Donnie Moss (documentary filmmaker) testifies supporting ban
Donnie Moss, documentary filmmaker of 'Blinders,' testifies that the city knew this would happen, that advocates warned for 20 years a child would die, and asks what the council will do to protect people before the law takes effect.
My name is Donnie Moss.
I made the documentary film Blinders, the truth behind the tradition about the horse-drawn carriage controversy.
I'd like to start by saying that when Councilmember Gennaro wasn't busy belittling us for engaging in this civic right that we have in an extremely unprofessional manner, he made our argument for us.
He said that when you see horses outside of the city, they're invariably grazing on a pasture.
New York City has no pasture.
Grazing is a fundamental instinct of any horse.
New York City has no pasture where these horses can graze, run, roll, interact physically as herd animals do, move about freely.
And to add insult to injury, these horses see pastures every day that they can't even access.
That, the lack of a pasture in and of itself, should be a reason why we don't have horse-drawn carriages in Manhattan.
To Romantia's family, the city knew.
The city knew that this would happen because for the past 20 years, we've been shouting from the rooftops
and from inside these council chambers, and we've said explicitly that a child is going to fly out of a moving carriage, land on the pavement, and die.
City officials chose politics ahead of public safety.
Romance is a victim of political expediency.
Mr.
And Mrs.
Mahajan, if you're watching, please know that we tried.
We've been trying for years.
On a final note, now that more people understand that no amount of regulation can stop a spooked horse from bolting and killing someone else,
I'd love to know what the City Council and the Department of Health will do to prevent between now and when this law takes effect, what is the City Council going to do to protect
tourists inside of the carriages and pedestrians, runners, and bicyclists who could get trampled by a spooked horse who bolts and runs uncontrollably through Central Park.
Thank you.
Thank you very much, Donnie.
Appreciate it.
Next.