July 17, 2008

Belmar Municipal Building
601 Main Street,
Belmar, NJ 07719
Att: Mayor Pringle

Dear Mayor Pringle,

I was skeptical as I read the headlines of my local papers, how could a city Mayor, regardless of how large or small th e municipality; use such harsh generalizations to describe the entire female population of Staten Island? But, after accessing your Belmar Summer Rental News online, there it was for the world to see – a prejudicial tirade directed at my hometown.

Mr. Mayor, a person in your position is supposed to set an example for young people, not belittle, name-call and otherwise stereotype an entire segment of your customers. And yes, these young people are your customers. Like it or not, your economy is based on the summer renter, many of whom are Staten Islanders. In fact, my wife, a Jersey Shore girl herself, tells me that the term “Benny” which you so eloquently use to describe your clientèle, actually comes from the word “Benefactor” because your small town of Belmar would have a very difficult time surviving without your summer Benefactors.

I am not condoning poor behavior. But, by the same token, I do not condone labeling people based on the color of their skin, their ethnic background or where they happen to live when they are no t renting a summer home in Belmar. As well, to set the record straight, my daughter is a Girl Scout and no, she was not taught bar brawl techniques in Brownies. What she did learn is that name-calling and having fun at other’s expense is wrong – perhaps you should spend a little time with her troop?

Carmine A. Morano
Candidate for Congress
New York’s 13th Congressional District (Staten Island)
http://www.morano4congress.org

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Below is the text SINY Executive Director Larry Ambrosino wrote to Belmar, N.J. Mayor Ken Pringle to "educate" him about what Staten Island has to offer. Read a story about Pringle's comments here.

July 17, 2008

Hon. Kenneth E. Pringle, Mayor
Borough Belmar
701 7th Avenue
Belmar, NJ 07719-2736

Dear Mayor Pringle:

You may not welcome Staten Islanders to Belmar, but Staten Island definitely welcomes you. As a career educator, I believe that the best antidote to ignorance is education. So I would like to invite you and a guest to spend a day with us on Staten Island. Get to know us and our rich culture and diversity. Come with an open mind so you don't judge 500,000 Staten Islanders based on the behavior of a handful.

Right across Raritan Bay from Perth Amboy, there's the Conference House, where Ben Franklin and other leaders met with the British in 1776 in a last-ditch effort to avoid the Revolutionary War. We can move on to Historic Richmond Town, New York City's living history village and museum complex with more than 25 homes and public buildings, including the Voorlezer's House, a National Landmark building from the 1690's, The Third County Courthouse from 1832, and more.

Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden has the finest collection of Greek revival buildings in the U.S. and is home to the Staten Island Interactive Children's Museum, the Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art and the Chinese Scholar's Garden, the only authentic garden of its kind in the country.

The Staten Island Zoo is family-friendly and home to a celebrated collection of reptiles, an aquarium, a tropical forest, an African Savannah, a two-level alligator pool, a variety of interactive exhibits and a popular children's farmyard.

Fort Wadsworth, one of the oldest military installations in the U.S. and now a National Park adjacent to the Verrazano Bridge, has unsurpassed views of the New York skyline.

We'll dine at a great restaurant - we have several - and then stop by the Lorenzo's Cabaret at Hilton Garden Inn, a truly classy place with outstanding entertainment, unlike the joint you describe in your newsletter. Or maybe we'll go to the St. George Theatre to see world-class performers such as Tony Bennett or Art Garfunkel.

If you want to get around on your own, Gray Line New York Sightseeing now offers the Discover Staten Island Tour, a 'hop-on, hop-off' tour which stops at several of the spots I've named.

Let's put the past behind us, except when we visit a museum, and get to know the real Staten Island. I look forward to hearing from you and can be reached at (347) 273-1257 or LEASINY@aol.com

Sincerely,

Larry Ambrosino
Executive Director
SINY