Readers sound off on Pierre Laval, Kyrie Irving and support for Ukraine

Manhattan: I recently noticed in front of 32 Broadway a sidewalk marker on the Canyon of Heroes commemorating Pierre Laval. He was prime minister of the French Republic in 1931-32, 1935-36 and 1942-44.

Laval went beyond the orders given to him by the Germans, as he included Jewish children under 16, whom the Germans had given him permission to spare, in the deportations. Laval claimed that he had ordered children to be deported along with their parents because families should not be separated and “children should remain with their parents” (when told that the children would almost certainly die, Laval replied, “Not one must remain in France.”) Laval also attempted to prevent Jewish children from gaining visas to America, arranged by the American Friends Service Committee. He was committed less to expelling Jewish children from France than to making sure they reached Nazi camps.

For this and other atrocities, Laval was executed by firing squad in October 1945 by the French government.

I know the markers are meant to commemorate ticker-tape parades held in people’s honor, but for a convicted traitor with so much blood on his hands to be part of the Canyon of Heroes is an insult to the memory of those he caused to be murdered and the French Resistance fighters who are truly heroes.

It is an insult to all those named on the Canyon of Heroes. It denigrates the very word hero. Alan Schlesinger

Millburn, N.J.: I’m not a big follower of the National Babies Association, so can someone explain to me why any team would want Kyrie Irving? As a player, he’s been on one championship team — when Barack Obama was president. Maybe due to his extensive medical knowledge, he’ll be the team doctor? Or, given his expertise in history and religion, perhaps an adviser on interfaith relations? Ed Marks

Fairfield, Conn.: As you reported (“Kyrie says there were times with Nets where he felt very disrespected,” Feb. 8), Kyrie Irving wanted to be celebrated and respected in Brooklyn. But the arrogance of Irving, Aaron Rodgers and their fellow anti-vaxxers in presuming to know more than the consensus of our finest physicians, public health professionals and acclaimed medical institutions warranted only disrespect. Irving indeed earned a laurel crown for his performance on the court, but a dunce cap would have been more appropriate once outside the Barclay Center. Ira Friedman

Trumbull, Conn.: Kyrie Irving says he felt disrespected by the Brooklyn Nets during his time playing for Brooklyn. Funny he should bring that issue up because, as a Nets fan, there were many times I felt disrespected by him during his time in Brooklyn. Joe Cantiello

Astoria: Last week, I saw the most remarkable thing! Several MTA workers coordinated to safely retrieve and return a cell phone someone had dropped on the Queens-bound N/R tracks at 59th St. during rush hour. Maybe they do this all the time but it was a first for me — we never even knew they could or would! The MTA gets a lot of flak but those folks working at the 59th St. station deserve at least a public thank you. And people need to know that if they drop something on the tracks, to please let the trained professionals handle it! Lauri Hengl

Scranton, Pa.: During the president’s State of the Union address, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene shouted, “Liar!” Where she would be if not Congress is anyone’s guess, but likely in a business where someone could rent and not buy her. Vin Morabito

Brooklyn: So, Rep. Mad Marjorie Greene is crying poor over her measly $174,000 salary — it just ain’t enough! Well, there are ways to fatten your wallet, Marj. Try sucking up to the NRA instead of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. He only assigns committee spots; they shell out “philanthropic” bribe money! Is there a street corner or district nearby (ask GOP members or staff) where you can offer special public assistance in exchange for a few pre-tax dollars? If all else fails, you can always hit up your mentor, DT, for some financial support (his tax returns seem to indicate that he’s simply rolling in the dough!). Kevin Hanley

Bronx: President Biden might be old and sometimes stumble over words, but he was sharp enough to trick the entire Republican Party into cheering that Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid will not be touched. Sen. Rick Scott ran against Mitch McConnell for the Republican leadership of the Senate on cutting and gradually eliminating all three — he wrote it down and received 10 votes. Everything Biden said was true, but the Republicans can’t stand the truth. Randall Borra

Staten Island: I feel the need to rebut Voicers James Hyland and Joseph Comperchio’s tiresome anti-Biden nonsense. The president did order the spy balloon shot down. He waited on the advice of the military, not just to avoid ground damage. We jammed their signal to prevent their ability to collect and transmit information. MAGA Republicans are “pesky,” not a threat to our country? Breaching the Capitol, trashing it, beating officers with Trump flags, causing death and destruction — no threat here, right? What say you about the three Chinese spy balloons in our airspace during Trump’s reign of terror that he did nothing about? Eighty-one million Americans elected Biden. Time to get over it and put your nonsense, not Joe, out to pasture! Ellen Settanni

Penticton, British Columbia: “Top Gun” Tom Cruise never shot a helpless trial balloon down because it didn’t have a happy face or was searching for an acceptable U.S. debt ceiling. The leadership of both China and the U.S. should be taken behind the woodshed by their respective grannies and given a severe incentive earful to “smarten up!” Joe Schwarz

Manhattan: Voicer Ron Boehning reminds us of the horrors of serving in the Vietnam War, where American fighters just wanted to stay alive until their time to leave came and instead their stay was involuntarily extended; where the Red Cross offered hot coffee in the steaming jungle when all that was wanted was ice cream and a cold beer. The cacophony of memories of that war is embedded in our American souls. That is why Americans are so outraged by Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine — because we remember. Because we understand. Because we won’t stand for it. Not on our watch. Susan A. Stark

Schenectady, N.Y.: Re “Bail battle looming in budget talks” (Jan. 6): I find the goal of ensuring that a defendant will return to court to be absurd on its face. The goal must be ensuring that a defendant will not re-offend. The judicial system should say, “You are free without bail, but if you are arrested again, you will be held until trial.” Perhaps even a second strike could be permitted, but on strike three, the defendant should be remanded until trial. Are poor and low-income people required to break the law in order to subsist and survive? I think not. Most don’t break the law. The small percentage of people who offend again and again need to be taken off the streets until trial. Buddha once taught that a government, as well as a family, should err on the side of being slightly more firm than permissive. Robert J. SanFilippo

Manhattan: NYPD Chief of Department Jeff Maddrey correctly contends that Gov. Hochul’s targeted approach to bail reform requires further legislative action. A revolving-door criminal justice system lacks adequate trials and rewards recidivists and those unwilling to access needed drug and mental health treatment. The legislative focus should be on presuming that those who are charged with crimes while under court supervision and have a past felony conviction can be held on appropriate bail. Nonviolent offenders are presumed to be released without bail. Judges should be empowered to require drug and/or mental health treatment as a condition of supervised release. Sentences should be mandatorily more severe when a crime is committed under court supervision. The target of bail reform at the current legislative session should be recidivists, not first-time, nonviolent offenders. Roger B. Adler