53 OPINIONS 100 2004 U.S. OPEN BE OUR GUEST By ANDREW FRIEDMAN A very tough sell Scaffold law works – don’t Justine salutes Israeli Wooing voters isn’t easy for black GOPers BLACK ONLY he most elegant folk you ers to the GOP. undermine it Obziler shows some Zip ever saw were clinking Despite his minstrel-show Twine glasses at a swank re- clowning in and around Madi- Contractors want to cut ception of the National Black Re- son Square Garden, King re- publican Council, held yester- mains what the black communi- corners on worker safety in 2nd-round loss to No. 1 day at the Central Park Boat- ty always has known him to be: house. To this group falls the a career criminal from Ohio ast weekend, one immigrant By WAYNE COFFEY thankless task of selling the Re- who has been convicted of kill- died in Brooklyn and anoth- DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER ing two men and who served L er was injured — both just publican Party to a black com- A 31-YEAR-OLD VETERAN of the Israeli Army took Center Court munity in which 9 of every 10 years in prison for his offenses. doing their jobs. They worked in voters are almost certain to vote King swindled astring of construction, and their accidents at the U.S. Open yesterday, a Flushing Meadows rookie unlike any Democratic. black boxers and virtually happened on scaffolding at the other. She wore an outfit that was the color of a school bus, Black Republicans come in ruined the sport. For President sites. Such things take place be- whacked slices and forehands under azure skies and spent several varieties. First are the Bush’s team to deploy a barely cause contractors cut corners, Disaffected Dems, people dis- reformed street thug as a politi- trading the safety of their work- ers for profits. two hours and 14 minutes drinking in an opportunity she never gusted with the corruption and cal emissary demonstrates a In New York, it’s not supposed would have had were it not for Billie Jean King, and her own stead- double-talking ineptitude of ur- cynicism that will help guaran- tee aDemocraticlock on the to be this way. The city has a scaf- fastness. ban Democratic machines. fold law that requires building They often seem distracted by black vote again this year. When it was all done at Arthur Ashe many people are behind me, it fills my owners and general contractors an obsessive need to settle politi- The black Republicans worth heart.” to provide workers with proper Stadium, Tzipora (Zippy) Obziler left to a cal and personal scores with watching are the Political Pro- In the ensuing match at Ashe, Andre scaffolds, hoists, harnesses and rousing ovation, thrilled that she had unre- Jesse Jackson, the NAACP and fessionals — operatives whose Agassi moved into the third round with a other safety equipment. The law tired and had given herself a chance, local Democratic organizations. raw talent and desire for power 7-5, 2-6, 6-2, 1-0 (retired) victory over works: New York’s construction though she was not thrilled with the re- A second group of black Re- are fierce enough to trump less- 20-year-old Florian Mayer, a Wimbledon industry fatality rate is one of the sult. publicans is the True Believers, er considerations like party quarterfinalist from Germany who was lowest in the nation. “She stole the show, even though she people who naturally gravitate labels. They are people like Ran- done in by apulled thigh muscle. Mayer But a recent increase in scaf- didn’t win,” said Darryl Cummings, Obzil- toward the GOP’s self-help mes- dy Daniels, New York’s secre- engaged in spirited baseline bashing with folding accidents is alarming. er’s coach, and the tennis coach at Old Do- sage and conservative personal tary of state, who began as a Dis- RETNA Agassi, and said, “If I had no injury, I think And so is the fact that a lot of morality. Columnist Armstrong affected Dem and has matured minion University, after his pupil lost to I had good chances to beat him today.” Boxing’sDonKingisanespeciallybadchoiceasemissary. building owners, developers and Williams and perennial political into part of the in- the No. 1 player in the world and defend- Zippy Obziler has tried to qualify for contractors are seeking to de- candidate Alan Keyes fall into ner circle of Gov. ing champion, Justine Henin-Hardenne, the U.S. Open five times, never breaking ern Strategy, customers. stroy the scaffold law. They are this category. A few True Believ- Pataki’s adminis- OOOOOO 6-2, 5-7, 6-2, in asecond-round match. through into the main draw until last which uses white Miller always has been pressuring legislators to amend ers actually come from a line of tration. “To play this kind of match, to know so week. She lives in asuburb of Tel