Mail Call

Thanks for your article on two possible 2008 presidential candidates–Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama (“Is America Ready?” Jan. 1). The article’s very best line and one that captures my reaction exactly was: “Whatever happens, the process feels uplifting.”

Gretchen Morris

Corvallis, Ore.

You ask if America is ready for Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton. After six years of arrogance, nearsightedness and impeachable incompetence, the answer is yes . I’d say we are desperately ready. Finally, someone with brains, wisdom and a global perspective.

Bill Lenters

Rockford, Ill.

I’d be impressed if either of these candidates stopped flying around the country gathering support for a future presidential nomination and instead made a fervent effort to work some viable good in America now, not make promises about the White House two years from now. I’m not of voting age yet, but I will be in 2008, and I’m watching the candidates keenly. A politician who puts the most of his or her effort into his or her public persona is, in the end, nothing more than a paper face.

Catherine Faris King

Los Angeles, Calif.

Imagine a Democratic ticket that included Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Together, their strengths offset and balance the other’s weaknesses. If instead of painfully battling each other for a nomination, they joined forces today, their combined resources could be a formidable alliance with a high prospect of success and an inspiration for change. America is ready for a demonstration of generational, racial and gender unity after so many years of destructive, political divisiveness.

Tomas Johnson

Moab, Utah

Your focus on Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama raises the question of the electability of any incumbent senator running for president. Historically, they have not done much better thanincumbent vice presidents. Bush Sr. was the only sitting vice president sinceMartin Van Buren to be elected president. Of the many more senators who have run, the only one to succeed since Warren Harding was JFK, and he just managed to beat an incumbent vice president. Granted, in the 2008 election–the first in 80 years without an incumbent presidentor vice president on the ballot–the final choice may well be between senators, and the jinx could be broken. But by hyping these senators at this point in thecampaign, politicians and the media seem to be ignoring American voters’ demonstrated preference for governors and other candidates not currently holding Washington office.

Ward Thompson

Penn Valley, Calif.

It is a sad commentary on the American electorate that it will yield so readily to charisma and the lure of lofty promises. Can anybody seriously envision either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama as commander in chief of our nation’s armed forces? I can’t see either one of these attractive people going mano a mano with the terrorists who are pledged to destroy us. What ever happened to seasoned statesmanship’s being a quality in a presidential candidate?

Frank M. Davis

Cedar Mountain, N.C.

In “Holy Family Values” (Dec. 18), you write that the Christmas Story is “a conflation of the two Gospels”: Matthew and Luke. I agree. To a believer in Christ, the “story” is actually made complete in the blending of the entire Old and New Testament. A work containing 66 books, written by some 40 authors over a period of 1,600 years, needs to be savored and spiritually consumed as a complete meal spiced with diversity, mystery and hope.

The Rev. Phillip Grant

Bernardston, Mass.

Thank you for the fine article “Nativity of the Jews” (Dec. 18). As a Christian, I’ve come to understand that my faith is not rooted in the Greek-Roman world view of the first century but in Judaism. Writing in Romans, Paul makes it clear that as a branch grafted in, my sustenance is from these Jewish roots. Many Christians have tried to distance themselves from this heritage but as I embrace my Jewish roots, my Christian faith has become stronger. After all, Jesus was a Jew.

Frank Maddox, U.S. Army

Heidelberg, Germany

The young western men attracted to jihad want to achieve meaning in life, respect and status among peers, a few dollars for their families and, mostly, advance the cause of Islam (“The Regathering Storm,” Jan. 1). But in reality they are undermining Islam. A few radical imams, teaching hate to impressionable boys, may have created a momentary movement, but they may be undoing the world’s good will.

Stefen Malone

West Hollywood, Calif.

We attributed the “tangled web” of deceit to Shakespeare (“Trouble From the Top Down,” Dec. 18). The words are actually from Sir Walter Scott’s “Marmion.” NEWSWEEK regrets the error.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-18” author: “Robert Adams”

Readers praised Fareed Zakaria for his Nov. 6 story on the way out of Iraq. One suggested, “Bush should appoint him his political adviser.” Another recommended a “change of regime in America.” Most others congratulated Zakaria or thanked him for his views “as the only way out.”

Bridging East and West Congratulations on the balanced coverage in your Dec. 11 article “Who Lost Turkey?” The recent imbroglio between the EU and Turkey has been fueled by emotion, misperceptions and a great deal of hype. Europe and Turkey deserve better. The sweeping reforms made in Turkey during the four years that the AK Party has held a majority have been nothing less than revolutionary. The benefits are impressive: economic growth is strong, foreign direct investment is surging, inflation is under control and business corruption has been severely reduced. Nongovernmental organizations now operate in an environment akin to Europe’s. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s efforts on the international scene to bridge the Muslim world and the West have been underestimated. Few, for example, have watched how Erdogan and Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi have helped mold the Organization of the Islamic Conference into a beachhead for moderation in the Islamic world. Pope Benedict XVI spoke eloquently in Turkey about the possibility of a bright future in Christian-Muslim relations, as well as Turkey’s integration into Europe. It would be a tragedy if the EU and the wider West undermine the essential role that Turkey could play in bridging the East and West politically, economically and socially. Turkey is not lost. Let’s take the emotion and fear out of the conversation.

John Edwin Mroz

Brussels, Belgium

I would like to congratulate Fareed Zakaria on his Nov. 6 cover story, “Rethinking Iraq: The Way Forward.” He analyzes the situation in Iraq and proposes a plan for a successful withdrawal from the Iraqi quagmire. President Bush would do well to appoint Zakaria as his political adviser.

Ardases Kazarian

Athens, Greece

As for how to get out of Iraq, a change of government in the United States would be a start. The removal of those responsible for the war in Iraq would be appropriate even if bringing them to justice is too much to hope for. But what is really needed is a major change in ideology. Americans must be aware of the extent of the catastrophe that has been brought about by a handful of their politicians. Hundreds of thousands have died. Millions have suffered. The vast majority of these were innocent children, women and men. It should never be permitted to happen again. Simply changing the government will not provide such a guarantee.

Quentin Poulsen

Istanbul, Turkey

Fareed Zakaria says, “If American forces were to leave tomorrow, it is all but certain that the bloodletting would spread like a virus.” That would have been the case if they had left last year and will be the case if they leave in three years, five years, 10 years or beyond. On their departure, there will be either a military coup or a civil war that breaks up the country. Therefore, the obvious question is: in the face of the inevitable, how many Americans have to lose their lives unnecessarily in the meantime?

Roy Kirkdorffer

Chateauneuf, France

Getting out of Iraq is not an option available to the Americans right now. As Fareed Zakaria suggests, a continuous scaling down of U.S. troop presence is the only way out. How many years an entire pullout will take cannot be predicted at this stage. All warring factions have to sincerely want a unified state, and only then can a shared, unbiased, coalition type of government be formed. America has to ascertain how it can coax these separate factions to talk to each other. But given the amount of mistrust that has built up among the Iraqis against the United States, cajoling will be futile if America is the lone arbitrator. Neighboring countries should play a significant role to help quell the bloodshed. Considering America’s strained relations with Iran and Syria, the situation is an unenviable predicament. All we can hope is for the fighting groups to come to their senses, lay down their weapons and work with each other to rebuild this already ravaged country–for the sake of their children, for their future.

Anand Nair

Bangalore, India

“Rethinking Iraq” is worth reading. I hope that people throughout the world have an opportunity to discover that there are some voices in the United States trying to propose new ways to get out of the Iraq quagmire. I don’t know for sure if these propositions are enough, but one thing surprises me: Why do Americans–Zakaria included–think they can solve the Iraq puzzle alone? Why do they not think that other countries could help them? From Europe to the Middle East and the United Nations, it’s time to work out a plan for Iraq together.

Jean-François Le Marec

Angers, France

I would like to thank you for “rethinking Iraq.” Fareed Zakaria presents a good plan on how the “crisis” in Iraq could be defused. He says that “with planning, intelligence, execution and luck,” the U.S. intervention could end without massive bloodshed. But intelligence is precisely what President Bush lacks. He does not have a clue about what is going on in Iraq. It takes only a bit of intelligence and common sense to understand that a solution like the one Zakaria suggests is best both for the States and for Iraq. In fact, the president should go to Baghdad and speak to the Iraqi people, saying something like: “I’m sorry, we made a mistake. There were no weapons of mass destruction. But, hey, we freed you of your dictator, and now we’d like to give you a hand in rebuilding your country to live in peace!” This would be an act of true greatness that would make even Al Qaeda change its opinion of the United States.

Matthias Weislmeier

Augsburg, Germany

The Shiites who control the Iraqi government have fooled Bush into using American troops to fight Sunnis by using Al Qaeda as a scare tactic. Al Qaeda was brought to Iraq by the U.S. invasion–it has no roots there, and it will disappear if the U.S. troops stop following the sectarian Shiite leaders’ orders to attack Sunni Arabs, who feel ganged up against by the Shiites, Iran, America and even the Kurds. Shiites are using U.S. troops to help Iran’s agenda in controlling Iraq. The only hope of fixing Bush’s fiasco in Iraq is to impose a secular Shiite Iraqi leader on the country. The United States is trying to do this now with the democratically elected Palestinian Hamas government. So why not in Iraq, where the elections were far from being democratic?

Abu Sam

Via internet

The United States is in dire straits in Iraq and is now looking for an escape route. However difficult the conditions might be, a nation talking of global leadership can’t simply pack up and go, shirking all responsibility–particularly in a situation of its own making. Leaving Iraq without establishing a broader political framework for its future system of governance would be in nobody’s interest. As a step in that direction, and in order to ensure America’s smooth exit from Iraq, involvement of Iraq’s neighbors–Iran in particular–is crucial. That means bringing all the parties to the negotiating table, a feat that could be accomplished only under the aegis of the United Nations. The U.N. can actively play a constructive role and salvage some of the credibility it lost in 2003 when the United States went ahead with the invasion of Iraq. Making headway with Iran and Syria might have implications of wider magnitude that may not jibe with the interests of America. But there is no other way out now.

R. K. Sudan

Jammu, India

Iraq is a nation like India before its partition–large ethnic groups that hate each other, a powder keg ready to explode. The only way to stop the country from devolving into a bloodbath is to sit down with all involved parties and give them an ultimatum: either agree to an absolute truce, weapons surrender and peace talks with one another, or face dismantling of the country as it is partitioned into Kurdish, Sunni and Shiite countries with proper borders. Have the United Nations supervise the movements of people and set up proper hospital and school facilities in these regions, and maintain border integrity until each new country has a standing army of its own that can take over. It is a radical solution, but it might work.

Joe Coeur

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Zakaria makes many suggestions for “The Road Out of Iraq.” The time for United Nations or Arab League intervention in Iraq is past. The military option proved unsuccessful, and we cannot depend on Iraqi forces that are infiltrated by Iran-dominated Shiites. The Shiites won the elections in Iraq by default because the Sunnis did not fully participate, and because the Shiites’ numbers are inflated by the influx of Iranian Shiites who make them appear to be a majority. Our responsibility is to force Iraqi Shiites to recognize this fact and have the Iraqi government plan new elections. We must bring Sunni insurgents into Iraq’s armed forces by making a deal with them, because they control the real power in Iraq. Together with the Kurdish militia, they can form a core for a multisectarian army and police force that can bring the Iranian-supported Shiite militia to heel and eradicate Al Qaeda in Iraq. We can accomplish this only if we bring ourselves to negotiate with the insurgents and be prepared to give them a specific date for our departure. The alternative is a protracted sectarian and anti-American war.

Heskel M. Haddad, President

Via internet

Thank you, NEWSWEEK, for Lucian Read’s portfolio “A Battle for Every Life” (Nov. 6). Photos best expose reality–no article could have displayed as precisely as this portfolio how the surgeons, medics and corpsmen of Ramadi Surgical work and what they have to deal with. I tend to glance at a picture before moving on to the next one, but these photos grabbed my attention. The details reveal pure cruelty. Blood is everywhere in these pictures, along with the chaos and turmoil of battle–the battle for life. Read presents the pictures in black and white. I missed the shocking effect of the red of blood everywhere. In black and white, the scenes gain a kind of perverse esthetics.

Monika Demler

Augsburg, Germany

As an ardent cafe patron with pure coffee in my veins, let me put your enjoyable piece on the café (“Art and a Cup of Joe,” Oct. 16) in context. The café has been an important institution in our city’s cultural and political life. It is the place to meet friends or date an acquaintance (Café Stein), to study for an exam (Café Haag) or to listen to Strauss’s music while reading the newspaper (Café Bräunerhof). At the Landtmann, businessmen flesh out terms for new ventures, politicians puzzle over coalitions and actors have late-night meals after performances at the nearby Berg theater. The Hawelka has been a home to poor young artists for decades where they traded works for coffee, food and a heated place to work. Each café is unique: charming, comfortable, simultaneously a second home and a forum made into an institution by its patrons. It is a hangout and last resort. Waiters like (the now retired) Herr Robert of the Landtmann are highly respected characters, companions to their guests and sources of amusement and consolation. They know the latest rumors, both in the business and private spheres. From the café a whole literary genre emerged at the turn of the 19th century– Kaffeehausliteratur, whose proponents produced some of the best literature of their time over a cup or three. They immortalized the café in their works, as did the painters you described. Café patrons are “people who want to be alone but require company for that,” who are “not at home and yet not in fresh air.” The tradition continues: the café is much more than a gathering ground for artists, it is a part of our hearts and souls.

Gerhard O. Rettenbacher

Vienna, Austria

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-08” author: “Stephen Walters”

Among the many blessings Gerald Ford enjoyed in life is that he lived long enough to realize that the nation had come to truly understand and respect his courageous efforts as our 38th president (“More Than Met the Eye,” Jan. 8). Ford was a statesman who accepted his nation’s call to serve during a most difficult time. While the timing of his service may have been “accidental,” there was no fluke to the sincerity of his character. During the past 30 years there have been many good candidates deserving my vote, but my proudest ballot was cast in 1976 for President Gerald Ford. For the service he gave this nation, for the honor he restored to the presidency and for his enduring respect for the Constitution, I will always be grateful.

James S. Flanagan

Norwich, N.Y.

It’s unfortunate that it takes a presidential funeral to bring a level of civility to our nation’s capital. Now that Gerald Ford has been laid to rest, I suppose it will be business as usual in Washington. We can look forward to divisiveness, scandals, pork barreling, earmarking and name-calling as the new Congress gets underway.

Barry Campbell

Luther, Mich.

Your cover featuring Gerald Ford with smoke elegantly curling from his pipe sends a terrible message and glorifies an awful health risk. Tobacco-related health issues are Public Health Enemy No. 1 in our country. The American Cancer Society notes that in 2006, more than 170,000 cancer deaths were caused by tobacco use. The pipe smoking in this portrait is irrelevant to Ford’s image as a president and serves no purpose to define his legacy. Why glamorize tobacco use and facilitate its horrible consequences?

Julian C. Schink, M.D.

Chicago, Ill.

Gerald Ford’s pardon of Richard Nixon enabled healing in America? Where is the evidence of such healing now? More Americans are as far apart politically as they ever were before. The people who should have been washed out of government in a Nixon trial have been in control of it the past six years. Since the early 1990s, elements of the GOP have used wedge politics to drive Americans farther apart. There’s been no healing. Lauding Ford masks the reality of the divisions within our country.

Steven Wolf

Juneau, Alaska

When Gerald Ford pardoned Richard Nixon on Sept. 8, 1974, Nixon had been a senator, vice president and president. His guilt, or lack thereof, will never be proved. At the same time, there were thousands of men, lacking advantages of high office, who faced the choice of going to jail or fleeing to Canada in order to live with their consciences regarding Vietnam. Pardoning Nixon, while not these young men, was the big mistake Ford made.

M. Deffebach

Indialantic, Fla.

It’s easy to criticize Gerald Ford but more important to remember some of his achievements. He took action that led to the signing of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, finally apologizing to Japanese-Americans for their unjust internment during WWII. He not only pardoned Nixon, but also Iva Toguri D’Aquino, a Japanese-American woman who was forced to be Tokyo Rose, an English-language propaganda radio announcer for the Japanese government. She had been tried and convicted of treason by the U.S. government.

Kent Hori

Gardena, Calif.

Hanging of a Dictator With Saddam Hussein’s execution, we once and for all get to see what a huge blunder this war has been (“Death of a Tyrant,” Jan. 8). A gang of leather-jacketed, ski-masked thugs–looking more like they were hijacking a plane to Uganda than fulfilling the final sentence handed down by the highest court in Iraq–handled the execution in what looked to be the back alley of a local butcher shop’s garbage dump. And our president still desperately attempts to downplay the fact that our policies are creating a world with more suffering, more chaos and more violence. It’s time to begin promoting true peace, true justice and true democracy.

Sean Karlin

San Francisco, Calif.

George W. Bush called Saddam Hussein’s hanging “an important milestone on Iraq’s course to becoming a democracy that can govern, sustain and defend itself, and be an ally in the war on terror.” More important milestones for world stability would include supporting the International Criminal Court, which we’ve continually opposed; not stockpiling nuclear weapons even as we denounce Iran and North Korea for theirs, and politicians refraining from calling the war in Iraq something to be “won,” as if victory is just one more gunshot, hanging or bomb drop away. I’m not cheering any executions. I’ll cheer when my country starts upholding real values of civilization and democracy, and not just gun-barrel justice. Iraq needs to be handled with diplomacy, nation-building and, most importantly, a departure from the insane idea that a hanging is just a “milestone” checked off on the way to some nebulous victory.

David Nurenberg

Somerville, Mass.

Ways to Live Green in 2007 Your advice to cut back on meat consumption for the sake of the planet was right on target (“Easy to Be Green,” TIP SHEET, Jan. 8). Your article said that meat production is energy-inefficient, but that’s just part of the picture. The livestock industry contributes to some of the world’s most serious environmental threats: land degradation, climate change, water and air pollution, and loss of biodiversity. A recent United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization report said the livestock sector is responsible for 18 percent more greenhouse-gas emissions than transportation. If you want to go green, you can buy a Prius–or you can help the environment (for less money) by cutting back on meat.

Lisa Towell

Los Altos, Calif.

As small-scale cattle farmers, we were not impressed with your idea to save the planet by forgoing meat once or twice a week. However, your suggestion of using cloth bags for groceries (which we do) will save more of our planet’s resources than the nonmeat idea. And things like driving on properly inflated tires, driving less aggressively and removing unnecessary articles from your trunk will also save far more fuel than forgoing a juicy steak or pork chop.

Michael and Shirley Jones

Primghar, Iowa

I’d like to suggest an additional way to go green–consider a smaller house. Houses across the United States are getting bigger every year, while family sizes are getting smaller. Many people are unaware that building with construction materials such as wallboards, bricks, tiles, carpets, windows, doors and fixtures is a highly energy-intensive process. Smaller homes could be built with less energy and fewer raw materials and would require much less energy to heat and cool throughout the year. It is easy to live in a smaller home if you pay attention to household goods and rooms that are not used on a regular basis. Modifying our way of life is the easiest way to reduce energy usage and save the environment.

Renuka Panigrahy

Ames, Iowa

Oprah’s New African Academy As a high-school teacher, I’m all too familiar with Oprah Winfrey’s observation that in the United States–where children can attend school free of charge–many students don’t appreciate what they have (“Oprah Goes to School,” Jan. 8). She says she became frustrated visiting inner-city schools because “the sense that you need to learn just isn’t there,” and because students feel they need or want iPods and sneakers instead. However, she contributes to this very attitude with every consumer gift giveaway on her show and by providing students in her new academy with a beauty salon, yoga studio, extra-large closets, indoor and outdoor theaters, and hundreds of pieces of tribal art. To inner-city students, their iPods might be just as beautiful as Winfrey’s tribal art. The $40 million she spent on this new school can buy a lot of things, but it won’t buy beauty in the form of insight, reflection and meaning. Perhaps South African students were telling Winfrey this in their expressed desire for school uniforms, not iPods and sneakers.

Margaret M. Light

Carpinteria, Calif.

As a 10th grader, I don’t believe there is any room for debate regarding Oprah Winfrey’s kindness and generosity in her desire to do something that will have an immediate and long-lasting effect on young girls who for so long have had next to nothing. The black female population in South Africa has historically faced humiliation and torture that is beyond my understanding, so Winfrey’s decision to make this new school an all-girls’ academy also makes perfectly good sense. People have criticized the great expense of the project, the “200-thread-count sheets” and the pleated uniforms that the girls will wear. In the end what matters is that Winfrey’s actions might help spur other wealthy individuals around the world to reach into their pockets and spend on behalf of all the children in South Africa.

Allison Riddle

Liberty Township, Ohio

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-17” author: “Wesley Jackson”

I would like to add some remarks to your article “Remodeling the Churches.” Other symptoms in connection with religious life can also be seen in Europe, especially in Hungary. Believers are moving from traditional churches into smaller churches. Some Western nontraditional churches are sending money and priests to support their East European counterparts. Public worship often includes pop and rock music to attract the younger generation. Members of these churches pay 10 percent of their salaries as a fee for services. The ebbing of faith is a result of Europe’s atheist regimes, but it is sad that today’s young do not go to church. Jozsef Majevszky Szigetszentmiklos, Hungary

Browning of the Blue Marble David Milibrand is right about global warming (“Kyoto Can Be Made to Work,” Feb. 12). Thirty years ago the Earth looked like a sparkling blue and white jewel as Edgar Mitchell, onboard Apollo 14, radioed from the moon. Now it is filthy—filled with dark, swirling clouds of dioxides of carbon and sulfur. The culprits are the developed countries. They should have started going green years ago. America has more than 13,000 windmills generating electricity. If all its suitable sites were developed, the country could generate more than 20 percent of its current electric needs from wind power. While Brazil uses ethanol as car fuel, auto pollution is still a cause for concern in America and in big cities like London and Paris. Rich nations should lead the way to green technologies. Dan Chellumben Amboise, France

Challenging the United Nations Ross Mckitrick’s essay (“What the U.N. Won’t Tell You,” Feb. 12) could mislead and confuse those without a good understanding of the science involved. For example, he claims that the “hockey stick” graph implies warming began with industrialization. The graph is actually designed to show the rapid surge in global temperature in recent years. Further, he casts doubt on data collected from urbanized areas due to local warming without mentioning the overwhelming evidence from other areas not affected by this trend. He suggests that the IPCC ignores science that disagrees with its agenda, as if the theory of man-made global warming was some vast U.N. plot to stop people from burning oil and coal. Shame on you, NEWSWEEK, for not providing a balancing article from a genuine climatologist (McKitrick is an economist) on such an important issue. Nicholas Wheatley Bournemouth, England

It is time the United Nations got a handle on the Darfur issue in Sudan to bring about an international consensus for intervention so the deaths there can be prevented. The surrounding African nations should be recruited to help in this mission. Sudan needs to be isolated and an ultimatum given to it. Why not get Nelson Mandela to publicize the issue and organize a crisis committee? Kofi Annan, who is originally from Africa, can pull his weight and maybe the United Nations can bring him back to focus on this problem and work out a quick solution. It appears that 2007 will be full of challenges for the United Nations (Iraq, Sri Lanka, Fiji, Iran, Africa, refugees, etc.), and it should have a greater role to play. This might be the time to rethink how that organization should function and redraw a road map for its future. It is more than 60 years since United Nations was founded to replace the League of Nations. Newly emerging powers like India, China, Brazil, Australia, South Africa, Saudi Arabia and even Iran may have things to contribute to the future mission of the United Nations. Too much is at stake and the investment the world has made in creating and developing the United Nations as the main body for solving conflicts and issues should not be allowed to go to waste. S. Mohanakrishnan Auckland, New Zealand

I was disappointed to see the U.N. Security Council unanimously adopt Resolution 1737. This resolution, clearly doomed to fail in its objectives, promotes instability in the Middle East and the perception of double standards in Western foreign policy toward certain Middle Eastern countries. It also hurts the United Nations at a critical time when constructive U.N. reform should be a priority of every member state. Resolution 1737 aims to punish Iran for doing what it is legally entitled to under its Non-Proliferation Treaty commitments, commitments it has honored more rigorously so far than the United States. Furthermore, there is no evidence—only suspicion—that Iran intends to employ its nuclear technology for anything but peaceful purposes. Remember the “proof” that the United States presented to the U.N. Security Council four years ago, “demonstrating” the existence of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in Iraq? Four years, one war and thousands dead, and still no evidence of Iraq’s “proven” WMD capacity. Why go down this same road again? While this weak resolution paves the way for “tougher” further action, any attempt at tougher action will clearly and rightly be vetoed by China and the Russian Federation. Once again, the United Nations will be seen as weak and ineffective. If the United States and Britain are truly committed to an effective U.N.—two of only five nations empowered to achieve this—endorsing this resolution was a grave mistake. There is no legal basis for its adoption, which damages the credibility of the U.N. and destabilizes the Middle East by alienating a potentially useful Middle Eastern partner. It is time to embrace Iran. Rory E. Morty Giessen, Germany

Turkey’s Orthodox Patriarchate The various problems that the Ecumenical Orthodox Patriarchate of Constantinople faces from the Turkish government are of world importance (“Hoping to Bridge a Different Divide,” Dec. 4). George Weigel points out that the issue has to do with respect for human rights and religious liberties. Indeed, the patriarchate exists as the spiritual leader of about 300 million people of the Christian Orthodox faith and is not, despite what some fanatics in Turkey might believe, a nongovernmental lobbying institution based in Istanbul. Furthermore, the patriarchate presents no threat to Turkey’s secular state or to Islam. Patriarch Bartholomew is among the first to support and promote Turkey’s efforts to become part of the EU. He is also among the first religious leaders to promote interreligious dialogue between Christianity and Islam. It is unacceptable for Turkey, a potential future member of the EU, that wants to be regarded as a model modern Islamic society, to have put such unneeded restrictions on the patriarchate, a religious institution with centuries of history and legacy. Nikolaos Mottas Paris, France

Elections, Not a Coup d’Etat As a member of Turkey’s democratically elected Parliament, I strongly protest any speculation or doubt about my country’s democratic credentials (“The Coming Coup d’Etat?” Dec. 4). The Turkish government and Turkish democracy are strong and look to the future, while military coups belong to the last century. A coup is a shame in any country, at any time. Turkey is a year away from scheduled general elections, and the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party will proudly face the electorate for a renewed mandate and keep Turkey on the European Union path of democracy, accountability, secularism and the rule of law and free markets. Zeyno Baran’s revelations in NEWSWEEK are sheer lunacy. Egemen Bagis Ankara, Turkey

Zeyno Baran’s views are symptomatic of secularist Turks, who are unwilling to accept that democracy entails surrendering the possibility of exercising full control over state and society. Kemal Ataturk’s self-proclaimed heirs in the Army have meager democratic credentials, to say the least. A quick scan through complaints brought against Turkey before the European Court of Human Rights would prove this point. Moreover, this vision of secularism has little to do with the freedom of religion; rather, it implies the total control of religion by a secularist state. Admittedly, Turkey’s Islamist movement has undemocratic roots. But the AK Party entered government with a huge popular mandate, recognized the rights of the Kurdish minority and brought national legislation more in line with European human-rights standards, all while remaining within the legal framework of the Constitution. That it wishes to allow girls with headscarves to attend university cannot be regarded as anything other than normal from the perspective of most liberal democracies. It is only normal for the Army to regard itself as a guardian of the Constitution. But in a democracy, this implies that the guardianship is directed against the violent overthrow of the system, not against political parties that win elections and govern in accordance with national and international law—even if they change things. Turkey’s military is at a crossroads: will it remain in the barracks and let Turkey become a full-fledged European democracy under a liberal Islamist government, or will it usurp power once again in obvious defiance of everything the term “democracy” stands for? Baran should have paid closer attention to the political history of America, where she resides. Only a government of the people, by the people and for the people will survive for 200 years and more. Karim Theissen The Hague, Netherlands

Life Under the Burqa in Britain Apropos “the Politics of Dress” (Jan. 29) and “Beyond the Veil” (Nov. 27), please correct misunderstandings and erroneous allegations by identifying the real and serious issues that responsible British Muslims and British politicians were actually voicing concerning the niqab. Fareena Alam’s article “Beyond the Veil” offers an opinion about “the right of Muslim women to wear what they want to wear.” However, citing Jack Straw and Tony Blair as objecting to veils and headscarves misrepresents the real and serious issues of what many British politicians were objecting to. Straw was complaining about women who wear the niqab or burqa at all times, except indoors. These garments cover the face, leaving space only for the eyes, and make a person devoid of recognizable, personal identity. One telling reason was offered by the British modernist, Muslim journalist and TV broadcaster Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, who gave a terrifying glimpse of life under the burqa. When she was contacted by a woman in distress, Alibhai-Brown says that upon removing the burqa she “proved to be a woman so badly battered and beaten that she looked painted in deep blue, purple, and livid pink; the sides of her mouth were torn.” The woman’s father and brothers had forced her to wear the burqa so no one would see what they had done to her for trying to live a normal social life of independence. Alibhai-Brown says many Muslim families beat women who are seen as too independent, and that the burqa conceals violence within marriage so as to conceal the “honor” of the males who carry out such violence upon women in secret. Of course, not all Muslim women wearing the burqa are victims of violence. In some British schools, Muslim parents refuse to allow their girls to take part in PE, or to swim or act. These are some of the real social issues of Muslim women wearing burqas in Britain. Christopher A. Pirie Hunstanton, England

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-19” author: “John Smith”

In Defense of Ban and the U.N. As the former president of a Vienna-based NGO on U.N.-related affairs and as a political analyst, I am deeply saddened by the fact that NEWSWEEK is writing the new U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon off before he has even had a chance to settle into his new position (“Why This Man Will Fail,” March 5). The United Nations and its secretary-general are only as effective and influential as the five permanent members of the Security Council allow them to be. This has always been a drawback, but it does not negate the raison d’être of the United Nations as an essential institution to maintain world peace and improve the human condition. Founded right after World War II, and therefore more than 60 years old, it is inconceivable that such a world forum could be created today. The only thing the “P5” can agree upon is that the world needs the United Nations, which is why the U.N. has outlived its predecessor, the League of Nations. And it is still possible that Ban Ki-moon will succeed, if only the world’s major powers let him. NEWSWEEK should encourage the new secretary-general and the long-overdue reforms of the U.N. Charter and its modus operandi instead of being as negative as Sebastian Mallaby is. Karl H. Pagac Villeneuve-Loubet, France

