We need to parse causes of university turmoil
Bronx: There are two distinct issues around the college controversies: one regarding nonprofit status, the other regarding foreign students, freedom of speech, etc.
With regards to the first, tax exemptions should be limited to immediate academic criteria. For example, on Fort Washington Ave. and 165th St., one can see four walkways connecting two Columbia University buildings, which save staff from going downstairs and crossing the street like the rest of us, and even spare them from taking the elevator to a different floor to use an overpass. The only discernible reason to build four overpass walkways is that the expense prevented Columbia from showing a profit. This kind of thing needs tax law revision.
As to the second, the news media, including the Daily News, fails to call attention to the fact that NYU is being left alone and to make the connection that Barron Trump is there, and to investigate whether Trump University admitted foreign students when it existed. If this administration were Democratic, the right-wing media would be all over it. This is one reason Democrats lose elections. The wish to be above the fray discounts the fray’s votes, and that the fray understands that Hunter was Joe Biden’s son and that that mattered and affected their votes. They don’t understand many issues, but they could presumably understand that Barron is Trump’s son and that’s why NYU gets a pass. The News gave coverage to Biden’s laptop. What about Barron’s elite pro-Palestinian school being free of turmoil? And what did Trump do when it was his very own school — before it was closed down for fraud? Lauren Shapiro
In his mold
Keyport, N.J.: To Voicer Frank Congiusta: Calling Trump Hitler doesn’t refer to him hating the Jewish people. It refers to his tactics and methods, like telling the biggest, most outrageous lies so that everyone looks to those while he carries out the real agenda. “I will end the Ukraine/Russia war in one day,” “I will bring down prices,” and don’t forget about that swamp cleanup in Washington. I guess you clean the swamp by placing the swamp creatures in your cabinet. All the while, he is gutting our government and making a mockery of the U.S., as it is being run by a convict. Hmm, much like Hitler there, too (true, Hitler was only convicted of treason, not 34 counts of falsifying business records and paying hush money to a porn star). Joe Napolitano
Inefficiently executed
Itasca, Ill.: Perhaps the cruelest political jab of all time was “Nobody drowned at Watergate.” The quote references a 1969 car crash involving former Sen. Edward Kennedy and Mary Jo Kopechne. Kennedy was driving Kopechne home after a party and veered off a bridge, landing upside down in the water below. Kopechne, a secretary and Kennedy campaign worker, died in the Chappaquiddick Peninsula crash while Kennedy survived. CNN’s Jake Tapper and Axios journalist Alex Thompson’s book “Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again” is bad news for Democrats. It would have been even without a 50-plus-year-old tragedy to compare it to. Biden’s mental decline didn’t kill anyone. Yeah, but Hillary Clinton’s Benghazi mess did. It’s not that Democrats have finally matched the current administration’s adrenaline-fueled knack for chaos. Rather, they’re just not as good at it. Jim Newton
Front-page diss
Manhattan: The coverage by your Sunday front page and sports writers is disgraceful and despicable (“Deep-sixed,” June 1). This is our home team that has taken us the closest to the NBA Finals since 1994. You should be ashamed of the headline on your front page. Francine Schwartz
Slow going
Scarsdale, N.Y.: Hey Mike Lupica, you’re right, the Yankees did have a better record a year ago with Juan Soto on the team. He was batting .311, I believe. This year at the same time, he’s batting .231 with the Mets. The one thing that’s the same with Soto this year is how long it takes him to go into his home run trot. There’s just not as many. John Kern
Deter and prevent
Yorktown Heights, N.Y.: Thank you for “NYC’s garbage fix is making problems” (op-ed, May 31). I agree with author Peter Madonia that funding should be provided for trash containers. It would be great to see contained trash instead of rubbish and garbage bags lining streets, a massive invitation for rodents. For many reasons, maximum cleanliness is ideal. It deters rodents. Other deterrents include sealing holes, mint sprays and pouches, ultrasonic plug-in devices and raised, sealed bins. Glue traps are the worst. If traps are necessary, more humane ones exist. Social media is filled with examples of rodents, birds and other animals who were tortured to death by glue traps. That type of suffering should never be inflicted upon animals, especially when we have so many options for rodent management and when, so often, our actions are responsible for rodents appearing. James Scotto
Nothing’s free
Port Jefferson Station, L.I.: Re Zohran Mamdani: Puhleeze! New Yorkers, do not vote for another pie-in-the-sky guy promising free stuff when you should know by now that there’s no free anything. Back in the 1960s, there was a saying re hitchhiking: “ass, gas, grass or cash, nobody rides for free.” Free buses, free child care, a rent freeze — haven’t you learned by now that this will cost a ton of money that you, the taxpayers, will have to fork over? It all sounds good until you get the bill. Wake up, for Lord’s sake, and dump all the Dems, especially this dude. Bob Cavaliere
Insult to the airwaves
Massapequa, L.I.: I am surprised that the FCC and broadcast stations allowed the distasteful (disgusting) Scott Stringer campaign ad on TV. I hate hearing it, especially during breakfast. He has proved that he has no self-respect, class or common sense. Jean Marie Chiaramonte
Keep it closed
South Orange, N.J.: To those calling for open primaries, I say this: Primaries are to pick the nominee of a political party and should reflect the views of the members of that party. Having independents vote in party primaries would dilute this purpose. Therefore, if you want to vote in a party primary, become a member of the party. It’s not hard to do. As a Democrat, I personally do not want non-Democrats having any say in who my party’s standard-bearers are. Independents can start their own organization and choose their own nominees. Laurence Hirsch
Spectacle of cruelty
Staten Island: To Voicer Peggy W. Larson: I wholeheartedly agree concerning the extreme cruelty of rodeos and why some consider it entertainment when, if the same thing was done to someone’s pet, it would be considered animal cruelty. It’s heartbreaking to see these animals abused in such a cruel manner while people who pay to see this spectacle applaud and laugh at them. It’s very much like the old Roman Colosseum, where patrons cheered for the slaughter of people, especially Christians, who were thrown to the lions to tear up. When something is done on a regular basis, people come to consider it as the norm and will continue to enjoy seeing animals abused. It’s not until someone speaks up and makes others understand how wrong it is to treat living beings this way that it will hopefully stop. Thanks, Peggy, for bringing up this subject. Teresa Russo
Doctors within borders
Staten Island: What happened to the organization Doctors Without Borders? A friend of mine and I were discussing medical issues and the subject of people who can’t get to a doctor’s office due to an inability to walk or stand and being completely bedridden. Why doesn’t Doctors Without Borders set up a service where these doctors could go and make house visits to treat these people? Where is the compassion to help people? There are plenty in this country who can use these doctors. Maybe Doctors Without Borders should think about helping people in this country before they go into other countries. Let us remember that charity begins at home. Jeffrey Van Pelt
