By Gwen Furmanek
Contributing Writer
It’s a tradition 42 years in the making.
Since 1970 the Big Apple has held its annual marathon throughout the city, according to a Nov. 3 CNN article. The first Sunday in November usually marks this runners’ dream, but this year was different. After Hurricane Sandy shredded its way through cities up and down the east coast, citizens decided it wasn’t right to hold the marathon this year.
Late Friday, the decision was finally made.
“After the public outcry grew close to deafening Friday, city and race officials announced they would cancel the race for the first time in its 42-year history,” the same article stated.
At first, Mayor Bloomberg was skeptical of canceling the 26.2 mile race. After all, the city of New York did sink millions into hosting the iconic marathon.
So why did Bloomberg wait until Friday to cancel? People in the city are arguing it should have been an automatic decision, considering the city’s current status. In either case, Bloomberg’s last second decision just reinforces his indecisiveness as a politician. Yes, his own personal success shows he’s an ingenious businessman, but he is also known for being pushed around in politics.
He should have set aside the economic issues of canceling, and focused on the social impacts and ethical ideals of what would have happened if he didn’t cancel. While I did have high respect for Bloomberg as a mayor prior to the devastation, his wishy-washy attitude in such dire circumstances made me lose respect for him.
Jimmy Smyth, who has run in 23 consecutive New York City Marathons, according to a Nov. 5 New York Times article said if Bloomberg didn’t cancel it would “permanently damage the legacy of both the marathon and Mayor Bloomberg.”
“On Friday morning, the New York Post published a photograph on its cover showing a security guard in Central Park protecting two generators reserved for the marathon. Residents of Staten Island, which had been so heavily damaged, were furious at how 47,000 runners were going to arrive in their battered borough — la di da — to start the race”
Think about it. How would you feel if your house got demolished, your family was in great distress, and 47,000 runners decide they are going to tramp through it all? This spells out utter disrespect and indifference towards their suffering.
Residents on Staten Island pleaded Wednesday for gas, food and clothes. One woman said she had eaten one slice of pizza in the past two days, according to the CNN article. Hardly seems the time to host a marathon, even if it is an annual event.
At least 20 people were killed in Hurricane Sandy in Staten Island alone, according to the CNN article. To me, holding a marathon so soon after such destruction was done to this city, is beyond disrespectful. Yes, traditions should be held, but there are cases where they also must be broken. The marathon was one of them.
In the end, Bloomberg made the right choice.
