Two years ago today was Israel’s day of infamy
Newburgh, N.Y.: There were 2,977 victims in the World Trade Center terrorist attack of Sept. 11, 2001. The population of the U.S. at the time was 285 million. In Israel, 1,195 people were murdered in the Hamas/Palestinian terrorist attack on Oct. 7, 2023. At the time, Israel’s population was approximately 10 million people. Using simple math, the U.S. population was 28.5 times the population of Israel when each was attacked.
These numbers can be used to establish a proportional number of victims in each country to the victims in the other. This would provide an understanding of the scale of each attack. In the case of the proportional number of dead in Israel on Oct. 7 compared to the U.S. when 9/11 occurred, you divide the 2,977 dead on 9/11 by 28.5. That number would equal 105 dead Israelis. In the case of the proportional number of dead in the U.S. on 9/11 compared to Israel on Oct. 7, you multiply the 1,195 dead in Israel by 28.5. That would equal 34,047 dead Americans.
Let that number sink in for a moment, then consider if terrorists attacked the U.S. and brutally murdered 34,057 men, women and children. Then add a proportional number for the 220 Israeli hostages kidnapped by Hamas, which would equal 6,770 U.S. hostages.
Israel has a right to wage this war until Hamas is destroyed or surrenders. It is Hamas’ and the Palestinians’ choice to continue this war, not Israel’s. The blood of every death in Gaza is on the hands of Hamas until the war is over. Drew Kartiganer
Preventable tragedies
Brooklyn: Another two kids killed subway surfing. How many more young children must be needlessly killed before something is done to discourage and prevent these needless tragedies? The “eyes in the sky” drones are nice, but certainly, we can do better than this. We have cameras all over the place to deter crime. Subway trains should have cameras and motion detectors on top to prevent reckless kids from engaging in this dangerous and deadly activity. J.S. Madero
Leadership letdown
Manhattan: Mayor Adams is an embarrassment to American Descendants of Slavery and our Civil Rights Movement history. Our people marched and were beaten, jailed and died so ADOS (specifically) could have a seat at the table and be in positions of power to inspire and uplift us, the most disenfranchised and economically bottom caste of our city. He failed miserably at that task by ignoring our specific concerns and needs. While he may not be corrupt, he surrounded himself with those who were or who gave the perception of being corrupt. As an ADOS/Black mayor, Adams should have known the media would not give him any grace and would do all they could to make what happened happen — his dropping out of the race. He did this to himself and harmed his ADOS people in NYC politics in the future. Heyward Johnson Jr.
Important candidate
Brooklyn: It seems unbelievable that people are calling for Curtis Sliwa to drop out of the mayoral race. He is a major party candidate and has every right to be on the ballot. L. Veneroni
Waste & corruption
Manhattan: Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries are fighting for Americans by standing up to an appalling scenario — unelected radicals and billionaires tearing up our government and shutting down essential services. While pretending he didn’t know what Project 2025 was, Donald Trump started acting like a king from the minute he reentered office and tapped Elon Musk to shut down federal agencies, firing masses of apolitical federal workers who work to keep us safe and the country running. He froze billions of dollars of Congress-appropriated funding he didn’t like. Now, unelected Russell Vought, an author of Project 2025, is taking over the butchering of our rights. Between him and Stephen Miller, the deportation guru, Trump has a blank check he’s writing to federal agents grabbing families out of an apartment building in Chicago in the night, zip-tying their children to send them to foster care on our tax dime. Madrid Poultney
Insurance equality
Massapequa, L.I.: To end the government shutdown, do away with all health insurance and all medical plans, and then give every American the same medical coverage the representatives and senators have. Or take away the plans representatives and senators enjoy and let them go find their own insurance. Why should they have a different plan than American citizens have? We are all equal. Ron Boehning
Money talks
Staten Island: I agree with Voicer Ilsa Ruthen. My first thought also was to withhold a similar amount of state and city taxes owed to the federal government until we receive the funds that were already approved. Money talks, and if this is the only way we can get the government to play ball with us, I think it’s a good idea. Lynn Fodor
Dishonorable mentions
Bronx: To Voicer Robert Brennan: Regarding the avoidance of going to war by “lefty” Democrats, you may be partially correct, but they didn’t become president and then berate our military men and women by calling them suckers and losers. He also said regarding Sen. John McCain, “He’s not a war hero. He’s a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured.” Lydia Milnar
Pro-war, anti-service
Tomkins Cove, N.Y.: Voicer Robert Brennan was correct. Many Democrats and their children did use every option available to avoid the draft during Vietnam, including going to Canada. They also were largely against the war. Donnie, however, was in favor of our presence in Southeast Asia. When his deferment lapsed after graduating from university, he quickly visited a doctor in one of his father’s buildings in Queens to concoct a bone spur condition to avoid service. Years later, when asked which heel was afflicted, he said he couldn’t remember. He could have said left, right or both. He couldn’t remember the thing that saved him from serving. We know he lies like a rug, yet here he chose not to lie when it was virtually impossible to challenge him. Big difference from the Democrats you criticize in your letter. Doug Slotolowicz
Turn the other cheek
Melville, L.I.: In today’s political climate, Jesus would be called a woke, liberal, progressive communist. Just something to consider. Dennis Joyce
Climate is life
Manhattan: I’ve been asked whether I’m one of those gloom-and-doom, “apocalyptic” climate defenders. I’ve answered, “Yes, I am!” But today, I suggest we focus on the sparkling fall weather we’ve been having since late August. Temperatures topping out in the high 70s and low 80s. Bright skies. Fresh, cool and usually clean air. People smiling and laughing on the sidewalks. Makes you want to go outside, inhale and do some smiling yourself. This is what fighting for the climate is all about. Yes, there is an apocalyptic possibility on the horizon — if we keep fueling ourselves with yesterday’s obsolete solids, liquids and gases. But the “fight” for climate (such as prodding Gov. Hochul to scrap her support for the new, three-times-rejected methane pipeline) is the fight for those sidewalk smiles, for that sense that we’re all alive and breathing happily. That’s not apocalyptic, that’s our fight for life. Rachel Makleff
Not performing
Bethlehem, Pa.: Let me get this straight. Sandy Brondello gets fired a year after coaching the N.Y. Liberty to a championship, Tom Thibodeau gets fired after having the Knicks play their best basketball in 20 years, even Bob McAdoo won 11 games and was let go, yet Carlos Mendoza and Brian Daboll still have jobs the Mets and Giants. Steve Cohen should forget about casinos and beg Wally Backman to manage the Mets, and Tim Mara should rescue Bill Belichick’s career to coach the Giants immediately. Wayne O’Connor
Cut short
White Plains, N.Y.: Although Voicer Jeff Tuck found Cam Schlittler pitching the Wild Card eighth inning beyond exciting, I found it most disappointing that Schlittler wasn’t allowed to pitch the ninth. Just three more outs would have given the rookie pitcher a complete shutout game. Those bragging rights would have been beyond exciting! Randi Bernstein Feigenbaum
