Readers sound off on MLB’s commissioner, Jan. 6 and the Lee Zeldin assault – New York Daily News

Tivoli, N.Y.: Rob Manfred is probably the worst commissioner that any sport has ever had. He has taken the best sport ever devised and has ruined it.

First, he has this stupid rule of a ghost runner on second base when extra innings start. Then he is going to have a home run derby at the All-Star Game if it goes into extra innings. Thank God that did not happen.

He then convinces all of the Major League teams not to sell physical tickets, only tickets that are sent to a person’s smartphone or device. What happens if a fan does not have a smartphone or device? They are unable to go to a game. How fair is that? This idiot commissioner is more interested in bringing in young fans than helping the older fans. It’s the older fans who have the money and time to go to more than one game a year. The young fans do not go to the games as much and if they do, it’s usually just one or two. When they are there, they’re looking at their phones and not watching the game.

Now this commissioner wants to have advertisements on uniforms and helmets starting next year. Are you kidding me? Why not make it Disney World and be done with it? He needs to go and he needs to go now. If he continues to be commissioner, baseball will be dead and it will be his fault. Marc Savino

Larchmont, N.Y.: After watching the Jan. 6 committee hearing on Thursday night, I don’t understand why the word “treasonous” wasn’t used to describe the former president’s actions that day. He riled up his acolytes into a frenzy and directed them to attack the Capitol, and when told they wanted to “hang Mike Pence,” he did nothing to stop it. What he did that day is no different than what Osama Bin Laden did on Sept. 11, 2001 — he incited his acolytes to attack our country by flying airplanes into the World Trade Center towers, the Pentagon and, if not for the heroes on Flight 93, maybe the White House. Not as many people died on Jan. 6, but that doesn’t matter — one is too many. I seldom cry, but when I finally got home from Midtown Manhattan on Sept. 11, I did. When I watched our former traitor-in-chief try to record his statement to halt the attack on our country, I cried again. First time in 21 years! Steve Michaud

Bronx: Watching Trump’s outtakes on the Jan. 6 hearing on Thursday night, I couldn’t help thinking of the “struggling actor” on the Liberty Mutual commercial. I was just waiting for him to say, ”Liberty Bibberty” or, “Line?” Please, please just go away! Mary Ann Guarneri

Bronx: It’s time to put Trump away / All his life, he’s been an eel / From his bogus “Art of the Deal” / To his phony “stop the steal.” / Now it’s time to “start the squeal.” / Hey, DOJ, show some zeal. / Flip Secret Service to reveal / all the secrets they conceal. / His D.C. stooges must fear and feel / that “no man is above the law” is real. Fred Smith

Kew Gardens: The attack on Lee Zeldin, which was thankfully thwarted, gave first-hand credence to all that he has been saying about criminal justice reform. Hollywood couldn’t have staged this better. This was ironically a booster rocket for the Zeldin campaign. The attacker, who committed a federal crime against a sitting U.S. congressman, was released from a local court on his own recognizance with no bail required — the same no-bail law created under Gov. Hochul’s tenure. The attacker should have been held for psychiatric evaluation and subjected to the red flag law. If he owns guns, they should be seized. His case should be transferred to a federal court with the charge of attempted murder. Phil Serpico

The Daily News Flash

Weekdays

Catch up on the day’s top five stories every weekday afternoon.

Carle Place, L.I.: Lee Zeldin was attacked by a man armed with only a keychain. If it had been a firearm, Zeldin’s weapon of choice, they’d be planning his funeral today. That would be ironic. Rudy Rosenberg

Richmond, Va.: In his letter, Voicer Irving A. Gelb makes very interesting points. There are people out there who carry and wear a gun and who act normal but are not. They can fool a psychologist. If you lived where I live, you would see such a person. He has fooled us, too. My neighbors and I have complained to our local police and the answer we got was, “Until he points the gun at anyone” or, “Hopefully, he doesn’t start shooting. We can’t do anything.” Gun laws should be the same in every state. I hope Gelb stays safe. Things in NYC are becoming like “The Wild Wild West,” or as P.T. Barnum said, “You ain’t seen nothing yet.” Marty Goodman

Kew Gardens Hills: Re “Taking aim at gunmakers” (July 21): Mayor Adams’ threat of legal action against gunmakers whose weapons are used to commit crimes may be effective, but financial action targeting firearms companies’ bottom lines will have a greater impact. Adams and other big-city mayors can order their police departments to stop buying weapons from gun manufacturers who sell semi-automatic weapons to civilians. Those companies include Glock, Smith & Wesson, Sturm, Ruger & Company, Taurus, SigSauer, Daniel Defense and Polymer80. State and federal law enforcement agencies can also threaten to boycott gunmakers unless they stop marketing mass murder weapons to the general public. The risk of losing billions of dollars in government purchases might force gun company executives to do the right thing. They have no conscience, but they do have a responsibility to their shareholders. The bottom line is mightier than the bullet. Richard Reif

Midland Park, N.J.: Please tell me the “Red & Rover” comic strip is on vacation and not permanently gone. You do say that “Jump Start” is on vacation, yet it’s right there where “Red & Rover” usually is. Please tell us “Red & Rover” fans what is going on. This may sound like a trivial request, but the way the world is these days, the comic pages become very important and provide much-needed humorous relief. Mary Jo McDonough

Rego Park: Perhaps if the Daily News’ comics editor realized that it’s “Red & Rover” on vacation and not “Jump Start,” which has been noted as on vacation but has been running every day, everybody could calm down. You’re welcome. Oreg Tuttle

Warwick, R.I.: It now appears that we may all be faced with an uncertain future when, every day, there are changes in what is culturally accepted. Our words, actions and political positions are constantly being questioned to determine if we are agreeable to the current trends. There is also total disregard for many of our past achievements and historic personages. Personal safety appears to be fading as civil unrest and active shooters have placed our lives at risk in many public venues. A few of the visible changes are foul language, lack of courtesy and lack of respect for the elderly. With no appreciable restraints, what will our lives be like in just a few years? Only time will tell, and then our lives could be forever changed. We need new, strong, moral leadership now from all in public and private governing positions who influence our daily lives. Bob Sweeney

Lindenhurst, L.I.: Thanks, Voicer Randi Bernstein Feigenbaum, for your comment about the picture that accompanied my Voicer letter regarding Julie Benko in “Funny Girl.” While it’s a beautiful picture of Beanie Feldstein, I was also puzzled that Benko’s picture didn’t appear next to my letter since she was the real subject of it. Bottom line is that Benko’s performance is a revelation, and hopefully, people will go see her in “Funny Girl” when she’s performing. Larry D’Angelo