News perpetrates Garner lie

Email to or post your letter to or send fax to Please include full name, address and daytime phone number. The Daily News reserves the right to edit letters.

Manhattan: Leonard Greene’s column “Stop telling us we didn’t see what we saw” (July 16) repeats the lie that Eric Garner uttered the words “I can’t breathe” while being choked by Police Officer Daniel Pantaleo. The video clearly shows that neither Pantaleo nor any other police officer is touching Mr. Garner’s neck as he speaks those words. Nor does the apparent contact with Mr. Garner’s neck at an earlier point in the video provide evidence of a chokehold. The physical evidence from Mr. Garner’s autopsy clearly demonstrates that he did not die from asphyxiation or strangulation. And the very fact that Mr. Garner could speak those words is proof that he was able to breathe. But clearly none of that matters to Mr. Greene — he is the one telling New Yorkers “we didn’t see what we saw.”

Patrick J. Lynch, president, Police Benevolent Association

Brooklyn: I happen to have watched the news the day of the incident and the Daily News video showed very clear that Eric was being choked. Anyone who says otherwise is either blind or lying. It was very upsetting to watch and I strongly feel that Pantaleo should be fired. Gloria Barone

Fair and balanced

Manhattan: Was it really necessary to headline the front cover with the incendiary “His black life didn’t matter” (July 17)? Who is The News to question the decision of the Justice Department? Why not give straight objective newspaper reporting a shot, without all the spins and innuendos?

Benny Coluccio

Crooked scales

Fishkill, N.Y.: It’s a real travesty. Justice is not blind for there is no justice when a human being can lose his life for just selling loose cigarettes. Benny Rosario

Mr. President

Fairfield, Conn.: Dear Donald: Love your country? Don’t hang out with Putin. Love your country? Don’t love dictators. Love your country? Pay your taxes. Love your country? Realize this: People are not criticizing the country when they criticize you. Love your country? Stop the lies and corruption. Bob Bodo

Melting pot

Manhattan: I am a black man who can trace my lineage in this country back to the 1650s. My grandfather fought in WWII, my father in Vietnam. America was always a diverse country. And if a second or third generation Johnny-Come-Lately

like Trump can’t accept that, he and the rest of his ilk are the ones that should leave!

Benjamin Montgomery

Bad rep

Jamaica: The Republican Party used to be the party of Lincoln. It is no longer the party of Lincoln; it is now the party of Trump. Trump the liar, grab the you-know-what of women, rapist, racist, a white nationalist and even more. This is the man-child in the White House. Truly sad! China will soon be No. 1 instead of the United States.

Charlene Black

American exceptionalism

Ledyard, Conn.: The declaration that the United States is, or needs to be, the greatest nation in the world comes from a place of insecurity in my opinion. I wonder about the definition of great if it means we have to put others down in the comparison. Don’t we want the whole world to be great? We certainly have a number of significant problems in our own to address, and time spent preening is time lost to figuring out how to solve the issues that are poisoning our country. “If you don’t like our country, then leave it” is an old saying. Are we so insecure we can’t tolerate criticism or different points of view? Granted, criticism needs to be constructive, and constructive criticism and respectful discourse has gone by the wayside by far too many in both parties for a long time. What a tragic legacy for our children.

Lisa Allen

Barr’s so happy

Staten Island: Just curious, at the risk of showing my age, am I the only one who sees classic cartoon character Droopy Dog whenever I see a picture of William Barr?! It’s distracting! Janet Baker

Throwing shade

Manhattan: One would think that on a hot New York City summer day, what better thing to do but to stroll and hang out at the park. Any park will do right? Wrong! Most park walkways are made of asphalt or concrete and that is where most benches are. And not only that, but they are mostly not shaded. Especially the beautiful Brooklyn Bridge Park and the renovated Governors Island. So, it’s back inside with the air conditioner. Sorry, Con Edison, but what are we supposed to do? Who designs those parks anyways and what are they thinking?

Suzy E. Sandor

Aww

Whitestone: I’m old enough to remember the great Art Linkletter and his hit show, “Kids Say the Darnedest Things.” I was reminded of the show when my wife asked my 5-year-old grandson, Mark, if he was bothered by the heat and humidity when he was playing outside. His answer: “I’m humiliated!” Michael J. Gorman

Street tetris

Yonkers: In the fall, there are going to be big changes along Central Park West. Parking will be eliminated on the park side from 59th St. to 110th St. This cannot happen. Many of these spaces are used by residents of the area who cannot afford parking in the garages. The bike lane can be put along the curb and the cars can park next to the bike lane. This way it will be protected and cars can still park. If you want to ride downtown, you can go to Columbus Ave. and use the bike lane there. Also, the park is right there for the bikers to use freely. Norah Murphy

All flags aren’t equal

Brookfield, Conn.: I’m a little confused about something that happened in Harlem. A man was arrested for setting fire to a pride flag. Two of them in fact. Some time ago, the United States Supreme Court ruled that burning a U.S. flag is a protected right under the First Amendment as a guaranteed right of free speech. So, if that man had a guaranteed right of free speech under the Constitution to burn those flags, why was he arrested? Or does that decision only apply to the burning of the Stars and Stripes and not someone’s politically correct banner?

Robert E. Lovell

Burn

Breezy Point: To Voicer Kiley Blackman: I am 65 years old, and have been following horse racing since I was about 10 years old. To even suggest that I don’t care about the dangers involved in it is a hideous notion, since it breaks my heart whenever I see a horse or a jockey injured during a race. And I resent being told that I should have questioned why thoroughbreds are subjected to “miserable exploitation.” The Saratoga Race Course is the oldest sports venue in the country, and the reason for my letter was to point out that the sports editor of the Daily News was neglectful by not listing the entries for the opening day of the season. Whether you like it or not, there are millions of people who are racing fans, and that doesn’t make them sadistic people as your letter suggested. John Carberry