Letters to the Editor | Dec. 19, 2024

The film The Apprentice portrays Donald Trump in his early professional career. It was a critic’s choice for New York Times film critic Manohla Dargis and has an 83% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie debuted at the Cannes Film Festival this past spring to rave reviews and a standing ovation. Then Trump went to work seeking to block distribution. He threatened lawsuits and issued a cease-and-desist letter. Briarcliff Entertainment ignored the threats and distributed the film shortly before the election. Sadly, many media outlets — including The Inquirer — failed to review or discuss it. The box office was abysmal despite Oscar-worthy performances. The rest we know all too well.

Angus Love, Narberth, anguslove76@gmail.com

As reported in The Inquirer, Pennsylvania electors met recently to cast their votes for President-elect Donald Trump, and their obvious hypocrisy was predictable. One Trump elector strongly affirmed that “Pennsylvania’s electoral system worked.” Another, a 2020 fake elector, noted that “this one was so clear, and so everybody was so happy.” Everybody in this case being Trump. He won, so no need to unleash the ugly personal threats to election officials, endless lawsuits, conspiracy theories, and increasingly sophisticated fake elector plots. We can be justly proud that a secure and safe presidential election was held with a large turnout. Unfortunately, the peaceful electoral process remains in disturbing suspense, normalized with temporary platitudes and self-congratulation by the MAGA faithful. It will only be safe and secure when a Republican presidential candidate loses and lawfully concedes to the will of the people of the commonwealth.

Joseph B. Baker, West Chester

Elon Musk is now worth $400 billion (that’s with a B), and according to Forbes, there are 10 people in the U.S. worth over $100 billion (again, with a B). Meanwhile, more than nine million kids in America live below the federal poverty line. That means these children are growing up with limited access to basic necessities. What does it say about our society when we allow individuals to accumulate obscene amounts of wealth while millions of children live in poverty? Isn’t capitalism great?

Barry Muth, Willow Grove

I’m a rabbi who has family living in Israel. Perhaps that’s why I find Trudy Rubin’s column claiming the Israeli government is conducting ethnic cleansing in Gaza so perverse. She’s asking Israelis to care more about Gazans than they care about Israelis. More than that, she’s asking Israelis to care more about Gazans than Hamas cares about Gazans.

The highest priority of any country is to safeguard the lives of its citizens. There are over 100 Israelis who were kidnapped more than a year ago still held hostage in Gaza. Israel’s highest priority is to secure their release. Clearly, the highest priority for Hamas is not to end the tragic and unjust suffering of its people. If it were, it would release the Israeli hostages. Rubin may want the fewest number of people to suffer. She perhaps believes it’s in Israel’s best interest to ease the suffering of the Palestinians. Both of those desires are noble, but for Israelis, those noble goals take a back seat to bringing the hostages home.

Shai Cherry, rabbi, Congregation Adath Jeshurun, Elkins Park

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