Trump’s military parade dream is all about him
Brick, N.J.: President Trump wants his military parade and wants to change Veterans Day to “Victory Day.” Isn’t that the day chosen and named for veterans? Yes, first “Armistice Day.” He wants to do this to celebrate America’s victories in World Wars I and II. Well, OK, but we did not do it alone. Yet, Trump is not fond of our allies and does not want to admit or understand what they are and have been to us.
But let’s get back to the parade — his big, beautiful parade. He wants to show the world our military. I think the world, and certainly Americans, know what our military is and the equipment we have, and the dedication of our men and women. And I don’t think we have to show our veterans, do we? He wants thousands of troops marching past him. Should we have them goose-step past him like they do in dictator countries? If he could, I bet he would invite Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un.
Who is he fooling? We know why he wants military equipment parading past him and jets flying overhead. Why not instead take time out from golf and go to the veterans’ parades held around the country? Or visit our military bases, here and around the world. You would see everything we have.
But no, you want to act like your dictator buddies. We don’t need the parade you want. We all know what America did in the wars. Our allies know. We don’t need you to prove it. Warren J. Damis
Führer furor
Melville, L.I.: The desecration of American flags with Trump’s name printed on them illustrates the danger we are all in. The world has seen what happens when a large group of people confuse loyalty to a nation with loyalty to a person. We’ve seen this play out in history when, in 1930s Germany, their “savior” was leading a movement to make their country “great again.” Millions of people all over the world suffered, including America’s sons and daughters. For the sake of our children, let’s not make the same mistake again. Dennis Joyce
Warping history
Rockaway, N.J.: The news channels, Democrats and Trump-haters constantly calling Trump Adolf Hitler will make the younger generations think Hitler acted like Trump. They will think Hitler may have deported people who entered Germany. However, he burned Jewish men, women and children in ovens. Remember the lines of people walking into the U.S.A. during the Joe Biden years? That’s what the lines of Jews looked like being sent into ovens to be burned alive. Do we want people to forget that? Those who don’t remember history will repeat it. Michael Ilardi
Unemployable
Rome, N.Y.: What Fortune 500 company would hire the likes of Trump? Let’s look at his track record. From 1991 to 2009, he declared bankruptcy for casinos, hotels and entertainment resorts six times. Trump has historically disparaged women, including former Vice President Kamala Harris, using derogatory epithets and vulgar slurs. Dating back to the 1970s, about two dozen women have accused Trump of sexual misconduct — forcibly reaching under their skirts, kissing them without consent and inappropriately walking into changing rooms of beauty pageant contestants. The Trump Organization was hit with $1.6 million in fines when a New York judge sentenced it for running a 15-year tax fraud scheme. Prosecutors said top executives at the company acted out of pure greed. Trump paid a $25 million settlement to students who said they were duped by him and Trump University, which promised to teach them the “secrets of success” in real estate. Mary Lou Hilow
Diss dodge
Philadelphia: To Voicer Charles T. Compton: Your sophomoric response to my fact-based critique of your misrepresentation of the 2024 election results is expected from a member of the MAGA party. Your childish name-calling, i.e. referring to me as a “querulous, woke loser,” does not alter the fact that I presented only facts to refute your MAGA propaganda about election results. That said, I gladly accept your employing the MAGA catch-all insult “woke.” Since I have never seen anyone from MAGA be able to provide a definition of the word, I will provide one: intelligent with critical thinking ability. The antonym of woke is unwoke, which describes MAGA adherents like you. As far as being a “loser,” I wisely divested all my stocks and securities into cash right before Trump’s inauguration, avoiding the Trump-induced market volatility and losses. Diane Doberman
Help from on high
Staten Island: If Trump can forgive Pete Rose and get him into the Baseball Hall of Fame, can Pope Leo XIV, a Chicago South Sider, get Joe Jackson into it? Marc Gold
His holiness
Greenville, N.C.: Congratulations to Chicago-born former Peru missionary Robert Francis Prevost on becoming the next pope, who is now known as Pope Leo XIV. At 69, he will lead the Roman Catholic Church after the death of Pope Francis on April 21. Prevost will become the 267th occupant of the Throne of Saint Peter and the first American pope. Trump said, “It’s a great honor” that we have the first American pope in history. Pope Leo will join American royalty in history, such as Princess Grace of Monaco, Meghan Markle and her children Archie and Lilibet, Wallis Simpson and Queen Noor of Jordan. And he is the first American-born European ruler in history. Steven Hawkins
City ideology
Lake Ariel, Pa.: It’s been said that the new pope votes in Republican primaries, but the bad part is he still comes from socialist, liberal Chicago. As a lifelong practicing Catholic, I hope he keeps his nose to the Bible and out of our politics and the agendas that a majority of our citizens voted for. If not, maybe we can send 25 million new worshipers to the Vatican. Time will tell. Joseph Beyhl
Ancient aesthetics
Manhattan: You guys still pick the pope in secret? Behind locked doors? In robes? With smoke signals? What is this, a Renaissance escape room? You’ve got a billion Catholics around the world and not one gets a say. Not even a survey? A group chat? “Hey, who do you think should be the next Vicar of Christ?” Nope. Just a bunch of cardinals voting like it’s the Illuminati Book Club. They say the Holy Spirit guides the process. Really? From the outside, it looks like a bunch of career clergy haggling over who’s going to wear the biggest hat. You’d think maybe they’d let the people of God weigh in. You know, the ones actually going to church. And the big reveal? A puff of smoke and a guy in white waving from a balcony. That’s not religion, it’s a Las Vegas magic trick. Mark Alesse
Barrier to entry
Kenilworth, N.J.: On TV on Friday, it was mentioned that tickets to the Knicks-Celtics game would be between $600 and $50,000. Why? What about the young fans who would love to see a game like that in person? Or the working people who don’t even make $600 a week? They buy the T-shirts and cheer their teams on, but are unable to be there in person for the biggest games. I know they can watch it on TV, but let people who live basketball into the big game (by the way, I’m an 82-year-old grandma who just wants young people not to be priced out of things). Carol Savona
Expand coverage
Whitestone: To Voicer Carmen Casas: Kudos! You could not have been more on-target with your letter “Why aren’t women’s sports treated like sports?” The Daily News should be embarrassed that it has not taken any action to provide coverage of women’s sports, as it has been brought to your attention many times before. At least cover metropolitan-area women’s sports! Maybe reduce the size of your jumbo photos and use the space for it. Pat McGlinchey
Rude rumors
Staten Island: I was at the mall and heard some people talking. They thought Elon’s last name was Muskrat, emphasis on “rat,” so he had to change it to Musk. Then I heard one say he thought Elon was maybe Jewish of Ashkenazi origin, emphasizing the “-nazi” and the infamous salute with his arm. A derogatory concept. Andy LaBarca
