Readers sound off on the American flag, attacking Rafah and AI companionship

The stars and stripes fly for all our freedoms

Bronx: After evicting protesters from City College of New York, school workers and some high-ranking members of the NYPD removed a Palestinian flag and replaced it with the American flag that had been taken down by protesters. This action of proudly raising our flag, which should never have been taken down and replaced, has raised negative commentary from Joo-Hyun Kang, the director of some organization claiming efforts in police reform.

In addition, this person claims that this is an act of propaganda and questions why cops are doing this. I can tell you why they are. This is the United States of America, and no flag flies in place of ours, or above ours if the space is shared. Our flag is a symbol of our freedom — freedom that was fought for, and people died for. That freedom gives Kang the right to exercise free speech and belittle the action taken to raise our flag.

It has been accepted that free speech, whether on X or by the action of raising a flag, is tolerated by some, not all. If City Council members and organized groups can protest and disagree on social media, why can’t everyone? If the so-called individuals who commented negatively on the political leanings of councilmembers were to compliment them or agree with them, I wonder if they would raise their voices to have them punished for it. I think not.

Remember, this is America, and despite our disagreements, our flag reminds us of what it took to be who and what we are. Nancy Reilly

Won’t walk

Camden, N.J.: Graduation ceremonies are meant to affirm a monumental milestone in an individual’s life (“Columbia calls off main graduation,” May 7). Not everyone can afford the opportunity to receive a higher education. It’s unbelievable that an act against humanity in another part of the world could have such a profound effect domestically. Wayne E. Williams

Collective responsibility

Purchase, N.Y.: Palestinians support Hamas as their ruling authority, and we all know Hamas to be a vicious terrorist group, responsible for killing babies and committing numerous other atrocities. While it is unfortunate that Palestinians have to suffer the repercussions of their ruling authority’s unending quest to wipe Israel off the map, that is what happens to a people led by a terrorist group. Similarly, and even worse, was what happened to the citizens of Hiroshima and Nagasaki when the Japanese government refused to surrender in WWII and the U.S. dropped atomic bombs on those cities. The bottom line: What is this world coming to when people protest in support of a terrorist entity and completely ignore the abominable atrocities it has committed? Marlene Danoff

Obstinate official

Chicago: I don’t know what campus demonstrators hope to accomplish, but it won’t change the mind of Benjamin Netanyahu. If the autocratic leader of Israel won’t listen to his own people, much less President Biden and the UN, what makes anyone think disruptions on American soil will have any effect in Israel — especially if Netanyahu is allowed to remain in power? Isn’t it obvious that no one tells the truculent prime minister what he should or shouldn’t do? He is Donald Trump but with a Hebrew accent. One gets the feeling that his greatest concern for the future of Israel lies in the total annihilation of Hamas, and if that can only be accomplished by wiping out Gaza, so be it. It would seem there is but one solution to the conflict and it starts with the removal of Netanyahu, followed by equal protection for Palestinians and Israelis. Bob Ory

Final stand

Highland Falls, N.Y.: President Biden has now come very close to saying the quiet part(s) out loud regarding Israel and Gaza. This “final assault” on Hamas is nothing less than part of an Israeli plan to depopulate Gaza through terror and massive civilian casualties. First they cut off any retreat into Egypt by seizing Rafah. Now Israel wants to use 2,000-pound American-made bombs against maybe 2,000 Hamas fighters surrounded by 1 million civilians. There is no “targeted” weapon in the world accurate enough not to cause massive civilian losses. The survivors, having no place to live, will have to move on. The U.S., having bombed more countries than anyone else in the last 80 years or so, has long used airpower to save troops and impose its will. If Israel wants to do the same, Biden is saying they can do so with weapons they make themselves. Joe Cyr

Low blow

Brooklyn: Is there anything that is off limits to Bramhall’s insensitive remarks about the sad possible diagnosis of RFK’s brain problem? All for a laugh! Shame on you for your perverted amusement. Ron Goldman

Background binary

Brooklyn: Your honor, Judge Steve Harvey, by now I’m sure you know that there are other races in addition to Black and white. Let’s break the ice and give them a shot at making a couple of bucks on your “Family Feud” show! Bill Glassman

Cold country

Shaftesbury, Vt.: Knicks guard Josh Hart made it crystal clear that he has no use for Indiana. He said he’d never set foot there if he didn’t have to and he’s not an “Indiana guy.” I happen to agree with him, and can tell you about the time we got stranded in Terre Haute. Our car needed a fuel pump and nobody would stop to help us or give us a ride to the parts store. They were locking car doors and were paranoid of us. They are still living in the Dark Ages or something. Really unfriendly and hostile to strangers. I don’t know why anyone would want to live there. Tom King

Cash extraction

Great Neck, L.I.: The MTA proposal to charge the annual Five-Boro Bike Tour for using the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge is just another MTA money grab, just like trying to tax the 26-mile annual NYC Marathon runners’ sponsors. Why doesn’t the MTA attempt to reduce more than $1 billion in annual excessive employee overtime and $700 million in annual fare evasion? Have the MTA Office of Real Estate lease 31 vacant storefronts at Grand Central Madison along with almost 100 others at various NYC Transit, Staten Island Railway, Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North stations. Larry Penner

Boost security

Brooklyn: The increasingly unpopular congestion pricing fee can be reimagined to make it more popular and more useful. I suggest that 10% of the revenue from this pricing tax should be designated to increase funding for public safety. I believe the public would be much more accepting if they knew that some of the revenue is going towards hiring more police officers and making the streets safer, not only against criminals but against reckless drivers with more red light cameras and redesigned streets. Do we really need to extend the Second Ave. subway when ridership is down 50%? However, we do need to improve safety on the subways. Robert Mascali

Imaginary friends

Scarborough, N.Y.: I read that people are creating friends with artificial intelligence, presumably to combat the so-called loneliness epidemic. That reminds me of 5-year-olds who play cowboys or sip tea with their imaginary friends. And then they grow up. Thomas F. Comiskey

Tepid testimony

Medford, L.I.: Lots of bizarre things going on in this alleged hush money payment trial. In 2018, Stormy Daniels signed a statement in which she denies any sexual relations with Donald Trump, dating back to their alleged 2006 tryst. How does the prosecution not see this as problematic? Why would they call her to testify if they know the defense has this statement that completely obliterates her credibility? It reminds me of an under-oath testimony of a famous boxing promoter in the 1990s, when he testified in open court, “Yesterday I was lying, today I am telling the truth.” The promoter was laughed out of court! Furthermore, regardless of the alleged sexual relations, Daniels also signed a non-disclosure agreement after accepting a $130,000 payment. So, she signs the non-disclosure agreement and blabs about the alleged tryst, thus violating the NDA? If there’s any victim here, it’s Trump! Luana Dunn