Your article on why the new U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is destined to fail provided an accurate insight into the present state of the organization and correctly pointed out the U.N.’s unsuccessful attempts in peacekeeping, as well as the obstacles in the way of its reform. As a journalist, I covered the Siege of Sarajevo in 1992-1993 and was amazed by how long it took the international community to realize the need for concrete actions to stop the bloodshed. Part of it was due to the fact that the U.N. was viewed as the symbolic “conscience” of the world community. Most people believed that since the “blue helmets” were on the ground, the situation was under control. The media, including NEWSWEEK, helped expose the horrors of the war and the useless role of the U.N. The U.N. faces another threat, characteristic of most international organizations—the bureaucracy within. The thousands who manage to get into the U.N. system cling to their positions for life whether they are doing their jobs well or not. There are a handful of true believers in the U.N., professionals who make a difference. The rest are attracted by the benefits: big tax-free salaries and pensions. Compare this with the enthusiasts working for pennies for NGOs in the field. Perhaps applicants for U.N. positions should be required to pass lie-detector tests to determine whether they are joining out of their “best intentions,” determined to make our world a better place, or just want to hop onboard the gravy train. Mikhail Evstafiev Moscow, Russia

The non conformity of other nations with the United States on global issues does not make the world more or less safe, nor does that make their decisions good or bad. Why should nations behave uniformly when individuals—even those who have the same mother—don’t? Differences in perception and of perspective are some of the dynamics of human interaction and, as with people, nations have differences in their behavior. Although we all have our common values as humans, what matters so much to one nation may be of absolutely no interest to another. Those nations that are powerful and rich have to always spare some thought for those who have nothing. Bullying will only result in unending conflicts. The greatest threat to world peace, I think, is not Islamic fundamentalism, terrorism or nuclear proliferation but the guarantor of democracy, freedom and world peace itself, the United States of America. Mmegbuaneze Okafoakpu Ludwigsburg, Germany

Your front cover and inside coverage of the new U.N. chief will not help him in his most important and difficult mission. He deserves encouragement. Let’s give him a fair chance as he sets about his task, which is so crucial for all mankind. John Quinn Blackrock, Ireland

Why must the last vestiges of hope in this world continue to be ripped to shreds by pessimism? Your article about the United Nations not only put the organization unfairly on trial, but showed a vastly inept understanding of international relations. The U.N. was not created to fill the role of international police but, rather, to provide a forum for discussion of topics of global importance, to encourage development processes and attempt to prevent global wars from occurring again through the means of diplomacy. Over the years, a false idea of identity has been thrust onto the organization and thus, the criticism continues to mount. The failures of the U.N., however, are the failures of its member states. Security questions aside, to say that the United Nations has become a useless organization and that Ban is succeeding a useless secretary-general is untrue. No other single organization has provided the world with similar services. The United Nations has been hugely successful in the eradication of diseases, the establishment of an international mail system (to even the most remote corners of the world), the fight against AIDS, help with World Bank and IMF reforms, the empowerment of women globally and the continued fight for the rights of children worldwide. These are not small endeavors to be scoffed at simply because some presidents’ egos are too big to fit in the Security Council room. The body certainly needs reform, but calling it completely “useless” or “impossible” does not engender reform. Perhaps instead of encouraging people to join “the world could fall apart any day” theory, articles in your magazine could be directed at encouraging readers to elect responsible leaders who emphasize partnership, international organizations and “time for change” in foreign policy. This could be especially relevant to those of us who never wanted John Bolton at the United Nations in the first place. Megan Colnar São Paulo, Brazil

Your cover title (“Why This Man Will Fail”) about the new U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says more about you than it does about him. If he fails it will be as much because the United States fails to support the U.N. as for any other reason. How arrogant can you be? However impossible Ban Ki-moon’s mission is, your bad taste indicates that you and George Bush are made from the same material: you find it easier to destroy than to build up. Robert Koops Serrekunda, Gambia

Dictator, Not Democrat After General Musharraf took power in 1999, he started much-needed reforms in Pakistan like liberalizing the economy, freeing the media, moderating foreign policy and shifting the governmental emphasis to social sectors (“The Solution,” March 5). Many of us among the educated minority became his ardent fans. Although he donned a military uniform, he behaved and acted like a real democrat, unlike his corrupt political predecessors. Regrettably, that has changed now. Acting on bad advice, he sidelined a popular chief justice, then his minions went on to humiliate the chief, muzzle the legal fraternity and gag the media. In the eyes of the public, Musharraf has now become a real dictator, a title he never wanted. If this is the beginning of his end, it is sad for our civil society, because Musharraf once was our great hope in the fight against extremism, intolerance, ignorance, illiteracy and against those who would like to return this country to the Dark Ages. Parvez Ul Haq Karachi, pakistan

Japan’s Faltering Economy Your March 5 feature “The Good Son Falters” was an excellent report. I thought the Abe administration might not last long because I had observed his behavior under the former prime minister Koizumi and thought that he didn’t have Koizumi’s charisma. He was merely a well-bred boy from a big political clan. His grandfather, former prime minister Kishi, was one of the Class-A war criminals. He used to repeat his magic words “Beautiful country,” but it sounds hollow in the society where morality has fallen to the bottom. While Japan’s economy seems to be growing, the public doesn’t feel it. The rich and poor gap has been widening. OECD analysis ranks Japan as the world’s second poorest with its poor class of 14 percent. One out of three workers is either a temp or a part-timer, whose status and income are very low. However, Prime Minister Abe is rather aloof to this situation. Unless there is a miracle, I believe the ruling Liberal Democratic Party will lose the July Upper House election. At the moment, the party has a bare majority in the house with the help of its coalition partner, Komei. If they lose, Abe will step down and be the first fast-rising, fast-falling star of the postwar generation. Takahito (Ted) Miyazawa Odawara, Japan

‘The Big Prophet’s’ Last Years? Your article “Raiders of the lost Tomb” (March 5) was very interesting. According to a fascinating book by a German theologian, Jesus immigrated to India, where he eventually died, and his tomb is to be found in Srinagar, Kashmir. This is widely known by Indian scholars and monks in Ladakh’s monasteries, who are happy to tell visitors that “the big prophet” came to visit and that he lived at Jusmarg near Srinagar, was married and had children! His mother, Mary, was buried in Pakistan, as she died on the way to India. Eva Malmstrom Shivdasani Bangkok, Thailand

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-26” author: “Shannon Miller”

I graduated from Bishop Loughlin Memorial two years after Rudy Giuliani, and your cover story correctly notes that he has been smart and ambitious ever since high school (“Growing Up Giuliani,” Dec. 3). But since when is brainpower the sole ingredient of leadership? Let’s not forget the art of diplomacy, the skill of interpersonal relations and the power of good judgment. Giuliani has made a career of trampling on anyone who gets in his way to achieve power. Furthermore, his children and one of his former wives are alienated from him. Like the citizens of New York City, American voters will soon tire of his brash, abrasive and angry temperament. In the past seven years, haven’t we had enough of the politics of fear and divisiveness? Terrence Quinn Bayside, N.Y.

Reading Rudy Giuliani’s quote—“Freedom is about authority. Freedom is about the willingness of every human being to cede to lawful authority a great deal of discretion about what you do”—sent chills down my spine. In the Oct. 15 issue I also read that Giuliani’s ultra-neocon advisers Norman Podhoretz and Peter Berkowitz advocate invading Iran (“Rudy Giuliani: Would You Buy a Used Hawk From This Man?”). The thought of a Giuliani presidency is truly frightening. Ray Swanson Monument, Colo.

As a Christian Brothers-schooled, third-generation Italian-American who volunteered for and served in infantry combat in Vietnam, I find Rudy Giuliani’s statement that Vietnam wasn’t a “just war” to be a pretty lame excuse. America doesn’t need another draft dodger in the White House, especially one whose code of ethics is even more hypocritical than our current president’s. Pasquale Cruciano Virginia Beach, Va.

Like Rudy Giuliani, I grew up in Brooklyn during the 1950s. Whatever qualifications he may have don’t really matter. While we were all Brooklyn Dodgers fans, he was (and still is) a Yankees fan. Definitely not to be trusted! Alan Weiner St. Catharines, Canada

Your Rudy Giuliani cover story is replete with unfortunate and not-so-subtle references to organized crime. “Growing Up Giuliani”? Where have I heard that before? And mentioning Bernard Kerik’s “made man” ceremony? This is an unmistakable attempt to somehow, if only by innuendo, link Giuliani to the mob. The only valid link between the two is his remarkable effort to combat and prosecute crime of the organized, street and gang varieties. Insinuating that a fearless crimefighter like Giuliani is anything like organized-crime gangsters is a disservice to readers. Anthony W. Fanale Marblehead, Mass.

Your profile of Rudy Giuliani doesn’t mention that he went to NYU School of Law during the turbulent war years from 1965 to 1968. NYU had a distinctly liberal bent, and surely it must have had some impact on the young Rudy. Your suggestion that he came from a “second- or third-tier law school” is in error. NYU Law has always been a top-tier law school. Richard M. Bronstein Setauket, N.Y.

On ’ A Director Confronts Some Dark Material ’ “Philip Pullman was so vocal about the anti-Christian nature of his books, I can only hypothesize that his new defensive posture has more to do with ticket sales for ‘The Golden Compass’ than his true beliefs.” Kelly Dolan, North Haven, Conn. Giuliani’s Complicated Moral Code

Scientific Fix for Climate Change? Sharon Begley’s Dec. 3 “The ‘Geo-Engineering’ Scenario” is scary for three reasons. First: if the public comes to think that there are scientific fixes to the problem of global climate change, then it will have even less interest in supporting comprehensive and costly global programs to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases. The second is that scientists tend to ignore Eric Sevareid’s Law: “The chief source of problems is solutions.” Geo-engineering could produce unimagined problems. Finally, global climate change is the direct consequence of overpopulation, and none of the offered solutions, including geo-engineering, addresses overpopulation. “Solutions” that fail to address the fundamental cause of the problem have little chance of success. Albert A. Bartlett Professor Emeritus of Physics University of Colorado Boulder, Colo.

Better News From Iraq In Charles Peters’s Dec. 3 opinion piece, “The Case for Facing Facts,” he writes about liberals’ not being able to acknowledge the progress that has been made in Iraq due to the change in tactics of American troops. In the process, however, he repeats one of the errors of the Bush administration that he condemns, which is to report only half-truths. While engaging enemies like the Sunni tribal leaders is a good idea, arming them adds to the long-term militarization of the country. Additionally, by now a good part of Baghdad has already been ethnically cleansed; hence there is less sectarian conflict. What processes does Peters offer when refugees return home to find their houses and communities occupied by another group that now has more weapons? In praising a strategy, let’s be honest about its shortcomings as well. If the Bush administration could try that strategy in addition to providing greater accountability for grievous errors and wrongdoings, maybe it would get a fairer analysis from us liberals. Mary Dudek Chicago, Ill.

Charles Peters is troubled by the reluctance of liberals to acknowledge the progress made in the past six months in Iraq. The quiet brought to the villages of Darfur is the result of racial cleansing. The quiet brought to the neighborhoods of Iraq is due to religious cleansing. As a progressive, I find it a great contradiction to applaud the quiet gained as a result of aggression in the neighborhoods of Iraq while condemning the quiet in the villages of Darfur. D. Kent Lloyd Gladstone, Ore.

A copy of Charles Peters’s “The Case For Facing Facts” should hang on the wall of every congressional member’s office. We all need to face facts and not dismiss them immediately because they were quoted by the other side. We need understanding, acceptance and compromise by all to continue our way of government. Richard Hoy Lewisburg, Pa.

When Choosing a Running Mate George Will states that vice presidential nominees have had little influence on general elections (“How No. 1s Pick No. 2s,” Dec. 3). He bypassed, however, a glaring exception to his rule: John Kennedy’s choice of Lyndon Johnson as his running mate in 1960 is credited with his winning Texas in what turned out to be a real squeaker of an election. Joel Fram Bala Cynwyd, Pa.

So George Will has never met anyone who voted for a presidential candidate because of his running mate? Gee, at least twice in our recent memory, tens of thousands—surely more—did just that: Walter Mondale no doubt garnered a lot of women’s votes because of Geraldine Ferraro (and probably lost a bunch because of her, too). And how many older Jews in Florida and New York, for example, cast their votes with pride for Al Gore—not necessarily because he was a Democrat but because he had Joe Lieberman on the ticket? True, it’s not always a big deal, but to say never is to ignore history at your own peril. Steve Fenton New York, N.Y.

George Will asks, “seriously, now: Have you ever met anyone who voted for a presidential candidate because of his running mate?” Well, good to meet ya, George! In the 1992 Democratic campaign, I supported Al Gore. When Bill Clinton won the nomination—and tapped Gore for his ticket—he locked up my vote. And I suspect I’m not the only one. Steve Hutchison Placerville, Colo.

The Unbearable Loss of a Child We lost our first child when she WAS 17 months old in an in-home accident, and have never parted company with that death (“Love, Loss—And Love,” Dec. 3). We have her pictures up with those of our other four kids, and each year, during the weeks when she was born and died, we find ourselves somewhat depressed. Assuming that anyone ever gets over losing a child is a mistake. Another child cannot make up for the loss, but it helps. I cannot even guess the number of times my mind tracks back to the horrible second the accident happened. The loss of a child makes a person appreciate the importance of pregnancy, birth and life. Dale Hill Anadarko, Okla.

Alternatives to Holiday Shopping Daniel Gross has it right when he says, “American consumers have clearly conditioned themselves to shop till they drop,” referring to the Christmas-season buying spree (“The Sermon on the Mall,” Dec. 3). But he has it wrong when he says that all the buying is compulsory at some level. Americans remain prisoners of the Great American Economic (Christmas) Engine merely by not refusing to participate in it. That’s not hard: tell close friends and family you will make a donation in their name to a charity; bake cookies or make jam for other gifts; get together with the people you love, and eat, drink, listen to music, play games, be merry. Just jump off the consumer treadmill. It’s simple, and it returns to the season the wonder and joy of family, friends and giving. Kathie Aberman Liberty, N.Y.

For the Record In “In God They Trust” (May 7), Evan Thomas writes, “The God of Abraham is and has always been a martial God.” When I challenged Thomas for the source of such a sweeping, unqualified generalization, he replied disingenuously that he did not intend the sentence to mean what it means, but rather what he wanted it to mean. Such an all-inclusive, indiscriminate assertion has no place in NEWSWEEK, a magazine renowned for its commitment to objectivity and impartiality in reporting. Shalom Dinerstein Jerusalem, Israel

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-02” author: “Marlene Harrell”

What’s in a Name? Having a challenging name myself, I find Barack Obama’s candidacy for president very encouraging (“When Barry Became Barack,” March 31). He hasn’t altered his identity in order to be accepted, as many immigrants feel obligated to do. I am sure his candidacy will go a long way in educating us all why neither gender nor a foreign name should affect one’s perception of an individual. Vivek Mehrotra Santa Clara, Calif.

May I suggest a cover with a photo of a young Hillary Clinton as a commencement speaker at Wellesley or as a law student at Yale? The cover story could contain details of her lifelong dedication to the service of others and her country. She showed great leadership qualities when she was young. I appreciate Anna Quindlen’s overall insight into Sen. Hillary Clinton that balances Jonathan Alter’s promotion of Sen. Barack Obama. People in several states have not voted yet. Is it fair to imply Obama is the Democratic nominee for president? Hannah Provence Donigan Commerce, Mich.

Your cover story on Barack Obama reminds me of another Illinois politician who seemed to be soft-spoken and able to move people to great things. He also had a humble beginning and got this country through some very difficult times. With little Washington, D.C., experience, he was able to surround himself with good advisers. People questioned whether he could be commander in chief. If Barack Obama can be one quarter as good a president as Abraham Lincoln, he will be many times better than anyone we have seen in a generation. Originally from Chicago, I know whom I will vote for in the fall. Alan H. Weiner Berwyn Heights, Md.

Helping Our Iraqi War Veterans As someone whose life was greatly enhanced by the GI Bill, I commend Anna Quindlen for “Because It’s Right” (March 31). After three years in the Marine Corps during the Korean War, I was able to return home to my Minnesota farming community and go to college, instead of working as a day laborer. At a time when our government is wrestling with how to protect the investments of Americans in the stock market and subprime mortgages, there is no better investment than an updated GI Bill for our overstressed veterans seeking to readjust to civilian life. Donald D. Gerdts Huntington Beach, Calif.

Editor’s Note In “The World According To John McCain” (April 7), NEWSWEEK described a meeting at the 2006 Munich security conference in which Sen. John McCain allegedly erupted at the German foreign minister, whom McCain thought was being insufficiently tough on the brutal regime in Belarus. There are, however, conflicting versions of the episode, and we should have made that clear. Other people who were in the room at the time dispute the account, and several of those who were there, including those who recall a brief flare-up of anger from McCain (which the senator denies), believed the incident was minor, based on a misunderstanding caused by a translation problem, and was quickly cleared up. Senator McCain should have been given an opportunity to give his version of events in the original story, and we regret that the piece did not note the different recollections of the moment, including the denials that there was any display of anger.

Correction In “Mysteries and Complications” (March 24), we said that the MMR vaccine once contained thimerosal. It did not. Other childhood vaccines, however, did contain the mercury-based preservative. NEWSWEEK regrets the error.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-07” author: “Pearl Knotts”

Greed and Envy

I devoured your July 5 cover story (“The Whine of ‘99: Everyone’s Getting Rich But Me!” Business) with great interest and revulsion. I can’t argue against the quest for financial stability, but I am astounded at the discontent that seizes people when they don’t have as many cars, boats or remote controls as their neighbors. This combination of envy and greed is a pervasive sickness that appears to be overtaking Americans (at seemingly ever-younger ages), brainwashing them into believing that we can measure our value as human beings by how much money we make. When we view life as a carnival of cash, directly linking self-esteem to a paycheck, it comes as no surprise that our nation is rife with unhappy people who worry that they have “missed out on the party.” Laura Merritt Milwaukee, Wis.

So here I am, one of your fortyish readers with a six-figure income. It has taken me a long time to build my nest egg, and I’m nowhere close to the financial status of those “rich” folks your article mentioned. But when others (especially those younger than I am) succeed where I haven’t, should I be filled with envy, as the tone of your article suggests? I don’t think so. What the story reveals to me (although this is not its premise) is that maybe creativity and merit matter more to our society than being young does. Why should I envy a couple of college guys who succeeded at pushing their creative ideas to the limit of success? Or the woman who has worked her tail off at Microsoft and reaped the financial rewards? Rather, I should be proud of these people. So when I see the smile on Trish Millines’s face, what hits my heart isn’t “Why not me?” but rather “Go for it, Trish; pursue that dream.”

Greetings from the under-$40,000 income tier! Of course it would be nice to be in a higher tax bracket when the gutters need replacing or the heat pump breaks. But hey, my kids love me, my boss thinks I do good work, my wife’s still crazy about me after 17 years, my health is great and my neighborhood hasn’t been ethnically cleansed. If riches are defined by material wealth, a lot of us don’t qualify. Change the meaning of wealth, and I live like a king–with leaky gutters. Victor Czerkasij Ooltewah, Tenn.

A Horrifying Ritual

I grew up in Kenya, and your picture of the woman lying on the ground undergoing genital mutilation saddened me deeply (“A Painful Tradition,” International, July 5). That horror is something that should send all of us into action. The sight of those old women bending over the young woman and the disgusting stares from the bystanders, many of whom are men, is revolting. That picture will forever be imprinted in my memory. Mukami Mbugua Hayward, Calif.

We are disappointed by your sensationalistic and voyeuristic photo story on female genital mutilation (FGM) in Uganda. In particular, we were disturbed by the picture of a girl lying on her back with her legs apart. By providing so little supporting information, such pictures fail to educate your readers about the cultural significance of such traditions as rites of passage, and the progressive efforts of community-based organizations in African countries to eradicate the practice and develop alternative rituals. For example, FGM was recently reduced by more than a third in the Kapchorwa district of Uganda (an area with a population of 116,700), partly due to the organizing efforts of a local group called Elgon Free Generation of Girls and the help of Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. Laila Macharia and Leanne Grossman The Global Fund for Women Palo Alto, Calif.

Equal Hiring for All

As a primary author of the Americans With Disabilities Act, I write to correct one point made in your article “A Sharper Image of Bias” (National Affairs, July 5). You incorrectly state that “the act forces employees to hire… disabled workers.” In fact, the law does not set any quota or mandate to hire people with disabilities. The ADA guarantees civil-rights protection to people with disabilities, making it illegal for employers to discriminate against an individual on the basis of disability. In other words, no otherwise qualified individual may be denied a job because of a disability. Those of us with disabilities want the same opportunities as everyone else–no more and no less. Tony Coelho, Chairman President’s Committee on Employment of People With Disabilities Washington, D.C.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-25” author: “Jesus Guinyard”

Dutch Treat or Trick?

Thank you for the illumination provided in the excerpts from Edmund Morris’s “Dutch: A Memoir of Ronald Reagan” (Special Report, Oct. 4). Few of us could resist President Reagan’s charm and charisma as we experienced his extraordinary ability to communicate. But many of us have wondered what he was really like. I was deeply moved by Morris’s assessment of Reagan after a 14-year probe into every area of his life: “He is the bravest and most incorrupt figure I’ve ever studied.” Ronald Reagan is a great man who is leaving a legacy of decency, honor, courage and moral leadership. Laura Ellen Truelove Nashville, Tenn.

How fitting that Edmund Morris chose to use a fictional character to help him tell the story of Ronald Reagan, actor-president. Those who complain they have trouble distinguishing the hyperbole from the history in Morris’s book now understand how many of us felt in the ’80s trying to relate Reagan’s rhetoric to the real world in which we lived. His administration traded arms for hostages and denied funding to some critical social programs, and he presided over an unprecedented concentration of wealth in the pocketbooks of the rich. No amount of storytelling can cover up the legacy of cynicism, debt and lost potential that the Reagan presidency visited upon this great country. Joey P. Michaud St. Louis, Mo.

The Pulitzer Prize brings with it a certain degree of responsibility. It is a shame Edmund Morris failed to realize this as he penned “Dutch.” Although he received unprecedented access to a sitting president, Morris squandered the opportunity by injecting irrelevant fictional elements into Reagan’s life. As a lifelong student of politics, I looked forward to an in-depth review of the most intriguing presidency of this century. Unfortunately, I was distracted by details of the life of a nonexistent character who was used as a crutch to present less than favorable views of Reagan and his presidency. J. M. Allain Houston, Texas

I have a real problem with Edmund Morris and his callous description of Ronald Reagan’s dementia. He should humbly bear in mind that “there, but for the grace of God, go I.” Families who deal with this devastating disease do not need to read descriptions of Reagan’s insidious idiosyncrasies, written in such a flippant style. Anything for a buck, right? Jo Brink Rockledge, Fla.

I wasn’t bothered by Edmund Morris’s inventing a fictional narrator, but I was appalled by his bald adulation of Reagan. It was rank idolatry. Morris would have better spent his energies on a romance novel. Bud Blake Phoenix, Ariz.

I had the pleasure and honor of serving at the U.S. Department of Defense during the last half of Ronald Reagan’s presidency. As an Army enlisted man working in the Pentagon, I felt lucky to have him as my commander in chief because every day I went to work, it was with a clear sense of duty and pride that President Reagan led our country. My respect for him lies in my belief that he is one of the most honest, committed and morally upright leaders of our modern era. My years serving as a tiny part of his administration will forever be the highlight of my professional life. I am amused by how difficult it is for people to acknowledge the most perplexing thing about his greatness: that he is simply a good man at heart, and this is what helped make him a great president. Donato D. D’Onofrio Old Hickory, Tenn.

An Art War in Brooklyn

The Brooklyn Museum of Art used poor judgment in displaying a painting of the Virgin Mary embellished with a clump of elephant dung (“Holy Elephant Dung!” Arts & Entertainment, Oct. 4). This is not a First Amendment issue, but rather a question of whether the painting is good art. Too often today artists and writers create art or literature that is offensive and bizarre, solely in hope of recognition. I worry that the Brooklyn Museum’s exhibit will open the door nationwide for more trash art. How Tim Chang Honolulu, Hawaii

After reading your article on the contretemps over the Brooklyn Museum’s exhibit of controversial art works, I have a question for New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani: is there a scene more shocking, more obscene, than people spitting upon, stripping and physically attacking the son of God? We know that grimly explicit images of this event are found in Christian sanctuaries and in hushed “old master” rooms of museums. And some devout Roman Catholics, in remembrance of this violence, wear miniature reproductions of Jesus with nails pounded through his bloodied hands and feet on gold chains around their necks. Even if Chris Ofili’s painting were an attack on the Virgin–and the artist says it’s not–wouldn’t that, in Catholic tradition, be an occasion for learning, for spiritual growth? Page Simon Upper Grandview, N.Y.

The Catholic Church has survived centuries of shooting itself in the foot: the Crusades, the Medicis, the greed and scheming of Pope Alexander VI, the persecution of Galileo and others, the Inquisition and the obscene silence over the Holocaust at the center of this century. It most surely will survive a painting of dubious artistic merit at the Brooklyn Museum. Nancy L. Dell’Aria Brooklyn, N.Y.

Dressed to Learn

Your article “Uniforms Rule” (Your Family, Oct. 4) clearly illustrates the delusion that has captured the imagination of American education-policy makers. Instead of focusing on encouraging creativity, nurturing academic talent or making schools an environment of openness where students can express themselves, we are turning our schools into conformity factories. Why do America’s policymakers focus so much on school uniforms and clear backpacks? Because the problems that need to be solved take more thought than they can muster. Forcing students to wear uniforms doesn’t change the root of the problems that cause juvenile crime; it just covers them up until they explode. Michael Hunt Lock Haven, Pa.

I just read with enthusiasm your article on the rise in uniform use in today’s public schools. The next morning, as I departed my driveway with my 2-year-old daughter, I drove past the neighborhood high-school group waiting for the school bus. Within it were several young girls wearing the shortest skirts I’ve ever seen, and platform shoes that would have put my ’70s leftovers to shame. Let’s face it, there is absolutely no way that a young man can focus on academics when he’s surrounded by young women so inappropriately dressed. And as for the young ladies, how on earth can they complete their schoolwork when they have to concentrate on pulling down their skirts, pulling up the straps on their tank tops and trying to walk in those awful shoes–not to mention worrying about whether or not their clothes came from Target or Bloomingdale’s? In all the hype to allow our children to express their individuality and dress more like the (trendy) adults they wish to be, we’ve forgotten that schools are about education and preparation for the life ahead. And in losing sight of this important perspective, we adults are allowing our kids to suffer. Uniforms in schools or, at the very least, a more uniform approach to dress codes will allow both students and teachers to focus on education and on the goals students need to achieve in order to become the best possible young adults. Sharon Schreiner Williamsburg, Va.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-18” author: “Linda Schaeffer”

The Cradle of Health

Your Sept. 27 cover story confirmed my long-held belief that many traits that tend to run in families have more to do with “family habits” than with genes (“Where Health Begins,” Science & Technology). The same diet that affects the fetus will probably be fed to the child through its formative years. Thus the child’s biography tends to become its biology. Thus the sins of the fathers (and mothers) are truly visited upon the sons (and daughters). David A. Herndon Houston, Texas

I have spent the last 25 years agonizing over what I might have done to contribute to the birth defects that ultimately killed my daughter. Now I find out that physical problems my healthy sons may encounter later in life may be my fault as well. I can’t get a break! Jeri Ismert Westminster, Colo.

My worst fear is that women are going to be blamed for all their children’s health problems, and yet they have no support from our society to live their lives any differently when they are pregnant. We women are just human beings with stresses and faults, and we are carrying our own health problems and mental baggage. Now we are being told that our uteruses may hold the health of the human race. That sounds like an awfully important job for a woman who is already working three full-time jobs (wife, mother, employee) up until the moment she goes into labor. Telaina Eriksen Haslett, Mich.

Slaughter in Ft. Worth

As a gun owner, I was appalled to learn that Gov. George W. Bush had signed an amendment allowing a person to carry a firearm into church and requiring the church to post a sign if it wants to ban guns (“A Sanctuary Shooting,” National Affairs, Sept. 27). What have we come to that we would dare to defile a place of worship because of the obsessive love affair Americans have with guns? If I could bring back one life lost in Ft. Worth by surrendering every gun I have, I would gladly do so. Gun ownership and the Second Amendment are not worth the loss of our youth. William R. Morris Baker, La.

Your one-page article on the slaughter of Christians in the Wedgwood Baptist Church expresses mystification about the gunman’s motives. Yet you report his rhetoric at the shooting scene and the “anti-religious” writings found in his home, along with a family Bible that had been “methodically torn to pieces.” I suspect that if the words and bullets had been directed at people of color or gays, the motive of hatred would have been shouted from the rooftops. Laura Belcourt St. Peter, Minn.

The Wrong Nightie

In your review of “The Trust” (“All of the Family’s News,” Business, Sept. 27), your reviewer seems to have scanned the book but not paid too much attention to detail. Writing about Adolph Ochs, the founding father, she says, “he grabbed at women all his life, including his new daughter-in-law, who spent a couple of nights in the Ochs home fleeing from him in her nightie.” For the record, Adolph never had a son. His surrogate son was his nephew, Julius Ochs Adler, who, after he married, was ordered to live in the same house with his Uncle Adolph and Aunt Effie. The woman who fled in her nightie was Julius’s wife, Babs, my mother. Barbara Adler Katzander New York, N.Y.

Governor Schwarzenegger?

