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Esta página no está disponible en español. EditorialNEW YORK POSTVelazquez Shames The CityBy ELVIS MITCHELL
June 29, 2002 Three of the loudest mouths in New York's loudmouth congressional delegation were struck dumb this week as their colleagues were weighing in loud and clear on the Pledge of Allegiance. Thursday, the House - by a vote of 416-3 - passed a resolution that endorsed keeping the words "under God" in the Pledge after a federal appeals court declared them unconstitutional. But Reps. Jerrold Nadler (D-Manhattan), Nydia Velazquez (D-Brooklyn) and Gary Ackerman (D-Queens) all copped out when it came to take a stand. They voted "present." What a crew. Ackerman is an erratic crank, to be charitable about it. Velazquez's high-decibel defense of Bill Clinton's decision to pardon Puerto Rican terrorists speaks for itself, and her continuing opposition to using the Vieques bombing range in wartime to train naval aviators simply shames the city. But Nadler is a special case. He's ever quick to detect "a whiff of fascism is in the air" - anytime anyone disagrees with him. Obsequiously, he walked congressional point for Clinton during the Monica embarrassments. He represents the 8th Congressional district - which encompasses Ground Zero - and he's been demanding that America drop everything else to come to the aid of his district ever since Sept. 11. America has responded - overwhelmingly, without reservation or qualification. Too bad Nadler couldn't - nay, wouldn't - return the favor. Because when the House votes 416-3 on anything, America is speaking. It wouldn't have hurt Jerry Nadler to be gracious, just this once, and acknowledge New York's debt to the nation. Alas, it was beyond him.
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