She's too popular – 'Marilyn' has simply outgrown her location
Peter Moruzzi’s Nov. 12 opinion column brought up many significant points that reflect the current temporary placement of the “Forever Marilyn” statue. As a business owner in Palm Springs, I pass by the statue several times a week and it is indeed very popular, which is great for Palm Springs.
However, there are significant issues of safety every time I pass that intersection. Belardo Road is a narrow road that is shared by cars, cyclists and pedestrians. It is a heavily trafficked street and the interaction of those three causes chaos. People trying to reach the statue makes that intersection even more chaotic and unsafe. Additionally, the lack of parking makes it a difficult experience for our city’s visitors hoping to enjoy the statue.
It should be placed in an area where people can easily walk around the statue. It is currently squished in between fences on both sides of a narrow street and I’ve seen it overly packed with people squeezing in to take a photograph. Due to its popularity, Marilyn has simply outgrown her current temporary location. I’m certain that the city and PS Resorts can do justice to a very popular tourist attraction and find a more suitable location so that it can be enjoyed in a safe area with some breathing room around it for all to enjoy.Michael Stern, Palm Springs
Palm Springs road construction continues to baffle me
On so many different streets in Palm Springs in the last month or months, there are reduced lanes, “work ahead” signs, construction workers, big trucks and equipment, etc. Yet I don't remember any statement by the City of Palm Springs to the public regarding this activity.
Like what is the construction about and how long will this last? No one that I know who I have talked to knows what is going on. I called the city and Riverside County and the best information (from the city) was to go online and check for “closed streets” and see if any roadway I was planning to use was “open to traffic.” I watch local news daily and I read The Desert Sun every day and I have yet to see or read any story about local road work going on. This is a big disservice to local citizens using local roads. In the past, The Desert Sun had a reporter who wrote a column frequently about local happenings in cities and planned and ongoing work being done on area roads. It would be nice to have that very informative column revived!
Ronald Zimmerman, Palm Springs
Not all politicians are turkeys
The Desert Sun opinion cartoon Nov. 19 illustrated the U.S. Capitol and grounds as a "turkey farm” with turkeys all around and on top of the building. Very clever and almost correct, except the "turkey farm" should be the GOP Turkey Farm. Republicans in Congress are playing games with us, and it is dangerous and almost evil.
At a well-attended Democrats of the Desert event recently in Cathedral City, Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz (D-25th) said something to the effect that many Republicans he works with in Congress are putting politics above people. Ruiz is popular, smart, compassionate, and works every day for his constituents' betterment. He appeared with Will Rollins, a Democratic congressional candidate in District 41, who echoed Ruiz's urgent pleas that Congress must always put people first over politics. Ruiz is not some right-wing narcissist turkey working for his own ego, as many GOPers are doing. He deserves to be reelected in 2024. Rollins is a very intelligent, eager, also compassionate guy who believes in inclusion and working for a just and progressive Congress, not for ego and recognition. He is no turkey. He deserves to be sent to Congress in 2024 from Congressional District 41.Rob Westwood, Rancho Mirage
Why the hate?
Why is there so much hate spreading around the world? Why have hate groups been tolerated and even encouraged in our country? Why is there so much antisemitism in the U.S.?
Jews are no different from other folks. They have gangsters and diplomats, they have gamblers and chief executive officers, they have religious people and agnostics. But Jews have given us much to be proud of: Albert Einstein, philanthropist Walter Annenberg, Sandy Koufax, cellist Itzhak Perlman, George Gershwin, Groucho Marx, Edward G. Robinson, Lauren Bacall, and Moses who gave us the Ten Commandments.
We may not like some things that Israel is doing, but Israel doesn’t represent Jews in other lands. Israel was founded in 1948 as a haven for survivors of the Holocaust and those persecuted in Europe. It is a tiny country with neighbors, funded by Iran, who want them gone or dead. It’s tough to be peaceful and compassionate when rockets are continuously being fired at you.
It’s OK to be critical of Israel, but not to hate Jews as a group. We need to be tolerant and respectful of all peace-loving people and to teach our children that hate is the problem, not the answer.
David Levine, Palm Springs
Where's the outrage?
The 2023/24 Congress is comprised of 469 Christians, 33 Jews, three Muslims and others and totals 535 members. The degree of antisemitism here and around the world has not been addressed adequately by our Democrat Congressional leaders until the peaceful rally in Washington, D.C. Nov. 14. Finally Chuck Schumer, who is Jewish, spoke out as did Hakeem Jeffries. But why were those same leaders and others in Congress silent during the violent pro-Palestinian rallies where participants were ranting about stopping the purported "genocide" by Israel? It's Hamas calling for the death of all Jews worldwide not the Israelis calling for the death of all Palestinians. The barbaric attacks on Israel by Hamas show the soulless beings for who they are and I can't believe the Israeli response is in question.
Ellan Batavick, La Quinta
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: She's too popular – 'Marilyn' has simply outgrown her location
