Brooklyn Dems can steer their own party
Averill Park, N.Y.: First, let’s be clear that when we speak about last week’s Brooklyn Democratic Party maneuverings, we’re speaking about elections within the structure of a political party, not for an elected government office. Yet, we saw many seasoned politicians inappropriately conflating the two in their comments. Socialists have repeatedly made it clear in public statements that they’re not Democrats, but since they believe they can’t win as a third party, they decided to pose as Democrats, intentionally hijacking the Democratic Party, in this case in Brooklyn.
In their organizing meetings they call themselves socialists and comrades. In Brooklyn party politics, they refer to themselves as Democratic progressives. Unfortunately, other reformers — different from “progressives” — tied themselves to the socialists. I’m concerned about the Democratic Party and its name being stolen from its members by avowed socialists whose political principles are not the same. It’s fraudulent and it’s deceptive.
Last week, we witnessed the party chair exercising her power within the structural process of the Brooklyn Democratic Party. She called a vote according to that process. Why is she being called corrupt when the rules of the party allow this? From my perspective, Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn (photo) has assured greater participation in direct party operations by Democrats who don’t secretly go by another political name.
Cathy Peake
Heartless
Red Bank, N.J.: President Trump is reportedly skipping the 9/11 25th anniversary at the World Trade Center because he wasn’t going to be permitted to speak at the ceremony. He’s showing a lack of moral respect to the families of all those who were murdered on 9/11, and to America itself. He’s refusing to attend this national mourning event because he won’t be allowed to turn what should be an outpouring of sympathy into a political rally! Trump is so involved in self-praise and promotion that he has no regard to the suffering of others. Maybe his initials should be changed from DJT to EGO.
Agnes Clarke
All about him
Manhattan: So our classy president chooses to skip the annual 9/11 ceremony because he was told he couldn’t speak there. Only a horridly self-centered man like Trump would decide it’s more important that he give what will no doubt be one of his typical vainglorious, lie-filled, boast-filled, never-ending speeches at the Pentagon rather than do what every other president has done in the 25 years and help NYC memorialize the worst-ever attack on U.S. soil. Just the latest embarrassment from the worst president in any of our lifetimes.
Michael Udolf
Pathological liar
Great Neck, L.I.: I would like to quote the words of New York City’s late Mayor Ed Koch: “I wouldn’t believe Donald Trump if his tongue were notarized.”
Nadine Feingold
Tower takeover
New Haven, Conn.: In a poll taken of the 263 residents of Trump Tower, 87% of them would like the name of the building changed to Ontario Tower.
Sidney Harris
Not gonna happen
Bronx: The Great Lakes acronym HOMES that generations have been taught in school will never be replaced by “SHAME.”
Lydia Milnar
Bigger money
Sunnyside: To Voicer Robert Brennan: Could it be possible that a person who can see and hear actually wrote that about Trump making money? Right off the bat, it shows that your knowledge is very construed. Trump just reported making $2.4 billion. He’s not making millions, as you say. Big difference between a “b” and an “m.” He is clearly the most corrupt president ever, not to mention that he hasn’t done anything to better this great country at all. The only thing he’s done is make it whiter and make him and his family very, very wealthy. The need to dominate everything says so much about the person he is — the fat draft-dodger that he is.
Daniel McKevitt
Just the facts
Tamarac, Fla.: If more people would ignore descriptive and pejorative terms regarding the president, political opponents, foreign policy, trade, border security, etc., and focus on straight news with factual reporting, there would be a lot less negativity and fewer emotionally charged people out there. We need the who, what, where and when straight talk, not the continuous insulting, biased rhetoric from biased reporters. Politics has turned nasty! Citizens of opposing views have turned against each other, and worst of all, we’re losing the camaraderie of our countrymen. We must rise above the pejoratives and focus on truth and fact only. It’s better for our country and better for us.
Roberta Chaleff
All-encompassing
West Hollywood, Calif.: So, the oceans have become hotter than they’ve ever been (“Earth simmering in hottest water temps on record,” Aug. 25). Whew! At least it’s not the air, which is what’s around me all the time. Wait a minute! The oceans take up more than half the Earth’s surface, and they’re at their warmest ever? They heat the air around me, and more! They heated the air around that huge glacier that collapsed and crashed down in Nepal, causing the deadly flooding (“Nepal floods highlight growing glacier risks in warming Himalayas,” Aug. 27). It’s time we do some crashing down ourselves — on the politicians and fossil fuel barons who have been feeding off of one another and leaving the damages to us.
Halz Carrera
Quite the character
Henderson, Nev.: Re ” ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’ star Tim Curry dies at 80 ” (Aug. 26): In the 1970s, my friends and I loved watching the campy Curry in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” at the Tiffany Theatre in West Hollywood. He was zany, fun, and often dropped one-liners that kept us in stitches! To quote the mad genius: “It’s astounding; time is fleeting.”
David Tulanian
Should’ve been gone
Bronx: It’s no wonder that Tanasha Neal is outraged over the Aug. 25 killing of her brother, Tayvon Shuler, at a Bronx bodega. The alleged gunman, Jesus Acosta, is also wanted for a murder at Brooklyn’s American Best Wings and Pizza 48 hours earlier. The 31-year-old Acosta had previously served time for shooting a man when he was 19. The charges against him included attempted murder, but he was allowed to plea bargain and serve only 10 years for assault and weapons possession. If Acosta had been prosecuted for attempted murder, and if that carried a sentence of life without parole (which it should), two people would be alive today instead of dead.
Richard Warren
Unwilling and able
White Plains, N.Y.: Dr. Jeremy Boal wrote about the Medical Aid in Dying Act (“Medical Aid in Dying Act gives me hope,” op-ed, Aug. 23). He twice mentioned that the terminally ill person must be able to self-administer the medications. I recall reading about another terminally ill patient years ago. She stated that if she was able to take the medication herself, why would she?
Randi Bernstein Feigenbaum