Trump's pope attack doesn't help LI GOP
Local Republican leaders are in a bind, and it shows. They have had to twist themselves into pretzels to demonstrate support for President Donald Trump while simultaneously creating the illusion that they hear their constituents.
Rep. Nick LaLota had to walk a tightrope when he denounced the AI-generated post of Trump as Jesus Christ while still backing Trump’s policies [“What LI Catholics think of Trump’s attack on pope,” News, April 14]. At least on this occasion, LaLota spoke in his authentic voice.
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman played hide-and-seek, saying he’s just a “nice Jewish boy” “Blakeman sidesteps questions on Trump,” News, April 14]. Someone should mention to Blakeman that Jesus was Jewish. His attempt to dodge was pitiful.
— Lisa Lesh, Coram
It seems illogical that people claiming to be Christian and/or living a Catholic life could possibly confuse Donald Trump’s inhumane actions and words — waging unjustified war, cutting off unfortunate people’s health care, food and safety nets — as anything remotely resembling the tenets of charity, love, and goodwill toward men, which are the core of a Catholic belief system. It’s oxymoronic to simultaneously be a good Christian and a Trump supporter.
— Carl Esposito, Huntington
Although he claims to be a Catholic, Vice President JD Vance’s remarks rebuking the pope demonstrate his confusion about Catholic social teaching. The military force being rained down on the people of Iran, destruction of human life, and billions of dollars spent on military action did not meet the approval of Congress or majority of Americans, or the criteria of a just war.
Vance was raised in evangelical Protestantism and embraced atheism before converting to Catholicism in 2019, just a few years before he converted to Trumpism, a philosophy rooted in a man who sells Bibles but likely has never read one. God help us all.
— Pat McDonough, Long Beach
Donald Trump said Pope Leo XIV is weak on crime. Trump is weak on manners and etiquette. He mentioned the pope by his first name Leo, casually and informally. I suggest the man residing in the White House simply be referred to as Don.
— Tom Buonomo, Islip Terrace
WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO JOIN OUR DAILY CONVERSATION. Just go to newsday.com/submitaletter and follow the prompts. Or email your opinion to letters@newsday.com. Submissions should be no more than 200 words. Please provide your full name, hometown, phone number and any relevant expertise or affiliation. Include the headline and date of the article you are responding to. Letters become the property of Newsday and are edited for all media. Due to volume, readers are limited to one letter in print every 45 days. Published letters reflect the ratio received on each topic.
