Latest news with #Editorial
New York Post
a day ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Lawmakers' victim apathy and more: Letters to the Editor — June 8, 2025
Focus on victims My heart goes out to Theresa Bliss, whose son was brutally murdered ('Stop Ignoring Victims,' PostOpinion, June 3). Ms. Bliss said it all so well, too: Lawmakers must stop ignoring the families whose children have been senselessly murdered. It is beyond belief that lawmakers go to extremes to support these despicable killers, while disregarding the agony of these devastated and heartbroken families, who will likely never get over their excruciating tragedy. Advertisement It's high time that public officials take a closer look at what they are doing on behalf of these terrible offenders and reach out to and support these families, rather than pander to these criminals. Enough is enough. And prayers to you, Ms. Bliss. I'm so very sorry for your loss. Jeannie McDermott-Weldin, Dumont, NJ Folly of Medicare Re: 'They're Not Cutting Enough' (Editorial, June 4), when I turned 65, I was happy with my private insurance, and had little desire to enroll in Medicare, which, like Medicaid, is financially teetering. Advertisement Yet, I was told that if I didn't enroll in Medicare when I was 65, I would be penalized if I later opted for such coverage. Thus, I reluctantly enrolled in Medicare and purchased a private 'supplemental' plan to cover the gaps in Medicare coverage. I have wondered why the government would coerce persons such as myself to enroll in a financially stressed system when I was more than happy to pay for my private insurance and thus not burden the government. The answer most often given to me is that it was part of a subtle attempt to destroy private health insurance and thus to bring about a 'universal' plan controlled by the government, which people such as Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez openly advocate for. That would be the same government that has gotten us into this precarious position regarding the long-term viability of Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security — plus an unsustainable national debt. Advertisement Edward Hochman, Manhattan ADL's irrelevance As an honorary lifetime member of the Anti-Defamation League's National Commission, I am in strong agreement with the premise of Kathryn Wolf's excellent critique of America's major Jewish organizations ('Mission drift,' PostScript, June 1). I believe that the ADL, for one, has not been fulfilling its original mission from 1913 of fighting antisemitism in the United States. Rather, it engages in costly, sophisticated statistical research, but does not focus enough on education. Advertisement Beyond that, it has concerned itself inappropriately with Israeli politics, thus diminishing its focus on US institutional and university-based antisemitism. The question is: How relevant have the major Jewish organizations been? M.A. Fermaglich, Tenafly, NJ Ernst's fake 'sorry' Sen. Joni Ernst seems to have dug her own grave with a bonkers graveyard 'apology' for her snarky and inappropriate 'we're all going to die' comment at her town hall the day before ('Senator in mock apology,' June 2). In her ersatz mea culpa, she dissed the Tooth Fairy (?) and told us to embrace her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ Ernst has probably given her saner and wiser opponent, Nathan Sage, the inside track in Iowa's next senatorial election. Even the Tooth Fairy might agree with that. Bob Canning, Petaluma, Calif. Want to weigh in on today's stories? Send your thoughts (along with your full name and city of residence) to letters@ Letters are subject to editing for clarity, length, accuracy, and style.
