Immigration discourse is warped by fallacies
Manhattan: If your vote in the upcoming election is based mainly on immigration and the economy, I would suggest walking around the town you live in first. When you do so, do you feel threatened with physical violence from those who speak little or no English? I don’t. No one I know has been a victim of crime by an immigrant. A National Institute of Justice study showed that immigrants, documented or not, commit less crime than U.S. citizens as a percentage of their population.
Look around in the stores and restaurants and you will see immigrants working in them, serving the public. They have jobs that many citizens, especially men, are no longer willing to do, such as on farms (photo). The U.S. Chamber of Commerce says there is a shortage of workers now and that there are 8 million jobs open currently. There are many immigrants filling jobs requiring higher technical skills like nursing and doctoring since there is a shortage of citizens to fill them. These workers pay taxes and contribute to the economy of the towns by buying things in stores and supermarkets. They help keep these stores open. A Congressional Joint Economic Committee study showed that immigrants spend $1.3 trillion annually. Some immigrants pay taxes but are not eligible for Medicare or Social Security. By paying taxes, they help keep everyone’s taxes lower.
We should vote by facts, not fear or misplaced hate. If we vote on fear, we only hurt ourselves and the economic vitality of the communities we live in. We must treat immigrants with respect and welcome them to strengthen our country. Ralph Palladino
Key word
Greenwood Lake, N.Y.: Once again, New York’s Hometown Newspaper is committing a lie of omission. Your editorial “Heed Lady Liberty’s message” (Oct. 28) talked about the right’s anti-immigration stance. In the true tradition of yellow journalism, you omitted the word “illegal.” As for the Democrats, who are now saying they will be tough on (illegal) immigration, let’s face it: After four years of inaction, they have done nothing more than prove themselves as posers. Joe Fioramonti
Cultivated crowd?
Brooklyn: How many busloads of supporters did Donald Trump have to bus in for his rally at Madison Square Garden? Charlie Pisano
Predictable
Manhattan: Laugh-a-minute racist comedian Tony Hinchcliffe defended his repulsive joke about Puerto Rico by claiming that he loves Puerto Rico and vacations there (“Your ‘comedy’ is ‘garbage,’ ” Oct. 29). Why didn’t he just respond, “Some of my best friends are Puerto Rican”? Mark Portnoy
Revealing rally
Bronx: The Trump rally at MSG was absolutely deplorable. What was more insulting than the racial comments made by the miscreant comedian was the fact that the audience did not shower him in boos. Those in attendance were willing to accept the insults, appalled or not, rather than to counter with a negative response or walkout. So, why would Donald Trump or JD Vance, appearing hours after the insults, verbally apologize to the audience? Because the audience failed to demonstrate they were worthy of an apology. The campaign’s apology on behalf of its sponsor was hollow and insincere. And now days later, Trump has not, in his own words, apologized to ethnic groups that were disparaged because he does not feel they warrant it. It is my fervent hope that his MSG event will be his Achilles heel come Tuesday. Pamela Butler
Damnation
Carolina, R.I.: Your headlines are preposterous lies. There were 20,000 people inside of MSG and many more outside who could not get in because it was full of Americans from all races and backgrounds. There was not one hint or tone of racist remarks at the rally. I was there, I traveled from New England to attend. You and your kind are betrayers of America and Americans. You are betrayers unto God himself. You do not report news, facts or truth. You are propagandists for the Obama/Clinton/Biden illegitimate and evil regime that has stolen our nation. You do the bidding for the bureaucracy that is holding America hostage. This is why I no longer have cable, read newspapers, go to movies or support any corporation that does not support the truth. MAGA or Marx, God or the Devil? We are ankle deep in the book of Revelations of Jesus Christ. Kevin McDonough
Not reading that
Woodcliff Lake, N.J.: I have been a Daily News reader for more than 40 years, but no longer after Monday. I haven’t even opened the paper I bought. All I have to do is look at the headline of your “Racist rally” article on the front page. Your paper is such a rag, and so divisive and judgmental, as if you are the moral compass of New York. You don’t even have proofreaders who can spell correctly. Everything about your paper has gone to the dogs (especially your articles), so here’s another long-time customer who has decided to say sayonara. And by the way, you and your whole staff are the racists. Kathie Renken
Dark history
Jacksonville, Fla.: In 1939, thousands of Nazi sympathizers crowded into New York City’s Madison Square Garden. On Sunday, thousands again gathered in MSG to listen to a lineup of Nazi-esque speakers, from the clown Tucker Carlson to a so-called comedian calling Puerto Rico “a floating pile of garbage”! If thousands of Americans haven’t woken up yet to who this straw-haired, orange face-painted fool of an ex-president is, they never will! Carl J.C. Hafner
Sittin’ pretty
Hampton Bays, L.I.: Trump asked Sunday if I am better off now than four years ago. Yes, I am. Now I can buy toilet paper. Gene Kelly
Known quantity
High Bridge, N.J.: You’re told that you need brain surgery. The choice for the operation is Doctor A with four years of successful experience or Doctor B with no operations performed, but the doctor talks a good game. If you’re not taking stupid pills, it’s an easy decision. Namely, Doctor A because it’s your life on the line. Why is the presidential choice any different? Trump has already done the job very effectively, whereas Kamala Harris offers word salads that say nothing about her past or potential leadership abilities. America’s future hangs in the balance, based on voters’ selections. World War III is more likely the result just because you hate Trump and therefore vote for Harris? I choose peace and prosperity instead, which is what the Trump record shows. Deeds, not words. Dennis Ferrere
Clout
Manhattan: Elon Musk spends millions to tip the election to Donald Trump. Bad Bunny spends nothing and will probably tip the election to Harris. Three cheers to Bad Bunny. This is truly democracy in action. Leonard Smoke
Push it through
Manhattan: Kudos to the Daily News for highlighting “this new era of climate change” (“Tempest and aftermath,” editorial, Oct. 28). We weren’t ready for Hurricane Sandy 12 years ago and, with Greenland and Antarctica melting, we’re hardly ready for whatever’s coming at us now. Your Editorial Board courageously touched on the prickly matter of bureaucratic and other delays that block climate mitigation projects. Limited funding serves as a favorite cause, or excuse, for such blocks. And our governor, by failing to sign on to the Climate Change Superfund Act, is annually preventing $2 billion in fossil fuel profits from helping to fund climate mitigation. Gov. Hochul, heed Sandy’s warning and our fundamental needs today: Sign the Climate Change Superfund Act. Thomas A. Caffrey
Put riders first
Oceanside, L.I.: Re “Hochul must protect transit before it’s too late” (op-ed, Oct. 28): My pushback is the opposite. Open the MTA books to an independent audit to flush out all the wasted dollars. Protecting and respecting the ridership is the next priority. Address fare evasion to claw back all the millions of dollars not being collected. The safety of the users of the subways and buses is next, and finally, the cleanliness of mass transit for the riders who use these systems of transportation. The governor must protect the citizens and ridership first, then the interests of the MTA. Tony Giametta