In your Oct. 11 Perspectives section, my quote about “Just waiting for Miss Piggy, Kermit and Fozzie Bear” was a comment referring exclusively to president wanna-bes Cybill Shepherd and Warren Beatty–not to future political ambitions of Arnold Schwarzenegger. In fact, I firmly believe Mr. Schwarzenegger could “Terminate” his Democratic competition for the California governorship in 2002. Besides, I’ve seen every one of his many box-office hits–and this is one guy I don’t want to irritate. Mark Pfeifle Deputy Press Secretary Republican National Committee Washington, D.C.

BylinesA Welcome to Anna Quindlen

This week marks Anna Quindlen’s debut as a columnist on NEWSWEEK’s prestigious back page. The Pulitzer Prize winning-journalist and best-selling novelist succeeds the late Meg Greenfield, and will alternate with George Will.

In 1994, Quindlin left The New York Times, where she wrote the “Public and Private” op-ed column, to devote herself to fiction. Did she miss the journalistic wars in her five years away? “Sometimes I’ve had a faint hankering to write, " Quindlen says, “but not at the times you’d expect. I wasn’t particularly interested in the sorry spectacle of the president and the intern. But occasionally I’d read a story about one of the subjects that perennially interest me - poverty, welfare reform, reproductive rights, the lives of women and people of color - and think that I could have made something of it.”

Her new family at NEWSWEEK is sure she would have - and now will, for our readers.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-18” author: “Sylvester Brown”

Livin’ La Vida Online

Your special report (“The Dawn of E-Life,” Sept. 20) on how the Internet is changing America arrived two days after I watched the Emmy Awards on my computer’s screen while I used its word processor to type a memo for work. The same day one of my high-school classmates e-mailed me to reserve a spot at our class reunion, and she began by asking, “Thirty years ago, who would have thought… ?” Oh, and did I mention that my 16-year-old son is a beta tester at Microsoft? He applied for the position over the Internet. Kathy Loch Klein Dubuque, Iowa

You ask in the first sentence of your article on the new wired world, “Was there a single moment when we turned the corner?” Surely it occurred during the week in September 1998 when the long-awaited Starr Report finally became available to the world–via the Internet. I remember watching national TV broadcasters sitting facing Internet screens, their backs to the camera, reading aloud from the report to television viewers. It hit me at that very moment–we were on the threshold of a new world. Wendy Adamson Minneapolis, Minn.

Count me in as one of the millions whose real life is better because it includes e-life! Where else but on the Internet could I have met more than 100 other women expecting babies during the same month I was to discuss, rant and whine about the day-to-day ups and downs of pregnancy? And we’re still e-mailing each other now, four years later, about the trials of parenting, quirky kids, marriages, divorces and new babies. We’re physically spread all over the globe and I may never meet some of them, but they are as close as my computer, any time I need them, day or night. They are some of my best friends–they are my cybersisters. Sondra Ailinger Odenton, Md.

How is the Internet changing America? We’ve just gone from one boob tube to another. When will we ever learn? R. Jensen Kula, Hawaii

E-mail is especially crucial to people who are hard of hearing and cannot communicate on the phone. Without it, I would not be able to “hear” from my family on a daily or weekly basis (from wherever they are in the world). I would not be able to communicate locally with friends on minor things like where to meet, what to wear to dinner and who else will be there. I am also much more fun in e-mails than in person! Claudia Koontz Colville, Wash.

I was interviewed for and featured in your cover story on e-life because I had used the Internet service Priceline.com to buy my new car. I believe that the quote from me (“Hi, sweetie, want to buy a car?”) that you used to describe the attitude of the salesman who originally worked with me at Continental Motors in Fairfield, Conn., gives a false impression. In fact, the salesman was very professional and courteous. Tracy M. O’Such Fairfield, Conn.

We are delighted that NEWSWEEK selected APBnews.com as a “standout” Web site in your e-life issue, but we are surprised that you listed us in your “wacky” category. This year, we have won the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award from the Society of Professional Journalists, hired Pulitzer Prize winner Sydney Schanberg to run our investigative unit and syndicated our daily news feed to major newspapers like The Dallas Morning News and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and to major news Web sites such as MSNBC.com and Yahoo! I hope you will review APBnews.com again and will come to agree with our dedicated users and journalism authorities that we are a highly professional news organization exclusively devoted to coverage of crime, justice and safety. Marshall V. Davidson Chairman and CEO, APB Multimedia, Inc. New York, N.Y.

Waco Won’t Go Away

Waco may be a battle cry for the NRA and for terrorists, but glorifying the name belies the realities of the ill-fated “compound” (“A Fire That Won’t Die,” News of the Week, Sept. 20). Reports from former Branch Davidians depict a mind-controlled sect whose tyrant-leader abused its members. In addition, they had a huge cache of firearms and their own incendiary devices. Tapes reveal that David Koresh urged pouring fuel around the compound in a massive suicide plan. This was not a benign commune whose peaceful prayer was interrupted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. The four agents who died in the raid were murdered, coldly and with calculation. Those who are so quick to defend the rights of gun owners–even psychologically disturbed groups with far too much firepower–should question what happened to the rights of the four agents who died. Beth Barrett South Bend, Ind.

I don’t know which is most frightening: the fiery end to the siege at Waco, the evidence of a government cover-up only now coming out or NEWSWEEK’s suggestion that one has to be an antisocial nut to be alarmed by it all. Is it nutty to be outraged by a paramilitary police force in the United States using tanks, military tear gas and incendiary devices against American citizens? Jon Ford Boulder, Colo.

If I shot at a government agent trying to arrest me, I would expect to be fired upon. Why is there so much sympathy being given to Koresh and his followers? He chose to break the law. He chose to fight. He chose not to surrender. The facts are that Koresh and his followers had 51 days to surrender and turn over their weapons. Other Branch Davidians came out of their own accord and no rogue government agency gunned them down. The Davidians shot agents executing a legal warrant on violations of the law. There should be an investigation all right, on why the agents didn’t go in sooner. Mark R. Leiser Charlotte, N.C.

Given the latest Waco revelations, why is NEWSWEEK so bent on marginalizing those of us who worry about an out-of-control federal government? These military-style commando units associated with the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and other agencies–what else have they done, covered up and gotten away with? Why should we now believe anything they say? Maybe it’s just inevitable that when government gets too big, when it tries to do too much and control too many things, then its institutions become corrupt and abusive. If Waco undermines people’s trust in the federal leviathan, is that a problem (as NEWSWEEK seems to think)? Or is it the beginning of a solution? Allan Walstad Johnstown, Pa.

Get Smart, Go to Sleep

Jenny Hung is to be congratulated for her excellent My Turn (“Surviving a Year of Sleepless Nights,” Sept. 20). It brought to mind my admonition to my nine children: “Don’t let your studies interfere with your education,” which may be partly responsible for the fact that they are well-rounded, happy citizens. Jack Cole Bethlehem, Pa.

Jenny Hung’s essay portrays all honors students as grade-grubbing creatures who care little about their physical and social well-being. As a high-school junior taking three AP courses and one honors course, I have ample time for extracurricular and social activities, and I generally get a decent night’s sleep. And I love my life. As anyone in my school can attest, there are those who work solely for the grade. Yet one cannot deny how passionately some students pursue knowledge, paying secondary attention to the accolades it may earn them. Not all class valedictorians must “work [their] fingers to the bone” simply to earn the title, as Hung implies they must. Rather, they let their love of knowledge carry them through. I know this truth, because numerous students in my class possess this love, and inevitably one from this group will become valedictorian. Daniel Rosenbloom Great Neck, N.Y.

Troubled Times in East Timor

Strategic interests have dictated U.S. policy toward East Timor (“A Superpower’s Dilemma,” News of the Week, Sept. 20). In December 1975, the day after President Ford and Henry Kissinger had left Jakarta, Indonesia invaded East Timor with U.S. equipment and financial support and made it a province. The reason for U.S. support? East Timor controls a strategic shipping lane between the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Now the world and the Timorese are paying the price for the terrible decision made by the United States and Indonesia a quarter of a century ago. Carol Bragg Seekonk, Mass.

I write to express my deep concern about the news that the safety of the East Timorese who are deported to West Timor will be entrusted to Indonesia, just as the United Nations did with the safety of all the Timorese at the beginning of this process, with the results we all know about. I hope there are objective and independent assurances of safety for the deported people. The world and history will hold the United Nations and its Security Council responsible for the consequences of this decision. Carlos Cerqueira Coimbra, Portugal

Life Is Beautiful

In response to Prof. Peter Singer’s proposal for optional infanticide of babies born with Down syndrome or spina bifida, described in George Will’s column (“Life and Death at Princeton,” The Last Word, Sept. 13), perhaps a tutorial on the current “quality of life” of these children is in order. My 11-year-old daughter, born with spina bifida and paralyzed from the waist down, has had the opportunity, with the help of adapted equipment, to snow-ski, play ice hockey, bicycle, windsurf, water-ski and kayak. She enjoys going to movies, the mall, a good joke, “I Love Lucy,” sparring with her sister, celebrating birthdays and Christmas. She has deeply enriched our lives. May it please Singer to know that my daughter is also a vegetarian. For someone so deeply concerned about the issues of life and its termination, Singer appears to be “suffering” a severe deficit when it comes to understanding what constitutes the “stuff of life”: namely, to love and be loved. Kathleen M. Douglass Wareham, Mass.

After reading George Will’s column, I am greatly disheartened. As the mother of a child with Down syndrome, I certainly do not share Professor Singer’s opinion that infanticide is “morally permissible” in the case of a baby with a handicap. Though Will’s belief that Singer’s ideas will not be accepted is comforting, it still scares me to know that this man is teaching his philosophy to impressionable students. These students are our future doctors, employers, teachers and parents. As Will puts it, most people are not well informed about individuals with Down syndrome (or, for that matter, disabilities in general). And most have no interest in becoming well informed. People with disabilities already have enough of a fight to gain rights and respect that are a given to their nondisabled counterparts, without having to fight for the basic right of life. Jill Desmond Robb Oakland, Calif.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-09” author: “Pamela Sawyer”

Starting in the Womb

My worst fear is that women are going to be blamed for all their children’s health problems, and yet they have no support from our society to live their lives any differently when they are pregnant (“Shaped by Life in the Womb,” Society & the Arts, Sept. 27). We women are just human beings with stresses and faults, and we are carrying our own health problems and mental baggage. Now we are being told that our uteruses may hold the health of the human race. That sounds like an awfully important job for a woman who is already working three full-time jobs (wife, mother, employee) up until the moment she goes into labor. Telaina Eriksen Haslett, Michigan

I find it startling that “fetal programming” is only recently being taken seriously. With the burden of responsibility being heaped upon the woman, the man might also want to reconsider his habits. V. Jean Clelland Chiche, France

It’s ironic that what constitutes news by today’s scientists has been known for centuries. In 1649, while staying at the court of Queen Christina in Sweden, philosopher Rene Descartes published “The Passions of the Soul.” In article 136 of this work he says, “… for it is certain that there is a relation between all the movements of the mother and those of the child in her womb, so that what is adverse to one is harmful to the other.” Sylvia Maclagan Buenos Aires, Argentina

Your story confirmed my long-held belief that many traits that tend to run in families have more to do with “family habits” than with genes. The same diet that affects the fetus will probably be fed to the child through its formative years. Thus the child’s biography tends to become its biology. Thus the sins of the fathers (and mothers) are truly visited upon the sons (and daughters). David A. Herndon Houston, Texas

Whenever I come across an article by Sharon Begley, I take notice. I read, I think, I learn. The endless renditions of man’s societal disasters do not add anything to my knowledge. I already know the cause and solutions to these problems. But Begley always provides new and useful knowledge. William W. Morgan Hanoi, Vietnam

I have spent the last 25 years agonizing over what I might have done to contribute to the birth defects that ultimately killed my daughter. Now I find out that physical problems my healthy sons may encounter later in life may be my fault as well. I can’t get a break! Jeri Ismert Westminster, Colorado

India’s Tech Boom

As an Indian, I was made proud by your story on India’s development within information technology (“Growing Smartly,” Business, Sept. 27). The fact that India has achieved this in spite of our current politicians, who sadly have not kept tune with the rest of India, speaks volumes for what Indians can do. There’s still a lot to be done. But I hope India will grow stronger economically in the new millennium, and along with that our politicians will realize that they also have to reform themselves. Achal Sridharan Coimbatore, India

You write that 1999 has been a particularly good year for India as far as food production and GDP are concerned, and that we Indians are well placed in the industry of the future: information technology. Let me remind you that more than half of India’s population hasn’t even heard of computers and most rural areas are still without electricity and clean drinking water. Hamza Badani Mumbai, India

It saddens me to say that although India may be progressing, millions of Indians do not have access to clean drinking water and the illiterate population of India is double the total population of the United States. I hope the new government will undertake drastic measurements to get the country back on track. Too many broken promises have shattered our dreams. Ksitij Suraiya Via Internet

Your report on India’s information technology was perceptive and timely. As a 1970 graduate from India’s premier engineering school, I bemoaned the large-scale brain drain to the United States during the ’70s and ’80s. But now, as many of these superskilled emigrants have matured into entrepreneurs of the software industry in Silicon Valley, I no longer rue their migration as a loss to India. Many of them have maintained ties with India and are fired by a nationalistic zeal to see India emerge as a global economic power. Fortunately, since 1991 there has been a strong national consensus for economic reform in India. As a result of this, together with outstanding efforts by stalwarts in India’s IT industry, India is now turning into a global IT power. K. Srinivasan Mumbai, India

It’s good to see that the world’s biggest democracy is finally developing as we step into the next millennium. I wish India good luck with its technological growth. Arjun Markanda Lagos, Nigeria

Europe: Leadership, Anyone?

I want to commend Michael Elliott for his analysis of why European leaders fail “to truly integrate Europe” and to persuade “their rich citizens to make modest sacrifices for a greater good” (“Action, Not Words,” Europe, Sept. 27). It should be noted, though, that 65 million West Germans have been making such a sacrifice for years by “integrating” 16 million East Germans. Marilyn Torber Essen, Germany

Michael Elliott’s article “Action, Not Words” is a true example of fine journalism–and deserves applause. Elliott is right in saying that Europe is unable, and unwilling, to expand into East and Central Europe due to a lack of true leadership. However, although economically robust, the United States also lacks strong leadership. A publicly discredited president like Bill Clinton evidently is in no position to exert moral authority over a great nation. The multibillion-dollar money-laundering scandal in Russia epitomizes the futility of U.S. policy toward that vast semi-state, semi-empire. I’m afraid the unwillingness of Europe to incorporate the countries of East and Central Europe into the Union, coupled with the failed efforts of the U.S. administration simply to keep Russia “on board,” may create a dangerous vacuum of discontent and disorder–a vacuum that may incite a repeat of communists’ past and recent bloodshed. It’s the United States, and not hopeless Europe, that may help East and Central Europe the most. The United States should not let the idea of democracy be wiped out together with the vanishing mirage of a United Europe. Velin Velkov Varna, Bulgaria

You state that “Americans wonder why Europeans don’t understand that the world on their borders is a dangerous one, but one that with a little generosity could be made much safer.” But European governments spend more money on official development and humanitarian aid per capita than the United States does. Also, in Kyoto in 1997, Europe committed to further reductions in the emission of greenhouse gases, while the U.S. government refused any commitment in the name of its own industrial interests. M. Lemaitre Paris, France

Crisis in the Caucasus

Why is it all right for Russia to subject civilians in Grozny and villages in Dagestan to indiscriminate and brutal bombardment in an effort to forcibly retain territories in the Caucasus, but not for Indonesia to try and hang on to East Timor (“Russia’s War Hits Home,” Europe, Sept. 27)? The reactions from the politicians as well as the media have been different and contradictory in the two cases. Why should the plight of innocent Chechen and Dagestani women and children be less deserving of our sympathies? Why should they not have the right to choose if they wish to remain in Russia in the same way as the East Timorese? K. Hussan Zia Brossard, Canada

History has a nasty habit of repeating itself. On Nov. 26, 1939, Russian troops near the Finnish border were bombarded by artillery fire, and 13 soldiers were killed or wounded. This incident, known as the shootings of Mainila, or Mainilian laukaukset, gave Russians an excuse to attack Finland just a few days later, thus starting the Winter War. Fifty years later, in 1989, the Soviet Union confessed that those shots had been fired by its own cannons. Knowing this, one can’t help but wonder who the real culprits behind the recent explosions in Russia may be. Tero Levola Turku, Finland

Historically speaking, the people of Chechnya and Dagestan were never Russians, although they have been oppressed by Russia from the time of the czars to Stalin. When Chechen Gen. Djokhar Dudayev declared independence in 1991, he thought Russia, which was becoming democratic, would finally hear his plea, as did Dagestan’s rebels more recently. But the Russian Army attacked, seeking to quell the insurgency in a Soviet-like way. Ignoring the causes of terrorism, in this case shelving people’s historic right to freedom, always results in the same consequences: no peace can be preserved at home and no democracy can be accepted by people with whom Russia could be, after all, good neighbors. Bernard J. Henry Garches, France

Looking Back on Pius XII

It was refreshing to read Kenneth L. Woodward’s feature on John Cornwell’s book “Hitler’s Pope” (“The Case Against Pius XII,” Society & the Arts, Sept. 27). In the late 1980s I studied the sworn testimonies gathered for the Canonization Cause of Pius XII in Rome. Several of them speak of his concern and help for Jews, both before and after he became pope. Cornwell charges him with hypocrisy, but the testimonies show him to have been a transparently honest person. While ascetic and always requiring the best from himself and others in the service of the church, he is shown also to have been courteous and kind, with a sense of humor. In an article on Cardinal Martini in London’s Sunday Times magazine in 1993, Cornwell described Pope Pius as a diplomat, a hypochondriac and a ditherer. This was hardly the most positive image to have in mind when he was setting out to write his book. Felicity O’Brien Kent, England

During the papacy of Pius XII, camps were set up in Europe to exterminate men, women and children, mainly Jews and Gypsies. Despite the best efforts of his apologists, there is no convincing evidence that these atrocities, perpetrated in his own backyard, really moved Pius XII, either at the time or subsequently. Jeremy I. Pfeffer Rehovot, Israel

Your review of John Cornwell’s book “Hitler’s Pope” smacks of the worst excesses of the Roman Catholic Church’s censorship in an earlier era. That most of Cornwell’s sources are “secondary and written by Pacelli’s harshest critics” is an insufficient reason to condemn a book of more than 500 pages. Nor is the fact that the author is a journalist any reason for condemnation. I would have expected sounder reasons than those offered by Woodward to sustain his conclusion that the work is “bogus scholarship.” Milton Shain Cape Town, South Africa

Liberte, Egalite ou Beaute?

I was dismayed to see France’s 36,000 mayors dispute their very own Marianne, the symbol of the French republic (“A Marianne for the Millennium,” Periscope, Sept. 27). The timeless Marianne, originally supposed to represent boldness, audacity and intrepidity, is likely to be chosen by the sole criterion of beauty. I am afraid that the five contenders, pictured in your Periscope item, do not represent the social values of the 21st century. Liberte, egalite, fraternite, beaute? Certainly not! Remi Yahya Strasbourg, France

‘How You Play the Game’

The European underdogs’ splendid performance in “golf’s greatest showdown” –the Ryder Cup–spells two words: team spirit (“A Spanish Blast,” Society & the Arts, Sept. 27). But it also reflects European and U.S. societies: while U.S. athletes’ professionalism, individualism and obsession with money make them the champions of individual sports, the Europeans’ tolerance and humor are best suited for team sports. This manifests itself in both tennis (the Davis Cup) and golf. It might be true, as the U.S. Ryder Cup captain says, that the U.S. team has the 12 best golf players in the world. But while Europe is a team of a dozen golf players, the United States has 12 golf players put into one team. There is a difference. Peter Karaszi Stockholm, Sweden

Players’ wives and girlfriends, spectators and officials at Brookline, Massachusetts, recently, it reminded me of a saying I was told as a young boy playing sports. It goes, “When it comes to the one Great Scorer in the sky, he marks you on not whether you won or lost, but how you played the game.” The United States brilliantly won the Ryder Cup, but in the process lost a lot of respect from the rest of the world. Ronnie Stuart Kirkcaldy, Scotland

The Wrong Nightie

In her review of “The Trust” (“All of the Family’s News,” Business, Sept. 27), your reviewer seems to have scanned the book but not paid too much attention to detail. Writing about Adolph Ochs, the founding father, she says, “he grabbed at women all his life, including his new daughter-in-law, who spent a couple of nights in the Ochs home fleeing from him in her nightie.” For the record, Adolph never had a son. His surrogate son was his nephew, Julius Ochs Adler, who, after he married, was ordered to live in the same house with his Uncle Adolph and Aunt Effie. The woman who fled in her nightie was Julius’s wife, Babs, my mother. Barbara Adler Katzander New York, N.Y.

Russia: Whose Responsibility?

Reflecting upon Fareed Zakaria’s article about the United States’ responsibilities for Russia’s current troubles, I couldn’t agree more (“Lousy Advice Has Its Price,” World View, Sept. 27). But the United States didn’t lose Russia–it was lost long before you came on board. To me–born and raised in one of the satellite Soviet regimes–the current patterns of corruption, abuse and violence, going back as far as 30 years, are all too familiar. Laszlo Pribusz Budapest, Hungary

When Mikhail Gorbachev started his reforms, he started at the wrong end–with politics. China, on the other hand, started with economic reforms. People need food, clothing and shelter. Free choice does not automatically usher a country into Utopia. Now, after 10 years, we see who’s right. The West, especially the United States, must learn that it took hundreds of years for the Western countries to refine their system of governance and economic policies to achieve their current status. S. M. Duraiswmy Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

On Crime and Punishment

Come on, you guys! the shooting in the sanctuary of the Baptist church in Ft. Worth, Texas, is no more about guns than the death of Princess Di is about cars (“A Sanctuary Shooting,” Periscope, Sept. 27). The tragic murders in Texas were about a psychopathic misfit named Ashbrook who hated Christians. (Maybe you should have headlined the story Christian persecution?) Your anti-gun agenda would be ridiculous if it didn’t dangerously obscure the real issue–a society where alienation, hatred and violence escalate while lawmakers multiply useless laws that are never enforced against the troublemakers. David Arnold Dayton, Ohio

The purchase and ownership of guns should be restricted, but in the United States many people resist a registration by the government. But what about a private registration? Make it an offense to possess a gun without valid liability insurance, and let the insurance companies determine the risk and premium of each gun owner. Require all insured guns to be registered, and make the seller liable if he sells a gun to someone without valid insurance. Make the gun owners pay for their crimes and for their negligence. Georg Strom Lejre, Denmark

A Great Story

The new movie “Anna and the King” is based on the original diaries of Anna Leonowens. As Jodie Foster intimates in your article, the diaries are pretty tough going (“The Royal Treatment,” Society & the Arts, Aug. 16). I think it is a credit to the various writers who have been attracted to this story through the years that the core of truth to it has remained through the conventions of each particular era. Each time the goal was to impart an especially colorful piece of history while telling a good story. The specific allusions to Rodgers and Hammerstein’s version are not correct; I can’t imagine where the notion came that the king has ever been played in a “buffoonish” style (Brynner’s Oscar-winning performance a specific case in point), and I can’t imagine what print of “The King and I” Andy Tennant saw to mishear and misinterpret the king’s use of “etcetera.” Great stories get told over and over. Hollywood telling it again with Jodie Foster and Chow Yun-Fat is clearly a cause for celebration. However, it would seem churlish to support it at the expense of one of the best versions of the story ever. Theodore S. Chapin New York, N.Y.

Celebrating China

Despite the analysis of several experts, stating that China has a long way to go in its quest to become a world power, we should never underestimate its ability to achieve it (“Standing Up,” Special Report, Sept. 20). The Chinese are determined to end “100 years of humiliation,” and they will not let anything stand in their way. This 50th anniversary is for them a reminder of who they are as a people–that they should be masters of their own destiny and that they will never again allow themselves to be dominated by anyone. They are confident that the coming century will be their time to rise and gain the prestige and respect they’ve wanted for so long. Aaron G. Ronquillo Manila, Philippines

What is there for China to celebrate given its track record, which in all fairness can be viewed objectively only as among the darkest in human history? The servile endurance of the Chinese is simply amazing; how can they embrace unnecessary suffering as the only way of life and even as an enjoyable experience? The Chinese ability to make sense of nonsense, to celebrate when they should mourn and to find reasons to be proud when other people would feel ashamed is incredible. Let’s hope that China may find some sensible reason for celebration in another anniversary in the not-too-distant future. Peter Lyn Hong Kong

I sensed some American ethnocentrism in your story “In Love With a Vision.” To write about Mao Zedong’s so-called “American dream” is ironic because it was Richard Nixon who came to see Mao, not vice versa. Why didn’t you describe it as “Nixon’s Chinese dream”? Xiong Lei Beijing, China

Your article “In Love With a Vision” contains two factual errors. You state that " ‘Everyone was frantic,’ says Zhang Hanzhi, later Mao’s English teacher, whose husband was in the shelter.” But at the time of the Korean War, Zhang Hanzhi was an innocent teenager; she married after the Korean War. Also, it’s not correct to say that “in 1963 he asked the daughter of Zhang Hanzhi, one of his old mentors, to be his English teacher.” It should have said: “In 1963 he asked Zhang Hanzhi, the daughter of one of his old mentors, to be his English teacher.” Paul Lee Dongnai, Vietnam

Gerald Segal is right in reminding us of the disaster of the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution (“The Myth of Chinese Power”). But he is mocking China’s GDP. The Chinese live in very simple flats and houses. But we must not forget that there are 1.3 billion people in China–and they not only have housing, they also have food to eat and clothes to wear. In contrast, take a look at its neighbor to the north: Russia. There, “only” 150 million people live in far worse conditions. Also consider the simple, but efficient, infrastructure in China, serving 1.3 billion people. Communism or not–these are all unbelievable achievements. Joachim Reindl Munich, Germany

I enjoyed your article about China’s economic development since the Deng Xiaoping era (“Gradual Is Good”). It was comprehensive, concise and objective, giving credit where it’s due. However, the authors seemed reluctant to accept that the same gradualism is being applied not only to China’s economic efforts, but also to politics. I’m convinced that the leadership in Beijing had already accepted the inevitability of political reform when they first experimented with their economy. I read China’s recent activities in legislation, in promoting the concept of the rule of law, in the successful direct elections of headmen in villages and its concentration on education as clear signs of gradualism in China’s political reform. Jason M. Stone Nonthaburi, Thailand

Mahathir’s Malaysia

I’m not an admirer of Mahathir. Yet this man–known for his original ideas and incisive, plain speaking–has earned my respect (“Under Fire,” Asia, Aug. 30). He is an astute politician who is getting on the Western countries’ nerves. Despite the many criticisms, only a man of Mahathir’s vision and resolution could fill the role of leading Malaysia into the 21st century with pride and confidence. Mohamad Noor Bin Mohar Singapore

The question that comes to mind when reading your article is: what fire is it Mahathir is under? I wonder if NEWSWEEK knows that Malaysia is a peaceful and prosperous country from which we even have to keep illegal immigrants out. When I look at our neighboring countries, I am proud of our achievements. Fazlisa Fazillah Selangor, Malaysia

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-07” author: “Leda Gaffney”

‘Au Naturel, S’il Vous Plait’

Your article on Europeans’ protesting against genetically modified crops from the United States doesn’t say much about what originally triggered French farmer Jose Bove’s protest (“The Big Food Fight,” Europe, Sept. 13). Hormone-laden U.S. beef places French farmers in an unfavorable position because they are not allowed to use hormones to preserve the quality of the meat. Because Europe bans the import of such beef, the American government has retaliated by imposing a punitive tariff on the import of French farm products such as Roquefort and goat cheese. As a goatherd and cheese maker, Bove, together with other French farmers, bears the brunt of that unfair measure from America. Bernard Marcele La Jarne, France

If it’s true that “the customer is always right,” it’s time America started respecting–and adhering to–that rule. Jean Henin La Canourgue, France

Regarding the story on “Frankenstein foods,” it seems like French and American cultures are mirror images of each other. One fears genetically modified foods, but runs its kitchens on nuclear power. The other is hopelessly paranoid about plugging into the atom, but willing to dine on GM recipes. Proving that demons, like gods, are freely chosen by every culture. John McDonough Kenilworth, Illinois

You describe the “food fight” as being about some angst-filled traditionalists or backward romantics who need to be taken seriously not because of their arguments but because of their buying power. You failed to mention any of the arguments that can be raised against genetically altered food. I prefer buying regional and seasonal food that’s tasty and healthful, rather than highly processed “convenience” products–available at any time and in any quantity, but loaded with artificial flavors, colors and stabilizers. Christina Schatz Ortenberg, Germany

Gm organisms are not “Frankenstein foods.” They are major advancements in technology and science. Agriculture has been “genetically modifying” plants since the Stone Age by selecting seeds from higher-yielding or disease-resistant specimens to plant the next season. Segregation and labeling of a product because it contains a slightly different protein combination is a foolish and very expensive burden on the grain industry, which will be passed on to the consumer. Larry Leibhart Crop Consultant Anselmo, Nebraska

Selling Chanel perfume and Land Rovers to Americans doesn’t do any harm (unless the seduction turns sour or the car goes off the cliff). But food genetically modified by Monsanto? No, thanks. Stephen Back Vence, France

Bravo to the Europeans for protesting against that which is crammed down American throats on a daily basis: genetically modified, and in many cases chemically adulterated, milk, meats and produce–neither labeled nor researched for possible long-term effects on health and environment. Albert A. Midoux Anderson, Missouri

You claim that “there’s no evidence that the taco chips and soda you’re enjoying right now are anything worse than fattening.” Do you mean that more in a there’s-no-evidence-that-smoking-is-linked-to-lung-cancer or in a there’s-no-evidence-that-nuclear-radiation-is-harmful way? Daniel Binz Trier, Germany

The two reasons that American opposition to GM crops isn’t more widespread are the news media’s failure to report the issue fairly (wanting us to believe that only a few eco-cranks oppose GM crops) and the lack of labeling that allows people to choose whether they want to be guinea pigs. The European consumers and farmers have the full story, and they have wisely organized to protect their ecosystems, agriculture and health from this new threat. Eric Belsey Greenwood Village, Colorado

Argentina: Looking Back

Congratulations on your article on Argentina’s effective transformation process under its flamboyant outgoing President Carlos Menem (“A Buoyant Ending?” World Affairs, Sept. 13). During this period of 10 years, many goals were achieved: hyperinflation was stopped, we saw an increase in foreign investments, relations with Britain were restored and the military was finally swept out of politics. But it also left several pending issues and social effects: high recession and unemployment rates: some 1.9 million people are out of work, a deeply impoverished middle class and scandals and widespread corruption. After 10 years Argentina’s foreign debt is at $114 billion. After Menem’s departure, it’s the Argentinians who will have to pay for this party. Julio Blanc Sellares Buenos Aires, Argentina

I was shocked and frankly annoyed when I came across your interview with Menem (“Menem on the Record”). As usual, he flaunts his alleged accomplishments and carefully avoids tackling the crucial topics, such as rampant corruption, impunity from punishment, social unrest and unemployment, soaring week after week. Does he believe anyone buys this? Ask any Argentinian–except a Riojano, from the president’s province, La Rioja–and you’ll find that nine out of 10 want him out. He certainly has “left his mark”–a red one in our budgets. Florencia Mafferetti Nueve de Julio, Argentina

East Timor: A Lonely Fight?

