Readers sound off on Stonewall’s flag, Hochul’s reign and ape intelligence

An official flag for our cultural achievement

Brooklyn: Emblazoned on the ostensible “gay pride” flag removed from the Stonewall National Monument was the legend, “Stonewall National Monument Established 2016,” together with the unmistakable and unique arrowhead symbol of the U.S. Department of the Interior’s National Park Service. So, that flag must have been a U.S. government flag!

Stonewall National Monument is a visible and vital reminder of how our individual rights have continued to evolve to extol equality among all Americans. The notorious and mistaken removal of that particular government flag cruelly implied that the monument had lost its purposeful contribution to the edification and history of our nation. Moreover, the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 36, Chapter I, Part 11, at Section 11.2, provides especially: “The [National Park Service] Director may permit the reproduction, manufacture, sale, and use of the ‘Arrowhead Symbol’… for uses that will contribute to purposes of education and conservation as they relate to the program of the National Park Service.” So, again, that flag must have been a government flag!

Just as significant, “NPS Entering the 21st Century,” an article posted by the National Park Service, begins, “The national symbols people choose to preserve — the visible reminders of how a nation came to be what it is — serve as useful keys to understanding values” (the line is credited to Robin W. Winks, American academic, historian, diplomat and writer, and an enthusiastic supporter of the National Park Service). Mark S. Travitsky

Don’t ask, don’t know

Chester, N.J.: We just learned that Gallup will stop assessing presidential approval ratings as President Trump’s approval hits rock bottom. Kinda reminds me of Trump’s response to the rising COVID infection rate: Do less testing so there are fewer positive tests, and “it’s going to disappear.” Gallup doesn’t want to be targeted by Trump for “saying bad things” about him. Is there any doubt that Trump would label their polls “rigged,” that they “are always wrong” and that he is the most popular president in history who won three elections in a row by a landslide? David J. Melvin

Don’t bother

Bronx: I don’t understand why some people are calling on Trump to apologize for that disgusting, racist image of the Obamas he posted on his social media. That would be a lie like all the other lies he’s told — Haitians are eating cats and dogs in Ohio, Barack Obama is not a citizen, etc. Don’t force DJT to tell one more lie. Pauline Graham Binder

Easy to reach

Suffern, N.Y.: On Wednesday, Attorney General Pam Bondi responded to the seven female Epstein survivors by saying they could contact her by calling 1-800-Call-FBI. The survivors were right there. Couldn’t she just hand them her business card? Rick Sinclair

What’s the standard?

Jersey City: As a Republican attorney who watched with interest our attorney general’s appearance before Congress on Wednesday, I have to ask if the 1990 graduate of Florida’s Stetson University College of Law has passed an actual bar exam? While this standard may not be a requirement for appointment to her office under this administration, it’s relevant following her embarrassing refusal to answer reasonable questions and her outrageous insults to members of Congress, which would’ve had any other person cited for contempt. Only another attorney in the jurisdiction that certified her qualifications to practice would have standing to bring an action to disbar her for bringing shame and discredit on our profession (let alone our party). Her ongoing failure to display even a rudimentary knowledge of law, administrative protocols or basic standards of humanity in a position that demands all three certainly calls for no less. John Esche

Allegiance over justice

Queens Village: It was quite obvious that Bondi had absolutely no empathy for the Epstein survivors, who were present during the hearing. Bondi joyfully played to an audience of one: her lord and master, King Trump! Lawrence Krasner

Outdated grudge

Somerset, N.J.: The Cold War is long over. We get along with China and sign trade treaties with Vietnam. Why the hell are we still sanctioning Cuba? Morris D. Fried

Unenforced care

Bronx: A knife-wielding man charges NYPD officers who exhaust every option before opening fire. Then, Mayor Mamdani suggests that the man should receive mental health treatment rather than criminal prosecution (“Zoh to DA: Knife guy needs ‘care,’ ” Feb. 4). During the same week, many homeless people in NYC insist on remaining outdoors during successive days of freezing temperatures, including single-digit and below-zero readings. Unfortunately, 19 of them can’t be offered the same suggested mental health treatment, as they have frozen to death outside. So much for the socialist mayor’s equity-focused platform. Joe Schulok

Free bus rides

Forest Hills: I take different buses in Manhattan (I live in Queens) and on every bus, the same group of people get on the bus in the front and through the back exit without paying. Unfortunately, there’s nothing the driver can do. The mayor, like the NYPD commissioner, is inexperienced and clueless. Sherri Rosen

Car compromise

Brooklyn: Enough with the alternate side of the street parking suspension. It’s been almost three weeks. Here’s what the city should be doing: Lift the suspension, which will prompt most people to move their cars, but don’t ticket anyone who doesn’t dig their car out. Streets get cleaned up and no one gets fined. It’s a win-win. Peter Magnotta

Hochul’s had enough

Fresh Meadows: With Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado ending his primary bid, Gov. Hochul faces little serious opposition for the Democratic nomination in 2026. She’s seeking reelection in a largely Democratic state. Victory is almost guaranteed. But is another term for Hochul really the best path for New York? She deployed National Guard troops throughout NYC, a policy that, if enacted by Trump, would’ve been nationally condemned as militaristic and aggressive. Hochul was celebrated by many for blocking congestion pricing before reversing that decision and draining money from more than 1 million drivers in NYC. She flip-flopped on her environmental policy when her government allowed the development of a controversial natural gas pipeline near Queens, and stalled cap-and-invest regulations designed to reduce fossil fuel emissions and fund environmental protection. Hochul has sat in New York’s top offices for more than a decade. It’s time for a primary competition, not a coronation. Jack Bulik

Latin flavor

Ridgewood, N.J.: Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance highlighted the rise of Hispanic culture. This was probably the largest exposure of the American public to the unique style, energy and rhythm of Hispanic hip hop. Ed Houlihan

Smarter than we thought

Manhattan: A 2026 study published in the journal Science demonstrated that a bonobo named Kanzi could engage in “pretend play” like selecting cups containing an imaginary juice or grapes. This tea party indicated that apes possess the capacity for imagination, which had been thought of as uniquely human. Alan Lehrer