Readers sound off on Ukraine, Jim Simons and candidate Chris Christie

Morristown, N.J.: Voicer Dwight Sunada’s proposal is innovative but even if both contenders would agree (they don’t now), history teaches us that neutral buffer nations are overrun by an eager aggressor, as Germany did in both world wars. While respecting the territorial integrity of Ukraine, as Volodymyr Zelenskyy demands with the correct support of the West, two valid concerns of Russia need to be addressed: the status of the Russian-speaking eastern Ukraine and the Russian naval base in Crimea, considered essential for Russia’s ongoing control of the Black Sea. There are successful historical precedents on how to approach both problems.

Kyiv has mentioned reconstituting Ukraine as a federation of states. Spain’s constitution defines it as “a nation of autonomic regions,” each with its own branches of government and extra rights exclusive to that region, like making co-official a local language or dialect. As to Crimea, Kyiv has said it was willing to stop its counter-offensive at its border, apparently willing to then negotiate. The Russian naval base terrain could be subjected to a long-term renewable lease, duly acknowledged by the international community, as was the case until not long ago with the Panama Canal Zone while under U.S. control with Panama’s sovereignty there never in doubt.

The harder part will be to convince Vladimir Putin that he accomplished the objectives of the special operation, being praised by the West for it, starting with laud from the always negotiating Emmanuel Macron. Another carrot should be offering Russia candidacy to the European Union. Let’s get real: From cultural and scientific standpoints, Russia is at least as Western as any other Eastern European country and, until this Putin conflict, was integrating itself smoothly into the West. Antonio Garcia

Glendale: I had to laugh when I read Voicer Jeffrey Weisenfeld’s comment about teens and so-called “Wiccan grooming.” This is no different than Catholicism imposing the ridiculous notion of “original sin” on an innocent newborn and continuing to promote “guilt” that one is required to “confess.” Exposing children to all religions is the best way for them to make an informed choice of which to follow, if any, in their future. Diana Mischler

Manhattan: In Monday’s paper, the Sunday Queen’s Pride parade is reported with an entire page 3 full of photos of floats, smiling faces and commentary. In the same issue, this week’s opening Tribeca Festival is given two full pages of coverage splashed over pages 10 and 11. Yet, it is not until page 18 that your paper covers Sunday’s heavily attended Celebrate Israel Parade held on Manhattan’s Fifth Ave. celebrating Israel’s 75th anniversary. Chana Schwartz

New Hyde Park, L.I.: Before the Daily News crowns Jim Simons humanitarian of the millennium for his recent donation to Stony Brook University (“Simons University of New York,” editorial, June 4), you might want to consider that tax evasion is not the only black mark on his record. Specifically, Simons has spent hundreds of millions of dollars over the past two decades funding genetic research into autism, ignoring calls from the autistic community to spend that money on research and resources the majority of us actually want prioritized. Further, Simons has ignored criticism that there are no safeguards in place to prevent his genetic research from being used to develop a prenatal test for autism, which many autistic people, including myself, fear will become our Final Solution. You claim the people of New York are lucky to have Simons. Perhaps you should have taken all New Yorkers’ perspectives into account before making such a bold pronouncement. Matthew Zeidman

Yonkers: Mayor Adams, Gov. Hochul and most Democrats spout their loquacious drivel almost nonstop about the illegal immigration crisis. They scream and stomp about needing more money, more hotels, more everything to deal with the situation, which only treats the symptoms of this nationwide disease. But nothing will change for the better until someone in the far-left Democratic Party summons the intestinal and political fortitude to tell President Biden three simple words: Close the border! Adams, Hochul, Chuck Schumer, Kirsten Gillibrand, AOC, Jamaal Bowman et al remain accessories to not just a crisis, but to a catastrophic invasion of the United States as a sovereign nation. Their deliberate and intentional orchestration of this ongoing horror show is a deadly dereliction of duty. Unless America wakes up to this Biden-propagated apocalypse, there soon will be no America to wake up to. James McCaffrey

Manhattan: Re “Seeing the light” (editorial, June 6): Indeed, ‘bout time religious organizations stepped up. We’re a so-called Christian nation. Jews, Muslims and atheists are all welcome. P.S.: Our cardinal has nice digs on Madison Ave. What would Jesus do? Neil J. Pollicino

Staten Island: Voicer Gene Dunn asks how President Biden could seek and win a second term after falling at the Air Force Academy’s graduation and owning an economic track record similar to President Jimmy Carter’s. The thought that Biden would get “wiped out” made him uncontrollably laugh. Mr. Dunn, laugh at your own peril because that “octogenarian” has schooled Republicans since he took office. While I do not like all of his policies, I respect the man and his achievements since in office, including calling the bluff of the Republican leadership’s stand on the new budget, creating a somewhat centrist budget with the loudest voices on the left and right kicking rocks because they didn’t get their way. If you don’t want Biden reelected, make sure Donald Trump is not the Republican nominee, because as I’ve said since he was first nominated in 2016, this con man and sideshow barker will never get this Republican’s vote. John Conry

Manhattan: National punchline (and waistline) Chris Christie (a.k.a. Chris Krispy-Kreme) has thrown his dunce cap into the ring to be the GOP nominee in 2024? The only thing funnier than this is that he’s going up against the very man(iac) who emasculated Christie the last time the Donut King ran against Clown McDonald! (I’d say Trump ate Christie’s lunch but that would be too cruel). Plus, good luck trying to hide from conservatives how super-liberal you are with the Twinkies, Chris! Pardon the pun, but this is gonna be sweeeeeet! Roger Stoneham

Ridgewood: Don’t be fooled by National Grid (“Build N.Y.’s clean energy future,” June 3). Their New York City strategy is to increase their gas business at the expense of our climate law and consumers’ utility bills. Via front group New Yorkers for Affordable Energy, National Grid is lobbying against the NY HEAT (Home Affordable Energy Transition) Act, that would effectively slash their subsidized profits from building and maintaining pipelines and redirect investment to neighborhood-scale clean energy projects. Our gas bills don’t reflect fuel cost, but a state-guaranteed return on capital costs of 8-10%, which companies’ shrinking customer pool will be stretched to pay. Even as offshore wind plants are planned to connect to Brooklyn and Queens, National Grid wants to lay a new gas pipeline through North Brooklyn and place polluting vaporizer facilities in the overburdened borough. Gov. Hochul must guide us through a planned gas transition and expansion of offshore wind farms. Chandra Bocci

Bronx: I’m a political junkie, yet I never watch “Meet The Press” because it’s so juvenile and vacant. Chuck Todd lets his guests lie with no pushback, whether they are GOP or Dem, because he’s an establishment hack. All these shows are annoying and boring — a bunch of talking heads (most are ex-prosecutors, hmmm) sit around and give us empty speculation that is as useful as having a table of weathermen sit around and guess if it’s going to rain or not on Sept. 3, 2029. We get far more news and reporting by watching the late-night comic monologues, seriously. Too bad the writers’ strike screwed that up. Well, the greedy do-nothing CEOs, not the writers who do the actual labor. To Chuck Todd, I just want you to know that you are far more hated than you think you are. May you spend the rest of your career sleeping on Matt Lauer’s couch. Jaclyn Grimm