#Letters to the Editor — April 1, 2021

The Issue: The appointment of a man convicted of killing an officer in 1981 to a “police reform” board.

Honestly, is it that hard not to have a cop-killer sitting on a panel that deals with police reform (“Cop-killer to ‘reform’ police,” March 30)?

It’s like when then-City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito wanted an Armed Forces of National Liberation terrorist leading the Puerto Rican Day parade.

It seems almost intentional on the part of these pathetic, woke politicians to reward individuals who caused misery for others.

“Reform” and “reimagine” are such cute little buzzwords today. I’d like to reimagine a time when the city and state were run with civility and sanity and when coddling the dregs of society was not so commonplace.

Gary Kaelin

Commack

Richard Rivera shot an off-duty police officer in the shoulder during an armed robbery and then executed him with a bullet to the head while he was lying helpless on the floor.

The 39 years he served in prison was not enough. He should have never been released.

Dick Mills, Bardonia

Letting Rivera on a committee to assist in police reform is about the equivalent of letting the fox into the chicken coop. Who was the genius behind this move to let a murderer plan “re­imagining”?

There isn’t a hole deep enough for a soul like this who took away a daddy from his children, a husband from his wife and a hero from the NYPD.

Doc Ludemann

Bridgeport, Conn.

Isn’t there anyone else better suited for the job than a convicted cop-killer?

When are the people in charge of the state going to start thinking and acting like the majority of the people they serve, rather than pursuing their own agenda, and stop pandering to the people who scream the loudest?

Gov. Cuomo, do the right thing and remove this man from the panel.

Paul Baden

Matawan, NJ

Well, folks, any doubt that New York has become nut world has been shot to hell.

We have, though it boggles the mind, a cop killer on police-reform board, created at Cuomo’s request. Keep voting Democrat, folks.

Joe Cesare

Copiague

The Issue: Rabbi Yaakov Menken’s column comparing the lessons of Exodus to today’s culture.

Bravo to Rabbi Yaakov Menken for his piece about woke tyranny (“Echoes of exodus in woke tyranny,” Post­Opinion, March 31).

We are all being oppressed by leftists who promote un-American, even inhumane, standards.

We should not submit to irrational name-calling, threats and verbal bullying when leftists disagree with our views, which are broadly held but simply not espoused by the self-anointed “elites” among us.

People with fancy degrees know much about very little, but they are often wrong about their conclusions.

Rabbi Menkin sends a seasonal message of hope and wisdom.

Rich Klitzberg

Boca Raton, Fla.

Contrary to Rabbi Menken’s claim, nowhere in the Bible is there any support for freedom of speech, peaceful dialogue, religious liberty or equal justice, especially in the Old Testament.

However, there is sadly support for the claim that the United States was in part founded on biblical values — namely slavery, the secondary status of women under a patriarchy and, regarding many Native Americans groups, genocide as well. All were declared by our forebears to be biblically sanctioned.

Fortunately, Enlightenment values eventually prevailed, although it took a great deal of time.

Dennis Middlebrooks

Brooklyn

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