If the ban is lifted, why not let Pete Rose in?
Whiting, N.J.: Congrats to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred for removing Pete Rose, “Shoeless” Joe Jackson and several others from MLB’s permanently ineligible list. The new rule, just announced, is that the punishment of banned individuals ends “upon the passing of the disciplined individual.”
Full disclosure: I was one of the many who thought Rose should be reinstated while he was alive, but in retrospect I see the wisdom of waiting until an offender dies. Those who break the rules against gambling should not gain entrance to the Hall of Fame while they live and thus profit monetarily from the honor for the rest of their lives. Gambling should be rebuked, and gamblers should lose out (as Rose did for decades).
That said, Rose died eight months ago, yet he would not be eligible for induction until 2028, according to Manfred. This is a case of “better late than never,” but also of “justice delayed is justice denied.” In short, it’s a lifetime ban, and Rose’s lifetime, via God’s sovereignty, has ended. Therefore, Pete’s eligible now. So why do his fans have to wait three years to see him get the recognition his amazing stats deserve?
There are technical reasons cited as to why Rose can’t be immediately voted in, but when the great Roberto Clemente died in 1972, the Hall of Fame changed its rules to allow his immediate induction after only six months. I don’t understand why MLB can’t put Rose on the ballot in 2026. Chet Jelinski
Rules are rules
Bronx: Do you think the gambling sites are happy that Major League Baseball has decided to alter the rules regarding Pete Rose and eligibility for the Hall of Fame? It appears that portions of our society have decided to blur the lines of what we stand for and what we believe is fair and correct. Baseball is based on the rules of the game. Some rules seem to be a passing fancy. What’s next? Mark Benveniste
Missing out
Hartsdale, N.Y.: I am disappointed in this paper’s dearth of coverage of women’s basketball. The WNBA has spectacular players. They are receiving coverage daily on the internet. Why is The News ignoring these talented athletes? This is a serious omission and can hardly be a mere oversight. Your sports coverage is ignoring exciting playing, depriving your readers of a major part of basketball information. Lew Levin
Well-worn excuse
Manhattan: Israel, that great warrior nation, just destroyed two of the last remaining hospitals in Gaza. Due entirely to their world-class warrior skills, they only killed eight civilians as they destroyed the hospitals, which had been taken over by Hamas to use as command-and-control centers. It is time for Israel to state exactly what Hamas was commanding and controlling. If Israel thinks Hamas can once again cross the border and murder civilians, it needs to explain how Hamas will accomplish that as 90% of Gazans are living in the streets. The only logical scenario for Hamas to ever invade again is if the IDF fails to protect its citizens again. Reason dictates that Israel is hellbent on wiping out all civilization in Gaza, and its continued claims of self-defense are hollow lies. Steven Davies
The crime of crimes
Bronx: Holocaust 2025. Zionist Christians and Jews do not own the copyright on the definition of a holocaust. Just as the Nazis before them, they are guilty of committing crimes against humanity. Features of a holocaust (World War II and 2025): Thorough destruction involving extensive loss of life, especially through massive bombing; the mass slaughter and starvation of the population; genocide. Holocaust 2025, brought to you live in real time by the Zionist state of Israel and enabled by the United States government. Joe Cassese
Tactical pause?
Park Ridge, N.J.: I see where Russia has agreed to a temporary truce in the war with Ukraine. If this one goes like the one at Easter, all it will do is give the Russians a chance to reload. Steve Ostlund
Total dismantling
Bronx: So, students who protest on college campuses are not allowed to wear masks. Then why are masked thugs allowed to grab folks off the streets without warrants, badges or any IDs? It happened in Massachusetts. It happened in Oklahoma when they barged into the wrong house and took everything from a woman and her family who had only lived there for two weeks. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem refused to answer yes or no to a question posed by member of Congress. She talked right over him. When are we going to rise up and stop this destruction of our country? When are we going to demand impeachment? How long before planes start dropping out of the sky? Who is going to take charge when the next epidemic hits? Hurricane season begins on June 1. Who will take over for FEMA? All questions that have no answers! Claudette Mobley
Dirty deal
Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.: Question: What is the difference between President Trump and a call girl? Answer: No difference. You pay up front and hope for the best! It’s also the screwing you get for the screwing you got! OMG! Renee Keane
People pressure
Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.: To Voicer Susan Atkinson: Climate change is reshaping all landscapes, and the majority of Americans are worried about it. Trump and docile Republicans want to take us back to the golden age of pollution. They turn blind eyes as climate disasters multiply and each year is hotter than the last. I echo the Voicer’s recommendation to call your member of Congress! Call Gov. Hochul! All you have to say is: I support climate legislation and clean energy policy. Our voices will add up! Bridget McFadden
Reduce plastics
Brooklyn: New Yorkers produce 6.8 million tons of packaging waste each year. All New Yorkers have their own absurd packaging story. Mine is about the paper bags I ordered that arrived wrapped in bubble wrap. All of us step over mountains of trash everywhere — on the street, the beach, the park. Most plastic waste is sent to landfills, burned in incinerators or littered in our streets. But there is a bill making its way through the state Legislature that would help end this. The Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act (A1749/S1464) would require big companies selling products in N.Y. to cut plastic packaging by 30% over the next 12 years. It would also reduce plastics’ impacts on human health by banning 14 highly toxic chemicals, including PFAS, formaldehyde, mercury, etc. that are used in packaging, including for food and drinks. Carol Smolenski
Humble jurist
San Francisco: I was saddened to learn of the death of former U.S. Supreme Court Justice David Souter. He was one of the most eloquent writers in the history of the court — a worthy successor to Louis Brandeis, Benjamin Cardozo and Robert Jackson — with an astute sensitivity to the broader implications of the court’s rulings. There was also an inherent humility, decency and wit about him that one could only admire. In 2009, when he announced his retirement, I wrote him to express my appreciation for his service. He was kind enough to write back, saying: “You put me in the company of predecessors with whom I do not have the qualifications to belong, but I can only thank you for that mistake.” Stephen A. Silver
Save our schools
Bronx: Yes, history was made by the selection of Pope Leo XIV as the first American pope. More compelling is that Pope Leo is not only the product of a Catholic grammar school in a major archdiocese, but a school that has closed. He is the right pope at this crucial moment to address the most important issue facing the Catholic Church in the U.S., which is the right to life — of our Catholic schools, especially in inner cities. Without saving our Catholic schools, the Catholic Church in the U.S. can’t survive. Pope Leo understands this predicament and will act accordingly. He will save this nation’s Catholic schools, as they are closing at an alarming rate. We needed an American pope who understands the crisis, with the Archdiocese of New York and the Diocese of Brooklyn in the last decade as prime examples. Juan Fernandez
