Readers sound off on papal politics, the Merchant Marine and bodega panic buttons
Keep pols off the pope, and him out of politics
Astoria: I agree with Cardinal Timothy Dolan that President's Trump's AI image of himself as pope 'wasn't good.' While Trump should not have done this, it is no big deal.
However, why didn't Dolan and others in the American Catholic hierarchy speak out when Pope Francis irresponsibly lashed out and criticized presidential candidate Trump at a pivotal point during the 2016 Republican primary? Returning from a trip to Mexico during which he visited the border, Pope Francis said to reporters on a plane that candidate Trump was 'not Christian' for wanting to build a wall at the border to keep out illegal migrants. The pope's highly publicized statement occurred on Feb. 18, 2016, only two days before the South Carolina Republican primary on Feb. 20, which was a defining primary in the 2016 nominating process, as Ted Cruz had won the Iowa caucuses and Trump had won the New Hampshire primary.
Trump was by no means a sure thing to win in South Carolina, as the Christian evangelical vote there was key and Cruz's father is an evangelical pastor. Statistics later showed that in the previous five South Carolina GOP primaries, only 10% of the voters had been Catholic. It is safe to say that Pope Francis lashing out at Trump drove many voters over to his side and gave him a decisive victory, as many Protestant voters in South Carolina did not want a Catholic pope trying to dictate policy.
Pope Francis' reckless big mouth helped Trump win in 2016. In 2024, Trump was able to win without his help! Kyung Park
Nice one
Bedford, N.Y.: Voicer Gerald Browne's letter is one of the most clever and witty takes on the Kentucky Derby and Trump's incompetent and ignominious race. Céline Secada
All bad things
Richmond Hill: To Voicer JoAnn Lee Frank: Yes, Trump does make things happen. He has made steep cuts to child care, disease research, renewable energy and peacekeeping abroad. He has cut staff at the IRS, Social Security Administration (causing offices to close and an inability to reach anyone), Health and Human Services, CDC, National Institutes of Health and the Department of Education. He also wants to stop all funding for PBS and NPR, and even universities that don't agree with his policies. This is blackmail. He also feels the right to punish people and institutions he disfavors. Do you actually feel these are good things for the citizens of the U.S.? Also, please don't refer to those who do not agree with you or the president as 'left-wing radical Democrats.' We are a country of free people who care about freedoms of speech and democracy. Not radical at all. Ene Kelly
Infantile interpreter
Boynton Beach, Fla.: Fortunately for me, I have a 3-year-old grandson who is able to translate Trump's answers into coherent, understandable language. My grandson David was particularly insightful in explaining what Trump was talking about when he was asked questions about Alcatraz. William T. Bredin
More than welcome
Brooklyn: Personally, I think it would be fantastic if Canada became our 51st state. Canada is just what America needs! Imagine: An extra 35 million voters who believe in affordable health care, who care about preserving their environment and who believe in stronger gun control! Canada, please join our country! Robert Gomez
Call of duty
Shaftsbury, Vt.: Trump has called veterans suckers and losers. So, will he honor these veterans who died in battle in World War II today (VE Day) and Memorial Day? As president, he has a duty to honor our vets and our allies, does he not? If he fails to do so, it will be another black eye for us all. He may just have to get up off his Republican rear end and get to work. Is playing golf more important? We can understand why he was 1-Y during the Vietnam War. His bone spurs made him exempt from the draft unless in times of war. Well, Vietnam was a war, right? So, what happened? Trump 'got really lucky' and was never drafted. Does that make vets like myself and thousands of others suckers and losers? This kind of thinking is not presidential. Tom King
Setting sail
Londonderry, N.H.: Trump plans to revive the U.S. maritime shipbuilding industry, including levying tariffs and fees on Chinese ships entering American ports. Now Congress must pass the SHIPS Act, which will increase our shipbuilding capacity and hopefully the size of our Merchant Marine. It could also provide economies of scale and expertise to rebuild our Navy. Since World War II, the U.S. has had a steady decline in U.S.-flagged merchant ships from about 50% of the world's cargo shipping to about 1% today. The Merchant Marine has fewer than 10,000 mariners compared to 50,000 in 1960. Our Navy is hard-pressed to find commercial ships to support its operations. Approximately 90% of the world's goods are transported by ships. We must increase U.S.-flagged ships to compete with China and other countries, and for our national security. Donald Moskowitz
Overstated overwhelm
Philadelphia: To Voicer Charles T. Compton: You promote another Trump election lie, this time stating, 'Trump was elected overwhelmingly with a decisive mandate' in the 2024 election. Sorry to burst your fact-free bubble, but receiving less than 50% of votes cast — in Trump's case, 49% of votes cast to Harris's 48% — is not by definition an 'overwhelming mandate,' as you and Trump propagandize. If you factor into the equation the number of people who opted to sit the election out, approximately 86 million voters, Trump only received 32% of eligible votes of the entire American electorate. So finally, Mr. Compton and all the other MAGA faithful who adhere to another of many Trump-promoted fallacies, can we put the '2024 overwhelming mandate' lie to rest along with the '2020 stolen election' lie? Diane Doberman
Looks off
Edison, N.J.: Am I the only one who looked at the picture of Mayor Adams and the bodega owners ('Help on way for bodega owners,' May 5) and said, 'Now's there's a photoshopped picture if I ever saw one!' Maybe it's the angle, maybe the paper was weirdly printed, but it sure doesn't look real to me. Diane Diamond
Who shows up?
Whitestone: So now bright light Adams wants to use $1.6 million to buy panic buttons for bodegas. It's fine and good to give a secure outlet to the bodega owners. However, my question to Adams is what good is that gonna do if you don't have the police personnel to respond to the panic button? Wouldn't it be smarter to take the $1.6 million and put more police on the street? Gene O'Brien
Young & wild
Valhalla, N.Y.: Migrant members of Diablos de la 42, an offshoot of the notorious Tren de Aragua street gang, ages 12-19, are committing crimes in groups by surrounding their victims and even attacking police for kicks! They have no remorse and are even taking selfies and pictures of their gang stripes, bragging about them and posting them while under arrest! They have more than 240 arrests between them and are still allowed to run free in NYC! The police catch them, but when ICE comes to check them out to possibly press federal charges and initiate deportation proceedings, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch states, 'The NYPD doesn't aid in civil deportation efforts'! Also, the City Council attempts to delete the database that law enforcement uses to try to control these criminals! What's wrong with this picture!? Michael Grisanti
Soul in a skin suit
Brooklyn: Man is not a physical being with a spirit or soul attached. Man is a spiritual being in a physical body. You are not the captain of your soul. Your soul is the captain of you. Arthur Mazlin
Kill, cleanse and replace
Bronx: It's obvious that Israel is seeking to do in Gaza what the U.S. did with its sea-to-sea Manifest Destiny plan, killing Palestinians like the U.S. did to the indigenous natives to reach the Pacific Ocean — using Hamas as an excuse to murder all who are in the way. Edwin Garcia
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