To the Editor:

Re “A Definitive List of Donald Trump’s Racist Statements,” by David Leonhardt (column, Jan. 15):

After reading this list, I followed Mr. Leonhardt’s advice for spiritual cleansing and watched the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Watching this speech again reminded me of how far we have come as a nation in race relations and how far we have to go.

Listening to the eloquent words that Dr. King spoke in his rich cadence makes me think of all the sacrifices some have made to advance racial justice and how little others have done to increase understanding between people. To those who question the need for continued advances in racial, gender, religious and ethnic equality, I ask: Which side of history do you want to be on?

EDWIN ANDREWS, MALDEN, MASS.

To the Editor:

Re “Trump Language Tangles Solution for a Shutdown” (front page, Jan. 16): President Trump’s words, while terribly offensive, are no reason for members of Congress to retreat from their responsibility, which is to negotiate an immigration deal. If offensive words are enough to stop them, they shouldn’t be there. We expect them to do their job despite objectionable behavior, just as Americans do on a daily basis.

ANDREA ECONOMOS

HARTSDALE, N.Y.

To the Editor:

I am definitely not a Trump supporter, but was it appropriate of Senator Dick Durbin to, one may say, weaponize Mr. Trump’s deplorable words and jeopardize by doing that an important but vulnerable agreement about the Dreamers? Unless I’m missing something here, it was irresponsible of the senator not to control his immediate feelings and to engage in what seems noble but was actually unwise in terms of realpolitik.