It’s not a fair process — don’t ask me why, it just isn’t. When a political body is responsible to draw new district lines, which impact its own members and other elected officials from their party and state, fairness cannot be expected.

The New York State Legislature will have released, by the time you read this column, new Assembly and Senate district lines based on their interpretation of the 2000 census data. Once final small adjustments are made to please sitting legislators and the ink is dry, they will attend to the lines of the New York United States Congressional delegation.

The only thing keeping the process honest is fear of court intervention. Perhaps, they also don’t want to look too corrupt in the media. With the slight concern of the media and attempting to walk above the constitutional quagmire as interpreted by the courts and the voting rights act, the legislature sets out to cut deals to help their own members.

Do they consider the people?

C’mon.

The deal goes like this: Assembly Speaker Dem Shelly Silver draws the Assembly lines, Senate Majority Leader Repub Joe Bruno draws the Senate lines. They each try to protect the members of their own party. Therefore, just like 10 years ago — the last redistricting — watch for the Assembly to remain Democratic and the Senate to remain Republican.

On Congressional lines they cut a different deal. Since New York loses 2 Congressional seats due to national population shifts, they try to find districts where they can have “fair fights” between Dem and Republican incumbents who are expendable. Meaning, the guys and gals with power get to direct the drawing of their lines.

Redistricting and its impact will be the subject of this column and news accounts between now and the summer when all new map lines will be finalized.

We write this over the weekend, without having the benefit of seeing the first NYS legislative map release. Nevertheless, we share a couple of observations and thoughts.

The Assembly: Queens will almost certainly acquire two new Assembly seats. One will be drawn around the Jackson Heights Hispanic area with the expectation of electing a Latino. The other will be drawn to encompass downtown Flushing taking the lion’s share of Assemblyman Brian McLaughlin’s Asian population with the hope of  giving an Asian a solid shot at election. The growth in the number of Latinos and Asians accounts for the lion’s share of Queens population growth, which accounts for the new seats.

The names abound for the Latino seat.

Watch for labor-backed Jose Peralta to emerge as the early frontrunner. Peralta has retained the Parkside Group whose impressive showing in the recent Council elections has elevated them as premiere Queens political consultants.

Also mentioned is defeated Council candidate Luis Rosario as well as his first cousin District Leader-at-large Francisco Moya. Newly-elected Councilman Hiram Monserrate is likely to play a role and back one of his club’s wanabees. Jimmy Lisa, whose Italian family once ruled the political roost in the area, lost his Dem Leadership to Monserrate but may be interested for a go at the Assembly. Gay activist Danny Dromm is another very viable alternative in a Democratic primary race where the Latino vote is splintered.

For an Asian to have a shot at the “Asian” seat, powerful labor leader Brian McLaughlin must first decide to move over and run in a district which is made up of less than 25 percent of his present district. His advisors, we hear, are encouraging him to take the new district and back an Asian to victory in the other district thus expanding his already impressive powerbase.

 McLaughlin, we are told, has been approached by many wanabees.

Look for recently defeated Council candidates Ethel Chen (Chinese) and Terence Park (Korean) to explore the possibilities. Pauline Chu has been a longtime political activist who would be worth watching.

Other non-Asians who have been mentioned depending upon where and how the lines finally are drawn, include Evan Stavisky, the Parkside consulting guru (who has too good a career ahead of himself to give up for public office); Claire Shulman protégé defeated Council wanabee Barry Grodenchik; and perenniel wannabes Debbie Marcal and Rory Lancman. Julia Harrison, the senior Democratic anti-Asian former Councilwoman has a solid claim on this seat but her age might discourage the former Assemblywoman from the race and weekly Albany trek.

Although we know less of the State Senate remapping, Queens may also acquire a new Senate seat. If so, this too would likely be Jackson Heights centered, but being a larger district than the Assembly one may, depending on the lines, be custom- made for John Sabini, the just-term-limited Jackson Heights Councilman. Other names are sure to appear as soon as the legislature releases the maps and politicos have a chance to see if the gods and Albany leadership have smiled upon them.

Stay tuned.

By MICHAEL SCHENKLER

Ignorance and hatred know few limits.

Last week, I shared the story of how my son Lee was beaten up in Keene, New Hampshire because he was Jewish. The endless wishes of support I’ve received are truly appreciated. The people of Queens, the metropolitan area and my extended network have written in large numbers saying those wonderfully appropriate things that compassionate people of goodwill say.

The support of our readers and friends in face of the hate experienced by our son is of course helpful. But somehow, I feel like we are constantly preaching to the converted while hate and ignorance continue to flourish unabated. Those who identify and appreciate last week’s message in this column, came forward. No one seems to ever come forward and say, “Your argument won me over, I’m not going to be prejudiced again. I’m going to stop hating.”

It just doesn’t happen.

Hate continues to flourish.

This time, the hate story is not personal; but it’s awfully close to home.

I received an English translation of a lead story in this week’s Korean Times. Although, by sight, I’m familiar with the publication, it’s in Korean. Other than my son’s trip this past summer to Korea and his visit to the DMZ and the few words he brought home, Korean is Greek to me. Lee can manage, hello, thank you, happy new year and some more gim chee, please.

The article or its translation that I share with you on the top right side of this page, will likely be the subject of news reports elsewhere in this paper and in the general media.

Although, we are reaching out to confirm the accuracy of the translation we received, our ability to report on this story may be limited due to language difficulty. Nevertheless, it is too important to disregard.

I think the message and meaning of the article ignorantly continues the hate and undermines the multicultural fiber that holds us all together. This one should not be allowed to go by quietly.

Take a moment and read the story.

Entrepreneurial Chinese businessmen have raised huge amounts of capital and are actively buying land and building in the downtown Flushing area. Chinese merchants are cross-marketing to a Korean clientele offering goods (and services) at lower prices than at Korean shops. The Chinese businessmen and merchants apparently are prospering while some Korean businesses are not.

Now let me get this right: The same quality fish, jewelry, goods are available down the block from Korean merchants at a 20% lower price but the shop is owned by or employs Chinese and therefore, Koreans should not shop there?

Is that the message of Mr. Jonghak Hong and perhaps the assignment editor at the Korean Times?

Such a message is one of hate and prejudice. It is made of the same ugly sentiments that caused six young men in Keene New Hampshire to attack my son because he was Jewish. It is a message built on fear. It is a message that must be rejected by people of goodwill.

Welcome to America . . . land of opportunity.

Welcome to the marketplace. Welcome to a community where quality and price rule that marketplace.

Welcome to a Korean community that has made the intelligent decision to shop based on their pocketbooks and not prejudice.

It is to the credit of the Chinese business people who have reached beyond their own insular community to woo Korean customers.

Korean business people can learn and follow. Perhaps businessmen everywhere can learn something.

In addition to effective marketing, there is a greater message to be learned. The message, not much different than the one that eluded those six young men in Keene, New Hampshire, seems to be eluding those who protest Korean consumers buying in Chinese shops.

Somehow, someday, everyone may understand that although we may all be different, there is a lot more we all have in common.

But until that day comes, there is much more to be done.

The thriving downtown Flushing marketplace has not adequately reached out and attracted the non-Asian consumer. I wonder if the old American marketplace has made all new Americans welcome.

The future Queens I dream of is not going to care about your race, color, religion, sexual preference or national origin.

Now, where can I get some gim chee?