Readers sound off on Voicer Larry Penner, DEI programs and the costs of tariffs

Sacred spaces to hear from our own communities

Manhattan: It was a classy gesture by Voicer Fredrick R. Bedell Jr. to pay homage to recently deceased fellow Voicer Larry Penner. Indeed, Penner was, for decades, one of the most informed experts on the New York City Transit System. His letters to the editor and op-ed pieces consistently gave the New York City public insight into the operations of the largest subway and bus system in the world.

Bedell mentions his association with Penner when they worked together at the Queens Courier. Indeed, these small news outlets in the five boroughs are vital to the preservation of a free press in our great city. I live on the Upper East Side. I never miss an issue of Our Town, an informative free newspaper that regularly carried Penner’s cogent letters to the editor and featured articles! East and West Siders should give credit to Our Town editor Keith Kelley for regularly allocating space in his newspaper to Penner. Needless to say, it was a public service! Kelley’s beautifully laid out and lively weekly newspaper consistently fills the void between the three major New York City dailies.

The Daily News is always there, punching above its weight! As we near the quarter-pole of the 21st century, The News’ Voice of the People offers a unique forum for members of the public to express their views. After all, isn’t that one of the most vital ingredients of a free press? Gerard Rosenthal

Rude retort

Tarrytown, N.Y.: To Voicer Gary Butler: You took my heartfelt words that I shared with other Voicers and decided that I was a “spineless loser.” You do not know me, my friends, my family or my situation. And you would never have the courage to say those words to my face. That you decided to turn your life upside down and hate your friends and family is on you. And by the way, it is an uncontrollable situation. Again, I will bite my tongue, but this time it will be for the choice words I have for your asinine opinion. Stephen Talenti

It happened here

Freeport, L.I.: Voicer John A. MacKinnon overlooked a heinous era of history in his list of holocausts: the genocide of American natives by European invaders that was promulgated by the Roman Catholic Church. Bob Sterner

Virtue signaling?

Manhattan: I watched TV on Saturday and saw our new Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wearing a cowboy hat while answering questions about our nation’s security. Why a cowboy hat? Does her horse have Wi-Fi so she can stay connected to other national security people? John Stout

Hippocratic oaf

Kew Gardens: Where is the American Medical Association? Why aren’t they outraged that someone like RFK Jr., totally unqualified and with no experience, can be appointed to such an important position? Where are the doctors and scientists who deserve to be appointed? Am I right to assume that all you need to do to become an important head of a government department is to throw away your morals and swear loyalty to President Trump? This isn’t how a democracy is supposed to work. They should all be ashamed of themselves. Leslie Duzant

Spoiled brät

Manhattan: Faced with the most devastating aviation disaster this country has had in the last 15 years, the president of the United States went on national TV. Instead of offering words of compassion toward the victims, many of them children, he then proceeded to lie and mislead the American people about the still unknown causes of this horrific tragedy. To this day, it is incomprehensible to me that someone like this poor excuse for a human exists. It’s as if we took everything that was abhorrent about America, scraped it off the walls of a putrid septic tank, wrapped it all in rotting German sausage skin, and then used artificial intelligence to train it to make nonsensical noises with its face. Someone please explain to me how the hell we are seriously supposed to survive his incompetence and utter vileness for four more years. Geidy Perez-Storch

Know your audience

Bronx: The U.S. presidency is not a reality TV show. Deborah Jackson

Rightfully reproached

Manhattan: Kudos to the Daily News for its Jan. 31 editorial (“Trump dishonors the dead“) criticizing Trump for part of his statement regarding last week’s airplane collision with a helicopter in Washington. The president was inappropriate and divisive when, without any specific, provable evidence, he injected DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) as a factor in this horrific tragedy. DEI is based on the premise of providing excluded individuals (people of color, women, LGBTQ members and others) a chance for equal opportunity. We should not retreat on the promise of inclusion and opportunity. If problems arise with the implementation of DEI programs, we should remedy the problems but not eliminate the admirable objectives. These times require displays of positive leadership and willingness to reject any attempt to backtrack on equal opportunity. Norman Siegel, civil rights lawyer

He gets it

Commack, L.I.: Bramhall put the correctness in correct when he drew the cartoon of DEI. The Democrats have been asleep at the wheel with this nonsense. At least he sees it now. John Flanagan

Misidentified demographic

Tomkins Cove, N.Y.: Amen to Voicer Michael L. Wilson’s letter. He quotes Trump’s pal Charlie Kirk as saying, “If I see a Black pilot, I ask myself, is he qualified?” Since the overwhelming number of airplane crashes had two white men in the cockpit, shouldn’t Charlie and his ilk be more concerned with their qualifications? Doug Slotolowicz

Standing aside

Glasgow, Scotland: Viewing the first two weeks of the Trump presidency from across the pond leaves me shaking my head in a befuddled state as to how the independent and equal branches of the American government, your House of Representatives and Senate, sit idly by while your president comports himself in a wildly unhinged display of reckless decision-making that will hit the American people where it hurts the most: in their purses. Isn’t it obvious to your senators and representatives that the tariffs imposed by Trump against America’s most trusted long-term allies — Mexico, Canada and Europe — will hurt Americans directly and traumatize the world economy and financial markets? Is it OK for the elected representatives of the American people to ignore the pending calamity and not intervene on behalf of the American people who voted them into office? William Ina Kay

Redistribution for wealth

Toronto: As a transactional businessman, Trump is essentially using tariffs to raise funds from his much larger middle- and lower-income citizenry to offset lower tax rates for high-income individuals, of which he is one. Robin Hood in reverse, plain and simple. What is unfortunate is that the vast majority of my fellow Americans do not see through this very simple financial “art of the deal” technique of enrichment. Peter Earle

Financial mismanagement

Bronx: Trump is starting a financial war with our trading partners and not considering that the American people are going to be collateral damage. He’s using the excuse that he wants to curb the flow of fentanyl into our country. Since when do we get fentanyl from Canada? Historically, Trump has entered into decisions that always flop. Trump University, Trump steaks, Trump casinos, etc. — he will go down in history as the most inept buffoon that we ever elected president. Hopefully, he doesn’t drag us down with him. We just gotta get past the next four years. The clock is ticking. David Gonzalez

Food insecurity

Wimauma, Fla.: I have always enjoyed the “Blondie” comic strip, especially the eating habits of Dagwood. He has an enormous appetite and he is able to eat a large meal every day at any time of the day and not gain weight! Sadly, I look at food and I gain weight. Dagwood has some healthy metabolism. However, with Trump’s tariffs going into effect, the other countries will hit us back just as hard. I hope Blondie’s business continues to do well and her family can afford the rising prices of groceries, gas and other items. The middle and lower classes get “Donalded” again. Great move! Joseph Cardinale