An official flag for our cultural achievement
Brooklyn: A “gay pride” flag removed from the Stonewall National Monument displayed the phrase, “Stonewall National Monument Established 2016,” alongside the distinctive arrowhead emblem of the National Park Service, part of the U.S. Department of the Interior. This suggests the flag was indeed a government flag.
The Stonewall National Monument stands as a crucial testament to the ongoing evolution of individual rights and equality for all Americans. The controversial removal of this government flag wrongfully insinuated that the monument’s historical and educational significance had diminished. Notably, the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 36, Chapter I, Part 11, Section 11.2, states: “The [National Park Service] Director may permit the reproduction, manufacture, sale, and use of the ‘Arrowhead Symbol’… for uses that will contribute to purposes of education and conservation as they relate to the program of the National Park Service.” This further confirms the flag’s government status.
Equally important, an article titled “NPS Entering the 21st Century” on the National Park Service website begins with, “The national symbols people choose to preserve — the visible reminders of how a nation came to be what it is — serve as useful keys to understanding values.” This quote, attributed to Robin W. Winks, an American academic, historian, diplomat, and a staunch National Park Service supporter, underscores the monument’s significance. Mark S. Travitsky
Don’t ask, don’t know
Chester, N.J.: It has come to light that Gallup will halt its presidential approval rating assessments just as President Trump’s ratings hit a low. This mirrors Trump’s approach to the COVID-19 pandemic: conduct fewer tests to reduce the number of positive results, believing the problem will “disappear.” Gallup likely wants to avoid becoming a target for Trump, who might accuse them of “saying bad things” about him. There’s little doubt Trump would claim their polls are “rigged,” “always wrong,” and that he is the most popular president who won three consecutive elections by a landslide. David J. Melvin
Don’t bother
Bronx: I find it puzzling why some expect Trump to apologize for the offensive, racist image of the Obamas he shared on social media. Such an apology would be insincere, just like his previous falsehoods—claims that Haitians are eating cats and dogs in Ohio or that Barack Obama isn’t a citizen. Let’s not prompt Trump to tell yet another lie. Pauline Graham Binder
Easy to reach
Suffern, N.Y.: Attorney General Pam Bondi’s response to seven female Epstein survivors was to instruct them to call 1-800-Call-FBI. This was despite the survivors being present in person. Couldn’t she have simply offered them her business card instead? Rick Sinclair
What’s the standard?
Jersey City: As a Republican attorney who watched with interest our attorney general’s appearance before Congress on Wednesday, I have to ask if the 1990 graduate of Florida’s Stetson University College of Law has passed an actual bar exam? While this standard may not be a requirement for appointment to her office under this administration, it’s relevant following her embarrassing refusal to answer reasonable questions and her outrageous insults to members of Congress, which would’ve had any other person cited for contempt. Only another attorney in the jurisdiction that certified her qualifications to practice would have standing to bring an action to disbar her for bringing shame and discredit on our profession (let alone our party). Her ongoing failure to display even a rudimentary knowledge of law, administrative protocols or basic standards of humanity in a position that demands all three certainly calls for no less. John Esche
Allegiance over justice
Queens Village: It was quite obvious that Bondi had absolutely no empathy for the Epstein survivors, who were present during the hearing. Bondi joyfully played to an audience of one: her lord and master, King Trump! Lawrence Krasner
Outdated grudge
Somerset, N.J.: The Cold War is long over. We get along with China and sign trade treaties with Vietnam. Why the hell are we still sanctioning Cuba? Morris D. Fried
Unenforced care
Bronx: A knife-wielding man charges NYPD officers who exhaust every option before opening fire. Then, Mayor Mamdani suggests that the man should receive mental health treatment rather than criminal prosecution (“Zoh to DA: Knife guy needs ‘care,’ ” Feb. 4). During the same week, many homeless people in NYC insist on remaining outdoors during successive days of freezing temperatures, including single-digit and below-zero readings. Unfortunately, 19 of them can’t be offered the same suggested mental health treatment, as they have frozen to death outside. So much for the socialist mayor’s equity-focused platform. Joe Schulok
Free bus rides
Forest Hills: I take different buses in Manhattan (I live in Queens) and on every bus, the same group of people get on the bus in the front and through the back exit without paying. Unfortunately, there’s nothing the driver can do. The mayor, like the NYPD commissioner, is inexperienced and clueless. Sherri Rosen
Car compromise
Brooklyn: Enough with the alternate side of the street parking suspension. It’s been almost three weeks. Here’s what the city should be doing: Lift the suspension, which will prompt most people to move their cars, but don’t ticket anyone who doesn’t dig their car out. Streets get cleaned up and no one gets fined. It’s a win-win. Peter Magnotta
Hochul’s had enough
Fresh Meadows: With Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado ending his primary bid, Gov. Hochul faces little serious opposition for the Democratic nomination in 2026. She’s seeking reelection in a largely Democratic state. Victory is almost guaranteed. But is another term for Hochul really the best path for New York? She deployed National Guard troops throughout NYC, a policy that, if enacted by Trump, would’ve been nationally condemned as militaristic and aggressive. Hochul was celebrated by many for blocking congestion pricing before reversing that decision and draining money from more than 1 million drivers in NYC. She flip-flopped on her environmental policy when her government allowed the development of a controversial natural gas pipeline near Queens, and stalled cap-and-invest regulations designed to reduce fossil fuel emissions and fund environmental protection. Hochul has sat in New York’s top offices for more than a decade. It’s time for a primary competition, not a coronation. Jack Bulik
Latin flavor
Ridgewood, N.J.: Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance highlighted the rise of Hispanic culture. This was probably the largest exposure of the American public to the unique style, energy and rhythm of Hispanic hip hop. Ed Houlihan
Smarter than we thought
Manhattan: A 2026 study published in the journal Science demonstrated that a bonobo named Kanzi could engage in “pretend play” like selecting cups containing an imaginary juice or grapes. This tea party indicated that apes possess the capacity for imagination, which had been thought of as uniquely human. Alan Lehrer
