Manhattan: Here’s an idea to get guns off the streets. We can’t wait 20 years until the retirement of the Supreme Court’s conservative justices. We can do something now. Find a neighborhood in, say, the Bronx, not too big or small, where we know a lot of guns exist, and overwhelm it with every idea that’s been considered in the war on guns. A generous buyback program is one. A storefront open 24/7 where guns are turned in, which will be well publicized. Do what’s necessary to make it popular to turn in an illegal gun.
Lots of uniformed and plainclothes police making inquiries on the street and inside apartment buildings, knocking on doors, politely asking if anyone knows about any guns. There will be no stop-and-frisk. Police will be armed with neighborhood data on who has been arrested and served jail time, and can see if anyone has returned to owning a gun.
Legally owned guns can be turned in as well. Why not? They can be used in crime. Anyone in any neighborhood will be allowed to turn in their guns at this location. After 50 are turned in — maybe $250 for each gun, more for assault rifles — have a lottery and the winner gets a vacation, sporting tickets or maybe $2,500 cash.
Posters will be everywhere, with frequent media coverage of this buyback. Have town hall meetings that elected leaders, entertainers and popular sports figures will be asked to attend. Lots of music entertainment to attract an audience, but make sure the guns are on top of the agenda. Think Jerry Lewis annual telethon. Richard Meneely
Kings Park, L.I.: Usually the police are tight-lipped about commenting on any cases or persons they deal with, so I found your report “Murderous ex-con busted for farebeating found to have crack and ghost gun: NYPD” (March 30) in Saturday’s paper disturbing. If true, is it now commonplace for a police chief to post on social media about an arrest? If that’s not bad enough, the chief of patrol has the time to joke about it on social media. Unacceptable and unprofessional. Welcome to the new world. Dennis Downer
Staten Island: I’m so disgusted with the killings of innocent people every day. When is it going to stop? There’s no law and order. These people have no fear of getting arrested or going to jail. They are bold and have no regard for the consequences. They get arrested and they are back on the street before long. Bring back the death penalty. A life for a life. It’s not fair, young men and women dying so the killer can live another day to do more damage. New York City was once a popular place. Not anymore, and that’s a shame. Crime is going to always be, but this is beyond. They are bold, brazen and dangerous. Jail doesn’t scare or change them and rehab is a waste of time. It takes a person with no heart or soul to murder. Natalie Johnson
Manhattan: There are good movies, and then there are outstanding movies that stick in your craw for years. “Enemy Mine” is one of those most memorable, almost 40 years later. Louis Gossett Jr.’s performance in it was spectacular and heartwarming. May he rest in peace now. Susan A. Stark
Chester, N.J.: I enjoyed Chris Jones’ March 28 review of the “Tommy” musical revival, but I do take issue with the excessive focus on boomers and post-WWII. The musical may have been updated for relevance to current audiences (a great example of this is the “Bosch” TV series, set post-Vietnam in the books, but placed as post-Gulf War in the TV series). Remember, this is now a 50-year-old rock opera. One only needs to hear the lyrics “I think ’21 is going to be a good year” to be certain that it was 1921 they were talking about. It makes more sense for Tommy’s birth father to have been gone longer in that era. Was he a prisoner of war? Severely wounded? PTSD? All of the above? Those are not really addressed. I am looking forward to seeing the show to see how it is handled, but the story is timeless. David J. Melvin
Elmhurst: If there is some way to communicate regards to the fantastic comic strip artist Rick Detorie for his excellent strip “One Big Happy,” please share my artistic appreciation to him! Vince Burger
Jamaica: The Juan Soto throw to the plate with the absolute defensive tag by Jose Trevino will go down in legend, with Derek Jeter coming across the field to Jorge Posada with his backhand tag. And an honorable mention to Gleyber Torres for keeping that ball in the infield and preventing that runner going to third! Nice way to start! Carol Grant
Bedford, N.Y.: Your March 30 sports section had four full pages on the Mets plus the back cover while only one page on the Yankees, a team that has won its first two games. The Mets lost their first game. What gives? Celine Secada
