Trump’s imperialism carries risks for all of us
Toronto: The U.S. military buildup off Iran is just the last in a series of actions taken that would certainly lead other Western and previously allied nations to believe that it is the U.S., not China or Russia, that is the biggest threat to world peace. This conclusion follows military actions, involvement or threats toward Panama, Venezuela, Cuba, Canada, Nigeria, Syria, Iraq and Greenland, all in just the last year.
A new term has been invented for President Trump: the “Donroe Doctrine.” It would serve to see U.S. predominance in the Western Hemisphere, even if it takes military force to achieve it. In addition, Trump is now seeking to assert dominance using military threats outside this home sphere as well, in the Middle East. How will China and its military react to U.S. incursion into its hemisphere? How will Trump’s SOTU address — better called the State of What I Want to Make Me Even Richer and Immortal — stoke the fires of war? What would happen if China seeks not only to extend its influence over Taiwan but also a South American nation — say, Cuba? Remember the Cuban Missile Crisis?
Anything is possible with Trump, unfortunately. Eventually, someone or some nation will aggressively stand up to this bully, and the consequences of doing so could be significant for the entire world. Peter Earle
Not cutting it
Bronx: After watching “The Apprentice” try to act as president, it is clear that he’s delusional. Stephen Markbreit
A blunt instrument
Forest Hills: What a difference a president makes. In 1986, Congress passed and President Ronald Reagan signed the Immigration Reform and Control Act. It amnestied millions of illegal aliens who had been living in the U.S.A. since Jan. 1, 1982, providing a path toward a green card and eventual citizenship. Reagan also authorized $2 billion to the states to cover costs provided to these newly amnestied aliens. He knew that these people (upward of 6 million) were hard workers who did so much for America. Fast-forward to Trump. He’s doing all he can to send every illegal back to their countries — not the criminals he talks about, but hard-working people who help our economy grow. It is a shame. Lawrence Konstan
Take a moral stand
Bronx: When a child is raised in an environment that encourages greed, cheating at any cost and values that go against every social norm, this is what you get. Citizens who live their lives as best as they can muster must not allow this behavior to succeed. Politicians, business institutions and every sector of our communities must say, “No more of this insanity.” Being a part of his forces means you are a soldier in his army. The light shines through. Follow it. Mark Benveniste
Low class
Long Beach, L.I.: The media has sunk to a new all-time low with the ads quoting women saying “F Trump.” There is a new lowlife generation that can’t speak without using vulgar terms. Shame on them. They don’t represent patriotic Americans. They demean our country. Arlene Reilly
Instruction over in-person
Flushing: Re “Zoh: Back to school, kids” (Feb. 24): The mayor and the Department of Education should be more concerned about actually educating students than providing babysitting services! Joseph Gross
Abandoned accountability
Staten Island: It really didn’t land well with me that Patrick Hendry of the Police Benevolent Association is calling for criminal accountability for the participants in the Washington Square Park snowball fight (“A snowball’s chance in hell they’ll agree,” Feb. 26). How does he not see the hypocrisy in his position? How about holding the two cops who let a drunk cop go after a DWI accident instead of calling for charges to be dropped? It’s messaging like this that erodes respect for the police department. The fish stinks from the head, Mr. Hendry! Had those cops who were unnecessarily called joined in the fun after assessing the situation, tossing a few snowballs themselves, I doubt we would be having this problem. Ellen Settanni
Disrespected
Kew Gardens: All the retired cops from other generations, including myself, must have been shaking their heads in disbelief over this snowball incident. While the mayor declared it disrespectful, he saw no reason to respond to this vivid humiliation and disrespect. My guess is he enjoyed it deep down. It fits well with his on-record feelings about the police. As for NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, we applaud her for not caving to the mayor’s misjudgment. Phil Serpico
Thin-skinned blue whine
Copiague, L.I.: When are the common people ever going to learn? You throw snowballs at Redcoats, you get shot where you stand or hunted down and prosecuted afterward. So, let’s be clear. Just in case Mamdani thought he was going to control the NYPD in any way, or that the cops will give him a moment’s peace or allow him a scrap of popularity — the Washington Square Park snowball domestic terrorism incident ought to show him who is who and what is what. All lives matter, but some lives matter more. And police lives, wellbeing and job satisfaction matter most of all because “they risk their lives heroically every day.” And Mamdani is a socialist — sort of. Mitch Kessler
Rate of return
Brooklyn: Facebook is no stranger to deceptive postings by special interests, and I was barely surprised when I saw an ad from “New Yorkers for Better Recycling” on my page that says how a bill in the New York State Legislature would punish consumers and small businesses by raising the deposit from five to 10 cents on bottles and cans and expanding the types of containers that would be covered by the bill. This is just another attempt at shifting responsibility from beverage companies to consumers, who would pay higher taxes to cover the cost of handling waste left by corporations. If the deposit on cans and bottles were increased to 10 cents, recycling would increase drastically and the livelihoods of New Yorkers who roam our neighborhoods collecting containers we’re too lazy to return would rise as well. It’s well past time we allow multi-million-dollar corporations to shift their responsibilities onto taxpayers. Ed Temple
Pressures of fame
Rego Park: If I get a letter published in Voice of the People, I’m drunk with power for a month. I don’t know how celebrities deal with their fame. Robin Williams was swindled a few times. They probably played to his ego or narcissism. Michael Jackson hated so many people, even his own father, that he couldn’t sleep at night. He said the sight of him made him sick to his stomach. Things got so bad for Judy Garland (the original Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz”), she had to please everyone. She started making up stories to tell her psychotherapist. My grandmother from old-world Europe had the wisdom of a Buddha — an enlightened one. She said it’s not natural to be a celebrity. Jeff Rosenblatt
