Bayonne: Sixty years ago, in the pre-dawn hours of March 13, 1964, Kitty Genovese, a young woman returning home from work encountered a man with a knife. She ran toward her apartment building, but the assailant caught up with her, stabbing her while she screamed. A neighbor shouted from his window, momentarily scaring off the attacker. However, Genovese was seriously injured and crawled out of sight. Ten minutes later, the assailant returned, brutally assaulting and raping her. Despite her desperate cries, no one intervened. Another neighbor eventually found Genovese and called the police, but it was too late. She died on her way to the hospital.
Initial reports claimed there were numerous witnesses who failed to come to Genovese’s aid. This narrative painted a grim picture of societal apathy and indifference. The case had a profound impact on public consciousness and policy. It played a pivotal role in the establishment of the 911 emergency number in 1968.
Additionally, the case forced society to confront its indifference. It symbolized a cold and careless society, even though the precise details were later questioned. The incident became a cautionary tale, highlighting the importance of community vigilance and compassion. Genovese’s tragic murder remains a somber reminder of our collective responsibility to look out for one another. It sparked discussions about the complexities of human behavior, the role of bystanders and the need for swift emergency responses. While the initial narrative was flawed, the lasting impact of this case endures, urging us to be more than mere spectators in the face of injustice. Jack D’Elia
Brooklyn: Watching Donald Trump on Saturday night on C-SPAN, I understand how Hitler came to power. Trump will make America great again like Hitler made Germany great again. God help us. Eileen McIntyre Hughes
Forest Hills: Sweden should not feel any more secure now that it has joined NATO. The future U.S. president has already declared that Vladimir Putin can do whatever the hell he wants. Alan Hirschberg
Bloomington, Ind.: I was getting a haircut the other day. My barber is a dapper older gentleman of East Indian descent. He’s usually jovial and mild-mannered. Somehow, the subject of Donald Trump and his involvement in the Jan. 6 “insurrection” came up. He said, “We nearly lost our country that day.” I usually nod in agreement when folks say stuff like that. It’s not worth the blowback that often occurs when one tries to remove that bone from a dog’s mouth. I started pushing back by saying, “What about the U.S. military? Don’t you think they would have stopped those folks, armed only with bear spray and flag polls?” He then said, “A lot of people died that day defending our democracy.” I said, “Who died that day as a result of the ‘insurrection’ other than Ashli Babbitt? He replied, “Who’s Ashli Babbitt?” Scott Thompson
Plainview, L.I.: I would almost have preferred one of the convicted, imprisoned Jan. 6 rioters to have been allowed into the Capitol Building for the State of the Union speech than the disgraced, illegitimately elected ex-member George Santos! What idiot congressman wrote the stupid rule allowing a disgrace like Santos to be welcomed back with open arms as if he were an honored guest? What an embarrassing joke! Richard Siegelman
Brentwood, L.I.: Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas should start busing immigrants to Delaware. Maybe then, President Biden will take action to close the border. R.S. Van Sickle
Brookfield, Conn.: Voicer Alfred Williams bemoans a supposed double standard and wonders what would’ve happened if Barack Obama had committed the “atrocious acts” attributed to Donald Trump. First of all, you never would’ve heard about it because the mainstream media would not have reported it. And if the story had gotten out, the FBI, the media and the Justice Department would have called it disinformation and tried to cover it up, just like they’re doing now with the Bidens. Fred Schoeneborn
Los Altos, Calif.: The Biden administration’s ostensible concern for Palestinian welfare starkly contrasts its actions, notably the clandestine shipment of massive arms to Israel, as exposed by the Washington Post. This hypocrisy is alarming, especially when juxtaposed with the administration’s lack of insistence on accountability for the ongoing severe Israeli offensives in the West Bank and the dire humanitarian blockade in Gaza. The situation underscores a broader failure of U.S. diplomacy and a glaring contradiction in its foreign policy — voicing support for humanitarian aid while simultaneously bolstering the very forces undermining these efforts. The lack of pressure on Israel to adhere to international law and the apparent disregard for the escalating humanitarian crisis not only exacerbates the suffering of Palestinians but undermines any prospects for peace. This dissonance between rhetoric and action calls for an urgent reassessment of U.S. involvement, and a renewed commitment to genuine accountability and a just resolution. Jagjit Singh