Brooklyn: I’d bet that the app corporations are happy with their success. They have made millions of dollars off the backs of migrant delivery workers in NYC. They haven’t reached into their pockets to provide their workers with safe vehicles or instructions on the importance of driving safely. No cautions about not riding on our sidewalks, traveling against traffic or stopping at lights and stop signs. I have rarely seen a license plate on these bikes and mopeds, and I’d wager that the riders have no identification in case of an accident. It is easy to blame the migrants when it is really the greed of the corporations who must be paying off our politicians to look the other way. Consequently, the police do not intervene and the situation worsens by the day. What catastrophe has to occur before something is done to end the chaos on our streets and sidewalks? Ed Temple
Massapequa Park, L.I.: I would like to thank NYPD Commissioner Eddie Caban and Curtis Sliwa for attending the candlelight vigil for Officer Diller on Wednesday night. I would also like to thank former President Trump, Caban and all the Nassau County politicians who attended the wake. That was very respectful of all of you. Thomas Facchiano
Howard Beach: The Daily News’ front page on Saturday stated that Donald Trump showing up at Jonathan Diller’s wake was purely political (“Law & order liar,” March 30). I did not know the Daily News has the ability to know what’s in the hearts and minds of any man! Let’s talk facts: Trump was there. He didn’t collect money, but he did say how our elected officials and judges have let down the hardworking people of New York by allowing criminals free who should never be let out. Biden was in NYC also but not to visit Diller’s family. Instead, he was here looking for campaign money. Nick Di Pasquale
Ridgewood: Not to in any way minimize the tragedy of Jonathan Diller’s murder, but just wondering if Diller were a Black cop from Brooklyn who was gunned down by a white nationalist, would you ever see the likes of Donald Trump at his wake? Fat chance. He might even promise to pardon the killer if he gets into office, as he has done with the Jan. 6 attackers. L. Tuthill
Manhattan: Donald Trump, public enema #1! Bringing out all the worst in the most misguided amongst our brothers and sisters! Swearing like a stinking drunken sailor on one of his many mercantile alternative Bibles, he reads it the way he grabs them and the way he plans to run the country again — upside down! Halle-fool-ya! At this sacred moment in our lives, let us finally exorcise this burnt-orange antichrist and the sinfully criminal hellaciousness with which he and his possessed acolytes plunder the values that are our America at its foundational, aspirational, diverse best and most blessed. Let this be a promising blue-sky day for true heaven-sent heroes and salt-of-the-earth role models, something each of us may be in some practical, significant way. Phil Vanaria
Readers sound off on incentivizing gun buybacks, ‘The Who’s Tommy’ and Trump’s Bible
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01.04.2024
Manhattan: Here’s an idea to get guns off the streets. We can’t wait 20 years until the retirement of the Supreme Court’s conservative justices. We can do something now. Find a neighborhood in, say, the Bronx, not too big or small, where we know a lot of guns exist, and overwhelm it with every idea that’s been considered in the war on guns. A generous buyback program is one. A storefront open 24/7 where guns are turned in, which will be well publicized. Do what’s necessary to make it popular to turn in an illegal gun.
Lots of uniformed and plainclothes police making inquiries on the street and inside apartment buildings, knocking on doors, politely asking if anyone knows about any guns. There will be no stop-and-frisk. Police will be armed with neighborhood data on who has been arrested and served jail time, and can see if anyone has returned to owning a gun.
Legally owned guns can be turned in as well. Why not? They can be used in crime. Anyone in any neighborhood will be allowed to turn in their guns at this location. After 50 are turned in — maybe $250 for each gun, more for assault rifles — have a lottery and the winner gets a vacation, sporting tickets or maybe $2,500 cash.
Posters will be everywhere, with frequent media coverage of this buyback. Have town hall meetings that elected leaders, entertainers and popular sports figures will be asked to attend. Lots of music entertainment to attract an audience, but make sure the guns are on top of the agenda. Think Jerry Lewis annual telethon. Richard Meneely
Kings Park, L.I.: Usually the police are tight-lipped about commenting on any cases or persons they deal with, so I found your report “Murderous ex-con busted for farebeating found to have crack and ghost gun: NYPD” (March 30) in Saturday’s paper disturbing. If true, is it now commonplace for a police chief to post on social media about an arrest? If that’s not bad enough, the chief of........
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