Readers critique The Post: World War II airmen were heroes, not ‘clichés’

That said, I have a few quibbles with Loofbourow’s Jan. 29 Style review, “‘Masters of the Air’ aims high — and bombs.” What the series portrays might be new to the vast majority of Americans for whom World War II is not a memory but a distant and horrendous historical fact.

I have seen many B-17s in my life and can’t agree that they were enormous, immense or behemoths, as the review claimed. The young draftees and volunteers, many still teenagers, were indeed dangerously packed into those aircraft, along with racks of bombs together weighing 4,000 to 6,000 pounds. The difficulty the reviewer had in following the action mirrors what I’ve been told was exactly what went on in the cockpits as airmen tried to accurately navigate and maintain formation in sudden and unexpected weather changes, flak and German fighter attacks.

Far from being a cliché, as the reviewer dubbed them, they were heroes, thrust into a war to follow orders, strategy and tactics they had no voice in creating, originating thousands of miles away. What were their lives like, on the ground, in the air, with fear, death and disfiguring injury shadowing every moment, and occasional letters their only contact with loved ones back home? This story must be told, again and again. As for the military strategy becoming “almost immediately irrelevant,” please remember that we fought and won that war with what we had available at the time.

I have not seen the entire series. But the first two episodes reflect my distant memories of the many storytelling sessions I eagerly listened to after the war was over, as the flyboys who survived worked through their trauma.

Carolyn Clark Miller, Alexandria

Ukraine is the Sudetenland. Putin won’t stop unless we stop him.

Had it not been for Heather Cox Richardson’s “Letters From an American” newsletter, I would not have read about Sen. Angus King’s (I-Maine) magnificent, well-informed and wise speech on Jan. 31 concerning what the refusal by the United States to send aid to Ukraine would mean. His full speech should have been printed in The Post on the front page above the fold. It was that important.

We get plenty of reporting on the daily rantings of the right-wing Republicans in the House and Senate who are holding up aid that Kyiv so desperately needs. Very little reporting is focused on the Democratic response. I certainly get nothing about my two senators and how they are answering the MAGA folks in Congress.

King should be lauded for his speech. How many have studied and remember history enough to understand the ramifications of allowing Hitler to annex the Sudetenland? The result of saying and doing nothing regarding the Sudetenland was more than 50 million deaths.

Richardson quoted King rightly noting that the upcoming vote on whether to support “the people of Ukraine as they fight for our values will echo throughout the history of this country and the history of the world for generations. … If we back away, walk away, pull out and leave the Ukrainians without the resources to defend themselves, it will compromise the interests of this country for 50 years. It will be viewed as one of the greatest geopolitical mistakes of the 21st century.”

Not one of our allies will trust us to stand by them. We will lose any influence we have left with the rest of the world. Any hope of stability in the world will disappear. Russian President Vladimir Putin, former KGB officer and present-day dictator, will not stop after conquering Ukraine. (Remember the invasions of Georgia and Crimea?) He is not our friend, despite comments from former president Donald Trump and others, and he will gladly try to roll over other countries to re-create the Soviet Union that he misses so much.

Senator King, bravo for speaking the truth so strongly. It is time we all did.

Cynthia Evans, Alexandria

Bloomers *and* boomers want to liquidate LNG

The Jan. 27 news article “Biden pauses approval of projects to export natural gas,” which reported on the Biden administration’s decision to review criteria for deciding whether new liquefied natural gas export terminals are in the public interest, stated that the move responded to “activists” and “could help [President] Biden court young voters.”

Young activists have indeed been at the forefront of the campaign for sane climate policy. But support for government action to address the climate emergency is broader than this analysis suggests. A Washington Post-University of Maryland poll in July found that 7 out of 10 voters want the next president to protect the climate.

A recent poll by the Environmental Voter Project found that older voters (ages 65-plus) are the second-most-likely age group to prioritize the climate, after voters ages 18 to 34. Voters of many ages and backgrounds are waking up to the climate crisis.

The president’s decision to pause approvals of new LNG export terminals is the right thing to do — and politically smart.

Lawrence MacDonald, Arlington

The writer is the author of “Am I Too Old to Save the Planet? A Boomer’s Guide to Climate Action.”

Maybe we should hold our fire

Michael J. Coren’s Jan. 18 Climate Coach column, “Are induction stoves that much safer than gas? We tested them.,” was correct that scientists haven’t concluded that gas stoves are bad for your health. After decades of research, the available body of scientific research does not provide sufficient or consistent evidence demonstrating that there are chronic hazards from natural gas ranges.

