Using Hitler’s rhetoric merits that comparison
Jefferson Valley, N.Y.: A while back, I wrote a comparison to friends, “Trump’s immigrants = Hitler’s Jews” that at least one friend thought was “over the top.” Honestly, I did too. It was just written for shock value, but after listening to the president recently, I now think it was accurate.
“Enemies of America,” “they hate America,” “invaders” — people fleeing oppression or looking for an economy in which they can survive are none of these. Should they come in legally, sure (although many of our forebears did not), and we should have an efficient way to process them.
President Trump has seized on them to take our attention off of his failings, his turning the Oval Office into a place to run a business from (bibles, coins, sneakers — branded condoms next?) and his tariff policies wrecking the economy. His attacks on the media are un-American, as are his vendettas against political enemies and Ivy League colleges and law firms.
The immigrants are his scapegoats as the Jews were for Hitler (photo). I recognize that Trump hasn’t committed the murderous atrocities that Hitler did, and I’m sure he will not, but attempting to deport a 4-year-old child, initiating unneeded militarizing of a large American city and then ranting about enemy immigrants and their supporters who “hate America” is more Hitler-like than it is in the spirit of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson or Republican hero Ronald Reagan, who praised immigration in his final address as president. The defense rests! John F. McMullen
Despotic dragnet
Bronx: To Voicer Tom Scott: Sadly, you have swallowed the cult propaganda. No one is against deporting pedophiles, rapists and murderers. If the raids were limited to that, we would all be in support. Unfortunately, to fill a nonsensical quota, good, hard-working people are also being arrested. As a result, meat prices have increased 22% as plants close. All food prices will rise rapidly. Yet, people like you think this somehow benefits this country. David Fisher
Going after innocents
Bronx: To Voicer Tom Scott: If ICE was only detaining pedophiles, rapists and murderers or others with criminal convictions, no one would have a problem with that, including Democrats. But when they detain a student showing up for his asylum hearing, a kid working construction during school break and a favorite waitress in her workplace, we have a problem. Mind you, none of these examples had committed any crimes and had been here for many years. The waitress has three children born in the U.S. ICE is going after these people to make the quota of 3,000 arrests per day set by Stephen Miller and Trump. That is why people are protesting. Carol Webb
Targeting the defenseless
Brooklyn: Voicer Tom Scott wants to know which pedophiles, rapists and murderers I want ICE to release in my neighborhood. I’d like to know which pedophiles, rapists and murderers ICE has arrested. Seems to me they only go after soft targets who they know can’t fight back. Gangbangers and human traffickers seem to be off-limits — probably for the same reason officers hide their faces. Cluck, cluck! Ilsa Ruthen
Arrestable offense
Hamden, Conn.: Brad Lander inserted himself into an event he never should have gone near (“Brad held 5 hours in immig court bust,” June 18). He interfered with an arrest and went further by locking arms with the target. Disgraceful behavior by him, and he got exactly what he deserved. Support law enforcement. Chris Lyons
Indelicate indifference
Manhattan: So, Democratic Minnesota House Leader Melissa Hortman and her husband were assassinated by a deranged Trump supporter. This man also shot and wounded Dem state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife multiple times. Thankfully, they have survived (so far). Does Trump have the decency to call Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to offer words of support or comfort, as any decent person would do, let alone the purported leader of the country? Of course not. Trump can only make juvenile, idiotic remarks, like calling Walz “a mess” who “doesn’t have a clue,” and “I could be nice to him but why waste time?” Yes, red-hat America, your president in action. Elected officials shot and killed. Others being arrested for simply asking questions of ICE officials who’re behaving like German Gestapo officers. God help this country with such a man in charge. Michael Udolf
Offensive intervention
Hallandale, Fla.: If ever the famous phrase “something is rotten in Denmark” were apropos, we are living in that moment. The same Trump who shredded the original Iranian Nuclear Deal implemented by Barack Obama in 2015 is now prepared to join the fray alongside Israel, when that country started hostilities in the first place. His own National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard concluded that Iran is not building nuclear weapons and is supported by Vice President JD Vance. When a president brushes off his team to concoct his own belief, what do we actually have? Yet, will he intervene in Israel’s continued slaughter of Palestinian civilians in Gaza, and usurp the massive criminality of allowing IDF troops to slaughter starving civilians queuing up for food? Understand this sheer madness, and I urge my fellow citizens to speak out more boldly than ever. Sid Sussman
‘Ya know’ yes man
Clifton, N.J.: Kudos to Voicer Don Adler for his comments on Aaron Boone’s horrific postgame press conferences. It’s a running gag between my friends and I with the “uh, ya know” under/over counter usually set at least 20 times. Terrible speaker, terrible manager. Don, you were spot on with the comments about not playing small ball, especially considering their recent stretch of not hitting or scoring runs, although even I was surprised to find out they rank pretty high in stolen base attempts. But Boone’s postgame comments are more of him being a talking puppet for Brian Cashman/Hal Steinbrenner than anything else. Of course, not calling it as he sees it — the old baseball adage. It’s more of him not calling out high-priced players, keeping fans happy and putting butts in seats. Boy, you think Billy Martin would be so political in today’s game? Frank Raffo
Missed tick
Oak Ridge, N.J.: To Voicer Don Adler: You obviously forgot “obviously,” but well-played! Jim Heimbuch
Train dangers
New Rochelle, N.Y.: The two most senseless things anyone can do in the subway system are climb onto the top of a moving train or descend to the tracks. Over the past week, we have seen a teen killed by falling while “subway surfing” and a young woman fatally struck by an L train as she attempted to scramble back up onto the platform after relieving herself on the tracks. The subway is dangerous enough without inviting disaster. There is only so much the MTA can do to protect riders if they do not follow common-sense rules that require them to stay off the roadbed and ride inside cars. However, systems exist that would have alerted the L train operator that there was a person on the trackbed. Had Track Intrusion Technology been deployed, the train operator may have been able to apply the brakes in time to save a life. Charles Seaton
Caved to industry
Brooklyn: Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie sent a clear message: the chemical industry calls the shots. Despite strong support and passage in the state Senate, a bill to reduce plastic packaging waste didn’t pass in the Assembly — because Heastie refused to allow a vote. Why? Corporate lobbyists flooded Albany in opposition. The result: a common-sense, cost-saving bill to cut plastic pollution and protect public health was killed in the final hours of the legislative session. Taxpayers lose, our environment suffers and Heastie sides with industry interests over New Yorkers. We deserve leadership that puts people and the planet before polluters. Eric Weltman
Healthy fear
Manhattan: 50 years of “Jaws”! It’s unbelievable that people are still putting their bodies in oceans after that movie. A person didn’t have to sit through the whole film, maybe just the first six or seven minutes. After the performance that young woman put on at the opening, why she didn’t win an Academy Award — criminal. She personally told me not to ever set foot in any ocean ever again, and I never have. After that performance, I believe she saved a lot of limbs and lives. Raymond McEaddy
