Readers write

Remembering those who served and died for freedom

Memorial Day, a day to remember, respect and bring empathy for the many who have died in their military service in wars that have been far-reaching, and to remember the many more who have died at home from their physical and mental injuries received from war.

I communicate as a Vietnam War veteran, one whose father was in an internment camp in the Philippines during World War II, and whose uncles served in WWII. Each brought home their memories, wounds, and has passed on.

Memorial Day is our message to not have wars. The many days in the years are to “imagine peace, create peace through communication.” When entering military service, the oath is a binding pledge to defend the U.S. Constitution against all enemies (both foreign and domestic) and to maintain allegiance to the country. There is an understanding that death can occur in doing so.

Many served because of the draft, for a purpose and by voluntary enlistment. The causes of war can be attributed to ideologies, prejudices and sociopathic thinking. War identifies human rights and the degradation of humanity.

I believe Memorial Day is one of each day that we can say a prayer, become a stronger person in recognizing the sacrifices of many for a cause and to wake up to being “We the people,” who do not believe in violence and war, and we are ready to find the way to communicate through the United Nations and governments to live in common safety on this Earth and for the universe.

LOUIS COHEN, DUNWOODY

VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICA, CHAPTER 23

Mamdani’s ‘tax-the-rich’ promise runs off billionaires

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and others like to loudly claim that “billionaires aren’t paying their fair share!” They are playing on wealth envy and are apparently willfully ignorant of the truth.

Billionaires, most often successful entrepreneurs, have a super high net worth because of their holdings of stock, real estate, etc., not because of high annual incomes. Most of their wealth isn’t taxed because they haven’t sold those assets, so there is no taxable event. That’s why Warren Buffett might pay less in income tax than his administrative assistant.

The result of Mamdani’s tax-the-rich platform is driving people like Ken Griffin, CEO of Citadel, out of New York and he’s taking his company headquarters with him.