Rewriting U.S. history insults our true heroes
Fishkill, N.Y.: The United States was not born immaculate! The world of the American Revolution and the creation of our Constitution was an imperfect one, and that generation of courageous and intelligent patriots knew that their experiment with government would always be a battle to create a “more perfect union.” Hovering over them was America’s original sin, slavery, and contrary to President Trump’s interpretation of our history, it was a very big deal. So big, in fact, that it caused the Civil War, leaving a legacy of racial hate and legalized injustice for 100 years afterward. Trump wants us to learn that “slavery was not that bad.” Yes, Don, it was.
Trump’s orders to the Smithsonian for a “content review” of its historical exhibits is code for erasing, whitewashing and changing what he doesn’t want people to know. To him, the problems of Black and Brown Americans are not America’s problems. He has ordered the renaming of U.S. Army posts and forts after Confederate generals once again — all of whom were traitors, and most were slaveholders, too. Trump ordered the governor of Texas, who willingly complied, to gerrymander away five Black-dominated congressional districts to stem the losses in next year’s election. His contempt for African nations is well-known, as is his opinion that protections for Blacks found in the Voting Rights Act are no longer necessary. This is precisely why Texas gerrymandered away those districts.
Trump does not understand that the real heroes, the real patriots in American history, like Frederick Douglass, were those who fought to eliminate evils, and you must acknowledge the evil as evil before you can fight it. Gerald Browne
Stop the bombing
Toronto: On Friday, Trump said he would give Russia and Ukraine two weeks to agree to a meeting. I believe the most useful thing to agree to within a short period is for both sides to cease aerial attacks on civilian populations. Trump should immediately insist on this type of partial ceasefire. Such a measure should be of indefinite duration, i.e. until the end of hostilities. He should threaten serious sanctions if either side refuses to agree to this restriction on their behavior. Even if the two sides were to agree to sit down at the same table, we have no idea how long negotiations would last. They are very far apart in their demands. In the meantime, many civilian lives would be lost. Bruce Couchman
Spin and speculation
Bronx: The Daily News (and every other legitimate print or online media outlet) should save time and money and put their resources to better use than reporting on the Jeffrey Epstein mess. Any information coming from Trump’s DOJ is either a lie or an erasure of the truth, or a “Maxwellian” deal. Why bother to follow a story the White House has rendered impossible to believe? Unless another Deep Throat emerges from the shadows, the Epstein chronicles are simply tales of fiction, best ignored by the press and rational readers. Maria Bonsanti
Out in force
Hartsdale, N.Y.: I’m sorry that Voicer Julio Rivera hasn’t been following the news, because the Episcopal Church has been anything but quiet about crimes against humanity and the illegal ICE activities. The Episcopal Diocese of New York, our bishop, Rev. Matthew F. Heyd, and many of our rectors, including Mother Este Gardner of St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church in White Plains, my church, have been actively marching and protesting these crimes. Perhaps Rivera should refer to recent articles in the Daily News and on local television. I imagine the real question he should have asked is where are the other religious representatives? They should indeed all be actively protesting. Lydia A. Ruth-Gaines
American fascism
Lynbrook, L.I.: On a recent Thursday night, I finished reading “Auschwitz Lullaby” by Mario Escobar, based on a diary found in a Nazi concentration camp. It is a story of how women were treated there. The next day, I opened the Daily News to read the story of 20-year-old Joselyn Chipantiza-Sisalema, detained for 10 days by ICE. Her treatment — lack of enough food, bedding, ability to shower or even brush her teeth — recalls the treatment given to women in Nazi concentration camps. I am 82. I thought we were beyond treating people so inhumanely. Hard-working people just trying to make a better life for themselves and their families are taken by ICE — no trial, just deported or sent to places like the concentration camp in Florida surrounded by alligators. I’ve often heard people question why the German people didn’t speak up and stop Hitler. Why are Americans not speaking up? Barbara Sobey
Undelivered aid
Brooklyn: The Aug. 24 Associated Press article on famine in Gaza omits an extremely important point. 90% of the trucks crossing into Gaza from Israel carrying humanitarian aid are not reaching their destinations as a result of being intercepted and looted by armed gangs and mobs. Why hasn’t the UN sent in a peacekeeping force to ensure that the aid is properly delivered? Lawrence Freedland
Don’t depend
Manhattan: I thoroughly enjoyed the article by Theodore A. Moore (“NYC’s next mayor must aid a Black middle class,” op-ed, Aug. 19). Well-written with excellent data. But it’s not going to happen. We Black folks need to wake up and stop relying on fraudulent politicians to act on our behalf, especially in addressing economic equality. None of them care about us, and we need to think and do independently of the system, which historically has never worked in our best interests. Holding politicians accountable sounds cute, but to think they share our interests is beyond delusional. Omar Branch
Offensive phrase
Forest Hills: When Zohran Mamdani was told repeatedly that “Globalize the Intifada” was an offensive expression to Jews, he took three months to agree not to say it, and only after he needed to win the support of Jewish business leaders. Not once has he said that he now understands the expression is wrong and it encourages acts of antisemitism. He said he won’t repeat this offensive expression anymore, but he never said he condemns it or now understands that it is offensive. He won’t say the expression out loud, however, he still believes it. Jews in NYC are crazy to vote for him. Libby Gurgis
Poor performance
Plainview, L.I.: Watching the way the Mets play today reminds me of the old days when I went to see them at the Polo Grounds before Shea Stadium opened on April 17, 1964, with the Pittsburgh Pirates beating the Mets 4-3, and Casey Stengel as manager from 1962-1965. I would like to give some advice to owner Steven Cohen. By bringing back Yoenis Cespedes, at least he would hit some home runs when needed. In regards to Juan Soto, who is getting paid $765 million over 15 years, it turns out that Mr. Wonderful is not so wonderful. If the Mets keep playing the way they are, the only way I would go see them is if the coupons on the side of Borden’s milk were brought back. Frank Mauceri
Understanding stats
Chester, N.J.: Voicer Phil Antico asks how crime statistics can be down when we still read about “shootings, stabbings, muggings, robberies and/or rapes.” It reminds me of people who doubt climate change because they have seen a snowstorm. It’s like this, Phil: When the Baby Boom generation was born, life expectancy was not much more than 65. Now it is nearly 80. There are still obituaries in the paper, and yeah, they do count those people. David J. Melvin
Legislated problems
Lindenhurst, L.I.: Someone finally noticed that tobacco cigarettes caused cancer for smokers and others, so they logically took steps to control where smoking was allowed, and they spent millions in advertisements to encourage quitting smoking. On the heels of that, the New York State Legislature legalizes marijuana. But per the CDC, marijuana has carcinogens, is addictive (three out of 10 users can develop cannabis use disorder), directly affects brain function — specifically, the parts of the brain responsible for memory, learning, attention, decision-making, coordination, emotions and reaction time — can make the heart beat faster, and raises blood pressure immediately after use. Now they’ve started television ads to encourage addressing addiction treatment. The absolute idiocy of our Legislature is beyond compare. Louise Perrotta
