Letter to the Editor: Armory Choice Detrimental

Martin Sanchez writes to advise Good Profit that there may be turbulence ahead in plans to bring a market hall to a readapted Armory.

Posted by Michael Woyton (Editor), October 12, 2012 at 05:45 pm

An open letter to Good Profit:

Good day. We understand that you were recently awarded rights to develop the New Rochelle Armory despite immense protestations from New Rochelle Veterans and an overwhelming populace of New Rochelleans. Please note that it is no reflection of your good intentions, but the malice and politically motivated initiative of the Mayor of New Rochelle.

Wednesday, hundreds of veterans and law enforcement supporters fully engulfed the New Rochelle City Council and showed their displeasure of the Mayor and some in the City Council. There has been no fair effort to be inclusive and the Mayor has driven his agenda and placed you in the middle of what is sure to be a challenging public relations nightmare for you in the near future.

The Mayor is a driven person who does not seek alliances and is divisive. In an effort to move the project full speed ahead, he will then move the Public Works Yard and all its sanitation vehicles to the west end of New Rochelle that is inhabited overwhelmingly by working class people of color. The environmental racism that drives this Mayor is unfathomable. Please note this when you plan and move ahead with this venture. It will become bigger and detrimental for you. Your consideration is appreciated.

Please note that as a national coordinator of the Cesar Chavez Holiday and a former legal advocate of farmworkers (United Farmworkers of America and the Border Agricultural Farmworkers of Texas/New Mexico), your initiative is positive, but the malevolent manner in which this City government is progressing to push a negative environmental agenda, is tantamount to thumbing its nose at the working class community of New Rochelle, particularly the community of color. Thank you again,

Martin Sanchez
New Rochelle

New Rochelle Patch welcomes letters to the editor. Send them to Michael.Woyton@Patch.com

Comments + Leave a Comment

MARC October 17, 2012 at 04:47 pm

How surprising. This is the same mayor who refused to participate in his own cities 9/11 Memorial despite a tremendous participation from Veterans and 9/11 family survivors. This is the same mayor who couldnt give an answer when I asked him point blank how he personally had EVER supported our troops fighting in Iraq & Afghanistan.
This is a mayor who when it especially comes to our military, the war on terror and Iconic patriotic images never has and simply never will GET IT.

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Diane Steinfink October 19, 2012 at 04:51 am

I am a senior citizen, middle class & find it ironic that some of the same phrases/words Mr. Sanchez uses can also describe the behavior of some of the strident supporters of the "other plan," divisive....malice, This letter almost sounds threatening. I listened to the Mayor's explanation of how he & the Council decided on the plan they chose. He was calm and respectful while it seemed that those in the chambers didn't want to listen & walked out. Don't we have enough rancor & anger in the world? In Washington? Does it have to happen in this city I love & support? Why bring race into this? It doesn't make sense to me. I am part of the populous of New Rochelle & don't appreciate that Mr. Sanchez speaks for me. I am an advocate of the farmworkers & the civil liberties of all. I am an advocate of the arts in New Rochelle. How come I don't remember seeing you @the many events that are held throughout the year? It sounds to me like you have a personal vendetta against the Mayor. Your own agenda. I hope I am wrong. If you want to know more about who I am....you can try finding my essay I have written..."Why I Like Living In New Rochelle" for which I won a prize from the New Rochelle Doyle Center Senior Center. I hope the hateful rhetoric will turn into something more productive & positive for the benefit of New Rochelle & all its citizens.
Thank you. Diane

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