Despite the toxic whirlwind out of Washington, I must begin with kudos to some very courageous Republican federal prosecutors, Danielle Sassoon and Hagen Scotten, who both refused to sign a document asking for dismissal of federal felony charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Sassoon and Scotten, along with five other federal attorneys, all resigned their positions rather than submit to what is without a doubt a blatantly corrupt request from the newly confirmed higher-ups in our once honorable Justice Department. Congratulations to the “DOJ 7” for putting integrity over party loyalty.

Kudos also to our governor, Kathy Hochul, for refusing to sign an extradition order from the state of Louisiana demanding that a doctor in New York be sent there to face charges for prescribing abortion drugs to a resident of that state. New York has a shield law which protects doctors engaged in abortion-related telemedicine and our governor was upholding that law with her denial of the extradition. We elected her to stand up for our rights, and despite the influence of a federal government mired in misogyny, she did just that and deserves our gratitude.

On the other hand, the Musk-Trump Administration (M-TA) deserves nothing but vitriol for acting like a backyard bully toward our best and most faithful ally, Canada. The reason Musk-Trump are being so ham-fisted is their greed for the minerals with which Canadian earth is so richly blessed.

However, Canadians do not want to be our 51st state and they are rightfully insulted by the suggestion. The Musk-Trump duo can’t seem to get it that Canada is a sovereign country, and they like it that way.

Levying tariffs on them is not going to persuade them to join us. In fact, doing so only contributes to our usually mild-mannered northern neighbors – regardless of political affiliation – uniting to boycott U.S. goods and cancel trips here.

It’s important to remember that the money Canadians normally spend in the U.S. each year is a significant percentage of our retail and tourism dollars so, yes, their actions will hurt us in the pocketbook. I would suggest that if you’ve a mind to express your distaste at our own federal government’s thuggish behavior that you engage in a “girlcott” (opposite of “boycott”) of Canadian goods. Buy Canadian stuff. Go to Canada and spend money.

The M-TA’s slavering thirst for money and power, even extends to laying claim to Gaza and Greenland for real estate and, again, mineral resources respectively, with no thought to the wishes of these territories’ residents.

Then there’s the M-TA’s narcissistic desire to control artistic expression by taking over the Kennedy Center. Dominating the crown jewel of our national performing arts culture is an example of tactics used by tyrannical regimes for centuries to inculcate their own mores into the public ethos while rejecting all others, so we shouldn’t be surprised that the M-TA would do this. But, what a shame to see this marvelous monument twisted to the will of Musk-Trump.

Judith Geer is a resident of Holland, N.Y.