Letters
Letters

Letters

The terrorists won’t win

On 7 December 1941, American forces on Pearl Harbor were cowardly attacked by the Japanese Imperial Navy. 2,403 military personnel and civilians were murdered by the attack. Some 1,178 were seriously wounded.

We were attacked, and it kicked off WW II. Everyone expected us to retaliate, and we did. To end the war and save what could have been millions of lives of our servicemen and even Japanese, we dropped two nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

The first bomb dropped on Hiroshima on 6 August 1945 killed outright 135,000 people. Two days later, on 9 August 1945, we dropped another bomb on Nagasaki, killing 80,000 people outright.

There were no demonstrations on the streets, no encampments on college campuses, no calls for a moderate response to the Pearl Harbor attack. No nothing.

On 7 Oct. 2023, Hamas terrorists attacked Israel, killing at least 1,200, mostly civilians. There was rape. There were woman forced to watch as the terrorists murdered their children before killing the parents. There was the terrorist who called his mother to exclaim: “I’ve killed Jews. I’m a hero.” There was the incident of a pregnant mother who was eviscerated and had the fetus removed from her womb and killed. There were uncounted atrocities by Hamas.

Israel retaliated. According to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry, some 50,000 have been killed by the IDF. No proof. No bodies lining the streets. No photos of mass funerals and graves. But the account by Hamas is taken at face value.

There are protests crowding streets. Demonstrations on college campuses. There are encampments, all calling Israel a variety of filthy names. A congresswoman posts a map in her office that does not show Israel and she leads the chant of “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” That is a not-too-subtle call for the destruction of Israel.

Where are all the intellectuals? The college professors? They are either absent or partaking in the anti-Israel demonstrations.

Why? Simple, Jews don’t matter.

Some Jewish Columbia University graduates have halted their donations to the school because of the unfettered anti-Semitic demonstrations and the inability or acquiescence of the administration to do anything. The president ultimately joined two other university presidents in resigning in disgrace.

And to quote cartoon character Pogo Possum: “I have seen the enemy and he is us.” To the shame of so many, Jews joined the anti-Israel demonstrations calling Israel an apartheid state. The only democracy in the region. The only nation that sits Arabs in its national governing body. The only nation there that provides security for mosques while synagogues are non-existent in Arab nations. The only nation that has Arabs in its military. Volunteers, not inductees.

The United Nations, as some call the building “The largest tombstone in the world,” only finds its voice for numerous condemnations of Israel while rocket attacks continue to rain down on the country. Now demonstrators are out in full force against Israel for its retaliation against Hezbollah.

They decry civilian deaths but never mention that Hamas and Hezbollah set up their headquarters next to civilian homes. Not a word about the miles of tunnels used by terrorists. Not a sound about rockets and weaponry being hidden in homes, hospitals and other civilian areas. Not a damned sound.

We have survived for more than five millennia and these terrorists will never win.

Bob Nesoff
New Milford

Considering the ‘policies of a man without conscience’

I have read a few letters (including from Steve Gross and Steven Starkman) that are tangentially related to my opinion piece on the convergence of politics and religion. There is a startling absence of cogency in asserting that although Trump may be an unprincipled character, he must be supported for his loyalty to Israel.

If we indulge the (highly problematic) presumption that Trump’s Israel policy is superior to the opposition’s, still it confounds logic to suggest that an unstable, emotionally barbaric, and intellectually primitive man can be relied upon to implement that policy.

The notion of qualifying the opinions of a convicted felon, a serial molester, an insurrectionist, and an inveterate liar is infantile.

Trump’s mean-spirited self-interest is different in kind from others who cross vague lines of civilized conduct. He is emblematic of an extreme indecency that corrodes the uniqueness of our shared humanity. I dare say that to suggest otherwise is to be blind to intractable facts.

The documented record of Donald Trump’s stunted humanity is alone determinative of whether any of his policies have any heft or reliability, let alone longevity. Even the most noble policies promulgated by a poisoned soul are unworthy of consideration. The point is this. The policies of a man without conscience and devoid of moral compunction do not warrant discussion, let alone valuation.

