But perhaps New York is not entirely lost. While some politicians may have lost their personal morality, New Yorkers have not. The public outcry against Giuliani has hurt him both in the polls and within his own party. Prominent state Republicans have publicly criticized him for his harsh treatment of the Dorismond family. Regarding the highly publicized race between New York's mayor and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, Giuliani is now slightly behind Clinton. A week before the Dorismond killing he led her in the polls.

Many have excused the actions of Giuliani and the NYPD because of the "good" that has occurred during Giuliani's tenure as mayor. Supporters cite the falling crime rate and increased tourism revenues as ends that justify the invasive undercover police operations that ostensibly cleaned up the city. Crime, however, has fallen dramatically nationwide, often in cities whose police made no consistent effort to reduce crime. As the community-oriented actions of the Boston police have shown, law enforcers can fight drug crime without resorting to undercover operations that infringe on people's civil rights.

Until the New York Police Department decides to restructure its police tactics in order to help, not harm, the communities it protects--until Mayor Giuliani is voted out of office or starts to serve all the residents of New York City, not just those that voted for him--I offer this advice to all potential travelers: if you are black, drive a cab, drink beer, cross the street when the "don't walk" sign is lit, paint politically incorrect pictures, like pornography, smoke pot or are just simply poor, don't visit New York City.

Christina S. N. Lewis is a history and literature concentrator in Leverett House. Her column appears on alternate Wednesdays.