Trump’s next target: Animals
To The Editor:
As he was signing edicts hurting one group after another over the past two weeks, it was only a matter of time before Donald Trump got around to hurting animals — already the most oppressed sentient beings on earth.
The animals’ turn came yesterday — with the pulling down of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Web site that reports on government regulation of roughly 9,000 animal-handling facilities. These include laboratories, dog breeders, fur farms, circuses, zoos and aquariums.
The Web site is used every day by animal-protection activists to monitor government enforcement of the 1966 Animal Welfare Act, the only effective federal law protecting animals.
Taking down the APHIS inspection site is a huge setback for animal protection. It will almost certainly lead to reduced government inspection of animal facilities and more animal suffering — a virtual repeal of the Animal Welfare Act.
Ironically, this oppressive act was launched by the same dark-of-night process as that of pulling more than 100,000 visas from thoroughly vetted Muslim immigrants one week earlier — no notice, no hearings, no due process, no public announcement.
The oppressive mindset doesn’t really care who the victims are. Hopefully, the courts will.
Nelson Yancy
Make Knicks great again
To The Editor:
New York Knicks team president Phil Jackson announced on Twitter the trade of former All-Star Carmelo Anthony, vowing “to make the Knicks great again.” Jackson recently accused Melo of stalling the offense, as well as hiding his cushy back-support pillow he brings to games.
After weeks of pleading and begging G.M.’s around the league, Jackson worked out a “yuuuge deal” for New York by trading the disgruntled Anthony to the Monterey Immigrantes in the Mexican Federation. In exchange, the Knicks received a Chevy pickup, two burros and former Los Angeles Dodger Fernando Valenzuela.
The entire deal was vetted personally by El Presidente Donald J. Trump, who levied a 20 percent tariff on the burros to protect his newly founded burro industry in the Rust Belt.
Anthony was not available for comment while the Mexican government threatened to deny Melo a visa in line with its new policy of keeping undesirable Americans out of Mexico
Carl Rosenstein
Tell it to Trump
To The Editor:
Re “Yo! Move it, Melania!” (letters to the editor, Feb. 2):
Lauren Shapiro should also post her excellent comment on the Web site “Contact the President.” It is very easy to do and is direct and official: https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/#page .
Barbara Ruether
Hard-working House rep
To The Editor:
Re “Nadler and Velazquez rush to the rescue of refugees at J.F.K.” (news article, Feb. 2):
Nadler is a real civil servant. I have seen him on an evening or a weekend working about town.
Donald Moder
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