Living in America today, I am haunted by my parents’ Holocaust experience | Opinion

History’s warning

My parents were Holocaust survivors. They lost their parents, grandparents and siblings to its horrors. After coming to America, they remarkably rebuilt their lives and created something loving and meaningful. Yet, they never escaped the sadness of what was taken from them, nor the knowledge of how quickly freedom can be stripped away.

I grew up with their constant reminder: never take democracy for granted and never assume “it can’t happen here.”

Today, as I watch people dragged from their homes, see masked gunmen shooting American citizens as they exercise their right to peaceful protest and witness actions carried out without probable cause or due process, I am haunted by images of Nazi Germany and the Gestapo.

History does not repeat itself exactly, but it echoes — sometimes loudly. As deeply upsetting as this moment is for me, my only consolation is that my parents are no longer alive to witness it.

Helene Davis,

Miami

Life-saving spray

Walk into almost any school, government building, gym, or workplace and you’ll see emergency preparedness in action: fire extinguishers, first aid kits and Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), installed because when a cardiac emergency happens, seconds matter.

There is another emergency in which seconds matter: overdose.

Overdoses occur in public spaces, schools, parks, workplaces and restrooms. Often, someone nearby could help — if the right tool were immediately available. Narcan (naloxone) is safe, easy to use and can restore breathing within minutes, but it only works if it is accessible.

The Robin Foundation is advancing Overdose Emergency Cabinets (OECs) — clearly marked secure cabinets stocked with Narcan, overdose response supplies and simple instructions — placed alongside AEDs in visible, familiar locations.

Too often, Narcan is locked away or inaccessible during an emergency. OECs solve this by creating a consistent standard: easy to find, properly stored, supported by training and ready when needed. This does not replace emergency medical services, but bridges the critical gap until help arrives.

The City of Hollywood has proven this model works. Now, the goal is to expand readiness across Broward County and beyond. If emergency preparedness saves lives, it must include those we face today.

Chris and Cristina Cavallo,

founders,

Robin Foundation,

Davie

Grim brothers

For those following the trial of the Alexander brothers for sexual assault, rape and sex trafficking of young beautiful women across multiple states, allow me to sum it up for you and save you some time.

More than 60 women will testify in detail how they were drugged, sexually assaulted and raped.

The jury will hear the testimony and probably find the brothers guilty of all, or most of the charges.

The judge will sentence them to prison for their crimes.

Not long after sentencing, the brothers’ wealthy family will make a significant financial donation on their behalf to one of the many Donald J. Trump grifts.

Sometime before or immediately after beginning their prison sentence, they will receive a pardon or commutation of their sentence and be set free to continue their passion of sexual assault and rape of young beautiful women.

You can now use the saved time for other activities.

Rich Szymanski,

Miami

Overcoming barriers

February is Black History Month and a time when we honor the significant contributions that African-Americans have made to American culture and way of life. We reflect and pay special tribute to the courageous men and women who, through their action and steadfastness, opened the doors and paved the way for future generations. They were true American trailblazers and their efforts made an incredible mark on our great country.

Black history is American history and should be celebrated today and every day. As Americans, let us enjoy the freedoms and liberties that make us who we are.

Paul Bacon,

Hallandale Beach

Shout it out

Congratulations to Joseph Magazine for speaking truth in his Jan. 25 op-ed, “Miami Beach commissioner: If you stand for hate, you do not stand with us.” His column personifies an old Quaker axiom, “To remain silent in the face of evil is itself a form of evil.”

Magazine must be commended for calling out the recent display of antisemitic behavior in a Miami Beach nightclub. Conditions seemingly are ripe for such negative displays against other human beings. Based on rhetoric from President Trump and rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court, it is now okay to openly manifest such dastardly behavior.

All right-thinking Americans should take a stand and speak out against verbal attacks about ICE’s overzealous tactics, seeking and arresting undocumented aliens with or without a criminal background. Our silence has seemingly emboldened them to continue indiscriminately and abusing innocent Americans who attempt to exercise their First Amendment rights.

Let’s awaken and stand as a united front against evil.

Ollie Daniels,

Pembroke Pines

Transactional peace

President Trump’s Board of Peace stipulates that people and organizations with a “demonstrated history of collaboration, infiltration, or influence” with Hamas (still militarized) would not be involved in administering or rebuilding Gaza.

The board requires a $1 billion contribution for “permanent” membership, which in itself is a “pay-to-play” system, risking prioritizing economic interests over humanitarian needs and peace-building (its original mission).

Qatar, on the list, provided financial, political and diplomatic support to Hamas for more than two decades, significantly escalating direct financial aid beginning about 2007 and continuing. Hamas diverted these funds which were meant for citizens, to fund its massacre in Israel.

In 2025, during his second term, Trump’s organization partnered with Qatari government-backed firm Qatari Diar and with Saudi Arabia (also on the list) subsidiary Dar Global to develop a $5.5 billion luxury golf resort and villa complex in Qatar.

Jared Kushner, also on the list, has developed a close business relationship with Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Public Investment Fund invested $2 billion into Kushner’s equity firm Affinity Partners in 2021.

These are glaring conflicts of interest, contradictions and ethical concerns as to personal profit motives with Gaza, envisioned as a “Riviera,” along with the changes Trump has made to the board’s original mission of global peace. This should be of great concern to Congress and Americans. These conflicts of interest pose a risk to our international diplomacy and peace.

Enid Garber,

Palmetto Bay

House must act

President Richard Nixon resigned before he was to be impeached for the Watergate scandal.

Donald Trump will never resign.

What is the House Judiciary Committee waiting for?

Valeria Mastelli,

Key Biscayne

Come to terms

Is there now a chance for a compromise among the invested leaders in this chaotic situation in Minneapolis?

What the American public desires is an orderly removal of illegal migrants who have committed serious crimes and then, maybe a pathway for others to gain legal permission to remain.

The Minnesota governor, the Minneapolis mayor and the President of the United States must come to a sensible solution to curtail the demonstrations and unnecessary deaths.

Roger Shatanoff,

Coral Gables

Conservative shift?

In real time, there seems to be a shift in what it means to be a conservative. Most recently, the Trump administration expressed concern about a protester legally carrying a gun to a demonstration.

The self-described conservative administration has made it clear it is fine with masked individuals detaining American citizens without due process and fine with restricting gun ownership. Civilian surveillance is okay, too.

The “Don’t-tread-on-me” crowd seems to be selective as to whom that message is directed. Clearly, it is not directed at the administration.

Sid Kaskey,

South Miami