I am writing to express my discontentment regarding your coverage of the recent turmoil in East Timor (“One Thug, One Vote,” Asia, Sept. 13). I must say I’m shocked that you, at a time when a nation was being slaughtered, devoted three pages to various Sega, Sony and Nintendo games and gear. A genocide comparable to that in Kosovo, which you paid so much attention to, got only one page in the middle of the magazine. Joao Cortez Via Internet

The first “United Nations endorsed” war took place in Kuwait in 1990, and recently, without any U.N. backing, NATO took it upon itself to stop the horrible massacre in Kosovo. For a brief moment it seemed like the international community had actually finally acquired a moral conscience. How naive. What followed the recent referendum in East Timor is an example of humankind’s most deplorable qualities: cruelty and brutality from the pro-Jakarta militiamen, indifference and callousness from the Indonesian government and passivity from the international community in general. It’s a shame that oil should be a better reason for intervention in conflicts than human life; it is also deplorable that democracy’s fruit should be so ignored. By all. Paulo Fontoura Lisbon, Portugal

In Kosovo nobody waited for Slobodan Milosevic to give permission before acting. The delay we witnessed in East Timor has caused people all over the world to ask whether human rights are important to the United States only when they co- incide with U.S. economic and strategic interests. George A. Lind-Guimaraes Lisbon, Portugal

Sadly, the lives of innocent people in East Timor cannot be restored, but the infrastructure can. The solution is to divert–from the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and any other country which is financing the Indonesian government–sufficient funds to restore the East Timorese nation, and debit the interest to Jakarta. The Indonesian government should at least pay for the deliberate destruction it has wrought. That would hurt, and may even be a long-term lesson to other governments inclined to use violence to have it their way. Patrick Ridgway Harare, Zimbabwe

‘From Many, One’

I read George Will’s article “It is a Bad Time for Jeremiahs” with great pleasure (World View, Sept. 13). My ancestors were English, Dutch, Italian and German. The founding fathers really got it right with the U.S. motto “e pluribus unum,” or “from many, one.” David A. Widmayer Lengede, Germany

With curiosity I read Will’s article on cohesion in America. It’s important to notice that although the majority of immigrants learned English and the American way of life, integration is not only about learning the culture of the country we go to. It’s also about preserving our habits and sharing them with our neighbors. I hope we’ll be able to do this in Europe, creating a great cohesion between countries, without forgetting our traditions. Everybody has something to learn–as everybody has something to teach. Anna Russo Galliate, Italy

George Will states that “in spite of ’endless talk of difference,’ American society is an amazing machine for homogenizing people.” This is certainly miraculous considering that the United States has a law which requires race designation on birth certificates. In Uruguay we reserve classifications for animals. The race designation is the pigeonholing your homogenizing United States is based on–and the root of your racial problems. Patricia Cook Maldonado, Uruguay

Taking Risks in Germany

I agree that Germany needs to reduce spending in many areas to help maintain competitiveness and create jobs, and individual Germans would surely benefit if they were less obsessed with security and a little more willing to take risks (“Berlin’s Fresh Faces,” Europe, Sept. 13). Still, I can’t help but sense hypocrisy when I hear that message from our members of Parliament. Everyone in Germany knows that just a term or two in the Bundestag does wonders to a person’s financial security. The salaries and benefits are excellent. Hans Martin Bury, along the other “youngsters” you profile, wants Germans to make “short-term sacrifices.” Fair enough, but when will he and some of the other young members stand up in the Bundestag to declare that they will do their bit by trimming some of their more extravagant perks? Mike Gavin Geesthacht, Germany

Soviet Nuclear Secrets

I’d like to thank you for publicizing the forgotten story about the Soviet Union’s nuclear tests in the middle of heavily populated areas, and their devastating effects on the environment (“A Half Century of Nuclear Blasts,” Europe, Sept. 13). People tend to notice only sudden and devastating catastrophes, like the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear accident. However, I believe that sorrows and tragedies of people living in areas like Semipalatinsk deserve just as much attention. After all, nobody wants to see his children unknowingly die of leukemia 50 years after the nuclear tests. Marina Lewin Schwabisch Gmund, Germany

Guarding IMF Dollars

Managing director of the International Monetary Fund Michel Camdessus’s remark “We can’t follow every dollar. We’d need an army of controllers” is irresponsible (Perspectives, Sept. 13). It encourages more corruption and sleaze in Russia and the Third World, and the poor majority in those countries will suffer tremendously. It’s Camdessus’s paramount duty to safeguard every IMF dollar; otherwise he should step aside and, for the well-being of the world’s poor, let someone more responsible and capable do the job. Mohamed A. Latif al-Murbati Rifaa, Bahrain

Discipline, Drive, Determination

All you need to succeed is discipline, drive, determination and a dream. I don’t know any school that teaches those things, or any test that can assess them (“The Big Test,” Society & the Arts, Sept. 6). Peter Jennings never finished high school. Eugene O’Neill and John Steinbeck won the Nobel Prize in Literature without finishing college. Bill Gates never finished college either. William J. O’Malley, S.J. Bronx, New York

Remembering Diana

I received my Sept. 6 copy in France on Aug. 31. I was surprised to read in Periscope that “the second anniversary of Princess Diana’s death came and went on Aug. 31, and Britain barely noticed” (“Goodbye, Lady Di”). You appear to be guilty of making news rather than reporting it. N. M. Willcox St.Chinian, France

Editors’ note: By the week before the second anniversary of Princess Diana’s death, it was clear that very little attention was being paid, or was likely to be paid, to the occasion. But our wording was misleading, and we regret it.

The Dream of Peace

As a Sri Lankan, I was proud of your tribute to Dr. Neelan Tiruchelvam (“Mourning a Man of Peace”, World View, Aug. 9). Pranay Gupte is right in saying that “Tiruchelvam’s death wiped out the last of a generation of Sri Lankan political visionaries, both Sinhalese and Tamils.” The lack of a credible leader is precisely what ails my country today. Between the terrorists and the politicians, they have permanently eliminated any such contenders. With no suitable candidate even waiting in the wings, one feels hopeless about what this once proud nation with its 2,500 years of history and culture will be able to leave to future generations. Mahendra Fernando Moratuwa, Sri Lanka

Gupte tends to distort the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. The Sinhalese people are not against the Tamils. All Sri Lankans are against the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam), the Tamil separatists in the north. There were clashes between the Sinhalese and the Tamils in the past. But more and more, we as a nation are realizing our mistakes. Today, all Sri Lankans dream only one dream–that of peace. Margret Coorey Ja-ela, Sri Lanka

India’s Population Explosion

Pranay Gupte’s article “When Bigger Isn’t Better,” in which he seems to be too alarmed by India’s population explosion, requires a rejoinder (World View, Aug. 16). In his 1798 population essay, the English economist and demographic-doomsday predictor Thomas Robert Malthus wrote that since the number of people increases geometrically, while food supply rises arithmetically, widespread famines are inevitable. But no such drastic misfortunes came about, despite a steady increase in the world’s population. Scientific advancements in worldwide food production balance the production with the consumption. With every new baby, there’s not only one more mouth to feed, but also two more able hands–and better knowledge about how to survive. K. Ravindran Singapore

Don’t people realize that this can only mean more strife and ignoble living standards in India, and more onus on nearby countries to accommodate this excess population? I think the Indian government wants to play the demographic card in order to win unworthy gains on the international scene. Nicolau Ramalho So Paulo, Brazil

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-14” author: “Michael Ashford”

Reforming Education

Your package on education (“The Big Test,” Society & the Arts, Sept. 6) offered a vivid presentation of today’s educational systems. I hope that your report will help in the search for new teaching methods relevant to our society. Joel A. Bernasor Iligan, Philippines

Thank you for your article “America’s Exam Anxiety,” on the increasing anxiety and frustration that the standardized tests are producing. This is a growing concern shared by students worldwide which has not been given due attention. As a student, I think these tests are unfair. They crush our creativity and imagination, forcing us to follow a particular format. A student thus feels compelled to follow that format instead of innovating and presenting new ideas. These tests only add to students’ frustration, making us feel restricted by education rather than liberated by knowledge. Fatima Khalid Islamabad, Pakistan

Your story on education captured several critical issues facing educators and parents around the world. However, you failed to mention the crisis in South Asia, home of almost a third of Asians, where about 50 million children do not attend school because of poverty. Confining the analysis of education to the more affluent tiger economies distorts the Asian reality. Saroj Jayasinghe Nagoda, Sri Lanka

The pace of today’s technological change is such that if we teach techniques as ends in themselves, those techniques risk being outdated or replaced by the time students have graduated. We need to encourage a creative, imaginative and open-minded view of the world that will enable graduates to find solutions to new problems as they arise. In this brave new world, the oft-maligned and despised humanities may yet come back into their own, thanks to the attitude of critical questioning they can instill. Christopher Rollaso Metz, France

Creative educational systems by current bureaucrats and educationalists? What a farce. Most of them have won their positions thanks not to their creativity, but to their superiority in rote memorization. How can these pundits, who themselves never received any creative education, draw up creative educational programs for their children? Wataru Yabuki Tokyo, Japan

Your article on thinking is very important. The economic development of a country is directly linked to the number of new products developed and the number of people involved in invention and creation. Schools are the breeding ground for a thinking mind, the development of which must be given top priority. As Einstein said, a school’s aim should be that its students leave as harmonious personalities, not as well-trained dogs. George Fonseca Mumbai, India

Didn’t somebody say that genius could best be described as 5 percent inspiration and 95 percent perspiration? Experts on schools and education both in the United States and in Europe will no longer be able to get around the fact that for all the importance of furthering creativity in our children, real gain seldom comes without pain. Werner Radtke Paderborn, Germany

Locating Sir Creek

In your Aug. 23 article “Militants on the March” you state that “more than 700 miles to the south of Kargil, Indian jets… shot down a lumbering Pakistani surveillance plane near the disputed Kashmiri border over Sir Creek” (world affairs). The incident did take place over Sir Creek, but it did not happen anywhere near the “disputed Kashmiri border.” Sir Creek lies in the Runn of Kutch, in the Indian state of Gujarat, near the Indo-Pak border. Tejash Shah Buffalo, New York

In August, India and Pakistan celebrated their independence by remembering the brave men who lost their lives in Kargil. There were no winners on either side, only losers: politicians have again failed to justify the cost in human lives. I hope that in the next century the value of human beings will be higher than that of ideologies, and that no demagogue will be allowed to ask a man to sacrifice his life for a meaningless idea or a worthless piece of land. Parvez ulHaq Siddiqi Karachi, Pakistan

Toeing the Line in Pakistan?

Your article “Silencing the Dissenters” (Society & the Arts, Aug. 2) was most intriguing, but you failed to mention the gradual buildup of fascism in Pakistan. Nawaz Sharif’s government first cut the judiciary to size by engineering the removal of the chief justice, who was regarded as too independent. Next, the president, considered a threat by Sharif, was forced to resign and was replaced by an ex-employee of Sharif’s industrial estate. Then it was the Army chief, who was deemed too principled to stay in power. Now, it is the relatively free press. The daily Jang was intimidated by the government-controlled income-tax department, and independent-minded journalists like Sethi are being hounded to toe the official line. Majid Khan Avranches, France

Dalai Lama, Call Home

Your article “A Lama to the Globe,” on His Holiness the Dalai Lama, left me worried (Asia, Aug. 16). Will the Tibetans lose–or, rather, have the Tibetans already lost–our Dalai Lama to the “Globe?” Also, the uncertainty that the Dalai Lama feels about his reincarnation turns into a nightmare for us because China’s communist leadership will definitely interfere in the search and selection of the next Dalai Lama. Lhasang Tsering Dharamsala, India

Ambition, Anyone?

As an American living in Sweden, I really enjoyed Robert J. Samuelson’s essay on “Ambition and Its Enemies” (World View, Aug. 30). Samuelson sensitively weighs the virtues of American ambition against its personal costs, but I disagree with his conclusion: “without it, we’d be sunk.” In these prosperous days, success has become a moral crusade. America isn’t struggling for some common cause, like wartime sacrifices, but for individual gain. People need to realize that they need less, not more, in order to “buy” what’s most valuable: inner peace and more time with loved ones. David Ziringer Umea, Sweden

What I liked about your article “Ambition and Its Enemies” is its balance between the angelic and demonic effects of ambition. America may have an overpopulation of the ambitious who go for it but, unfortunately, while Asia certainly does have overpopulation, only a handful of its men and women are ambitious enough to ever really go for it. Nativity Abecia Baguio City, Philippines

Carbon Dioxide Culprits

Some of the information in “The Buzz” item on global warming was manipulative (“Hot Enough for You?” Periscope, Aug. 23). The United States has 5 percent of the world’s population but is emitting 25 percent of the world’s greenhouse gases. China may be the second among carbon-dioxide emitters, but it also has four times the inhabitants of the United States: each U.S. citizen is generating an average of 20 tons of carbon dioxide per year, while a Chinese emits only two tons. To ensure sustainable development, carbon dioxide emissions must be limited to three tons per citizen. Stefan Krauter Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Not Black, Not White, Just Right

Your article on Hispanics’ finding their place in U.S. society reminded me of my years of growing up in New York as a Cuban immigrant (“Latino America,” U.S. Affairs, July 12). It was difficult for me as a child to explain that I was not black, but not white, either. No one could pronounce my name. I knew I was different–and special. Now I am 40 years old and happy that the United States has finally discovered Latinos. What took you so long? Eulalia Salas-Egoavil Caracas, Venezuela

Europe in Cyberspace

Regarding your story “Europe’s got Net Fever,” my main concern is whether European societies will find ways to encourage their “youngest and brightest” to focus their minds on helping solve the numerous social and political problems facing us on the threshold of a new millennium (Business, Sept. 6). The United States may well be regarded as a role model in some areas, but transferring a “Wild West business mentality.com” will make small numbers of people exorbitantly rich. It will do nothing to improve the prospects of peace, social and ethnic coexistence or a healthier environment, to mention just a few pressing issues. How will we use the Net to promote these causes on which our long-term cultural (perhaps even our physical) survival depends? Werner Radtke Paderborn, Germany

I think your box “AOL’s European Adventure” sums it all up. AOL Europe boss Andreas Schmidt is right. “Free” Internet services are just a sham: many people will build up a large subscription base, but how many will remain active once the phone bill arrives? I would rather pay, say, $20 a month and have free local telephone calls. Perhaps Tiscali Net (in Italy) or Freeserve (in Britain) could reverse its strategy: each subscriber pays the phone company 5 percent of monthly fees in return for free local calls. Are we going to reach a point in Europe where we could speak to our overseas contacts at next to nothing, but local calls to the ISP cost more than dialing direct? Until Europe sees real competition at the local-call level, e-commerce is in danger of being just a flash in the pan. Colin Barnes Rome, Italy

Rana Dogar thinks freeserve was the first ISP in Europe to waive Internet access fees? For your information, Telekomunikacje Polska, the Polish version of British Telecom or Deutsche Telekom, has been providing “free” and “instant” access to the Internet since the summer of 1996. Slavek Gronski Shizuoka, Japan

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall…

I was dismayed to read that 70 percent of people with a postgraduate education approve of cosmetic surgery (“Our Quest to Be Perfect,” Society & the Arts, Aug. 16). Perhaps these “educated” people should read through NEWSWEEK more often to learn what is really important in life. Debra Fattel Haifa, Israel

You referred to the prospect of soya-oil breast implants as coming “soon.” In Britain, they have come and, after only five years, are now gone. The Department of Health and the Medical Devices Agency reportedly received more than 70 serious complaints from investors in this “safe” alternative to silicone breast implants. The complaints prompted the MDA to ask the manufacturer for more scientific data, and the “wonder bags” were withdrawn from the U.K. market. Oil is a sealant with a limited shelf life. It’s misleading to suggest that these devices are safe–it would be impossible for large quantities of oil to be absorbed into living tissues. Food products need to be reduced into simpler forms before they can be absorbed into the body through our sophisticated digestive system. Breast-implant manufacturers and the medical profession are too quick to overlook basic biological facts in their quest for profit. Carole Kane Silicon Information Network London, England

In your cover story “Our Quest to Be Perfect” I missed one reference-line on both those “perfect” bodies–the one to the brain. Maybe with the augmentation of that organ, many of the other procedures would not be necessary. Al Waldis Seuzach, Switzerland

I am a 76-year-old woman, enjoying reasonable health and mobility. Since a 20-year-old body is out of the question, I would happily settle for a memory augmentation. Juliette D. Smith Santa Barbara, California

I am 43, look 35 on a good day andstill reckon with what time is doing to my once lithe form. I’ve come to realize that a breast is just a breast. A thigh is just a thigh. As time goes by, I no longer dream of having anyone’s body but my own. Debra B. Darvick Birmingham, Michigan

As I was reading your cover story about the “Quest to Be Perfect” through pec and breast implants, my husband leaned over and jokingly confessed that he had “belly implants.” This would explain a lot (as would gluttony). But his comment hit on an important aspect of beauty. It really is in the eye of the beholder. I know that to me, my husband is beautiful, belly implants and all. Anastasia Steinberg Santa Cruz, California

An Eclipse to Remember

Michael Elliott’s article “Eyes on the Eclipse,” on this millennium’s last eclipse across Europe and Asia, was of special interest to those of us who fell outside the path of the eclipse (Society & the Arts, Aug. 23). The article’s highlight was the magnificent and awesome photo of the eclipse over the Blue Mosque in Istanbul. It is Hindu belief that eclipses (where visible) are a precursor to calamities. Orthodox Hindus take purification baths and offer prayers during, and immediately after, eclipses in the hope that the evil effects will be reduced. Even if it was purely coincidental, it is tragic that Istanbul had to suffer such a terrible earthquake in the wake of the eclipse. N. Narayanan Singapore

I viewed the SOFI (as the eclipse was called by its German acronym) in Karlsruhe, Germany. About two minutes before the total eclipse, the clouds vanished. The corona appeared around the darkened sun in a dark blue sky over the silhouettes of a circular ensemble of representative buildings. And most people, as you rightly reported, cheered as the whole spectacle unfolded in its full brilliance, contradicting the fears of the pessimists. Your characterization of the eclipse as a dress rehearsal for the change of the millennium was really accurate. Ernst Schnell Karlsruhe, Germany

Origins of the Universe

Your article on the physicists who are experimenting to create a miniature of the Big Bang was fascinating (“The Big Bang is Back,” Society & the Arts, Aug. 16). However remote the chances may be, it’s a horrifying thought that somewhere, this fall, a universe could be obliterated by this experiment. But it leads one to an interesting hypothesis: Perhaps the Big Bang and our universe were the results of just such an experiment, conducted some 15 billion years ago in another universe? The question remains, where did that other universe originate from? J.B.J. Molenaar Leusden, Netherlands

Sporting With Immigrants

I was astonished to read that hunting for immigrants can be called “A New Sport,” or a war, even when only one contender is armed (“Coyote Inc.,” World Affairs, Aug. 30). I was dismayed to learn that people make time to enjoy this “leisure activity.” Illegal aliens are people, not animals. Ana Cecilia Ibarra Jimenez Mexico City, Mexico

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-24” author: “Rose Ashley”

Pain and Prayers

I’m a high-school senior, and I would like to thank NEWSWEEK for the excellent article “A Family’s Terrifying Odyssey” (Special Report, April 19). It showed me exactly what situations and difficulties families are facing in Kosovo. It is hard to imagine all the suffering and pain. Most of us here in the United States have no idea how fortunate we really are. The only thing that the people of Kosovo want is to be able to go back to their homes. May we remember them in our thoughts and prayers. Amy Kiser Rockton, Ill.

I’m very disappointed in your April 19 cover on Slobodan Milosevic, “The Face of Evil”. As a molder of public opinion, you have an obligation to sort out information, not demonize the villain du jour. Thomas Heumann Ashland, Ore.

Doing Too Much Time? I hope readers give thoughtful consideration to Rufus King’s My Turn about first-time offenders (“It’s Time to Open the Doors of Our Prisons,” April 19). It is of particular concern to me that so many people have abandoned the goals of redemption, restoration and healing in favor of a “lock ’em up and throw away the key” approach. Even apart from compassionate concerns, indiscriminate lengthy sentencing is a shortsighted solution at best, and contrary to our long-term interests. As a volunteer for many years in a nearby prison, I find myself asking again and again, if this were my erring grandson, would this be the solution I would choose? Lloyd Colbaugh Springfield, Mo.

I applaud Rufus King’s compassion to release nonviolent first-time offenders, but my professional cynicism makes me wonder how many times those individuals have already been given “one more chance” by a compassionate judge, jury, prosecutor or law officer before ending up in prison. Very few citizens feel the full force of the law the first time they violate it. I have a hard time being convinced that the vast majority of prisoners are not exactly where they belong. Dennis O. McGee Annapolis, Md.

The Dogs Get Their Due I am so pleased that the Vietnam dogs will be remembered and honored with memorials (“Heroes of War,” Periscope, April 19). I was privileged to view a recently completed film called “War Dogs”; the dog-handler soldiers in it are still emotional about not having been allowed to bring their four-legged “brothers” home from Vietnam. Their stories tell of incredible canine bravery and loyalty. Thousands more American soldiers would have been killed had it not been for the protection of the dogs. Most Americans have no idea of the role dogs played in Vietnam; it’s high time they did. Carol Reising Scotts Valley, Calif.

I was delighted to find the article about the proposed war-dogs memorial in your April 19 issue. I am sure that most dog lovers in this country would be happy to contribute. What can be done to make this memorial a reality? Frances Puckett Jacksonville, Fla.

A Controversial Custom I read your article “Children of the Ice” (Science & Technology, April 19), about how “precious” Inca children were to their people. So precious, in fact, that those children were drugged and left to freeze to death as human sacrifices to an ancient god, all in “peace and worship.” Excuse me? Are you actually romanticizing the torture and murder of young children? Make no mistake: the two-day trip toward their inevitable deaths would surely have been a horrific form of torture for those children. No matter that they met a “non-violent” demise, complete with plenty of hallucinogens and corn liquor. Sacrificing children in hopes of gaining good crops and political benefits does not speak to me of a loving culture that treasured its children, but of adults willing to prey on the weakest faction of society for their own personal gain. Magi Smith Glenoma, Wash.

I am a Native American, and I was saddened to see the photo of one of the preserved mummies accompanying your story. To seek and then dig up these mummies is sacrilegious. It shows lack of respect for the religion of the people who put them there, and for the reason they were put there. The real purpose and meaning of the sacrifice are lost in time. I can’t help wondering if, 500 years from now, scientists will do the same thing to the children buried generations ago in the nearby rocks of our sacred Hopi burial ground. (These children, of course, were not part of a sacrificial ritual, but had died young of natural causes or trauma.) Return the children buried by the Incas. Let them serve out the purpose for which they were put there. It may have been for the good of all mankind. Respect the beliefs of an ancient people as you would want your own beliefs respected. Sharon Batala Kykotsmovi, Ariz.

Making Marriage Work Why is it that every male psychologist in America who purports to be an expert on marriage seems to have been divorced at least once, and then usually ends up marrying one of his students or colleagues? I’m a journalism professor, I’ve been married for 37 years and my opinions are probably about as useful or useless as those of psychologist John Gottman, whose work with couples was featured in your story “The Science of a Good Marriage” (Society, April 19). There are some obvious guidelines: love, respect and support your partner, especially in hard times; engage in open discussion on all important issues, but never go to bed angry; have as much sex as possible. I’m sure Gottman could codify those observations, but how could he categorize my deepest emotions: the joy I feel every time I wake up next to the most wondrous, intelligent woman one could imagine, and the gratitude I feel for having found her? I’ve been savoring that feeling for more than 13,000 mornings, and I still wonder at the mystery and magic of the true love that is the basis of my happy marriage. Joe Saltzman Palos Verdes, Calif.

We found “The Science of a Good Marriage” very interesting and would agree with what were described as the attributes of a good marriage. We both completed the “Know Your Spouse” quiz and each scored 22 of 22! By your predictors, we have an exceptionally good marriage. Only one problem: we’re not allowed to be legally married–because we happen to be two women. Sal Risinger and Deb McKinney Emeryville, Calif.

More Joys of Jogging I can certainly relate to your article that points out the pleasures of viewing cities while jogging (“Sightseeing on the Run,” Focus on Travel, April 19). Last March I took a business trip to Paris that lasted approximately 24 hours. It was my first visit to France and I was excited about seeing the city but, as you can imagine, had very little time to do so. I am an a avid runner, so I decided to wake up at dawn and go for a 10-mile run through the city. Without a map and being unfamiliar with the area, I just ran down one side of the Seine and back up the other side of the river, along the parklands and landmarks I had known only from books and magazine pictures. It turns out that my route was almost exactly the same as the one shown in the map accompanying your article. I would love to go back to Paris again for a real vacation, but I am pleased that at least I got a good flavor of the city on my morning run. Now I always bring my running shoes with me when I travel, just so I can squeeze in a little sightseeing wherever I go.

Thor Young

Annapolis, Md.

On some parts of the Paris jogging route you’ve outlined in your story, there is so much car exhaust that it’s impossible to run and feel you’ve done yourself any good, healthwise. That, coupled with all the secondhand smoke you’re going to inhale at night, no matter where you go in Paris, makes my favorite city in the world a nightmare for lungs. Michael Dillon Milwaukee, Wis.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-25” author: “Michael Rhyne”

You’re So Vain…

Your story on cosmetic surgery perfectly symbolized the last-ditch effort of people to invest everything in appearance (“The New Age of Cosmetic Surgery,” Society & the Arts, Aug. 16). But times are changing as more and more people begin to realize that the essence of being, the inner radiance, is what life is really all about and they turn within for guidance in their lives. I suppose that does not make good copy and will therefore not be covered by the mainstream media. Elisabeth Meier-Abplanalp Gunten, Switzerland

I am an American priest working in a rural area of El Salvador. I must attend to the many people who receive no medical attention, not even a pain reliever in their last hours. I wonder if any of the “patients” with their “buttocks implants” have any sense of how utterly ridiculous U.S. priorities look from the perspective of the poor. Father John D. King Teotepeque, El Salvador

It’s disheartening and scary that Americans are spending billions of dollars in the pursuit of physical perfection. But I’d like to thank you for the insightful article. It gave me an opportunity to have an interesting discussion with my image-driven teenage daughter and to examine my own feelings about impending old age. I’m grateful that I can face it with more dignity than the people in your cover story. Barbe Ford Alexis, Illinois

I was fascinated by what different cultures find acceptable and reprehensible. A few weeks ago one of your stories made us think about female genital mutilation, and now you present a report on cosmetic surgery. From its cocoon of vast wealth and ignorance of the world in general, America will neither see nor understand the connection between these two. Fascinating what we choose to spend money on when we have every other conceivable thing, and when so much of the world is in desperate straits. Mark Dunn Zacatecas, Mexico

Your story on plastic surgery reminded me of a “Twilight Zone” episode that has haunted me ever since I saw it as a child. It was a fantasy about everyone’s being required to choose a face from a catalog and undergo surgery to conform to that ideal. A young woman who was happy with her nonstandard features refused surgery but was forcibly operated on. When she saw her new face in the mirror, with her back to the audience, she turned to the female agent assigned to her and praised her new beauty, saying, “Now I look just like you.” The surgery was not just on her features; her values and personality were changed as well. Batya Medad Shiloh, Israel

Nature creates beauty through diversity of shape, color and texture. Perfection does not exist and will come neither from plastic surgery nor from silicon implants. As a photographer, I can tell you silicon breast implants are an esthetic catastrophe. Your report seems to promote this silly business. Just by giving up their fatty foods, sweet drinks and capitalistic stress, Americans could enjoy a better life that promotes both the health of the body and strength of mind. Then plastic surgery will return to its main purpose–the treating of severe casualties. Franck Peret Tokyo, Japan

Hispanic Diversity

Your article on “Generation N” quoted me as saying that “I’m catering to an upscale South American crowd… There’s big discrimination against Nicaraguans. [They’re] considered lower class,” a statement I’d like to clarify (U.S. Affairs, July 12). I spoke to NEWSWEEK regarding the perception that Hispanics from one nation might have preconceived notions of Hispanics from other nations–similar to views Americans of different regions might harbor about one another. I did not mean to state or in any way imply that either my business, La Covacha, or I would ever discriminate based on nationality or color. Indeed, in a city perceived to be influenced by Cuban culture, I had the foresight to create an establishment catering to all Hispanics, including Nicaraguans. Hispanic cultural diversity is what La Covacha and I have believed in and successfully represented for more than 10 years. Aurelio Rodriguez Miami, Florida

The United Nations and Kosovo

I’m afraid I was misquoted in Michael Hirsh’s piece on the United Nations in Kosovo (“Holbrooke’s Ultimatum: Perform or Perish,” Europe, Aug. 30). I did say that we were “cut to the bone,” but not that we had “no resources to find and train policemen ourselves.” My point was that the United Nations, being cut to the bone, had no spare civilian staff we could have deployed immediately to Kosovo. As for police, the United Nations always obtains them from governments of member states–we have never, before or after the staff cuts, had a standing police capacity. But we do “find” trained policemen from a large number of countries, and are deploying them at a rate of some 200 a week to Kosovo. Shashi Tharoor Director of Communications and Special Projects United Nations New York, N.Y.

