A mayor should run the city, not be hobnobbing
Manhattan: Re “Mamdani snubs Archbishop Hicks” (editorial, Feb. 9): I don’t know if Mayor Mamdani had a reason for not attending the investiture of the new Catholic archbishop of New York, Ronald Hicks, but I can think of a good one: separation of church and state. I wish all newcomers to New York City well, but genuflecting is for the Catholic faithful. Does the mayor need to attend the investiture of every imam or rabbi?
A new archbishop is not, as you state, a significant event for all New Yorkers or all Americans. It’s not a “major milestone” for me, and the archbishop is not the de facto leader of “the American church,” as you put it. He is the de facto leader of the American Catholic church. The mayor certainly did not need to “make amends” for his absence from the investiture by attending the first mass. I don’t know what the annual prayer breakfast at the Main Branch of the New York Public Library is, but as far as I’m concerned, he could have skipped that also.
I agree that the new archbishop’s concern for immigrants is in line with the mayor’s priorities. I’m sure there will be ample opportunities for them to talk in the future. Meanwhile, the archbishop attends to his duties and the mayor attends to his. The Editorial Board should save its righteous indignation for some other topic. Ellen Freilich
Not his place
Ridgewood: Mamdani has every right to be a non-participant in all these religious events. He was elected to serve as mayor, and no matter what other mayors have done in the past, he does not need to show loyalty to any of these heavily baggaged ideologies. L. Tuthill
Holier than that
Manhattan: Your editorial chastises Mamdani for not attending the installation of Archbishop Hicks and goes on to demand that he attend the annual Al Smith Dinner to raise funds for the archdiocese. Whew! Not enough for you that the mayor congratulated Hicks and that he’s working with diverse religions throughout NYC? Mamdani would never say so, but I can say as a gay man that it is appalling to me that so many give allegiance and deference to an institution that bars women from its priesthood and condemns gay love. Hicks is a patron of the anti-gay Catholic group “Courage” that tries to get gay Catholics not to enjoy sexual intimacy for their entire lives. That’s way beyond the “rudeness” you accuse the mayor of. It is an attack on our humanity. When will we see your editorial on that? Andy Humm
Strange sights
Massapequa, L.I.: Imagine an alien family that finally reaches Earth after traveling 4 billion light years. Then they see a Bad Bunny video with a frog partying with half-naked girls pole dancing and twerking. The parents lock the ship’s doors, turn the ship around, and on their navigation screen, type “Earth: No intelligent life found.” But is that fair? Maybe these are just racist aliens. Nevertheless, this is actually why aliens never bother to contact us humans. Maybe we can tell them that Sunday’s 2026 Super Bowl halftime is just a glitch in the Western civilization simulation, and our civilization will soon reappear. But they’ll know that even we don’t really believe that! Russell R. Esposito
Not enjoyable
Rockaway Point: What is the fuss about Bad Bunny? He was horrible. Entertainment should have been in English. Regina Mangan
Call off the troops
Manhattan: People are saying no to President Trump and a hard no to his violent siege of American cities in the name of immigration enforcement. Senate Democrats and a couple of Republicans voted with Bernie Sanders to claw back DHS’ ridiculous $75 billion and redirect it to restore Medicaid cuts. That’s a minimal demand. Body cameras don’t guarantee DHS will share evidence, nor would unmasking make ICE agents feel constrained. They are motivated bullies recruited with neo-Nazi memes and given grenade launchers. They have no shame and seek to dominate. Replacing Greg Bovino in his SS-reminiscent outfit with Tom Homan in the Twin Cities is meaningless, as is Trump’s promise to reduce the occupying force there by 700 troops. It’s Twin Cities residents who have to stop protesting as a condition for that. The beatings will continue until morale improves. Trish Anderton
Just cause
Bronx: To Voicer Clyde Kerlew: As any fifth-grader knows, rights come with responsibilities. Anyone who legally carries a firearm has a responsibility to carry it safely and to avoid confrontations or volatile situations. That’s why guns are prohibited in sensitive places like schools and courthouses. No one has the right to interfere with law enforcement conducting lawful operations, especially those carrying guns. Rules of engagement are for military conflicts. If you’re asserting that Alex Pretti was a military combatant involved in armed conflict against the U.S. government, you’re providing justification for agents’ use of deadly force against him and for the invocation of the Insurrection Act. If you’re wondering why ICE is in Minnesota, just ask the families of Laken Riley, Rachel Morin, Jocelyn Nungaray, Sarah Root, Meghan Bos and all who have suffered at the hands of criminal illegal aliens. Charles T. Compton
Slipping support
Brooklyn: To Voicer Gene Ammirata: The reason for so many letters bashing Trump is that he is trashing America, and the majority of Americans are sick of it. And many of his followers are no longer defending him because there’s not much good about what he is doing. I guess you’re still drinking the orange Kool-Aid. Greg Ahl
Name-obsessed
Valley Stream, L.I.: So the Don-father was trying to strong-arm Sen. Chuck Schumer into naming New York’s Penn Station and D.C.’s Dulles Airport after Trump in order to release $16 billion in federal funds to continue New York’s Gateway Tunnel project. Trump is a certified egomaniac. He even wants the new Commanders football stadium named after him. As if Trump adding his name to the John F. Kennedy Center wasn’t enough. I have an idea that may satisfy the orange man’s ego. There must be a landfill that needs a name. How does “The Trump Dump” sound? I think it would be apropos. Vince Sgroi
Deranged deference
Scarsdale, N.Y.: I have to agree with Voicer Bill Barrett that most people with Trump Derangement Syndrome are morons. Where we disagree is which side has it. John Kern
Global cooling
Spotswood, N.J.: Our area has seen temperatures 20 to 30 degrees below normal! It is so cold. We are not alone. From Austria to Japan, temperatures are lower than normal. The world is freezing. Why don’t we hear much about it from the media? Tom Scott
