Time for men to start reflecting

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ronx: I believe that the recent sexual assault and inappropriate sexual behavior allegations against politicians and Hollywood celebrities should make all of us men reevaluate our own behavior toward women. Of course, most of us are not abusers like Harvey Weinstein or alleged pedophiles like Roy Moore. However when we are ogling and catcalling women on the street, or even watching porn that degrades women, many of us are guilty of those are types of harassment. These allegations against celebrities should be a wakeup call for all of us to be more conscious of our personal behavior toward women. Stephen Minter Glendale: So, Voicer Gary Stein believes that offering compliments to women “if he thinks they are uniquely pretty or fashionable” is acceptable. First of all, is he employed by Vogue? Does he have a professional reason to be assessing a woman’s appearance? And how gallant of him to offer unwanted compliments to women who have no desire to receive them. He may believe “the Big Guy Upstairs” considers his motives pure, much as his questionable definition of “mentoring” (which, of course, he does not elucidate). But let me assure him that any woman who has been harassed by him (yes, that’s what it’s called, PC or not) would disagree. For your own safety, please keep your “pure” thoughts and hands to yourself. Diana Mischler

Women prey, too

Bronx: It amazes me how much of a pass women get when it comes to rape. Though the accusations against men are disturbing, I’d like to point out that hardly a week has gone by in the past year without a story about some female teacher having sex with students. Not one word of disgust or anger by anyone. Society seems to hold on to the theory that boys or men cannot be predatory victims of women. What damage has been done to these boys whose first experience with relationships are made to believe it’s all about sex. Will they now in turn become predators? What help are they getting other than “he wanted it”? Also, while not all stories are fake, some surely are. I wonder about those who felt scared going to criminal court, understandably, but have no problem relating the details in a civil court. Stephen Hill

And don’t come back

Elmwood Park, N.J.: So now this no-good SOB mayor is flying off to Iowa (“Got bigger fish to fry in Iowa,” Nov. 21). Give me a break. What’s up with this clown? It’s unbelievable. I cannot believe he got voted in again. This guy doesn’t give a damn about anyone or anything other than himself. It’s so frustrating to see this moron as mayor.

Steven DeGaudio

Poison pen

Woodside: It’s bad enough when you don’t do your job. When you falsely certify records, that’s a serious problem. When you falsely certify records to the federal government, that’s an even greater problem. When those falsely certified records place adults and children in extreme danger, that’s criminal! NYCHA Chairwoman Shola Olatoye should be fired immediately if she falsified records. There are no excuses. Find someone new to run that failing agency, Mayor de Blasio!

Benjamin Geremia

Adoptees demand rights

Bronx: Kathryn Joyce shines light on one failure of the New York State child welfare/adoption system (“Foster youth: Like I’m just a payday,” Nov. 20). Under the federal Adoption and Safe Families Act, adoption is the child welfare priority. States have quotas and adoption incentives, and must maintain their numbers or risk federal funding. Once an adoption is final, the adopted person becomes legally as if born to the adoptive parent(s). They are issued a new “birth certificate” stating the adoptee was born to the adopter — even if a single male. New York adoptees have no access to our own birth records, whether our adoptions are disrupted or not. A5036B is an anti-adoptee bill that has passed both houses. It adds new layers of restraint to New York’s already Draconian system, creates more jobs for judges and does not guarantee adopted people’s rights. Cathi Swett

Island of possibilities

Brooklyn: Re “Move swiftly to reimagine Rikers” (Op-Ed, Nov. 20): Yes, let’s hurry up and cede the whole island to the real estate developers before the people of New York realize what other things are possible there. Instead of speculating on how much the island is potentially worth, and how many people can fit on it, maybe the real estate business should stand down and stop drooling. Why doesn’t the city try to figure out how to use it? Maybe we could use it as a psychological center and grounds. Maybe we should keep a smaller jail facility to hold transferees and overflow from the other city jails. Think ahead and don’t rush into things. There are other opportunities out there beyond more sad high-rises and planned communities. We are too quick to give away land, too eager for the small return.

Justin Walsh

Planned Parenthood’s scam

Woodside: Re “Pregnancy centers of deception” (Op-Ed, Nov. 17): The only deception I see is the one being done by Planned Parenthood, which claims to be a “health center” but is in reality the largest provider of abortions in the United States, second to none. If you walk into Planned Parenthood pregnant, you will probably walk out “unpregnant.” They exist to sell abortions, as that is their bread and butter — and at the taxpayers’ expense. Crisis pregnancy centers offer hope to women to continue their pregnancies by offering material support as well as referrals for social services and Medicaid as well as spiritual sustenance. Pregnancy support centers have also helped the victims of hurricanes and other natural disasters. Planned Parenthood of New York City President and CEO Laura McQuade and others like her are not pro-choice. The only valid choice for them is abortion — for anyone at any time for any reason. The new Planned Parenthood in Long Island City is a blight on the neighborhood. The money spent on that facility would have been better spent on building a new school or a playground.

Alice Lemos

She miss-judged

Burlington, Vt.: Jeanine Pirro says she had been driving for hours and had no idea she was going 119 mph. In my youth, I realized a teenager’s vehicular fantasy one day by driving my 1970 Chevrolet Impala convertible (man oh man that was a beautiful car) over 100 mph. Believe me, as Donald Trump would say, when you are driving over 100 mph, it’s work, and there’s no way you are not aware of what you are doing, no matter how comatose you claim to be. There’s no way the ex-prosecutor didn’t know she was going over 100 mph. The one-time judge also claims she believes in the rule of law and will pay the consequences for her behavior — while simultaneously denying misbehaving.

Ted Cohen

A tyrant rebuffed

Woodhaven: Voicer Paul Mellen has given the facts an interesting spin. Czar Alexander II sent his fleet to America in the mistaken belief that he and Abraham Lincoln were kindred spirits. Lincoln was a melancholy democrat; COURTESY FEMINIST APPAREL Alexander a paranoid despot. Lincoln declined the czar’s offer to employ the Russian fleet. The Russian czar faced a nationalist uprising, not a secession movement, in Poland. Public sympathy in both Britain and France supported the Poles. Fearing war once again with Britain and France, and anxious not to have his fleet bottled up in the Baltic Sea, Alexander II sent his navy to visit New York City and San Francisco. Public opinion among the middle and working classes in those countries also supported the Union cause in America. It was the upper classes, the 1% who supported commerce in human flesh, and worked for the destruction of the American Union. The growing strength of the United States posed a threat to London’s position in the world. There was never an alliance. Different times: In those days, no American President would ever cozy up to a bloodthirsty tyrant. And as long as we’re discussing the topic of Union diplomacy, Mongkut, the King of Siam, did not offer Lincoln the use of his war elephants. Neil C. Giannelli

A tyrant embraced

Rockaway Park: Would somebody please tell delusional Voicer Theresa DeVega of the Philippine Consulate that a simple Google Video search reveals her beloved President Duterte unabashedly confessing to extra-judicial killings, aka murder. I’m ashamed our President also chooses to praise this killer. Beth Kennedy