An inconvenient truth about pot

Brooklyn: There seems to be a possible explanation of the disparity in black/Latino vs. white marijuana arrests that is not being considered. With complaints being one contributing factor leading to arrests, isn’t it possible that predominantly black and Latino communities are simply less tolerant of their neighbors dealing in or smoking marijuana than their white counterparts? If so, then this is more of a social-tolerance disparity than a racial one.

And I disagree in part with the Daily News Editorial Board’s assessment about countless adults “harmlessly” touching this drug in the privacy of their own home (“End the war on pot,” May 17). If it is in their own home, with no other tenants, then that’s their business. But in an apartment dwelling with multiple tenants, some of whom do not want to have the stench making its way into their own residence, that’s not harmless — that’s being both intrusive and obnoxious.

Nonusers are not causing anyone any harm, but the reverse does not hold true in the same way that tobacco smoking causes harm to others, thus the current crop of laws governing where you can smoke tobacco.

Robert Mruczek

A little help here

Bayside: In the Long Island Rail Road’s Port Washington line service-change announcement covering Jan. 8 to May 25, they removed the 5:50 p.m. express train as part of the next phase of critical repair work. For five months, we have been taking the crowded 5:56 local, which has extra cars, meaning the train doesn’t fit at most station platforms, causing further delays as people move up or down at each station. Rather than six minutes, I am constantly getting home over 20 minutes later. This has been an extra two hours of commuting every week. There hasn’t even been a $1 reduction in our fare. I expected the work to complete in these five months. Now, I am very disappointed to see the new timetables for May 21 to July 20 still have not restored our train. That’s another two months of delays. Rather than simply complaining, I strongly urge the MTA to add a Bayside stop to the 5:44 Port Washington express, so it would go Bayside, then Great Neck, etc. This would greatly remediate delays.

Michael Rossman

Racing to judge

Manhattan: In the first sentence of Graham Rayman’s article “Sarge gets trolled for boss gripe” (May 16), he immediately suggests that race was an underlying factor in a lieutenant yelling at a sergeant. Rayman writes, “A black NYPD sergeant” and a few lines later writes, the lieutenant, “who is white, cursed him out.” Unfortunately, Rayman’s article doesn’t provide the actual reason for the reinstruction provided by the lieutenant to the sergeant. Nor, conveniently, does the story mention that the precinct commander, who conducted an internal investigation into the matter and refused to discipline the lieutenant, is also black. Perhaps Rayman neglected to report those facts because they would have negated the racially charged, manufactured and false premise of his story. Louis Turco, president The Lieutenants’ Benevolent Association

Good riddance

Springfield Gardens: To all you Voicers who write in their “resignations” as former loyal Daily News readers because you don’t like truthful articles written about your President, just quit reading! We won’t miss you. Bye. And I bet you’re reading this right now.

Lynne Savage

You can’t quit us

Bradley Beach, N.J.: I love it when Voicers say they won’t buy the Daily News ever again and then you see them write in again. Sometimes the truth hurts, but we love your paper. Patrick Freeman

A child of abortion

Brooklyn: Voicer Alan Greenstein seems to think that no abortions occurred before 1973’s Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision. In fact, most women traveled for the procedure, or had it done illegally. One of those women was my mother, who would never have met my father 10 years later and had me if it hadn’t been for that abortion. Abortion allowed her to happily have children when she was ready to do so. Kate Clifford

To the dogs

Long Beach, L.I.: I read countless stories of people who dump their dogs at Manhattan or Brooklyn Animal Care Centers for the most superficial reasons: too big, too old, barks, etc. How heartless and cruel, to send the four-legged friend you failed to death row. Their are numerous New York City rescues that would definitely find a better home than what you obviously provided. New York City needs to go no-kill immediately. When the most innocent and faithful creatures are disposed of due to human disregard and lack of empathy, we as a city have lost our humanity. Dana Fuchs

We’re all animals

Tuckahoe, N.Y.: Lawrence O’Donnell missed the point in his rant against calling gang members “animals,” arguing that they are “superior” to animals. They — and we — are all animals; we are classified as the human animal. The animal vs. human dichotomy encourages a mindset which is the basis for the worst cruelty: Our flawed need to be superior to other beings — the physically different, mentally challenged, elderly, etc. — has caused a world of suffering to both human and especially nonhuman animals, who are intelligent, feel pain and joy just as we do, and are just as deserving of decent lives as we are.

Kiley Blackman

Obama’s greatness

Port Jefferson Station, L.I.: Voicer Linda Carriero couldn’t be more wrong when she claimed President Obama did nothing. While Obama didn’t shine on the international front, he did great things for the U.S. domestically. Have we forgotten that there were more than 10 million people unemployed when he started? That he saved the auto industry, preventing a much greater financial disaster. which easily could have morphed into another Great Depression? That even with the