Readers sound off on big box retailers, Grubhub deliveries and speech on campus

The law needs to hold corporations accountable

Brooklyn: Five years ago, I opened my first neighborhood grocery store in Bushwick, in the heart of a food desert. Today, I operate three Met Fresh Supermarket locations, offering fresh, organic food and prioritizing customer service. We’ll even go the extra mile, ordering special products or delivering a case of water to our customers’ doors, fostering loyalty through personalized service.

Unlike retail giants like Amazon and Walmart, we’re part of the community, not just looking for access to it. Unfortunately, these mega-stores have become so dominant that they dictate prices and product availability, exploiting the lack of enforcement of antitrust laws. For too long, lawmakers have focused on regulating tech giants, while we need them to ensure fairness and competition in the retail sector. Currently, four big box stores control 69% of the market, pushing prices down for themselves and squeezing smaller businesses.

I share the story of countless small business owners nationwide. Fortunately, the Federal Trade Commission, under Chairperson Lina Khan (photo), is reevaluating the Robinson-Patman Act, aiming to restore fair competition and prevent conglomerates from harming smaller competitors. In Congress, there have been bipartisan oversight hearings to further examine consolidation and buyer-power abuses in the marketplace, and it signals a willingness to explore comprehensive and practical solutions that promote competition and prevent anti-competitive practices.

These retail giants should not be above the law. Small businesses like mine seek fair enforcement of existing laws and equal opportunities for all stores to flourish — a true embodiment of the American dream. Danny Hamdan

Jacked up

Forest Hills: Anybody who is a customer of National Grid, look at your bill. The Mismanaged Transit Authority is getting money from here too. Like the Department of Transportation, both agencies are extortionists, the worst kinds of pickpockets who are robbing New Yorkers blind while giving b.s. reasons for increases. Sara Ross

Take your time

Bronx: It sounds like in Voicer Hanna O’Haire’s vision of New York City, there would be no elderly, children, tourists or pedestrians with disabilities allowed. As a senior, although my pace has slowed, going out walking is a great source of exercise and joy in my life. Instead of being so irate, Hanna needs to organize her schedule a little better so she isn’t in such a rush in the mornings. Stop and smell the roses, Hanna. Life is short. Margaret Coulter

Scofflaw fleet

Brooklyn: What explains the deference given to food delivery riders who seem unaware of our laws? Grubhub was allowed to recruit migrants at city shelters. Were the people they hired vetted or given instructions on our traffic rules? Grubhub is a multi-million-dollar corporation with a nationwide network to protect its employees from regional law enforcement intervention. There is even a website from the height of the pandemic that directs delivery workers on how to deal with local authorities: “If a law enforcement officer attempts to stop you from providing delivery services in one of the areas below, please show them this notice. Please encourage them to contact the Grubhub Legal Team regarding this notice at LER@grubhub.com.” Apparently, the hands-off approach engendered by this notice has been continued into the post-COVID present. John Bartram

Rebel rabble-rousers

Hartsdale, N.Y.: I am sure all the adults out here are enjoying the attempts of the MAGA cult politicians to blame the Democratic Party for them not being able to elect a speaker of the House. One hint: Maybe they could get some help if they’d nominate someone who wasn’t an election denier. Like Jim Jordan was. Like Steve Scalise was. Like Patrick McHenry was. Like candidate-to-be Kevin Hern was. There seems to be a theme in their “qualifications.” Any guesses as to what that is? Norman E. Gaines Jr.

Open secret

Staten Island: I urge the Daily News to consider an in-depth investigation into Rep. Jim Jordan when he was a college wrestling coach in Ohio. There is sufficient anecdotal information that he knew, and covered up, evidence of the sexual predations on male students by a team doctor. This issue has swirled around the media for too long to continue to be ignored. David DeSario

Forensic analysis

Somerset, N.J.: In response to Voicer Richie Nagan’s request for verification of who was responsible for the bombing of the hospital in Gaza: Senior U.S. military experts examined the damage to nearby vehicles and overall destruction. They said it was caused by a rocket and not a bomb from an airplane. Video of this was shown on ABC and other networks. Arthur Bressler

Path to disaster

Penticton, British Columbia: Is a very decent and knowledgeable President Biden, the 21st century President Lyndon Johnson, being sucked into a horrible Viet-Gaza-Nam conflict that will dwarf the original Vietnam tragedy? Is the U.S.-Israeli manner of eliminating Gaza — its infrastructure, human population and any living creatures, including those of Mother Nature — more humane than that of Hamas and its associates? Do weapons made in America make it great again? Where is the light, the way, the truth and the life? Joe Schwarz

Defund student speech

Hubertus, Wisc.: It is well known that Jews are wonderful supporters of higher education, and together we donate billions to various universities and colleges across the nation. Over the past few days, we’ve been treated to a sample of what the money has been buying. Since the butchers of Hamas invaded Israel, terrorizing, kidnapping and killing more than 1,400 innocent men, women and sadly children, major colleges and universities have become hotbeds of anti-Jewish and anti-Christian protests. In their twisted mindset, they believe Hamas was fully right in attacking Israel and they, in their own violent way, are burning Israeli and American flags. Instead of higher learning, colleges now coddle a hoard of lowlifes hellbent on the destruction of the world unless you follow their dictates. Together, we all can end this subversive campus activity by withholding all donations, across the board, until they go back to basics, such as true education. Robert W. Lobenstein

Perverse prophecy

Rochdale Village: Why the Daily News gave so much space to Voicer Jim Black’s evangelical rant is a mystery, for as it is written: “Evangelicals know nothing about religion; And even less about Jesus” (Saul 1:1). Amen. Saul Rothenberg

Cut off

Braintree, Mass.: You guys share a common problem with your printing. Please don’t print this at the bottom of the page. I can never see the bottom line of anything you print! It‘s not there! Very disappointing to buy your paper and not be able to see the very bottom line of text. The Boston Herald was the same way but they changed. I buy the New York Post also, but can easily lose The News if I can’t read it. Joe Gorman

Checkered record

Ledgewood, N.J.: So, the performance-enhancing drugs cheater and all-around creep A-Rod is upset that his number 13 was given to Anthony Volpe. He honestly believes that his number should be retired. Where does his delusion and narcissism end? This is a man who sued Major League Baseball and the Yankees over his PED suspension only to admit that he indeed cheated and lied about it! The Yankees should never even think about giving this lowlife a gift, let alone consider retiring his number. It’s shocking that he even has a job connected to baseball. Alex Brig

Student dismissal

Manhattan: Many children in the world are diagnosed with symptoms that affect their minds, usually causing them to act strangely or disinterested in the topic at hand. On the surface, it’s hard to see them as anything other than a bit strange, but looking deeper, you can see the great amounts of effort they put into something they’re passionate about. I feel it to be a bit unfair to these people who try their hardest but due to these conditions, they just don’t have the will for it. I see all of this as a call to action, a push to urge teachers and staff to try and help these children succeed, as great potential shouldn’t be held back by an unfortunate symptom. Ethan Wong