Why should Kathy Griffin have to apologize?

WHAT KATHY GRIFFIN did could be termed tasteless, but should she have apologized for it? Not at all.

Why? Because I have yet to hear an apology from that other "D-list" nothing Ted Nugent for his repeated suggestions to assassinate Barack Obama when he was president. And the ultimate nothing D-lister Donald Trump himself has never apologized for the numerous threats made against the life of a former first lady . . . and he never disavowed their behavior during his disgusting campaign, either.

The plastic, selective contempt emanating from cons regarding Griffin's photo is amusing - as always. For eight years, we were treated to horrific images of a sitting president being burned in effigy . . . with a noose around his neck. Never once did any of those people apologize for any of those horrific images. In fact, they doubled down and were even proud of them.

And, no, I am not of the belief that we should "rise" above the ignorance of cons. You simply cannot reason with bigots. We have to fight them and their BS head-on. The only thing they understand is street behavior. That's the political atmosphere they created, and have been championing since President Reagan, and not one of them can take what they've so freely dished out. (And they call our side "snowflakes"?)

So, given all the above, I'll do with Kathy Griffin's photo what cons did for eight years regarding the racist images of Obama: I will look the other way. I might even laugh about it.

Donna Di Giacomo

Germantown

I have always read and appreciated Jenice Armstrong's columns. Keep up the good work.

But, as to the Kathy Griffin "issue," I think she is missing the mark.

I, too, have always appreciated Griffin's snappy style and edgy humor. All performers, especially comics, know that fame and infamy are fine as long as they are noticed. Armstrong noticed and gave her some free press. In this, she wins the laurel.

Do I approve or disapprove of what Griffin did? That hardly matters. How I vote does. And what Griffin says or does won't help President Trump win any sympathy from me.

Nor will it cost Griffin the price of my ticket if she comes to town.

If TrumpCare passes, countless Americans will actually die. That's something to worry about.

K.B. Kofoed

Drexel Hill, Pa.

Let me get this straight:

Donald Trump, who has crossed every line of decency in his public remarks and who invited Ted Nugent and other deplorables to the White House is complaining about Kathy Griffin's photo?

You remember Nugent, who said at an NRA convention that President Obama should be assassinated and that Hillary Clinton should be hanged. Yes, that model citizen.

Funny, the "short-fingered vulgarian" in the White House did not condemn those hateful remarks!

When you coarsen the public debate, when you "villainize" the press, when you traffic in lies, deceit and corruption, when you celebrate and encourage racist, xenophobic ,sexist and repulsive behavior of every kind, I can only say this: You reap what you sow.

Sharon A. Bembery

Solomon Jones' column on Wednesday is complete BS. Jeremy Christian, the man accused of attacking people on a trainin Porland, is a nut who supported Bernie Sanders and advocates violence against Trump supporters. This was less than a year ago. He was not radicalized, he was crazy and he could have just as easily killed two Trump supporters, but in that case, Jones wouldn't know his name.

Just read Christian's Facebook posts fully, not just the parts that fit the race angle. Cherry-picked evidence could portray the killer as a radical right-winger, an anti-Semite, an atheist, even an Occupy supporter, a Trump and Hillary Clinton hater - and the list goes on.

Just because he said mean things to Muslim women before he lashed out at two white men does not make him an avowed radicalized white supremacist.

Christian was not a terrorist, not a white supremacist.

That is why no fair-minded person is asking how and where was he radicalized.

He wasn't radicalized, but the circumstances of his alleged crime fit a false narrative that racism is widespread since Trump's election as president. However, unfortunately for Jones, white supremacists are not that common, so he needs to invent them.

Kevin Metz

Ridley Park, Pa.