Letters to the Editor | July 20, 2026

It was predictable, in the wake of victories by democratic socialist candidates throughout America, that a tsunami of red-baiting smears and falsehoods would quickly follow. But among the most outrageous were allegations made in Michael A. Livingston’s July 13 letter to the editor that democratic socialists, like textbook Marxists, advocate the “confiscation of wealth and class struggle.” This is a blatant, cynical lie. In reality, leaders of the movement call only for major, commonsense reforms like a national healthcare system, free daycare, a minimum wage increase, and increased taxes on the wealthy, all of which would benefit desperately struggling Americans.

Shame on the writer for trying to perpetrate such reactionary — and familiar — propaganda. And shame on The Inquirer for publishing such letters.

Carol Stein, Philadelphia

In response to Kenneth Rayca, who wrote a letter to the editor regarding the alleged hijacking of the Democratic Party, I would say he was observing the party with limited vision.

I have been a registered Democrat for approximately 55 years. Among my many “fors” as a Democrat, I am for universal healthcare, the end of forever wars, increased climate control, restricting the ownership of automatic weapons, and the separation of powers. I want the restoration of the Voting Rights Act. I do not need to provide a passport each time I vote. I’m still me, no matter how many times the president wants to know. President Donald Trump doesn’t vote in person. Should he?

If you want to learn about what a Democrat believes, go to the Democratic 2020 party platform. Democrats are not of the same stripe as socialists, but we share some of the same positions in my “fors,” and for that, Mr. Rayca thinks they will be unelectable for the midterms. Most Democrats hold moderate views, neither too far to the left nor too far to the right. Because some democratic socialist candidates won several primaries, Donald Trump labels us all as socialists and communists. Should we be calling everyone in the Republican Party fascists and Nazis based upon the actions of a racist “narcissistic sociopath”? George Conway’s words, not mine.

I am not wooed by the siren song of socialism, but I would never be swayed by the entreaties of a convicted criminal. For all those who continue to listen to his pleas for continued support under the scurrilous guise of purchasing merchandise and investing in his companies to enrich his family, shame on you.

Estelle Samberg, Warminster

On July 10, the Trump administration finalized a rule that removes the long-standing regulatory definition of “harm” from the Endangered Species Act. This is the most monstrous attack ever on our nation’s most vulnerable species. For decades, that definition recognized that wildlife can be harmed not only through direct physical violence, but also when habitat destruction prevents animals from feeding, breeding, sheltering, or raising their young. Destroying an animal’s habitat is harmful.

Removing habitat destruction from the definition of harm will make it easier for reckless development to proceed in places that endangered and threatened species need to survive. Habitat loss is the No. 1 cause of extinction. When you remove habitat protections, you remove the Endangered Species Act’s most important safeguard. Habitat conservation is the cornerstone of wildlife conservation. Eliminating protection for the habitats of threatened and endangered species pushes them to extinction. This is a monstrous decision.

Stan Kotala, Altoona

Regarding the recent article about FanDuel sending a personalized message from Bryce Harper to a problem gambler, the conclusion is now inescapable: legalized sports betting harms the integrity of the game. Yet, losing an American pastime is nothing compared to the hidden human cost — the raw suffering inflicted on our families, friends, and neighbors.

Who is to blame? Our state lawmakers — even those from Philly — cynically claim that government-promoted gambling is the only way to fund public transit, our schools, and care for our elderly. They forget that the values we apply to spending public dollars should be the exact same values we use to raise public revenue. We deserve leaders who don’t actively exploit the vulnerable among us — that’s a democratic value we can all get behind.

Paul Boni, Philadelphia

It’s 1979 all over again. Oil prices have spiked, and the United States, the world’s mightiest military power and most dominant economic engine, is being held hostage by an isolated regime thousands of miles away. Older Americans remember the long lines at gas stations and the live updates on broadcast television showing the occupied American Embassy in Tehran. A daring military rescue attempt was organized by special forces in the Iranian desert. The mission was called off after several mechanical problems plagued the helicopters. As they were preparing to return, an aircraft collided with one of the helicopters and exploded. Eight Americans were killed. In 1980, voters expressed their disgust for this incompetence. The incumbent party was swept out the door in a landslide. May it be so in 2026.

Alex Pearson, Merion

The tragic shooting that left multiple teenagers injured and a man dead is yet another devastating wake-up call for Philadelphia. While law enforcement investigates what happened, the rest of us must confront a more difficult question: Have we become too accustomed to these headlines?

This is not just a Philadelphia problem. So far in 2026, the United States has already experienced more than 200 mass shootings. Behind every statistic are lives forever changed, families left grieving, and neighborhoods struggling to heal. When these tragedies become a predictable part of the daily news cycle, we risk becoming numb to the value of every human life.

Restoring public safety requires effective policing, but enforcement alone cannot solve a crisis rooted in broken relationships, hopelessness, and violence. Lasting progress also depends on strong families, engaged communities, quality education, positive mentors, and a renewed commitment to teaching respect, responsibility, and compassion.

We must never accept gun violence as the price of living in a major American city. Philadelphia — and our nation — owes the next generation communities where character is strengthened, opportunity is expanded, and every life is valued.

Farid Ahmad, Philadelphia

Regarding Jonathan Zimmerman’s column about the importance of exposing students to differing perspectives on U.S. history: While I agree it is useful to share differences of opinions with our students, I believe it is a mistake to, in any way, suggest that there is such a thing as an “alternative truth,” or that people can choose what they like to think when it is not subject to interpretation because facts are available.

There is no alternative truth to the fact that George Washington was an enslaver. There is no alternative truth to the fact that Joe Biden won the 2020 election.

Different countries can have varying opinions of why we dropped the bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but it is extremely disturbing to think there was another reason other than convincing the Japanese to end a horrific war. If this isn’t the truth, the American people are certainly entitled to know what it is.

Alexis Gerard Finger, Bala Cynwyd

Regarding Pete Hegseth’s plan to test the testosterone levels of troops: While it’s unclear how his screening program will apply to female service members, Hegseth’s focus on testosterone is a thinly veiled message to women in the military: “Grow testes or get out.” What’s next, mandatory testing for the presence of a Y chromosome?

Jay Lynch, Pittsburgh

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