A Vote for Suozzi
Your endorsement of Mazi Melesa Pilip for Congress was predictable for a newspaper that usually backs Republicans, regardless of their qualifications. Having endorsed George Santos in the previous election for New York’s Third District, wouldn’t you rather have a more experienced and proven lawmaker in office? The praise that Israel supporters have given to Rep. Ritchie Torres and Sen. John Fetterman can be matched with Tom Suozzi, a Democrat who has spoken publicly against the Squad and worked across the aisle to get legislation passed.
You noted that Pilip is an IDF veteran with degrees from two Israeli universities, but this is not a Knesset election. Suozzi is a former mayor and county executive, which has much more relevance to this district. For these reasons, I endorse Tom Suozzi and encouraged my relatives in that district to give him their vote.
Sergey Kadinsky
West Hempstead, N.Y.
State of the Union
As the presidential election of 2024 begins to unfold, America finds itself in a bad place. Political leadership is dubious, but it is the profound lack of trust that is truly eroding the strength of the country.
Let me speak for myself, a writer who understands both the nobility and the flaws of our society.
Dishonesty is rampant. Perjury is routine in court cases, so much so that it is almost never confronted. Why bother swearing anyone in if the courts tolerate lying?
We see brazen drug dealers, shoplifters, muggers, robbers, assailants and criminal miscreants running wild. Few are punished. Rather, the police are seen as the villains.
The president of the United States refuses to enforce immigration law, turns away the fact of his son and brother using him to amass millions, and spends so much of the public treasury it is only a matter of time before the U.S. dollar drastically declines in value.
Facing that, millions of Americans simply don’t care.
How can we trust our fellow citizens who accept corruption and incompetence? How can we have any faith in the justice system or in declining public education?
These are indeed difficult times. And politicians aren’t going to save us. Yes, we’ll have to choose in November. But a far more important choice has to be made in all our lives.
Do you want a fair and noble country or not? If you do, put down the cell phone and begin paying close attention to the corruption around you. The L-rd helps those who help themselves.
Brian Goldenfeld
Oak Park, Calif.
Beyond Absurd
Regarding your front-page article (“UNWRA Exists to Help Fight the War to Eradicate Israel” Feb. 2): The brave and damning testimony in front of Congress last week, particularly from Hillel Neuer and Richard Goldberg, should put to rest any notion that the UN isn’t biased against Israel, or even that the body cares at all about the lives of Palestinians. All it cares about is keeping Gazans and others in the region (even those born in Jordan!) as lifelong career refugees – all the better to forever be a thorn in the side of Israel and effectively deny Israel and Israelis the right to peaceful, normative existence.
Hundreds of millions of refugees in the history of this planet eventually made their home elsewhere; why Palestinians cannot do so or why they need a separate agency is beyond absurd.
The U.S. should not consider resuming any funds to UNWRA ever, and should even contemplate leaving for good this very broken and corrupt institution – whose best days, if they ever existed, are long behind it.
Robert Henderson
Miami, Fla.
