Our City is in an Ebola scare — and our community still marches, still fights for LICH to remain a full service hospital. The paradox struck more than a few of us at the march…
Both our NYC Mayor and NYS Governor are locked in a series of national media conferences, falling over each other to be The Face of the crisis. To appear like they are in control, which we all know they are not — not of the crisis and not of their own images. Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan has what?.. one or two hospital beds dedicated to the treatment as per CDC guidance and compliance? NJ just quarantined, then let go another nurse returning from African service vs. Ebola? Yet, our Mayor and our Governor have NO TIME to visit our community — and openly take responsibility for selling a hospital that a million Brooklyn residents and visitors need. There’s now an ENTIRE HOSPITAL AT LICH that now sits empty. Capable of a national quarantine protocol or anyone entering and suspect from Newark, JFK? But neither Gov. Cuomo nor Mayor DeBlasio can mention that? (Its simply no longer on their minds?).
Sunday’s march was a focus on asking DiNapoli (our Comptroller) and Scheiderman (or State’s Attorney General) to not sign-off on the LICH deal. That a letter was penned and signed by local elected officials — in hopes that these two, that have all but ignored the LICH issue across 2013 and 2014, would now act? No mention of LICH was passed at both their local debates. No signs, but the ones held by Sunday’s protestors — are connected to their concern about our issue.
But the rally was strong, and again it felt good to see how our community can rise as one — and knows how to defend itself.
Democrats’ pettiness comes out, anyhow.
On Sunday, local reporters were told (by Democrat candidates, officials at that)… that the Brownstone Club is just showing up to use the event for politics.
Insulting, as four of our members volunteered their time to help organize the event on behalf of Patients for LICH, made and supported the production of its materials/hand-signs and contacted people to promote the event. Brownstone wasn’t mentioned in the press release (and we don’t exist for self-lauding as many in politics do). But clearly, some promoters had used the fact that Republicans and Democrats were coming together for the issue of saving LICH. That much is fine, its truthful and its always been the case. While local Democrats also band-up in front of cameras, our members are just part of the crowd. Supportive. Vocal. Uncaring of the politics, rather for the need/vitality of the hospital and surrounding healthcare infrastructure — that’s been attacked by Governor Cuomo, SUNY and NYS Dept. of Health. The issue matters. Not using it. To us, anyway.
It was hurtful that local Democrats would whisper to reporters that we’re only there now, as if we’ve come late to the fight (with an agenda)? This clearly is not only an untruth for anyone that’s been around for the last few years — as even our blog (here) has a chronological account. We’ve marched across the Brooklyn Bridge. We’ve funded Doctors for LICH for years. Our members live and breathe all-thing for LICH, as we’re part of the fabric of this community. We’ve been to the meetings, the rallies, the many events. We’ve enlisted Mayoral candidates to the issue — long before it was used by then candidate Bill DeBlasio (last July) to gain an edge over Mr. Thompson. We’ve discussed LICH with a littany of elected officials, media members and community members. Many BRC members additionally were born at LICH (something that no local elected official can say). For 150+ years, LICH was vital to our community — and still is.
THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT we are doing all we can vs. the One Party system, that has Elected Officials playing one game in public — but doing as close to nothing by way of legislation at the State, NYC or Federal levels to address what is a CRIME (but speaking at protests for the cameras?). Our Republican candidate for Assembly, John Jasilli, said so in sharp wording. At some point, the community will understand what he meant. How could our State and Legislative members not have put across tandem legislation or a hearing?
Our community is up in arms — only it isn’t made to know that the enemy has been the duplicity of our Public officials all along?
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brownstone republican club 