Aviv, resentment about known for his inconstancy — it to shift ultimate responsibility Republicans stretching, unbro- Other pros in- and is the polar opposite of the teeming ERROL black advance- Zigzag Zell, his Georgia oppo- for work-site safety onto workers ken, to the party’s origins as an clude Rudy Wash- tide of teenagers who dominate her sport, ment to convince nents called him — but he never instead of employers. anti-slavery movement in the ington, aformer LOUIS kids who go off to some Florida academy pro-segregation renounced Maddox, whom he Immigrant workers, especially TODAY’S FEATURED MATCHES 1850s. deputy mayor at the Latinos, would be the most likely or other, in pursuit of wealth and stardom. Democrats to de- called his political father. When Another staple among black who is now areal convention to pay the price for contractors’ Her father, Ephraim, is a salesman. Her fect to the GOP. Maddox died last year, a segre- DAY SESSION (11 A.M.) GOPers is the Hustler-Opportun- estate developer negligence if the law is changed. mother, Yanka, manages a jewelry store. The strategy gationist to the end, Zell Miller ists. They have no real loyalty to in Manhattan, and According to the U.S. Bureau of ARTHUR ASHE STADIUM She is the only tennis player in the family, was on full display when Sen. gave a loving eulogy. any cause save their own ad- Adrienne Rhodes, amediacon- Labor Statistics, construction is and made an impression on Henin-Hard- Zell Miller gave the keynote Miller shouted one of the an- No. 31 Maria Vento-Kabchi (VEN) vancement. sultant who won 19% of the one of the most dangerous indus- enne. speech Wednesday night. Miller griest speeches ever heard at a The unquestioned leader of vote against Manhattan Rep. tries, accounting for 20.8% of all vs. No. 2 Amelie Mauresmo (FRA) “She had the right to beat me today,” got his start in politics in the national political convention — this faction is Don King, the box- Carolyn Maloney in 2000 and is the only thing missing was the workplace deaths in 2001. Lati- said Henin-Hardenne, who is returning 1960s as chief aide to Georgia Hicham Arazi (MAR) vs. ing promoter with electric hair staying mum about her future ax handle. Black Republicans, nos account for a fast-growing from her two-month absence with a blood who has been prancing around political plans. Gov. Lester Maddox, a notori- operating in the 21st century share of the construction work- No. 4 Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) virus, and has looked vulnerable here af- GOP events all week, deputized The problem for black Repub- ous bigot who chased black rather than the 19th, have their force. In 2001, they held 17.4% of ter winning the gold medal in Athens. “I by the party to tour America on licans is that the party remains patrons from his restaurant by work cut out for them. construction jobs nationally, up No. 8 Jennifer Capriati (USA) vs. had to work very hard on every point.” amission to bring new blackvot- wedded to the so-called South- distributing ax handles to white [email protected] from 10.2% in 1993. Their share Vera Douchevina (RUS) Obziler played her first tour event in of New York City construction NIGHT SESSION (7 P.M.) 1993, before getting aletter from Cum- jobs is substantially higher. mings. She went to Old Dominion, where It is often immigrant construc- ASHE STADIUM she was the NCAA runner-up to Jill Cray- ON SEXUAL ABUSE By THE REV. ANDREW GREELEY tion workers who take on the bas in 1995, and won the national clay- HOWARD SIMMONS DAILY NEWS most dangerous jobs at the riski- No. 30 Tatiana Golovin (FRA) vs. court championship the same year. Tzipora Obziler makes happy return but falls to Justine Henin-Hardenne. est construction sites and who No. 3 Serena Williams (USA) Obziler went on the tour, traveled the get injured the most. Seven of world, but had uneven results, hurt her Church is failing the world’s women the 25 workers who were killed Rafael Nadal (ESP) vs. shoulder and decided to quit in December, by accidents at New York City No. 2 Andy Roddick (USA) 2000, her rank at 149. She coached and oseph Cardinal Ratzinger, the president more moderate feminism that most women if it didn’t accept “radical feminism.” A mar- construction sites between Octo- played Fed Cup for Israel, and when she of Congregation for the Defense of the in Americasupport. He might havelisted velous opportunity was lost to preach moral ber 2001 and September 2003 ARMSTRONG STADIUM had a match point against Lindsay Daven- Nadal revs for Roddick JFaith, recently issued a document on the such abuses as rape, sexual slavery, incestu- and religious truth and to show that the were classified as day laborers, Tommy Haas (GER) vs.