Schumer’s shame
Kudos to Steven Hillman for his article about Sen. Chuck Schumer (“Chuck Schumer Has Failed the Jews,” PostOpinion, Oct. 21).
He is spot on.
Schumer has been a grave disappointment in representing the state with the largest Jewish population outside Israel.
He has always put politics and the Democratic agenda ahead of his Jewish constituents.
When will Chuck stand up to The Squad and denounce their antisemitism?
When will he do more than make a p.r. trip to Israel and advocate for those who voted him into his position?
We deserve better.
Lloyd Nadel, Glen Head
Feckless Cornell
Wednesday morning, Cornell students woke up to “f–k Israel” spray-painted on sidewalks on campus (“ ‘F–k Israel’ graffiti scrawled across Cornell University campus sidewalks,” Oct. 25).
The graffiti stained not only the sidewalks, but Cornell as an institution and Cornell’s leadership, whose response has been feckless.
It is very simple how the university leadership should have responded to signal disappointment and outrage with the graffiti and support for the Israeli, Israeli-American, and Jewish students at Cornell: President Martha E. Pollack should have worked on the cleanup and restorations.
If Pollack wished, she could have asked to be joined by the university’s quite sizeable diversity, equity and inclusion staff.
Many hands make light work, and this would show clearly the DEI staff stands against anti-Israel hate, too. Instead, maintenance crews were tasked with cleaning the graffiti.
The anti-Israel and antisemitic outbursts that have rocked Cornell’s campus and community in recent years have happened under Pollack’s leadership.
It is time she shows she is committed to cleaning up this increasingly noxious mess.
Todd L. Pittinsky, Port Jefferson
Village vexation
It’s unfortunate that “Village residents seething over multiple skyscraper proposals” (Oct. 21) failed to mention the two main reasons for contention around the city’s recently announced planning for development of city-owned land at 388 Hudson St. in Greenwich Village.
The first is that the city has thus far refused to offer guarantees of permanence for the affordable housing to be developed here, which, without such safeguards, will likely be turned into luxury condos or other market-rate spaces as soon as such requirements expire.
We and others are demanding permanence as part of any deal.
And opposition to the height of the proposed tower is based in part upon it being unnecessary and inefficient at providing maximum housing.
We and others are calling for a lower, bulkier building that would protect the neighboring park while maximizing housing and minimizing the height of the building, as it faces the low-rise Greenwich Village historic district.
Andrew Berman, Executive Director, Village Preservation, Manhattan
No octo meals
Scientific studies provide ample evidence of octopuses’ keen intelligence and self-awareness (“Death by octopus,” Oct. 26).
They are playful, resourceful, and inquisitive.
They have long-term memories.
They learn through observation.
They use tools, and they change the color of their skin for camouflage but also for communication.
And they also feel physical pain.
Octopuses are sensitive, complex animals.
They are not food.
Scott Miller, Research Specialist, Fishing & Waterways, The PETA Foundation, Norfolk, Va.
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