The vulnerable need watchdogs

Canandaigua, N.Y.: The recent publicity about a group home in Rome, N.Y., where a resident was found with an infestation of maggots in his tracheostomy, should remind us that three years ago Michael Carey, whose son was killed by a state developmental center caregiver, and Tom Cavanagh, a victim of childhood domestic abuse, traveled across New York — Cavanagh walked all the way — to call attention to widespread mistreatment of physically, mentally and developmentally disabled people in state institutions and group homes (“Maggots in the throat of a patient,” Aug. 11).

Carey and Cavanagh urged the Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs to regard abuse and neglect of care-dependent people as crimes that should be reported to 911. They also called for camera surveillance to help deter mistreatment, improved staff training and better background checks for those who care for vulnerable people. It is high time for reforms to be implemented.Joel Freedman

Outta here

Barnegat, N.J.: To Voicers Janet Cantor and Jean Aldrich:As two deplorables supporting a mentally ill man you call President, crying about how unfair the arts portray your self-admitted sexual abuser — or President Select since the popular vote went to Hillary — I’d like to remind you that Donald the twit makes himself the butt of many jokes. Where were you two deplorables when the sexual abuser you pulled the lever for during the campaign wanted his brother twits in the NRA — not really aware gun nuts — to take care of Hillary? Twit says you guys know what to do — now wasn’t that funny? And yes, conservatives are scary, just look at Jeff Sessions, Greg Gianforte, Mick Mulvaney, Steve Bannon et al. Very scary! As long as the wealthy are taken care of, the hell with the rest of the people. This is the most truth-challenged administration ever. Also remember who has the majority and who can’t get anything done. Yes, he got Neil Gorsuch through, but the rules had to be changed to do it. In the last election, many people did not vote for President because they didn’t like either candidate. That won’t happen again after the embarrassment that is Trump.

Lynda Spurdis

All you need

Whitestone: When are we going to take the shades from our eyes and the cotton from our ears? Only then will the love in our hearts come out. Sally DeFelice

Hate in office

Bronx: As a sanitation supervisor, our main goal is to dispose of smelly garbage and flush it down so that it never emerges. The hater who comes to mind is arrogant racist Maria Chappelle Nadal, who stated that President Trump should be assassinated (“Mo. senator apologizes for Facebook comment calling for Trump’s assassination,” Aug. 17). This crud should be arrested. As a black man, I cannot understand how this racist was voted into office by black people with a background of hatred and lack of respect and loyalty for our President. She is no different from a terrorist. Willy Denbo

Look in the mirror

Rego Park: To Voicer Ann Rychlenski: With a name like yours I would be ashamed to talk about controlling the flow of immigrants. I’d bet anything your ancestors spoke no English; that’s why so many social organizations were built to help those immigrants. You forget where you came from and should read New York history. Juan Vega

Greed on Pennsylvania Ave.

Levittown, L.I.: The White House is now the Green House, not because of its environmental policies but because its main occupants are greedy moneygrubbers. John Di Milia

Never justified

Manhattan: Voicer James Byrne wrote that the South “needed slave labor to work the farms and plantations.” No, I don’t think so. They needed workers. If they had hired people to work and paid them, they could have avoided the Civil War. Slavery is not justifiable, ever. The slave owners did not deserve “a place of honor in our history.” This part of our past is ugly. Audrey Israele

Wayward signs

Bronx: It took a 96-year-old woman to complain about the horrible condition of sidewalks to Mayor de Blasio. Well, I am an 85-year-old woman. I have been complaining to the Department of Transportation about the street I live on for about two years now. The street needs signs painted on it — like “SLOW.” There is a huge bump in the middle of the street and an arrow, before that the word “BUMP.” This is not the Indianapolis Speedway. Someone will get killed or seriously injured. I am sick and tired of calling 311 and the Department of Transportation. Clara Falco

Standing room only

Yorktown Heights, N.Y.: On the subject of our subways, several years ago there was a surplus. What happened to this money? Several fare hikes later, they want to hurt the commute more? Does the MTA want people to ride the subways or increase car traffic in the city, or even move out of New York? Why would I want to stand all the way from Brooklyn or Queens to Manhattan on a daily basis? What about elderly or disabled people, people with asthma, pregnant women, children? I am now over 60 years old. I’ve been riding the subway since I was a teenager. My reward now is that I cannot stand for a whole hour with bumps, pulls, etc. This is my reward? It is horrible that the MTA think it is OK to worsen our commute, still charging top dollar, instead of doing their job by being more efficient, maintaining cars, tracks and signals more often. They instead have cut these things to save money. Would they charge half price for standing? They may find fewer riders, and more people driving instead.

Eve Weiss

Undeserving MTA

Brooklyn: Once again, The News is wrong in taking Gov. Cuomo’s side over Mayor de Blasio. Why should the mayor give more money to the MTA when only last year he gave them $2 billion? After getting a second undeserved term in office, govern-not Cuomo gave billions in rebates to Wall Street, big banks and the real estate, movie and TV industries. If he can throw all that money at these crooks, then he should give money to the shady MTA, too.

Robert Romeo

Avoidable tragedy

Brooklyn: Re “Suicide at Coney Island Hosp” (Aug. 25): I worked at Coney Island for years prior to my retirement. I could write a book about the terrible administration and poor patient care. I’m not surprised that this happened.

Marie Grosso

Swift judgment

Hardwick, N.J.: Taylor Swift won her butt-groping case. I don’t know why anyone would bother to grope — there’s nothing there to grope. They might as well grab a fence post in the backyard.

Jean Hayes

Wakeup call

New City, N.Y.: Back in the day there was an ominous saying about the future, never heeded. This bird is the farmer’s wakeup call, as well as the provider of medicine for ailing knees, yet it had been ridiculed by the naysayers. Well, this gifted animal has come home to roost, and we are paying the price for not paying attention. Too much violence in the movies, on TV, etc. will adversely affect immature minds and accustom them to committing similar acts of violence. Even the cartoons in the newspaper and on children’s TV have stepped over the line. Well, this bird is again trying to warn us about showing so graphically man’s inhumanity to man.

Joseph Human

Buy now

Meriden, Conn.: To Voicer Fred Burns: You claim that McDonald’s shareholders are greedy. But there is no such thing as a greedy shareholder, only shrewd investors. This is the free enterprise system. You should be helping yourself by buying shares in this company. Get in on the action. Bob Muenchow

Buried history

Brooklyn: Re “Grave issue” (Aug. 18): Retrieve with honor our war dead — the Maryland soldiers who fought the British in the Revolutionary War in the Battle of Brooklyn! Charles Leahy

Best friends

MIKE GROLL/AP PHOTO Bronx: I once had a dog. Seeing the June 19 “Mutts” comic strip — “Everyone thinks they have the best dog. And none of them are wrong” — gave me a big smile. Thanks a bunch. Marsha Kolin Bronx: I heard the Mets went on a trip to the planetarium to buy a telescope so they could see where they are in the standings. Obviously far off in space. Leo Barta