To the Editor:
Re “Confusion and Fright Among Guests” (front page, April 27):
We saw another tragic example of political violence at the White House correspondents’ dinner. Oh my God, somehow we need to turn this around. Political differences cannot and should not be resolved by violent assault and killing.
Liberals, moderates and conservatives may disagree, but many of us have far more in common than we may recognize in terms of our fundamental perspective on right and wrong behavior.
I hope and pray that Americans can find a way to bridge the political gap and work together more creatively to solve our social, cultural, political and economic problems.
Patrick Frank Asheville, N.C.
To the Editor:
After all of these years watching our children running and hiding in terror from gunmen, maybe, just maybe, watching the politically powerful crawl and hide under tables in abject terror in the Washington Hilton ballroom will sway these same officials to finally enact gun control measures to help stop this insanity.
Judith Dorosin La Selva, Calif.
To the Editor:
Re “After Shooting, Online Rumors Filled the Void of Information” (news article, April 27):
Following the White House correspondents’ dinner on Saturday night, the media are not talking about the Iran war, the Jeffrey Epstein files, President Trump’s plummeting approval ratings or all the horrible things members of the cabinet are doing.
This makes many wonder. While there is no evidence documenting that the assassination attempt was fake, it is easy to see why some people suggest that it was. Just imagine having a president who would do this.
The fact that we even wonder is a sad commentary on our lack of trust in those in power. Is it possible that Mr. Trump’s behavior has made us all conspiracy theorists?
To be clear, my point is not that the assassination attempt was fake, but that this kind of rhetoric abounds, putting us in a dangerous place — believing that a president would do almost anything to avoid accountability.
Richard Cherwitz Camas, Wash.
To the Editor:
The armed attack on the White House correspondents’ dinner must be condemned by every American regardless of political persuasion.
Despite the presence of many security agents to ensure the safety of the president and guests, a gunman was able to simply run past the security post. While he was stopped before the ballroom door, it was an abject failure of security.
Yet Todd Blanche, the acting attorney general, is on national TV programs claiming that the system worked because the president wasn’t harmed. If that’s the measure of a successful security operation, President Trump had better never leave the White House again.
Robert S. Carroll Staten Island
To the Editor:
Re “After Security Scare, President Demands Approval for His Ballroom” (news article, April 27):
We have learned to take so many things President Trump says or does with a mountain of salt. We may be forgiven if the lack of public process and planning for a structure not only to replace the East Wing of the White House but also to dwarf the residence makes us highly skeptical, while the edifice complex evident in the sketches released so far ought to repulse not only architects but all citizens as well. That said, the need for some secure and right-sized structure for large public events is overdue.
I produced televised concerts on the South Lawn of the White House for five administrations, of both parties. I was as nervous as the Secret Service was.
Presidents shouldn’t be prisoners in their own home, but staging as many large gatherings as possible within a more secure location makes sense. Let’s argue the architecture, not the need.
Dalton Delan Westport, Conn. The writer was an executive producer of “In Performance at the White House” from 1999 to 2016.
To the Editor:
During the news conference after the third attempt on the life of President Trump, he and other officials repeatedly and emphatically expressed their gratitude and respect for law enforcement.
While I agree that these jobs are dangerous and require bravery and selflessness, I could not help but recall Jan. 6, 2021, when the president of the United States sat quietly in his dining room watching violent rioters breach the Capitol building and overwhelm, wound and traumatize the vastly outnumbered Capitol Police.
The president not only refused repeatedly to intervene against the mob he had incited, but the clemency he provided to 1,500-plus rioters on the first day of his current term certainly did not reflect support for law enforcement.
Dorothy Tiernan Austin, Texas
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