Newsday letters to the editor for Monday, July 23, 2018

It’s a disgrace and un-American what is perpetrated by Democrats practicing guilt before an accused is so found [“Dems vow to block Kavanaugh,” News, July 11].

This abuse in connection with Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court is illustrated by Sen. Chuck Schumer’s vitriolic statement, “I’m going to fight this nomination with everything I got.” Joining this chorus of misguided and uninformed accusers is Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand.

It is incomprehensible how the two Democrats and their colleagues disregard the sanctity of an accuser’s constitutional right to be innocent until proven guilty. With their thoughtless statements, they deny themselves listening to Kavanaugh’s testimony during his confirmation hearing, and only then decide whether to approve his nomination.

By their statements and actions, both senators pay lip service to their oath to uphold the Constitution. They should hang their heads in shame! They are not deserving of the trust of the people they represent.

Stanley L. Ronell, Great Neck

The Holocaust and U.S. border action

With all due respect to a reader who objected to comparing the treatment of Jews by Nazi Germany to U.S. treatment of immigrants at the Mexico border and the suffering of his mother [“Don’t compare with the Holocaust,” June 27], the Holocaust was more than just the killing of 6 million Jews.

The Holocaust began in 1933, not with the killing of Jews, but Adolf Hitler’s rise to power. The state-sponsored racism began almost immediately with anti-Jewish legislation, economic boycotts of Jewish-owned businesses, blame against the Jews for every problem in Germany, etc. Jews were systematically isolated from society and portrayed as somehow less than human.

However, many refused to leave, believing it was another round of the anti-Semitism they had faced before. Then came the ghettos. Then in 1942, the Wannsee Conference came up with the “Final Solution to the Jewish Problem” — kill the Jews.

If we look at what is going on in the United States today, we see similar tactics. Our economic woes are the result of immigrants taking jobs from Americans. Immigrants are “vermin.” White supremacists are “fine people.” Does this sound familiar? What will be the next step? In the 1940s we did not believe it was possible.

Now that we know better, will we do something?

Ellen Weiss, Westbury

I hear comparisons of U.S. facilities for detaining immigrants to Nazi concentration camps. People who disagree are labeled Nazis. This insults every Holocaust survivor and their families, and is insensitive to all veterans who fought to liberate those concentration camps.

Millions died at the hands of the Nazis. Thankfully, tens of thousands were liberated.

I have not heard of any child or family dying while detained at our borders! People on the left can’t get over the fact that, no matter how personally disgusted they are, Donald Trump is our president. The left would better serve itself devising reasonable strategies and a clear agenda for solving our immigration problem that many past administrations, including our present one, have not been able to do.

Claude Kasman, Nesconset

This crime deserves stiffer punishment

An ex-NYPD detective pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges for helping her drug dealer husband run a heroin operation, which supposedly netted $170,000 a week [“Ex-detective pleads guilty,” News, July 11]. The story says the heroin involved caused the overdose death of a 23-year-old woman.

The husband, described as a major trafficker, pleaded guilty to other charges and received a 7-year prison sentence. The former detective is expected to be sentenced to probation.

As a former police officer, this individual should have been held to a higher standard than the typical criminal and should have received a prison sentence. Her husband, who peddled death and despair on the streets, should have received a much longer prison term. I don’t understand why crimes of this nature are not dealt with in the strongest terms possible. This case was a miscarriage of justice.

Ted Kiladitis, St. James

Corruption cases and the need for change

Both former State Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos and his son, Adam, have now been convicted twice [“Dean Skelos and son convicted in retrial,” News, July 18] of multiple felonies. They are both free on bail until sentencing in October. After the sentencing, they will probably remain free while appeals drag on. This is a disgrace — they both belong in jail.

Frank J. Donohue, Riverhead

I applaud Newsday for finally tying all the corruption trials together in its editorial [“Corruption trials demand reforms,” July 19], including the cases against Dean Skelos and his son, Adam, as well as the convictions of former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Alain Kaloyeros, an architect of the state’s Buffalo Billion plan.

Yes, the voters need to play a role to help send a message to Albany. I question why it has taken so long to do this. Are term limits part of the solution?

Simon Klarides, Manhasset