A killer cop caught on camera
Manhattan: Thank God that South Carolina police officer Michael Slager is behind bars for the fatal shooting of Walter Scott, another unarmed black man to add to the growing list (“Killed in cold blood,” April 9). One shudders to think, though, what might have happened if a video weren’t available. Slager would probably have been given a slap on the wrist and sent on his merry way. It’s really a shame that a few bad apples are giving the many good cops a bad name. Brenda Nicholls Somerset, N.J.: It is sad that the Daily News call the South Caroline incident “target practice” in a front-page headline, but there are no headlines about the “target practice” murders of Laylah Peterson or James Stuhlman. Laylah was a 5-year-old girl killed in November 2014 by local teen gang members in Milwaukee as she sat on her porch. Stuhlman was killed walking his dog in March 2015 in Philadelphia after pleading, “Don’t shoot me!” — according to one of his three 13and 14-year-old murderers. There were no News headlines after these murders. Why is this? Sensationalism prevails over journalism.
Peter Provenzale
A capital idea
Bloomfield, N.J.: There should be no death penalty, not even for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev — it’s too damn good! Instead, all felons, not just killers, should be made slaves to pay society back. They should work like dogs on chain gangs, doing jobs like separating recyclables from garbage. They should give blood to save lives, along with half their liver, which grows back. They should be guinea pigs for medical research, thus eliminating animal testing and getting new medicines to market sooner. If they die in prison, everything goes to victims first and the state second — and their organs to those who need them. If this were law, imagine the deterrent effect! J. Andrew Smith
No laughing matter
Seaside, Calif.: Re “Congress as kabuki theater” (Op-Ed, March 29): I understand the core message of James Warren’s column was to blast Congress and its ineptitude, he created quite a bit of collateral damage by mocking Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness Month. CDH is a life-threatening birth condition. Every year, 1,600 babies in the U.S. will be born with the condition, and 800 will die. Parents and families of afflicted children have worked for years to create a CDH Awareness Month, not only to honor our children but to help support other families newly diagnosed. Our families deserve a public apology.
Lisa Spence
E.T. phones home
Barrington, N.J.: The other night I woke up, and there before me was a space alien with big eyes that looked like two holes in his head. He told me to deliver a message. He said: “Write to the Daily News and tell them they are full of it.” I said, “Is that it?” He said, “What’s more to say?” Robert Pozzi
Joining the parade
Manhattan: The Daily News editorial “Bill Keeps His Irish Up” (March 17) calls Mayor de Blasio’s boycott of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade (because only one gay group was admitted) “a sourness,” while Timothy Cardinal Dolan’s forced change of mind is described as “big-hearted” and Pope Francis’ famously takenout-of-context words “Who am I to judge?” are once again falsely presented to the public as a comment on homosexuality in general. All of this is nothing but hardball politics. What do you want to bet that Gov. Cuomo let the cardinal know he wouldn’t release funds for parochial schools unless he caved on the parade? As for the Pope’s words: A reporter had asked if he thought it was OK for a gay man to become a priest as long as he was celibate. In sum: The Pope gets an image make-over, the cardinal gets his school funding and the very well organized, unelected, political wing of the gay community get their concept of “progress.”
Diane Moriarty
Growing concern
Rosedale: I fully understand the two women’s concerns about the tree in front of their home (“Going out on a limb,” April 9). I also have a large tree in front of my yard that causes me a lot of concern. The roots have started lifting up the concrete between it and the house, making a dangerous situation when walking. After hurricane Sandy, I felt lucky the tree wasn’t uprooted, like so many others in my neighborhood. Also, it’s just a matter of time before the roots start to get tangled into my pipes, which will cost me a fortune to fix. I don’t understand why, as homeowners, we are responsible for damage from trees that the city planted.
Shirley Jordan
Raising the bar
Saranac Lake, N.Y.: There is no doubt that Gov. Cuomo’s educational policies contain controversial reforms, as Alyssa Katz mentioned in “A mother’s Common Core breaking point” (OpEd, March 22). As a teacher and community member, I believe the Common Core standards are good for New York students. In the future, we expect students to change the world. In order to be successful, they need a strong knowledge base and the ability to think critically. Rigorous standards and an emphasis on overcoming challenges matters because, coupled together they will lead to improvements down the road. Amanda Zullo
Hiding the puck
Staten Island: I am baffled that the Daily News continues not to give the New York Rangers their due. They won the Metropolitan Division last week and on April 8 clinched the President’s Trophy, but The News did not celebrate these milestones by giving them the cover of the sports section. Why? Did Yankee fans need to be reminded that they lost?
Jennifer Belford
Loathes Linda
Manhattan: Voicer Ron Howell praises Linda Stasi’s cherrypicked, right-wing crackpot lies about Hillary Clinton. Obviously, he shares Stasi’s psychotic hatred of Clinton. The fact is, Stasi knows as much as about politics as she does about rocket science.
Reba Shimansky
Hipster nation
Manhattan: Re “Hill heading to Brooklyn Heights” (April 4): Can a few thousand plaid-wearing hipsters change the course of history? Maybe, if there’s enough fair-trade single-origin coffee and artisanal sandwiches.
Adam Silbert
Born to lead
Kew Gardens: To Voicer Rose Johnson: If you believe the birthers who say President Obama was not born in the United States, according to what you wrote he would still be eligible to be President. Obama’s mother was a U.S. citizen. One parent being a citizen is all you need to be one yourself. So your own logic concludes there is no issue with Obama’s eligibility.
Susan Gardner
History lesson
Bronx: April 9 marked the 150th anniversary of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Court House. We should keep in mind a bit of history from that period and how it might affect current politics. Gen. George Gordon Meade, the Union leader at the Battle of Gettysburg, was born in Cadiz, Spain, where his father worked as a U.S. naval officer. One of the considerations in the hyper-political atmosphere of those days was that Meade was not eligible to run for President. Now, folks argue that Ted Cruz, who was born to an American woman married to a non-citizen in Canada, is eligible to run for President. How things change. Kevin Harrington
Horse sense
Manhattan: Re “Hay, I’m cool” (April 8): So much of the debate over the NYC carriage horses is infused with horrible-sounding charges from animal rights extremists. That’s why your story covering the recent scientific study proving that the carriage horses are not stressed is so important. It communicates facts. Now, if only we can get the mayor to focus on the facts rather than his campaign contributors, we will be able to keep the horses here in NYC where they belong.
Craig Sheldon
Happy customer
Forest Hills: Thank you, Daily News, for the tickets to see the Yankees play the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday on April 8. I took my nephew, Mark, and we enjoyed a lovely evening together. The seats were good, between third base and left field. The weather was awful, cold and a misty rain throughout the game. Because of the poor performance of the Toronto Blue Jays in the eighth inning, the Yankees were able to take advantage of the opportunity, take the lead and made it an exciting game. The Yankees won 4-3.
Arlene E. Farber