Remembering Trayvon Martin

Bronx: I’ve been following the media coverage of Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman (“Trashing Trayvon,” editorial, March 30). I have just one question: If Trayvon had been holding an umbrella to shield himself from the rain instead of wearing his hoodie, would the outcome have been different? Regardless of the answer, I believe Zimmerman is guilty and probably a racist. Pamela Butler Brooklyn: The murderer is still on the loose. Trayvon deserves justice. And we must stop racial profiling in our society. Nancy Spitalnick Manhattan: Shawn Tyson, a 17-year-old black kid, was just convicted of first-degree murder in Florida. He killed two young white men during a robbery and referred to them as “crackers.” I know this horrible crime won’t get a lot of media attention. But I wonder — if President Obama had a son, would he look like Shawn? Ray Byrne

The heart of the issue

Lynbrook, L.I.: People should use the tragic killing of Trayvon Martin to understand where racism comes from and how it can end. The answer is found in the philosophy of esthetic realism, founded by Eli Siegel. It explains that there are two desires in every person, regardless of their color: The first is to like the world honestly, to see meaning and value in things and people. The second is a desire for contempt, “the addition to self through the lessening of something else.” This is what makes for the great injustices of this world, from war to racism.

Allan Michael & Matthew D’amico

An unlikely story

Manhattan: To Voicer Daniel H. Coughlin: Trayvon Martin called his girlfriend, terrified that he was being stalked. So why would a frightened kid, seemingly trying to avoid trouble, decide to initiate violence on a truly armed man? Iced tea and Skittles are odd choices to bring to a gunfight.

Robert Merrifield

Double standard

Bloomfield, N.J.: Those who claim racial profiling was not a factor in the killing of Trayvon Martin are fooling no one. Just imagine if a child with the last name of Zimmerman had been shot dead by a man named Trayvon who had a record of assaults and criminal behavior. The killer would have been indicted while the gun was still smoking. Elease Edmontson

Law and disorder

Irvington, N.Y.: How is anal penetration not considered rape according to the law (“Guilty ... but not of rape?” March 29)? Whose decision was that? The woman was penetrated, period. We need to change these laws.

Iris Tirado

Well played

Brooklyn: Whisking the Japanese tourist who was accidentally shot by a Brooklyn South narcotics detective to the airport was a brilliant move (“Tourist hit in cop raid,” March 30). It comes off as caring concern, but it also prevented the victim from having access to counsel for what would be a justifiable suit against the city.

Augie Donnatelli

A stop-and-think policy

Brooklyn: To Voicer John Sherman, regarding the three fatal shootings on March 26: Maybe if the cops weren’t busy stopping innocent black and Hispanic people, they would have been able to prevent those shootings.

Bruce Zeichner

Dripping with sarcasm

Flushing: We’re getting the smallest increase in our water bill in seven years — just 7%. Wow. I can’t wait for next year’s increase. The city must think we’re idiots.

John Procida

Lawmaker swap

Staten Island: To Voicer Christopher Meissen: What would solve the problem is to trade our legislators with Missouri’s. Ours would get an education, while yours would give us laws that respect our rights as free Americans.

James Tortora

Objection, your honor

Milford, Conn.: Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia exhibited great judicial insight when he used broccoli as a rationale against the insurance mandate in Obama care. Aren’t we lucky to have such brilliant ideas coming out of the mouth of this justice? It really leaves one to question the soundness of his legal judgment.

Clifford Silvers

News misjudgment

Princeton Junction, N.J.: In one of the most feel-good stories ever, Firefighter Paul Rut donated his $10,000 prize from a TV competition to a charitable organization (“One hot TV ‘chef,’ ” March 29) — and that was buried on page 20. But a story about Mitt Romney and his millions gets big coverage with a huge photo on page 12. Shame on you, Daily News.

Suzanne S. Jacob

Clearing the air

Manhattan: In 2010, coal-fired power plants in the United States emitted more than 60,000 pounds of toxic mercury into our air. I recently learned that just one gram of mercury is enough to make the fish in a 25-acre lake unsafe to eat. This mercury pollution threatens our air and water and our health. During the first few year of a child’s life, exposure to this potent neurotoxin can lead to irreversible deficits in development. Thankfully, a recently finalized standard from the Obama administration will clean up the biggest sources of pollution. The new standard will cut mercury pollution by 90%. Now, that’s a breath of fresh air.

Diane Bitler

Spoiling the barrel

Edison, N.J.: Wouldn’t it be nice if Apple kept its jobs here in the United States and worried about American workers instead of profits? Boycott Apple.

Kenneth Elder

Getting the picture

Bronx: High school students are now required to have photo ID to take the SATS, but you don’t need a photo ID to vote. What is wrong with this country? Patrick Stranzl

Out of ‘Luck’

Crotonville, N.Y.: The HBO series “Luck” was canceled due to the unfortunate deaths of three horses while filming. Really? I doubt these animals were treated any worse than children I’ve seen abused by their parents in department stores. Joseph Guarino

Forgetting history

Manhattan: I read yet again about someone having a chain

Susan Watts/daily News snatched. The thugs who do such things might think twice before ripping off someone’s jewelry if they considered that at one time in history, people fought — and even died — to get out of chains. Now there are a handful of individuals attacking and killing to get back into them.

Karen D. Aaron

Not welcome

Bronx: Shame on the town supervisors of Carmel, N.Y., who placed a sex offender in housing in close proximity to children for the second time in a few weeks. Here are a few suggestions where these deplorable animals can live: the city dump, prison, the homes of supervisors or, better yet, the cemetery. Lucille Martinez

From QB to HB

South Hempstead, L.I.: Once upon a time there was a guy named Paul Hornung who was a great college quarterback but a bust in the pros. Well, he changed his position to halfback and became a Hall of Fame running back for Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers. Maybe history could repeat itself? Michael Quane

Play the game

Staten Island: To Voicer Angela Impoco: The only reason fighting in hockey is tolerated is because of simpletons like you. Fighting is in no way essential to any sport. I want to see actual hockey, not behavior I wouldn’t tolerate from children in a schoolyard.

Lawrence W. Lee Jr.