Trump sentencing, disrespecting Carter at funeral, bird flu killing cats
The coffin of former President Jimmy Carter is carried out of the Washington National Cathedral after his state funeral as five former or current presidents watch. Credit: Getty Images/Chip Somodevilla
Views on Merchan’s sentencing of Trump
By making President-elect Donald Trump’s sentencing the main front-page headline, Newsday displays political bias [“Trump sentenced for hush money conviction,” News, Jan. 11].
Why not place the spotlight on the Los Angeles wildfires, which have taken multiple lives, displaced tens of thousands of residents and illuminated leadership failures that may have led to this devastation?
No other U.S. political figure has ever endured a prosecution like Trump has. He likely is not the first to pay hush money to cover up an extramarital affair — if that happened. State Supreme Court Justice Juan M. Merchan’s imposing no punishment for the 34 felonies manufactured by the prosecutors tells us that the “stain of a criminal conviction” was the true purpose of this endeavor.
Now the Democrats can joyfully say Trump was the first convicted felon to run for — and win, despite their best efforts — the presidency. Woo-hoo. Thankfully, about half of American voters saw the Democrats’ campaign of “lawfare” for what it was, an attempt to influence a presidential election, and they repudiated its validity by voting for him anyway.
Ironically, with this weaponization of the justice system against their political opponent, Democrats have committed the same election interference that Trump is accused of with the hush money payment.
— Priscilla Soumakis, Brightwaters
So this is the country we have become: A felon can be president of the United States? Justice is blind, especially when it comes to the rich and powerful.
What are we teaching our children, that some people are immune to our country’s laws?
— Kathleen Teleglow, Holbrook
Donald Trump was convicted for falsifying business records because he falsified business records.
— Robert Nicolai, Northport
No hand over heart disrespected Carter
The Jan. 10 cover photo struck me hard [“Presidential farewell,” News]. All current and former presidents standing in the first two rows at former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral placed their hands over their hearts as his flag-covered casket moved by. All except one, that is — our former and now President-elect Donald Trump showed no respect for Carter or the flag, standing with his arms at his side.
No matter what they think of Carter, for a former president to not salute the flag offends me. And it should incense all Americans and especially active military and veterans who supported Carter. This is not an act of a self-proclaimed “patriot.”
— Donna G. Frithsen, East Meadow
How disrespectful to Jimmy Carter, his family and the American people that Donald Trump did not have the decency to show this one small act of respect.
— Thomas Fahey, Westhampton Beach
Raw milk killing cats a big concern for all
The article about two cats dying from ingesting raw milk infected with the bird flu virus did not mention why the unpasteurized milk issue is especially relevant now [“Bird flu in milk kills Calif. cats,” Health & Science, Jan. 13]. President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to head the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., recently wrote that he will end the Food and Drug Administration’s “war on public health,” including its “aggressive suppression” of many things, including raw milk.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that data from 1998 to 2018 shows 202 outbreaks of foodborne illness linked to raw milk consumption, resulting in 2,645 illnesses and 228 hospitalizations, demonstrating the potential presence of pathogens.
Two feline deaths due to raw milk consumption is sad, but Kennedy’s stance might lead to human tragedy.
— H. Mitchell Schuman, Brightwaters
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