New York Post
17-05-2025
- New York Post
Tisch's war on lawless NYC e-bikers and more: Letters to the Editor — May 18, 2025
Register e-bikes I was pleased to read Commissioner Jessica Tisch's piece about the police cracking down on e-bike riders who disobey traffic laws ('Cracking Down,' PostOpinion, May 15). We don't have enough police to efficiently do this. However, we do have cameras; there is a proposed law, being considered by the City Council, that would make our streets safer. It's Priscilla's Law — named after a woman who was hit and killed by an e-bike. This law would require licensing and registration for all e-bikes, so their owners would be held accountable when caught on camera disobeying traffic laws. Advertisement Melanie Coronetz, Manhattan Don't profile pitties Banning pit bulls and other breeds is not the way to protect the community ('Crack Down on Deadly Dog Owners,' Editorial, May 12). Just because some places enact breed bans does not mean that they are a data-based, effective solution. According to a recent study, breed accounts for only 9% of behavior. Plus, breed identification can be incredibly difficult. A 2015 study by Kimberly Olson measured the ability of shelter staff to correctly identify pit bulls, and then compared those assessments with the dogs' actual DNA results, which revealed that only 36% of the dogs deemed pit bulls were actually pit bulls. Advertisement Enforcing a breed ban would be costly. Financial resources should be directed to things that actually work — mandatory dog licensing, enforced leash laws, more oversight on dog fighting, laws that encourage spaying and neutering and laws that hold people responsible for the actions of their dog. The Post ends its editorial with a sentence that makes more sense than an arbitrary pit-bull ban: 'When pets become a menace, it's the people who need to be held accountable.' The owner of these dogs on the Upper West Side knows they are dangerous. Hopefully someone will step up to prevent such attacks in the future. Advertisement Carly Goteiner, Brooklyn Pushing Powell Bravo to President Trump for continuing to fight for the American people by leaning on Federal Reserve Chairman Jay Powell to lower interest rates ('Cut to the chase,' May 14). The American people just survived four hellish years under a presidential administration whose every decision went against their best interests. Now, Trump has come into office and, like legendary college football coach Howard Schnellenberger, is whipping the economy back into championship form. Advertisement And interest rates for housing and autos — what is commonly referred to as 'the cost of money'— need to be dropped to pre-pandemic levels. Then the US economy will be running on all cylinders, ushering in the Golden Age. It's clear Trump is doing everything in his power to fully maximize America's economic potential. Luana Dunn, Medford Unions for sale It's interesting that the firefighters' union, along with other large unions, are endorsing former Gov. Andrew Cuomo for mayor ('Bravest side with Cuomo,' May 12). Apparently they don't care that he made a terrible decision that contributed to the deaths of thousands of our elderly in nursing homes — and to this day maintains his innocence. Nor do they have a problem regarding the sexual harassment of several women. Just more proof that there are no moral values within union leadership. All that matters is what promises government officials can make to add to their wallets with our tax money. James Loprieno, Northport Want to weigh in on today's stories? Send your thoughts (along with your full name and city of residence) to letters@ Letters are subject to editing for clarity, length, accuracy, and style.
Irish Independent
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Letters: Pope Francis's humane response to refugee crisis was a high point of his pontificate
I admire his humility and tireless commitment to making the world a better place for all, but one occasion in his pontificate really stands out for me. It was his visit shortly after his election to the tiny Italian island of Lampedusa, where, at an altar symbolically made up of a painted boat, he celebrated a mass for the countless people lost at sea in their failed search for refuge or a decent life elsewhere. It set the tone for the remainder of his progressive and enlightened tenure in the Vatican. He spoke out many times on behalf of immigrants and refugees, castigating what he called the 'globalisation of indifference' to their plight. He urged nations to respond to migration in a way that was 'always humane, just and fraternal'. I think of that principled and ethical stance, and I can't but contrast it with images of so-called concerned citizens gathered outside buildings housing vulnerable human beings and hollering slogans such as 'Get them out' or 'Ireland for the Irish'. I think of scenes of bigotry and xenophobia that have