Readers weigh in on Mitt Romney, NYU, reality TV and the Catholic Church

Brooklyn: I agree with Voicer Butch Dener. The popularity of reality TV shows is a reflection of a dumbed-down public. As “Mad Men” star Jon Hamm said, “Stupidity is certainly celebrated.” We have become a truth-denying, gadget-obsessed, social media-frenzied nation where more people vote for an American Idol than they do for a President of the United States. And that’s just how corporate America wants it. Bill Lambiase Tuckahoe, N.Y.: To Voicer Butch Dener: As widely reported in the media, HBO’S “Luck” was canceled as a result of three horses dying on the set, not because a “dumbed-down public didn’t get it.”

Kiley Blackman Carlstadt, N.J.: Please explain why “CSI Miami” and “CSI New York” have been canceled. They take off good shows and put on these stupid reality shows which make no sense. How people subject themselves to ridicule is beyond me. Geri Sabia

Canine queries

Manhattan: With every primary Mitt Romney wins, I have to ask myself: Don’t any of these voters have a family pet whom they love and care for and know how he callously treated his dog? Or do they find nothing wrong with the way he subjected his dog to a terrifying 12-hour highway trip strapped to the roof of his car, which made the poor dog sick? We can learn a lot from the way a person treats his pet

Max E. Forman

What the future holds

Bronx: The church always has the big picture and the future of the church in mind. It is trying to convince us, and doing it well, that only church-going men and women in committed relationships and marriages should bring children into this world. The real deal here is that no contraception now means more paying customers in the future. Dean Crasno

Hooray for Kelly

Freeport, L.I.: Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly has been kicked in the butt from New York to New Jersey when it should be kissed by those who criticize his leadership. He is protecting them from becoming victims.

Richy Ornstein

By the numbers

Arverne: Get your facts straight (“Kelly’s truth,” editorial, March 17): Conducting 685,724 stops a year is not occasional. That’s 57,143 a month, 13,187 a week and 1,878 a day. Of that number, 88% were innocent. Get out on the street and see what goes on before writing. I see my nephews and nieces getting stopped on the way home from school. We are not all criminals. Kurt Bollers

Under siege

Island Park, L.I.: Congrats to Police Commissioner Ray Kelly on turning the tables on the usual suspects on the City Council. Kelly asked them what solutions have they offered to stem the wanton violence in communities of color, and there was deafening silence. Councilwoman Melissa Mark-viverito stated that her community feels besieged by the police. Perhaps she should ask the parents of children how besieged they feel when their kids can’t walk to the store without being shot.

Detective Garrett Gorton

Meow mixup

Bronx: Re “Catfight over feral colony” (March 17): The recently installed pastor should take more care to become more a part of the community the historic church has been serving, and that includes the management of a feral cat colony on church property. His refusal to let rescuers feed these animals in what has been their sanctuary for many years is downright inhumane, truth be told. And his refusal to meet with an outreach coordinator of the Feral Cat Initiative, a program of the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’S Animals, is more arrogant than productive. Maybe this priest needs re-homing, not the animals he so clearly cares less about.

Donna Dechiaro

Pro and con

Brooklyn: To Voicer Christine Rossi: You named three Catholic men who are against abortion, claiming it’s because they don’t give birth. There are millions of Catholic women, of the billionplus Catholics in the world, who are against abortion. In addition, there are individuals of other religions and no religion who are against abortion.

Adelaide Verponi

Too much

East Elmhurst: Where do military commanders get off sending Staff Sgt. Robert Bales to combat areas four times and expecting him to act like a normal person (“Massacre Sgt. faces 17 counts of murder,” March 23)?

Shirley Frommer

More than academic

Manhattan: In your editorial “NYU’S grand plan” (March 19), you say that NYU is “a nonprofit academic institution trying to build on its own land.” In fact, one of the major objections from residents of Greenwich Village is that NYU is proposing to build massive, out-of-scale buildings on city property managed by the Parks Department. These “park strips,” as they are known locally, are home to a popular children’s playground and dog run and gardens. In a neighborhood that is desperately starved of open space, it’s no wonder that during the community board’s five years of public discussion on this project, not a single resident who was unaffiliated with NYU spoke in favor of the plan. Brad Hoylman, chairman

Community Board No. 2

Unanswered question

Lindenhurst, L.I.: Re “Pic may unlock fate of Earhart” (March 21): Given that March is Women’s History Month, the Amelia Earhart find is timely. The aviator has certainly earned her place in history. Her last flight remains a story without an ending.

Susan Marie Davniero

Green-eyed monster

Brentwood, L.I.: Why is New York so jealous of New Jersey? From the names of the football teams, that are New Jersey teams, to the TV news reporting that the Super Bowl will be coming to New York when it’s coming to New Jersey, what is the problem?

W.J. Van Sickle

Back to the future

East Patchogue, L.I.: Congratulations to the Jets. Now you have two quarterbacks who will never get you to the Super Bowl.

Ron Voegele

Kismets

Forest Hills: Was “Stick with us!” (March 20) a typo on the back page? Mets fans are really “stuck with” the current ownership.

Alan Hirschberg

Horse of a different color

Lodi, N.J.: I’m sure that if 18 jockeys had died in less than four months, Bennett Liebman would be doing a hell of a lot more than just cutting the purses on races. But I guess the revenue Aqueduct brings to the state’s coffers is more important that the lives of these beautiful animals. Angela Calais

Eternal question

Great Neck, L.I.: Thank you for your editorial telling of the horrors that the Israeli people are suffering (“Never-ending war on Israel,” March 14). My heart goes out to them. How come I do not see more articles in your paper about what these terrorists are perpetrating against a country that has given up so much for peace, a country that wants only peace? Gail Grove

Three-ring fun

Hauppauge, L.I.: I just wanted to thank the Daily News for the tickets I won to Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey’s Greatest Show on Earth. It was amazing! The seats were great, my kids loved it and so did my husband! Thank you again for a great night out. Sabrina Mazza

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