Correction

Due to an editing error in a story about the United Nations’ role in Kosovo, a quotation displayed on the page in large type was misattributed to Richard Holbrooke, the new U.S. ambassador to the United Nations (“Holbrooke’s Ultimatum: Perform or Perish,” Europe, Aug. 30). The quotation–“If they fail here [in Kosovo], no one’s ever going to give the United Nations an important job again”–should have been attributed, as it was in the article itself, to a senior U.S. official. NEWSWEEK regrets the error.

Angry Men

I would like to comment on susan Faludi’s article on how American men in general feel betrayed by society (“Rage of the American Male,” U.S. Affairs, Aug. 16). You should be warned that this is not only an American issue–we here in Europe are angry, too. European men are being passed over in the workplace, usurped in the home, replaced as fathers, displaced in relationships with women by the serial monogamy of today’s working women and downgraded by society. Gays, transvestites, minorities and criminals all receive society’s attention, but we–Anglo-Saxon Protestant men–are ignored. This article should be a warning to all those who are currently happy with the way the “new” society is going. They should know that we are not likely to remain the “silent” majority for much longer. John Beer-Ransby London, England

Susan Faludi misses an essential point in her article “Rage of the American Male.” She blindly states that Mark Barton’s wife’s only sin was “witnessing his humiliating descent.” The husband must provide for wife and children, and the wife can watch his “descent” or otherwise divorce him and sue for support. Nowhere does society indicate that women should support men in their struggles. Women and society seem to have gotten men into a rather nasty corner. The only obvious way to escape the threat of both appears to be violence, combined with suicide. There is clearly something wrong in society here, but the female half is just as involved and responsible as the male half. There should be no free lunch for either. Erik Dalhuijsen Masqat, Oman

Drugs at the Olympics?

I cannot see how Oliver Morton’s suggestion to separate the drugged athletes from the pure ones in future Olympics will solve the drug problem in sports (“Coming Soon: Open Olympics!,” World View, July 12). There will always be athletes who will try to cheat their way to the medals, money and glory by outsmarting drug-chasing Olympic officials and medical committees in Morton’s so-called Olympics Classic, too. It would be interesting to know how to discourage the contestants in the pure Olympics from trying to enhance their performances by steroids, the blood thickener EPO and other health-ruining medical interventions. Priit Pullerits Tartu, Estonia

I think it is disheartening and outrageous for Oliver Morton to flirt around the possibility of legalized drug use at the Olympics. It just goes to show the extent to which Western values have declined. Besides the fact that Morton’s Olympics would be restricted to Western athletes who can afford the big money to buy the drugs, they would no longer be the test of natural endurance and excellence that the Olympics are supposed to be, but a test of to what weird extent drugs can push the human body. Perhaps Morton should wait for the day when cloned “humans” would hold sway on earth for him to float that idea again because now it is indecent and dishonest. Bisong Etahoben Yaounde, Cameroon

It seems to be a nice idea: one competition with controlled doping, the other without. But I strongly doubt that controlled doping can ensure the health of the athletes, since the safe dose is very likely smaller than the maximum boost dose. Some athletes would certainly be tempted to add an extra pill “just for this one important event,” without worrying about the pending test if they win. Another strong point against controlled doping is the importance of athletes as role models for the public, especially for the younger generation. If youngsters get word that sports superstar X takes drugs to achieve his victories, then they’d want to try them as well. Then there will be no medical supervision at all. There is only one winner in the Open Olympics: the drug industry. Martin Varendorff Mittelstetten, Germany

Of Guns and Gore

Greed, guns and gonzos ( U.S. Affairs, Aug. 9)! Wake up, America. You’re about to enter the 21st century with an 18th-century mentality about guns and a 19th-century mentality about capitalism. What a mix. Craig Marken Stavanger, Norway

I’ve always found NEWSWEEK’s photos to be riveting, honest and in good taste. But I have to say that the one you ran showing Atlanta murderer Mark Barton’s bloody, lifeless body complete with visible entry wound was out of bounds. Journalists go too far when they dismiss the feelings of the friends (yes, murderers do have friends) and family of the deceased person. Susan Norton Mt. Vernon, Kentucky

Open on Sunday

Liberalizing the national law to extend operating hours in German shops to keep them open on Sundays is long overdue (“The Freedom to Shop,” World Affairs, Aug. 16). Politicians and the unions say that keeping shops open on Sunday may be good for the customers but is bad for the employees. But everyone is a customer sometimes, and people are free, after all, to decide whether to go shopping on Sunday or to celebrate the day the “old-fashioned way.” Unions will have to accept the fact that customers in our free German market will push their demands and will thus, indirectly, create many new jobs. Rainer Michalik Frankenthal, Germany

A Brave New World

I was glad to learn of the intriguing discoveries about the universe now revealed and the advances being made by science in “Out Where We Belong,” (Space, July 26). It may not happen in my lifetime, but it is very exciting to think about the day when human beings can venture from Earth and inhabit another planet. It is ironic, however, that even as NASA is expending so much effort and money to explore such possibilities–with technology beyond our imagination–so many people are destroying this wonderful Earth for their personal gain. Iris Kadile Dumaguete, Philippines

Oliver Morton writes, “the single relevant certainty is that life has persisted on Earth for 3.8 billion years, a fact that says nothing about its likeliness elsewhere.” The oft-repeated assertion that life has existed for 3.8 billion years is not an established fact. The radiometric determination of the age of the biosphere is based on assumptions that lead to this extreme figure. There are a number of nonradiometric methods that give much lower figures. Hansruedi Stutz Dietikon, Switzerland

NATO’s War

It is misleading to describe the Kosovo War as a war that “nobody wanted and everybody questioned” (“Kosovo’s Legacy,” Top of the Week, June 21). Important media and politicians never questioned this war; indeed, they supported it and hailed the troops on. Some newspapers were so aggressive that they even criticized NATO for not being aggressive enough. Torben Retbol Arhus, Denmark

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-19” author: “Annette Romiro”

Taking a Stand on Guns

NEWSWEEK’s recent editorial on gun violence was powerful and important, and I congratulate you for taking such a strong stand (“America Under the Gun,” Special Report, Aug. 23). As you point out, the fact that a single law cannot solve the problem of gun violence is no excuse for inaction. Each of us must find ways to make our society safer, and the leadership you have shown in framing the debate testifies to that. I hope that when Congress returns from recess, it will heed the voices of NEWSWEEK and so many of its readers by passing commonsense gun legislation. It is long past time to restore sanity and strength to our nation’s gun laws. Bill Clinton President of the United States Washington, D.C.

With rights come responsibilities. If Americans want to own handguns or semiautomatic weapons, they should be prepared to act responsibly. They can do this by supporting–not fighting–enforceable legislation and by prosecuting those less responsible. As an American who has lived in England for the last 11 years, I find Jonathan Freedland to be spot-on when he says (“The United States of Arms,” World View, Aug. 23) that “America’s population is only five times bigger than Britain’s– yet it had 194 times the number of lethal shootings [in 1997].” Britain enforces gun-control laws, and the numbers speak for themselves. Last week, in a nearby town, a man was sentenced to six months for threatening youths with a toy pistol. Britain sends people to jail for the possession of handguns–and it works. I miss the United States and have thought long and hard about returning, but it probably won’t happen. My family is safer here. Roger Plantier Warwick, England

Your Special Report is remarkably interesting and realistic. But I find it absurd that the United States waited until mass attacks like the recent ones before reacting. Jonathan Freedland says, “It’s time that Americans got serious about outlawing private ownership of lethal weapons.” I think it’s too late. This terror is the inevitable result of huge, constant hypocrisy. Bertrand Guerin Hennebont, France

More people are killed in a week in America than in the Kosovo war, yet every proposal presented in your recent gun-control issue–none of them going far enough–will fail. Americans’ right to bear arms was conceived in the day of the flintlock, not the fully automated assault rifle. It is high time changes in technology were reflected in U.S. laws. I feel very safe when I’m out late at night because Malaysia has a mandatory death sentence for carrying a nonregistered weapon. Grant Corban Via Internet

We in Europe think of the United States as a nation with which we share ways of thinking and ways of living. But two things create such an abyss between us that we sometimes feel we belong to a different civilization: America’s unrestricted use of guns and the death penalty. Whenever I visit America, it gives me the creeps to think that I might be shot dead on the street by a gun-carrying madman or that, although innocent, I might be executed. We Europeans and you across the Atlantic are really worlds apart. Pietro Marchetti Milan, Italy

Your statistics on “Firearm Deaths Per 100,000 People” included suicides in the figures for Finland (“America’s Weapons of Choice”). Otherwise it’s hard to believe that about 343 people per year are killed by firearms in a country with tight gun-control laws. Suicides account for most gun-related deaths in Finland. R. Luoma Jidda, Saudi Arabia

Crossing With Coyotes

As a proud Mexican, when I read “Coyote Inc.,” it broke my heart (World Affairs, Aug. 30). I wish I could express the pain illegal immigrants endure to cross the border, leaving their lives and few possessions behind, in desperate search of a future. I wish the economic and social conditions of my country were better so people wouldn’t risk their lives to escape poverty. I wish our fellow Mexicans, who take advantage of these people to deliver them across the border, would realize the inhumanity of their actions. Migrants are people with a family and dreams, too. The only way to stop this is to work hard to improve the socioeconomic conditions of our homeland. I am one of many Mexicans who believe this can happen–we’ll work all our lives to do all we can. Rafael de los Santos Diaz Mexico City, Mexico

Rebuilding Turkey

The world was shocked and moved by the aftereffects of the Turkish earthquake (“The Big One,” Europe, Aug. 30). Many countries, including mine, sent help. But humanitarian help just isn’t enough. Turkey needs money to finance a major reconstruction project. It’s time for its leadership to abandon their surreal views of being a regional military superpower, bullying neighbors and exterminating ethnic citizens. Turkey should redirect the astronomical sums designated for weapons purchase to the reconstruction of a new Turkey, friendly to its citizens and neighbors. Stergios Kaprinis Thessaloniki, Greece

I want to thank the world for all the help in this terrible catastrophe. We’ll never forget the pain, or the generosity. Nasit Ciner Ankara, Turkey

Once I thought of Greeks as enemies. Now I know I was wrong. Greeks were among the first to help. They worked shoulder to shoulder with Turkish rescue squads. Tansu Hattatoglu Istanbul, Turkey

Preserving Hong Kong’s Identity

If your article on the new concerns about freedom of the press in Hong Kong proves any one thing, it is that Hong Kong remains a free and vibrant society where serious issues are debated vigorously and openly (“Chinese Shadows,” Asia, Sept. 6). Since the handover on July 1, 1997, Hong Kong has faced its share of problems, not the least of which was the Asian financial turmoil. Some people have raised concerns about the rule of law, press freedom and the business environment. The fact that all these issues–some related, some not–are given full, free and unfettered play clearly shows that Hong Kong is practicing the high degree of autonomy promised under the “one country, two systems” formula. Interfacing the different systems of Hong Kong and the mainland was never going to be problem-free. But no one should doubt the genuine desire of everyone in Hong Kong to make this concept work and to preserve Hong Kong’s identity, freedoms, way of life and rule of law as enshrined in our constitution, the Basic Law. Thomas C. Y. Chan Director of Information Services The Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Hong Kong

Mahathir’s Malaysia

Your article “Under Fire” (Asia, Aug. 30) contains several inaccuracies. I did not invite your writers to tea–they asked to meet me, and I obliged. Carcosa was suggested because it is near my office, not to “explain some of [my] father’s anti-colonial bitterness.” The hotel is quiet and ideal for meetings. And, my net worth is not $60 million. Your writers asked for the capitalization of listed companies that I’m involved in and my holdings in them; hence the figure that was roughly calculated. My net worth would include debts and liabilities that should drastically reduce the figure you published. Also, it’s incorrect to say that my net worth is “mainly from a hospital-supply contract for the southern provinces of Malaysia.” The contract was awarded to a subsidiary of a public listed company, Tongkah Holdings Berhad (THB), and 80 percent of THB is owned by other investors and the public. So the public stands to benefit more from all that THB invests in than I do. There’s no restriction on those shares–British, Chinese or anyone else can buy them. Mokhzani Mahathir Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Your article on the Malaysian prime minister was enlightening. But Nik Aziz is not from Kalimantan–which is located on the island of Borneo and belongs to Indonesia–he is the PAS leader of Kelantan. Mustafa Kamal Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Most Malaysians look upon the integrity of the police with contempt. Human-rights groups have expressed concern about the fatal shootings by the police that have occurred recently in Malaysia. Officers behave more like death squads than defenders of the law. So, whom can we trust? If Anwar Ibrahim can be treated so harshly, what about the common man? Promoting material progress while ignoring the rule of law is like building a house in a sand pit–eventually it sinks. Sivam Rajagopal Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

I’m saddened that my country, a leader in growth and development, has slid backward in this last year. Mahathir’s tireless anti-Western bashing and now his anti-Malaysian-Chinese hysteria are the acts of an increasingly desperate politician, endangering the increasingly fragile racial harmony in Malaysia.

You described Mahathir, the “longest-serving ruler in Asia,” as if he’s a dictator. We like this “dictator” and Malaysians love to vote him into power to lead us–over and over again. Lim Teng Koon Singapore

Bill Gates: Hero or Villain?

At last! I was extremely pleased with your article on Bill Gates (“Behind the Gates Myth,” Business, Aug. 30). I have been endlessly frustrated with the media’s demonization of a man who should be a hero and role model to young people everywhere. Gates is an intelligent, creative and highly motivated man who has, unlike most Americans, worked hard to reach his potential. His success has brought him enormous personal wealth, but, more than that, it has greatly enhanced the way we exchange information and do business. We should not condemn him for reaping the rewards of his talent and perseverance, but use him as an example of the benefits of rising above mediocrity. Amy L. Moran Milwaukie, Oregon

A profile on Bill Gates? Great idea… had this been a balanced article. Instead, your piece was nothing more than a big valentine. Here’s Bill at his lovely home! Look, he’s a loving father! And that wacky Bill, watch him spoof “Riverdance”! Give me a break. To be fair, you did mention the Feds’ lawsuit and the striking resemblance some software bear to other programs believed to be better, but you quickly glossed over that. What about the bullying side of Bill? And why is it that it seems to me that Windows becomes increasingly rickety with each generation, but customers have to pay for upgrades that fix the bugs in the older versions? Bill thinks some guy in a garage can take him out now? C’mon. Where was your reporter with the tough questions here? Gates is one of the major figures of our time, and landing an interview with him is no doubt a coup. This fluff piece, though, was a disservice to your readers. Jennifer L. Weber Rancho Palos Verdes, California

With the rising number of divorces, single parents and neglected children, it was heartwarming to read the importance and time that the “richest man in the world” gives to his children. As he rightly points out; his parents are his role models. Isn’t this an important lesson for us to learn? Baseera Ali Dhaka, Bangladesh

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-28” author: “Allison Sande”

Colombia’s Forgotten Crisis

Congratulations on your excellent article on Colombia’s hardships (“Casualties of War,” World Affairs, Aug. 9). The Colombian people are caught in the battles, the crimes, the bombing back and forth between the guerrillas and the armed forces. The guerrillas already control about 42,000 kilometers. The government’s lack of intelligence calls out for a U.S. military intervention to rid us of these monsters. Adrian Salas Salazar Caracas, Venezuela

I’ve no doubt that the guerrilla-drug connection in Colombia is being exaggerated for political purposes. How else can the Colombian military get money to fight its civil war? The most that American efforts can accomplish is to move profits out of cocaine into its synthetic cousin, amphetamines. The money that the United States spends on this futile endeavor would be better spent on drug treatment or education. Malcolm Litowitz Northbrook, Illinois

Recently, several journalists have asked me why Americans do not appear to take an interest in Colombia’s humanitarian crisis. My answer: they don’t know about it. The American media, like the U.S. government, focus almost exclusively on the narco-traffic issue. NEWSWEEK’s Aug. 9 international editions carried two articles on Colombia–one on narcotics, the other on the armed conflict and political violence that are forcing Colombians to abandon their homes–but your domestic edition carried only the narco-traffic article. Why? The American public should know that more than a million of their neighbors are living in fear and misery, that hundreds of thousands of displaced Colombian children go hungry, do not attend school and cannot get basic health care. NEWSWEEK should tell us that. Hiram A. Ruiz Senior Policy Analyst, U.S. Committee for Refugees Washington, D.C.

If the United States is really interested in helping Colombia end its war, it should help develop the country and remove poverty. It’s pointless to send Americans to die in Colombia or to kill people. Leandro Felipe Bueno Brasilia, Brazil

For nearly 50 years, the U.S. government has connected the guerrilla movements in Latin America to the spread of communism. Now we’re supposed to connect guerrilla movements to the spread of cocaine? If anything, the heavy-handed U.S. presence in Colombia only makes the guerrillas appear even more heroic as they struggle against both the Colombian oligarchy and U.S. intervention. This game plan did not work in Cuba in 1961, and it won’t work now. Guerrilla movements don’t survive because of communism or cocaine. They survive because there are horrific inequalities in society. The United States can’t change that with military hardware and helicopters. Melanie Ziegler Oxford, Ohio

Reports from Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch fail to identify the true nature of the barbaric acts of both guerrilla war groups–the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN). Peace-loving Colombians believe that their silence on the war acts of the FARC and ELN against Colombia’s civil population weakens the efforts of Colombians for a peaceful outcome of what is now a decades-old conflict. Felipe Arenas Bogota, Colombia

Ban the Cluster Bombs

When operation allied force was launched in order to stop Serbian troops from attacking the Kosovars, NATO Secretary-General Javier Solana told us that it was a humanitarian operation whose target was by no means the Serbs. So why did NATO use cluster bombs it knew could kill or injure the civilians the alliance claimed not to be targeting and in whose name it claimed to be bombing Yugoslavia (“Clearing the Clusters,” Europe, Aug. 2)? This is hypocritical coming from nations that are unanimously condemning odious weapons such as land mines and cluster bombs but still continue producing and using them. Bernhard J. Henry Garches, France

In Defense of Ulster Unionists

Your report on Ulster protestants was nothing short of disgraceful (“Time for a Makeover,” News of the Week, July 19). It was an insult to the law-abiding majority of Northern Ireland, who have been under siege for the past 30 years. And let us not forget that the Ulster Unionists have never been advocates of violence and should not be forced to sit at the same table as terrorists like the IRA, which has yet to hand over a single bullet. The IRA could never have committed as many hideous crimes as it did had it not been supplied by generous funding from the same Irish-Americans whom you, NEWSWEEK, are so careful not to offend. Tom Gentleman Harthill, Scotland

Revisiting Woodstock ‘99

I was on vacation in the United States recently when Woodstock ‘99 was being held, and although I was not able to go to the concerts myself, I enjoyed some of the bands on radio and television. Then, on Monday morning, we got the awful report on the rioting and looting that had been going on at the site the previous night. As a frequent visitor to alternative-music festivals in Europe, I have been thinking about what could have led to these events. The comments made in your Aug. 9 Periscope piece “Back to the Dystopian, Rage-Spewing Garden,”–printed without any additional information or any explanation whatever–only have a bad influence on the understanding of alternative youth culture. I look forward to a more serious, in-depth article on why things like this happen and whether it is necessary to play the blame game. Roland Kroes Rotterdam, Netherlands

God’s Alive and Well

Your feature on Western Europe’s post-Christian society was relevant and informative (“Lost in Silent Prayer” Society & the Arts, July 12). It raises more questions than it provides answers. But collectively it makes the fundamental mistake of equating religion, or faith, with church membership and religious observance. Pat Lemasney Cork, Ireland

God is not dead just because some churches are emptier than they were some years ago. Who is the better Christian: the one who sits in church every day or the one who takes care of his fellow beings? God loves us all; he does not tell people apart, but the church of man still does. Never before have Germans been more helpful in times of war; never before have people donated more and prayed more. They know they have to contribute to the buildup of a world in which God would like them to live. Christian life is dead? We live in a post-Christian age? God is dead? On the contrary, he lives in the middle of mankind–even in Western Europe. Felix Sommer Bensheim, Germany

As an Easterner living in the West, I found it interesting to read some intellectually stimulating thoughts about religion and God. However, you made it sound as if God is for Christians only, and the rest do not matter. God is for everyone. He may be dead in the hearts of the people of the West, but he is surely alive and thriving in the hearts of the people of the East. There’s a philosophical difference. The West is all about materialism and moral decadence, while the East is more about spirituality and the antithesis of materialism. Shabran Abdullah Marseilles, France

The only God who died is the one we created with our limited imaginations. The inconceivable God’s presence is evident everywhere. Fear has driven us to create a God that resembles our fathers or our enemies in a dark alley. Thank God that this God is dying. We have hopefully matured and should be able to accept that there are dimensions beyond our understanding. It is OK to say “I don’t know.” Even Abraham challenged God. So did Moses. The burning bush of knowledge must be kept alive by feeding it with questions. We don’t know how our minds work, yet we think. God does not depend on our belief. J. F. Spinner Johannesburg, South Africa

People often reject traditional religions for many valid reasons. But they also reject them because religions exert a pressure on us to live according to natural laws and principles. When we replace a traditional with a personal religion, we generally fashion one that fits our wants, preferences and lifestyle. If so, who are we deluding? Perhaps it is time now we reflected upon the writing on the wall: GOD IS DEAD–NIETZCHE. NIETZCHE IS DEAD–GOD. Graham Simon Pinner, England

Europeans who have parted with God because they can find elsewhere what they used to get from the church were only involved in a marriage of convenience. As Jose Maria Escriva de Balaguer, a Spanish saint of our time, once wrote: “And what is the secret of perseverance? Love. Fall in love [with God] and you will never leave Him.” Not even if some clerics set a bad example. Francisco J. Garcia-Julve Zaragoza, Spain

I think people should either clearly accept or reject Christianity–as long as they do so intelligently. It has long been my experience that many Christians accept it for mainly cultural reasons, while many atheists reject it from sheer blind prejudice. Alistair McCleery Ballynahinch, Northern Ireland

Those people who suggest that God no longer exists are looking in the wrong places. No one questions whether wind exists. We see its effects and we feel it on our cheeks, but no one has seen it, nor can anyone truly predict it or control it. What would we say if a scientist who had been indoors for 20 years declared that he had never experienced wind, so therefore it didn’t exist? Malcolm Gray Barnet, England

Thailand’s Recovery

It was really unfortunate, NEWSWEEK, that you chose that silly headline “Beyond Sex and Golf” for your informative article on Thailand’s economic situation (Asia, July 12). I thought that catchy title made your magazine look like a poor English tabloid, undermining the fact that your article itself was a really accurate description of what has been done and what is yet to be done to make Thailand recover from the economic crisis. Jean-Jacques Braun Bangkok, Thailand

Creating Cancer

I was fascinated by your article on altering human genes to make tumors in a laboratory (“To Build a Cancer Cell,” Society & the Arts, Aug. 9). Robert Weinberg and William Hahn’s achievement in finding this clue to understanding how cancer starts is very exciting, indeed. As a scientist, I envy my colleagues in developed countries. In developing countries, we are not able to afford the kind of research and development that these two scientists of the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research in Cambridge, Massachusetts, have done. As you say, this “landmark” discovery could lead to new treatments. But all we can do for now is prevention: stop smoking and reduce our consumption of meat. Prevention is still easier than cure and it is affordable–even in developing countries. Oei Yam Tjhioe Jakarta, Indonesia

The Dollar-Euro Equation

So Martin Hufner thinks it is wonderful that the new euro and the dollar are now worth roughly the same amount (“What’s So Bad About 1:1?,” World View, June 14)? American tourists won’t have to solve complicated mathematical problems while vacationing in Europe. I don’t suppose it has ever occurred to this gentleman, who probably has his own fortune safely in English pounds or American dollars, that the value of many European currencies (fixed against the euro since January) is being dragged down? Thus, not only are trips outside Europe more expensive, but our properties, life-long savings and other investments are all rapidly decreasing in value–20 percent since last October and sinking daily. Hufner says the rate of the euro should “encourage European citizens to contemplate a vacation in the United States this summer.” In this he is right… at the rate the euro is going down, Europeans won’t be able to afford it by next summer. Kaye Krieg Inzlingen, Germany

How Much Blood Is Too Much?

I have always found NEWSWEEK’s photos to be riveting, honest and in good taste. But I have to say that the one you ran showing Atlanta murderer Mark Barton’s bloody, lifeless body ("‘It’s a Bad Trading Day…and It’s About to Get Worse’," U.S. Affairs, Aug. 9), complete with visible entry wound, was out of bounds. Journalists go too far when they dismiss the feelings of the friends (yes, murderers do have friends) and families of the deceased person. Susan Norton Mt. Vernon, Kentucky

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-06” author: “Carlos Burgos”

Thanks for your Aug. 16 cover story on “The Blair Witch Project,” one of the best films I’ve ever seen (“The Blair Witch Cult,” Arts & Entertainment). It gave the audience something entirely new, something creative, daring, imagi-native and totally original. Suspension of disbelief was brought to a new level. Everywhere I go, I meet people who can’t get the movie out of their heads. We simply have to sit down and discuss our individual interpretations of what actually happened to Heather, Mike and Josh. I only hope that when awards time rolls around, people will remember just how fantastic this film was. Dan Hsia Boston, Mass.

“The Blair Witch Project” may be scaring Hollywood, but it sure as heck didn’t scare me! As a fan of horror and suspense films of all kinds, I found this thriller to be totally devoid of thrills. At the screening I attended, several people actually hissed when the movie was over. The characters were so annoying that I kept hoping Hannibal Lecter would jump out of the bushes and chow down on all three of them. And what’s all the fuss about how small the budget was? I had to pay the same $9.50 ticket price to see it as I did for “Titanic.” The only truly chilling Blair I’ve ever seen was Linda in “The Exorcist.” James Matthews New York, N.Y.

While “The Blair Witch Project” undoubtedly owes much of its success to the popularity of new media such as the Internet and “real TV,” the movie also updates early, distinctive motifs in American literature. For instance, like the protagonist of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown,” the film students are ill prepared for the predatory and inexplicable nature of the evil that they willingly pursue by journeying into the woods. It is to the filmmakers’ credit that they make a Puritan dread of the forest and witchcraft genuinely fresh and frightening. Christina Rieger South Bend, Ind.

Once again the media and marketing elite are mistakenly assuming that every success is a product of their conjuring. I first read about “The Blair Witch Project” months ago in a magazine article about the Sundance Film Festival. I was so captivated by the concept of the film that I told many of my friends and colleagues about it. Marketing hype didn’t generate our excitement about the film. We were eager to see an extremely creepy story told through a clever experimental style of filmmaking. It’s cynical to view the phenomenal success of “The Blair Witch Project” as just a marketing coup. Millions are being made because we are an audience starved for anything unique and imaginative. Until Hollywood and the media cease trying to cast spells over audiences perceived as zombies, they’ll never be able to appreciate the legacy of “The Blair Witch Project.” N. Suzanne Showalter Corona, Calif.

Glaringly absent from the coverage of “The Blair Witch Project” is the reaction of witches and the impact this film has on those who practice the religion of wicca, commonly known as witchcraft. Although the film never actually shows the “witch,” it portrays witches negatively by perpetuating the stereotype of the evil, murderous witch. Replace “witch” with the name of any other religion and you can immediately see how offensive the movie is. Kirsten A. Rostedt New York, N.Y.

“The Blair Witch Project” is possibly the biggest con in movie history, a faux snuff film masquerading as art. It has been embraced by some because it is supposedly an anti-Hollywood film, but the amazing fact is, like that of “The Phantom Menace,” the success of the entire thing is built around its marketing. “Blair Witch,” particularly, requires one to visit the Web site to learn the background of the story, which actually makes the movie secondary. Heck, you don’t even need to see the film, and that’s just as well. Most people, like me, are justifiably pissed off at having spent $7, or even more, to see someone else’s home movies. Joseph C. Jones Clearwater, Fla.

To Be Male, Angry and White

Puh-leeze! Spare me Susan Faludi’s pap on why American males “go postal” (“Rage of the American Male” National Affairs, Aug. 16). If the system is really failing men, why is it that, by her own admission, only a few go on violent rampages? Whatever happened to personal responsibility for these horrendous acts? Don’t try to sell me a rationalization that “the system made me do it.” I’m not buying it. Beverly Scott Maineville, Ohio

As a white American male, I was heartened to see Susan Faludi’s piece addressing the ugly string of multiple murders we’ve seen recently. However, upon reading her observations, I was struck by the disingenuousness of her omissions. She notes that the shooter is “always the same sex,” yet does not mention that he is also always the same race: white. Further, she suggests that society has indeed “let down” such people. It seems to me that the problem here is not solely one of gender. Rather, we have a parade of white males who appear to feel that simply being a white male should still entitle them to certain benefits, just as it did in the old days that Faludi reminisces about. This is the true and sick sense of disenfranchisement some men feel, which we must deal with if we are to begin to understand this ongoing problem. Jeff Birkenstein Lexington, KY.

Guns don’t kill people, men and boys kill people. After watching yet another testosterone-fueled rampage, I have a modest proposal for meaningful gun control. Only women should be allowed to own and operate guns. Let’s take guns out of the hands of killers. It’s time to install locks that are biochemical, rather than mechanical, activated only by significant levels of estrogen. Wouldn’t that change the NRA’s makeup! Nancy Harby Kelseyville, Calif.

