Saving New York

By TOBY GOTESMAN SCHNEIER
There has been a kind of ''quiet rage'' brewing inside of me deep within the recesses of my solar plexus - and actually, moving down through my stomach cavity, a kind of FIRE which is somewhat indescribable, but wholly prevalent. It has gone somewhat ''unquestioned'' by me, almost ''unnoticed'' until today - until it came SCREAMING to the surface.
I have lived in Manhattan for more than half my life, and although, never completely enamoured with it, I have certainly come to respect the city - a kind of ''detente'', if you will, has grown between ''us'' (Manhattan and Me!). It''s an IMPORTANT town. An ELECTRIC place with energetic waves continuously splashing upon its shores. It''s a the most conspicuously ''HIGH BROW'' city in the world, really.
I''ve seen mayors and other elected officials come and go. For God''s sake, David Dinkins actually officiated at my last wedding! Being of ''REPUBLICAN'' persuasion, I enjoyed SO the OFFICIAL'' CLEANING of the HOUSE ''that was rather magnificently orchestrated by RUDOLPH GIULIANI. And so, when this "unknown" REPUBLICAN JEW appeared on the scene (MICHAEL BLOOMBERG) I thought to myself..."OK...This can work, I mean, He''s RIGHT WING and He''s a JEW!"
But after a few long years under the guise and guile and "dimwitted DEMAGOGUERY" of this man, I am here to tell you that HE HAS DESTROYED and
ACTUALLY "NEGLIGENTLY VANDALIZED" this fair city. It is FILTHY in a way that is quite shocking to the senses!It feels as if, somehow, it were a ''third world'' country without means, without the ability to sustain itself - to be cleaned and cared for properly!
GARBAGE, mixed haphazardly with SNOW and SLUSH and RODENTS, line and malign the sidewalks and streets of the UPPER EAST SIDE. It is piled ridiculously and dauntingly HIGH, in a DANGEROUS and unfortunately, somehow ''poignant'' ways, making it VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE to move around- to walk...to drive.
The grace and dignity that were INDEED ''MANHATTAN'' just a few short years ago have morphed into INDIGNATION and ANGER and PERVERSELY, FILTHY DEMEANOR.
This so called "MAYOR" has essentially IGNORED and VIOLATED his fiduciary and humanitarian responsibilities in the form of FULL BLOWN NEGLECT.
HE, as you know, has become a kind of ICON and BEACON in FORCING MANHATTAN into allowing the building of this HEINOUS MOSQUE at GROUND ZERO - a veritable tribute of HONOUR to the utter MASSACRE that occurred on SEPTEMBER 11th. One can only wonder how EXTREMELY the MAYOR''s POCKETs have been lined as a result of these politics which he proudly wears as a banner of FUNDAMENTAL LIBERALISM.
MICHAEL BLOOMBERG is a SHAMEFUL excuse for a leader to the point where NEW YORK is essentially on its knees, begging to be allowed to survive his tenure.
This is the first in a series of my commentary on the "FALL OF MANHATTAN, as orchestrated by MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG." Tomorrow I will post photographs of the inhumane conditions, so that you ALL can physically see "the destruction of a great city."
Read Toby''s new book here.