion that they fly over water is reasonable. Or they could ban them altogether.

Ed Sullivan

Flying high

Flushing: You recently published an article regarding LaGuardia and the renovations Gov. Cuomo started. Another interesting topic for the area that I’ve been trying to get more awareness of is the incessant noise from the planes. Previous articles were written years ago regarding the flight paths for planes leaving LaGuardia and climbing over Queens to gain elevation. It was dubbed the “Flushing Climb.” However, the issue is much more widespread than just planes taking off from LaGuardia. It’s also for planes approaching for

arrival that pass through areas of Woodside. They fly probably a few hundred feet above the ground. You can read the warning messages on the fuselage. My address has planes that start flying over at 6 a.m. They fly so low, you can feel the house shake. The noise is continuous, sometimes until 1 a.m. There’s no doubt the airports around New York have lacked proper funding but this is one thing that I believe impacts the the densely populated areas around some of the most vibrant parts of the city.

Matthew Ng

Co-op’s next

Brooklyn: Congratulations to the New York State Legislature for enacting legislation that will greatly benefit tenants in our city. The passing of such legislation proves that despite the great lobby of landlords, justice can prevail for long-suffering tenants being harassed by landlords as well as an end to the gimmicks landlords use to force out long-time tenants and the end of the huge increases that we saw when leases expired during the Bloomberg years. Now, the Legislature must act to have similar legislation for co-op and condominium owners as well. Too many so-called renegade co-op board of directors do as they please since co-op bylaws may very well prevent change. I know of one board in Brooklyn that has been in office for over 15 years since we cannot attain a quorum of owners to vote in elections. As a result, these boards do as they please and the residents have no say whatsoever in the process.

Fashion police

Brooklyn: I agree with Voicer Marsha Diamond about Amy Freeze’s dresses but I don’t agree about her — she is pretty and does a good job giving the weather. She could use some help with how she chooses her dresses.

Gloria Barone

Not a care in the world

East Meadow, L.I.: Isn’t it refreshing that several Voicers have such perfect lives that the only things that annoy them are the weather people? These meteorologists give us the information for the day as to whether or not to take an umbrella or wear an extra garment etc. They do not have to please us by their personality or what they wear. Rosalind Wolf

Foul ball

Ed Greenspan

Flushing: My kids took me to Mets game for Father’s Day and I had to laugh. When the Cardinals went ahead for good with a home run in the top of the eighth inning, a fan sitting below us threw the ball back onto the field and the geniuses that are the Mets organization made an announcement that they could be arrested. The ones who should be arrested are Fred and Jeff Wilpon for putting the same clown show on the field season after season! It’s disgraceful!

Bad call

Joseph Gross

Lindenhurst, L.I.: I’ve been a Mets fan since the 1969 World Series and we fans endure ups and downs on a regular basis. However, it’s apparent that the current “underachieving” team is not being helped by its “under experienced” manager (and for that matter, general manager, but that’s for another letter). The Mets’ team manager position should not be a “learn on the job” position. The moves made have been disastrous. For example, Dominic Smith has been a good hitter but he’s a slow runner. So he bats leadoff? When questioned, Mickey Callaway’s response is that he “hits well against (this) certain pitcher”; it turns out Smith had never faced the pitcher! Earlier in the season, Robinson Cano mistook the score and failed to run after making contact. He still gets

ELI ROSENBERG to play in the next game! The Mets need an experienced manager with the ability to make sound decisions and expect top effort from players — or sit out! Callaway might be a nice guy, but he’s not connecting as manager of this Mets team. Is Joe Girardi available? Larry D’Angelo

Explanation needed

Jamaica: In one of the editorials from June 11 (“Learning to learn together”), I read that reformers shouldn’t dismiss worried parents’ concerns about integration as racist. What other reason could there be for worrying about integration than racism?

Maureen Moore

Summer reading

Manhattan: I chose “The Goose Fritz” by Sergei Lebedev, translated from Russian by Antonia W. Bouis, from the public library bookshelf (ahem), based on the novel’s title and story squib. I’m all in after reading Lebedev’s opening description of a thunderstorm. Pete Hamill has this knack of writing words you could never forget. Such enriching words can be found by all of us in our great city’s public libraries. If, Mayor de Blasio, our libraries are open and properly funded.

Susan A. Stark