Nazi Parallels? (I)
Tammy Bottner, in recounting her family’s Kristallnacht experience (“Anniversary of a Night of Infamy,” Olam Yehudi, Nov. 10), writes: “Let us consider the terrifying parallels between the Nazi regime and our current American administration.”
Indeed, one can argue that Ms. Bottner, by employing such ugly and baseless political rhetoric against President Trump, is engaging in the same type of hateful propaganda she excoriates the Nazis for using against the Jews.
Michael Cohen
Brooklyn, NY
Nazi Parallels? (II)
Appalling. Tammy Bottner likens the current American administration of President Trump to the Nazi regime? A president duly elected by more than 60 million American voters, including the undersigned, a Holocaust survivor?
Ms. Bottner is the quintessential specimen of someone suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome.
Andre Monzain
Scarsdale, NY
Jimmy Carter And Israel (I)
I very much enjoyed Jason Maoz’s thoughtful Nov. 10 front-page essay “No Impartial Observer: Jimmy Carter and the Israel-Egypt Peace Accord.”
The article was well crafted, and what made it all the more powerful was that it was not a political harangue. As a Democrat, I couldn’t argue with it. The words spoke for themselves.
Shlomo Stein
(Via E-Mail)
Jimmy Carter And Israel (II)
I trusted Jimmy Carter with the safety of the Jewish people and Israel while he was president, and no president since Carter has made a similar impression on me. The fact is, I was never more proud to be a citizen of this country than I was when Jimmy Carter was in the White House. He was and is a great humanitarian.
For a U.S. president to be pro-Israel does not mean adhering to hard-line Israeli positions – it means gently but insistently pushing Israel to make peace with its adversaries, to agree to compromise when necessary, and to be an inspiration to the world.
So according to our own tradition of Tikkun Olam, no president has been more pro-Israel than Jimmy Carter.
Rose Weingarten
(Via E-Mail)
Ultimate Paradox
Recently the Catalonians and Kurds democratically voted for self-independence. The world has responded with indifference and outright antipathy to their desires.
However, the world’s love affair with Palestinian demands for the creation of a state that vivisects tiny Israel – and this despite the Palestinians’ incessant terrorism – has continued unabated.
This wholly paradoxical attitude reeks of anti-Semitism – a fact Israeli leaders must recognize whenever they are implored by the international community to make dangerous concessions.
Chaim ben Zvi
(Via E-Mail)
Medoff On Bergson
Re the Nov. 10 article about Dr. Rafael Medoff’s new book on World War II, Too Little, and Almost Too Late: The War Refugee Board and America’s Response to the Holocaust:
Dr. Medoff’s work is always well worth reading, and I would also highly recommend a book he coauthored with David Wyman titled A Race Against Death: Peter Bergson, America, and the Holocaust. It centers around interviews with Peter Bergson. There are also interviews with people who supported the Bergson Group, including Max Lerner and Pierre Van Paassen.
Elie Wiesel called the book “An illuminating story of a fascinating man’s valiant yet desperate struggle.” Wiesel also said, “Peter Bergson was the best friend and ally abandoned European Jews had in wartime America.”
Reuven Solomon
Forest Hills, NY
Nothing To Be Proud Of
Mayor Bill de Blasio has nothing to be proud of regarding his victory last week.
As of this month there are 4, 596,813 active registered voters in New York City. This includes 3,156,031 Democrats; 476,614 Republicans; 814,830 “Blanks” (no declared party affiliation); 105,023 Independence; 18,379 Conservative; 13,761 Working Family; 7,912 Green; 1,782 Women’s Equality; 258 Reform and 1,319 other registered voters.
Out of those 4,596,813 eligible voters, only 726,361 voted for de Blasio, while 303,742 voted for Nicole Malliotakis (Republican/Conservative), 22,891 for Sal Albanese (Reform), 15,763 for Akeem Browder (Green), 10,762 for Michael Tolkin (Smart Cities), 10,592 for Bo Dietl (Dump the Mayor), 2,635 for Aaron Commey (Libertarian), and 3,504,067 for None of the Above by staying home.
When you add up the combined votes of de Blasio’s six opponents with those who stayed home, approximately 16 percent of registered voters supported de Blasio. Even more troubling for the mayor, fewer than 726,361 of 3,156,031 (23 percent) registered Democrats voted for him.
He had the benefits and perks of four years as mayor, including free daily media coverage. In addition, virtually every New York City Democratic elected official, along with most labor unions, endorsed him. He outspent his Republican opponent by millions. And still he could convince just 16 percent of registered voters to reelect him.
Larry Penner
Great Neck, NY