We all need to change to fight climate change
Manhattan: The repeating heat waves and heat domes we’ve been enduring and cause New Yorkers to cool off with open fire hydrants should inspire us to take on the “right mindset” described by emergency management professional Kelly McKinney (“Always being ready for a new emergency,” op-ed, July 28).
Our emergency is the mounting climate breakdown that’s already upon us. The right mindset, according to McKinney, is one that’s “bereft of false hopes,” one that our leaders in Albany fortunately had six years ago when, bereft of false hopes themselves, they passed the Climate Leadership Community Protection Act (CLCPA). Wisely, the act included deadlines for cleaning up our air and bringing down the heat. The deadlines were built into it to prevent future leaders — our current leaders — from bending to the false hopes flashed at them by the fossil fuel industry and its supporters.
One such hope is that some as-yet-undiscovered and untested technological trick will magically undo the atmospheric damage we are now inflicting on our world. Hopefully, our leaders in Albany, especially Gov. Hochul, state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, will advance the far-sighted wisdom of CLCPA and shut out this kind of false hope.
To help them accomplish this, all of us New Yorkers need to assume McKinney’s emergency manager stance ourselves and encourage our Albany leaders to recall the 2019 mindset they had when they really knew what kind of heat waves and heat domes were coming for us — and acted to prevent them. Lisa Meyer
Codified ageism
Catskill, N.Y.: I am disappointed with Hochul and state Democrats for neglecting numerous opportunities to remove the age limit for hiring police. Particularly, it should have ended the moment Proposition 1 was approved by voters in November. Why did we amend the state Constitution to protect people from discrimination if we’re going to ignore it? Do we plan on treating ethnicity, nationality, disability, sexuality, identity and autonomy with the same disregard? Those are the other supposedly protected categories, and failing to acknowledge one sets a dangerous precedent for all. Additionally, Republican state Sen. George Borrello has been introducing bills to address this problem for years. If politicians cared more about the immediate needs of the public than two-party politics, our majority leader would have expedited his bill for the greater good during this year’s legislative session. Instead, we are still waiting for Hochul to put her own spin on things. John Pinder
Same old stuff
Staten Island: Once again, the MTA and our elected officials are sticking it to the working stiffs who have to drive to work or doctor and hospital visits. Once again, they lie and fudge numbers, saying they only lost $700 million last year because of fare-beaters. Once again, they feel they can add congestion pricing to subsidize the “poor” people who take buses and subways, and 46% of those don’t even pay. Once again, they only increase bus and subway fares 10 cents and drivers get hit with an increase of more than 50 cents to pay for the lowlifes who refuse to pay. And once again, the people of New York will vote for the Democrats who continue to punish drivers. And our unions endorse these same Democrats who continue to stick it to their members. Tony Anastasio
Party in power
Howard Beach: What does a Democrat do for New Yorkers? Let’s see. First they say they need money to fix the transit system, so they create congestion pricing. But now they say they need a 3% fare hike. We thought congestion pricing was going to cover that, right? Keep voting for Democrats, New Yorkers. After all, if you do not have enough money because you’re taxed higher than any state in America, you can find a second job and work weekends! And if mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani gets elected, he will have to raise your taxes to cover all the things he wants to give to New Yorkers, like fewer police and a free ride on buses. Oh, you don’t take NYC transit? Well, you will still have to pay for it. Nick Di Pasquale
Made to kill
Manhattan: The editorial “Guns are the problem” (July 31) emphasizes the continuing horror of unregulated guns of war. The Second Amendment states that the right to own firearms is permitted to those who are members of well-regulated militias — that is, our National Guard and Army Reserves. Who benefits from the ongoing trade in machine guns? The companies that make the guns. Shame on this nation for letting a gun fulfill its purpose on Monday evening — the purpose of killing people quickly. Thank you for your coverage of yet another sad mass shooting murder story. Noah Kaufman
Troubled minds
Brooklyn: Your editorial focused entirely on the gun situation in this country. I agree 100% on all that was stated. Congress needs to do more to get these guns off the streets. However, you failed to mention the dark cloud hanging over us that’s getting bigger each day: mental illness. All of the killings you mention were committed by someone who was mentally ill. In my opinion, this country does not do enough for them. You can’t just prescribe a pill and put these people back on the street. How many more innocent people have to die because of someone being allowed to walk the streets who is mentally challenged? John De Angelo
Left defenseless
Brooklyn: A person senselessly killed four people in the Park Ave. building, including a brave NYPD officer trying to make an extra dollar to support his family. These people basically had no chance against a semi-automatic rifle. Politicians here say tougher gun laws are needed, yet this one was from Las Vegas. Our mayor and governor have made it almost impossible for hard-working citizens of the city to protect themselves against mentally disturbed people or violent criminals on the streets of NYC, or even on mass transit. Conceal-and-carry laws do not allow firearms in many places in the city, which is disturbing at this time. The Supreme Court allowed conceal-and-carry in NYC and a few other states a few years back, but because of restrictions put in place and numerous steps to acquire a permit, people who can pass a background check are unable to defend themselves or loved ones. Joseph Comperchio
Keep out
Staten Island: Most commercial buildings in Manhattan, if not all, have a concierge/security desk in the lobby where you have to swipe your employee card to get access to the elevator banks. I would suggest having the card swipe outside of the building to not allow anyone else access. For issues of deliveries and expected visitors/guests, I’m sure that could all be worked out with some strategic planning. Myra B. Goodman
Busted narrative
Manhattan: Will someone please tell ICE Barbie and her thugs that most immigrants, like Didarul Islam, are good people (“Relatives of slain officer had planned gathering, now they plan funeral,” July 31)? He died doing what he loved. He died serving others. Why have there been no comments from Kristi Noem? I’ll tell you why. Because she knows she is wrong in her view of immigrants. She should go to Alligator Alcatraz. Joie Anderson
Sins of silence
Gotland, Sweden: Consider this an urgent SOS! Where are former leaders, like Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, as the deranged President Trump continually violates his oath of office and all standards of decency and humanity? Where are former leaders of the first Trump presidency, like Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, FBI head James Comey and many other rejects who Trump 45 threw under the wheels of his bus? America needs to hear from them — now! We join the host of loyal Americans who are dismayed at the senseless sounds of silence from former leaders whose voices, pens and computers absolutely need to be raised at this time of gross abuses of power and endless violations of common humanity and decency, leading to national and world peril. The need is great, and time is short! Eugene and Birgit Elander
Refocused
Hammonton, N.J.: Amazing article by S.E. Cupp (“The Democratic Party has to grow up & go young,” column, July 31). Zero mention of Trump. I didn’t think she was able to do that. William Cook
