Attacks on religious symbols are acts of hate

New City, N.Y.: Sadly, the recent attack on items of veneration at St. Dominic’s Roman Catholic Church in Brooklyn, where statues of Mother Teresa and Pope John XXIII were defaced with a hammer, highlights the double standard of outrage by city and state officials when crimes target the Catholic community. It is difficult to comprehend how anyone can not see the targeted smashing of the faces of these two figures as anything other than an expression of hate.

We recall how politicians, particularly Mayor Adams, tripped over themselves to get to microphones to denounce a similar attack on a statue of Gandhi at a Queens Hindu temple. There are numerous examples of local politicians denouncing antisemitic and Islamophobic-inspired vandalism. Speaking out against such attacks is proper and commendable; what is not acceptable is the deafening silence from these same elected officials when acts of hate are directed at the Catholic community.

Some will note that the perpetrator of the attack on St. Dominic’s is “unhinged” and suffers from mental illness. But is anyone who engages in hate truly sane? Is not any attack on any faith community unhinged?

It is time to end the double standard in addressing hate attacks. We must send a message that attacks on the Catholic community are not merely criminal mischief but serious offenses that warrant the same level of condemnation and action. Anything less is a second assault on the Catholic community. Neil Cosgrove, national anti-defamation chair, The Ancient Order of Hibernians

Warped perspective

Rochdale Village: In regards to Voicer Scott R. Hammond’s hallucinogenic letter about how America is falling apart but we still spend money on foreign aid: Wow, are you under the influence of drugs? Bad acid, speed? Your letter reads like it’s from a bad episode of “The Twilight Zone.” Please don’t drive when you do that. Saul Rothenberg

Sidelined

Manhattan: A notable but rarely mentioned fact regarding the just-started New York primaries is that once again, the state’s unaffiliated voters, such as myself, will be unable to vote in these elections. About 3.1 million of New York state’s registered voters, or 24%, are not affiliated with a political party. In other states we are called registered independents. New York dismissively refers to us as “blanks.” We are forbidden to vote in the primaries for any office because New York remains among the small handful of states with a fully closed primary system. It shares that dubious distinction with Florida. Closed primaries promote partisan polarization and amplify the influence of ideological extremes, in addition to disenfranchising a large portion of the electorate. It is high time that New York got rid of this obsolete and undemocratic system and allowed all registered voters to vote in the primary election of their choosing. Ilya Kapovich

Wife support

Brooklyn: To Voicer W.J. Van Sickle: You made the statement about Jill Biden being on stage with the president when he debates Donald Trump. You said she could help him back on stage if he wanders off. Maybe Melania could be there with Trump also. You know how he gets unhinged when he’s caught in lies. Maybe she will be there to give him his medication. Carol Singleton

Obvious conclusion

Manhattan: Voicer Denise Fortino stoutly defends the current president’s mental acuity from those many critics who have noticed his faculties fading. Ms. Fortino, you do realize that we all can both see and hear him, right? “Don’t look at the man behind the curtain” is not going to work any more than it did in “The Wizard of Oz.” Paul Weiss

Different responsibilities

Avon-by-the-Sea, N.J.: Mike Lupica spoofs the Murdoch media in comparing Rupert’s age as owner to that of Biden’s age as president (“Punchline or playoffs, Rodgers walking fine line with Jets,” column, June 16). There is no comparison. Murdoch is using his fortune while Biden is supposed to be the leader of the Free World. It is asinine to compare the two positions. Robert Stiloski

Chasing dollars

Brooklyn: It is disgraceful that President Biden and Donald Trump have to go around and hold fundraisers so they can campaign for president. This is wrong for several reasons. It takes them away from actually meeting voters. The second reason is that it is dangerous. The people who attend these fundraisers are very wealthy, and they are looking for special favors that usually are only good for them, with no regard for the average American. Trump promised his rich friends that he would give them tax breaks and reduce environmental regulations. I am sure Biden also has made promises. It is time that all elections are completely financed by our government. It would be costly but would produce more honest government. Candidates will have to focus on acting in the best interests of everybody, not a special few. It might sound idealistic, but the current system promotes corruption. Alan Podhaizer

Minor annoyance

East Meadow, L.I.: I’d like to thank Voicer Steve Ditlea regarding the background of saying “you know.” I found that most interesting. When I first read Voicer Mary Caggiano’s letter complaining about how many times she hears people say it, I thought how lucky one can be that in this day and age, hearing someone say “you know” bothered her to the extent that she wrote in about it. Hopefully, in the future, hearing “you know” won’t bother you as much. P.S.: If me mentioning “you know” this many times bothers you, please forgive me. Jeff Tuck

Semper Fi, forever

Astoria: I’m a Marine Vietnam veteran, and I would like to tell Voicer Tom Yackeren that there are no former Marines. Once a Marine, always a Marine. And when our tour of duty on Earth ends, we go to Heaven to guard the gates. Ronald Beicht

Selfish sovereignty

Kew Gardens: Ironically, rightist voters in Western industrialized nations are adamantly opposed to immigrants entering their countries from other parts of the world, as though their entry will have a negative influence. Yet, for centuries, these same Western nations tremendously enriched themselves and had no restraints about invading the countries from which the migrants are arriving, subjugating the natives, colonizing the territories, exploiting indigenous labor and resources, installing compliant political leaders, indoctrinating the dominated people to Western religious beliefs and culture, while leaving a slew of mixed-race progeny in their wake. What hypocrites. Glenn Hayes

Dropped pretense

Syosset, L.I.: The recent dust-up over congestion pricing exposes politicians for what they are — people who want to raise taxes without admitting it. Gone is all mention of safety, decongestion, the environment, etc. All that’s left are panicked questions regarding how they can take the money Gov. Hochul won’t let them take from us. Interesting to see them exposed for who they really are. Drew Oringer

The right to kill?

Fort Worth, Texas: How is it possible that the U.S. Supreme Court has gone from pro-life to pro-death in less than two years? I don’t understand how six Christian justices who must have read the Bible verse Exodus 20:13, “Thou shalt not kill,” would even consider overturning the ban on rapid-fire bump stocks. It’s bad enough that military-style assault rifles that can shoot 45 bullets per minute are legal, but now if a bump stock is added, an AR-15 can shoot 400-800 rounds per minute. If the gunman who killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, was able to buy bump stocks, he would’ve been able to murder every single person in that school, including the police who were waiting in the hall, too terrified to enter. Sharon Austry

Still kickin’

Brooklyn: Frank Pugliano, an Italian-born WWII soldier, celebrated his 103rd birthday earlier this month. He said that birthday was the greatest day of his life. Frank served in the Army and saw action in the Pacific theater, surviving a Japanese torpedo attack while deployed on a convoy to Luzon, Philippines. In 1943, he married his childhood sweetheart. Frank credits Coca-Cola and dark chocolate as the reason he made it to his age. He also eats three eggs, bacon and home fries at his local diner for breakfast and pasta fagioli at Olive Garden. Long live the greatest generation. Louie Scarcella

Program error

Manhattan: To Voicer Frank Mauceri: HTTP error 404 (not found). Page Not Found. Vanessa Enger