However, the experiment conducted by The Post and RoundhouseOne comparing an antique natural gas stove against a modern induction cooktop is patently flawed. The natural gas stove used, a Wedgewood model from the 1940s or 1950s, features outdated pilot light technology, contrasting with today’s standards.

The study’s methodology in measuring nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate emissions (PM 2.5) is questionable. NO2 is challenging to measure accurately. Furthermore, the test kitchen began with elevated background NO2 of unknown origin, yet emissions were attributed solely to the natural gas stove. The authors inappropriately compared an instantaneous emissions rate to a one-hour safety standard, which can generate misleading conclusions.

Contradictorily, the article implied it is better to replace natural gas stoves with induction cooktops, despite its data indicating lower PM 2.5 levels for gas stoves. The reported Air Quality Index for the induction cooktop was 23 points higher, challenging the article’s conclusion.

Fortunately, the study confirmed that the use of exhaust hoods is an effective method for yielding substantial reductions in estimated NO2 concentrations, which is consistent with the current scientific literature.

Karen Harbert, Washington

The writer is president and chief executive of the American Gas Association.

No, really, we should hold our fire

The headlines for the articles “A fiery hearing on kids’ safety” [Feb. 1, front page] and “Zelensky bid to shake up Ukrainian military command could backfire” [Feb. 2, news] are examples of two maladies undermining the credibility of the media.

The first employs hyperbole, the gravest problem facing the United States today. Well, no, it isn’t, but you get the point. Characterizing a hearing as “fiery” is opinion, not news, and detracts from the objectivity of the reporting. After reading what occurred, readers can use their own worldviews to assess the atmosphere if they believe that to be of value.

The second scourge of sound news journalism is the obsession with predictions. The writers of the Zelensky article opined that reactions and misgivings by others “suggest” that the removal of a general “could backfire — allowing Moscow to seize on the instability.” There is no certainty in this report. Quoting and summarizing how others of import reacted are within The Post’s news mission; attempting to predict what might happen is not.

Predictions can be news when based on science or other objective criteria (e.g., “Hurricane likely to hit Miami”), but speculation has no place as news. That’s for the Opinions section.

In fairness, The Post pays more attention to objective reporting than many other outlets. It should renew its vigilance to maintain its stature as a trustworthy source of information.

Frank Miles, Etters, Pa.

This isn’t your grandfather’s Food section. But at least keep the idea on the back burner.

I have been reading The Post for more than 50 years, and I really like the Food section.

First I cooked for two, then three, then four, then 10. Now, I am back to cooking for two, both in our 80s. How about some recipes for two people? Maybe an edition directed to seniors. (I prefer Geezers and Grannies, but what the heck.)

Russ Brown, Ashburn

Had your fill of Phil? Thrill to this quill skill.

Top hats off to Kasha Patel for a cleverly written report on the groundhog’s pretty dismal weather forecasting skills [“Punxsutawney Phil says early spring. And with luck, it could be a thing.,” Feb. 3, Politics & The Nation]. As a former high school English teacher, I always enjoy poets’ and other wordsmiths’ clever turns of phrase, use of metaphors and even some tortured rhyme schemes. Patel livened my Saturday breakfast with prose that sounded like poetry.

Joseph A. Izzo, Washington

Kudos to Kasha Patel, the writer of “Punxsutawney Phil says early spring. And with luck, it could be a thing.”

Although I didn’t notice the rhyme in the headline, I did catch it in the first paragraph, then assumed that was all. That was just a good attention-grabbing opener, right? Then, as I continued reading and caught on, I discovered the rhyming pattern of the last word of every sentence of every paragraph, such as forecast/blast/fast/cast/aghast, component/moment/proponent/rodent, degrees/ease/allergies/breeze/tease. Such a clever way to write what could have been a same-old, same-old article about Groundhog Day.

I am a longtime subscriber who enjoys reading the work of excellent writers every day. Sometimes I clip and send articles to friends who live in cities that don’t have a good (or any) daily newspaper, and I will share this one. A suggestion: more good writers, not more huge photos. The one for this article was just right, but please, the Food section doesn’t need a quarter-page photo of a piece of pie to show us what it looks like. And bring back KidPost for your future subscribers!