Mismanaged Care

All’s well that ends well; thatwas the case of Lila Larimore Anastas (“When Managed Care Means Mediocre Care,” My Turn, Aug. 16). Much to Anastas’s well-deserved credit is the fact that she did not give up her struggle to find the best-qualified hand surgeon to treat her injury. However, this story would not have had a happy ending had Anastas given in to the bullying tactics of her HMO, and had she not been able to pay out of pocket for the surgery she required. Now that NEWSWEEK has printed Anastas’s story, will her HMO review her case, admit that it was wrong and reimburse her medical expenses–or is that too much of a fairy tale? I’ll be cheering anyway. JoAnn Lee Frank Clearwater, Fla.

Bill and Hil, Continued

I have never admired the Clintons but have felt that Hillary handled her husband’s disrespect and manipulations with dignity and grace (“Stuck in the Spin Cycle,” National Affairs, Aug. 16). I empathized with and respected her until she recently started making excuses for her husband’s behavior. Now I wonder who has the biggest problem. The word “enabler” comes to mind. Alice Hallihan Kentwood, Mich.

The Republicans and their media mouthpieces who are trying to make Hillary Clinton’s Talk magazine interview a reason to vote for Rudy Giuliani want us to believe that forgiving adultery is worse than committing it. John R. Stopa Worthington, Ohio

Looking Into Sonny’s Death

Your item “Conspiracies: First Dodi, Then Sonny,” (Periscope, Aug. 9) has done a great disservice to Sonny Bono’s mother, Jean, and, even more so, to George Williamson, who has been helping us investigate Sonny’s death. Mrs. Bono was crushed by her son’s sudden death and sought, as did I, as her representative, details from the authorities in Nevada, only to be denied any information. Few people I know believe Sonny’s death was accidental. However, we have no evidence at this time to sustain this belief. To gain some closure for Mrs. Bono, I enlisted the help of Mr. Williamson, recommended to me as a highly respected professional. He undertook the investigation at our behest and never requested payment for his time or efforts. Shirley H. Cole Palm Springs, Calif.

Editor’s note: We did not state or mean to imply that Mr. Williamson had tried to sell Mrs. Bono information about her son’s death. We regret any possible misunderstanding.

Hispanic Diversity

Your article on “Generation Ñ” quoted me as saying that “I’m catering to an upscale South American crowd… There’s big discrimination against Nicaraguans. [They’re] considered lower class,” a statement I’d like to clarify (“Latino America,” Society, July 12). I spoke to NEWSWEEK regarding the perception that Hispanics from one nation might have preconceived notions of Hispanics from other nations–similar to views Americans of different regions might harbor about one another. I did not mean to state or in any way imply that either my business, La Covacha, or I would ever discriminate based on nationality or color. Indeed, in a city perceived to be so influenced by Cuban culture, I had the foresight to create an establishment catering to all Hispanics, including Nicaraguans. Hispanic cultural diversity is what La Covacha and I have believed in and successfully represented for more than 10 years. Aurelio Rodriguez Miami, Fla.

Correction

Due to an editing error in a story about the United Nations’ role in Kosovo, a quotation displayed on the page in large type was misattributed to Richard Holbrooke, the new U.S. ambassador to the United Nations (“Holbrooke’s Ultimatum: Perform or Perish,” International, Aug. 30). The quotation–“If they fail here [in Kosovo], no one’s ever going to give the U.N. an important job again”–should have been attributed, as it was in the article itself, to a senior U.S. official. NEWSWEEK regrets the error.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-18” author: “Ahmad Free”

Testing Works: True or False?

Kudos for showing how dangerous these new standardized tests are. As a former English teacher who quit rather than “teach for the tests,” I applaud students who refuse to take these exams. Education officials need to find an alternative fast, before our kids grow up with no idea how to think without a No. 2 pencil and a multiple-choice bubble sheet. Jennifer A. Ellis Winter Haven, Fla.

Twice in my more than 30-year teaching career, I’ve seen the educational pendulum swing toward testing. Sure, we can and will adapt so that all of our kids will be “above average.” But a test-driven curriculum saddens me because that’s all it is. The challenge for teachers of the 21st century is to provide mastery of those necessary test-taking skills without losing sight of our deeper mission. To me, the real work of teaching is to help youngsters discover their strengths, to demonstrate the value of cooperation and to model empathy, imagination and tolerance. After parenting, teaching is the most important thing we can do for the well-being of everyone on this planet. Judith M. Halley Brockport, N.Y.

Peter Jennings never finished high school. Eugene O’Neill and John Steinbeck won the Nobel Prize in Literature without finishing college. Bill Gates never finished college either. All you need to “succeed” is discipline, drive, determination and a dream. And I don’t know any school that teaches those things, or any test that can discern or assess them. William J. O’Malley, S.J. Bronx, N.Y.

I read your Sept. 6 excerpt of Nicholas Lemann’s upcoming book, “The Big Test: The Secret History of the American Meritocracy,” with intense interest. The Kaplan Educational Centers (which was formerly Stanley H. Kaplan Educational Centers, and is now owned by the same company that owns NEWSWEEK) have been successfully preparing students for standardized tests such as the SAT for more than 60 years. I want to make it absolutely clear that the Kaplan Centers have never used actual past SAT questions in our classes. Over the years ETS (Educational Testing Service) provided the students (and me) with only a few sample questions. Your article states that ETS tried to get the New York State Legislature to declare the Kaplan business illegal. I was never aware of that, but I do know that this same legislature put an end to the ETS policy of secrecy by passing “truth in testing” legislation in 1979. This legislation required ETS to provide, to any student who requested it, a copy of an SAT he or she had taken, along with the correct answers to the questions on it. Thus, students could understand and learn from the tests that play such an important role in their futures. You can imagine my excitement when, for the first time in 35 years, I was able to get my hands on an actual copy of an SAT. It is indeed ironic that today both ETS and the College Board are our serious (yet friendly) competitors in preparing students for the SAT–a test that for 50 years they had deemed uncoachable. Stanley H. Kaplan Founder, Kaplan Educational Centers New York, N.Y.

I am deeply troubled by society’s attention to the standardized tests used by high schools. High SAT scores prove just two things: math ability and good vocabulary skills. Period. No one has invented a standardized test to assess the qualities that really determine a prospective student’s ability to do well in college: willpower, self-control and self-motivation. Will my son or daughter walk away from a party at 1 a.m., knowing he or she has an 8 a.m. class? Will they put down the beer and pick up the books, with no adult around to tell them to do it? Can an SAT score determine the values that are more important to a student’s success in school than any knowledge or skill you can measure? Beverly J. Lynch Langhorne, PA.

Remembering Diana

NEWSWEEK must enjoy a level of precognition that is denied to most of us. How else to explain that I was able to read on Aug. 30 your assertion that the second anniversary of Princess Diana’s death “came and went on Aug. 31” (“Goodbye, Di,” Periscope, Sept. 6)? I don’t really care about your conclusion that “even Britain barely noticed”–this observation is open to legitimate discussion (now that the date has passed)–but your willingness to report a news item in advance of the event, as if it had already happened, is extremely disturbing. Judith M. Costello Atlanta, GA.

Editors’ note: By the week before the second anniversary of Princess Diana’s death, it was clear that very little attention was being paid, or was likely to be paid, to the occasion. But our wording was misleading, and we regret it.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-04” author: “Rachel Broyles”

America’s Gun Debate

Congratulations on your editorial “What Must Be Done,” calling for real gun control in America (Special Report, Aug. 23). Sometime, somewhere, someone is always bound to go mad. When this happens, easily available guns can catastroph- ically worsen the result. Since we can’t control the incidence of madness, controlling the availability of guns is our only hope of reducing the number of meaningless massacres. What has happened in America would have happened in other countries if they had had a similarly armed population. Allan Bula Bexhill-on-Sea, England

I live in a country where unregistered possession of guns is prohibited and where assault weapons are banned. But nobody here would ever dare say that it’s a threat to our freedom or to our constitutional rights. On the contrary, we feel it preserves our freedom to walk down the street without the risk of being in the line of fire. In a civilized country, individual freedom and rights stop where the freedom of others–especially the right to live a safe life–begin. Jacques Spalart Avon, France

The Second Amendment says that “a well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” But since local militias are no longer necessary for American freedom, the keeping and bearing of arms should be well regulated. The Founding Fathers, had they lived today, would certainly agree to such regulation as the correct application of the Second Amendment. They’d probably endorse a “right of the people not to be shot.” Jouni Rudvin Oslo, Norway

Be careful how far you push gun control. When my daughters were growing up, I remember the invaluable sense of security the guns in our house provided us. We lived in a good neighborhood, but hoodlums in the city would steal cars and drive to the suburbs to rob, rape and kill. The police admitted they couldn’t always protect us, so we had to be ready to protect ourselves. How else could we have done so? Allan C. Stover Jidda, Saudi Arabia

Unless American citizens are willing to terminate their pathological love affair with firearms; unless lawmakers, politicians, police, parents and educators are jointly prepared to view “the right of the people to keep and bear arms” for what it is, a glaring anachronism in late-20th-century civilization and a frightening symptom of cultural immaturity; unless the nation is able to face the patent contradiction between its aspiration to world leadership and the propensity for domestic violence, the “curse” of the Second Amendment will not be lifted. Internal peace will not be ensured. Hartmut Heuermann Braunschweig, Germany

Your editorial was frightening, not because of the proliferation of guns, but because of your repudiation of individual rights upon which America was founded. You’ve forgotten what started the American Revolution. You say “all rights have to be balanced with the need for public order.” I totally disagree. Too many of our rights have already been sacrificed “for the public good” or “for the children” or whatever other bogeyman the government chooses to use. Elizabeth Jenne Lake Worth, Florida

A Right to Bear Arms?

In your interview, the executive vice president of the National Rifle Association, Wayne Lapierre, says that a society without any guns is a “utopian society” and that we’re “never going to get there” ("‘I Think the Real Target Is the Second Amendment’"). He is right. It is popular to talk about gun control while the perpetrators of gun-related crime are left free. I see a parallel here with the drug problem; everybody blames the suppliers, but close to nothing is done about the retailers and users. Let the lawmakers get serious about clamping down on crime, gun-related or not. Inyang Effiong Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Why punish 99 percent decent and responsible gun owners for the craziness of a small and extreme minority? In Switzerland, people are armed to the teeth, yet gun-related shootings are very rare. Every Swiss citizen is obliged by law to keep a semiautomatic assault rifle at home, yet nothing untoward happens. Gun ownership works if you have the right society. A general background check before a gun is sold is probably the only means to keep guns out of the hands of lunatics. Thomas Huessy Safenwil, Switzerland

The Second Amendment is an anachronism. The British were routed, the West was won, most of the Indians were slaughtered with guns by the end of the last century. I find modern-day hunting and hunters–an excuse for gun ownership–laughable. Living out some frontier-hunter fantasy as we hit the year 2000 is pathetic. Ed Cunion Gaborone, Botswana

Guns are evil relics of another age when justice was weak and personal offenses were avenged with blood. They have no place in a sane society because the right to own a gun is the right to kill. Paulo Cesar Menegusso Sao Paulo, Brazil

The only solution Wayne LaPierre offers to combat violence is more police and harder penalties on those convicted for crimes involving guns. But the penalty for the crime does not deter a mentally disturbed person who decides to pick up a gun and goes out to end everything. Does the NRA have any solution on how to prevent the wrong people from obtaining guns–or is this something we just have to live with? Haavard Raddum Bergen, Norway

I am a hunter and participate in a variety of shooting sports, and I am a life member of the National Rifle Association. But, like some other members, I don’t always agree 100 percent with the NRA’s rhetoric. Still, it is the only organization that is truly effective at protecting our Second Amendment rights. I don’t want to give up my rifles, shotguns and handguns, or the activities associated with the responsible use of firearms. I would, however, like to see an end to the carnage. I would be willing to submit to reasonable restrictions on my right to own firearms, and compromise on some issues if that helps prevent the slaughter of innocents. Robert L. McKee Owensville, Missouri

No one complains that requiring a license to drive a car infringes on their liberties. So why should someone else’s narrow reading of the Second Amendment be more important than my, and my kids’, right to “the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness”? Geoff Carver Dresden, Germany

While some 430,000 violent crimes were committed with guns in 1997, Americans also used guns to defend themselves against attackers about 2 million times. If we really want to save lives, we must look not only at the newsworthy bad events, but also at the bad events that never occur because people are able to defend themselves and their families. John R. Lott Jr. Senior Research Scholar, Yale University School of Law New haven, Connecticut

A Culture of Violence

We can’t blame the media for the gun-shooting tragedies in the United States. It is the easy availability of guns that allows rage or fantasies to be converted into tragic reality. If the media were responsible, frequent shooting episodes would take place elsewhere in the world, too–we also watch violent movies, you know. Only we can’t get guns as easily as candy around the corner. Niraj Gorkhali Katmandu, Nepal

The problem is neither guns nor media violence: if there is a demand, there will always be a supplier. We need to create a culture of nonviolence, not just fiddle with gun locks and waiting periods. Pacho Lane Cuernavaca, Mexico

Don’t Cry for Killers

Regarding Devon Adams’s article “Mourn for the Killers, Too”(Special Report, Aug. 23), in which she ponders on the recent massacre in Littleton, Colorado, I do not think there should be any mourning for any killers. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold were “ridiculed” by many kids, but we cannot blame society for their actions. Adams will never understand why they did what they did. It’s absolutely incomprehensible–even for those who claim to be Eric’s and Dylan’s friends. Tomasz Renkiel Gliwice, Poland

Diagnosing Diana

So now we have a “careful assessment” by an author who isn’t even a qualified therapist that Diana was a “borderline” case (“Sad as She Wants to Be,” Society & the Arts, Aug. 23)? Since Sally Bedell Smith has written 464 pages to prove her theory, and met Diana only once, briefly, we could perhaps surmise that she herself is an obsessive personality, with an eye for the quick buck. Bulimia, self-mutilation and mood swings don’t really add up to “borderline personality.” A youngster who can’t pass exams isn’t necessarily dimwitted and borderlines can be exceptionally intelligent. Perhaps the author forgot the time-honored phrase “to drive one round the bend,” which could easily be applied to the royal family, Prince Charles and Buckingham Palace? We live in a crazy world, indeed, when a person who cared about AIDS victims, schizophrenics, prisoners, old people, world hunger and land mines, as well as being a good mother, is labeled a “borderline” case. Sylvia Maclagan Buenos Aires, Argentina

Work Hard, Play Hard

I am not a fan of the 35-hour week, but your patronizing tone about it was unpleasant (“While the Sun Shines,” Business, Aug. 23). You mentioned every cliche about France, but failed to recognize that America’s low productivity is probably linked to your puny two weeks off. You also failed to note that many professionals will not be affected by this change in work- ing hours and that large corporations are bound to gain in productivity and flexibility. Besides, you take it for granted that inspecteurs du travail are dangerous nitwits. Not so; believe me, they play an active part in protecting workers from employer abuse. The 35-hour week is far from representative of what they usually do. Francoise Klein Paris, France

I was disappointed that your Aug. 23 article on France, “While the Sun Shines,” was no more than a list of cliches with very little insight. You depict the French as being impractical people, simply in love with their vacations. But you should know that one white-collar worker out of three works more than 50 hours a week here in France and many of our workers, including truckdrivers and people in the restaurant business and shops, work very long hours. The French may have more holidays than Americans, but the real issue is whether they are competitive. Surely you know that working long hours does not automatically guarantee good work. Francois Collet Paris, France

Although it’s an absolute fallacy to claim that the 35-hour week will reduce unemployment, it is still a sensible decision to do so. As countries grow richer, their wealth should be more equitably distributed. In the United States, CEOs and senior managers get hundreds of millions of dollars in stock options; in France most people get some additional time off. Prime Minister Lionel Jospin claims the measure is taken to reduce unemployment only because he wants to avoid being called a socialist–which nowadays has become a term of insult. Rene Gardea Prague, Czech Republic

I happily read your article on how the French adore vacations. It takes me back almost 30 years–to 1968– when I planned to spend the summer in France with our then 7-year-old daughter, our arrival scheduled for early July. My shocked friends chided me for threatening the life of my child by taking her into a full-blown revolution. But I told them that I was not worried–by the time we arrive, the revolution will be over, I explained, since French vacations start on July 1. And it was. Donna Evleth Paris, France

Continental Forever

The Swedes and the Danes rejoice at the completion of the Oeresund Link joining their two countries, as reported in your Aug. 23 Periscope section (“Together Again”). Your item states that the Swedes will “have a better way of reaching the Continent”–it comes as news to the Swedes and other denizens of the Scandinavian peninsula that we are no longer part of the Continent. Fred Hayes Rauland, Norway

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-04” author: “Janie Boyce”

The Great Gun Debate

When I saw your Aug. 23 cover on guns in America (“America Under the Gun,” Special Report), my first thought was that this was going to be another depressing article calling for a ban on guns and deportation of all us “rednecks” who own them. I was wrong. Forgive me for prejudging you. This was one of the most insightful, balanced and logical treatises on the subject yet. There are no easy solutions, and certainly no quick fixes. But as you pointed out, “it is time to try something.” I am a hunter and participate in a variety of shooting sports, and I am a life member of the National Rifle Association. But, like some other members, I don’t always agree 100 percent with the NRA’s rhetoric or methods. Still, it is the only organization that is truly effective at protecting our Second Amendment rights. I don’t want to give up my rifles, shotguns and handguns, or the activities associated with the responsible use of firearms. I would, however, like to see an end to the carnage. I believe I would be willing to submit to reasonable restrictions on my right to own firearms, and (oh, my God!) compromise on some issues if it would help prevent the slaughter of innocents. Robert L. McKee Owensville, Mo.

While some 430,000 violent crimes were committed with guns in 1997, Americans also used guns to defend themselves against attackers about 2 million times. If we really want to save lives, we must look not only at the newsworthy bad events, but also at the bad events that never occur because people are able to defend themselves and their families. John R. Lott Jr. Senior Research Scholar, Yale University School of Law New Haven, Conn.

Your editorial “Guns in America: What Must Be Done” was frightening, not because of the proliferation of guns, but because of your repudiation of individual rights upon which this country was founded. Perhaps you’ve forgotten what started the American Revolution at Lexington and Concord. What scared me most of all was your statement “all rights have to be balanced with the need for public order.” I totally disagree. Too many of our rights have already been sacrificed “for the public good” or “for the children” or whatever other bogeyman the government chooses to use. Elizabeth Jenne Lake Worth, Fla.

Faring Well on Welfare?

I’d like to say a few words to Elyzabeth Joy Stagg, who is pregnant with her second child from a second father, and who lives on our tax dollars (“From the Welfare Rolls, A Mother’s View,” My Turn, Aug. 23). Elyzabeth, I am 30 and have been married for six years. We have no children. Why? Because we can’t afford them. That is a thought that should have crossed your mind before you had your first child, and certainly before you became pregnant with your second. But don’t worry–my responsibility will help fund your irresponsibility. Diane North Akron, Ohio

They’re Just Wild About Harry

The English publisher of J. K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter” books has begun to issue alternate jackets “to spare adults the embarrassment of toting a kids’ book around” (“Magician for Millions,” Arts & Entertainment, Aug. 23). Piffle. The latest Potter story was with me on a recent cross-country flight. I’ve never had so many inquiries about a book before, almost entirely from adults. They didn’t pretend to be asking on behalf of their children, either. George Suttle Dillon, Mont.

The United Nations and Kosovo

I’m afraid I was misquoted in your piece on the United Nations in Kosovo (“Holbrooke’s Ultimatum: Perform or Perish,” International, Aug. 30). I did say we were “cut to the bone,” but not that we had “no resources to find and train policemen ourselves.” My point was that the U.N. had no spare civilian staff we could have deployed immediately to Kosovo. As for police, the U.N. always obtains them from governments of member states–we have never, before or after the staff cuts, had a standing police capacity. But we do “find” trained policemen from a large number of countries, and are deploying them at a rate of some 200 a week to Kosovo. Shashi Tharoor Director of Communications and Special Projects United Nations New york, N.Y.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-11” author: “Leanna Russell”

A Final Farewell to JFK Jr.

Thank you for the sensitive and thoughtful focus on Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg in your Aug. 2 special report, “A Sad Goodbye.” In the weeks since the death of John Kennedy Jr., Carolyn Bessette Kennedy and Lauren Bessette, I’ve watched with interest the outpouring of criticism leveled against the media. Has the coverage of the tragedy been too extensive? I think not. Had press attention been less robust, America would have been consumed by anger along with its grief. I was in fifth grade when President Kennedy was assassinated, and I’ve been trying to explain to my own 10-year-old why the death of the president’s son has been so profoundly affecting to so many of us. Here is what I believe: first, and most simply, we loved John Jr. because we loved his father. But more important, his death has reopened some of the wounds of the 1960s, the decade so seminal for late-20th-century history and so incredibly scarring for us as a people. I pray that from John’s death, we can somehow move into a more redemptive period as a nation. Linda Regensburger Westminster, Colo.

I’d like to thank Ellis Cose for his eloquent message in “The Trouble With Virtual Grief” (Special Report, Aug. 2). I take no issue with the fact that people might feel sympathy for a grieving family, or that we have a very real capacity to grieve through a secondary experience. The concept of virtual grief is what I find truly disturbing. How can I shed a tear for Carolyn Bessette Kennedy after holding my weeping friend whose mother has just been diagnosed with cancer? Do we need to grieve so desperately that we’ll shed tears over beautiful strangers in order to experience some cathartic release? Tracy McGillis San Francisco, Calif.

Our grief, in response to the death of a gentle young man who could have been our son, husband or brother, is neither hollow nor virtual. It is a foreshadowing of what will happen in our own lives and forces us to think about our very existence and that of our families and closest friends. Adrienne G. Cannon Alexandria, Va.

As a person born in the “post-Kennedy” era, I have greatly appreciated not only the coverage of the unfortunate deaths of JFK Jr., his wife and sister-in-law, but also the historical recaps of the time that his father was in office. While I generally find NEWSWEEK to be informative and a class act, I was extremely disappointed in your decision to put Caroline on the cover of your Aug. 2 issue. As you have reported, she is a very private person who has chosen not to live her life in the shadow or limelight of her father. Putting her on the cover at such an intensely private moment in her life was not merely insensitive; it was shameless. Laurie Edwards Sheboygan, Wis.

Your Aug. 2 Conventional Wisdom section gives the media a down arrow for excessive coverage of the JFK Jr. tragedy. This rings a little hollow when you follow it with 17 pages on the same subject, not to mention 29 pages the previous week. Will Norton Check, Va.

Is There a Doctor on Board?

Lt. Bryan M. Johnson’s Aug. 2 , “How the Navy Changed My Life,” is a classic success story. His journey from aimlessness to achievement (culminating in medical school) provides much insight into how, through perseverance, anyone can seize the opportunity to improve his or her position in life. You should reprint Johnson’s my turn and distribute it to every middle school and high school in the United States. Stephen J. Bistritz Atlanta, Ga.

Toward the end of World War II, I was stationed aboard the USS Starr (KA-67). One day I was hoisted into the rigging to grease the pulleys, by hand. I looked down and saw an ensign standing on the deck below me in his clean pressed khakis. It was at that moment that I realized the only difference between us was an education. (To see what I did about that gap, look what follows my name below.) Stephen E. Baynai, D.D.S. Riverview, Mich.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-15” author: “Richard Mcglinchey”

Mourning America’s Son

I was 15 years old when president Kennedy was assassinated. It was a moment that marked my life. In today’s world of quick judgments, it is easy to forget or minimize his talent for motivating the country. He urged Americans to give to the world, not just take. The loss of his son (“An American Tragedy,” Special Report, July 26) affects many of us who grew up feeling that he and his sister were part of our family–not because they were American “royalty” but because of what they’d been through and what they could have been in the future. Frances Pellizzari San Cristobal, Venezuela

JFK Jr. always wanted to be treated like a “normal” person–after all, he was no politician, no big player in the business world and no great artist. But NEWSWEEK thought him important enough to devote half its international edition to tell the story of his life and death. Why? Johannes Stelzhammer Eitzing, Austria

I’m sorry to hear that JFK Jr. has died, and I fully understand the grief most Americans must feel. I also know it’s summer and there is not much to write about, but as a non-American, I expect to get an objective summary of world affairs when I subscribe to your international edition. Otherwise I would subscribe to your U.S. edition. I know the U.S. role in international affairs is significant, but this time I think you went too far. Casper Lysthoej Copenhagen, Denmark

For once you aptly titled your story: “An American Tragedy.” Do not think that the rest of the world cares whether an “American icon” passes away or not. Every country has its own icons, and we do not go around trying to make a big deal to the world but cope with the loss internally. Please give the world a break from your America No. 1 nonsense. Godfrey Waluse Nairobi, Kenya

When I was a child growing up in a political family in Africa in the 1960s, all I heard my parents talk about was Kennedy this and Kennedy that. This family has truly made a remarkable impact in the lives of many Americans and even foreigners like me. God bless the Kennedys; we sympathize with you. Olukemi Olunloyo Ibadan, Nigeria

I was deeply disappointed, though not surprised, by your coverage of the death of JFK Jr., a man who was, essentially, the son of a slain president. Your willingness to feed the public’s worship at the altar of the cult of celebrity is disturbing. Yes, it was yet another terrible catastrophe to befall the Kennedys, but must perspective also be a casualty? Please return to genuine news reporting and refrain from feeding-frenzy sensationalism. Karol Vieker Stockholm, Sweden

Let’s get our literary references straight here. Rich nitwits skiing into trees, overdosing on drugs or crashing planes they cannot pilot does not constitute immortal tragedy. So forget Sophocles and instead try P. G. Wodehouse, Martin Amis or, better yet, Charles Addams. I am sorry it happened, I realize it sells lots and lots of magazines, but let us try and focus on real tragedy. God knows there is plenty to report on. Terry Downs Paris, France

As a former glider pilot, and an aviation professional for more than 20 years, I feel JFK Jr. showed poor airmanship. You do not take off in conditions you are not qualified for and when you are not completely physically fit. A sprained or broken ankle, just out of the cast, needs to be cared for. A medical check should be done before a pilot is considered fit for flying. This is standard practice in Italy but not in the United States, I presume. Roberta Fischer Malara Varese, Italy

One explanation of the so-called Kennedy curse is a predisposition for recklessness, born of the arrogance of wealth. What other explanation is there for a young and inexperienced pilot’s flying solo over water on a hazy night through the most dangerous air corridor in the world? Gary Nosler Dhahran, Saudi Arabia

There is no curse. Kennedy tragedies in the 31 years since Robert Kennedy’s assassination have all been self-inflicted, caused by individual arrogance or recklessness. Allan C. Stover Jidda, Saudi Arabia

I met JFK Jr. when he came to our base for a flight in a military F-15 Eagle fighter. Despite his obvious fame and wealth, he blended in with Everyman. After his flight, he went to our local deli and put on a flight suit to hang out with us on the spectator side of the show. Nobody recognized him, and a local Army general told him, “Son, you need a haircut and you need it now!” There is a saying in our profession: “The air, like the sea, is unrelenting and unforgiving of the smallest mistake.” Another, a motto among fighter pilots, says: “Live in fame or go down in flames.” Ironically, JFK Jr. did both. Dave Draper Via Internet

I subscribe to your international edition to obtain a weekly overview of world affairs from an American perspective. Instead, I find myself hostage to the life of celebrities of mostly dubious merit. Whenever they marry, have offspring or tragically die, NEWSWEEK turns tabloid, devoting page after precious page to glossy photographs, sentimental anecdotes and idle gossip. I am not going to renew my subscription to your so-called news magazine. Thomas Braeuniger Rehovot, Israel

Women Victorious

I enjoyed reading your write-up of the U.S.-China finale of the Women’s World Cup (“The Spirit Is Special,” News of the Week, July 19). Emphasizing the wonderful team spirit of the United States put a dent in the long-held perception that camaraderie is an alien notion in an all- female team. Furthermore, Mia Hamm’s precept “Coach us like men, but treat us like women” gave resonance to the acknowledgment of gender differences. But what got to me was Brandi Chastain’s banal justification for posing nude in Gear magazine. How can she ever be taken seriously as a worthy role model for girls and sportswomen? Noemi Zarb Sliema, Malta

Your article on the U.S. women’s football team and its World Cup final victory rekindled the emotion I felt when my family and I watched the actual game. The team exhibited sportsmanship, class and determination to win throughout the tournament, and it was wonderful to see these ladies rewarded with a victory. In this era of athletes’ megabuck contracts and endorsements, it was refreshing that they made the team’s objective of being the best their own priority. Your article only enhanced my appreciation of the team members’ individual contributions. Andrew N. Yatzus Newark, Delaware

Your article was great, and it showed us that Americans really love football. I think it is terrific that the American team won–they have great women players like Hamm. I hope their triumph will boost the game in the United States and help both men and women’s football gain a foothold. However, I do think that a women’s professional league could work only in the United States, because elsewhere the game is still male-dominated. It will take some time for young boys (never mind their fathers) to identify with someone like Hamm before Ronaldo or Beckham. Firuz Abdulah Jakarta, Indonesia

OK, OK, congrats to Mia Hamm & co. But let’s keep the church in the village. A penalty-kick shoot-out is not football (sorry, soccer), but a lottery. The correct thing would have been “sudden death,” as it was in Atlanta–i.e., the team that scores first in overtime wins. Incidentally, you did not mention that Brazil won the bronze, with a shoestring team, beating former champion Norway. As we are “machos,” female football is not very popular here, does not attract crowds and does not get the girls endorsement money. Kurt Redisch So Paulo, Brazil

I am an avid reader of NEWSWEEK and have always held it in high regard. However, your story on the Women’s World Cup final fell short. While no stone was left unturned in the coverage of the U.S. women’s football team, there was only scant coverage of the Chinese team, whose invaluable contribution made the final a memorable event. The U.S. football players in action were properly described by their respective names, but your writer chose to refer to the Chinese players as “one Chinese attacker” and “one Chinese penalty kicker.” I hope this unfortunate oversight is not repeated. John Ho Hee Hung Singapore

Melinda Liu’s article “Against the She-Wolves” (News of the Week) confirms her as China’s tormentor extraordinaire. Yet again she displays her remarkable energy in constantly bellyaching about China. China’s women players are paid less than their male counterparts? Is that different from anywhere else, including the United States? The usual excuses likely to be trotted out in the wake of the Chinese loss? Liu fails to indicate any alternative. Perhaps if she weren’t so churned up by her gripes against China, she just might be able to make up her mind whether, in that World Cup final, the Chinese team wasn’t “quite good enough or lucky enough.” A. R. T. Kemasang London, England

Does Melinda Liu know football? In her article she says of the Chinese team, “In the end they just weren’t quite good enough or lucky enough to beat an American team playing with the fervor of born champions.” A penalty shoot-out to decide a winner is simply a cruel way of deciding the champion. To me there are two champions! Thomas Wong Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Berlin’s Holocaust Memorial

I admire the Germans’ courage in acknowledging the human tragedy of the Holocaust by raising a national monument in Berlin (“Monumental Breakthrough,” Periscope, July 5). In an era when few people are willing to accept personal responsibility, such a gesture is a testament to German integrity. I’m troubled, however, by the apparent omission from the memorial of other groups who also suffered persecution at the hands of the Nazi regime. Focusing solely on the murdered Jews of Europe constitutes precisely the same “denial or indifference” that this memorial is supposed to eradicate. Christian LeFort Boston, Massachusetts

Your Periscope item “Monumental Breakthrough” reminded me of something Pastor Martin Niemoller once said: “In Germany they came first for the communists, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew… Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn’t speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time no one was left to speak up.” Russell Beyer Phoenix, Arizona

In the Aftermath of Kosovo

It’s always a great pleasure to read essays written by the elder statesman Henry A. Kissinger. With his historical background he is able to enlighten us on the problems the Western allies face (“As the Cheers Fade,” Special Report, June 21). The United States is now really on the point of becoming the successor of the Austro-Hungarian Empire–the political entity that successfully protected minorities in its territories (such as Jews, Armenians, Bosnian Muslims) but perished after World War I, and the fate of the minorities was often expulsion. If I could make a wish, I would like to see the Hapsburg Empire restored, for the sake of the Balkans. Winston Churchill had some ideas about this as well. Christof Ohnesorge Kirchhain, Germany

Sympathy for Serbs?

