Construction safety comes first

Manhattan: The editorial “A shaky safety edifice” (Aug. 13) confuses what is onerous and what is necessary. With more than 30 construction deaths in the past two years, and 90% of those fatalities on nonunion work sites, clearly the status quo is not working. In any other industry this would be considered a dire epidemic. Where is the outrage? While the City Council works to address this alarming trend, it’s appalling that efforts to address it are derided as “insanity.” In fact, it would be insane to not rein in reckless contractors and developers.

Nonunion construction workers are often required to work in a variety of different trades, endangering workers on the job. The proposed provision to complete a minimum of 59 hours of safety training will ensure that nonunion workers on construction sites will be prepared for many situations they may face. The number of minimum training hours is based on successful training programs. Applying this standard will make everyone safer in the industry.

Government agencies, nonprofits, educational institutions and others would help meet the demand for safety training instruction for all construction workers. Just because some can’t fathom a safer city doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to make it one.

We advocate for the safety and well-being of construction workers, union and nonunion alike, and will continue as a partner in discussions for this much-needed legislation. Gary LaBarbera, president

Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York

Right, wrong, who cares?

Bayonne: By President Trump’s logic, both sides were equally right and wrong in World War II.

William Bannon

Opportunists on both sides

Suffern, N.Y.: This violent riot by Nazi and KKK sympathizers is a godsend to the Shaun Kings and Mike Lupicas of the world. They can now condemn white fascist racism and the violence of Black Lives Matter, which called for cop-killing. Concerning David Duke: In 2006, he went to a Holocaust-denial conference being given by Iran and shook President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s hand. Now his lying mouth claims to be against radical Islam as he tries to link himself with President Trump. I know this; why don’t King and Lupica?

Wallington M. Simpson Jr.

United in faith

Howard Beach: The horrible events in Charlottesville call to mind an elegant plea for tolerance from a hymn I remember hearing in church: “No race or creed can love exclude, if honored be God’s name; our family embraces all whose Father is the same.”

Robert O’Connor Jamaica: When I, an American veteran, saw these hate-bearing morons in the Sunday Daily News, erupting as if this was a resurgence of Nazi Germany, it’s clear that aside from Mideastern terrorists, we have internal terrorists. If these lowlifes and others who find disfavor with our democracy don’t like it here, then let them get the hell out and go to Germany, Iran, Syria, Russia, Venezuela or China. These anti-Americans with their hands raised in the Hitler loyalty salute can drop dead. Neo-Nazi scum are a disgrace and should be imprisoned at hard labor for at least five years. Respect for our country and its meaning are lacking. They and others must learn one way or another.

Sui Yuan Li

Southern pride

Middletown, N.J.: For the people who believe in keeping Confederate general statues and Confederate flags alive: Display them on your personal property.

Lawrence Hill

Signs of the times

Staten Island: Brooklyn’s representatives are at it again. They want names such as General Lee Ave. in Fort Hamilton changed because they were leaders of the Confederate Army in the Civil War. I’m surprised that they haven’t requested that we give the White House a new name.

Fran Bocignone Scarsdale, N.Y.: Why can’t President Trump bring himself to oppose white supremacist groups? What kind of human being is he? Why is impeachment not on the table before Trump reaches Adolf Hitler’s power? Most Republicans are a bunch of scared puppets. Claude Young

And stay out

Pawling, N.Y.: To Voicer Stephen Syrotiak, who wrote of President Trump, “While he’s away from the White House, change the locks: I haven’t laughed so much in a long time. So simply said!

Sarah Flakins

Torches against darkness

Locust Valley, L.I.: One does not have to be a white supremacist, nor a Nazi sympathizer, nor a racist bigot to take a different view of the Friday night torch procession on the University of Virginia campus, prior to Saturday’s ugly confrontation. Charlottesville Mayor Mike Signer, a UVA faculty member, saw “hatred, bigotry, racism and intolerance,” as did Daily News columnist Mike Lupica. Many of us saw it differently — namely, the shedding of light upon the encroaching darkness of political correctness and the forcible suppression of opposition now plaguing our universities and colleges. How ironically apt was the appearance of the “Bramhall’s World” cartoon depicting the recent heresy at Google that same day.

Jeffrey Converse

Can we have a vote?

Manhattan: Surely now even the Republicans are ready to do away with the antique Electoral College. Carol Robinson

No free ride

Jamaica: Councilmen Rory Lancman and Ydanis Rodriguez and Legal Aid’s Tina Luongo blame the NYPD for 90% of those being arrested for fare evasion being black or Latino, claiming they target communities. An outright lie. Rodriguez calls the city’s fare evasion enforcement an “injustice.” No: It is injustice for others to pay turnstile-jumpers’ fares. Those who partake should pay the price. Politicians are forcing this through to establish a permanent base of votes for themselves. How about doing this with your own funds, you political hacks. Baral Sagan

Let passengers pay

Manhattan: How can Mayor de Blasio get away with giving away our money? Our money is hardearned and the jerk says it belongs to him? The mayor does not think straight. Who said wealthy New Yorkers should give money to fix our subways? The people who take them are responsible for them. Sorry. Give yourself, mayor. Ruth Unterberg

At death’s next door

Manhattan: Re “One foot in the grave” (Aug. 11), about the family shocked to see part of a corpse sticking out while burying a loved one: This took place in a burial ground — it is not a playground! I can picture a lawyer goading on this family: “Outrageous! Traumatic! Unfathomable! Let’s go for it!” How delicate we’ve become! I remember years ago, during the burial of my grandmother, two weeks after my grandfather had died, his coffin could be seen “next door” at her gravesite. My mother remarked that they could “hold hands now.” No one was in a panic. It was a cemetery, for God’s sake! Enough of these greedy families, looking to gain profits they aren’t entitled to.

Marion Saulig

BDS B.S.

Brooklyn: The pro-boycott, divestment and sanctions Voicers claim to be fighting for human rights, but they support Hamas, which executes homosexuals, jails political opponents, uses international humanitarian aid funds to construct attack tunnels and has started three wars since the 2005 Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. The majority of Israeli settlements have been in uninhabited areas of the West Bank, no Palestinians have been displaced by the settlements and the Palestinians have rejected outstanding Israeli offers for a Palestinian state. Lawrence Freedland

You’re welcome

JEFFERSON SIEGEL Brooklyn: I buy the Daily News every day, but this is my first time writing you a letter. I want to say that I greatly admire your courageous stand regarding the BDS campaign. Thank you.

Suzanne Uriel Yonkers: Re “Between the Lines”: A cartoon is not funny when it takes 10 minutes to figure out the punch line — and it’s still not funny. William Cummings Great Neck, L.I.: I believe from the bottom of my heart that it is time for the great and incomparable Cher to be the recipient of a Kennedy Center honor. After all, doesn’t one of her iconic songs “Turn Back Time”?

Nadine Feingold