Janet Gerson, Gaithersburg

May you always know the truth / And see the lights surrounding you

The special counsel’s report again raised President Biden’s age as an issue in the coming election. Ignored were the large number of people his age who are functioning perfectly well, thank you. Bob Dylan, 82, is still playing dozens of shows a year on his seemingly never-ending tour. Barbra Streisand, 81, just published an almost 1,000-page memoir. Keith Richards and Mick Jagger, both 80, just put out their first new album in years and are set to embark on a tour. Martin Scorsese, 81, just made “Killers of the Flower Moon.” Harrison Ford, 81, just finished his latest Indiana Jones picture. Paul Simon, 82, just issued a new album, “Seven Psalms.” Patrick Stewart, 83, just completed a new Star Trek series as well as a memoir. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), 83, and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), 82, are performing very well in Congress.

I propose that Biden have these luminaries introduce him on campaign stops to the tune of Dylan’s “Forever Young.”

Scott Schneider, Silver Spring

‘See here’? Now see here!

No matter how many times I pressed “see here” in Aaron Blake’s Feb. 5 The Fix column, “Legal fees leave Trump on shaky financial ground,” my newspaper did nothing. I discovered hot links don’t work in the print edition. Who would’ve ever thunk?

David Hamrick, Annandale

A landmark that’s become part of the furniture

The Feb. 2 Weekend article “14 monuments to D.C.’s Black culture” brought a smile to my face when I saw the big chair. My family had a dining room set when I was a child that had six or eight of those chairs, including the striped seat.

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When we were kids, my sister and I used to look for the big chair when we were on Interstate 295. After I moved from Prince George’s County to Virginia, it was always a landmark on the drive that I was almost home, whether home in Virginia or back home in Maryland. I have not been down 295 much since my parents died, and now I want to drive around and see whether the chair is still visible from the highway. Thank you.

Diane Rothman, Alexandria

Philistines on Pharisees

I quite enjoy doing the crossword each morning, a delightful challenge that helps my brain wake up and think in new ways. However, I was dismayed to find that the Jan. 28 L.A. Times crossword provided the clue “Sanctimonious sort,” for which the answer was “Pharisee.”

The Pharisees were the precursors to modern Rabbinic Judaism, and that word has been used by those enacting violence upon us for centuries — throughout blood libels, the Inquisition, crusades, expulsions, etc.

When antisemitism across the United States is rising alarmingly, it is, at best, deeply irresponsible to allow this insidious conflation of Judaism with moral corruption and hypocrisy to appear in what ought to be a lighthearted game.

Leora Spitzer, Ithaca, N.Y.

This was no suicide mission

It was beyond disappointing to find The Post using the words “assisted death” in the Feb. 5 Style headline “Did journalist cross a line in story subject’s assisted death?” and “assisted suicide” in the article.

To add insult to injury, the accompanying photograph would immediately call to mind Jack Kevorkian for anyone who didn’t bother to read the caption below it. A casual reader flipping through the section would likely think a nurse or doctor was administering a fatal dose rather than an infusion of cancer medicine. Surely a more appropriate photograph could have been chosen.

A majority of Americans favor having the option of “medical aid in dying” (a.k.a. “death with dignity”). Referring to it as “suicide” is erroneous, misleading and a serious barrier to achieving this freedom of individual choice for people suffering terminal illnesses at the end of life.

Rosemary Coskey, Arlington

What an actual water hazard looks like

The photograph by Go Nakamura accompanying the Jan. 31 front-page article “The militarization of Eagle Pass, Tex.,” deserves a Pulitzer nod. The juxtaposition of four migrants crossing the river and a foursome playing golf beyond the border barrier on the American side speaks volumes.

Bill Cornwell, San Antonio

‘Coincidence’? Try ‘miracle.’

The Jan. 27 Metro article “1965 photo from Vietnam unearths unlikely bond for reporter, source” was a wonderful account of the “chance” encounter between Post reporter Joe Heim and Thinh Dinh, an organizer of the Lunar New Year celebration recently held by the Vietnamese American community in Northern Virginia. The fact that Heim’s and Thinh’s fathers both served with Catholic Relief Services in Saigon in the 1960s was the first “coincidence” discovered during their initial conversation. The next was for both to learn, via a photograph that Heim’s father texted, that Thinh’s father was present at Heim’s parents’ wedding back in 1965 in far-off Saigon. Heartwarming for readers to learn, but especially for Thinh, whose family had to flee Vietnam and therefore has very few photos of his father’s younger years.

Chance? Coincidence? My belief system says there are very few coincidences but, rather, there are small miracles all around us each day if our eyes and ears are open to see, to hear.

Thanks for printing this article. I would love to read more articles that are uplifting. These are especially needed in this rather challenging time.

Judi Teske, Arlington