To the Editor:
Re “$95 Billion Bill for Three Allies Passes in House” (front page, April 21):
Speaker Mike Johnson did the right thing! He acted as a statesman, putting country over party, and acknowledging that this act of bipartisan leadership could cost him his job.
We have waited a long time to see Republican leaders place the welfare of our nation and the world above their personal desires for power, and while I will disagree with Mr. Johnson on the majority of his stands, he has brought hope and help to Ukraine at a time when they are most desperately needed.
Perhaps we can make bipartisanship something to be applauded and not punished.
Susan Shelton
Falmouth, Mass.
To the Editor:
As an independent, I vowed never again to vote for a Republican after the chaos of the past few years in Congress and the spinelessness of the Republican Party in following the lead of a misguided former president. Then came a surprise from Mike Johnson that has restored my faith in my fellow citizens.
After months of wishy-washing, he stood up for what was right and just, putting aside self-interest and addressing the needs of our allies and our nation. I am so proud of him! And though I will think twice before voting for most Republicans in the future, I would support Mike Johnson for whatever office he chooses to pursue.
Mason G. Senft
Greenvale, N.Y.
To the Editor:
Speaker Mike Johnson has bucked Donald Trump and his band of sour MAGA obstructionists to do something for the security of the people of Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.
Emboldened with the righteous power of doing the right thing, Mr. Johnson should revive the bipartisan border bill worked out in the Senate earlier this year but effectively killed by Mr. Trump, a compromise that goes a long way toward securing the safety and security of Americans and migrants.
After all, Mr. Johnson works for all Americans, not Mr. Trump, nor the “chaos caucus,” the Trumplicans in the House who are trying to stymie the speaker and could easily be sent back home come November.
Mr. Johnson should take the steps necessary to secure America’s border and enact the changes that the vast majority of Americans want. He works for us, not Mr. Trump!
John E. Colbert
Arroyo Seco, N.M.
A Juror’s Duty
To the Editor:
Re “Jurors Do Their Jobs, Even in New York,” by Jesse Wegman (The Point blog, Opinion, nytimes.com, April 19):
I believe that Donald Trump was one of the worst presidents in history, together with Pierce, Buchanan and Harding (and perhaps Nixon). I believe that he is a pathological liar and a cheat.
And yet, were I to be called to the jury at his current trial, I know I would be able to treat him like any other defendant, presumed innocent until or unless the prosecution produces sufficient evidence.
I am a retired attorney, and I know that the basis for Anglo-American justice depends on the jury to judge not on the character of the defendant but on the guilt or lack thereof produced.
As it happens I live in a different borough of New York, and so I could not be called in the trial in Manhattan, which cynics would say makes it so much easier to profess virtue. And yet I do believe this of myself.
To the Editor:
Re “Abortion Is Remaking Our Political Landscape. Why Aren’t Guns?,” by Gail Collins (column, April 18):
Ms. Collins (as usual) asks a good question: “Why don’t we talk more about guns?”
I want to talk about guns: They should be banned, except for the military and law enforcement. The Second Amendment should be repealed. I feel confident that someday our citizens will collectively say, “What were we thinking?” The amount of gun violence in our country is outrageous.
I am quite familiar with the other side: The bad guys will be the only ones with guns. It’s a tradition. I get it. I have hunted myself. So what? There were many odious aspects of the U.S. Constitution that were repealed.
Australia and New Zealand cracked down on guns, and gun deaths decreased dramatically. I am familiar with the argument that these are “different” cultures and “different” countries, but they are not that different; they are not from Mars.
It is way beyond time to repeal the Second Amendment. Let’s do it.
Marc Chafetz
Washington
Poverty’s Toll on Health
To the Editor:
I applaud Dr. Lindsay Ryan for “Poverty and Inequality Prove Deadly for Many” (Opinion guest essay, April 14).
I worked for many years in urban outpatient clinics and hospitals that cared for indigent populations. Sadly, many patients sought care when it was too late and what could have been cured became fatal.
Being able to afford a doctor’s visit and having a prescription filled is not a luxury but a basic need. Preventive care may allow patients to avoid becoming seriously ill.
The need for socialized medicine should not be a political issue but a human one for all to embrace.
Cora Berke
Lambertville, N.J.
Understanding Anxious Parents and Kids
To the Editor:
I read “Anxious Parents Are the Ones Who Need Help,” by Mathilde Ross (Opinion guest essay, April 11), with great dismay.
As a clinical social work psychotherapist, I find it hard to believe that many parents are calling mental health counselors at colleges and universities on a whim.
My experience is that parents are often very savvy about mental health issues and need to be respected; they know their young adults better than anyone.
When a counselor receives a panicked call from a parent, we don’t know if there is a history of suicide or mental illness in the family. We are also unaware of any current crises, such as death, illness or divorce.
We need to be especially careful during these times of war, climate change and political disharmony not to dismiss anyone’s anxiety without very careful and thoughtful analysis.
Yes, I am aware of parents who tend to be worriers and harbor unnecessary anxiety about their children, but I would much rather err on the side of caution than dismiss that parent’s concerns as merely their child’s “normal” adjustment to college.
Isn’t it our job to be of service to a worried parent to explore and respect their concerns and try to help diminish their anxiety and thus truly be of help to their children?
Adrienne Resnick
New Rochelle, N.Y.
To the Editor:
I appreciated Mathilde Ross’s essay, but its tone seemed too dismissive of parents’ genuine concerns.
When my daughter was a college freshman in 2012, I ignored my maternal intuition because I was told not to worry. Unfortunately, she tried to soothe her anxiety with drugs and became addicted to heroin.
Families absolutely need to be educated about the normal ups and downs of adjusting to college. But if they are too quickly labeled overly anxious, they may feel ashamed to speak up when real problems arise.
Ann Batchelder
Asheville, N.C.
The writer is the author of the memoir “Craving Spring: A Mother’s Quest, a Daughter’s Depression and the Greek Myth That Brought Them Together.”