Let MLK’s words instruct us on this presidency
Opelika, Ala.: The man who would be king, President Trump, was inaugurated on Martin Luther King Day. That’s a grotesque irony. The gulf between the true King and the want-to-be king proves as vast as the Grand Canyon.
The News printed a 300-plus-word sentence from King’s majestic and soaring “Letter from Birmingham Jail” throbbing with pathos and passion. King explained that we can’t wait — we must oppose injustice, advocate for the oppressed and sow seeds that produce righteousness. He denounced the false notion that he and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, headquartered in Atlanta and invited by Birmingham pastor Fred Shuttlesworth to participate in a direct action campaign, could be considered outside agitators. King wrote, “We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly.”
Trump, by contrast, bewailed the cruelty and unfair suffering of those who participated in an insurrection. He deemed criminals who sprayed police with chemical agents, attacked journalists and killed police “patriots.” In a monstrous perversity, he pardoned 1,500 insurrectionists. What a whitewash, what a lie. Furthermore, Trump said that former FBI Director Christopher Wray said that outside agitators fomented the violence. The stench Trump’s pardon belches would stagger a full-grown bull elephant. He also said America doesn’t need other countries but other countries need America. He attempted to buttress his assertion with his blasphemous regurgitation of a centuries-old falsehood: American exceptionalism.
When King and thousands of weary but triumphant marchers finally arrived in Montgomery, King said: “No lie can live forever… truth crushed to earth will rise again.” His words resound with power, enlisting a new generation to oppose the Trumpian oligarchy, which calls good evil and calls evil good. Marc D. Greenwood
Fascism foreshadowing
Queens Village: Did anyone take notice of what Turner Classic Movies played after the Trump inauguration? Movies from the 1940s dealing with Nazi and dictator themes played all day. Was it just a coincidence? Or was it a stark omen of things to come? Lawrence Krasner
Relevant message
Teaneck, N.J.: Was it a coincidence that Turner Classic Movies showed “The Great Dictator” starring Charlie Chaplin on the same day that Trump returned to the White House? A great all-time film. Would Trump enjoy it? Lew Azaroff
Historic hypocrisy
Yonkers: Is ICE going to inspect/raid Trump Organization properties searching for “illegal” aliens? I’d bet the farm that many of the staff at Trump properties are undocumented given how notoriously cheap the man at the top is. Are tariffs on goods produced in China going to include Trump merchandise? Is the price of a MAGA hat going to double? Is the Supreme Court going to stand up and tell “dear leader” that he can’t eliminate by executive order the 14th Amendment or any other provision of the Constitution he doesn’t like? One day, history will write of the rampant hypocrisy of 45/47’s enablers, excusers and supporters, and history will not be kind. Evan Marc London
Different kind of man
Flushing: On Monday, we saw a real gentleman leave office. He did not file lawsuits or incite an insurrection, unlike Donald Trump, who did not attend the 2021 inauguration of Joe Biden but skulked away, saying he won the election. He is my president and I will support him, but I fear for our country and democracy. Godspeed, President Trump. Please do not destroy the country. John Weiss
Partial pardon coverage
Brooklyn: Only certain presidential pardons seem to pose a “threat to democracy” — President Trump’s, of course. Joe Biden pardons a slew of family members and thousands of other seriously bad people and we get barely a peep. Do you know what’s a threat to democracy? News media that openly takes up with a political party, then skews its news coverage to unquestionably support that party. And for your own sake, please stop using terms like “threat to democracy,” it just sounds so silly. Jack Flynn
Thanks for that
Chicago: Trump’s first order of business as our new leader was to pardon the Jan. 6 insurrectionists, thus making it
official that our democracy is fair game for the next four years. I only hope that those who voted him into office are satisfied. Not only have they gifted us nonbelievers with a plethora of sleepless nights, but their reckless abandonment of sound reasoning only reassures our country’s fiercest enemies that legacy be damned, Trump is now ready to deal. Bob Ory
Excused chaos
Woodstock, N.Y.: So now us lefties understand that it’s OK to break into the Capitol Building, smashing glass, threatening the lives of our congresspeople, beating cops with any available heavy objects, including American flag poles, and bringing along rope and scaffolding for Mike Pence. The GOP law and order party — B.S.! Suzanne Hayes Kelly
Unforgivable
Hamden, Conn: Any person involved in any physical assault on Capitol Police personnel on Jan. 6 should never get a pardon. The criminals who punched, kicked, pepper- and bear-sprayed uniformed and recognizable officers of the Capitol Police were not patriots, good people or anything but criminals. They should be held in contempt. Chris Lyons
Unprincipled pardons
Belle Harbor: After pledging not to, an enfeebled president issues a blanket pardon to his son and preemptively pardons other members of his family and numerous political figures for, to paraphrase, what they did or might have done. After promising to do so, a vindictive president pardons rioters who violently attacked law enforcement officers. Perhaps the powers granted to the president in Article II, Section 2, Clause 1 of the Constitution need to be revisited. Bobby Nelsen
Trans agenda
Belvidere, N.J.: Voicer Charlene Black could use a reality check about something Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama have given us, which is not conceived in “God bless America,” as Charlene says in prayer. Obama laid pavement for and Biden advanced the journey of altering the Christian fabric of America through policies advancing an alternative-gender culture. As president, Biden tried to change Title IX of 1972 to force transgenderism upon society — to the detriment of the Christian community, whose members only accept biological male and female categories. Biden was also a vocal advocate for our nation’s public school systems to foster gender transitioning against the will of Christian parents. God would not bless that kind of America. President Trump has said he will stop this madness. Dan Arthur Pryor
Heaven-sent
Yonkers: According to Scripture, God sent his Son to save us sinning souls. Now, according to the MAGA Bible, God sent Trump to save us poor, suffering souls. Amen. Frank Brady
On bended knee
Whitestone: Mayor Adams — single-handedly keeping the kneepad industry alive! Robin Mazzia
Suspicious kick
Sea Isle City, N.J.: In the college football championship game, did Ohio State really need to kick a field goal with 26 seconds to go in the game and an 8-point lead? If anyone doesn’t think that players and coaches bet on games — in the pros also — you are wrong. With 26 seconds left in the game and you are up by 8 points, and the spread is 8 points, why would you chance kicking a field goal and having it blocked? It’s all about the money! Jim Fusco
Player non grata
Bronx: I guess you can be an alcoholic and get into the Hall of Fame, but make one bet and you’re a disgrace. Poor Pete Rose, one of the best baseball players in history. Not in the Hall of Fame. RIP, Pete. Ralph Canzone Sr.
Subway service
Hillsdale, N.Y.: Voicer Al D’Angelo’s novel idea to pay police overtime to issue tickets to fare-evaders and use that money to hire more transit police to make the subway safer would work in Fairyland, not in NYC. Does he really believe that a majority of fare-beaters would rush and form a long line to pay fines when they refuse to pay a $2.90 subway fare? A better idea would probably work if these fare-beaters were forced to work one week cleaning the subway system or face one month in prison. This should reduce a number of fare-beaters and possibly criminals entering the system as well. Phil Antico