Keeping our heads about history

Staten Island: It’s beyond belief that statues are all of a sudden the root of all evil in this country. It’s laughable. You have a President who’s on a $20 bill responsible for the inhumane deaths of thousands of Native American Indians, not to mention slave owners on other bills and coins. You have sports franchises with logos depicting the same humans in an offensive, disrespecting cartoonish way in our present time and no one seems to care. We have in-your-face racism on a daily basis, homelessness, hunger, etc. The list goes on and on.

And what’s important? Statues that no one knew or cared about. These statues, good or bad, are our history. You educate the young using these statues so they will know about the bad and the ugly that existed, so that history won’t repeat itself. There are far more important things than taking down statues. Henry Correa Edison, N.J.: These statues of every ethnic group have been erected to honor those people. What are we going to do next — remove God from this pathetic world? Get real, people! This is history, whether it be right or wrong. It is a reminder so it does not repeat itself. Ken Elder

Panel of who?

Staten Island: In regards to the panel that will be “appointed” (can I make my donation now to be appointed) by Mayor de Blasio to review removal of historical statues throughout our city — please make sure to release their names so we the people of the city can delve into every aspect of their lives to ensure the people of the glass house have no skeletons of their own before they make these very important decisions.

Michelle Heika

Taking Liberties

Brick, N.J.: Lady Liberty and the 9/11 Memorial have been so very honorably presented. But now I can’t help but wonder, if someone decides that perhaps French people should be held accountable because de Gaulle wanted the graves of the fallen G.I.s buried in France after World War II to be dug up and removed from the country, calling them American trash. Will Lady Liberty herself become victim of the madness that Mayor “Da Blah” is proposing with Columbus? Da Gaul of that guy! I demand my rights! The mayor of New York is misguided and should focus on other matters or go take his nap. Can’t wait till he loses reelection.

Karyn Castagna

Loose with loosie truth

Sparta, N.J.: When is the Daily News going to stop perpetuating the lie that Eric Garner “was spotted selling loose cigarettes” on the day that he was murdered by the New York City Police Department and Officer Daniel Pantaleo? Regardless of which of the two stories you printed in the early days of his murder — that officers either observed him on the corner and approached him or that officers were called to the scene because of a fight that Garner had helped defuse — that we are to believe the fact that loose cigarettes were found in his pockets after the incident does not mitigate his murder. If we are to believe the first scenario, he was simply observed and approached, and it has never been shown that any officer actually saw him selling cigarettes on that morning. Many eyewitnesses attest to the second scenario in which Garner was bloviating about his involvement in quashing the fight and the officers, having nothing better to do, decided to alleviate Garner of his civil rights, due process and, ultimately, his life.

Ronald K. Samuel

Blue fairness

Manhattan: The News’ Aug. 21 article “Cop punched me for no reason,” failed to include the word “alleged” in the headline and reported on the lieutenant’s past litigation. Not surprisingly, you also failed to report that Kevin Pettiway — the so-called victim — has 25 prior arrests, including four for resisting arrest and robbery. I guess this information does not fit your paper’s agenda. Louis Turco, president, Lieutenants Benevolent

Association

Healthy reality

East Meadow, L.I.: Voicer Barbara Berger either has a poor memory or has been watching Fox News for too long. The Affordable Care Act was one of the most debated laws in history. There were plenty of local, public discussions. (Remember those Tea Party plants in town halls threatening congressmen and senators, falsely spreading lies about death panels and abortion, and how they would all lose coverage?) As far as Nancy Pelosi’s quote, there was a lot of speculation, mostly false, about what would be in the House version of the bill. The bill was still being debated. Parts were still being amended, withdrawn, added and rewritten. So when people were speculating what would be in it, she correctly stated that they would have to pass it first before people could see what was in it. It’s that way with all bills in Congress. I suggest that you rely on the truth rather than internet memes and distorted Fox News sound bites.

Richard Skibins

Lack of coverage

Raleigh, N.C.: The homepage of the Daily News’ Tuesday Web site shows little about ongoing Hurricane Harvey, but lots about celebrities and near-naked women. What’s in the minds of those who decide what readers want to see? It’s not what’s in mine. I’m concerned about the victims and what’s being done in this tragedy that continues to play out, not Kourtney Kardashian in a string bikini. Kristin Christensen

Respect the Prez

Bronx: To all you people who jump on anything President Trump does or says — good, bad, indifferent: Get over it. He is our President, and we all should support him. The past President — who in my mind did nothing to help our country — no one said a word about him. I think Hillary Clinton is somehow behind all this stuff that is going on, because she can’t get over losing the election that she thought she had in the bag. Jimmy Durda

Democrat double-talk

Massapequa, L.I.: To Voicer Lynda Spurdis, who calls President Trump a sexual abuser and says he is only concerned with the rich. How would you refer to a President who had sex in the Oval Office with a young intern? Would he not be a sexual abuser? When it comes to helping the poor in this country, are you aware that Barack Obama put 25 million more Americans on welfare/food stamps during his eight years in office than there were when he was elected? Or how about the fact that the average household median income fell by over $3,000 a month during that same eight years? Whatever you do, don’t let facts cloud your train of thought, Ms. Spurdis. Tom Ascher Bronx: So Jim Wallis, who served on Obama’s White House Advisory Council, alleges to President Trump that “there are no pardons without repentance.” I guess this blow-hard, leftist genius was OK with Obama pardoning Oscar López Rivera — a radical FALN leader who instructed his followers on how to make and detonate bombs that killed and maimed innocent people — for a political agenda that went nowhere. Thank God we have a President with a set. Ralph A. Manente DREW ANGERER/GETTY IMAGES

Well, pardon us

Kennewick, Wash.: As shocking as it may seem to you, in order to be pardoned, the person being pardoned must have broken the law (“Trump, against the law,” editorial, Aug. 27). So, I suppose in your view, anytime a President has pardoned anyone, that President has acted unconstitutionally. Tim Coleman

A thankful reader

East Glacier, Mont.: The News’ editorial was an excellent description of the Arpaio pardon. Thank you for writing this! I love the Daily News. Maria Folsom

Jumping the gun

Avondale, Penn.: Not smart to do the pardon prior to negotiating the presidential library donation.

Marvin Sammons

Flown the Cooper

Summerland Key, Fla.: Regardless of my opinion of her, I never saw anything wrong with what Kathy Griffin did in the first place (“Kathy Griffin ends her friendship with Anderson Cooper,” Aug. 28). It was an expression of her feelings for Trump and it was a joke. This is a free country, and we have a right to express ourselves. I did like Cooper, but now I don’t. He is judgmental and critical. Of all people, he doesn’t have that right. He certainly feels free to express himself, and I am happy that he feels free to do so. I’m disgusted that he feels he has the right to criticize her behavior publicly. Sandra Pearce