Swastika was co-opted for hate

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Hollis: Re “Teach children about hateful symbols,” (Aug. 14): The bill that is being introduced into the Legislature by state Sen. Todd Kaminsky is a wonderful idea. I have not read the bill. I would add that the teaching instructions should include the origins of symbols and possibly how symbols of good became symbols of evil.

For example: The svastika (swastika) has been a symbol of the Jain religion dating back to about 5 BCE. There about three to five million people who follow the Jain religion. Students would learn how one person took a religious symbol and made it a symbol of evil, hate and destruction. How they made it into the antithesis of good, love and construction.

Symbols represent both evil and good.

As the bill reads, “Requiring students be educated in the significance of these displays of bigotry will go a long way toward fostering a more inclusive and tolerant society for all.” Begin now. It is not too late. By the way, I am not a member of the Jain religion. Cecil Ronald

Too little, too late

Hartsdale, N.Y.: Gee, golly: a day-late-and-dollar-short mention of VJ Day in the Daily News Thursday, (“When George met Greta,” editorial). Wonder if there’ll be a note later about Hiroshima? Sad, people. Really sad. Especially that International Date Line excuse you used, even though someone lacked the smarts to actually name it. Sad.

Norman Gaines

Freeloaders

Manhattan: So let me get this straight: Of the nearly 700 persons arrested for fare evasion in New York City between April and June of this year, 86% were black and Latino (“Minorities hit most in fare beating,” Aug. 13). But Anthony Posada of the Legal Aid Society claims that the NYPD “continues to disproportionately target communities of color for what is basically a crime of poverty.” So if you’re a person of color and jump the turnstile, you should get a free pass while everyone else abides by the law and pays the toll. Terrific logic, Mr. Posada. By the way, how did you ever pass the bar exam?

Basta!

Michael Falco

West Orange, N.J.: I am in total agreement with Rosario Iaconis’ article (“Chris Cuomo was right to be offended,”

op-ed, Aug. 13). It seems that no matter how great a height the Italian American advances, and not matter all of their stellar contributions to American society in every field, many people will always link them to the Mafia. And here we live on ground that was either discovered by Christopher Columbus or Amerigo Vespucci, take your pick.

Miriam Sheff

LGA’s behind the times

Brooklyn: Re “Best mayor, worst airport” (editorial, Aug. 10): It is unacceptable for LaGuardia travelers to be stuck in traffic so extreme they must abandon their cars and walk to the terminal. The congestion last Thursday evening is exemplary of why an AirTrain with predictable service is necessary, and why increased bus service won’t solve the problem. Traffic is not due to airport construction — there was tremendous traffic on the Grand Central Parkway long before this project began. By 2030, an additional six million passengers will fly in or out of the airport, further exacerbating the problem. As executive director of ABNY and a co-chair of the A Better Way to LGA coalition, I think creating an AirTrain to LGA will help mitigate this issue by offering travelers a reliable rail link to their terminal and getting cars off the roads — just as the AirTrains did for communities surrounding JFK and Newark airport.

Angela Pinsky

LOL in real life

Staten Island: “Mutts” will always be my favorite but the Aug. 13 “Mother Goose and Grimm” was the funniest comic strip in ages. Once I realized what the dog movie was I really was laughing out loud.

Lorri Thompson

Not their job

St. Albans: Voicer Jeffrey Van Pelt quips that the mayor should have chosen the Department of Sanitation to help move his daughter’s furniture, which was a no-no. Let’s not forget that when Rudy Giuliani was mayor, he had NYPD detectives chauffeur his paramour (Judy Nathan) around when he was still married to Donna Hanover. Why didn’t Rudy hire a limo?

Stephanie Revander

Not soon enough

Fishkill, N.Y.: Leave it to Trump and his Trumplicans to screw up the ObamaBiden economic recovery. Joe and sanity are 16 months away if we can last that long.

Gerald Browne

How convenient

Fort Lee: What many Democrats are really saying is, “No one is above the law, except illegal immigrants and the elected government officials who sanction ‘Sanctuary Cities’ or ‘Sanctuary States.’ ”

Arthur Horn

Take a knee

Neponsit: Voicer William Thurlow needs to be reminded that the First Amendment guarantees the right to peaceful protest. Our veterans fought precisely to preserve the right of Colin Kaepernick to kneel during the anthem to protest unfair and unequal treatment of blacks by the police. It never was, and is not now, meant to disrespect veterans. Nowhere is it written that anyone has to agree with him.

Stephanie Rosalia

Patriotism at its finest

Clifton, N.J.: I went to the Yankee game Monday evening and Wednesday afternoon. More than 40,000 fans, plus players and managers, stood for the national anthem at the beginning of the game, and for “God Bless America” in the seventh inning stretch. What a wonderful feeling it was to see GETTY IMAGES such patriotism in these times. God bless America. Lawrence Kaplan

Danger in the DOC

Bronx: So it almost happened again. A female New York City corrections officer almost gets raped (“Jail guard attacked,” Aug. 13). I worked at that same jail in which this attack occurred (I retired in 2011). I had a steady housing area for 10 years with no problems. All I can say is this would never have happened back when I started this job in 1990. Wake up, Mr. Mayor, you are going to have blood on your hands. Instead of giving the inmates pizza and ice cream, and having your hug-a-thug mentality, let the officers do their job like they did when I started. I promise you this, all these assaults on correction officers will stop. Susan Watson

Motive of a killer

Jericho, L.I.: If a person on Long Island was mentally ill and wanted to kill many people, he or she would find a theater, shopping center, church, school or other crowded areas. The person would not drive to Buffalo. The El Paso shooter drove 600 miles to commit murder. This is a person with a head full of hate, not a deranged one.

Bob Hoffman