Common Sense: Icing the issue

Mayor DeBlasio went after Assemblymember Nicole Malliotakis on radio recently saying she “loves to spew right-wing rhetoric.” Besides the fact that I can see nothing wrong with being right-wing, it is worth noting that he is upset with her legal efforts to protect the documents used in the NYCID program from destruction and her criticism of the city’s sanctuary city status. Nicole — and for that matter Assemblymember Ron Castorina, who has also weighed in on these issues — is absolutely right.

New York City’s sanctuary city status might cost it millions in federal dollars based on an executive order by the president and Attorney General Sessions’s pronouncement that the Justice Department in accordance will begin to withhold funding. This action is consistent with many past federal actions designed to get a local government to comply with a federal rule or law.

In order to keep the funding, the city needs to follow the law. The federal law says if you are an undocumented alien and you have committed a crime, the city will provide ICE with information so that you may be located and deported at some point. This makes sense. The city, on the other hand, is putting our lives at risk by not informing ICE and by fighting with the Justice Department.

Neither Nicole nor Ron are running for mayor. Possibly one should be since, among all the declared candidates, only one — Michael Faulkner — shares this view. Paul Massey and Bo Dietl seem to be all over the place on this issue. Anyone and everyone who has shown an interest in challenging de Blasio in a Democratic primary has the identical position to him.

This is a big issue for the Conservative Party in the city. Whoever the party eventually nominates (and I serve as Brooklyn chairperson) will need to be willing as mayor to comply with the federal mandate. Mr. Mayor, I know that makes us right-wingers in your view. All I can say is, thank you.

I talk a lot of politics. Sometimes, I think, too much. There are many more important things happening, particularly this time of year. The next few weeks are a very blessed time for the world’s Christian and Jewish believers. It is an excellent time to reflect on the world and the role you play in it. It is also the perfect time to focus on the Judeo-Christian traditions and teachings that make many of us who we are, spiritually and morally.

The practice of religion can be an excellent anchor in one’s life. I am a practicing Roman Catholic and strongly feel that the years I spent in Catholic schools and the time I spend involved in my religion have been of great benefit to me.

Regardless of your beliefs, thinking about one’s existence and the role a higher being plays in it I feel is important. It certainly helps to frame a long term purpose for many of us. And it provides a certain calmness when confronting late-in-life issues for yourself and loved ones.

I have no interest in sounding like I am lecturing. I am just suggesting that this would be a great time for Christians and Jews who have fallen away from the practice of their beliefs to consider returning.