The Issue: Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s warning to American Olympic athletes not to criticize China’s government.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tells our Olympic athletes not to speak ill of the Chinese communist government while competing in the Winter Olympic Games in Beijing (“Pelosi repeats: Just shut up!” Feb. 5).
However, she didn’t ask them not to disparage the country they are representing.
Meanwhile, NBC refused to air an ad critical of China bought by a United States congressman to be shown during the Olympics. The ad calls out China for its long history of human-rights abuses and US companies for their business relationships with China.
Pelosi and NBC have, by their actions, protected future business dealings with the communist nation.
Armand Rose
Arlington, NJ
Pelosi warned American athletes not to anger their ruthless Chinese hosts at the Olympics.
It’s time Pelosi explains why she and other members of Congress (as well as many American corporations) are so eager to make money dealing with such ruthless people. How is this in our best interests?
Gary Mottola, Brooklyn.
Pelosi has warned athletes participating in the Winter Olympics not to criticize the Chinese government because they could put themselves in danger from a totalitarian regime that has committed genocide and maintains forced labor camps for political prisoners.
She’s telling American kids to behave like the cowardly movie stars and big-business executives that will do anything for money, including selling out their country. We should never have sent a team to China, and now we should call them home.
I hope that NBC has a ratings disaster on its hands.
Robert DeCandia
New Hyde Park
How dare Pelosi tell American athletes not to protest the ongoing genocide of the Uyghurs by the Chinese communists during their performance at the Olympics.
Didn’t she take an oath to uphold the First Amendment?
James Evans
Worcester, Mass.
The Issue: Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg’s memo modifying his previous policy on felony robberies.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has declared who and what he is, and it’s obvious that he doesn’t belong in the DA’s office (“Bragg backing off felony policy,” Feb. 5).
Yes, he’s slowly backtracking on his policy, but he’s only doing so under huge pressure from people in high positions.
Mayor Eric Adams was elected to turn this crime wave around, but in order to do so, he needs the police to arrest the culprits, the DAs to prosecute them and judges who are willing to jail those who must be separated from society.
Bragg may talk a good game in order to keep his job, but he can’t be counted on to walk the walk when it counts.
Steve Heitner
Middle Island
It took a complete meltdown of the criminal-justice system for New Yorkers to understand the need for a competent district attorney.
Throughout the Rudy Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg years, New Yorkers enjoyed the security of proven prosecutors, whose paramount concerns were for the victims and the rule of law.
No one epitomized that more than former Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau. To see who carries that title today is sickening.
The fact that it’s newsworthy when the Manhattan DA releases a statement saying he will follow the law says it all.
If any DA refuses to do their job, then the governor must act accordingly.
John Fleming
Punta Gorda, Fla.
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