The Nobel Prize is just another Trump delusion
Whitestone: Venezuela's 'Iron Lady' Maria Corina Machado, a fugitive from authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro, has won the Nobel Peace Prize for her heroic efforts to promote democracy in Venezuela. President Trump, whose every effort and action is aimed at destroying democracy in the United States, says he deserves the award for ending seven wars and disputes in countries and for bringing peace to those places. No serious student of history or current events believes that Trump actually decided anything.
Trump's demand for a peace prize would be hysterically funny if he were not the most powerful leader in the world and, without exaggeration, a racist, misogynist and xenophobe, as well as a man who desperately wants to hide the identities of the villains who collaborated with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell in their participation and promotion of pedophilia and sexual violence against women.
I see comparisons between the Trump presidency and Woody Allen's portrayal of Fielding Mellish becoming dictator of San Marcos in the movie Bananas. I can also see a comparison between the Trump presidency and Groucho Marx's portrayal of Rufus T. Firefly, dictator of Freedonia, in the movie Duck Soup.
Trump is a pathetic, narcissistic would-be dictator, and history will have a hard time explaining how such an insecure charlatan became the most powerful leader on Earth. This says a lot about the ignorance and downright stupidity of many American voters. Michael J. Gorman
Freedom Fighter
Ridgewood, New Jersey: Venezuela's Machado, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, is now the world's Joan of Arc, a symbol of risking her life for democracy. May her courage be contagious to those who oppose tyranny. Ed Houlihan
Maybe next year
Glasgow: Trump is clearly upset and disappointed that he did not win the Nobel Peace Prize. You have another year, President Trump, to add to your resume (I think it's up to ten) the wars you've personally ended, including the decades-long border dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Let us hope that the military conflicts that you personally started in the American cities of Portland and Chicago will be added to the growing number of wars that you personally ended. Alliam Mother
Contrary to your goal
Richmond Hill: Trump is furious he didn't win the Nobel Prize and claims the awards committee put “politics before peace.” According to Alfred Nobel's will, the prize should be awarded to the person or organization that, during the previous year, has done the most to develop one of three main areas: brotherhood among peoples, promoting cooperation and unity between countries; disarmament, working to abolish or reduce standing armies; and peace congresses, holding and promoting peace efforts. In modern times, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has expanded its scope to include efforts in the areas of arms control and disarmament, peace negotiations, democracy and human rights, and work aimed at creating a more peaceful world. Trump meets none of these criteria. He challenges Democratic politics, persecutes his political rivals, fires those who oppose him, and sends troops into our Democratic states/cities because they did not support him in the election. Ene Kelly
Fails
Brooklyn: Trump clearly deserves credit for orchestrating the release of Israeli hostages. However, he definitely does not deserve the Nobel Prize. All his actions must be taken into account when assessing whether he is worthy. When he ran for president, he promised that he would have no problem ending the war in Ukraine, especially since he has an excellent relationship with Vladimir Putin. However, the war is still ongoing, and Russia is increasing its attacks and ignoring Trump. If he really wants to win the prize, he must demonstrate that he is a mature person who truly believes in peace. However, his behavior is the opposite. This spoiled son of a very rich father, who gave him advantages that few people can afford, refuses to serve as president of the entire country. He is only interested in the rich and famous. Alan Podhizer
It's futile to seek peace
Manhattan: Trump wanted it. Machado understood. Jewish Voice for Peace and like-minded organizations and individuals here in Israel and around the world deserve it. The genocide in Gaza, if it has ended by now, will stop not for the sake of peace, but for the sake of politics, as in Vietnam half a century ago. There is still power in protest. If the leaders of Israel and the United States had any fears for humanity, the outrageous reaction to the events of October 7 would have stopped as quickly as it began. The “existential threat” was like a non-existent weapon of mass destruction, justifying the killing of innocent people to prevent an imaginary danger that Hamas had been unable to replicate in two years of destruction. Michelle P. Brown
Fix what we funded
Bedford, NY: On your legend of returning Palestinians to their homes (“Long way back“, October 11): Perhaps the $4 billion a year that Israel receives for arms and equipment for “self-defense” could now be used instead to help Palestinians rebuild their homes. Celine Secada
I never wrote this
Manhattan: The People's Voice published my letter to the editor, in which I called on Andrew Cuomo to condemn Israeli war crimes in the Gaza Strip. For some reason, voice Libby Gurgis interpreted my letter as an endorsement of Zoran Mamdani's failure to condemn the phrase “Globalization of the Intifada.” I encourage Gurgis to re-read my letter. Perhaps she can find someone who understands English better than she does and can help her decipher it. Or she can use ChatGPT or another artificial intelligence site to analyze it for her. If she finds even one word that indicates that I accept Mamdani's attitude towards this phrase, please write to the News and point it out. If not, please write to “News” and apologize for deliberately distorting the meaning of my letter. Stephen Davis
This must be challenged
Manhattan: The GOP's brutal plan to cut billionaires' taxes – again – while destroying health care will cause death and suffering, all so the 1% can increase their wealth. The Gilded Age pales in comparison to the record wealth gap we are experiencing. Senator Chuck Schumer was not exaggerating when he called the lockdown “a man-made crisis designed to reward donors and punish ordinary Americans.” Schumer keeps the Senate in session to protect health care and fight illegal spending cuts. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries Exposes GOP Efforts to Block New Democrat's Swearing-In Just to Prevent a Vote to Release Epstein Files! Meanwhile, the blatant authoritarian machinations of the Trump regime continue. Commit fraud? No problem, just cut the campaign check. Film a bag of money? Fuhgeddaboudit. The Justice Department will bury it. Do you disagree with the prosecutor's opinion? Blame her. Bravo, Jeffries and Schumer. Stand firm, expose the corruption and take back our country. Laura Daigen-Ayala
Subordinate under the bus
Massapequa Park, Lebanon: Does Pam Bondi know that Richard Nixon didn't go to jail, but his attorney general did? Frank Mullahy
Former freedom
Patchogue, LI: I think we know where things stand after the Jimmy Kimmel incident. Free speech for Republicans and their MAGA supporters and censorship for the rest of us. I think it’s time to tear up the Constitution and start getting used to living under a dictatorship. It was a great experiment while it lasted. Our Founding Fathers must be spinning in their graves. Linda Welsh
Latest version
Bronx: Many of the old-timers remember the catchphrase used in Lucky Strike cigarettes, LSMFT: Lucky Strike stands for Fine Tobacco. My brothers in the Deep South under the leadership of Georgia Governor Herman Talmadge said that LSMFT means “Lord Save Me from Talmadge.” Let's return to this, but with a new meaning: “Lord, save me from Trump.” Robert Adams
Christ-like candidates
Itasca, Illinois. Consider three different and very devoted Christians: former President Jimmy Carter, former Vice President Mike Pence, and the late Charlie Kirk. I've heard we need to be more tolerant of each other's views. So, if you are a Christian, which of these people, if any, do you think God would consider most representative of his teachings? This seems like a fair question. Jim Newton