played out across Ireland, and I wonder how many of the righteous ones went to mass as followers of the same church over which Francis presided. I wonder how many of them considered, even for a fleeting moment, that their attitude and behaviour might be at odds with their professed religious belief. Not that Francis was the first Christian to take such a stand. I'm not especially religious, but I recall Jesus is quoted as saying: 'Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.' John Fitzgerald, Callan, Co Kilkenny Catholic Church moves slowly, but liberal Francis showed the way forward Pope Francis may be remembered less for the battles he fought than for the battlefield he redrew ('Francis's successor may be the greatest legacy he leaves us' – Editorial, April 23). In appointing the vast majority of the cardinals who will now choose his successor, he quietly prepared the way for a papacy that may one day resolve the very issues he dared to raise: greater inclusion, reform of celibacy and even female priests. ADVERTISEMENT The conclave may yet gift the world its first African or Asian pontiff, or a more liberal successor to continue the delicate work of renewal. The church moves slowly, but Francis nudged it forward with humility, compassion and a sense of direction grounded in mercy. As John Adams, second president of United States, said: 'I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy.' Francis carried the weight of old conflicts so that his successor might be free to build something new. Enda Cullen, Tullysaran Road, Co Armagh Trump diplomatic while Irish petty secularism highlighted lack of tact The Romans used the phrase 'De mortuis nil nisi bonum' – essentially, 'Do not speak ill of the dead'. One was reminded of the appropriateness of this wisdom when listening to some of the comments on the death of Pope Francis. It isn't without irony that Donald Trump, the non-Catholic US president, showed more discretion and diplomacy in his remarks than the Catholic Taoiseach, Micheál Martin. The latter brought up issues that were inappropriate in the circumstances and displayed a distinct lack of tact. The contrast went further. Mr Trump announced that as a mark of respect, all government and state flags would be flying at half-mast. Sadly, it appears that a narrow-minded and petty secularism has become the 'go to' mode for the Irish establishment. Eric Conway, Navan, Co Meath Housing crisis, like most things in politics, hasn't happened by accident Peter Declan O'Halloran calls for an 'urgent approach' to dealing with the housing crisis ('We need the same urgent approach to housing that we had for the pandemic' – Letters, April 21). But this crisis was years in the making and has continued for nearly two decades. It began in the late years of the Celtic Tiger economic boom, around 2007. This was a period when the then government significantly reduced its investment in social housing and shifted the responsibility of providing affordable homes to the private market. This led to the arrival of vulture and cuckoo funds and other speculators whose only concern is increasing the bottom line. The vital social good that is housing was commoditised with the obvious disastrous outcome. Can there really be any doubt at this stage that the crisis is the result of government housing policy? It seems clear that successive governments have been wedded to the policy of maintaining high property values and refused to intervene directly to resolve the problem. Indeed, it seems the failed policies have had two main direct consequences: a few people have become very rich and homelessness has been normalised. I leave Peter Declan with a great quote from former US president Franklin D Roosevelt, made as he grappled with the causes of the Great Depression and how to fix the crisis: 'In politics, nothing happens by accident. If it happens, you can bet it was planned that way.' Jim O'Sullivan, Rathedmond, Co Sligo Ignoring Leitrim's efforts against Mayo was a poor show by 'Sunday Game' It was widely reported that Leitrim failed to field a team against Fermanagh in the league last month, something that greatly troubled many fans. Leitrim's decision received a lot of air time, especially on shows such as RTÉ's The Sunday Game. They were then given very little hope in the Connacht SFC against Mayo on Saturday, but went out and gave them a brilliant game to restore faith in the Leitrim colours. However, on The Sunday Game there was scarcely a sentence uttered about how well Leitrim played. Most of the coverage was about how Mayo played. It's clear analysts have no problem hitting a team when it's down. That's a lot easier than doing the groundwork of examining the statistics in relation to population size in comparison with other counties. Leitrim are routinely overlooked, even when they give a valiant performance. This again demonstrates the regard analysts have for smaller counties.
