Letters to the Editor | Feb. 6, 2024

I’ve seen numerous stories in various media outlets, including Page One of this Sunday’s Inquirer, stating that young voters may not vote for Joe Biden because of his administration’s stance on the Israel-Hamas war. I don’t get why. Biden has consistently called for restraint from our ally in conducting its war and shown nothing but concern for those innocent Palestinians suffering in Gaza. His agents have been vigilant in negotiating for the release of hostages and cease-fires to allow humanitarian aid inside Gaza. Do any of these young voters condemning Biden think Donald Trump’s actions would more closely align with their views? Trump is much in step with, and more supportive of, Benjamin Netanyahu and his hard-line right-wing policies. If one’s sympathies lie with the plight of innocents, they should naturally be in Biden’s camp rather than in Trump’s on this issue.

Joseph Goldberg, Philadelphia

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I don’t know whether to laugh or cry after reading about young Pennsylvania voters’ lack of support for Joe Biden. These young people don’t seem to understand how our system works, or that the Democrats have a one-vote majority in the Senate and don’t have control of the House at all. Biden is doing all he can to help the innocent victims in Gaza, but last time I checked, he was president of the United States, not king of the Middle East. If these young voters really don’t think there’s a difference between Democratic and Republican policies, I would suggest they travel to Texas for an abortion or Florida to learn about how slavery was “positive” for African Americans. One needs to look at the big picture and not focus on one issue. Biden isn’t perfect and hasn’t been able to achieve everything that he wanted to do, but if more people would vote for Democrats instead of voting against their own interests, then maybe things would be different.

Michael Walsh, Morrisville, northernsky7@gmail.com

As parents and guardians of students at Walter B. Saul High School, we were deeply affected by Meredith Elizalde’s recent op-ed. Her son, Nick, was a classmate and friend to our children when his life was tragically cut short by gun violence after a football scrimmage at Roxborough High School. We are disturbed in two ways: first, that gun safety laws continue to be blocked by some lawmakers, making all of our kids potential targets, and second, by the way Elizalde was treated by some elected representatives in Harrisburg.

She bravely gave testimony about the urgent need for stronger gun laws in our state seeking, in her words, to “humanize Nick and other victims.” She was met with grave disrespect and “callous disregard.” In his short life, Nick made a lasting impact for good in our world. We wish we could say the same for those members of the General Assembly who treated Elizalde, and by extension all of us, so disrespectfully. We will continue to honor Nick, his family, and all victims of gun violence by raising our voices in support of commonsense gun laws.

Rosemary A. Barbera and Gili Ronen, W.B. Saul High School Home and School Association, Philadelphia, wbsaulhsa@gmail.com

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