Dan Goldstein, the last man standing on Pacific St., was not amused by Marty Markowitz's disparaging comments about his 'hood ("I want you to look at this and tell me in any manner, shape, or form that this has historical significance") in the April 25 issue of the New Yorker. In a letter published in this week's magazine, Goldstein responds: "[Markowitz's] expressions of disdain for the neighborhood where I and many other of his constituents live come across as callous in the extreme." And by many, I mean at least five, he continued. Ha! Kidding, Dan! (No letters, please.)
After the jump, the full text of the letter, which was razed from the NYer website by Bruce Ratner.
KING OF KINGS
Rebecca Mead's Profile of Marty Markowitz, who has been Brooklyn's Borough President since 2002, abounds with the nostalgia-dripping, good-guy persona that he loves to project ("Mr. Brooklyn," April 25th). However, his expressions of disdain for the neighborhood where I and many other of his constituents live come across as callout in the extreme. While driving down Pacific Street, he refers to the buildings along the block, saying, with derision and inaccuracy, "I want you to look at this and tell me in any manner, shape, or form that this has historical significance." As Borough President, he must know that, if the arena and fifteen high-rises proposed by the developer Bruce Ratner are approved, then at least four architecturally and historically significant buildings will be slated for demolition. This is quite apart from the historical, and indeed contemporary, significance of the community there, one of the city's most diverse. And all for the cheap sentimentality surrounding a baseball team that left decades ago?
Daniel Goldstein
Develop