Readers sound off on George Harrison’s sister, mass shooting precautions and race in comics

A small town loves its place in Beatles history

Fort Worth, Texas: I enjoyed reading your article about the Beatles’ first trip to NYC (“We loved them yeah, yeah, yeah,” Feb. 5), but when George Harrison and others visited George’s sister, Louise Harrison Caldwell (photo), in Benton, a small coal mining town in southern Illinois, it was monumental.

She was president of the Beatles Fan Club in the U.S.A. The folks in southern Illinois still talk about the Beatles coming to their town. The house where Louise and her husband lived is now a Beatles History Museum of sorts. I haven’t been back to Benton for several years, but our family members still live there. I believe the house was a bed and breakfast. It may be closed by now.

According to an old clipping: “In 1963, George Harrison of Beatles fame came to visit his sister, Louise Harrison Caldwell, who had moved to Benton. The very first Beatles music ever played in America was at a tiny West Frankfort radio station the summer of 1963 — the song was ‘From Me to You.’ George also played in a local band called The Four Vests and a Beatles first performance was at the Eldorado, IL VFW Hall on Sept. 28.

“Hard Days Night B&B has a Beatles Museum located in the room George and brother Peter stayed in. George’s sister has moved back to the Benton area, and she meets many fans staying at the B&B. This is now considered the most historic landmark in Franklin County!”

Louise Harrison Caldwell died last month, on Jan. 29, at age 91. Willa Gill Dunleavy

Not well

East Northport, L.I.: This state is very lax when it comes to people who need to be put into nursing homes and mental institutions. This guy who lives below us is filthy. Our basement looks like a bomb hit it. Also, he pisses in buckets and he hasn’t washed the pots and pans in six months to a year. I’m surprised there haven’t been all kinds of bugs in the basement. There probably are. Alfred Wooley

Unworthy victims?

Bronx: You report on Palestinian gunmen killing Israeli occupiers in the West Bank but I’ve seen no reports of the Israelis killing Palestinians and stealing their homes in the West Bank. Biased reporting is not journalism, it is propaganda. Richie Nagan

Cornered

Staten Island: Having given “safe passage” to south Gaza for innocent Palestinian civilians, 1.4 million people now reside in cramped Rafah. Is the planned ground incursion by Israel not the proverbial shooting of fish in a barrel? The “eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth” proposition leaves all participants toothless, blind and starved. Douglas P. Baker

Shameless behavior

Fairfield, Conn.: Republicans have now gone after trans athletes and drag queen story hour, and led a charge to impeach the president based on lies received from a Russian informant. Rather than deal with the migrant crisis, they took a two week vacation. Who wouldn’t be proud of these accomplishments? Stephen Johnson

Unoriginal

Garden City, L.I.: The U.S. Supreme Court has “originalists” in name only. Unfortunately for thousands of small rental property owners throughout N.Y., the 2019 rent laws didn’t incorporate restrictions to the rights of gun owners or unborn fetuses. Clearly, the guiding Lockean principle of the pursuit of property was not a concern at the founding of our republic. By rejecting challenges to the punitive and misguided rent stabilization laws, the Supreme Court’s ruling conservative faction has revealed its hypocrisy and its pandering to the nation’s militant theocrats. Christopher Vitale

Roll the tape

Great Neck, L.I.: I humbly advise Nikki Haley to show that infamous tape from “Access Hollywood.” Then she should give her word to launch a medical war on breast cancer research if elected. Nadine Feingold

Opposites

Whitestone: We have two men running for president — one who knows he is not a teenager, but who has compassion and respect for all, and who will do his best to keep Americans safe. And then we have one who thinks he is a teenager, puts himself first and has respect for only himself, and will do his best to keep it that way. Who would you vote for? Sally DeFelice

Mindless coverage

Brooklyn: It is clear that the media, in an attempt to be fair, is really biased against President Biden. Even though Biden is over 80, he is clearly more in control of his mental faculties than Donald Trump. Also, Biden has a greater grasp of facts than Trump ever had. Trump did not know that Colorado is not on the border. He also did not know that Puerto Rico is part of the United States, or that Denmark rules Greenland. There are so many other instances that can be added. Yet, the media tries to make more of Biden’s gaffes. You just have to watch Trump’s public rallies and town halls to realize that I am right. Alan Podhaizer

The buck stops there

West Babylon, L.I.: Alejandro Mayorkas was impeached for allowing hundreds of thousands of migrants into the U.S. illegally in a burgeoning crisis. Why is it that the press never puts any focus on the one person who created the crisis three years ago? As I recall, our borders were quite secure until our current great leader eradicated all the good restrictions put into place with one swipe of a pen! The press has never gone after the real person responsible for this mess we’re in. Does the press fear retaliation? Impeach the real culprit! The people need the truth! Phyllis Russo

In the absence of leaders

Hamilton Square, N.J.: It’s abhorrent enough that students practice active shooter drills. Hopefully, being in a familiar classroom helps them to draw on that repetition during dire circumstances. Kudos to Voicer Karen N. Pearlman’s well-worded assessment of the scourge of gun violence. I’m not shocked that Voicer Bob Sweeney’s advice is that we all need to practice run, duck and hide no matter where we are, but where does he suggest the Kansas City parade attendees exit or hide in that crowd? The shooter doesn’t need to aim. If it’s a store or venue one is familiar with, that may help. I guess every time we walk into any area or store, we need to read active-shooter rules. Good luck in a panic. How about the people who can address this ever-increasing horror pass some legislation to have background checks, not allow open carry and ban ownership of AR-15s and high-capacity magazines? Eileen T. Johnson

Sins of the kid

Rocky Point, L.I.: We were always told not to pass the sins of the father (or mother) to the children. Now we are passing the sins of the children to the parents in the Crumbley case (“You’re guilty too, ma,” Feb. 7). Not a good idea — could be opening a can of worms. We’ll see. Al Glass

Fashion fails

Brooklyn: David Muir, please take off that ugly thin black tie. It looks like an eel coming up to bite you. And you, Howie Mandel, you look like the chief clown with that hat you are wearing over those glasses! William Glassman

Shades of change

Manhattan: I’m African-American and asking the same question as another Voicer about the comic strip “One Big Happy.” They used to be a white family. Now they are really tanned. I understand it’s only a comic strip, but really? Did they go to the Bahamas? It is so ridiculous. Couldn’t they have just added an African-American comic strip? I read the Daily News every day — $3 on weekdays, $3.50 on Sundays — and on all pages I noticed the change in the comics. When another Voicer wrote about it, I just had to do the same. Why was the skin tone changed on a comic strip? What next? Gloria Wiley

Unaccommodated

Bayside: To Voicer Sherry Rogers: I have the same problem with a hearing disability. You tell them but it doesn’t help! They talk with their backs to you, heads down, no eye-to-eye contact. Doctors don’t have a clue how to handle patients with common disabilities. This should be addressed! Rita Martin