To the editor:
About “Biden bets on fear of Trump and star influence” (front page, January 30):
I was a little disappointed in your article about the apparent campaign plan to advance the election simply because Joe Biden is basically not Donald Trump. It’s nice to court Taylor Swift and other celebrities, but Joe, don’t just make yourself the lesser of the two bad guys.
You won last time on social justice and the environment, and by proposing a plan to help the millions of people struggling to survive the COVID-19 pandemic. You haven’t conquered fear. No one can overcome fear.
Indeed, for most of us on the center left, Trump becoming president again would sound downright dire, and yes, the forces behind him are even more dire. But what you’re trying to do is far more important and fascinating. If the Democrats win the House and keep the Senate, you will be a lame duck who can do whatever you want. Let’s rock, dude.
Tell us what you plan to do to boost the economy with jobs and investment that will drive green initiatives. Please tell me I won’t lose my home or medical care. Please tell us that our children will not be doomed to demoralization, deforestation, and doom scrolling. Tell me Detroit Joe is just as important as his DC Joe.
No one can overcome fear. Hope and change are still winners.
Tom Sturm
easthampton, massachusetts
To the editor:
Assuming that President Biden’s main opponent is Donald Trump, the president will need to not only contrast his position with Trump’s, but also personalize his position.
It’s not enough to say that Biden will strengthen Obamacare while Trump is trying to destroy it. He must explain how Obamacare will benefit voters. Obamacare prevents insurance companies from denying coverage to millions of Americans with pre-existing conditions like obesity, diabetes and heart disease.
Mr. Biden should not only talk about denying Mr. Trump the election. He must speak directly to each voter. Why does he vote? Is it because you believe it’s important? So, wouldn’t it frighten and anger you if someone tried to ignore your precious vote?
Mr. Trump and his followers erased the legal votes of millions of decent, law-abiding Americans to enable them to remain in power despite losing the 2020 election. I tried. He did not respect the opinions of voters.
The same personalization should apply to the fear caused to pregnant women by Mr. Trump’s appointment of radical right-wing political judges chosen specifically to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Voters shouldn’t just hear about issues like elevator music. They must be feeling the problem in their gut.
Alan M. Goldberg
brooklyn
“Kangaroo coat” in the house
To the editor:
Regarding “House impeaches Mayorkas citing border policy” (front page, February 14):
The House impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas passed by a vote of 214 to 213. And the impeachment took place without evidence of “high crimes and misdemeanors,” the only constitutional ground for impeachment.
A kangaroo court was held in the US House of Representatives. Historians will note this date. Because this House action, along with Donald Trump’s declaration on NATO, clears our country of isolation and authoritarianism ruled by a cult-like minority if MAGA Republicans win in November. Because he started walking.
To the editor:
About “Haley protects troops, golf course is closest and President Trump comes to battle” (nytimes.com, February 12):
Once again, Donald Trump has shown a complete lack of respect for military service. This time, they are disparaging Nikki Haley and her husband Michael regarding his deployment status while serving this country in the National Guard.
Remember, during his first campaign, Trump disparaged the Gold Star family of Humayun Khan, a U.S. Army captain who was killed in action in Iraq in 2004.
Trump also attacked Sen. John McCain, saying he liked “people who didn’t get caught.” Mr. McCain’s leadership and courage as a POW is legendary among his fellow POWs.
Trump avoided military service in Vietnam by claiming he had bone spurs.
Multiple media outlets reported that during the President’s visit to France in 2018, he decided not to visit the graves of American soldiers who died in World War I, calling the fallen heroes “sucks” and “losers.” He reported that he had called.
It is surprising that so many military personnel and veterans continue to support Mr. Trump, despite his continued obvious disdain for veterans and military service.
It’s clear that Trump was right about everything he said about veterans. There are clearly some “sucks” in our ranks. They just don’t lie in graves in France.
Richard Westmoreland
new orleans
The author is a retired Marine lieutenant colonel.
Library under fire
To the editor:
Regarding “Librarians on the front lines in the culture war” (Feb. 5 front page):
America’s libraries have historically been repositories of free ideas and opinions and sources of information for all Americans, regardless of their political or religious beliefs. Banning materials that certain groups find offensive is anathema to the purpose of public libraries.
and openness must be lost both Method. Just as the right wing attempts to control library materials, so too is the removal of materials that the woke left finds offensive, such as Dr. Seuss books and history books.
It is the parent’s right and responsibility to supervise their Create reading materials for children and make sure they are age-appropriate and consistent with your family’s values. But no one should have the right to monitor what others are reading.
Access to all materials should be guaranteed by public libraries on both sides. And most of all, Americans need to relearn to respect each other, even if we have very different ideas.
Mara Siegelman
new york
The author is a former public librarian.
To the editor:
“Librarians are on the front lines in the culture wars” actually means “librarians are on the front lines in the culture wars.”religious Librarians will be lost in the war…
Some might think there should be something in the Constitution prohibiting it. Oh, wait a minute! There is.
sheila lowenstern
houston
help the mentally ill
To the editor:
On “Homelessness, Mental Illness and Lack of Care” (Inside the Times, February 12):
People with severe mental illness are difficult to care for even under the best of circumstances, including housing, treatment, and appropriate medication. And even with proper care, there is no guarantee that they will be able to achieve the level of self-awareness and stability that will allow them to live a productive rather than a destructive life.
It is completely unrealistic to expect homeless mentally ill people to check in on them from time to time to resolve their issues or to ensure that they are not a danger to others. Creating more beds won’t solve the problem, as long as hospitals discharge patients after a week or two and then send them back to town.
With deinstitutionalization in the 1960s and 1970s, when the mentally ill were released into the “community” to receive care, it was no longer a good solution, as few if any organizations existed or stood up to do so. There was no. Add to that the current housing crisis, and the problem is overwhelming.
As a society, we have ignored the mentally ill and will continue to do so without more inclusive and compassionate solutions. It costs a lot of money.
Annette Marcus
new york