Injustice served
The New York State Parole Board granted parole to the murderer of Police Officer George Werdann (“Another cop killer out,” July 21).
Does the board really believe that time heals all wounds?
If so, it is wrong.
I had the pleasure to know and work with George decades ago.
I also had the agony to walk into the ER and find George with a hole ion the back of his head.
I’ll carry that to my grave, and the low-life who caused it should also be haunted by the fact that he murdered George.
I wonder if the members of the Parole Board saw the pictures of the wound that George suffered.
One last memory: On a summer night not long before his untimely death, George relieved my partner and myself for our meal hour.
I remember, George told Joe and me, “When I grow up, I want to be like you guys.”
How sad he never got that chance.
Frederick Beck, Hopewell Junction
Cyber scare
With the major disruption of daily lives due to the recent CrowdStrike security debacle, citizens should be very wary of the future of the digital age (“Misfortune 500,” July 25).
You couldn’t buy groceries, have bank transactions or pump gas.
These simple necessities are entirely dependant on computers.
Computers are helpful, but they should not replace humans and manual transactions that were normal 25 years ago.
With the insertion of AI into our daily lives, people should be very afraid.
Gonzalo Del Rosario, Staten Island
Cringe Olympics
The Olympics are meant to be an ideal of human achievement, but humans are flawed (“Here Oui Go,” July 25).
A participant has been accused of animal cruelty, and there’s a convicted child rapist competing in the games.
Previously, the main form of cheating was the use of drugs, (although another example that deserves a mention is taking a ride in a car during the 1904 marathon), but now cheating has gone high tech, including drones used to spy on the competition.
The IOC must ensure the events are clean and fair.
Let’s see the best of the people.
Dennis Fitzgerald, Melbourne, Australia
Support survivors
Recently, over 125 American victims of the Hamas massacre in Israel on Oct. 7 filed a lawsuit against Iran, Syria and North Korea (“How the victims of Hamas are suing Iran, Syria and North Korea,” July 13).
Resulting judgments should draw from the US Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund, which is currently depleted.
To ensure victims of terrorism receive support, Congress must act to replenish it.
As the widow of a firefighter killed on 9/11, this hits close to home.
I, too, am eligible for the fund and familiar with the arduous fight for justice.
In May, the House finally introduced The American Victims of Terrorism Compensation Act to “fund the fund.”
I urge Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand to push for its swift enactment in the Senate.
Janlyn Scauso, Melville
Deferred costs
Former President Donald Trump’s offer to do away with taxes on tipped income is gaining traction, but could ultimately have the effect of lowering the amount of tips that servers and others receive (“Dem backs ‘no tax on tips’,” July 25).
If someone is not paying taxes on that income, why should we tip the same amount as before?
Waiters may find themselves in a worse financial position.
Michael Lefkowitz, East Meadow
Want to weigh in on today’s stories? Send your thoughts (along with your full name and city of residence) to [email protected]. Letters are subject to editing for clarity, length, accuracy, and style.