Readers pontificate on pandemic compensation, the F-35 and Omar’s ouster

Bronx: Gov. Hochul and the New York State Legislature allotted $1.2 billion in funding to the NYS Well being Care Staff Bonus (HWB) however on the identical time determined to choose and select which individuals can be deserving of receiving this cash by their title.

Throughout COVID, I used to be, and nonetheless am, a coordinating supervisor working for a metropolis hospital who was bodily within the trailers shifting our bodies after I ought to have been sitting at a desk. I contracted COVID, gave it to my handicapped brother and father and misplaced my father to it. To today, I’ve to reside with the truth that I’ll have killed my father in these early days of COVID as a result of I didn’t have assist in the morgue, aside from my two morgue technicians, or sufficient correct PPE to cope with virtually 400 deaths in that first month alone.

Now I’m being instructed that as a result of I’m a coordinating supervisor and never a unit supervisor, I don’t need to be included within the bonus program. How is it that again then I used to be a vital employee who needed to come to work? I couldn’t keep dwelling and be protected like others. Now I’m not thought-about important or worthy, however I pays the final word worth of shedding a cherished one whereas caring for the residents of NYC? So disgraceful! Kim LeJuez

Edgewater, N.J.: Your editorial “Least Facet Entry” (Jan. 25) explains the super delays and value overruns borne by all of us in order that the MTA may develop a model new terminal deep into Manhattan bedrock to accommodate trains from Lengthy Island. Whereas it’s a good-looking facility, its performance is dependent upon lengthy escalators, which work superbly now, but one way or the other “MTA” and “environment friendly escalator upkeep” don’t appear to belong in the identical sentence. Most egregious: 1) The MTA’s part railroads (Metro-North and LIRR) couldn’t agree on utilizing present monitor capability at Grand Central Terminal’s decrease stage, with LIRR insisting it needed to have a terminal of its personal; and a couple of) no digging was finished between Grand Central and Penn Station as a result of the railroads at Penn every need their very own terminals. So petty. Jay Okay. Egelberg

Belvidere, N.J.: Voicer Sarah Alboher can discover in Genesis (Chapter IX, verse 3) that we’ve got the God-given proper to eat the flesh of animals. God instructed Noah: “And all the pieces that moveth, and liveth shall be meat for you,” which was after the flood when God began all the pieces with Noah and his household. If we ban the “cruelty” of killing animals for meals, what’s subsequent? How about killing all of the carnivore animals so that they don’t kill the harmless herbivore animals? I favor the message I noticed on the bumper sticker of a farmer’s pickup truck: “I really like animals, they’re scrumptious.” Dan Arthur Pryor

Hackettstown, N.J.: Bravo and kudos to Voicer Luana Dunn. Lastly, somebody is talking out on what’s, certainly, probably the most egregious snub in deceased Yankees proprietor George Steinbrenner being denied entry to the Nationwide Baseball Corridor of Fame. Certain, Steinbrenner could have a couple of strikes towards him which will have rubbed some sportswriters the flawed approach. However as Dunn identified, nobody can deny that he was probably the most profitable and winningest proprietor in New York baseball historical past, if not all of sports activities! Moreover, Steinbrenner went to nice lengths to maintain his legendary generosity and charitable contributions secret! That distinctive character trait alone ought to punch his ticket to the Corridor of Fame! Invoice Rintz

Wappingers Falls, N.Y.: To Voicer Robert Adams: Actually? So the issue with the Jets all these years has been white quarterbacks. Who would have ever guessed? Contact Joe Douglas, I’m certain he’d be pleased to debate this with you, and another nice concepts you might need. Unbelievable! Michael Lanza

Greenlawn, L.I.: If the Republicans in Congress need to reduce federal spending, they might begin with the fiscal black gap that’s the F-35, which has but to move an entire set of checks, sucking billions of our tax {dollars} into oblivion within the course of. Helen Hill Updike

North Massapequa, L.I.: Memo to Speaker of the Home Kevin McCarthy: Don’t overlook, proper after the president’s speech, arise and brazenly rip up your copy of the “speech.” What was okay for the Dems ought to be okay for the Republicans. Steven Malichek

Utica, N.Y.: Apparently, Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg says he’s now fascinated with bringing new fraud costs towards former Trump Group CFO Allen Weisselberg to strain him into flipping on Donald Trump. Mr. Bragg, this man has already made it crystal clear that he won’t provide you with what you need, regardless of the inexplicable sweetheart deal you may have already given him. So, if there’s a approach which you could prosecute Trump for his alleged crimes whereas retaining Weisselberg in Rikers for the remainder of his life, simply do it! In any other case, please cease making idle threats that nobody can take significantly. Jeff Ganeles

Brooklyn: Your article (“Rep. Omar axed from panel over ripping Israel,” Feb. 3) says she was booted off the Overseas Affairs Committee for being anti-Israel. Whereas it’s true she’s anti-Israel, so are many Democrats. She bought booted as a result of she is anti-U.S. and both clueless or disingenuous about international affairs. When she equates the U.S. and Israel, democratic international locations with rights for all their residents, with Hamas and the PLO, each of which sponsor terrorism, she is displaying both ignorance or willful hatred of the West. When she known as 9/11 a time when “some individuals did one thing,” she displayed a disrespect for her adopted nation that’s appalling. I’m an immigrant to the US and I thank God day-after-day for the blessing of dwelling in a free and open society. Anybody is welcome to criticize our nation, however make it constructive, knowledgeable criticism, not inane and uninformed bigotry. Phil Phillips

Manhattan: Marjorie Taylor Greene has referred to the taking pictures of Ashli Babbitt as “homicide.” If Babbitt had tried to interrupt into Greene’s workplace, backed by tons of of supporters, and Greene had been armed, does anybody imagine she would have allowed the break-in to succeed? I feel not. Jeffrey Nelson

Brooklyn: In one in every of your editorials (“Seeing for ourselves,” Feb. 1), you recommend that NYC politicians and directors are usually not reliable, however that members of the NYC press are fully reliable. In your subsequent editorial (“Subsequent stage for grieving households,” Feb. 1), you state that lobbyists/advocates ought to belief the politicians of the legislative and government branches within the state to regulate payments to accommodate cheap wants. Do you actually assume the crew that knowingly voted for and signed off on New York’s unlawful and unconstitutional redistricting traces for the Meeting, Senate and Congress are extra reliable than NYC elected and appointed officers? Or reliable in any respect? Elliot Neustadter

Spotswood, Ariz.: Lecturers rape college students pretty usually. Why are there no calls to defund academics? Why no riots? There are evil individuals in each occupation. Why are cops the one ones to be demonized? Tom Scott

Dayton, Ohio: Robert Gangi’s piece “Tyre Nichols’ dying and classes of police reform” (op-ed, Feb. 3) makes some excellent factors. It misses, nonetheless, a very powerful change wanted. An excellent particular person is one who has empathy for individuals of all races, religions and sexual identities. Making an attempt to coach somebody who will not be an excellent particular person to develop into an excellent police officer is inconceivable. A very powerful change we have to make relating to policing is to discover ways to decide who is an effective particular person earlier than hiring them as a police officer. Even when we study this very troublesome factor, we could have hassle discovering sufficient good individuals who need to be officers. So be it. Not having sufficient police is preferable to having a plentiful police provide that accommodates monsters. Vic Presutti