Readers sound off on Pan-Americanism, Trump’s immigration rhetoric and Planned Parenthood

Stronger ties could make for better neighbors

Morristown, N.J.: A new Marshall Plan has been suggested (lately by Voicer Anant Nagpur) as a way to reduce the inflow of undocumented aliens (other than bona fide asylum seekers, always admissible as per the laws).

The original U.S. Marshall Plan helped to reconstruct Western Europe’s nations ravaged by World War II, while also stopping Soviet Russia from subjugating them. Once recovered, those nations decided to share their interests instead of being antagonistic, joining in some common market that eventually evolved into the European Union (EU), characterized by the four freedoms of movement: of goods, of services, of capital and of people.

However, before those freedoms are granted, a newly admitted member undergoes about a decade or longer transition period, “convergence funds” included, to align the new member with existing ones.

Let’s be clear: Except for highly qualified and temporary workers who should remain covered by U.S. immigration law, most Central and South American people would rather stay home if it were not unsafe or uneconomical. It is time for the U.S. to propose and to finance a real Pan-American Union in exchange for future member nations holding back their nationals until full membership is achieved. This would prevent the vast majority of undocumented people from coming.

Something similar applies to the EU immigration problems with Old World continents’ nations, particularly considering Europe’s colonial past. Antonio García

Activating art

Flushing: Some might consider this trivial, but I am choosing my words carefully: I believe that the recent series involving the freeing of the tethered Guard Dog in the “Mutts” comic strip should be nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in the Illustrated Reporting and Commentary category. For years, cartoonist Patrick McDonnell has been alerting readers about animal abuse, and this series of strips powerfully yet gently informed fans of a serious problem they may have not otherwise considered. It seems half the country has been talking about “Mutts” since late October. My fingers are crossed that McDonnell gets the recognition he so richly deserves. Bob Smith

Deadly decision

Manhattan: Re “Great-grandpa killed in Qns. crash” (Dec. 20): The brother of a man killed by a driver who went through a red light forgave the driver, saying, “It was an accident.” No it wasn’t. An accident is unavoidable. Going through a red light is never an accident. It is always willful. It is always deliberate. It is always intended. And its consequences should never — must never — be forgiven as though they were unavoidable. Richard Rosenthal

Faulty assertions

Brookfield, Conn.: To Voicer Michael L. Wilson: I must say, that was some letter you wrote. The whole thing hangs on two assumptions, and they’re both wrong. First, you say that President Biden has done nothing wrong. If you checked other sources, you’d know that he’s been involved in bribery, extortion and influence-peddling for years (ask yourself why Hunter was paid all that money). Second, you say that Donald Trump ordered the investigation. Contrary to what the liberal media would have you believe, Trump doesn’t control the Republican Party and never did. Next time make sure of your facts before popping off. Fred Schoeneborn

Retro rhetoric

Brooklyn: Trump’s latest comment that immigrants crossing the border will “poison the blood of our country” takes his xenophobia and racism to new levels. To be clear, the country is already about 40% non-white and no one has ever mentioned anything about this. Historically speaking, well more than 100 years ago, many Anglo-American leaders said the same thing about new immigrants coming from Ireland, Italy and Eastern Europe. Besides, two of his three wives are immigrants and so is his mother, all born in foreign countries. Clearly, the man is not only a hypocrite but an unabashed racist — not unlike his role models from history and the present time. Irwin Cantos

Migrant family

Manalapan, N.J.: How long before Donnie realizes that his three eldest and his youngest all have “poisoned blood’? Guess he didn’t realize their mothers were both immigrants when he made his ugly comment. Sad. Joe Fontanelli

Bloodline nonsense

Ledyard, Conn.: Eugenics is relevant to Trump’s assertion that immigrants are poisoning the blood of America. People make comparisons to Hitler, but America has its own shameful past. We absolutely need to learn from this. Conservatives can try to minimize any of America’s history that causes them discomfort (eye roll), but it doesn’t make it go away in reality. Lisa Allen

Disqualifying

Rochdale Village: I read with glee the piece entitled “Don, you’re ineligible” (Dec. 20). In my humble opinion, I find it extremely difficult to believe that after the atrocious acts instigated and committed by this absolute waste of humanity on Jan. 6, 2021, he is allowed to run for anything again, and the highest office in the land, no less. If it was up to me, this bottom-feeding piece of scum would not be allowed to run for dog catcher, much less president of this country. Indeed, he should be prohibited from coming within a 500-mile radius of our nation’s capital. Carlos R. Edwards

State of accountability

Little Egg Harbor, N.J.: Is Colorado the sole state with the moral fiber to show the rest of us the right thing to do when choosing the person who epitomizes our values and what America should mean to the rest of the world? Trump has made us look like uncivilized boors and shamed us by his disgusting behavior in court as well as in public. The world has been watching this horror show for much too long. Those of us who have always known America to be great never needed him to bring us down by acting like a buffoon. He attracts the lowest common denominator who loves rioting, disorder and the lowest class of people possible. He poses with a Bible but shows that he is the anti-God. He is a pure atheist, no doubt. Rose S. Wilson

Silent on a scandal

Henderson, Nev.: Why not more coverage of Sen. Ben Cardin’s young Senate aide who reportedly had sex with a man in a Senate hearing room — and filmed it? Is it because the former staffer is gay and a Democrat and not straight and a Republican? David Tulanian

Fund care

Belvidere, N.J.: There can be a different solution for Voicer Stew Frimer’s idea for hardcore pro-lifers against abortion: Turn the American abortion colossus Planned Parenthood into an American pro-life colossus. Every year, Planned Parenthood receives hundreds of millions of dollars from government agencies, corporate entities, Medicare, patient fees and private donors. All of this money is fungible and contributes to the core purpose of Planned Parenthood: abortion. Can you imagine what hundreds of millions of dollars a year can do to support the pro-life movement? And not just the nine months of pregnancy. That kind of yearly money can supply for post-birth life situations, such as housing, material needs, foster care, adoption and more. Dan Arthur Pryor

Big name blunder

Brooklyn: Re ” ‘Full circle’ for Orpah” (Dec. 17): Full circle for who? Who the heck is Orpah? What, the Daily News doesn’t have spell-check? Really? Theresa Williams

Christmas classic

Bayside: There is a particular Christmas comic strip that I wish you could run during the holidays. I haven’t seen it in years. I believe it is a “Mother Goose and Grimm” strip. It shows the Holy Family and the caption reads: “Street people.” It’s one of my favorites of all time. Please run it or at least tell me any information that would help locate it. Michael Gringas

Alternative toe

Yonkers: Sure, Voicers John Guinan and Scott Nagel are correct to state that the headline should have said to “toe” the line rather than “tow” the line. Great to see these astute and grammar-sensitive Daily News readers are well-versed on homophones. However, language is continually evolving, and you could easily make the case that “tow” could fit the context here. Naturally, followers will generally toe the party line, but they could conceivably be towed in, too, by the party’s train of thought or ideology. Frank Brady