Several years ago, when croatian and Bosnian Muslim refugees fled their homes, NEWSWEEK championed their cause and gave them ample coverage. Now it’s the Serbian refugees’ turn in Kosovo, and you remain indifferent. The Serb women and children are also women and children. The fact that they had to flee their homes is inevitable, but shouldn’t you still have shown some sympathy (“The Road to Peace,” Special Report, June 21)? Guo Chixiong Shenzhen, China

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-19” author: “Therese Burton”

Coming to Terms With a Tragedy

I would like to commend your staff for the coverage of JFK Jr.’s plane crash in your July 26 issue (“Charmed Yet Cursed,” Special Report). Not all news stories were written with such tact, respect and sensitivity as yours. Above all, you addressed the tragedy by recognizing what wonderful people this country has lost, and by celebrating how beautifully they lived their lives. Lindsey Turner Ashland, Mass.

I have never expressed my opinion before in a public forum, but the events of the week starting July 17 have moved me to do so, after we watched with bated breath for the news on JFK Jr., his wife and his sister-in-law. The image of him saluting his father’s casket is forever etched in our hearts, just as the images of the week his plane went down will be forever seared in our minds. As with his father and uncle before him, we will miss John Jr. for what could have been. Sindy L. Reading West Seneca, N.Y.

The many possible causes of the crash of JFK Jr.’s plane can be summed up in a single phrase: poor judgment. Without full certification for instrument flight, his decision to leave as darkness fell was a bad one. While other pilots decided against flying that evening because of less-than-desirable weather at Martha’s Vineyard, Kennedy, with far less piloting experience, saw fit to depart, jeopardizing the lives of his wife, Carolyn, and her sister, along with his own. What a waste. Ed Aymes Boca Raton, Fla.

Your time line, “Triumph and Tragedy,” (Special Report, July 26), says that Robert F. Kennedy became a senator from New York in 1963. In fact, RFK was elected U.S. senator in 1964, defeating Kenneth Keating. Paul Gradwell Meriden, Conn.

With all due respect and sympathy to the Kennedy and Bessette families, haven’t we had more than enough media coverage of this tragedy? Unfortunately, this seems to be just another example of how, in the past decade, the news media have traded in-depth coverage of real news for the cult of the celebrity. This was, indeed, a tragedy–but it’s over. Please move on and allow the families of those who died to mourn their losses in private. Janice H. Mitchell Bethlehem, Pa.

My job as a hospice nurse has taken me into many homes in the rural South, usually with three rooms at most, unimaginable plumbing and sometimes dirt floors. Most were occupied by black families, but they had something more in common. On the wall of each front room I’d always see pictures of Jesus, Martin Luther King Jr. and John F. Kennedy. And I always wondered if JFK’s children really grasped what their father meant to so many. Douglas Brinkley’s article " ‘I Fell More Like Princess Di’ " (Special Report, July 26) reassured me when he mentioned John Jr.’s pilgrimage to the Mississippi Delta. I now know that John saw those displays, and I am so happy that he had that experience before he departed for his final journey. Ann Kelly Bay St. Louis, Miss.

Worried and Wired I am amazed to learn that Patty Friedmann has placed razor wire along the inside of the fence surrounding her swimming pool to prevent liability for potential accidents suffered by trespassing neighborhood kids (“Summertime and the Litigiousness Is Easy,” My Turn, July 26). I think she’s just aggravating the situation. Sure, the kids can’t get hurt in the pool now. They’re too busy getting shredded to pieces trying to climb over the fence. Friedmann may wish to consider increasing her homeowner’s insurance coverage. Dan Kirley Honolulu, Hawaii

My heart goes out to Patty Friedmann as she struggles with the dilemma of keeping neighborhood children away from the forbidden and delicious fruit that is her pool. She is wise to do so, however, since random acts of kindness will often result in lawsuits. As the editor of Swimming Pool/ Spa Age magazine, I hear this kind of story all the time. I have two words for Friedmann: pool cover. This will solve the problem and at the same time get rid of the unsightly barbed wire she has wrapped around her home and her neighborliness. Elise Vachon Atlanta, Ga.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-03” author: “Richard Ancira”

Don’t Be Daunted by Dyslexia

As headmaster of a school for learning-disabled adolescents, I was excited to see your cover story devoted to dyslexia (Dyslexia and the New Science of Reading, Society, Nov. 22). I applaud your insight and courage in objectively reporting on a very complex subject. Although dyslexia is labeled a “learning disability,” it is best approached as a “learning difference.” Sound remedial practices coupled with emotional and social support allow students to see themselves as valued learners with unique talents to offer society. I hope that your article will alert parents and teachers to the need for early detection and remediation before the student suffers from unfortunate labeling and isolation. Thank you for helping educate the public on an issue that has long been misunderstood at the expense of our children and society. Douglas Dague Pine Ridge School Williston, Vt.

I hope NEWSWEEK’s excellent story on dyslexia will be a wake-up call to those teachers who blame slow readers for their problem. I remember a teacher who told me, “Elizabeth, there is a special hell for students who are smart enough to do the work, but just won’t.” She might be surprised now that I am the author of seven mystery novels featuring a sleuth who is a memory-trick expert. We dyslexics are creative because we have to be! Elizabeth Daniels Squire Weaverville, N.C.

Congratulations to NEWSWEEK for tackling dyslexia and for explaining the medical and scientific implications of on-going research into this disability. While the story provided an in-depth analysis of techniques that may help students with dyslexia tackle the printed page, you didn’t mention textbooks on tape as another important educational resource. While there are many effective reading strategies for students with dyslexia, we must draw a distinction between “learning to read” and “reading to learn. Studies show that reading speed and comprehension are improved when students with dyslexia can see and hear the words simultaneously. More than 50,000 students with dyslexia in more than 3,000 schools around the country used taped textbooks from Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic last year. These students can surely attest to the value of this unique accommodation. Richard O. Scribner, President Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic Princeton, N.J.

Are some children dyslexic? certainly. But let’s not rush to stamp the label on every child who takes a bit longer than average to learn to read. Some kids just don’t learn at the same rate as others. There may be a host of reasons for that, other than just dyslexia. Some children enter my kindergarten classroom as “zero-book kids,” who have never been read to, never handled books and invented their own stories by looking at the pictures, never picked up a pencil or crayon to write and draw. Will it take them longer to become readers and writers than the “thousand-book kids” who have had wonderful preschool and home experiences with literacy? Sure. But given the time and attention they need, they will learn. Devon Hamner Grand Island, Neb.

Teachers Fantasize, Too

Bravo to Saul Schachter for making the politically incorrect point that public-school students should be required to behave respectfully if they want to remain in school (“If Schools Could Pick Their Students…,” My Turn, Nov. 22). Parents do have the responsibility to make sure their kids are well rested, fed and dressed appropriately for school; otherwise they must be prepared to face the consequences. If restaurants can post no shirt, no shoes, no service on their doors, why shouldn’t schools do the same? As a teacher of both college and gifted elementary-school children and the mother of two, I am appalled at the number of parents who get angry at teachers for the shortcomings of their children. Too often the real culprits are the parents–who, by doing nothing to make their child’s education the top priority, destroy what’s left of the respect the educational process deserves. To those parents I say: don’t argue that you don’t have time to read over your child’s paper or math homework or check his/her assignments. You have the time. It’s just not a priority. And that’s sad. Cathy Forsythe League City, Texas

In commenting on difficult students, Saul Schachter forgets that one of our primary jobs as teachers is converting recalcitrant, rude and unmotivated kids into learners. It is a slow process, often without immediate feedback or results, and it is a job made all the more difficult by people who simply dismiss kids who don’t fit preconceived models of behavior. Schachter sounds to me like a doctor who wants only healthy patients and angrily refuses treatment to those who have emergencies or get cancer or make foolish choices. Like any good teacher, I am exhausted at the end of a teaching day; I am frustrated and infuriated by the myriad problems with students, supplies, administrators and parents. I would like to deal only with eager learners. I love my well-behaved advanced-placement classes. But I also feel proud of whatever inroads I can make with the toughest of the students, and I deeply resent it when other teachers dump them on me because they can’t handle them. The teacher who believes that his or her school would be a better place without the “difficult” students shouldn’t teach. The person who wants to preach only to the choir has no business in public education. Tom Lederer El Cerrito, Calif.

Saul Schachter would like it if schools could pick their students. The other side of that coin would be schools or parents picking their teachers. That might help weed out teachers who don’t care anymore, who are just putting their time in, teaching with outdated materials, knowing they are safe because they have tenure. P. A. Buckley Aurora, Ill.

Wondering About George W

I have to wonder about Jonathan Alter’s perception of intelligent people (“Is George W Really Ready?” Between The Lines, Nov. 22). Perhaps what voters are looking for is not a presidential candidate with a gentleman’s C, but one with a gentleman’s I, as in integrity. Perhaps what voters are looking for is not a man who has an unblemished past, but one who has learned from his past and will not make the same mistakes while in office–things that Bill Clinton, for all his supposed candlepower, has not learned. James E. Butler Springfield, Mass.

If George W. Bush is elected president and gets into a bind, he can just do what most of his generation has always done, and call his dad for help. Anthony R. Wiseman Goose Creek, S.C.

Heroism in Haiti

Until I read your Nov. 22 issue, I had never heard of Capt. Lawrence Rockwood, and I had never been particularly impressed by the role of individualism, conscience and personal morals in our military (“A Question of Duty,” International). After reading about this man of unselfish courage and admirable conviction, who defied military orders to try to bring justice to the victims of tyranny in Haiti, I am glad to know that there are ethical people like him who will try–even at their own peril–to make sure there is not another Holocaust. The philosopher and historian George Santayana said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” It is reassuring to know that Rockwood was paying attention when his father showed him, as a little boy, a Nazi concentration camp. I wish more people had the moral fiber exhibited by Rockwood. Jeffrey Pollock Pittsburgh, Pa.

Can Shaq and Kobe Play Nice?

Your article on Phil Jackson’s appointment as the new coach for the L.A. Lakers seemed to suggest that it would be just a small feat for him to put this team together to play like his old Chicago Bulls (“Doing It Without the Man,” Society, Nov. 22). Michael Jordan wanted to be the “main man” for the Bulls, but the Lakers have two of this type of player: Shaquille O’Neal and the young Kobe Bryant. These arrogant athletes clash both on and off the court, and it’s going to take a lot of effort by Jackson to get them to play as a team. Jason Starr Richfield, Utah

Not Your Father’s James Bond

Like so many baby boomers, I grew up watching James Bond save the world from cold-war tyrants. So I was interested in seeing how Pierce Brosnan’s Bond character has been retooled to capture a younger generation of filmgoers (“Bond–Stirred, Not Shaken,“Arts & Entertainment, Nov. 22). I’m chilled by the image the new Bond caricature is presenting to today’s violence-plagued youth. In one particularly disturbing scene in his latest adventure, “The World Is Not Enough,” Brosnan’s Bond is a lady-killer, but only in the most literal sense. He shoots the film’s petite villainess execution style and then quips, “I told her I’d never miss her.” Given the devastating disregard for life shown in the current rash of nationwide school shootings, it’s shocking to see such a mass-marketed action hero treat an unarmed woman so sadistically. Yes, the Bond character has always been sadistic, but usually toward the worst bad guys who we all knew had it coming. Actor Sean Connery’s incarnation of Bond was chivalrous. For example, in the movie “Goldfinger,” Connery’s Bond drives off the road to avoid hitting an old lady who is trying to mow him down with machine-gun fire. Brosnan’s Bond would probably lay tire marks over her and never look back in the rearview mirror. Ray Villard Sykesville, Md.

Clarification

In NEWSWEEK’s Dec. 21, 1998, issue, an article covering the early days of the Microsoft antitrust trial (“Objection! Your DLL Is Out of Order!,” Science & Technology, page 77) was illustrated with a drawing by courtroom artist William J. Hennessy Jr. The courtroom drawing was accompanied by dialogue balloons, which NEWSWEEK independently included after Mr. Hennessy submitted the drawing. NEWSWEEK did not intend to convey the impression that Mr. Hennessy was involved in, or would have approved of, the inclusion of the dialogue balloons with his drawing, and regrets any possible misunderstanding in this regard.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-13” author: “Norma Willey”

C’mon guys, we’re almost into the third millennium and you the media are still pandering to the most backward and snobbish instincts of your readership. With at least one third of the world’s population living in dire conditions, your vicarious ravings about royalty are obscene. So the British like to show off the remnants of their decadent culture? That’s fine–it sells newspapers and brings tourists. But, to be polite, the rest of the world doesn’t give it a second thought. Raul Santiago Aguascalientes, Mexico

The way in which Britain’s adolescent heir to the throne keeps his poise amid growing media pressure astonishes me. Considering what Prince William has had to endure for the better part of his life, the inner strength described in your article is quite amazing. We can only hope that journalists and a public hungry for royal tittle-tattle will gradually learn to adopt a more mature and responsible role in years to come. If this happens, even those normally opposed to the existence of this traditional monarchy may have another think coming. Werner Radtke Paderborn, Germany

I find it sad to see the saga that began years ago when Diana Spencer married Prince Charles is now continuing in the life of her son. It was the public’s nearly obsessive fascination with the life of the royals that gave the paparazzi some justification for their incessant hounding of Diana. Isn’t it about time we learned a lesson from Diana’s death and let her sons lead a more peaceful life? A teenager deserves the right to go to a movie with his buddies on his 18th birthday without having to turn around to face the flash of a camera, even if he is the future King of England! Dashini Ann Jeyathurai Ohor Bahru, Malaysia

You say that HRH Prince William is the future King of England, when he is, of course, the future King of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (this includes the Scots, Welsh, Northern Irish and English). Yet when it comes to bad news, you refer to the hooliganism of “16,000 British soccer fans” (“Battle of Belgium,” Periscope, June 26) when in fact they were English fans. I’ve noticed on several occasions your magazine uses England to represent Great Britain, especially when referring to Her Majesty the Queen who is monarch of the entire Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. John R. Stirling Edinburgh, Scotland

One look at Diana’s son, and we’re reminded that life truly does go on. Lisa Lacy West Point, Mississippi

It’s a mystery to me why the media consistently try to reconstruct William as an ordinary Yuppie-in-the-making. Despite Diana’s legacy and Earl Spencer’s caution, William is a bona fide product of the British monarchy–and his father’s son. However he rules, he’s the heir to a throne. Linda Christman Santa Clarita, California

Breakthrough, Korean Style Seeing the picture of the two Kims holding hands together (” ‘A New Day’ in Korea,” Asia, June 26) seems like a dream come true for Koreans on both sides of the border. The prospect of achieving unification after decades of hate and mutual distrust is here. What a shame that talks about secession and federalism here, or an independent Mindanao, have become fodder for politicians. Surely this is the most opportune time and place to learn the lessons of history unfolding before our very eyes. Henry Q. Badayos Binangonan, Philippines

The summit between the two Kims will be recorded as historic in opening a communication channel between the Koreas. It has resulted in enthusiasm and hope for most Koreans. But it is worrying for South Koreans, who will be frustrated if the North asks too much. North Korea’s government must control the pace at which it opens its borders. Flexibility is key. The Koreas must maintain a balanced distance from both Washington and Beijing. Still, it was a joyful moment. Younjong Kim Seoul, South Korea

Putin’s Political Vendetta I was bemused by the tone of “the Putin Crackdown” (Europe, June 26). First, you side with press lord Vladimir Gusinsky whose news magazine is “published in cooperation with NEWSWEEK.” Then, you end by claiming that, with the measures against Gusinsky, Putin attempts to get rid of a critic, or “a new era of Russian show trials” are just beginning. Coming from a country where show trials did take place, I must point out that a recurring feature of trials is that charges are made up against innocent people. Much of the new oligarchy is not “innocent,” probably including Gusinsky, so why not take Putin’s steps as real measures to re-establish law and order? Gabor A. Zemplen budapest, hungary

According to certain sources, press lord Vladimir Gusinsky is associated with the Russian mob. There are a number of investigations by various government agencies, both in Europe and in America, tracking the scope of influence the Russian mob has, not only in its native land, but worldwide. Before your news organization takes a position backing this media magnate, you may want to find out how he got there and how he stayed there. I do not know if Putin is a reformer or just running a power play; I do suspect that there is more to Gusinsky’s story than that of an innocent dissident wrongly accused. Jeff Cantell Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Tennis, Anyone? Your readers certainly enjoyed the story about the “skinny, scruffy kid named Gustavo Kuerten” who recently won his second French Open and started a tennis epidemic in Brazil (“Going Gaga Over Guga,” World Affairs, June 26). I only wish you had mentioned that Guga was raised by his mother after his father died at the age of 41, when Guga was only 8 years old. His older brother acts as his manager and another brother is handicapped. Finally, a mention of Guga’s dedication to social causes might have been more interesting than the fashion consultant’s statement that “he should take a bath.” Mario Rigolio Varese, Italy

Evaluating Expo 2000 Is that Expo 2000 (“This Fair Could Flop,” Business, June 26) the same fair that I have been visiting twice a week since opening day? My Expo 2000 is a multicultural and multiethnic event, a wonderful festival showing the new Germany without any German “angst” or shadows from the dark periods of its history. I experienced Germany as a sympathetic member of the international community, and as a friendly host. Germany has apparently accepted its role as a major player in the global community. Yes, this fair has had its initial flaws–like any event of this size. But most visitors say they will come again. The German pavilion has had a constant flow of up to 30,000 persons per day, and they are amazed by the friendly, lively and informative shows presented there. If things remain as they are, Expo 2000 will have between 12 million and 15 million visitors. May I suggest that you send somebody over to have a look at what is going on rather than delivering secondhand information? Dirk Schroeder Bremen, Germany

Sparkling images accompanied by melodic sounds, Hollywood-like tricks in 10-minute trailers–who does not like fine entertainment? Especially when it is presented in awesome pavilions. But one wonders where the content got lost. I expected to learn something about other countries’ culture and history, and other people’s way of life. What purpose does a world fair serve when it merely shows off the ability to make use of modern technology? Perhaps the organizers should have focused more on the issues than on how to present them. Sebastian Droge Westphalia, Germany

I am a New Zealander currently living in Germany as an exchange student, and I have had the opportunity to attend the Hanover Expo 2000 not once but twice. Although I was disappointed that my country does not have a pavilion at the Expo, the other countries’ pavilions more than made up for the absence of my own. Walking around them, I could not help but feel a sense of cultural diversity. Attendance has been low, perhaps because of a lack of advertising. German newspapers and television focus on the problems. There is so much to see and experience at the Expo: exhibitions, performances, food and drink, and amazing technological advances. Tania Lemmon Leonberg, Germany

Russia’s New Afghan Front Your article “Shopping For Enemies” (Europe, June 5) was unfairly tilted against Russia. There is nothing “quixotic” about the country planning to bomb bases in Afghanistan, the training ground of Islamic fighters for Chechnya. If America could fire missiles at Afghanistan to punish Osama bin Laden for bombing the American Embassies in Tanzania and Kenya, why can Russia not do it to save Chechnya, its own territory? Ironically, the repressive Taliban regime in Afghanistan, hosting bin Laden, owes its birth to American weaponry pumped into that country through Pakistan in the 1980s to beat back the invading Russians. But this time around, let America not repeat the old mistake. It has to realize that in the post-cold-war world, the real enemy is not Russian communism but Islamic terrorism. Therefore, rather than trying to diplomatically outmaneuver Russia in wooing the CIS states, America should join hands with it to combat the Pan-Islamic terrorism that is destabilizing many non-Islamic nations. Sharad C. Mishra Mumbai, India

Greece’s Nemesis In “A Blind Eye to Terror?” (Europe, June 19) you present a picture of Greece that is offensive. Terrorist acts are not exclusive to Greece. That no members of the November 17 have been caught so far should by no means suggest that the Greek government is supporting this group. We all feel deep sorrow for the loss of Stephen Saunders; Greek authorities, with the help of Scotland Yard, will do everything possible to bring his murderers to justice. The 2004 Summer Olympics will be held in Athens without fear of terrorism: Greece is a safe, peaceful, democratic country; visitors will be secure. Konstantia Papastergiou Thessaloniki, Greece

I found your story about terrorism in Greece irritating. It’s hypocritical of Americans to talk about terrorism in our country. After all, here the Mafia is powerless, kids neither join gangs nor carry guns, people are not afraid to walk at night, and even kings choose to come for vacations. The only serious terrorist element in Greece is a group of old communists, November 17. George Andronikidis Ptolemaida, Greece

In Defense of a European Vision In “A Europe With One Voice?” (World View, May 29) Andrew Nagorski argues that the interests of the various European countries differ too much to be expressed in a common European vision. I disagree. The era of the nation-state is over; effective European institutions are not just a vision but a political necessity. It is wrong to use the temporary weakness of the euro and the decline in German defense spending against this. Financial markets are not in tune with the needs of people. Germany is a pacifist country. Europe will become a federation; it has no other option and then, it will speak with one voice. Even now, the Continent is more united than ever before. Lars Straeter Dortmund, Germany

Nagorski is right about German obsessions. First it was extreme nationalism, now it is Eurocentrism. As a medical-school graduate who took an eight-month German-language course in Germany last year, I’ve had a firsthand taste of German aversion to non-Europeans: I was rejected by all German medical institutions for postgraduate training because German law makes no provision for admitting Asians. Such discriminatory policies may prove to be tactically foolish in the long run. Ali Asim Pitafi, M.D. Muzaffargarh, Psakistan

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-16” author: “Donald Walthall”

I am 12 years old and weigh 145 pounds. I am obviously overweight and depressed. While I was reading your story “Fat for Life?” (SOCIETY, July 3), I cried and couldn’t stop. In fact, I am still crying as I write this. But I learned many different things, such as the fact that 75 percent of adolescents don’t come out of this. I decided that is not going to happen to me. I am going to be one of the 25 percent who can lose the weight. Every day since then, I have ridden a stationary bike for 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes at night. So far I have lost one and a half pounds. I am taking on the issue of my weight and I’m going to win this battle because I believed you, and so I didn’t sit there and watch the rest of “Dawson’s Creek.” Instead I got off my fanny and went and rode that bike for another 20 minutes. Name Withheld Atlanta, Ga.

Bravo to NEWSWEEK for finally putting fat kids on your cover. Childhood obesity is an American issue growing (please excuse the pun) out of control at an appalling rate. Your story was exceedingly well written–and what it reflected about us as parents and caregivers, and as a society, was quite pathetic. In this country we have known for decades about the correlation between obesity and heart disease, certain cancers, diabetes, high blood pressure and stroke. And it is understood that a fat child runs a greater risk than a child of normal weight of becoming a fat, ill adult. Are adults who permit their children to eat as they please (meaning anything and everything) supremely ignorant or genuinely abusive? My daughter is now 4 1/2 and honestly chooses fish and broccoli over burgers and fries. Why? Because that is how I am bringing her up. It’s called self-control and self-education, and it can’t start early enough–for kids or the grown-ups who raise them. Amanda Uhry New York, N.Y.

Thank you for your very timely article on childhood obesity. As a pediatrician, I am dismayed at the increasing number of fat children I see on a daily basis. I find it sadly ironic that parents bring in their children for such minor problems as colds, while the biggest threat to the future health of their children, obesity, is usually ignored until it is too late. While your article frequently mentioned the lack of physical-education classes, the real solution lies in a lifestyle change for the entire family; 45 minutes of kickball will not turn a Big Mac-eating couch potato into a healthy person. Aparna Kambhampati, M.D. San Diego, Calif.

I read with interest your cover story on childhood obesity. As a parent with a minor degree in nutrition, I am very concerned about preventing my children from falling into this trap. I feel as if I am swimming against the current: the only person I know who will not allow her children to eat snack or junk foods. One problem your article did not mention is that so many children of working mothers are now in day care. Day-care providers should be at the forefront of the battle against childhood obesity–and some do a great job. But I have a constant struggle with my kids’ current day-care providers to get them to offer the children healthy food. I have talked to them and given them written instructions on how I want my children to be fed, but nothing has worked. Parents, beware! Look at your day-care provider and don’t listen to her description of what “food program” she is using, but see how obese she is and how she eats–that’s how your child is going to look. Susan Mercurio St. Paul, Minn.

Thanks for the excellent article on obesity in kids. As a formerly overweight kid, I am quite sensitive to the issue as a whole. At 20, I have finally conquered the physical weight but not the emotional scars left by years of living with it. However, the satisfaction of losing the weight has left a better taste in my mouth than any milkshake, cheeseburger or candy bar ever could. Elizabeth Topham Columbia, Mo.

Thank you for including “When Weight Loss Goes Awry” in your report on childhood obesity. While it is important for people to be aware of the dangers of children’s becoming seriously overweight, it is equally important not to add to the intensity of society’s “be thin” message. We must be careful not to focus too heavily on the importance of body shape/size. It is sad and frightening to realize that many children base their sense of self-worth on the appearance of their bodies. Too many young people have been erroneously led to believe that they can never be too thin. For 12 years I battled anorexia nervosa. For an additional 18 years I’ve struggled with the physical and emotional scars of the illness. Having endured lengthy hospital stays, heart irregularities, osteoporosis, digestive problems and infertility, I want young people to know that you can be too thin. Let’s recognize and celebrate healthy lifestyles instead of idealized body sizes or weights. Debbie Gilligan Hollywood, Md.

“Fat for Life?” represents the opinions of professionals who have probably never suffered from being overweight. I was overweight as a child, and the best thing that ever happened to me was a boy’s nicknaming me “butterball” in the fifth grade. Up to that point my family and friends had told me “it’s OK” or “it’s all muscle”; doctors attempted to start me on diets that included having only fruit for snacks, but no one ever told me outright that I was fat until that boy called me butterball. Although I went home and cried that night, I knew I had to face reality, and sometimes reality is not pleasant. Now, at 17, I am a fit athlete and plan to play field hockey in college. This would never have been possible if that boy had not called me butterball. Kelly McKallagat Holden, Mass.

Sunday, Ugly Sunday Anna Quindlen puts into words what so many women hate to think about: the knowledge and fear that most men have the ability to physically dominate–and harm–them (“Sexual Assault, Film at Eleven,” THE LAST WORD, July 3). It’s not something we like to dwell on. But every time we hear of a woman’s being sexually assaulted, we are reminded. The scenes from Central Park show the terror, humiliation and utter helplessness of a group of women being attacked by a mob of crazed men. It speaks volumes about how society is today and, as Quindlen suggests, how it has always been. Kelly Mulcrone Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.

I was somewhat disturbed by Anna Quindlen’s latest essay. She seems to be stereotyping all men as thugs and rapists. Some men are, but some men do their best to treat women with respect and dignity. All negative stereotyping is harmful, whether it is done by a white supremacist or by a feminist. My wife is pregnant with our first child, a daughter. When she comes of age, I will give her the hope that if she is careful and patient, she can find a good man. Timothy Schrader Affton, Mo.

Rescuing Social Security There is one partial solution to the Social Security problem that no politician wishes to address: make the program’s payments based entirely on need (“The Social Security Crackup,” NATIONAL AFFAIRS, July 3). Right now there are multimillionaires who are getting Social Security handouts from the government simply because they are old enough to collect them. Many are still working. Meanwhile, there are elderly people who, even with the payments they get, can barely afford their medication. Social Security should be a safety net and not an entitlement. Michael A. Ventrella Stroudsburg, Pa.

In your July 3 story “The Social Security Crackup,” I am quoted, as Gov. George W. Bush’s chief economic adviser, in a misleading way on his plan to save Social Security. The impact of the Bush plan on any “guaranteed” benefit would be determined by the proposals of the bipartisan task force he will create as president, and by congressional action on those proposals. Any statement to the contrary is both factually incorrect and an erroneous report of what I have said. Lawrence B. Lindsey Clifton, Va.

Farrelly Flash As we say in Arizona, it’s not the heat, it’s the human nudity. I enjoy a glimpse of the well-toned male form, but Peter Farrelly as your first centerfold (“The Farrellys’ Wild Ride,” ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, July 3)? Please! Even erstwhile Cosmo pinup Burt Reynolds would have been a more appealing vision than Farrelly’s Hindenburg-esque midriff and crab-grass coiffure. I admit there’s something merry about an uninhibited man. But the next time I read my NEWSWEEK over dinner, me, myself and my eyes want to feast on the likes of Joseph Fiennes, Ben Affleck, Harrison Ford or Eddie the dog. Your photo left me glum and glummer. Barbara Yost Phoenix, Ariz.

