To the Editor:
Re “Arab American Fury Toward Biden,” by Charles M. Blow (column, Feb. 29):
While I understand the passion and concern of many Arab Americans for the horrors unfolding in Gaza and share their ire at my tax dollars being used to obliterate innocent civilians by the thousands, I am deeply worried about single-issue fury justifying not voting for Democratic leaders.
Donald Trump has never indicated the slightest interest in or concern for the plight of the Palestinian people. His interests lie more in making deals to accrue personal power or make money.
But my real concern is for freedom, for environmental stewardship, for American global leadership, for standing up to tyrants, for supporting experts who actually know how to govern. They may be cast aside on a pyre of righteous anger on a single issue that will lead to a cascade of disastrous outcomes for our society, for Ukrainians and for the democratic-leaning world.
The price of ceding our nation’s leadership to Mr. Trump and the regressive religious and social forces that fuel his popularity is just too high. Keep fighting, keep protesting, but please don’t bring down the diverse, free society that enables us all to fight for what we believe.
Sally Peabody
Peabody, Mass.
To the Editor:
I understand and sympathize with the views expressed by the Arab Americans who feel that they have been betrayed by President Biden over his approach to the war in Gaza.
But I have to ask: Is there any reason to believe that Donald Trump, if he were the current president, would be standing up to Benjamin Netanyahu over the war? While president, Mr. Trump enabled Mr. Netanyahu at every turn.
People who believe that Mr. Trump would be taking more forceful action to bring about peace, or otherwise taking steps to restrain the Israeli government, are kidding themselves.
Alan S. Brodherson
New York
To the Editor:
Re “Hope for Biden and a Warning From Michigan” (front page, Feb. 29):
The Michigan Democratic primary results certainly support the conclusion that Muslim and Arab leaders in Michigan are punching above their weight in terms of political power, not only by exceeding 100,000 votes for “uncommitted,” but in generating a concern that resonates across the land. They can organize, generate funding and have their voices heard. They are a force.
It’s a gnawing feeling, though, when one concern, no matter how compelling, can lead voters to focus solely on that one concern when clearly there are many issues at stake in the election in November — access to affordable housing and health care, reducing child poverty and mitigating climate change impacts, among others.
Punishing President Biden for American policy in the Mideast, however one may wish to do so, is not likely to have a satisfying end. We may be left punishing ourselves if we deliver our nation to a man, Donald Trump, who not only endangers democracy and threatens world order, but is also unlikely to meet the needs of the people of Michigan.
We need the “uncommitted” to commit to participate in the nation’s election and weigh all the factors that matter, here at home and abroad.
Linda Stamato
Morristown, N.J.
To the Editor:
The “uncommitted” vote in Michigan and elsewhere isn’t motivated only by Palestinian protest. Many are voting that way in the primaries to urge President Biden to defer his candidacy to a younger, more vigorous Democrat and not hand Donald Trump the election. Listen up, Joe!
Milton Cohen
Richardson, Texas
To the Editor:
Re “Biden Is Losing Party Loyalists Over Gaza War” (front page, Feb. 27):
Your profile of Terry Ahwal, a Palestinian American, was welcome, especially the fullness of its depiction of her. Too often in the West, Palestinians are presented as caricatures — at best hapless victims to be pitied, as long as they suffer and die gracefully and in silence.
Your profile gave voice not just to Ms. Ahwal’s heartbreak over Palestinian deaths but also to her fury at the Biden administration for its support of Israel’s war with Hamas. With mostly women and children among the more than 30,000 Gazans reported dead — not including the countless others still under the rubble — who could blame her?
David Hasen
Gainesville, Fla.
Note to Politicians: ‘The Border Is Not a Theater Set’
To the Editor:
Re “Political Rivals Aim for Gains at the Border” (front page, March 1):
The border is not a theater set. One could be forgiven for believing otherwise. Republicans and Democrats alike, for many years, have had these oddly scripted visits to the border, explaining the ways they are “deterring” migration.
While Republicans have an effective if misleading message of “an invasion,” Democrats have been unable or unwilling to articulate a competing vision. If you live on the border, as I do, you recognize that the farther you get away from the border, the greater the fear and misunderstanding becomes. You also realize that deterrence doesn’t fundamentally work.
The border is, by its nature, porous. It is not a hard edge that you delineate with a wall and close at a whim. It is a place of interaction, of blending and exchange and unique “fronterizo” identity.
In El Paso, tens of thousands of people cross every day, including many U.S. citizens who live in Ciudad Juárez, because of family ties, education or the cost of living. People work, go to school and socialize on both sides. Even during the pandemic, U.S. citizens were allowed to cross freely.
My husband and I have hosted hundreds of visitors from all over the world. We would welcome President Biden or Donald Trump to come take a real tour of our cities.
They could learn so much from actually talking to migrants about why they have left, what they are hoping to achieve, where they wish to go and how they want to contribute to our country. We understand the benefits.
Instead, the migrants remain voiceless, and we have to put up with this perverse border theater. Mr. Biden can do so much better than this.
Vanessa Johnson
El Paso
A Deal to Undo Gridlock in Congress
To the Editor:
Given the number and importance of issues that Congress should be considering over the next several months, Democrats in the House of Representatives should offer the Republican speaker, Mike Johnson, the following deal:
In return for Democrats providing whatever voting support the speaker needs to remain in office for the rest of the current legislative term, the speaker will pledge that he will place all legislation passed by the Senate on the floor for a House vote within three weeks of passage and will permit timely and reasonable floor discussion, votes and amendments on all budget items submitted by the appropriate House committees.
In the absence of this deal or something like it, it is unlikely that any important legislation will be passed by this Congress before elections in the fall. This gridlock would be unacceptable and extremely hurtful to our national interests.
Russell A. Simpson
Laredo, Texas
The writer is a retired attorney and was an assistant dean of Harvard Law School.