The Guardian
14-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Fantasy fiction doesn't need reclaiming for women – they already write and read it
I was disappointed to read your view on romantasy fiction (Editorial, 7 February), which seemed to imply that the fantasy genre needed reclaiming for women. This does a huge disservice to the many excellent female fantasy authors – some recent, some around for decades – who have been a mainstay of the genre despite not writing romance or teen fiction. These women do not seem to get the recognition, and readership, that they deserve – despite some, such as NK Jemisin, Ann Leckie, Charlie Jane Anders, RF Kuang or Martha Wells, dominating genre awards. These authors also have to fight the continual misperception that they only write romantic or young adult fiction, which is exactly the fantasy that your article perpetuates. And this also erases all the female fantasy readers who are not (solely) here for the romantasy, and have always been here. While I am glad that romantasy has sparked more interest in fantasy fiction, made the genre more inclusive, and made fantasy publishing more lucrative (though usually for the publishers rather than most authors), perpetuating the myth that the (non-romance) genre is only for boys – and that romance is only for girls – is unfair. Sorry to have to mansplain this to you, but from what I've seen the writers themselves are too tired and appalled at having to continually wage the battle of the sexes to take up arms once more. Dragons are easier to defeat, it LatimerSwindon, Wiltshire Like most genres, romantasy is nothing new. Readers of Anne McCaffrey's Dragonflight (1968) and subsequent Pern novels will immediately recognise the synergy of dragons and sex. Beowulf fans will see this resurgence as a sellout, even dragon-sploitation. But times move on and the sagas once popular with the male warrior class have to make way for the commercially dominant female consumer. Perhaps it's time then to throw off the snobbery that dominates newspaper reviews, especially if editors want to attract new younger and female readers. Critics might be more widely read if they were more fully conversant with achievements in this massively popular genre. After all, the bestselling genres of the past, such as gothic novels, have made it into the canon and serious scholars are discovering literary merits that contemporaries must have WilliamsRyde, Isle of Wight Do you have a photograph you'd like to share with Guardian readers? If so, please click here to upload it. A selection will be published in our Readers' best photographs galleries and in the print edition on Saturdays.
The Guardian
07-02-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
English Heritage and its portfolio are national treasures
To call English Heritage a 'less-glamorous cousin' of the National Trust (Editorial, 3 February) is an insult to the history of heritage protection in England. English Heritage has a portfolio of more than 880 historical places collected by the government from the 1880s to the 1970s to form a national collection of built and archaeological heritage. This amassing of places represents the state's efforts to ensure the protection of the nation's most significant prehistoric and medieval sites, which were often in great disrepair or at threat of demolition. The places managed by English Heritage remain in state ownership, but the charity is responsible for their operation and maintenance. The national museums of the UK look after similar 'national collections' of objects. To do so, they receive grant-in-aid funding from the UK government. To not commit similarly to our collection of prehistoric and medieval sites is dishonourable and Scott Allan OrrUCL Institute for Sustainable Heritage English Heritage is looking at its structure, but we are proud of our in-house expertise and committed to it – under our proposals we will continue to have a large team of curators, historians and conservators. We are certainly not replacing them with managers. To be exact, we will still have 'collection managers' but the 'only' thing they manage is our more than 1m artefacts and we – and everyone from specialist researchers to the public – would be lost without them. These are difficult times for the culture sector as a whole, and we have seen a significant fall in income this year. It would be irresponsible if we did not respond to Nick MerrimanChief executive, English Heritage The proposed cuts and changes to English Heritage sadly are not surprising – the wider landscape is just as concerning. Churches, chapels, meeting houses and cathedrals form a huge part of our nation's tourism offer; 9.35 million people visited English cathedrals in 2023, a 17% increase from 2022, many of them visitors coming from abroad. But these buildings face a huge challenge, with 969 places of worship on Historic England's heritage at risk register – more than 60% of MPs in England have at least one of these buildings in their constituency. The government's recent cuts to the listed places of worship grants scheme are devastating for churches: any major work is bound to cost more than the government's new cap. It's overwhelmingly local people who need to find the money to replace the roof or repair the stonework, and they will now have to find 20% extra to pay VAT on top of everything else. If we want to save our nation's heritage, and keep tourists coming, the government must come up with a plan to see these buildings properly funded, so they will be there for future RutnamChair, National Churches Trust Have an opinion on anything you've read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.
