Republicans are willfully blind to the truths about Donald Trump: Readers sound off

Letter to the editor:

Conservative pundits are arguing that Michael Cohen’s testimony demolishes the Russian collusion narrative. No, it does not. Cohen said he had no evidence of collusion and said he was not part of the campaign. If anything, it adds to Cohen’s credibility. If he were lying about Trump to get even, he would add collusion to his list. He did not.

What defies reason is for these conservatives and President Donald Trump to claim that Cohen is a liar but is only telling the truth about no collusion.

Another foray into the twilight zone occurred when Republicans argued that if former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe was worried about possible collusion with Russia, he should’ve just told Congress and not CBS News.

Talker: Michael Cohen's testimony, if true, confirms Trump's crimes

But remember when in the fall of 2016, the Obama administration approached leaders in Congress to warn about Russian interference in the election and Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., dismissed this as a Democratic ploy? 

George Magakis Jr.; Norristown, Pa.

Blind support of Trump is a disgrace

Letter to the editor:

Having watched the Michael Cohen hearing, it has become clear to me that President Donald Trump is — and has been — an unscrupulous businessman, fabricator of false and misleading statements, and a danger to our country. 

Trump’s disdain for our Constitution, legislative and judicial branches, intelligence community and attacks on the press is in direct opposition to our Founding Father’s expectations.

Related: Michael Cohen only flipped because he got caught

The blind support of Trump from the Republican Party would be laughable if it wasn’t such a disgrace. The fact that they believe all the others are lying and the president is the only one telling the truth is such a stretch. To quote from the president’s Twitter: Sad.

Joe Brennan; Davenport, Fla.

Criticizing Israel is not anti-Semitic

Letter to the editor:

I’m fuming over the Democrats’ willingness to drag Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., through the mud again. As a proud Jewish person completely opposed to Israel’s settler state in Palestine, the false charges of anti-Semitism leveled at Omar render me — and thousands of other Jews who criticize Israel — invisible.

As if to prove her point, the backlash against Omar’s latest (accurate) tweet, has Democrats and Republicans, Jewish and non-Jewish, falling all over each other to defend Israel against criticism the same week the United Nations has said it may have committed war crimes in Gaza.

Talker: Ilhan Omar's comments were anti-Semitic rhetoric, let's not beat around the bush

I’m outraged at the continuing Islamophobic and racist attacks on Omar that come at the expense of addressing both the real growing anti-Semitic threat of rising white nationalism and fascism, and the continued oppression of Palestinians with the help of our tax dollars.

Lee Goodman-Gargagliano; Oakland, Calif.

Collusion isn't the only worry for Trump

Letter to the editor:

President Donald Trump is far worse as a president than Richard Nixon ever was. Trump not only allegedly conspired with a hostile foreign power (Russia) to sway the 2016 presidential election, but he has also been accused of being involved in countless unethical and illegal business dealings.

Like a broken record, Trump keeps claiming he did not collude with Russia. But who cares about Russian collusion with all the other alleged crimes? Trump may have committed many other serious crimes that could result him being impeached or indicted. These include bank, tax and insurance fraud, witness tampering, making false statements, perjury, campaign finance violations, corruption, abuse of power, obstruction of justice, violation of the emoluments clause of the Constitution, judicial interference and misuse of inauguration and Trump charitable foundation funds.

Kenneth L. Zimmerman; Huntington Beach, Calif.

Modest dressing benefits our society

Letter to the editor:

Every now and again we hear a cry regarding Muslim women wearing hijabs (head covering). As we celebrate Women’s History Month, it would be an opportune time for me to present the essence of Islamic teaching behind modest clothing and dispel a common misconception that this injunction takes away the freedom of Muslim women.

The real purpose of covering the head and body with modest clothes is to prevent a woman from being sexually objectified and grants her protection against unwanted harassment. Furthermore, nature has created men and women in different ways. It’s not about discrimination but having different capacities and faculties. For example, women can bear children but men cannot, and men are physically stronger than women. The #MeToo campaign is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to highlighting the vulnerability of women in society at large.

Talker: McSally shared her sexual assault story, will Trump finally believe accusers?

This injunction is not specific to Islam; it’s in other religions too. For example, in Christianity we see Mother Mary covering her head in most works of art. Nowadays, questions arise regarding the type of hijabs Muslim women wear. The answer is simple. At its core, Islam is a religion that teaches modesty and requires both men and women to safeguard their dignity. 

Today, our society is experiencing the evils of provocative dressing, which have destroyed our peace in the form of extramarital affairs and broken relationships, for example. In such a situation, Islamic and Christian philosophy of “modest dressing” seems to guide us in the right direction.

Rafia Mansoor Waraich; Altoona, Wis.

US should denuclearize, not just North Korea

Letter to the editor:

Even though the summit in Hanoi between President Donald Trump and North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un ended early and there was no signed agreement, the summit was still both welcome and historic.

This summit provided further opportunities for diplomatic negotiations.

However, it seems that demands that North Korea agree to immediate and absolute denuclearization may not work nor be realistic.

Related: After summit diplomacy collapse, what's Donald Trump's North Korea Plan B?

The naked truth is that the U.S., Russia and China all possess arsenals of massive destruction.

Shall we demand the same complete “denuclearization” of ourselves first?

Diplomatic negotiations to achieve nuclear disarmament must be an ongoing effort, not only on the Korean front, but also between all nations.

Anh Lê; San Francisco

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