If Oskar Schindler were alive, he’d be in Gaza
Port Orange, Fla.: Remember Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster film “Schindler’s List”? In it, Oskar Schindler, an ambitious Czech businessman, has his epiphany in Krakow, Poland, during the German occupation. Schindler came to Krakow to make his fortune using Jewish labor at a factory he opened. He worked the system to get free Jewish workers by bribing the German army contacts he made.
At that point, Schindler’s philosophy was “go along to get along.” As he saw and understood how the Germans treated the Jews, Schindler quickly got a conscience. From that point on, he did all that he could to aid those Jewish workers in his factory without prompting the authorities to stop his efforts. It was a tightrope he walked. By the end of the film, we see how Schindler saved so many lives.
The karmic turnaround now faced by so many of the Jewish faith (of which this writer is) is what has been occurring in Gaza. Imagine if Schindler was now an Israeli Jew. Imagine if he had opened a factory in Gaza for self-centered reasons, perhaps cheap labor and low costs. As with the Spielberg film and what Schindler saw and heard in that Krakow ghetto, so too this Israeli Schindler woke up to the current reality. One must surmise that he would do his best to stand up for Palestinians being terrorized and murdered by his countryman.
Unfortunately, the Schindler from Krakow had to do it alone. Perhaps it is time for more Israeli Jews to become like the Schindler of Gaza. Philip A. Farruggio
Arming killers
Hallandale Beach, Fla.: The Biden administration has just approved 2,300 more missiles and bombs for Israel — the same bombs that have destroyed a major portion of the Gaza Strip, displaced three-fourths of the population and have killed or wounded more 100,000 civilians. Is this not cruel and idiotic? Israel’s IDF troops continue to shoot civilians who desperately try to access food, bringing more such attacks nearly every day. If the inhumanity and barbarity of Israel’s clear goal to eliminate and starve the Palestinian population, now aided and abetted by our own country, does not sicken and shock you, I don’t know what else will. I repeatedly voice my disgust at the Biden administration, the Israeli government and even at the UN and the EU, who I feel must take more decisive action against the Israeli government. I implore all Americans of conscience to express outrage toward the principal parties to this disaster. Sid Sussman
Perpetual blowback
Lackawaxen, Pa.: Voicer James Hyland may be entitled to an explanation for my comments, described by him as hysterical reactions (“hissy fit”). Pursuit of the “final solution” did not end with VE Day, but continued with the relocation of Jews to a territory in which Arabs (mainly Muslim) had become the descendants of the indigenous population, limiting to Palestinians any claim of self-defense against colonization by invading foreigners. The UN violated its charter by allowing the Zionist declaration of statehood without regard to the self-determination of the Arab inhabitants. The U.S. has little national interest in favoring Israel and negatively affecting our relations with most of the Middle East (rational Zionists recognize that Israel’s future depends upon normalizing relations with its neighbors). Bibi Netanyahu has ensured that, even if a political solution is achieved, the region will be subject to sporadic, retaliatory violence. John A. MacKinnon
Weight on our wallets
Queens Village: President Biden may think all is well, but as long as hamburgers are costing more than $15 and the dollar store became the $1.50 store, something went wrong on his watch. Wouldn’t it be nice to have prices back to the 2016 days, and no wars, too? Frank Barnett
Going up
Bergenfield, N.J.: Voicer John Woodmaska refers to Gov. Phil Murphy as an idiot for raising tolls and the gas tax. Well, what’s his solution? In the real world — not what you hear on the financial channels — inflation is 40-50% and more. It is far from under control, as they say in the script they read from. Everybody under contract and who needs approvals to raise their rates has to catch up — car insurance, utility bills, union contracts, medical reimbursements, etc. Fasten your seatbelts, it’s far from under control. Al Schwarzler
No recourse
Bronx: Store owners are fighting for their economic lives due to the bail reform laws, and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie doesn’t think stiffer penalties are the answer to retail workers being assaulted. Did anyone hear him give an alternative? Let’s see if I can simplify this: Crime goes up, more stores are looted and more workers are assaulted. It doesn’t take a genius to see that something is not working, but instead of making changes, the Assembly doubles down. Al D’Angelo
Firearms fantasy
Bloomingdale, N.J.: Voicer Richard Meneely and his letter about “making it worthwhile to hand in guns” is perhaps one of the best-crafted April Fools letters the Daily News ever printed. Or sadly and more likely, Meneely is an overly TV-watching liberal who only socializes with other far-left liberals and believes illegal and legal gun owners, preppers and criminals of all kinds will happily trade in their guns for $250 and a sweepstakes shot at a prize because they were inspired by advertising, our beloved sports and entertainment figures, and politicians. When the cops come knocking on his door to politely ask if he knows anyone with guns, I hope they don’t smell what he’s smoking. Michael Holmes
Unregistered exchange
Bayonne: In return for the unregistered folks on the streets of New York, perhaps we should send thousands of unregistered guns to Dallas, Austin, Lubbock, etc. in Texas and leave them on street corners for the people who can’t afford one of their own. W. Bannon
Safety’s slide
Bellerose: A survey by the Citizens Budget Commission finds that many New Yorkers feel the quality of life in New York City is declining. Only 11% feel that their tax money is being spent wisely by Mayor Adams and other leaders. I’m a 75-year-old senior citizen who walks with a cane and is afraid to take a subway because of the shootings and crimes toward senior citizens. I also feel that rents are too darn high, food costs too much, gas is expensive and the streets are unsafe. Many people I have spoken to want to move out of New York because of these reasons. I have lived in New York all my life, except when I served my country in the Navy during the Vietnam era. I love my city but it is not the city I remember. New York was not perfect but was livable, pleasant and much safer. Frederick R. Bedell Jr.
Thanks for the laughs
Hallandale Beach, Fla.: So sad to hear of the passing of Joe Flaherty. He was such a comedic genius who made me laugh all through my childhood, from “SCTV” to “Happy Gilmore” to his cameo in “Back to the Future Part II,” and, of course, playing Sam and Lindsay’s father, Harold Weir, in “Freaks & Geeks.” Rest in peace, Joe. Paul Bacon
Ever duplicitous
Manhattan: Donald Trump speaks out of both sides of his mouth. On Thursday, while at a wake expressing his condolences to the family of slain NYPD Detective Jonathan Diller, Trump told reporters outside the funeral home that “we have to get back to law and order.” Yet, he has referred to the Jan. 6 MAGA rioters at the Capitol as “patriots” and, after conviction and sentencing, as “hostages” that he may pardon if he gets reelected. I guess Trump is consistent about one thing: He is a man of many contradictions who knows how to play to his audience for maximum benefit. Chana Schwartz
A lawless order
Bronx: Since police officers have taken an oath to enforce law and order, how can they support someone like Donald Trump, who constantly breaks laws and thinks he is above the law? The answer is simply: Because he would encourage and abet their unlawful actions against minorities. My second statement is about what Booker T. Washington, Clarence Thomas and Tim Scott all have in common: They were and are loved by white people because they are all Uncle Toms. Alfred Williams
