Symbolic lawmaking only ties a society in knots
Boston: With a sweeping black-dyed comb-over and gaunt face greased in sweat, a debits-harried 67-year-old accountant hailed a cab for home late Wednesday evening in downtown Darwin, Australia. Earlier, in Adelaide, fancying a post-nosh cuppa with two slices of lemon, a pearl-necked dowager extended her crinkly, slightly tremulous, ashen arm for the elusive waiter. On the outskirts of Wollongong, waking at dawn from its 20-hour nap, a famished, branch-hugging koala stretched its claw skyward for a fat, juicy green eucalyptus leaf.
What do all of these beings have in common? Why, they’re all transparent disciples of — Sieg Heil! — Adolf Hitler. Duh.
On Jan. 8, an Australian law went into effect that prohibits the display of Nazi symbols, like sig runes and swastikas, as well as the Nazi salute. This is a response to an alleged uptick in antisemitism since the start of the Israel-Palestine War on Oct. 7.
Who exactly will be interpreting the offending graphic or gesture to see if it passes muster for judicial sanction? For instance, is there a range of degrees within which the outstretched arm must fall to be considered Nazi? And is it the clockwise swastika, symbolizing good fortune, or the counterclockwise sauwastika, widely associated with the Buddha, that will get one thrown in the poky?
Perhaps it’s the intent behind the representation that matters — the thought. And when one starts delving into those, what a tantalizing trove of punishable naughtiness might be uncovered! An official announcement is expected later in 2024 of the launch of Australia’s Thinkpol. Scott R. Hammond
Striking while hot
Henderson, Nev.: After 9/11, we were an incensed population. We demanded retribution and punishment of anyone connected with that horrible day, when we lost more Americans than at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Let us suppose Hamas attacked the U.S.A., either an offshore base or from Mexico or Canada. The losses would be comparable to those in Israel. Remember, our population is about 34 times greater than that of Israel. Therefore, we would have 8,500 Americans taken hostage and 40,800 Americans murdered. We would be out for blood, demanding the utter destruction of Hamas and its locations, property and so on. How many Americans would be in the streets protesting against our reprisals? Probably next to none. Why do we have these abhorrent demonstrations today? Because it is Jews fighting back! Remember the cry: Never again! Arthur Goldsmith
Self-loathing
Manhattan: Regarding Voicer Jagjit Singh’s letter about the inane comments of Meital Yaniv: She is a “visual artist” and so-called filmmaker who is not responsible for the future existence of the Jewish people. I had to look her up on Google to discover who she is, and apparently she lives in California. Like a cheap cop-basher who doesn’t have to worry about solving or preventing crime, Yaniv has proven herself ignorant of history and of basic human nature. So what? That’s her right. But she has no right to claim that the IDF should not exist and Jews should have no safe harbor on the planet. Yaniv did not live through the Holocaust, 900 years of Russian czars, the Spanish Inquisition or Jewish exile from ancient Egypt. I’m sorry for her loathing of her homeland Israel, but self-loathing is the only way to describe her. Sam Katz
Open for debate
Providence, R.I.: Some favor Israel, some are opposed / Each side is having a say / Nobody’s views are suppressed or foreclosed / That’s the American way! Felicia Nimue Ackerman
Unruly
Brooklyn: The biggest joke is that our mayor wants to retain mayoral control of city schools. Mayor Adams, you and those who served before you know nothing of the rigors of classroom teaching. Any educational leader must have spent time being a classroom teacher. You have continued your immediate predecessor’s policy of making it virtually impossible to suspend unruly students. As a former police officer, you should know better. Ed Greenspan
Push it through
Tarrytown, N.Y.: Gov. Hochul didn’t mention cutting subsidies for the gas industry in her State of the State speech, but she’s made it clear that the policy will be part of her executive budget. After failing to clear the New York Assembly, that’s just where the NY HEAT (Home Energy Affordable Transition) belongs. The governor is correcting a legislative oversight in order to lower costs and improve air quality for ordinary New Yorkers. I would only hope that Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins will add the fairness provision Hochul is leaving out: a 6% cap on utility bills for low- and moderate-income New Yorkers who feel the rate burden most keenly. They have the opportunity to put it in their own budgets and make New York an easier place to live. Catherine Campbell
Lost in the mail
Brooklyn: To Voicer Pauline Graham Binder: I too want to mention recent USPS delivery issues. My family and friends point out to each other these ridiculous delivery times. I’ve had items lost even before the holiday season. But how would the USPS explain cards postmarked Dec. 14 in Georgia and received in Virginia on Jan. 6, or postmarked Dec. 20 in Virginia and received on Jan. 5 in Mineola, L.I.? Not to mention cards I know I didn’t receive. Maybe holiday mail should be sent in September. And yet, the price of stamps will rise again this month. I expect more customers will be lost. Louise Veneroni
Burger bust
Queens Village: Big Macs are $7.99 thanks to Bidenomics. Frank Barnett
Dislike for despotism
Staten Island: I’ve been told that I have Trump Derangement Syndrome. Yes, I admit that I do. However, I also have Hitler Derangement Syndrome, Stalin Derangement Syndrome and Putin Derangement Syndrome, among others. So it doesn’t bother me at all. I prefer to think of it as patriotism. Victor R. Stanwick
Revoked respect
Seaside Heights, N.J.: It is hard to understand why so many still support Donald Trump’s campaign to regain the presidency. Time after time, Trump has proven himself to be an uncouth, boorish oaf. Having said that, Presidents Day is approaching. I recommend legislation be adopted to add an asterisk to Presidents Day. As a federal holiday, it is a time to honor the presidency as an institution. It is also a time to recognize those who have been elected to and served in the highest office in the land. In my opinion, there is neither need nor reason to honor Trump, a despicable tyrant who disregarded the Constitution, abused the office, fostered an agenda of bigotry and is responsible for inciting sedition and insurrection. In the humble opinion of many Americans, Trump has lost his privilege to be honored as an American president. Igor La Manna
Better layout
Howard Beach: This week, I accidentally got a copy of the New York Post instead of the Daily News. I read it, and of course, most of the stories had a political bent. What it did have was a readable type, unlike the Daily News, which insists on publishing a paper with very small type size despite readers’ constant complaints. Now that you seem to have solved the paper’s large margin problem, work on a slightly larger type size. Horst Richter
Overrated
Carle Place, L.I.: Any team thinking of hiring Bill Belichick as its next coach should note that he didn’t win before Tom Brady and hasn’t won since Brady left. And the disciples of the Belichick coaching tree have not borne fruit as head coaches. Beware. Rudy Rosenberg
Nature’s way
Yonkers: I would like to know what purpose it served the World Animal Foundation to report the numbers of birds killed by cats. Is Voicer Sarah Rose trying to increase the division between cat lovers and bird lovers, to add still more discord to our world? Sure, in an ideal world, cats would not be thrown out like day-old bread and would all be neutered or spayed. And birds, even with their bird brains, would learn how to avoid cats. Be the world as it is, nonetheless, we humans, with minds and hearts, would know that we can love both cats and birds. Mari Castrovilla