Brooklyn: I wholeheartedly agree with Voicer Perry Greenberg about the high entrance/exit subway turnstiles. I have said this for a long time, and a letter I wrote to Voice of the People in January was not printed. I can’t understand why these gates have not been utilized at every station instead of looking for new ones, which don’t seem to work. As Greenberg pointed out, it would take the common sense sorely lacking today. I hadn’t thought of the exit door method, a reverse entry — ingenious, and probably easy to install. Both solutions seem to be low-tech, low-maintenance, cheaper and very effective. Problem solved! L. Veneroni
Sunnyside: I was very sorry to read about the two gentlemen who were attacked while coming to the aid of women (“Man tries to aid woman in Bronx and gets stabbed,” March 8, and “Dies defending girl,” March 9). I hope that these two horrible incidents will teach the “defund the police” maniacs like Ron Kuby, Charles Barron and Brad Lander that we need a lot more police officers, not fewer. Perhaps then they will stop their efforts to make this city even more unsafe. John Francis Fox
Manhattan: The question being asked by City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams is, “Where is the money for mental health services?” This was asked because of Gov. Hochul’s decision to allocate funds for additional subway safety. I suspect the councilwoman is chauffeured to her destinations. I have not used the subway for three years. Thank you, Gov. Hochul, for your plan to add uniformed personnel to protect people like me who would like to use the subway as a convenience. More riders will mean additional funds to invest for mental health services. Sheila Edwards
Manhattan: Taxpaying, animal-loving New Yorkers seem powerless to make a difference or any significant change in the outdated policies and killing paradigm fed to the public by the entrenched, failing Animal Care Centers of NYC. The same litany of unacceptable excuses for killing an adoptable animal is regurgitated time and time again. Frightened animals are among the first to go, and what animal would not be scared when neglected, lost or abandoned by their family and everything familiar to them? Animals are mercilessly killed for behavior and treatable illnesses because of the absence of leadership with vision and a dedication to saving lives. Neither our mayor nor City Council speaker have shown any concern for these loving, playful pets. The animals are paying for this apathy with their lives! Zelda Penzel
Readers sound off on the Kitty Genovese case, pressuring Israel and better turnstiles
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13.03.2024
Bayonne: Sixty years ago, in the pre-dawn hours of March 13, 1964, Kitty Genovese, a young woman returning home from work encountered a man with a knife. She ran toward her apartment building, but the assailant caught up with her, stabbing her while she screamed. A neighbor shouted from his window, momentarily scaring off the attacker. However, Genovese was seriously injured and crawled out of sight. Ten minutes later, the assailant returned, brutally assaulting and raping her. Despite her desperate cries, no one intervened. Another neighbor eventually found Genovese and called the police, but it was too late. She died on her way to the hospital.
Initial reports claimed there were numerous witnesses who failed to come to Genovese’s aid. This narrative painted a grim picture of societal apathy and indifference. The case had a profound impact on public consciousness and policy. It played a pivotal role in the establishment of the 911 emergency number in 1968.
Additionally, the case forced society to confront its indifference. It symbolized a cold and careless society, even though the precise details were later questioned. The incident became a cautionary tale, highlighting the importance of community vigilance and compassion. Genovese’s tragic murder remains a somber reminder of our collective responsibility to look out for one another. It sparked discussions about the complexities of human behavior, the role of bystanders and the need for swift emergency responses. While the initial narrative was flawed, the lasting impact of this case endures, urging us to be more than mere spectators in the face of injustice. Jack D’Elia
Brooklyn: Watching Donald Trump on Saturday night on C-SPAN, I understand how Hitler came to power. Trump will make America great again like Hitler made Germany great again. God help us. Eileen McIntyre Hughes
Forest Hills: Sweden should not feel any more secure........
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