Letters to the Editor: May 3, 2019

Letter to the editor:

Another shooting at a synagogue. …Another tragedy. … It’s hard to explain why these deranged people commit such acts of violence. Why have Jews been the victims of anti-Semitism through the ages and why is this hatred on the rise today? And how inexplicable is it that the perpetrator committed this horrific act while Jews in the Poway Chabad were celebrating the last day of Passover, an important holiday of freedom, finalized with a Yizkor service mourning the deceased?

Another tragedy!

Thank G-d that there was a person in the Chabad who was armed and was able to limit the potential death and injury to those in attendance.

And, we ask those of you reading this not to fall victim, like some news media have already done that somehow this ties back to some remarks they have erroneously reported about the president’s comments regarding Charlottesville.

We understand many of you do not like President Trump and that’s certainly your prerogative. But please don’t let your distaste of Trump allow you to ignore the truth and repeat the lie that he didn’t clearly condemn the white supremacists at Charlottesville.

PLEASE take the time to read this article and the full text of his remarks. Understand that Trump DID NOT call the neo-Nazis “fine people” and that the media has willfully and destructively misrepresented his remarks to the detriment of our national dialogue, creating needless mistrust and misunderstanding.

Thank you for having the courage to read the truth.

Trump didn’t call neo-Nazis “fine people.” Here’s proof: www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2019/03/21/trump_didnt_call_neo-nazis_fine_people_heres_proof_139815.html.

Chuck and Bonnie Berk, Atlanta

Letter to the editor:

We made them do it.

Reuters reported that Sri Lanka’s Easter Sunday church bomb attacks were retaliation for a recent attack on mosques in New Zealand, according to a Sri Lankan official. The Associated Press likewise advised us that, according to U.S. authorities, a convert to Islam plotted bombings in California as revenge for the New Zealand mosque attacks. These bombings were not crimes in the eyes of those who planned them. Victimized Muslims have to resort to violence. We make them do it.

Likewise, in a 2016 letter to the judge sentencing American-Somali Abdirahman Yasin Daud, who tried to join ISIS, [Congresswoman] Ilhan Omar opined against “a long-term prison sentence for one who chose violence to combat direct marginalization.” You read that right. “Direct marginalization” forced him to choose violence.

We made him do it because our evil culture aids and abets terrorist recruitment, according to Rep. Omar: “Americans do not accept you and continue to trivialize your value. Instead of being a nobody, be a martyr.” Rep. Omar remains silent about this statement from Mr. Daud at his sentencing: “I’m certainly not being persecuted for my faith. I was certainly not entrapped. I was not going there to pass out medical kits or food. I was going strictly to fight and kill on behalf of the Islamic State.”

Sorry, Ms. Omar. Mr. Daud is guilty of a crime and responsible for the evil choice he made, as are the California would-be bomber and the Sri Lanka church bombers. Otherwise, to be consistent, we must also excuse the New Zealand mosque bomber, who will surely claim that he too was a victim and had no choice but to resort to violence.

Julia Lutch, Davis, Calif.