Arab-Americans punished Dem callousness on Gaza
White Rock, British Columbia: As the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, Kamala Harris needed, yet appeared to take for granted, the political support of Arab-, Muslim- and Palestinian-American voters — including those in swing state Michigan — a strongly pro-Palestinian demographic who are sickened by the large-scale slaughter occurring in Palestine.
For the last year or so, the Biden/Harris administration seems to have been saying to the Israeli government: “Here are our best bombs for your unconditional use, per usual; but, for the political and media record, please do not use them against civilians.” Israel’s reply seems to have been, “Duly noted,” while continuing its bloody business as usual.
What was the campaigning Harris’ publicized view of this? Simply, “Israel has the right to defend itself.” In April, when the administration finally called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the timing gave it a strong odor of political expediency for reelection purposes. Since then, there’s been multiple requests for ceasefires by the administration — all as it flagrantly continued to fully arm Israel to do as it deems bloody fit.
A sizable chunk of traditionally Democratic voters — adamantly against and angry about the mass starvation and carnage of Palestinian noncombatants by Israel — credibly threatened to punish the administration through Harris at the ballot box. Judging from their rightful passion and the seriousness of the human crisis involved, it was doubtful that the most adamantly pro-Palestinian and anti-war demonstrators and voters would compromise and sell their souls by politically forgiving the Biden/Harris administration come Election Day for continuing to provide Israel with mass-casualty weaponry. I can not blame that electorate for maintaining their moral stand. Frank Sterle Jr.
Agenda rejection
New Hartford, N.Y.: Re “The bad politics of immigration” (editorial, Nov. 6): It’s editorials like this that got Donald Trump elected! What is it about the word “illegal” that’s difficult to understand? Americans who voted for Trump don’t want millions of illegal immigrants overwhelming neighborhoods, schools and hospitals! They don’t want a war on oil so they can’t afford to fill their gas tanks or buy groceries! They don’t want to defund police with rampant crime and unsafe cities! They don’t want men in girls’ sports, bathrooms and showers! They don’t want critical race theory and gender woke nonsense in their schools and the military! It’s called common sense! Rocco Femia
Sins forgiven
Bronx: In regard to the presidential election, a new president has been elected to lead for four years. This is part of the democracy that the United States offers to all fellow Americans: the right to vote for the candidate of their choice. It has also given us a closer look as to how employment applications should be revised, and those with criminal records seeking employment should be given consideration. Excluding criminal convictions for violent offenses, such as murder, robbery, assault, etc. A person convicted of a nonviolent offense should not be denied employment, as it has been shown that even with a criminal conviction, one can still be eligible to run for the presidency of the United States of America. Arlana Solomon Girven Walker
Clean house
Brooklyn: Trump’s win is a great day for America. He promised to clean up the crooks who are invading our country, which I have no doubt he’ll tend to. But how about the crooks who are already here and have reached the highest echelons of our government? The people who knowingly and falsely accused Trump of crimes, like the Russian collusion, will be brought to justice? Are they above the law? Certainly not. Are their moral values any better than the crooks coming across the border? It doesn’t seem so. Trump must have the Department of Justice prosecute the high-level officials and FBI personnel who knowingly and willingly broke the law. Josh Greenberger
Doomed by dumb
Monroe Township, N.J.: How can there be so many ignorant people in America? We’re doomed! Lorri Thompson
Stuck in a binary
Bronx: I have maintained that the United States will elect a Black, Muslim or Jewish candidate for president before a woman from either the Democratic or Republican parties. Regrettably, this prediction has proven accurate once more. The two-party system has become increasingly discouraging for many citizens. Consequently, the ruling elite over the past two decades have devised a strategy to prevent this. They have established a two-party media system, characterized by 24-hour news networks, podcasts and social media algorithms that cater to our extreme political inclinations. This approach has been effective in diverting our attention from the pursuit of our collective interests and transforming our political discourse into a contest between us and them. My dear friends, if we continue to confine ourselves to news channels that align with our political preferences and neglect to consider the perspectives of others, the divide between us will deepen further, potentially leading to catastrophic consequences. Athanasios Aronis
Dispensed with suspicions
Woodstock, N.Y.: We finally know, once and for all, that the 2020 election wasn’t “stolen” from Drumpf. If we evil deep-state liberal Dems were so all-powerful that we could steal an election with not one iota of evidence over years of investigations, then we would’ve stolen this one too. Duh! So, now that that’s out of the way, we have a new problem: a president-elect with the emotional maturity of a 5-year-old whose idea of leadership is having his butt kissed 24/7 and scheming ways to punish his “enemies” — a list I’m sure will keep getting longer. And soon he will have his tiny, fat fingers on all top-secret information, including military intelligence, as well as the nuclear codes. Good luck, y’all! We are sure gonna need it. Suzanne Hayes Kelly
Final push
North Bergen, N.J.: Now that the presidential election is over, President Biden is presented with the opportunity to go out with a bang. Trump has stated his intention to stop arming Ukraine and pretty much cede control of the territory to his buddy Vladimir Putin. Since Biden remains president until Trump takes office in January, he has the right to continue. As such, he can choose to leave office as a hero, not a lame duck. For too long, the weapons sent to Ukraine have been restricted to those needed for its defensive battle against Russia. Biden can order the shipment of any and all weapons needed by Ukraine to take its battle for survival to Russian territory. All Trump can do is criticize the action. Irving A. Gelb
Last chance
Matawan, N.J.: I hope Biden holds true to his promise to give Ukraine all the finances and weapons (hopefully including long-range missiles to combat the influx of North Korean soldiers) before he leaves office, since our newly elected president will sell out Ukraine to his buddy Putin, along with a commitment to get us out of NATO and prevent Ukraine from joining it. Robert Wyshynski
Eschewed strength
Beechhurst: To Voicer Michael Barnhart: The point I was making was that Barack Obama’s failure to enforce his red line showed his unwillingness to use American force in Syria as a deterrent. Contrast that with how Trump reacted when Bashar Al-Assad crossed that line under his watch: He bombed Syria and killed Russian troops in the process. Putin stayed in his cage until Team Biden (those peace-through-supplication geniuses) came on the scene. As far as Trump not being able to seal a deal with Kim Jong Un to denuclearize the Korean peninsula goes — well, at least the man who the left had warned would start World War III tried to break bread with “Little Rocket Man.” Perhaps Trump blew that chance. We now have North Korean troops in Ukraine, and now Trump is headed back to Washington with a big mess on his hands. James Hyland
Affordable entry
Spring Valley, N.Y.: To Voicer Harry Aydinian: You said you paid $30 to see the Rolling Stones back in the 1980s. I would go to Brooklyn’s Fox Theatre to see The Motown Review for $2.50. That included The Temptations, The Supremes, Marvin Gaye and a lot more, with Murray the K as host. Delores McDonald