Letters to the Editor | Nov. 9, 2025

The president’s talk of sending American troops to Nigeria for a mass killing of Muslims, in order to protect Christians, is wrong on so many levels. As one of the leaders of Nigeria stated, Muslims and Christians are being persecuted and killed by this Muslim radical group. Many Nigerian Muslims are law-abiding people and already coexist peacefully with Christians. As a Catholic, I know Christians and Muslims have a long history of addressing their conflicts in the past with violence and bloodshed, and this is not the answer. Sure, some kind of protection is needed. And the political and religious leaders of all sides must urge and direct the community to nonviolent ways of addressing the “divide.” The Divine Master, whom I believe in, taught that we should not respond to evil with evil and that violence is not the answer. Addressing justice issues in nonviolent ways is needed, including the drug trafficking problem and the immigrant status of people in this country.

Bill Mattia, Pennsauken

Donald Trump has deployed troops to blue cities. He threatens other states and cities at will. He fabricates justification for his actions. Even when the leaders of these cities reject his threats of occupation, Trump does it anyway. Even when the Trump administration is supplied with crime statistics that counter his claims of outrageous criminal activity and burning buildings, Trump does it anyway.

Is this an insurrection using our own troops and military against Trump’s perceived enemies? Is it the beginning of a new illegal trend? Practice to disrupt the upcoming elections, or for when the Republicans lose the 2026 election and Trump deploys troops?

Susan Thompson, Media

There is a point at which our political and ideological differences pale compared with a genuine national crisis. How much longer before Republican leadership acknowledges that the elephant in the room has gone rogue? What will it take before Chuck Grassley and Mike Johnson and Steve Scalise and Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio put their country and families before personal ambition and partisan supplication? Who among them emerges as first to speak truth to unhinged and divisive power? History informs us that it was ultraconservative Sen. Barry Goldwater who led a delegation of GOP leaders to the White House in 1974 to convince President Richard Nixon to resign. A similar intervention is required now before our nation forfeits its founding principles.

Anthony Nannetti, Philadelphia

I recently received a letter from the government indicating that I would continue to collect my veteran’s benefits despite the shutdown. The letter read: “On September 19th the House of Representatives passed with the Trump Administration support, a clear continuing resolution to fund the government through November 21st. (Unfortunately, Democrats are blocking the Continuing Resolution in the Senate due to unrelated policy demands).” Well, those demands have to do with the restoration of healthcare programs. Rather important.

At any rate, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs should not be used for political posturing. This is a violation of the Hatch Act of 1939, an act to prevent pernicious political activities by civil service employees. Even so, polls indicate that voters blame the Republicans for the shutdown.

Of course, laws mean nothing to this administration unless they affect the biggest lawbreaker of all: the leader. The point here is that the same thing is happening throughout government departments and needs to stop. If the U.S. Supreme Court does not stand up to defend these laws, we will indeed become a fascist state.

Thomas Skudlarek, Lansdale

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