Letters to the Editor | Oct. 21, 2025

Donald Trump is executing human beings. By blowing up boats in the Caribbean Sea, he is targeting vessels he deems are “suspected” of carrying contraband, and authorizing the military to blow them up in international waters. Please, let that sink in for a minute. We have the Navy, the Marines, and the Coast Guard patrolling our seas. How about securing our ports and turning the ships away, or confiscating the ships and their contents? Where is the proof of any criminal acts? I can’t believe what I am witnessing. How does this stand?

K. Mayes, Philadelphia

Not looking good for John Bolton regarding accusations of mishandling classified material. But, oh, the irony! I can’t get the photos out of my mind of boxes full of classified material in the ballroom and bathroom of Mar-a-Lago. I can’t forget the outrage when Trump-appointed Judge Aileen Cannon dropped that case. I can’t forgive the U.S. Supreme Court for giving Donald Trump immunity from any illegal activity as president. Then there is the irony of former Attorney General Merrick Garland delaying any prosecution of Trump to avoid the appearance of weaponization of the Justice Department — only for Trump to take office again and do exactly that. And now, I can’t sleep worrying about the fate of our democracy and our country.

Sylvia Metzler, Philadelphia

Nine Young Republican activists in New York, Arizona, Kansas, and Vermont were recently outed for the revelation of eight months of their disgusting, racist, antisemitic, and homophobic texts covering 2,900 pages of material that were obtained by Politico. The texts and the writers were quickly distanced by the Republican establishment, but one has to wonder why these individuals felt perfectly comfortable exchanging such abhorrent views. Are these the views all Young Republicans have when they speak to each other behind closed doors or online? And if these rising stars expressed remorse for their texts, is the remorse only that they were caught and their bigotry was exposed for all the world to see?

Larry Skvir, Delran

I was delighted to see diversity on display in the performing and marching units celebrating the 250th anniversary of the founding of the Navy and Marine Corps earlier this month. Truly remarkable that citizens of all persuasions and ethnic backgrounds have chosen to serve their country and build such strong fighting forces. This has not happened overnight and has been years in the making. It would be a shame for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s misguided efforts to actually tear things down.

Roger Smith, West Chester

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