Defund the U.N.

The Oct. 11 Miami Herald reports that, “Despite jailing critics and dissidents, Cuba keeps seat on U.N. Human Rights Council.” China also was re-elected to the Council. Cuba still holds hundreds of people, including youth from the July 11, 2021 protests, as political prisoners, and openly supports Hamas’ terrorism.

In 2021, the United States contributed more than $12 billion to the U.N. We should use that money to fund our children’s education. Further, we should relocate the U.N. headquarters from New York to Switzerland or anywhere else that would have it.

Tony Bello,

Coral Gables

Strive for understanding

As chairman of the Miami-Dade County Interfaith Advisory Board, I express my unwavering support for Israel, a nation that holds a special place in our hearts. Our board, consisting of diverse faith communities, is committed to promoting interfaith understanding, respect and cooperation within our community.

In these challenging times marked by global conflicts, coming together in solidarity and to advocate for peace is crucial. We affirm that peace can only be achieved through dialogue, empathy and a shared commitment to justice. We stand alongside our Israeli brothers and sisters, extending our support and prayers for their well-being and the peaceful resolution of conflicts.

Psalm 122:6, 8 resonates deeply with our mission: “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; May they prosper who love you. Let there be peace within your walls, And rest within your palaces. For the love of my brothers and my companions, I will say: Peace be upon you.”

These verses remind us of the power of prayer and the importance of fostering peace within our communities. As we direct our prayers toward Jerusalem, we also extend our prayers to all nations and people who yearn for harmony and understanding. We invite the community, regardless of faith or background, to join us in this collective effort to promote peace. Let us engage in open and respectful dialogue, bridging divides and fostering a culture of understanding and compassion.

Miami-Dade County Interfaith Advisory Board remains committed to our shared vision of a world where love triumphs over hatred and where people of all faiths can coexist harmoniously. Together, we can make a difference through the power of unity and prayer.

Juan Barek,

chairman,

Interfaith Advisory Board,

Miami

Outdoor rules

Misinformation on the proposed Miami-Dade County ordinance to establish a heat standard for outdoor workers is troubling. As a business owner in the horticultural plant industry and part of a legacy farm family in South Dade for the past 116 years, I know first-hand that outdoor workers have regular access to clean drinking water and shaded areas for breaks. The motive behind this legislation is politics, not people.

The construction and agriculture industries already comply with required national standards of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). This greater body, an expert in the field, should be regulating us, not hundreds of different standards by local governments.

OSHA is updating its standards through a rule designated as the “Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings.” This information must be considered before a long-term battle brews between the county and these industries, critical players in the local economy.

Barney Rutzke, Jr.,

Homestead

Palestinian uprising

Lana Shehadeh’s Oct. 11 op-ed, “ ‘I live in the West Bank, under Israel’s military occupation,’” was a breath of fresh air in the heavily pro-Israeli media and political landscape. Too few people understand the oppressive conditions Palestinian people endure under the occupation and then are outraged when violence explodes. It is human nature for the oppressed to fight back.

Our nation forgets its own experience. British civilians were killed during the American Revolutionary War’s Battle of Bristol, Battle of Penobscot Bay, and the Siege of Yorktown.

I do not condone terrorism, but violence and oppression breed nothing but more violence. Removing the root cause is the solution. In the American Revolution, it was British colonization. With Ukraine, it is Russian occupation. With Palestine, it is Israeli occupation.

Taarik Rahaman, Sunrise

Never a waste

Gov. Ron DeSantis never misses an opportunity to take advantage of anything that might bolster his sagging candidacy. All politicians practice this art to varying degrees. DeSantis, of course, in his Trumpian way, always seeks to lead.

After the attack on Israel, he asserted that Florida will impose the strongest sanctions of all 50 states against Iran and other “countries of concern.” He says this out loud, in a move that is “symbolically important,” because it sounds good and helps him look good. For extra measure, he delivers this message at a Bal Harbour synagogue.

I get that someone in his position is required to take a position on such a horrific event. That such a statement comes with political calculation, however, is predictable. DeSantis is not alone in this practice, but he surely excels in its execution.

Alex Jimenez, Winter Park

War’s aftermath

Undoubtedly, Palestinians have been badly treated for years by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration, especially since it has been pulled farther to the right by extremists. Details of this war, however, must be kept in perspective. A young British woman, perhaps a Palestinian herself, who certainly has the right to speak out, has called the actions by Hamas, “beautiful.”

Is the murder of Israeli babies “beautiful?” Was the indiscriminate slaughter of Israeli concert-goers, nearly all of them civilians, “beautiful?”

There will be excesses by all sides in any war, which should be punished by international law. Any measured consideration of atrocities, however, must see that Hamas and its Iranian masters have shown a barbarity as has been rarely seen since the Nazis.

Ronald Newman, Miami

Waking up

Re the Oct. 10 story “Court orders DeSantis administration to disclose COVID-19 data and pay attorneys fees:” By now, Florida voters are “woke” to the governor’s ambitious agenda of keeping them ignorant.

That taxpayers in the Sunshine State must pay attorneys’ fees for access to information that ought be available to all should be a crime. Curious to know how much the state spends annually on such fees.

Rosa Osborne,

Pembroke Pines

Cries for humanity

When I rejoined my family in the sign business, I acquired a reputation for sand-blasted original works. A young Caribbean man entered my shop one day, referred by my granite supplier. He was a fifth-generation Indian Muslim whose ancestors settled in the islands. He handed me the paper for his father’s burial plaque. At the bottom was a Muslim prayer, “Verily I say unto thee ...”

I realized it was similar to one from the Jewish prayer book my grandma gave me as a bar mitzvah present.

I wasn’t making a sign, I realized, but a holy relic for the family tomb. I poured my heart, my soul, my spirituality into that piece. A week later, the young man picked it up. Two days later, he called and asked me to hold for his mother. The weeping widow wanted to thank me. This was a true highlight of my business career.

Today, I weep for Jews in Israel and Muslims in Gaza.

Fredric Bernard,

Boca Raton