For What it’s Worth: Warren Hecht

The current situation between Iran, Israel, and the United States is on all our minds. I won’t address it here, because by the time this column is published, events on the ground may have shifted dramatically. It’s usually foolhardy to comment on such a significant development based solely on initial reports. That said, it’s no surprise that antisemites are already claiming Israel is pulling the strings. As Michael Che quipped on Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update, addressing the lack of congressional approval for the strikes: “He [Trump] did [ask for permission]—Netanyahu said it was okay.”

People read my column for different reasons. Some enjoy the personal stories and others the politics. This is going to be a bifurcated column: the first part is story, and the second part is politics.

President Trump understands the importance of branding. His new website for reduced-price prescription drugs is known as Trump Rx. Likewise, investment accounts for children created by the One Big Beautiful Bill are called Trump accounts. These apply to only certain individuals.

When Greenlanders protested Trump’s threatened takeover of their country—either by force or forced purchase—many wore red hats, the MAGA color. On the hats were the expressions “Nu det Nuuk” and “Make America Go Away” (MAGA). It was a twist on the Danish phrase “Nu det nok,” meaning “Now it’s enough,” substituting Nuuk, Greenland’s tiny capital. I read that a charity in Greenland was selling these hats, so I bought one to show my support. Melania Trump also wore an article of clothing to make a statement: a jacket with “I Really Don’t Care, Do You” written on the back—which is exactly how I feel about her movie, which Jeff Bezos bankrolled to curry favor with the president.

If you are a frequent reader of this paper, you have probably noticed that there have been weeks with no letters to the editor published. You may be surprised that I am not happy about this change—even though the letters relating to what I write about are overwhelmingly negative. Letters to the editor are important: They give others a chance to express their views on a topic or column.

Former President Theodore Roosevelt, at the Minnesota State Fair in September 1901, quipped: “A good many of you are probably acquainted with the old proverb, ‘Speak softly and carry a big stick—you will go far.’ If a man continually blusters, if he lacks civility, a big stick will not save him from trouble.”