Jack Nelson
Fort Lee

Character matters

The typical defense of Donald Trump by government officials and all supporters starts with “I know President Trump is a flawed character, but Kamala Harris, Joe Biden and the Democrats…” and then the list starts. Essentially the word “flawed” is used to indicate some minor issues, not very relevant, and not something to be concerned about. It is a necessary acknowledgment by them of some flaws to avoid any discussion of his character. The point they make is that “character” is not really important for the President of the United States.

“Flawed” is defined by Webster’s dictionary as imperfect, damaged and blemished.

So is it appropriate for someone who does the following:

Lies publicly even about proven facts.

Insults publicly and threatens individuals and groups without regard to the physical dangers he causes to them.

Has no empathy towards individuals and groups.

Never apologizes even if proven wrong, in fact doubles down on his insults.

Spreads lies strictly to divide people and to cause antagonism.

Publicly encourages his followers to actively threaten his adversaries?

These are not trivial issues when that person has a megaphone that can reach the entire country. We have to ask ourselves if we want this kind of person to lead our country, to be the leader that our children look up to, to represent us to other countries? Not me. I have never heard in any previous presidential elections either party indicate a “flawed” character is its candidate!

Character is important. It is not trivial for a President. We may not completely agree with policies of either candidate, but we want someone who will react properly with empathy when some sudden emergency occurs.

Gabe Schlisser
Englewood

Trump Derangement Syndrome

Your letter writers’ Trump Derangement Syndrome was on full display last week. The first writer claimed Trump started a blood libel against Haitians by saying that they were killing pets. According to a 2018 State Department report on Haitian religious freedom, “according to societal leaders, an estimated 50 to 80 percent of the population practices some form of Vodou (voodoo), often blended with elements of other religions.” Animal sacrifice is central to voodoo. It is therefore almost certain that a large percentage of Haitians flown into this country by the Biden/Harris administration are voodoo practitioners who sacrifice various animals.

The third letter writer claimed that we are better off now than under Trump. Tell that to the countless men, women and children who have been murdered, raped and assaulted by illegal aliens that Biden/Harris let into the U.S.; 425,000 illegals with criminal convictions were knowingly allowed to enter the country. Please explain to me how that is not treasonous.

Michael Milchen
New Milford

Trump has ‘record of accomplishments’

Allow me to correct one of your respondents to my recent letter, for she misquoted me in attributing the phrase, “flawed character” regarding former President Trump. I said he was a “flawed candidate,” and stand by that attribution. You should have caught that error and corrected it for your readers.

Insofar as Mr. Trump’s character is concerned, here is a history lesson:  In 1955 many Eastern European Jews immigrated to the U.S, and settled in Brooklyn.  They started a synagogue in Beachaven in a garage which they quickly outgrew.  When they contacted the landlord with a proposal to build a new structure, the landlord sold them the garage for $10. That landlord was Donald Trump’s father, Fred Trump, who also offered to help them build a fine brick synagogue for the community. Today in the Beachaven Jewish Center there is a simple plaque there which reads: “Fred Trump, Philanthropist.”  His son, Donald repeated a similar gesture for the Jewish people some 65 years later when he built the American Embassy in Jerusalem. Is that not character?

When the anniversary of the horrible withdrawal from Afganistan took place recently, President Trump joined the mourning Gold Star families and has sought to console them many times since the debacle. Where was Kamala Harris? Did she even think to phone a single family member on that auspicious day?  What does that say about Kamala’s character? When the Al Smith Dinner takes place on October 17th, who has declined to attend, insulting Catholics and playing to the Hamas wing of her party?  What does that say about her character?

All the rants about saving Democracy ring so hollow to any informed voter because Donald Trump has a record of accomplishments while Kamala Harris has none. She was a terribly unpopular VP who the Democrats were trying to take off the ticket last year, and now she asks Americans to give her a promotion after doing absolutely nothing for the country, unless fueling inflation counts as an accomplishment.

The misquoting writer to your paper summed it up with ignorant simplicity. She said, “This is a choice of (sic) good and evil.”  But under Trump women and children were not being trafficked at our border; Iran was broke; Ukraine was at peace; and alas, so was Israel. Think of how many have died in war thanks to the Harris-Biden policies.  So who does she think is “good”, and who does she think is “evil”?  To the other critic of my position I say, the entire world was better off four years ago despite your lies and wild imagination.  I also hope the boogieman doesn’t catch you.

Let’s admit it, Kamala is not up to the job —not even close.

Steven Starkman
Englewood

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