With the crisis over, so are promises to nurses

Selden, L.I.: Half a decade has passed since I was handed a garbage bag and a single-use mask, expected to last 100 hours stored in a brown paper bag, as I was sent into a tent to face an unknown adversary.

Back then, while many were urged to remain safely at home with their loved ones, I was among those who had to report to work. I encountered situations for which I had no training and made decisions that I was unprepared to handle mentally. I experienced the physical strain of breaking ribs, the emotional burden of bagging bodies, and the grim task of stacking them in shipping containers outside our workplace. To protect my family, I refrained from seeing or touching them for extended periods. We were assured that our sacrifices would be acknowledged, with promises that the government would forgive student loans for healthcare workers, particularly nurses on the front lines.

The weight of the losses I witnessed nearly broke me, pushing me to the brink of despair multiple times. Yet, I persevered, striving to uphold the honor of being a nurse, a true professional in every sense. I heard people deny the reality of the pandemic, a denial that has only intensified as our sacrifices fade from memory. While I don’t seek accolades or recognition for my role, I implore others not to strip me of the right to call myself a professional. I have earned that title through the blood on my hands. Samantha Darienzo

Unfairly overlooked

Richmond Hill: It’s a travesty that Don Mattingly remains absent from the Hall of Fame. His records alone could fill this page, and I could easily name a dozen players he surpasses. Beginning with the designated hitters—an irksome comparison—it’s shocking to see Jeff Kent inducted while Donnie is not. Drawing a parallel to Roberto Duran, the legendary Panamanian boxer, Kent’s defensive skills at second base were akin to “Manos de Piedra” (Hands of Stone). Joe Napoleone

Retention tension

Hicksville, L.I.: As the “hot stove” baseball season heats up, I find myself pondering a question about the Mets. After enduring a stretch of playing 17 games below .500 for a considerable portion of the season, why have three superstars and beloved fan favorites departed, yet Carlos Mendoza remains at the helm as manager? Steven Malinofsky

Window of impropriety

Dartmouth, Mass.: There’s perhaps never been a more opportune moment to own up to one’s misdeeds, unlawful actions, or express bigoted views. As numerous public figures, celebrities, and industry leaders are exposed through leaked documents, court testimonies, or congressional hearings, the public’s outrage and sense of shame seem to diminish. The revelations of misconduct—ranging from perversions to theft, falsified research, treason, and other illegalities—are spilling out from all corners of American institutions. Esteemed individuals from academia, government, the arts, medicine, the judiciary, and finance have been implicated. With the public inundated by scandals that once could have ruined careers or shattered reputations, there’s merely fleeting attention and a waning sense of accountability. If there ever was a time to confess without facing consequences, it is now. Betty Ussach

Whites welcome

Manhattan: Bring in the Swedes / Bring in the Norwegians / Bring in the Danes / They all come from white regions / Send in the French and Germans / But just the Caucasians / To brighten our land / And keep out Black and Brown invasions / This is my Trumpian whitewashing of America / Spare me the Blacklash / You need not apply / Unless you are white and have plenty of cash / I am changing the look / Of our country’s appearance / All immigrants will be held / To a bigly strict adherence / Stick to my rules / And any new arrivals that show up on our shores / Will be wealthy and pale and respectable / Not criminals, rapists, dark-skinned, thugs or sleazy whores / Anyone that’s woke / Or believes in diversity / Is any darker than the color ecru / Will be banned universally. Phoebe Celentano

Criminal in chief

Windsor, Conn.: To Voicer Joseph Beyhl: When you refer to someone as “criminal and stupid,” as you did in your letter about NYC Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s transition panel appointee Mysonne Linen, most readers associate the adjectives criminal and stupid with President Trump, who has earned the titles. Please give credit where credit is due. As far as Linen being a criminal is concerned, all he has to do is send a million dollars to Trump in an untraceable cryptocurrency transaction to facilitate Trump issuing him a complete pardon. Jonathan Brewster

Spend strategically

Kitchener, Ontario: American consumers are sick and tired of giant corporations using their market power to jack up prices on everything from groceries and household items to health insurance and streaming services (with Trump’s tariffs as their latest excuse). But consumers are now using their own market power to fight back, especially against corporations that are selling out their freedoms to play ball with Trump. An ongoing boycott of Target for canceling its DEI policies and dropping its Pride merchandise is hurting its sales badly. For four days on Black Friday weekend, consumers boycotted not only Target, but Home Depot (for allowing ICE sweeps in their parking lots) and Amazon (for bad working conditions and union-busting in its warehouses). Those boycotts were a practice run for bigger and more organized efforts. I hope many more Americans will use their economic clout to make companies pay for cozying up to the Trump regime. Al Daigen

Voter pressure

Snohomish, Wash.: Thanks for the common-sense editorial on the importance of keeping the cost of health care from going up, and the damage coming from the do-nothing Congress (“The GOP’s Obamacare price spike,” Dec. 12). Not hard to see where the priorities are when it would cost $350 billion to continue the subsidies for 10 years and the majority voted it down. Meanwhile, the tax cuts for the wealthy will cost $4 trillion over the next 10 years. We can speak up to those who represent us and tell them that this is wrong. Pass legislation that will keep all Americans healthy, fed and housed. It’s a policy decision that we can base our votes on. Willie Dickerson

Left turn

Howard Beach: America, what is wrong with you? Fifty years from today, American people will say, “We had the best and the worst presidents in American history.” We all should thank God to have a president who is protecting us, caring for us, and more importantly, doing what he must to save us all from the enemies within and from afar. There are now two types of Democrats, socialist and old-fashioned. Little by little, the socialists are taking over America. They are pushing out the old-fashioned Dems while lying to the American people, saying not to believe in the Republicans. Open your eyes, America, the Socialist Party is not your friend. They will use you until they own you. Wake up and smell the coffee! Nick Di Pasquale

Right-wing rubbers

Scarsdale, N.Y.: Hey, beat inflation — get your vintage Trump condoms, on sale now. The perfect holiday gift. Need it signed? $1 extra. Harvey Wielstein

Earth-friendly cheer

Brookfield, Wis.: Well, hello to you, Santa (Voicer Eric C. Lindstrom)! I liked hearing that you made a “jolly good change” going vegan and moving away from the exploitation of animals. You retired your reindeer from their annual route, switched to an electric sleigh and generally spread compassion. You’re refraining from meat and fish! Given that it takes 39 pounds of plants to produce one pound of beef, your jolly good change leaves most of those 39 pounds for others. Typical Santa behavior! And when all the world’s boys and girls join your change, we’ll be returning 40% of the Earth (now used for livestock grazing and feed-planting) back to nature — enough nature to totally reverse our current climate breakdown. If only Trump and Gov. Hochul felt your kind of compassion and led in building methane-free buildings and driving back methane pipeline assaults on our children’s health! Mary Pat Dries