So I'm not a marathoner--and I'm not a New Yorker. But I wanted to do my part.
Bloomberg's decision to run this thing is completely insane (and could potentially cost even more lives)
There may be a couple of inaccuracies--but I'm pretty shocked by all this and wanted to voice my anger at the decision.
Dear Ms. Wittenberg,
I am not a New Yorker (although it's in my blood) and I have closely followed every single aspect of this storm, along with everyone else on the east coast. I'm sure that you're receiving thousands of emails, but I want to strongly emphasize my extreme disappointment with the decision to continue with this marathon. While I know it is ultimately the decision of Mayor Bloomberg, the decision is not only detrimental to New Yorkers, but could potentially cost lives. For some people, the issue is 'sensitivity'--but for me it's plain and simple: resources and distribution. The starting point for the marathon is on Staten Island, mere YARDS from parts of evacuation zone A where many people lost their lives. The main route goes through western Brooklyn, much of which goes through evacuation zone A and suffered severe flooding.
The marathon DIRECTLY impacts supply lines/distribution routes--there are people who are homeless, there are people who are starving, there are people who may be dying (and have already lost their lives) along this route. The marathon blocks their help. Any statement--whether from Mayor Bloomberg or anyone else--that the marathon will not utilize, divert, or otherwise inhibit resources is somewhere between blindly naive and completely false. You know this. You are a marathon organizer. You KNOW what goes into this.
I realize that the marathon has already garnered some $2-3 million, and this is wonderful. I realize that, economically, it will raise a great deal of revenue. I could even understand if the race were somehow diverted. But as it currently stands, revenue is coming in anyway.... and the marathon will directly block people and areas who need help from receiving that help.
I realize it is too late to re-route the marathon--if it avoided Brooklyn and Staten Island, perhaps I would feel differently. I also realize that, as one of (the?) largest marathons in the world, this isn't something that can simply be bumped back a month or two. But please consider those suffering in the city, especially in Staten Island and w. Long Island.
Thank you.
1:28 PM PT: UPDATE: This from the New York Times:
Sanitation Crews Complain of Working on Marathon (3:21 pm update)
1:30 PM PT: UPDATE 2: Realize I"m being nonpartisan about this. Drudge and FOX and other annoying sites are harping on this too (trying to show a failure of government--whatever) but so are a lot of left-leaning sites too. Bloomberg is insanely naive here, and I think that liberals and conservatives are in general agreement on this.
2:14 PM PT: UPDATE: MARATHON CANCELLED. Took a while, mayor, but you've made the right call. Thank you.