A prayer for America: Deliver us from our evils
Barnegat, N.J.: Lord, our country needs your help. For centuries, you have looked out for the best interests of America. Please don’t abandon us now. It seems that millions have lost their way. Once, you placed “mud on the eyes” so one could see. America needs that miracle again. If you would open and touch the hearts and minds of those whose eyes, ears, minds and hearts are closed, America would be eternally grateful.
Many have come to believe it is okay to abandon our democracy in favor of autocracy. They wish to abolish our Constitution. They believe it is permissible to chastise the poor and make disparaging remarks about one’s religion, race and gender. Lord, we know you do not support such poor behaviors. Please help those to see the error of their ways. America does not want our children growing up to emulate such disdain. Lord, many now accept potential leadership who disparages our veterans and heroes who have served our country with honor and pride. Gone are the days of thankfulness for those who serve in our military, police and first-responders. It used to be inappropriate to criticize these patriots.
Millions appear ready to accept the concept of dictatorship for America. Many want to take away long-realized entities such as the right to vote for all citizens; the precious right to cast our votes and have them counted without rebellion or rancor. Lord, you professed loving your neighbor as yourself, not promoting constant fear of each other’s differences. “Mud on the eyes” of all Americans is needed more than ever. Please deliver us from all of this evil. Amen. Ron Vanadia
Wall flouters
Floral Park, L.I.: To Voicer Sandi Lusk, who attempted to shift blame for the illegal alien crisis from President Biden and Kamala Harris to former President Trump: Who are you kidding? Everyone knows it was Biden who opened the border and welcomed — even encouraged — aliens to waltz right into our country without any papers, vaccinations or vetting. Biden totally ignored immigration protocols and dumped on U.S. citizens the burden of absorbing and providing for millions of undocumented migrants. It was Trump who promised and attempted to build a border wall to thwart migrants from entering illegally, but the Democrats tried every which way to stop him. Unfortunately for Trump and for us, they were successful and the wall was never completed. Get your facts straight and lay blame where it belongs. Angelo Vetrano
Slipped through
Staten Island: Well, I don’t want to know where Colt Gray procured the gun that killed four people — I want to know why the FBI did not stop this boy when he was first reported to them. Jeffrey Van Pelt
Too partisan
Bronx: I used to buy the N.Y. Post on Fridays because of the sports, especially on baseball. I had to stop because they are not even trying to be nonpartisan. I understand that every news outlet is slanted one way or another, but the Post is not even trying to be fair. Friday’s headline was a prime example. “Feds hit top cop, 3 other city leaders” (Sept. 6) — this was the headline in The News, as it should be. But not in the Post. They had Hunter Biden pleading guilty. Not the first time. Martin Sandok
Doability
Bronx: I’m a 73-year-old who loves your newspaper. Thank God somebody is still printing an old-fashioned paper. I also like that your opinions are politically correct nine out of 10 times, as opposed to the N.Y. Post, which I hate. But what I like most of all, besides the sports pages, is doing your Sunday Crossword II, which I find pretty doable and makes me feel like I accomplished something as opposed to extremely difficult puzzles that only frustrate me. But you seem to have made it extremely hard. You already have the Sunday Crossword I, which is extremely difficult, so why not keep Crossword II the same difficulty? Not that my 2 cents are gonna change things around, but you never know where the hobo goes when it snows. Mark Gornstein
Top-down cronyism
Kearny, N.J.: No! Such pillars of the community as Eddie Caban and Phil Banks having their homes raided!? How can that be? These men are charged with upholding the law! Word is other NYPD brass are waiting for the inevitable knocks on their own doors. And Mayor Adams most assuredly feels the walls closing in on him. Puny man that he is, all those years he spent on the force challenging the status quo wasn’t because he had any morals — it was because the big boys didn’t want him in their club. Now that he’s in charge, we see the moral rot that’s at his center. If he somehow manages to evade justice even as those he’s surrounded himself with go down, you New Yorkers will have to take him out at the ballot box next year and undo the terrible mistake you made three years ago. John Woodmaska
Seasonal oppression
Manhattan: Hooray to those willing to come out of the closet and admit they hate summer. Count me one of them. What’s to like about stifling heat and humidity, sweat-drenched walks to the grocery store and air so soggy that you have to change clothes upon arriving home? Give me fall any time. And fall leads to winter, which, though requiring coats and hats, brings crisp and breathable air. Down with summer, I say. Thank heavens it’s September. Marcia Epstein
Affordable abroad
Brooklyn: I understand that Taylor Swift is having concerts in the United States. The cost to see her perform in America is more than in Europe. I do not blame her for doing the best she can, but she should not lose sight of the fact that her native country gave her an opportunity she benefited from that she might not have achieved anywhere else on Earth. Elliott Abosh
Left to fester
Milwaukee: Human rights organizations Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and Israel’s B’Tselem consider Israel to be an apartheid regime. According to Human Rights Watch: “We reached this determination based on our documentation of an overarching government policy to maintain the domination by Jewish Israelis over Palestinians coupled with grave abuses committed against Palestinians living in the occupied territory, including East Jerusalem.” Nelson Mandela once declared, “But we know too well that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians.” Regarding America’s close relationship with Israel, it is said that “love without accountability is not real love.” Terry Hansen
Stick closer to home
Brick, N.J.: On Friday, I received my Metro Final edition of the Daily News. Approximately 10 pages dedicated to sports coverage, and nary a word about one of the hottest teams in baseball, the Mets. In New York’s Hometown Newspaper, you gave us a story about the Eagles being unhappy in Brazil! Go figure. Let’s go Mets. Leo J. Smith
Trained teachers
Brooklyn: For way more than 50 years, we have been hearing the United Federation of Teachers bellowing about lowering class sizes. They talk an excellent line. At the beginning of each school year, they talk about their goals and aspirations for the forthcoming years. Basically, nothing gets done because the schools are bogged down with attempting to discipline unruly youngsters. Michael Mulgrew, you really want to lower class sizes? Time for you and the rest of the UFT hierarchy to get back into the classroom. We have entirely too many teachers with licenses who made political contacts and, as a result, are out of the classroom. This includes principals, many of whom hardly taught. Get the people out of the district offices as well. Getting every licensed teacher back into the classroom would alleviate class sizes once and for all. Ed Greenspan
Pushed around
Manhattan: Regarding the Chelsea Hotel, let’s face it: The Chelsea area has to worry about getting pushed out of their apartments. Big business will have them out in a heartbeat and not care. As the poor, we will be pushed out if we allow it, and if we don’t fight back. Helen Murphy