Mass killing for what only a deal can provide
Paris: The U.S. and France pushed for an immediate 21-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel. The Lebanese prime minister accepted such a ceasefire and said that Lebanon will comply with the 1701 UN resolution. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ignored the ceasefire appeal. He has engaged in intense bombing in Lebanon instead.
Israeli bombing has killed more than 1,600 people and injured more than 6,000 people in Lebanon. Casualties are mostly civilians. More than 1 million people in Lebanon fled their homes. My Lebanese colleagues texted me. A Christian female colleague: “Even if you’re not living near the bombing area, it feels as though it’s happening right next to you. You can’t help but cry, shout and pray for it to stop.” Another Christian female colleague: “Last night was very horrible. It was so close…” A Muslim female colleague: “I can say that it is devastating. The horror feeling is indescribable. Everybody started running up to the ground floor to evacuate… The first thing that came to my mind is: Will I get out of this alive? Then: Did it hit my place, is any of my family affected?” Another Muslim female colleague: “Didn’t sleep all night. The airplanes were literally at the level of the balcony. It was unbelievable and scary. Physically, we are safe. Mentally is a different story.” Another Christian female colleague: “The whole world is deaf and blind and hypocritical… There will be lots of human suffering. Many of our citizens will not survive the war. Actually, nobody is certain they will survive.”
How can the world keep watching this human tragedy and turn a blind eye? Political settlement, not war, will provide security to Israel. Marwan Sinaceur
Remain civil
Providence, R.I.: Re “Cops hunt pro-Palestinian activists who attacked man with Israeli flag” (Oct. 11): The battles abroad are extreme in their reach / But fights in our country should use only speech. Felicia Nimue Ackerman
Up to us
Staten Island: Thanks for publishing Theo Oshiro’s op-ed about the upcoming ballot proposals (“Reject Eric Adams’ ballot proposals,” Oct. 10). It makes it easy for intelligent people to choose how to vote. If left-wing creeps like “Make the Road” (what does that actually mean?) are against something, it must be good. John Colella
Same sentiments
Middle Village: I totally agree with Voicer Helen Murphy about feeling shorted. When will the something wrong become something right!? Robert Chirieleison
Corporate control
Bronx: To Voicer Helen Murphy: The problem is that unlike the rest of the modern countries, we have a profit-driven medical insurance system. As for illegal immigrants getting any of those things you mentioned, they don’t. W. Twirley
Understand the issue
Commack, L.I.: To Voicer Helen Murphy: I, too, paid my taxes and worked hard. Social Security benefits are given to those of us who have had the funds taken out of our salaries during the years we were employed, and are paid out to us after we retire. It’s not available to “people who come here illegally.” On the other hand, health insurance companies in the U.S. often deny our claims for medical procedures and overcharge us for medication; they are for-profit corporations. And their CEOs earn millions in salaries. That isn’t the case in Europe, where health coverage and meds are more affordable. Yvonne Fitzner
A kinder candy
Ithaca, N.Y.: As a parent of two vegan kids, Halloween is just as fun for our family thanks to the wide variety of vegan candy available for trick-or-treating. From Smarties to Sour Patch, and Red Vines to Ring Pops, you’d be surprised how many delicious, cruelty-free options exist. For those concerned about the typical sugary, non-vegan hauls from ghosts, ghouls, monsters and vampires knocking on doors, there’s a magical solution called the “Switch Witch.” After trick-or-treating, any non-vegan candy can mysteriously disappear, replaced by vegan treats overnight. My kids love the surprise! It’s a fun way to keep Halloween spooky and sweet, while staying true to our values. If you have vegan kids, or want to offer something kinder to animals this year, be on the lookout for vegan candy options — they’re easier to find than you think. Vampires may not be vegan, but your kids can be. Eric C. Lindstrom
Frequently featured
Bethpage, L.I.: Las Vegas should have an over/under betting line on how many times Taylor Swift is shown during the Kansas City Chiefs football game broadcasts. Richie Peterson
Big bins
Manhattan: We all hate rats and waste. We all want a clean city. I would love to see the mayor succeed on both initiatives, but the new Sanitation Department rules, while well-intentioned, are not feasible. I live in a historic district on the Upper West Side. Most of the brownstones in the area do not have the physical space for the new 35-gallon and 45-gallon bins. The small niches built into the stoops on these buildings were designed in the 1890s; they did not take 2024 trash requirements into account. At the same time, the Landmarks Preservation Commission would never let us change these stoops or remove them to create space because that would alter the character of the neighborhood. So, where should my neighbors and I put these new bins? Why can’t one- to four-family homes purchase smaller bins? Unfortunately, DSNY lists no phone numbers, so there is nobody to call and discuss this with. Jeff Johnson
Ad-mouthing
Utica, N.Y.: The TV commercials by politicians running for office have gotten ridiculous nowadays. Instead of stating what they can do for people or what changes they can make to better serve communities, they simply badmouth and degrade the other candidate with lies and innuendos. I, for one, am sick of these commercials. I already know who I’m voting for. Francisco Matos
Vote for climate action
Staten Island: As the election draws closer, we can’t ignore the growing impact of climate change on our communities. Hurricanes Helene and now Milton, dozens of wildfires this summer — they’re clear warning signs of a very real climate crisis. This issue deserves more attention than it’s received so far this election cycle. During the presidential debate, only one brief question was asked about climate at the very end. The climate crisis impacts us all, no matter where we live or how much money we make. Americans are being told to flee their homes and risk losing everything. Meanwhile, Big Oil continues to put profits over people by prioritizing fossil fuels that continue to destroy our environment. We can’t afford to lose any more time in this fight. We need leaders who believe in the science and are willing or can be convinced to take bold action before it’s too late. Joseph Ferraro
Disseminated dis-info
Brooklyn: Once again, like the Orange Lie Factory (aka Donald Trump), the Daily News shows that it has no bottom and no sense of journalistic responsibility. Printing letters like Voicer Robert Brennan’s about FEMA’s emergency response is the height of editorial stupidity. It puts you front and center as just as culpable for lives that are lost due to your cluelessness. As I have said previously, lies are not opinions or points of view. Get it? Gary Butler
Look again
Pearl River, N.Y.: To the Voicers who responded to my letter: If you reread it, I stated that the federal government has depleted its FEMA funds, not by giving it to immigrants. I stated that this federal government has given generously to illegal immigrants who have not done anything for this country and have given nothing in comparison to our American citizens. I read more than one paper and watch multiple news stations and get a rounder picture of what is happening firsthand from the people who are in the devastated areas suffering, not people who have not been to those areas. Many of these citizens stated that FEMA and the National Guard have not been to these areas for days after this devastation. The first days are critical to help and rescue people. Please stop twisting my words to fit your narrative, which can cause serious consequences. Robert Brennan
