Letters to the Editor

Posted

Love from local Turk

Ramazan (in Turkish) the holiest season in the Islamic faith, commemorating the revelation of the Quran to Mohammed. This month provides Muslims a time to focus on our faith and practice G-d’s commands thru fasting, prayer, self-discipline, and charity.

We remind our selves that freedom is not free. Turkish Muslim communities have and continue to vehemently, emphatically condemn terrorism! We will never accept in which the State of Israel’s right to exist is denied. We must be careful not to associate hate merchant terrorists with the majority of peaceful people of Islam.

Turkish Americans, we remain committed to welcoming individuals of the Christian and Jewish religions with love and as brothers. A crime perpetrated in the name of religion is the greatest crime against religion. We will continue to write history in creating a brighter future of hope and opportunity and love. Ottoman Empire and today's secular, but Muslim democratic NATO ally Turkey, was and is what New York City is today. The Turkish community wants and will continue to share its heritage, love and unity with America.

Ibrahim Kurtulus
Staten Island

Kurtulus is the regional vice president of Assembly of Turkish American Associations and its liaison to the Jewish community.


Not feeling Dunetz

Contrary to Jeff Dunetz's incorrect partisan assertions, what held up a deal on the debt ceiling was the Republican refusal to consider any new taxes. The notion that the government can raise the revenue needed to pay its bills without raising taxes is, to quote The Economist from July 9, "economically illiterate and disgracefully cynical." This anti-tax jihad went further than opposition to raising marginal rates, a concession the White House made weeks ago. It included opposition to ending tax loopholes as well. Republicans of the kind Jeff Dunetz celebrates cannot tell the difference between elimination of a costly tax loophole and raising taxes.

At the end of the day, the Republican majority in Congress was willing to hold America hostage in order to protect loopholes that disproportionately benefit the wealthiest Americans. President Obama led the way by choosing to protect the country's credit standing. Come election time in 2012, the Republican majority will have to explain why protecting big business loopholes was their first priority during this debate.

Michael Brenner,
Brooklyn