Khan/Trump (I)
While reading some of the words you quoted from of Mr. Khans’s speech to the Democratic National Convention (“The Trump/Khan Controversy,” editorial, Aug. 5) what jumped out at me was this statement by Mr. Khan aimed at Donald Trump: “You have sacrificed nothing and no one.”
When George Stephanopoulos questioned Trump about that a couple of days later on ABC’s “This Week,” Trump said he had indeed made sacrifices. An obviously skeptical Stephanopoulos then pressed Trump to list them.
Why, pray tell, has no one pressed Hillary Clinton on what exactly she has sacrificed and President Obama on his sacrifices?
And Khan could have easily suggested that both Clinton and Obama make a trip to Arlington National Cemetery to understand what real sacrifice is about.
Amy Wall
New York, NY
Khan/Trump (II)
Re the “Trump/Khan Controversy” editorial:
I agree that Trump “can hardly be faulted for wanting to respond to the sharp attacks directed his way at the Democratic National Convention by the father of a Muslim U.S. Army officer, Captain Humayun Khan, an American hero killed in Iraq while trying to save some of his men.”
But with the exception of three paragraphs taking Trump to task for the way he reacted, the editorial amounted to a lengthy series of rationalizations and explanations as to why Trump had reason to be upset with Khan’s speech and why Trump’s proposed ban on Muslim entry into the United States does not violate the Constitution.
I would have written the editorial in just the opposite manner – with three paragraphs supporting Trump’s right to respond to Khan’s criticism and maybe suggesting what a reasoned response might have entailed. The rest of the editorial would have focused on just how despicable and lacking in empathy Trump’s initial response was.
All Trump needed to say in order to avoid the condemnation that rained down on him was that he was sorry for the Khan family’s loss (has anyone ever heard Trump use the word “sorry” in any context related to himself?) and then explain why he felt Khan’s remarks were unjustified.
One should never, ever insult parents of a child who paid the ultimate price in defending our beloved country. We simply cannot have a president who so often makes remarks that are, in the words of your editorial, “odd” and “mystifying.” There’s too much at stake here.
Henry Gillman
(Via E-Mail)
Pro-Trump
While I am not a Donald Trump fan and did not vote for him in the primary, he’ll get my vote in November for the following reasons:
There likely will be several Supreme Court vacancies in the next few years in addition to the current opening; it is certain that Hillary will appoint uber-left justices and that Trump will not.
The Democratic Party is rapidly moving away from its formerly strong stance in support of Israel.
The disastrous Iran deal places Israel in grave danger. Hillary will not consider ways to redo it; Trump says he will.
Any one of these reasons would be ample reason to support the Republican candidate in this race.
Arlene Ross
Forest Hills, NY
Pro-Clinton
Dennis Prager is a brilliant intellect and an outstanding communicator, for which he deserves my respect. But when it comes to the 2016 presidential election, we are like two people on the same road but traveling in opposite directions (“Given the Alternative, I’ll Take Trump,” op-ed, July 29).
While I agree with many of Prager’s reasons for choosing Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton and recognize her failings, I’ll take her over him. For me, and I suspect many others, it’s a matter of the lesser of two evils.
