Readers sound off on Iran, Rush and the Oscars

NY Daily News

The story of Purim lives today

Manhattan: On March 8, we Jews celebrate Purim. We celebrate the defeat of the evil Haman, in ancient Persia, who was going to use his influence with King Ahasuerus to have all the Jews of the nation killed. Persia is no more. The country’s name has changed; it is now called Iran. Once more there is there a Haman, be it by another name, just as malicious, who aims to destroy the Jews, the Jews of Israel. The day will come when he, and his regime, also will be destroyed, hopefully before he will be able to execute his evil plan. Then we will celebrate Purim as never before. Cecile Low

Manhattan: Voicer Nick Gatsoulis is concerned about “waging another war based on fallacy and special interests.” Imagine the resulting horrors if Iran acquired nuclear weapons. It will not hesitate to use them on the U.S., Israel or anyone else. Gatsoulis apparently has an ax to grind for some reason with the Jewish state. George Weiss

Selective outrage

Eastchester, N.Y.: Why do Muslim leaders raise such a fuss about Police Commissioner Ray Kelly’s surveillance but say nothing about the atrocities committed by their radical brethren? Carmine Masucci

The threat is real

Massapequa Park, L.I.: A short history lesson: 1968 , Robert Kennedy assassinated by a Muslim extremist; 1972, Munich Olympics, athletes assassinated by Muslim extremists; 1983, U.S. Marine barracks blown up by Muslim extremists; 1985, the Achille Lauro cruise ship hijacked and a wheelchair-bound passenger thrown overboard to his death by Muslim extremists; 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 blown up by Muslim extremists, hundreds killed; 1993, first World Trade Center attack carried out by Muslim extremists; 1998, the U.S embassies in Kenya and Tanzania bombed by Muslim extremists; 9/11, thousands assassinated by Muslim extremists; 2002, reporter Daniel Pearl beheaded on television by Muslim extremists; the war in Iraq; the war in Afghanistan. If we as a country are not watching, profiling and keeping track of Muslim extremists, we damn well should be. Mike Campisi

Teaching starts at home

Manhattan: To Voicer Richard Sarduy: As Voicer Steve Lehrer said, teachers also have to teach children self-respect and respect for others, good values, morals and ethics, in addition to the subjects they were hired to teach in the first place. It should not have to be the teacher’s responsibility to instill these values, only to reinforce them. If parents did their job by teaching their children values, perhaps children would start their school careers with better attitudes and be more receptive to learning.

Briarwood: I can’t help but wonder how naive and ignorant all the Voicers are who keep referring to Sandra Fluke as an innocent citizen in this contraception controversy. She is a liberal activist who was used as a pawn by the radical left. She had no business testifying in any congressional hearing, let alone the fake one she did. The Democrats have taken a freedom of religion issue and turned it completely around to make it seem like it’s an attack on women. Although I don’t condone the language used to describe Fluke by Rush Limbaugh, it is clear that she is not just a bystander. Glen Belekis

A religious issue

Glendale: This law student says she is having so much sex she cannot afford it , and our government believes that this is an important issue and we should pay for her birth control, but the big story is that Rush Limbaugh called her a slut. Then all our esteemed politicians on the left make this about how women’s rights are being destroyed. What about Catholics’ religious freedom rights impacted by this rule? Something is very, very wrong here. Ann Fischer

Rush rap

Manhattan: Maybe Rush Limbaugh is actually a rap artist. He takes drugs, calls a woman a “ho” and makes millions of dollars. John Stout

Putting his money to good

Coram, L.I.: Perhaps if Mayor Bloomberg hadn’t spent millions to buy his third term in office, he could have donated those millions to save the schools that are slated to be closed, being the philanthropist that he is. His cavalier attitude these days is a far cry from the things he was promising when he was campaigning. Arlene Reilly

Knock off the knockoffs

Island Park, L.I.: Listen up , people, stop buying cheap counterfeit goods like Uggs Australian boots made in China. Pay for the real, expensive ones made in Vietnam! Donna Torres

Honoring the world’s best

Bronx: Jean Dujardin is another in a long line of non-American -born Oscar-winning Best Actors. Emil Jannings (Germany); George Arliss, Charles Laughton, Victor McLaglen, Robert Donat, Ronald Colman, Laurence Olivier, Alec Guinness, David Niven, Paul Scofield, Rex Harrison, Peter Finch, Ben Kingsley, Jeremy Irons, Daniel Day-Lewis, Colin Firth (England); Paul Muni (Poland); Yul Brynner (Russia); Paul Lukas, Maximilian Schell (Austria); Anthony Hopkins (Wales); Geoffrey Rush (Australia); Russell Crowe (New Zealand); and Roberto Benigni (Italy) have brilliantly lit up the silver screen with their performances. Like all artists and art, their acting knows no geographical boundaries.

Brooklyn: To Voicer Skip Hinnant: I don’t care how the industry regards Meryl Streep. After all, the same industry you’re talking about gave Gwyneth Paltrow the Best Actress Oscar over Cate Blanchett. “The Iron Lady” was a terrible film , and Streep’s performance was just as bad. Rhoemi Smith

Rules of the road

Manhattan: Our screwball bicycle commissioner, Janette Sadik-Khan, has spent millions of tax dollars on hundreds of miles of bike lanes for irresponsible bikers who would rather sue the DMV than obey the rules of the road. Traffic laws apply to all, regardless of the argument Transportation Alternatives’ bicycle advocate lawyer Steve Vaccaro makes. The Manhattan bicyclist who filed a lawsuit and drives a truck for a living should have known that making a right turn from a left lane across traffic lanes is a violation. He’s lucky he got away with a $20 fine. Bob Neydit

Mystery pitch line

Brooklyn: Would someone please tell me what the heck the slogan “Chevy runs deep” is supposed to mean? Every time I see it, I wonder who came up with that and what it means. It stinks. Peter G.Orsi

All is well

Bayside: Tornadoes rip mid-America, there’s unrest in Afghanistan, the Mideast is on edge and gas costs $4 a gallon and climbing. But all is right with the world. I just heard Michael Kay do a Yankee game. Jack Cohen

MTV without music

Orangeburg, N.Y.: To Voicer Stephanie Foltz: To paraphrase some lyrics of an old song: The old MTV, it ain’t what it used be 30 years ago! That said, Viacom should, for all intents and purposes, do away with MTV — and VH1 for that matter — completely and rebrand it as The Reality Channel. Joe Dugan

Strange lesson

Glendale: To Voicer Mike Viehl, who says President Obama wants people to go to college only so they can be brainwashed into socialism: You’re obviously not afraid of sounding like an idiot. Peter Richard