Roosevelt Island's Minute Men and Women Fighting Back Against Albany's Colonial Rule Appointment To RIOC Board Of Directors - Sign Petition, Join June 29 Protest Demonstration At Governors Office and Speak Up At Next RIOC Board of Directors Meeting
Image of Massachusetts Minute Men From National Park Service
Fight for DemocracyGovernor Andrew Cuomo and the Senate Finance Committee created a tsunami that swept democracy into the East River for Roosevelt Islanders. Governor Cuomo appointed an unelected, non-Island resident, Dr. Sal Ferrera, Executive Director of The Child School, to replace our elected Board member, Jonathan Kalkin on the RIOC Board of Directors. Ferrera’s bid was backed by Republican Senator from Brooklyn, Martin Golden, who received a campaign contribution from Ferrera’s prior workplace.
We need to send the message to Governor Cuomo, Senator Golden and Dr. Ferrera that back-door politics, ignoring democratic principles, and treating Roosevelt Island like a colony, where favors and money buy their way into our governance, is totally unacceptable!
You can help fight against this secret, behind closed door political deal that spits in the face of Roosevelt Island residents by signing this online petition.
RIRA is also organizing a protest demonstration at the Governor's Office this Wednesday June 29:
... Join your neighbors and friends at the Governor’s Manhattan office. Remind our Governor that the U.S. Constitution imparts the right to live in democracy to all citizens of the U.S., and that our forefathers died to protect democratic principles, not make the world safe for Public Benefit Corporations and government by appointment!
The protest will on Wednesday, June 29, from 11 am to 1 pm. We will be across the street from the Governor's office, at 633 3rd Ave. Watch this website and the kiosks for updates. Be sure to wear your red, white and blue and bring signs...
And RIRA is encouraging Roosevelt Island community members to speak up later that day at the RIOC Board Meeting
Tell RIOC's board how unsatisfied you are
Attend RIOC's board meeting on Wednesday June 29, 5:30pm at Manhattan Park Community Center (8 River Road). Sign up for a slot to address the board at the public comment period.Roosevelt Island's NYC Council Member Jessica Lappin sent the following letter, dated June 24, to Governor Cuomo:
Protest movements need songs to rally behind. Roosevelt Island's version of Phil Ochs, Pete Seeger, and Bob Dylan all rolled up in one is Joyce Mincheff who has written these lyrics.I’m writing to discuss the governance of Roosevelt Island and the constitution of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) Board of Directors.
For nearly a decade and a half, the residents of Roosevelt Island and their elected leaders worked together to develop a better process for appointing individuals to the RIOC board.
As you know, during Governor Spitzer’s administration, we were finally successful in reaching an arrangement whereby community elections would be held for the purpose of selecting residents to be considered for appointment to the RIOC board. While not exactly direct democracy, this was a major milestone in the Island’s fight for self-determination.
Your recent decision to scrap that process without informing or consulting the community or local elected officials is extremely disappointing.
This is a very important issue for my constituents on Roosevelt Island and for me personally. I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss this matter more fully at your earliest convenience.
To the tune of Yankee Doodle:
Andrew Cuomo thinks he's kingTo the tune of The Wanderer:
He acts like Lord and master
He took away democracy
And left us with disaster!
States enforce democracy
Like Maine and Carolina
We are US Citizens-
We don't live in Red China!
Our fathers died on foreign shores
They sacrificed in battle
We're not an asset to be ruled
Like trains, canals, or cattle
Andrew Cuomo keep it up
You're showing your true colors
Ours are red and white and blue
While yours are all the others!
King Andrew is the guyWho stripped away our voteHe thinks we're not an islandJust an asset with a moat!And when he wants to playThat game of politics-He trades away democracyAppointing all his picks-Well he's a hypocrite, yes he's a hypocrite,Tradin' around, and 'round, and 'round and 'round, and 'round and 'roundWell he's a hypocrite, yes he's a hypocrite,Tradin' around, and 'round, and 'round and r'ound, and 'round and 'round
and "I'm Just a Lonely Boy"
Mr. Fererra still has not stated publicly whether he will resign or stay on as a RIOC Board member as he had previously promised to do by last Monday.You're just an autocratClear through and throughBack-dooring dealsNo- nothing is new.You can decry,Protest and defend,Appointing our board'sDemocracy's end.
