Readers sound off on Pearl Harbor, hunter cats and the Constitution

Bayonne: On Dec. 7, 1941, The Japanese Imperial Navy launched more than 300 aircraft in their surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. Many of the ships anchored there were bombed and torpedoed. More than 2,400 Americans died that day. All eight of the nation’s battleships were either sunk or badly damaged.

This sneak attack — this day of infamy — was the assault that propelled our country into World War II against the Axis powers of Imperial Japan, National Socialist Germany and Fascist Italy. Approximately 400,000 Americans lost their lives during that war, some 290,000 of which were combat-related deaths.

The ships that were bombed and torpedoed at Pearl Harbor were either scrapped, salvaged or repaired and returned to active service — except for one: The USS Arizona was badly damaged; she became a seamen’s memorial and a national monument. The Arizona rests exactly where she sank 81 years ago.

The 1,100 seamen entombed on the Arizona remind us of the ultimate sacrifices that were made during World War II to keep our nation and the world free from the axis of evil that plagued the globe at that time. Let us never forget the sacrifices that were made at Pearl Harbor. Today, let us pause for a moment to reflect on those who paid the ultimate price to preserve freedom. The events of Dec. 7, 1941, reinforce a valuable lesson: Freedom is never free. Inhanis Irna

Jackson Heights: The nominal MTA fare, as a quantity, is meaningless as long as paying it is voluntary. NYC’s solution likely resides in free fares — unconditionally free fares at all times, so long as you are a resident of NYC. File your taxes and receive a MetroCard (or smartphone password), one each for everybody. If you’re on the subway or on a city bus without your pass, it’s a $100 fine on the spot. Robert J. Koenig

Brooklyn: I am compelled to echo Voicer Douglas Leeds’ letter concerning motorized vehicles and their threat to safety on NYC’s streets. In addition to riding on sidewalks and running red lights, they have all but taken over the city’s bike lanes, which are intended for bicycles and not high-speed e-bikes, scooters and even motorcycles. Any unintentional stepping out into one of these high-speed lanes can get you seriously hurt or worse. I don’t have a solution to this problem but there at least needs to be some sort of regulatory action, whether licensing or police monitoring, to stem the tide of this dangerous nuisance. Irwin Cantos

Manhattan: Voicer T.C. Henry suggests offering bounties to recruit bottle and can collectors to solve the NYC rat crisis. The collateral consequences of such a plan would far exceed the admitted disadvantages of a rat czar. These folks would soon unionize (not that there’s anything wrong with unions), demand minimum wages (or higher), retirement packages, medical benefits and other perks while working from home in a four-day workweek. And the pièce de résistance would be a crippling illegal strike where the workers’ mascot would be a second giant union rat. There is a much simpler and less costly solution to rats. Nature provides a natural answer: Have vaccinated, healthy cats on long leashes devour their natural enemy. No unions, no pensions, no strikes, no nothing but well-fed feline hunters. Best of all, no overpaid, do-nothing rat czar crony. Chris Lee

Manhattan: Great letter by Voicer Zelda Penzel calling out the wretched Animal “Care” Centers of NYC that are killing our precious cats and dogs at unprecedented rates and with impunity. Nothing but dead silence from the mayor, City Council or ACC Board. And where are the animal rights groups that are (correctly) protesting fur, foie gras and horse carriages but not the killing of thousands of adoptable animals in a shelter system supported by our taxes? Reading the ACC’s unacceptable justifications for their kill orders brings animal lovers to tears. The ACC needs a director and board committed to the no-kill programs so successful in many places. Saving animal lives also demands that shelters make animals available to qualified 501(c)(3) rescue groups rather than killing them. The Shelter Animal Rescue Act (SARA) pending in Albany requires exactly that. Please contact your state legislators and request they sign on as a sponsor. Deborah Tanzer

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Briarwood: Re the 303 Creative case before the Supreme Court: Marriage has nothing to do with love, sex or religion. It’s an economic contract. Historically, marriage made it easier to transfer property from one generation to the next. Now, marriage is about transferring any assets to another person (spouse) and/or to the next generation. From a business point of view, to deny goods and services for a non-economic reason directly related to the business is foolish, especially for small businesses, which have a high failure rate. All businesses should be encouraging customers, not discouraging them. Mary Elizabeth Ellis

Merion Station, Pa.: I’m not troubled by the Oath Keepers’ leader being found guilty of seditious conspiracy. America has always had people who violently oppose our laws and elected officials. Shays’ Rebellion, the Whiskey Rebellion, John Brown, the KKK, the Weather Underground, the four presidential assassinations and five failed ones are just some of the actions by those not in power who try to illegally gain it or to criminally effect change. I’m far more concerned with the number of men and women in Congress, the military and state government who took oaths to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic” yet thought nothing of breaking those oaths. Those violations keep me up at night! Paul L. Newman

Wellfleet, Mass.: Former President Donald Trump wanting to terminate the Constitution to overturn the 2020 election, along with demanding that he be reinstated as president, just torched his chances of being elected to the presidency in 2024. Talk about self-destructing. At this point, I’m willing to bet Trump has a better chance of growing a second head than ever being elected president again. A two-headed Trump — wouldn’t that be something? Say goodbye, Donald. You’re toast. Mike Rice

Manhattan: So, Trump wants to get rid of our Constitution? And replace it with what, Trumpism? If this isn’t treason, I don’t know what is. If he weren’t so laughable, he would be scary. Chana Schwartz

Floral Park, L.I.: It’s shameful to read the dirty doings of Donald Trump, the former president of America. I honestly believe that by this time, American people realized some important facts about Trump. His Trump University was fake, his charity was fake, his international money-making hotels and towers, and even his presidency, were fake. When he lost the presidency, he even wanted to abolish the one and only Constitution. He and his base ganged together and killed innocent, law-abiding police officers and desecrated the Capitol building. What else does the special counsel need to prosecute him? Shame on Republicans who still support him. Mathai Easow

Lynbrook, L.I.: Voicer Sandra Weames touts the Democratic Party as the answer to America’s problems — that it’s the political organization that will keep doing the hard work and continue the growth that our “ancestors have accomplished.” Aside from the fact that with the Democrats in power now, we can see the disaster they are, as the party of abortion, the Democrats are the party of death. If abortion had been legalized long, long ago, our ancestors undoubtedly wouldn’t have been around to accomplish anything, and probably neither would any of us who are reading this. Vanessa Pallotto

Ocala, Fla.: While discussing treating people with mental illness, why isn’t someone vigorously investigating the $1 billion that Bill de Blasio’s wife had for ThriveNYC that is still unaccounted for? Purportedly, it was to be used to deliver assistance to mentally ill people. So where is this money? Who got it? What did they do with it? Where is it now? Lynn Miller