Bad foie gras, bad Joe Borelli

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Staten Island: City Councilman Joe Borelli took to Twitter on Thursday to show his opposition to the proposed ban on foie gras. While a Mason Dixon survey reveals that 81% of New Yorkers support the ban, Borelli seems to be all for continuing to let this barbaric practice represent New York City’s values. The birds enslaved by the foie gras industry are force-fed using a long metal pipe until their livers are approximately 10 times as large as they are supposed to be. PETA investigations reveal horrific conditions at farms and slaughterhouses where foie gras is produced. At the first hearing concerning the ban, which Borelli did not attend, veterinarians and experts expressed concern that, aside from the horrific confinement and slaughter of the birds, enlarging a duck or goose’s liver is unhealthy, unnatural and inhumane.

According to NYC Foie Gras, 1.5% of New York City restaurants serve foie gras. It is clear that many individuals don’t eat it regularly, if at all. Chefs like Wolfgang Puck have spoken out against it because they feel it is inhumane. Why harm birds you fed in the park as a child? It isn’t logical to teach our children to be kind to certain animals and let others unnecessarily suffer.

When I saw Borelli’s tweet, I was angry that he didn’t care because, according to him, his “constituents really really enjoy eating animals.” I thought I could tweet my concerns to him and get an informed response. I was wrong. If you disagree with Borelli, don’t try to have an informed debate, just “leave [him] alone.” Vanessa Sol

Paper priorities

Yonkers: I have a question about your editorial decisions: How does a six-paragraph story about a has-been from an MTV reality show being released from prison merit page 3 placement, but a threeparagraph story about an explosion at the U.S. embassy in Afghanistan lands at the bottom of page 7 (“‘Situation’ to be freed from prison,” Sept. 12)? Inquiring minds want to know. Charles Yochim

On the record

Glen Head, L.I.: Voicer Mike Murphy said that I stated that “parental responsibility in their children’s education” was “liberal babble.” Either Murphy misread my letter or he deliberately took what I said out of context. In the letter that Murphy referred to, I stated that the premise previously editorialized in the Daily News, that “certain ethnic and income groups perform poorly in school because tests are racist” was liberal babble! Glad to set things straight!

Robert Kralick

Madam President

Kent, N.Y.: Amy Klobuchar is the real deal. And exactly what this country needs. She’s

smart, compassionate, and has experience. She will be able to handle Trump in the debates. Wake up Democrats! Joe’s time has gone by. I don’t think Bernie or Elizabeth can win. Although, I’d like to see Warren in a cabinet position.

Rob Callen

Rat race

Whitestone: To watch some of the news coverage after the Democratic debate Thursday night, we would think that the goal of all the candidates should be to entertain the journalists and TV talking heads, and give them grist for their entertainment mills. Who had the highlight sound bite? Who had the most embarrassing gaffe? Who is defying the odds? For us Democrats, the important question is who has the best chance to beat Donald Trump. Julian Castro tried to prove Joe Biden is too old. This backfired since Castro’s cheap shot was wrong and was just plain nasty. Beto O’Rourke had the audacity to say that the way to remove the threat of assault weapons was to take assault weapons away from gun owners. It’s common sense, and Beto is right, but everyone else on the stage danced around the issue. Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg sounded practical and presidential, warning against extreme ideas that excite some voters but will turn off the moderates. But who knows if that matters in the age of reality TV mania? And, to attack any of the candidates about their age makes no sense since the front runners — Biden, Sanders and Warren — are all over 70 years old. Who says dinosaurs are extinct?

Best wishes

Brooklyn: Dear Donald, I hope and pray you lose bigly in the 2020 election.

Nancy D. Bennett

Apple a day

Michael J. Gorman

Manhattan: With the 2020 presidential elections coming up, please remember that health insurance is a right, not a privilege. Everyone needs to have health care. No one should be denied the health care or medicines that they need. I hope that one day soon we will have universal health care like they do in Europe.

Amy Rosenfeld-Kass

Not so fresh air

Flushing: Obviously the Sept. 11 holocaust should never be forgotten. But let’s not forget Sept. 15. That’s the date that the holy trinity of Bush, Giuliani and the EPA’s Christie Whitman declared that the air was clean and safe in downtown New York City when they knew it was not.

John Puglisi

Quite the coinkydink!

Hewlett, L.I.: Did anyone happen to notice Tuesday night’s Mets boxscore? It was 9/11! Vincent Nuzzolo

Misnomer

Bronx: We named the site Ground Zero, but it really should be renamed Ground of Heroes. Giovanna Jesselli

Underpaid

Highland, N.Y.: Anyone who disrespects members of law enforcement should understand that they are there for you and yours. Ninety-nine percent of them are there to make a difference, surely not for the salary. Have some respect. John Kilroe

Pay up

Jamaica: Are the New York City taxpayers getting a refund for the bogus reports done by McKinsey & Company (“Rikers Con Job,” Sept. 10)? Their claim of a reduction in violence by 70% at Rikers is a lie.

GETTY Who stands up for the taxpayers? We want our money back! It looks like we got robbed. We need this money for infrastructure and affordable housing. Shame on this firm. Have they no conscience? I hope Attorney General Letitia James goes after them.

Marilyn Monclova

Live a bit

Bronx: To Voicer Judith Natkin regarding Mother Nature: Lighten up. You’re taking life too seriously.

Timothy Sullivan

Spoilers!

Brooklyn: Is it me or are there parallels between the movie “Soylent Green” and Burger King’s new Whopper made from plants? In “Soylent Green,” the world overpopulates, causing major food shortages. The government develops a program where they use seaweed to create a food called Soylent Green. In reality, they gather up humans to be slaughtered. Burger King now comes up along and develops a meat patty made from plants that tastes like meat. Soylent Green was made from human meat to taste like plants. Strange parallels. What’s going on here?

Ralph LaBarbera