Getting behind a Swift strategy

Boston: I couldn’t disagree more with Linda Stasi (“Taylor makes a-- of herself,” Aug. 13). Taylor Swift and her team deliberately chose to use the word “ass” and not a more demure or “classy” word because they were trying to highlight the crass act committed against her. By using that word Swift made a powerful statement; she put the blame and the shame where it belonged: on the perpetrator. She is a very smart woman and she was violated, and she used her resources to stand up for herself. By refusing to be demure in her language, she made her accusation more pointed.

This was a deliberate tactic and it worked. She was emphasizing by using this word the fact that she was not going to allow herself to be victimized, that it was not her job to be demure, but it was his crass, disgusting act that was at issue.

Swift is classy. Her comments after winning the case are the epitome of class: “I acknowledge the privilege that I benefit from in life, in society and in my ability to shoulder the enormous cost of defending myself in a trial like this. My hope is to help those whose voices should also be heard. Therefore, I will be making donations in the near future to multiple organizations that help sexual assault victims defend themselves.”

I’m not a Swifty. In fact, I’m probably older than Stasi, and I get it — I found the use of the word a little grating at first, but I also recognized the strategy behind it — so let's not take away from the unflinching bravery and intelligence of Swift’s overall testimony by focusing on her use of that word. Lisa Spadaro

Tired of Taylor’s tuchus

Shaftsbury, Vt.: Taylor Swift is a perfect example of today’s pompous showbiz self-proclaimed idols (“Taylor Swift wins groping trial against DJ,” Aug. 14). As a tailor-made copy of a look-alike Barbie doll, she struts around like some self-made Queen for a Day. She claims a guy grabbed her “a--” (as she called her buttocks in court), while her bodyguard just stood there watching and doing nothing to stop it. If this really happened, then why didn’t the DA file charges? She thinks we are all supposed to believe every word she speaks, as though she were a sacred cow. Forget it, Taylor! This reminds me of the “boy who cried wolf.” Go home, Taylor, and take your “a--” with you. Tom King

No Swift fan

Nyack, N.Y.: Alert fake news! Someone grabbed Ms. Swift’s bottom and won’t let go! This court action goes a long way toward explaining Swift’s weakass stuff on stage as she makes Pink look as talented as the late Beverly Sills. She may own a multimillion-dollar pad in NYC, but she is no New Yorker. Like Clint Eastwood said last year, “Every once in a while you just wind up with a generation of pussies.” At least the bad DJ man is now qualified to be President of the United States. Stephen Boyle

Hands off, please

Hollis: Taylor Swift is lucky it wasn’t Donald Trump. He would’ve grabbed a different part of her. Leonard Wills

Disrespectful images

Bronx: I guess it is only OK to speak derogatorily of people when they are Trump or Trump supporters (“Giant inflatable rat bearing resemblance to Trump appears on Fifth Ave.,” Aug. 14). The “rooster” and “rat” and all the clown pictures that the Daily News posts of President Trump are OK? Well, you reap what you sow. You can’t have it both ways. I personally blame The News for what happened in Virginia. This is all your hatemongering. You make them stronger. You, CNN and all the leftist Antifa morons. The blood is on your hands. Thank you for making the world hate! Thank you for not mentioning the veterans that Trump helped on Aug. 13. Thank you for never reporting anything good that Trump has done. Your fake news shows! Laura Long

Biased News

New City, N.Y.: Hey, Daily News, why don’t you call out all the radical hate groups on both the left and the right? As usual, you tend to focus on one side of the spectrum, as does your cartoonist. The violence has been taking place for over a year from the left-wing radical groups, especially at right-wing rallies. Your paper, as well as other left-wing publications, continues to divide this country instead of just reporting the news. There is no room for hate groups on either side of the political spectrum, and all should be denounced. Your publication and left-wing television news stations continue to provoke division and equate all Republican voters as hatemongers and racists, which is totally untrue, reckless and unprofessional. Somewhere along the way, you’ve lost your way.

Bryan Careswell

Never Trumpers

Deer Park, L.I.: Voicer John van Acken swings the hammer and rings the bell. In this town, this newspaper and ABC-TV’s “The View” are the most anti-Trump there is. Joy Behar and Whoopi Goldberg were calling for Trump’s resignation before he even took office. If this were Revolutionary War times, these two would be redcoat Tories.

Larry Nekola

Daily Views

Watervliet, N.Y.: Having read your paper for a while, I can honestly say that whatever President Trump would have said, you would have hated. You have not said one good thing about the man since the get-go, so please, stop with the “righteous indignation.” Oh, that black-and-white Nazi rally picture you showed in Sunday’s paper was from 1939 and who was President at the time? Hmmmmm, oh yeah. Roosevelt. Nancy Ziegler

Get all the vandals

Yonkers: It’s a good idea to out those who were violent or destroyed property during recent protests in Charlottesville. Anyone who doesn’t respect the law should be arrested. But as usual there is a double standard in this country — rioting, looting mobs like those in Baltimore and other major cities get a pass. Those burning down private property and looting stores remain untouched and not afraid of the law. What’s the difference between Charlottesville protesters and those in cities like Baltimore?

Michael Guerin

Street lives

Brooklyn: I’m sure the removal of statues, flags and street names is doing a lot for the everyday slavery in Africa today (“U.S. Army refuses to take Confederate general names off Fort Hamilton streets,” Aug. 7). I think black people should be more concerned with Africa, than street names in a Brooklyn military base. Let’s not forget 300 girls turned into slaves just two years ago by the Boko Haram. Remove the statues, street names and we may forget about slavery; then again, we may repeat it. Karma is crazy.

Patrick Doyle Jamaica: Instead of tearing down statues of Robert E. Lee, build other statues next to his showing other historic figures and telling the whole story. Hannah Craven

Fruits of immigration

Brooklyn: My immigration sentiments are exactly with Voicer Rose S. Wilson. It will become more apparent when the poor will not be able to buy fruits and vegetables and other produce to feed their families because farmers won’t have foreign workers to harvest them. Or, it will not matter to rich farmers since the federal government will bail them out! America, can you say famine? It sure can happen in this great land.

Annette D. Johnson

History lesson I

Bronx: To Voicer Carl Maury: You seem to have forgotten Pearl Harbor and that the Japanese took no prisoners during World War II. Mary Caggiano

History lesson II

JEFF KANDYBA/AP Bronx: Voicer Paul Kapustka, check your facts about President Obama sending money to North Korea. President Clinton sent $4 billion worth of nuclear energy and economic benefits along with two light-water nuclear reactors. President Bush $400 million in aid, fuel and food. Obama sent an envoy asking the North Koreans to stop nuclear tests in exchange for food aid. Before Obama left office, he asked the UN to impose sanctions due to North Korea not agreeing to the six-party talks. Where’s all this money he gave? All you Obama haters, please get your facts straight. Andrea Bush

Watch where you’re heading

Woodside: It’s strange how we hear about distracted driving causing accidents and deaths and then Gov. Cuomo wants to distract everyone driving over city bridges with lots of colored flashing lights. Something smells fishy! Rich Tobiassen