Living in Great Neck for 30 years was not only convenient because it was so close to my office, but everything about it really appealed to us. Its schools, parks, golf courses, cultural programs, waterfront, restaurants and shopping were amazing. It’s proximity to New York City and it’s small town, suburban charm were just what we were looking for to raise our children. It even had its own symphony. But, the one thing I never anticipated was the hypocrisy that I found there.
1 – A needed senior citizens center was a great idea, but “not on my block”. Put it in the Old Village !
2 – Nationally ranked schools, like ours, should help less fortunate, minority students from neighboring districts. When the time came to implement the plan and bus them in, it was cancelled ! No way ! To much traffic! Yea, right!!
3 – When our school population was dwindling, it seemed appropriate to close a few schools. Great idea ! We’ll save lots of money! But wait a minute! Don’t close my kid’s school !
4 – We are so proud of our religious institutions. Build a new temple here? Of course ! But not in Kings Point!
The list is endless. Hypocrisy is alive and well and living in Great Neck. Liberal projects sound so good! “But don’t put them where I live!”
So it really hit home, when I heard Andrew Sorkin, the co-host of CNBC’s early morning business program, Squawkbox, discussing a plan to “improve” San Francisco’s high-end, affluent neighborhoods.
The plan? Diversification!
Bring in less fortunate people! What a guy! Only a Progressive, sitting in his Upper West Side multi-million dollar penthouse, 3,000 miles away, could come up with this idiotic idea.
Dear Mr. Sorkin,
Diversification, in San Francisco’s affluent neighborhoods, is such a great idea. I am a little disappointed, however, that you didn’t consider this for your own New York City co-op.
At your next board meeting, why don’t you suggest converting some of the penthouses in your building, to rent-controlled apartments?
Please only consider those with rap-around terraces. I am sure the vote will be unanimous when you explain to all the other wealthy residents, all the benefits of having welfare recipients living right in their own building.
I did speak to your doorman and he made the following suggestions:
1 – The new tenants must all wear “WR” (Welfare Recipient ) name tags. When everyone gets to know them, these signs will be optional. That’s for security reasons of course!
2 – The new children will be attending your own kid’s private school. You wouldn’t want them going to those terrible neighborhood public schools with all the other riffraff ? Would you?
3 – A good idea is to ask your concierge to arrange weekly dinners at your favorite restaurants, like Le Cirque. This way everyone can really get to know each other.
4 – The new kids in the building will really love attending your children’s sleep away camp this summer, and spending weekends at your lovely East Hampton beach front mansion. Intercessions at your parent’s condo in Boca will be a blast. You do know that helicopter service now makes these trips to the Hamptons quite enjoyable.
5 – The doorman thought it was a bit to much to provide them with their own drivers. But since everyone in the building has one, he was worried about giving the newcomers an inferiority complex. A better idea would be for everyone’s chauffeur, on their days off, to drive them to stores like Tiffany and Harry Winston.
6 – Someone in your building suggested that they only use the freight elevator. Personally, I thought that this should be a Board decision.
So, good luck and please keep up your great work. Your kids will look back and thank you for giving them this once in a lifetime opportunity to mingle with lower class people.
I hope you can find time to visit Great Neck and let us know how your ideas are working out. We’ll send a driver for you. The Long Island Railroad is really not appropriate for someone like you.
Thanks again.
Dr. Stephen Morris
Great Neck. 1969-1999
North Hills, 1999-present
