06 February 2008

Sorry Rev, The City Don't Care About Them Bones


Rev. Dr. Donna Schaper, minister at the Judson Church, is shocked—shocked—that the City Parks Department is not caring better for the human bones being uncovered by the unpopular renovation of Washington Square Park.

"I don’t take the word ‘desecration’ lightly, but that is what is happening here," she told Metro. "They should stop disturbing the dead. The city is disrespecting the community again." Well, yes, and yes, Rev. But are you surprised? What City agency that has anything to do with real estate town has recently shown respect for the people's will? None I know of. Certainly not the Parks Dept., which thinks we need a KFC or something at Red Hook Park, and supports the for-commerce parading of stupid pet tricks at Bryant Park.

Jonathan Greenberg, who has fought the city’s plan with two lawsuits, noted that, regarding the skeletons, "There was no sifting of sand, no photographs being taken, no archaeologist looking at soil." And there ain't gonna be, dude! Those bones can't vote! And they're messy and nasty and old and don't fit in with Bloomberg's neato vision of the City.

Now, if we could broker a deal with Cemusa to create some sleek-looking, "street furniture" graves and crypts—now we're talking! That's the kind of respect for the dead that City Hall can get behind!

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