A mother’s pain never fades and demands justice
Brooklyn: I am a grieving mother still seeking justice for my son, Kenneth Casilla, who was brutally murdered on March 23, 2013. It has been 12 years since my son was kidnapped and executed in a premeditated murder. The people responsible continue to live freely, some in Brooklyn and others in Miami, while I carry the weight of this tragedy every day.
I have fought tirelessly to bring my son’s story to light, but I have faced roadblocks. I was even told my son was “just another Black kid who had no business in Miami.” The system has failed my son, but I refuse to stay silent. Kenneth sent a message out in a chat. He was shot in the head and a picture of him dead was sent to that chat right after. Kenneth was more than a statistic. He was an amazing young man with his whole future ahead of him.
In my son’s memory, I have dedicated my life to anti-gun advocacy through my organization, Not Another Child. I named a street after him so his name will never be erased. His ashes have traveled the world, and he is honored in the Gun Violence Memorial Museum — because his life had meaning. But honoring his memory is not enough. I need those responsible to be held accountable.
I am asking for help in telling Kenneth’s story. I need media coverage, legal action and public attention. I need people to know that a mother is still fighting 12 years later because justice has yet to be served. Yvette Ramos
Wasted wallflowers
Kew Gardens: The MTA pilot project (” ‘Leaning bars’ in, benches out at Village stop,” March 18), which I call “don’t sit, just lean,” is a veritable joke. This brainchild is obviously aimed at preventing the homeless from using the benches as beds, which have otherwise been used to seat people who are waiting for frequently late trains, not to mention the elderly and people with disabilities. If the MTA wants to make physical changes, the focus needs to be on fair entry points where the turnstiles are being used as hurdles for nimble fare-beaters, resulting in millions of dollars of lost revenue. The MTA should pursue an open-call design competition to prevent this annual loss. Phil Serpico
Evacuees
Newark: On Saturday, Qamar, a 7-year-old girl from Gaza, arrived at Newark Liberty International Airport to begin her medical treatment journey in the United States. Qamar is the first injured youth from Gaza to be brought to New Jersey through the efforts of HEAL Palestine, an American nonprofit humanitarian organization dedicated to providing medical assistance and relief to those in need. Qamar and her family were living in Gaza when their home was bombed in December 2023. The attack tragically took the life of her 14-year-old cousin and left Qamar with severe injuries resulting in the amputation of her right leg. Her 5-year-old sister sustained head and eye injuries, while their mother suffered burns and traumatic scars. They were able to receive care. Qamar is in the U.S with her mother and brother to receive treatment due to the severity of her injuries. Steve Sosebee
Pariah status
Brooklyn: Harry Siegal (“Mahmoud Khalil’s free speech rights to be wrong,” column, March 16) complains about anti-Zionist protesters such as Khalil who denounce Israel as a “pariah state.” I beg to differ, and give him the words of Palestinian writer Adania Shibli, who states: ”Since 1948, hundreds of Palestinian villages have been destroyed and their populations expelled, a few turned into landfills serving Israeli urban areas, with hundreds of trees uprooted and crop fields drenched with sewage water, leading them to become wastelands.” Any regime capable of doing that should be branded a pariah state. Siegal goes on to rail about the tactics of protesters, which in my view are small potatoes compared to Israel’s transgressions. Under President Trump, the Zionist influence is now threatening free speech. Apparently, the pariah state just keeps doing pariah things. Nick Smith
Rest in controversy
Camden, N.J.: Re “Even those buried in Arlington not safe from attack on DEI” (March 15): As someone who has an extended family member reburied at Arlington National Cemetery, I question Trump’s obstruction of the purpose of diversity, equity and inclusion. Yes, in the past, I did hear Trump’s remarks stating one America for all. And, as an African-American, I somewhat agree with that statement. In America’s past, minorities sustained such discrimination that many presidents before Trump were keenly aware, prompting the start of DEI, even in the military. At one time in American history, minorities were not permitted to engage in combat. Wayne E. Williams
DOGE’d support
Suffern, N.Y.: In Wyoming Rep. Harriet Hageman’s town hall, she supported Elon Musk. Five-hundred constituents booed her and placed her in the “DOGE house.” Rick Sinclair
Geopolitical shift
Cincinnati: Re “Putin must not win his Ukraine war” (editorial, March 15): Trump has long voiced support for those he considers strong leaders and denigrated those he considers weak. He criticizes NATO and, by implication, its leaders, our stalwart allies, while praising Russian President Vladimir Putin, our enemy. He has little use for Taiwan and praises Chinese leader Xi Jinping, its sworn foe. His vice president is all-in with the strongman theory of history, supporting the idea that peace in Ukraine in the early innings should be forged without Ukraine’s president and without declared security guarantees. The only political opposition from his own party is sotto voce. Democratic Party criticism is loud, but its significance is dulled because of unhinged behavior recently. And so it goes as the old world order gets a new look. Paul Bloustein
Late state
Sebastian, Fla.: Hey, Diaper Don: What are you going to do if Putin declares the 1867 deal that sold Alaska to the United States null and void, and Russia wants Alaska back and annexes/invades the state? Harold Lichtman
Tariff turncoats
Spotswood, N.J.: It’s unbelievable that any American would support Canada, Europe and Japan having put tariffs on American products for decades. We finally stand up to them and put tariffs on their products and some Americans are complaining. It makes no sense at all. The goal is to get them to remove their tariffs so that it’s an even playing field for America. I support it 100%. Tom Scott
Expect more
Yonkers: To Voicer Michael Rosenkrantz: Please grow up — you and all the other pathetic whiners who detest Trump and his colleagues. Every day, anti-Trump losers, including editorialists, believe that by their published rhetoric the country will suddenly turn against Trump. It won’t. After four years of the most inept, corrupt presidential administration in the history of this country, along with a pathetic excuse for a giggling vice president and a sideshow of appointed freaks, l sincerely doubt that will ever occur. Now Trump will hopefully embark on a crusade of exposing the crooked judges appointed by Barack Obama, the great divider. Strap yourself in, Mike. Four years of Trump, eight years of Vance. Enjoy the ride. Ralph A. Manente
New blood
Hoffman Estates, Ill.: It’s time to start repairing the image of Democrats being effete and feckless. They can start by grooming Sen. Mark Kelly (Arizona) and Rep. Jason Crow (Colorado) as the next Democratic presidential and vice presidential candidates. As a former union man (Local 399) who has a master’s degree in environmental policy and management, I have a toe in both the working class and the intellectual elite. Like most people, I am loosely anchored somewhere in the middle third of the political spectrum. For us in the center, it is imperative that we unseat this prospective dictator and prevent one of his clownish cronies from inheriting his throne. The two men mentioned above are the first step toward retaining a constitutional republic. Jim Arneberg
One of the last
Putnam Valley, N.Y.: I am a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 391. On Thursday, I will be escorting Nils Mockler to Iwo Jima for the 80th anniversary of the battle, which will take place on Saturday. Nils was part of the battle 80 years ago and is 98. He is part of American history, as there are only about seven veterans traveling this year for this special event. John Martinez