If Mr. Fererra truly believes he is acting in the best interests of the Roosevelt Island community, he should resign his RIOC Board Directorship immediately and run in the next scheduled election for RIOC Board nominations.
More information on the reasons why Roosevelt Island residents are upset at this appointment to the RIOC Board from previous posts.
UPDATE 5:15 PM - Mr. Fererra responds with a letter explaining his decision to remain on the RIOC Board of Directors.
8 comments :
Oh yeah, that's a good picture of RIRA members dressed up in Colonial costumes trying to fight the government.
GIMME A BREAK.
You think the Governor gives a rats a-- about you RIRA folks and what you think?
Give it a rest. Kalkin's term was EXPIRED! You make it seem like he was replaced. He wasn't replaced. He expired.
The little song lyrics are quite amusing, but ridiculous - don't you think?
"[...] and that our forefathers died to protect democratic principles, [...]"
What? Could somebody explain to me what this has to do anything with the appointment of Mr. Fererra? What exactly was done in an undemocratic way?
All the people that complain about how the RIOC manages the island and how the RIOC is put together have been knowing this for a long time. If they have such an issue with it why are they still living here (some for decades)? Nobody ever changed anything in the past nor is anything going to change anytime soon. You can fight and protest as much as you want but nobody but a small circle of people that make up the RIRA ever care. How many signature are you going to get? Maybe a hundred? Out of the more than 10,000 people living here who and what exactly are you trying to present?
One more thing: I am really disappointed with Rick, the owner of this blog. Just a few month back I was on his side how the WIRE and the RIRA tried to rip him a new one over who is allowed to report what. I was disgusted by the language and the bias that was used to report the differences between the parties in a "newspaper" like the WIRE. Now look at this. He is no different than the others when it comes to this appointment. No fair research. No fair reporting. Nothing. Just a blog with rants after rants. I am sad to see that this blog from which I used to get my news about Roosevelt Island could not stay objective.
That's a bunch of crap Yet Another regarding the lack of fairness and objectivity of this Blog.
At every opportunity I gave Mr. Fererra and any of his supporters the ability to present their views on this blog. It's up to Mr. Fererra and his supporters to do so. I can't force them.
If you can point out any inaccurate statement that I have written on this subject I am happy to correct it. I doubt that you will be able to do so.
What I will not permit is anonymous defamatory remarks or vicious personal attacks directed against named individual without any basis in fact.
I hope that the RI blogger does not become as on sided at the WIRE of the rest of the island...I like it because it supplied all the sides to things and good reporting...I am starting to read otherwise.
14,000 people live here and all think different...there are other members if RIOC that do not live here, I do not see you attacking them.
Please give the man a chance and try to expose other more pressing issues that should be angering most here..the fact there was a shooting on this small island should be investigated more please. The fact that tourist and visitors here come here and sell drugs, start fires on the grass when dumping their hot coals, and littering the island with beer cans and garbage everywhere in the Summertime.
Please try to fair in reporting and not being so hostile to someone that was just given a job to do.
Rick, the tone makes the music. Look at your headlines you decided to choose on topics like the appointment of Mr. Fererra and the FDR memorial. This is becoming a Daily News/New York Post news outlet. Also, you cannot deny that your own personal biases and beliefs taint those stories, no? Label them as opinion pieces or tone down a bit.
i hope cuomo pays rira no mind.
He will be running for President in 2016 I think, that should ruffle some feathers.
to the rira go on vacation . you all need it. you are all useless. the rira never dose anything usefull.giving coffee and donuts to people in the south town lobby . now that is the most usefull thing you people have done on this island
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