When union solidarity goes beyond union members
Staten Island: As a proud union member since 1970, I must share my outrage with my union. The Communications Workers of America, which has been my union since the day I started working for the New York Telephone Company, which ended up becoming Verizon. I was a union representative for 33 of my 35 years and helped obtain the charter and formation of my Brooklyn local, of which I was an officer when I retired.
Now this union has chosen to align itself with the anti-Israel protesters. They even now have a flag that is a combination of CWA and the Palestinian flag. How dare they ignore the red, white and blue and use this anti-American banner.
I have Jewish family members and close dear friends who also happen to be Jewish. I love and care for them dearly. To have my union join forces with the very angry, ignorant bunch of spoiled children that prevented Jewish students from attending classes and subjected them to scare tactics, and in some cases violence, is unbelievable.
Union means unity. We have always stood by the words, “In unity, there is strength.” Now our once-proud, now poor excuse for a union has chosen to divide us.
I have been receiving calls from many friends who want nothing to do with our union. I wholeheartedly stand with them. Tony Anastasio
A bond goes both ways
Manhattan: To Allan Chernoff (“Blacks and Jewish Americans retain a common bond,” op-ed, May 5): When the Jewish community supports reparations for American Descendants of Slavery, get back to us. Some people demand we ADOS/Black Americans support them and their cause, but they deny, ignore and are against any repair for us, a debt our government still owes her ADOS citizens for generational crimes she committed against us. One hand washes the other, and they both wash the face, Mr. Chernoff. Heyward Johnson
Border secured
Manhattan: Every day, your paper publishes letters from Voicers proclaiming that Israel “must destroy” Hamas. I’d like just one of them to include a detailed scenario in which Hamas will ever again be able to invade Israel as it did on 10/7. Realistically, they were beaten months ago. Will the Israeli army fail to protect its citizens again for 14 hours as it did on 10/7? How can we live with people on our borders who want to annihilate us, Israel asks? Figure it out, I say. They have managed to do so for decades without ever once deciding that the complete annihilation of those who hate them is the only answer. It’s only going to get worse for each day they commit war crimes in Gaza, and it will stay that way for eternity. Hamas will never again invade Israel. The IDF should go home, they won that part already. Steven Davies
Back off the backing
Little Egg Harbor, N.J.: I am in total agreement with the message to stop the wanton killing of women and children by Benjamin Netanyahu — not the Israeli people. When he goes against all that is moral by trying to wipe out an entire people, as well as going against what President Biden warns him not to do, all I can say is no more backing for him. He has told Biden to back off. We now have to do so and send no more financial aid, as we have done since the inception of Israel. We can not be party to the genocide of innocent women and children. Their blood is now on our hands. Rose S. Wilson
Network collapse
Cary, N.C.: I grew up in Queens and moved to North Carolina in 2009, where I have enjoyed Yankees post-games on the YES Network. Effective May 21, the largest cable/streaming provider in North Carolina, Spectrum, no longer included the YES Network on any cable/streaming package. Retiring Northeastern Yankees fans may want to consider this before moving to North Carolina. Robert Jones
New hitters needed
Brooklyn: Enough is enough already. Giancarlo Stanton has struck out 54 times in 160 at-bats already this season. Yankees, wake up. Give these young kids a chance. Eat up Stanton’s remaining salary, please. I walk faster than he runs and I am a senior citizen. We need hitters to put the ball in play, not strike out. Billy Somma
Crap coaching
Port Jefferson Station, L.I.: Will someone please explain to me why the Mets pitching and hitting coaches are still employed? The Mets pitchers lead the league in walks, can’t keep baserunners on first and don’t pitch deep into games. The Mets hitters are horrible and continue to make the same bad swings — talking to you, Pete Alonso, who will always swing at that low outside pitch when you have two strikes. The other day with the bases loaded and no outs, it took only nine pitches to strike out the next three batters. Geez, this continuing nightmare must end. Bob Cavaliere
Window dressing
Manhattan: Women on TV are treated as decoration while men are treated as professionals. On a recent morning broadcast of Spectrum News, Shannon Ferry looked dressed for a Saturday night date while Rocco Vertuccio is all suit and tie, dressed for business. This is an egregious wardrobe decision! Her dress looks one to two sizes too tight with cleavage showing. Perhaps this imagery is intentional by the station, confirming what I was told years ago — that the person wearing the jacket is the one in charge. The woman is just to dress up the set. Would she have anything relevant/intelligent to say? This is just one example of what viewers can see on many news broadcasts on this and other stations. Who makes this egregious wardrobe decision? Karen Loew
Draw a line
Whitestone: Let’s take a good idea from Florida traffic lights. Each light has a white line on the road in front of it. If you are on that white line, you can get through before the red. But if you are still driving and not on the white line and don’t stop, you deserve that ticket. Sally DeFelice
Plan push
Manhattan: So, Mayor Adams has still not given up on forcing 250,000 NYC retirees into the Medicare disadvantage plan despite numerous losses in various courts. In the last city hearing, the Aetna lawyer admitted that the plan could have a detrimental effect on the health of retirees, yet even that has not stopped Adams on his crusade. If the plan will improve their outcomes, as his spokesperson claimed on Tuesday, why are the retirees continuing to fight the forced change? If it’s great, give them a choice. Of course, Adams won’t do that because he knows most would choose to stay on traditional Medicare. I suspect the real reason Adams is pushing this so fiercely is he’s promised another incompetent crony a job or money to administrate it. Miriam Applebaum
Smooth move
Long Island City: How can Donald Trump lose to President Biden after attending the wake of killed hero NYPD cop Jonathan Diller? And where was Biden? At a $25 million fundraiser. Trump has my vote of confidence to win the next election easily. It was a great political move. Only a fool would deny it! Steve Chaddock
Better off
Bronx: Whoopi Goldberg hit the nail on the head when she said that the woman who Trump wants as his vice president asked a very stupid question: Were things better four years ago? I say no, because four years ago I thought I was going to die when I came down with COVID-19. Trump knew that this virus was around but he kept his big mouth shut. No thanks to Trump, I lived to see four more years. Things are a lot better now. Doris Festante
Release racket
Rikers Island: My biggest question to state courts is why establish a bill of rights, which is the Bail Reform Act of 1984, and carelessly violate due process? This consists of Title 42 U.S. Code 1983, which is equal protection and due process, and Title 18 USC, Section 3142, plus bail application, Criminal Procedure Law 510.30. A judge’s duties include implementing these useful tools, which are bail reform guidelines and rules, and to interpret laws. This is where the problem exists. Today’s bail release laws have too many loopholes and cracks. Don’t blame the client, blame the handler — which is the acting court judge! Hector Rivera
