Nix the carriages? Nix the elitists, too

Alexandria, Va.: After 150 years, a single, absolutely horrific human death and 30 horse deaths over that same time period have brought no compromise on horses and city asphalt. The Manhattan some of us were raised knowing may have to abandon the carriage trade. This quintessential Noo Yawk tourist attraction, the romantic notion of riding in a horse-drawn carriage, could still be in Central Park if a safe place were made for them, but clearly requiring an agreement to no cars, bikes, scooters — no shared driving space.

That no longer seems to be what anyone wants to attempt in city government. But if politics is pushing this industry’s extinction, then here is what some might suggest must be done. Both the Clinton Park Stables and the West Side Livery should immediately be declared historic landmarks. This would prevent NYCLASS from accomplishing the mission, unwittingly or not, as a front for wealthy real estate developers. Historic museum exhibits and even live history events — having a real horse or two with a coach driver dressed in late 19th- or early 20th-century garb — would continue the tourism value Manhattan needs to maintain.

Commercialization the likes of our current “cleaned up” Times Square, and catering to extreme wealth at the exclusion of what gives the city some depth, have been the wrong directions for the borough that most tourists see first.

S. Bowen

Indifferent to animals

Wappingers Falls, N.Y.: It was depressing and appalling to see the Daily News come out in favor of voting against a bill to stop the brutal, exploitative NYC carriage horse industry (“Mamdani and Menin horse ban bill is an unworkable mess,” editorial, Oct. 16). This disgrace to the city has already been banned in several U.S. cities and in other countries. The NYC Bar Association supported the ban, citing horrible conditions for the horses plus the danger the pitiful carriages have caused the public. Have you no shame? But the Daily News has always been in the pocket of the Transport Workers Union. Ryder’s sad, needless death, suffering in the gutter like he was trash, is on your hands.

Yliana Franco

Indefensible industry

Manhattan: In 1991, I found a dead carriage horse in Central Park. The Daily News ran my photo. Since then, countless carriage horses have suffered and died. In addition, 18-year-old Romanch Mahajan died while out for a carriage horse ride with his family. In response to legislation to end the cruelty once and for all, the Daily News once again trotted out its old and tired defense of this cruel, deadly and outdated industry. The NYC carriage horse industry is inherently cruel. It will never change. Shame on The News for opposing Romanch’s Law.

Peter Wood

Far deadlier

Flushing: One person was killed while riding a horse-drawn carriage in the last 10 or more years, and now they want to ban the horse-drawn carriages in and around Central Park. Well, thousands of people have been killed by cars in the same 10 years, so why not ban cars?

John Procida

No parking

Manhattan: Thank you, Mayor Mamdani, Sen. Chuck Schumer, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries and all the other elected officials who are calling on private parking lot owners to evict ICE (“Mamdani and over 100 elected officials ask city parking lot owners to boot ICE,” Oct. 16). Mamdani can’t command those owners’ actions, but he can point out the community harms of hosting staging areas for potentially violent ICE activities. New York business owners should be good citizens of the city where they make their money. Plus, how can welcoming armed agents be good for business? I wouldn’t feel safe parking in their vicinity.

Pamela Butler

Political persecution

Manhattan: Federal agents raided Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar’s home and removed her passport, among other things. Their ostensible reason? Something to do with immigration paperwork her father filled out when she was a child, with deportation the aim. Omar has been a steady critic of President Trump. He’s taking yet another leaf from Russia’s book: Critics of the regime must disappear. When are Schumer and Jeffries going to take a public stand?

Diana Christopher

Due process

Hicksville, L.I.: Re “Trump weaponizes government & degrades the rule of law” (editorial, Oct. 13): You conveniently left out that the investigation into Omar started under the Joe Biden administration and that the search warrant was approved by a judge appointed by Biden. Obviously, the judge saw something to approve the search warrant. Bias by omission. You also failed to note that the Biden Department of Justice raided Trump’s residence and basically strip-searched Peter Navarro. You again show your bias by omitting pertinent facts. For years, I have heard from the left that no one is above the law, but in the last 10 years, that only seems to apply to Republicans.

John Gelormino

Pick a time

Park Ridge, N.J.: Well, CBS has done it again, moving shows around and changing schedules. “NCIS: Origins” has been one of the few shows I like on network TV since it first aired. A show about the original “NCIS,” it is entertaining and well acted. It had been on at 9 p.m., but the wizards of CBS programming decided to move it to 10 p.m. I get up very early, so watching it at 9 p.m. was a stretch. An hour later is out of the question. They’ve done this with a number of shows, most notably for me being “CSI: NY.” They moved it to 10 and I never watched it again. I’d rather watch other shows on other channels than yet another cop show. The original “NCIS” has aired at 8 p.m. since its inception. I still watch it. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Steve Ostlund

Keep striving

Brooklyn: As a Knicks fan, I was glad to see them win the championship. It wasn’t too long ago that they were true winners. To hold onto their position as champions, my thought is this: Do not become overconfident, because overconfidence breeds losers. To me, the Knicks are winners!

Sharon Cesario

Aspiring to infamy

Bronx: All of these school mass shootings all over the country, why are they happening? My opinion: These people want to be famous and want to get on social media just as others have, and will do anything to get there. They don’t care what happens to them as long as they get on social media, plain and simple. I call it the “Look at me, look what I can do.”

Jimmy Durda

Happily married

Brooklyn: The other day, I saw a segment on TV that had a young woman imploring other women to never marry. I also saw a story that had a young woman stating that she wants nothing to do with pregnancy and that she is proud of that fact. I’d like them to know that I’ve been married for more than 40 years and have zero regrets! My wife gave us two wonderful children and my daughter just blessed us with a grandson! I still marvel at a woman’s ability to give us children. It hasn’t always been easy, but it hasn’t been hard — and I’d do it again in a heartbeat!

Jeff Kulikowski