Ignoring the lessons of history
Glen Head, L.I.: Peace means more than the absence of conflict. Those who support this deal with Iran should reflect back on the last century. Sept. 29, 1938: Neville Chamberlain, prime minister of the UK, triumphantly returns from Munich after negotiating with Adolf Hitler to prevent war with Nazi Germany, an ambitious, racist, tyrannical regime. Hitler is thrilled. Chamberlain crows, “My good friends, this is the second time there has come back from Germany to Downing Street peace with honour. I believe it is peace for our time. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Now I recommend you go home and sleep quietly in your beds.” Oct. 1, 1938: The Sudentenland is annexed to Germany. March 1939: Germany invades Czechoslovakia. Sept. 1, 1939: Germany invades Poland. Sept. 3, 1939: Chamberlain announces a declaration of war against Germany.
July 14, 2015: Barack Obama, President of the U.S., threatens Congress if it opposes his triumphant deal with the leaders of an ambitious, racist, tyrannical regime. The Iranian leadership is thrilled. Obama crows, “This deal is not built on trust; it is built on verification.”
Do you see where I am going with this? B.A. Clerkin
No laughing matter
Bronx: No wonder the Iranian foreign minister is laughing hysterically. The Obama-Kerry team has just capitulated to his every demand, getting almost nothing in return. Soon the rest of the world may be weeping uncontrollably at the consequences of America’s feeble and inept diplomatic blunder. Eliezer Gevirtz
Give Obama a break
Palisades Park, N.J.: Hey, Daily News, how does it feel to always be wrong (“Vote no on Iran deal,” editorial, July 15)? This is the newspaper that supported George W. Bush for President over John Kerry, a seasoned statesman — even though Bush had already proven himself less than capable to make sound decisions. So it’s no surprise that you have chosen to ridicule our President on a major decision. Only time will tell if a deal with Iran is the way to go or if it is a mistake. But considering his string of successes, I’m putting my money on President Obama and not The News, which has been wrong every time it has criticized him. Gary DiMora
Give peace a chance
Brooklyn: Your editorial board’s blind support for Israel is obvious in your call for a “no” vote on the Iran deal. Thank goodness your scare tactics will not prevail this time. We have already expended too many lives and resources in that region of the world. It is therefore time for understanding and peaceful diplomacy to triumph over shouts of intolerance and war. Felix A. Rivera
Test of faith
Somerset, N.J.: If President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State John Kerry believe Israel is safer with this Iran deal, then why don’t they buy third or fourth homes in Israel and live there after retirement, when Iran has nuclear capability with missiles from Russia?
Peter Provenzale
Castro must go
Bloomfield, N.J.: Voicer Stephen Celestino’s take on Cuba is so off-base that it borders on scary. Something has changed in the over 50 years since Fidel Castro took power: Thousands of Cubans have come to a free and democratic America to enjoy all it has to offer. Meanwhile, back in Cuba, people have to live in an oppressive state where they are imprisoned for things as small as voicing any opinion contrary to the Castro brothers. If President Obama’s plan goes forward, the only change for Cuba will be that the Castro brothers get richer. I agree something new should be tried: Doing more to get rid of an oppressive dictatorship.
Michael Patracuolla
Asleep at the switch
Trumbull, Conn.: When asked if the Obama administration had reached out to the family of Kate Steinle, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson looked puzzled and asked, “Who?” It had been national news for days that this young woman was murdered by an illegal alien who had previously been deported five times for felony convictions. This happened on Johnson’s watch. Isn’t it his job to know what’s happening in his own department? The administration has reached out to the families of other murdered children. Why are they obviously ignoring this one? This is a sign of total disrespect to this family. J.B. Pinto
Gutter politics
Manhattan: To Voicer Reba Shimansky: Is there no depth to which Hillary supporters will not sink? Claiming that people would not vote for Bernie Sanders because he’s “elderly, Jewish and a Socialist” is unspeakably disgusting. Shame on the Daily News for printing it. Attacking the man through surrogates instead of dealing with his policies — even as Clinton tries to co-opt some of them — is shocking. But given Hillary’s ambition and history, it’s not surprising.
Beatrice Williams-Rude
Big on Bernie
North Bergen, N.J.: Voicer Reba Shimansky displays a misunderstanding of history. To say that Americans are not going to vote for Bernie Sanders because he is elderly ignores the fact that seniors are one of the largest active voting blocks. To say that he can’t get elected because he is Jewish calls to mind an earlier claim that John Kennedy could not be elected because he was Catholic. And what does it mean to call him a socialist? What’s wrong with the idea that if a bank or a corporation is too big to fail, it is just plain too big? And what’s wrong with free higher education? Let’s stop exporting jobs, and let’s elect Bernie.
Irving A. Gelb
Misplaced guilt
Manhattan: I’m so confused about the settlement with the Garner family (“Garner kin OK record settlement,” July 14). The police were not trying to kill Eric Garner. They were trying to restrain him in the best way they knew how. And none of this would have happened if Garner hadn’t resisted arrest. This was a terrible, unfortunate outcome. But who really is to blame?
Stephanie Stefko
Beastly behavior
Brooklyn: Re “Animal” (July 15): Words are so powerful. Please do not refer to the human waste who violated an 82-year-old woman as an “animal.” Animals do not do such things — not ever. Mankind, however, does. I hope they find him, beat him and put him in a cold, dark hole for the rest of his days. Lorraine Keshner
Too late, too little
Brooklyn: Re “Mosque-slay cop’s late salute” (July 15): Forty-three years ago, NYPD Patrolman Phillip Cardillo and his partner were lured into a black Muslim mosque and assassinated. No one ever was jailed or held accountable. Now, Cardillo is honored by the department — and the story is carried on page 32 of the Daily News. Every day you put pictures of half-naked women or ugly Kardashians on your front page, but you relegate the coverage of an NYPD hero to the middle of the paper? Shame on you!
Cathleen Wilson
Give Pete his due
Port Chester, N.Y.: Seeing the crowd applaud Pete Rose at the All-Star Game was about baseball and nothing else (“Still a hit in Cincy,” July 15). What Rose
Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP contributed to baseball stands alone. No one can dispute his record, and he did it all without steroids — just sheer human power and will and love for baseball. At least give him that. He deserves to be put in the Hall of Fame. Kathy Spizzirri
A taste of life inside
Astoria: I highly recommend that Mayor de Blasio and Correction Commissioner Joseph Ponte work a few tours on Rikers Island, to get a reality check before they start correcting corrections.
Aris Sakellaridis Retired correction officer
Russell who?
Finleyville, Pa.: Re “Russell Simmons, animal rights activists pushing Bill de Blasio on horsecarriage ban” (NYDailyNews.com, July 14): Oh, please. Another big name trying to throw his weight behind the extremist NYCLASS hate group to ban carriage horses? Another nonequine person who thinks he knows more than equine experts, veterinarians, behaviorists and trainers who have said time and again how well cared-for and non-stressed the horses are? I admittedly know nothing about hip-hop music, but I think it should be banned and all those well-to-do performers put out of business — just because I don’t like it. And no, I don’t need any facts to support that ban. I just want it to be done. How do you like them apples, Russell Simmons, whoever you are?
Shelley Caldwell