Maybe “Me, Myself & Irene” should be rated N-65: no one over 65 admitted without a teenager. Roberta Stoller New Seabury, Mass.

Pumped-Up Petrol Prices I was incensed by your list of options (PERISCOPE, July 3) for answering the question “Whom do you hold most responsible for the rise in gas prices?” How about a fifth choice–ourselves! We continue to enjoy relatively low gas prices compared with the rest of the world, we have done little to encourage conservation and we continue to purchase ever larger, less fuel-efficient automobiles–yet all of your options allow us to blame someone else. Stand up, people. Stop complaining and accept responsibility for your actions. Peter R. O’Keeffe Los Angeles, Calif.

Correction In our July 3 story “One Drive That Fits All” (FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY), we said that today’s PCs come with 20 or more megabytes of disk space; we should have said gigabytes. We also said that the storage capacity of recordable CD-ROM drives is 750 megabytes; the standard capacity is 650 megabytes.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-15” author: “Lloyd Ripple”

Is It Live or NBC? Your article on the American public’s reaction to NBC’s coverage of the Sydney Games was fascinating (“Rating NBC’s Games,” Sydney Games, Oct. 2). It seems that NBC and Americans are faced with a major sports challenge. Athens hosts the Games next time and is seven hours ahead of Eastern standard time, Beijing is a likely bet for 2008 (+12) and Cape Town is a potential winner for 2012 (+6). So it seems that the Summer Games may not be back in Eastern prime time for 16 years at least. How will NBC and the American public react? Could we see a paradigm shift in its viewing, bringing it in line with the rest of the world–the real world where the tyranny of distance is an everyday reality and one gets used to getting up in the middle of the night to watch England’s World Cup football? Or will NBC have the influence and U.S. dollars to force the IOC and organizers to shift the game to 2 a.m. in order to meet the needs of New York couch potatoes? Keith Cundale Darlington, Australia

After reading the interview with Dick Ebersol, the president of NBC Sports, I am so genuinely glad I didn’t have to watch the fake American 15- to 20-hour- delayed “Chariots of Fire” version of the Olympic Games. The Olympics is a live event, and you want to feel that you are there when it happens. When they introduce the swimmers for the men’s 100-meter butterfly and the roar of the crowd could lift the roof off the arena and it gives you goose bumps, you want to know that it is happening at that very moment. It is real, and it is live, though you are sitting in Osaka, Stockholm or San Francisco. Sad to hear that an overly cocky and defiant Ebersol does not understand what that means. Anders Forvass London, England

It was interesting to read Ebersol’s statement that Australian, British and German television carried no profiles of foreign athletes, while NBC did. In fact, the BBC has been running Olympics previews, including full profiles and interviews with top world athletes, for the past 12 months on its Saturday “Grandstand” program, including an in-depth interview with Michael Johnson. Continental broadcasters have also shown a heavy interest, hence five minutes of Cathy Freeman and no one else on TVE’s main news in Spain on the night of her victory. There was a 10-minute profile of the same athlete on the BBC that same evening. As for Ebersol’s claim that millions would not bother staying up to watch the action, we’re more used to having to do that on this side of the Atlantic. Seven million watched Steve Redgrave & Co.’s famous rowing victory well past midnight U.K. time. Is it too much to ask for the States to learn from the European example? After all, what’s a few nights’ lost sleep anyway? William Downing Dublin, Ireland

Was it necessary to eulogize every victorious athlete and make them all out to be superheroes striving to surmount the insurmountable? I believe that the Olympics is and should remain about sports, sportsmanship and international competition of pure athletes. The influence of sponsorship and professionals in the events has already diluted the allure of amateur athletes’ pitting their formidable skills against one another and contesting an event for national pride instead of personal glory. I suggest that future NBC producers dispense with the superfluous and pedantic flashbacks and use that time to cover other sports. Sriram Shankar Durham, North Carolina

Ebersol needs to get off his high horse and pay attention to the bottom line. Whether he likes it or not, the lowest ratings since the 1964 Olympics simply mean viewers dislike his coverage of the Games. C. A. Atallah Oslo, Norway

The problem with Americans is that they cannot accept defeat (“A Splash of Records,” Sydney Games, Oct. 2). Describing the victory of others as cheating indicates that Americans regard themselves as unbeatable and the best. It is time for Americans to adapt the spirit of Russian swimmer Aleksandr Popov. “I can’t win everything. I’ve got to share,” said Popov, who received the silver in the 100-meter freestyle after winning gold in two previous Olympics. Ainul Wahida Kuala Kangsar, Malaysia

Looking at U.S. TV and newspaper coverage, one wouldn’t know that the Europeans dominated the Games with more than double the medals of the U.S. And what about the meteoric rise of the Chinese and the Australians’ per-population supremacy? Peter Charles Jerusalem, Israel

London’s Court vs. Parents There should be no “ethical quandary” concerning what to do about the twins Mary and Jodie (“An Ethical Quandary,” Europe, Oct. 2). Morally and rationally, only two people can make this decision–the parents. The real quandary is how Homo sapiens got itself into the situation where it’s acceptable that one or more people can interfere in the lives and property of others. It happens that I don’t agree with the decisions of the parents and do agree with the decision of the coercive political state. But, while it’s moral and rational for me to have an opinion, it is immoral for you or me or anyone else to impose that opinion on another thinking being. William W. Morgan Hanoi, Vietnam

As someone who lost a twin sister a day before our birth, I think Jodie would understand. She would miss Mary with all her heart, but she would be grateful to be able to live, love, care and share. On the other hand, if these parents have another child later on, what are they going to tell him or her? “Listen, you could have an older sister, but she is unfortunately dead. She had a serious health problem and we did not want her being operated on”? Adrienne Dallmann Budapest, Hungary

Islamic Women and the NGOs I have worked for several years as a rural-development adviser in the part of Pakistan that NEWSWEEK described, and I know the NGO mentioned (“The Mullahs vs. the NGOs,” Asia, Oct. 2). It is certainly true that this NGO faces a lot of trouble. This is not a new situation. Khwendo Kor is pressed by its donor to show quick results even though it is well known that cultural changes need more than a few years. Other NGOs don’t face these difficulties because they either coordinate their activities with local religious leaders and elders or integrate those people in their organizations. Operating with the traditional leaders instead of working against them might be a rather slow process, but it is much more sustainable than fighting the establishment. The success of these village-based NGOs has proved their superiority over any Peshawar-based “NGO of the Rich” run by some academics who will never gain proper acceptance in the villages. Klaus V. Berger Dhaka, Bangladesh

Why is it that news about Islam always appears in a negative light? As a Singapore Muslim, I wish NEWSWEEK would do a review of the mosques and NGOs here. Each of our mosques has computers, and larger ones run computer-appreciation and Internet classes for male and female students, retirees and housewives. We have vibrant Muslim organizations run practically entirely by women who operate preschools and kindergartens. And we even have women-run Muslim organizations that counsel problem teens, unwed mothers and former drug addicts and give advice on contraception. This is the kind of Islam that you can find in any Muslim country, if one looks for it. Mohamed Suhaimi bin Shariffudin singapore

The Danish Decision The Danish constitution requires either an 80 percent majority in the Parliament or a referendum before the government can hand over any sovereignty to an international body (“Danes and Euroland: To Be or Not to Be,” Europe, Oct. 2). Therefore, Danish voters have had the opportunity to discuss and decide on the monetary union. If voters in Germany had been given the same chance, they would probably have rejected the monetary unit with a larger majority than the Danes. There is a gap between the European Union created by politicians and the Europe wanted by most of the population. Georg Strom Lejre, Denmark

A Biblical Showstopper In your review of the “Apocalypse: Beauty and Horror in Contemporary Art” exhibition at the Royal Academy, it seems that NEWSWEEK needs to do a little more Biblical research in order to understand the central piece of the show, Maurizio Cattelan’s “The Ninth Hour” (“Apocalypse Now,” Society & the Arts, Oct. 2). Those who are familiar with scriptural references concerning the apocalypse will recognise that the artwork depicting the pope’s being struck down by a stone is a fairly clear, albeit indirect, reference to the visions in the Book of Daniel, chapters 2 and 7. NEWSWEEK readers would do well to read an inspired description of the felling of the papacy, erroneously referred to as a “cosmic joke” and “slapstick blasphemy.” John Baxter Jalandhar, India

What’s in a Name? Hats off to your team for the excellent but painful articles highlighting a system that shoves fellow human beings into the sewer simply because of their birth (“Caste Struggle,” Asia, July 3). I was the first member of my family in three generations to visit India. In a country that has entered the third millennium with a big nuclear bang, I saw the worst form of human degradation. In Mauritius, where there is a sizable population of Indian origin, Europeans who had brought them over as slaves gave them food, clothing, shelter and, eventually, democracy. As a result the caste line, which is now drawn artificially only to gain political mileage, is so blurred that it takes the Banwaris, the Bhangis and the Jamadars a trip to Mother India to discover that theirs are low-caste appellations. Dharumvir Takoor Triolet, Mauritius

By highlighting the U.N. human-development report that states that 35 percent of Indians subsist on less than a dollar per day, your esteemed publication reminds us that India is still a very poor country. In this era of sweeping feel-good journalism written to make all Indians feel First World and up there with the nuclear powers, we get to read about how the average Indian is now delighted to find getting Internet access as easy as buying a cake of soap. Still, as conversations will show, Brahmins don’t see why non-Brahmins need access to the Internet. Even private ISPs can’t solve this problem. T. P. Goyal Ghaziabad, India

Reunions But Not Reunification The recent rounds of rapprochement between the two Koreas are providing one of the few shafts of light in a world that often seems doomed with darkness and despair (“Victims of Time,” Asia, Aug. 28). Although the number of human beings celebrating a reunion after half a century is still relatively small, one should not underestimate the symbolic potency inherent in these exchanges. Werner Radtke Paderborn, Germany

Muslims in the Moluccas In “An Island Holy War” NEWSWEEK said that for centuries Christians were the majority in the Moluccas, but the fact is that for centuries the Moluccas has been part of the Islamic world (Asia, Aug. 7). There were two famous Islamic sultanates in the Moluccas, the Ternate and the Tidore, whose territory included Moluccan islands and the western part of Papua. Even now these sultanates play important roles in Moluccan society. Furthermore, the Moluccas was discovered by Arabian sailors during the early expansion of Islam, and even the islands’ name is believed to be derived from the Arab word almulk, which means “the kingdom.” Dedy Syukma Jakarta, Indonesia

Indonesia’s Presidential Power The event chronology in “A Political Wake-Up” made Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid look helpless and lost (Asia, Aug. 21). But the speech in front of the Parliament was humble and honest compared with a U.S. president’s State of the Union speech, which mentions only achievement and success. In his speech, Wahid gave his idea for distributing day-to-day powers to Vice President Megawati Sukarnoputri while the president would handle larger problems, such as the rehabilitation of Indonesia. I feel NEWSWEEK created a bad impression of Indonesia. My country is not falling apart. It is advancing and developing, and while we have to struggle doing it, we are proud to do that. Maesa Samola Jakarta, Indonesia

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-11” author: “Joan Gagnon”

Diagnosing Diabetes I finally realized that I’m opening the door to “poisoning by sugar” and becoming diabetic. Your stories “The Growing Diabetes Crisis” and “Helping to Break Bad Habits” were what I needed to read (Society & the Arts, Sept. 4). Unlike many technical articles, these were short, clear and informative. I’ve turned over a new leaf (of lettuce) and will never again add sugar to my diet. At the age of 55, I began to have blurred vision and unquenchable thirst. Now I have an informed understanding of my doctor’s prognosis that I had opened the door for diabetes. Because of these excellent articles, I have a guide to follow each day. Carole Nelson–Ventura, California

When I read about the jump in the incidence of diabetes over the last decade, I looked at the potato chip in my hand in horror, put on my shoes and went for a walk. Thanks for a timely reminder. Elizabeth Ray–Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Diabetes is so widespread in our part of the world, yet so little is known about it. In the rural areas it often goes undiagnosed. Your story informs people about causes and preventive measures, and I thank you. In the long run those educated about the disease may help fight it in our rural communities. I hope that science progresses fast enough to find a cure, but after learning about the disease and knowing people in my family who are diabetic, I’ve started taking preventive measures. Bikal Kumar Pokharel–Katmandu, Nepal

I found your article objective and truly informative, but it made me cry. I am diabetic and have been so for eight years. I am almost 18 years old, have learned to live with my illness and desperately want to have a great life. I try to be optimistic, yet when I read phrases such as “the silent killer” and that people diagnosed at a young age could have “terrible complications” by the age of 30 or 40, I got really scared. I am well aware of the dangers I am in, but I did not want to be reminded. Hara Tsami–Messene, Greece

Diabetes has long been a misunderstood disease, and there is a true need to educate the public. Since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics you cite were limited to people 18 years and older, they did not include the children who also have type-2 diabetes and, more important to me, the 1 million Americans who have type 1, an equally serious and complicated form of the disease. Each year more than 30,000 Americans are newly diagnosed with type 1. As the father of a daughter (diagnosed at 10, now 32) with this devastating form of the disease, I know firsthand the complications she can expect in her life- time if we do not find a cure. While insulin does allow people with type 1 to live, it is not a cure and does not prevent life-threatening complications like blindness, kidney failure, heart attack, stroke and limb amputations. In order to survive, my daughter must take daily multiple injections of insulin and test her blood by pricking her finger six or more times a day. While trying to balance insulin injections with the amount of their food intake, people with type 1 must constantly be prepared for potential hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) and hyperglycemic (high blood sugar) reactions, both of which are life-threatening. Ross Cooley Chairman of the Board Juvenile Diabetes Foundation International New York, New York

I applaud you for your article on diabetes. I am a registered nurse who deals daily with patients suffering the many complications of the disease. It is unfortunately one that many people take lightly, not understanding how serious its long-term consequences can be. Your article was straightforward and educational, and I hope people will read it and take it to heart. I wish all newly diagnosed diabetics could come and see some of the patients I’ve taken care of who are blind, bilateral-leg amputees in kidney failure because they let their diabetes control them. Heidi S. Vawdrey–Provo, Utah

Thank you for such a timely and informative article. Last year both my parents were diagnosed with type-2 diabetes and would often pose questions I couldn’t answer. Thanks to NEWSWEEK, I’m more informed and in a better position to help. Rose Mas–Sunrise, Florida

¿Gracias, Intel? Your article “A Silicon Republic” tried to portray the Intel company as the savior of the Costa Rican economy (Business, Aug. 28). In reality the situation is scandalous. Here is a rich and powerful company that doesn’t pay taxes to a country that desperately needs the money. These are old practices. And experience shows this type of policy only deepens the dependency of Latin America on the United States while widening the gap between rich and poor countries. It is shameful that multinational companies take advantage of the desperation of Third World countries. Oscar Mejia–Sagamihara, Japan

Costa Rica has not been called a banana republic for about 50 years, and the introduction of Intel has certainly not made it into a “Silicon Republic.” You should have described this nation as one of the few Latin American countries that pride themselves on their truly democratic institutions, the absence of armies and their high level of educational, industrial, economic and social statistics. It is true that the 2,000 workers of Intel enjoy higher wages than any worker did a few years ago, but so do all the other workers. The lowest classes have been able to improve their lives because of Costa Rica’s upward-moving economy. But Intel had nothing to do with that. We resent being called a silicon republic. Alice Raine–Alajuela, Costa Rica

Russia’s Troubled Waters Vladimir Putin, a man who built his political prestige on his career as a KGB officer, apparently didn’t care enough to shorten his vacation, return to the Kremlin and take care of the ongoing Kursk tragedy (“Into Troubled Waters,” Europe, Sept. 4). Whether he likes the idea or not, Putin has let the Russian military down. Bernard J. Henry–Garches, France

Accepting History Your story “Japan’s Art of War” was excellent (Society & the Arts, Sept. 4). It is sad that so many artists willingly supported the war effort by drawing militaristic propaganda pictures. This story sheds light on a dark period in history and helps us to face our past. But certainly reluctance to confront history is not a Japanese monopoly. Remember the much-scaled-down Enola Gay exhibit at the Smithsonian Institution? Tetsuo Aoki–Yokosuka, Japan

I don’t blame the painters who did work in praise of the Japanese Empire. They had families to protect. Youth who criticize war supporters don’t understand what happened to dissidents. Naomi Haga–Osaka, Japan

Your article quotes the motto “put a lid on something that stinks.” With such sayings, Japanese people will never confront their past. And today’s society is built with the same debilitating values that brought the darkest periods of history: blind discipline and respect to hierarchy, incapacity to face and discuss problems, and lack of personal opinion. When a nation remains passive when faced with propaganda, nostalgia for imperialism and pure-race ideology, it is an accomplice to the modern-day problems. Franck Peret–Tokyo, Japan

The suggestion that the biography “Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan” would be “myth-shattering” for most Japanese is not only misleading, it is incorrect. What Herbert P. Bix writes about has been widely known in Japanese-language documents for decades. Implying that most Japanese were unaware of the responsibility of Emperor Hirohito for a war fought in his name is an insult to their intelligence. Ryann Connell–Tokyo, Japan

The Extreme Environment Your article “If You Can’t Take the Heat (Society & the Arts, Aug. 7)” clearly describes a pattern of increasingly frequent extreme climatic events in many parts of the world. However, you fail to acknowledge explicitly that these global changes have a probable human cause. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, such occurrences may be a symptom of increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere due largely to the burning of fossil fuels. I was disappointed that you did not address the possibility of mitigating global climatic change by reducing carbon dioxide emissions. As major carbon dioxide polluters, developed nations like the United States do have the power to prevent irreversible changes to our climate. Andy Joyce Research Climatologist University of Durham Durham, England

U.S. Troops in Japan As an American airman stationed in Japan I was troubled to read your rather sensational and inaccurate account of U.S. service members on the island of Okinawa (“So Long, Soldiers,” Asia, Jul. 24). Rather than make us out to be uneducated, alcoholic rubes on a two-year tour with nothing better to do than fight and impregnate local women, you should have talked to the scores of servicemen and servicewomen who are bettering themselves through off-duty college education, volunteering with orphanages and beautification projects and giving everyday assistance to the Okinawan community. And while the sidebar on fatherless children is a sad one, what about all the successful intercultural marriages between Okinawan women and servicemen? Aren’t there a lot of fatherless children in the States as well? While the actions of a few members of our armed services have tarnished our image, we are not all ignorant troublemakers. Brendan C. Vargas–Misawa, Japan

I am totally against any reduction or withdrawal of U.S. troops from Japan. Japanese people born after World War II have never experienced a compulsory draft or any kind of military draft, and I could never endure the idea that our beloved ones would be sent to the battlefield. This may sound very rude but, to me, U.S. troops are mercenary soldiers. They are indispensable, and we are obliged to cover any necessary cost for it. Yuko Nakano–Tokyo, Japan

Portraits of Asia I feel very honored to be mentioned in your article “Women on the Rise” in the NEWSWEEK Special Issue “The New Asia. (Jul. 25)” However, you give me too much credit. I am not the only one who is “revolutionizing attitudes toward museums and promoting the idea of corporate and individual philanthropy, which is new to Indonesia.” A whole group of people has been involved in doing this. Also, the Indonesian Archives Building Gajah Mada is not our leading history museum. That honor must surely go to the Indonesian National Museum. Tamalia Alisjahbana Executive Director, Indonesian Archives Building Gajah Mada Jakarta, Indonesia

In your article titled “NGOs” about new idealism in Asia, NEWSWEEK described Malaysian society as conservative. But I disagree. It is not uncommon, especially among the Malaysian Chinese women, to have sexual relationships with a host of men prior to tying the final knot. Being affluent, these women have become the trendsetters in the city. I think it is only a matter of time before their lifestyle catches on among other races and becomes socially tolerable. So, perhaps we are becoming a conservatively promiscuous society, but to label us conservative is a gross misstatement. F. J. Lutz–Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

It is with agitation and sadness that I read NEWSWEEK’s article on the apathy of Filipino youth, “Where Can I Park?” I am a member of the Filipino youth culture and, trust me, some of us still join protest marches that bring issues to the government’s attention. Student activism may not be as fiery as it was in the old days, but it does still exist. I disagree with your portrayal of our generation as self-centered, materialistic and shallow. There is a considerable section of the population whose lives are hedonistic, but most of those Yuppies are blinded by the trappings of newfound wealth and independence. Michelle I. Claveria–Quezon City, Philippines

New Ideas, Old Ideology Will the youthful Chinese with M.B.A.s now be allowed to exercise their expertise to the fullest in their country where elders presume to possess wisdom and crush those with contrary? Is China wise enough to let its young create a dynamic future? Michael Driver–Ichihara, Japan

Assessing Europe’s Change Denis MacShane, a labour member of Parliament, thinks reduced deficits, tax cuts and discouraging dependence were the ideas of Bill Clinton and Tony Blair (“Cool Eyes on the Prize,” World View, Sept. 4)? Everyone knows the ideology came from the leadership of Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher. Robert Bunker–Hong Kong

Twenty years ago American and European politics were indeed miles apart. Europe was still debating, albeit softly, which political system it would ultimately adopt. America was going through Reaganomics. But the real revolution was actually the 1988 electoral plot used by Francois Mitterrand to get re-elected. As he knew a socialist could not possibly win, he simply eliminated the ideology from his program. Suddenly socialism was out, the stock exchange was in and Mitterrand had effectively killed the lutte de classes. France’s Lionel Jospin, Britain’s Tony Blair and Germany’s Gerhard Schroder have somewhat refined the strategy by using Bill Clinton’s populistic strategies, but the change was already there. Rene Gardea–Prague, Czech Republic

People Aren’t Penguins Your article “Sex and the Single Fly” takes the prize (Society & the Arts, Sept. 4). It was insulting to human females, and I cannot remember when I have read an article as absurd and illogical. The arguments bounce back and forth effortlessly from indigo buntings to humans to dragonflies, with no consideration for whether there is any real basis of comparison between human sexuality, insects’ and other mammals’. Your caption “For women, playing around can bring them more resources, as well as healthier kids” is completely unsupported, unless one considers the bit about the crickets and the Adelie penguins an argument. Kathleen Brandt–Zijpe, Netherlands

I read your theories equating the sexuality of people and animals, but I believe there is a basic difference between the two. A human being has soul or a spirit and is defined mainly by his or her mind, while an animal does not have a soul or a mind. So unlike what your story theorizes, there are a lot of things that can be totally different between a person and an animal. Charles Roaz–Taipei, Taiwan

Memoirs From Bahrain I’ve just returned from Bahrain as a chaplain member of a response team assembled by the U.S. Naval Hospital. During our week in the tiny emirate, the team debriefed more than 150 sailors and Marines who participated in the rescue and recovery efforts after the crash of the Gulf Airbus (“The Crash of Flight 072,” World Affairs, Sept. 4). Most arrived at the crash site with hopes of rescuing survivors and within minutes threw themselves into the grim task of retrieving bodies and body parts from the hot waters of the Persian Gulf. While hundreds watched, these brave warriors worked throughout the night to beat the first rays of the scorching Arabian sun. What they saw and touched will linger in their memories for a lifetime. The crash occurred at the beginning of the Muslim weekend, when these men and women had already prepared for a few hours of rest from their awesome daily responsibilities. Yet there wasn’t a single report of hesitation when they were called into the effort. I am truly grateful to be one of the few Americans who saw their faces and shook their hands. Father Tom Hall, C.S.P. United States Navy Lieutentant Commander Chaplain Corps Catania, Italy

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-29” author: “Tracy Phillips”

We are experiencing a crisis-level shortage of teachers because the profession is so ill paid that it has lost its prestige (“Who Will Teach Our Kids?” SOCIETY, Oct. 2). More than 10 years ago I was still a classroom teacher, and an excellent one, too. I was doing intensive teaching six hours a day. I had 22 minutes to choke down my lunch. I spent hours daily grading papers for each of my 120 students and preparing effective lessons. But I had to leave the profession because, as a newly divorced woman, I was hard pressed to put a roof over my head and food on the table on my salary. I would love to be teaching still, but I am now a bilingual lawyer who takes home twice what I made as a teacher.

Margaret Aurand

Atlanta, Ga.

I was pleased to see your focus on school districts’ finding creative ways to recruit new teachers. At Teach For America, we have found that thousands of outstanding college graduates in this country will commit two years to teach in America’s lowest-income communities if we tap into what young people are looking for most: the chance to make a real difference. This year alone, from more than 4,000 applications, we selected 900 recent graduates with average SAT scores of 1260 to teach in areas ranging from South-Central Los Angeles to the Mississippi Delta to the South Bronx. When America’s future leaders learn that they can use their skills to truly level the playing field in our nation’s schools, they can’t wait for the chance to join.

Wendy Kopp,

New York, N.Y.

As a member of the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce, I have led numerous discussions with educators about the lack of teachers entering the profession. Therefore, it was with great interest that I read your Oct. 2 report “Who Will Teach Our Kids?” Thank you for a thoughtful and well-researched report. As we attempt to attract more people into the teaching profession, I am hopeful that the emphasis will remain on ensuring that we produce high-quality teachers. As your report correctly points out, all too often teaching positions are filled with an unqualified “warm body.” Last month the Congress took a bipartisan first step toward addressing this problem, as the House of Representatives unanimously approved the Quality Teacher Recruitment and Retention Act of 2000, which will help recruit up to 35,000 new teachers each year. This bill provides up to $20,000 in student-loan forgiveness for those who teach in a high-need Title I school for at least five years, and for all special-ed teachers. It also requires that primary-school teachers meet certain quality standards developed at the local level, and that secondary-school teachers teach in a subject area they studied in college.

Rep. Lindsey O. Graham

Washington, D.C.

Who will teach our kids? Why not their parents? As a home-schooling mother of three, I would probably be considered by many as “unqualified.” I’m still working on my bachelor’s degree, and I’m not even close to being certified. But I can give my children what many teachers cannot: one-on-one attention, an education tailored to meet each child’s needs and, especially, a mother’s guidance and love. Am I an ordinary mother? Sure. However, when I’m with my daughters and they read a word for the first time, finally understand the concept of counting by fives or get excited about the planet Mars, I know they are learning. I know that I’m teaching them, and that is extraordinary.

Melissa Lahue

Fayetteville, N.C.

Here is my idea for finding more substitute teachers: advertise for “before lunch” and “after lunch” subs. For the mornings, you could tap into parents who want to be free to pick up and spend time with their children after school. For the afternoons, you could get retired people who want neither to get up early nor to work all day. In a program called Even Start, we have successfully tapped into these two populations to tutor part time in our English as a Second Language classes.

Lisa Lethin

Sunnyvale, Calif.

Thank you for the attention you have given to the growing teacher shortage in our country. Unfortunately, the U.S. Department of Education has collated state-by-state figures for teacher salaries (as displayed in your chart) only through 1997. Since then, there has been a revolution underway in North Carolina. In 1997, at my prodding, our legislature embarked on an ambitious goal to raise our teacher salaries to the national average by 2000. When the final numbers are released for the 2000-2001 school year, we expect the average North Carolina teacher salary to be $42,000, which is the projected national average. However, we aren’t content to stop there. We want our compensation for teachers to exceed the national average as we work to make North Carolina schools live up to the slogan “First In America” by 2010.

James B. Hunt Jr.

Raleigh, N.C.

Thank you for putting America’s need for teachers on the cover of the Oct. 2 issue. As a 41-year-old woman with a master of fine arts degree who is also the CEO of a small restaurant company, I am studying to be an elementary-school teacher. I have chosen to strive to be credentialed because this is the work I want to do. It is frustrating, however, that teachers are so underpaid in comparison with other professionals like lawyers, doctors and engineers, and the inequity has as much to say about gender discrimination in this country as it does about how little we value children.

Jennifer Dare Sparks

Sacramento, Calif.

Not much mention was made in your cover story of the very real physical danger faced by teachers in breaking up fights and disciplining unruly students. Where were statistics concerning physical assault, threats and damage to personal property that some teachers face? Most of my colleagues who have left the teaching profession cite escalating violence in student behavior as their overriding concern. As one put it, “I didn’t want a Kevlar vestto become part of my back-to-school wardrobe.” It’s not just dodging spitballs anymore.

Jane Bedford

Austin, Texas

As a second-grade teacher, I believe your articles failed to show respect for the most important aspect of the job, children. Teachers need to like children. Enjoying the company of children and caring about children is essential to good teaching. This morning as I was wiping up a juice puddle and cleaning the leaking backpack that it came from, I was caring for a child. When I ate lunch yesterday in less than 15 minutes so that I could return a parent’s phone call before recess duty, I was caring for a child. When I brave the elements to escort my students safely to their buses every afternoon, I am caring for children. My six years of college and two degrees provided me with a knowledge of child development and important skills, but I teach because I like, enjoy and care about children.

Nancy Annunziato

Mansfield, Mass.

Emoting for Votes

Thanks to Howard Fineman and Jonathan Alter for their articles on the talk-show phenomenon of this year’s presidential campaign (“The Talk-Show Primary” and “The Lessons of Oprahland,” NEWS OF THE WEEK, Oct. 2). Have we become so shallow that we now rely on talk-show hosts to determine our next president? Al Gore likes Wheaties, and George Bush peanut butter and jelly. Who cares? We all know charming, engaging people who have wooed the audiences on Oprah and Regis, but do we want them to be our next president? Hardly. Forget the fluff–it belongs in Bush’s PB&J sandwich. Our last hope is Jim Lehrer, when he anchors the debates. Perhaps then, and only then, we will truly see where each candidate stands on the substantive issues. It’s time for real answers to real questions.

Kathy Dziewisz

Braintree, Mass.

Jonathan Alter suggests that with Bush we might get “a Bobby McFerrin presidency.” What an insult to McFerrin! Would that McFerrin had a chance, with his brilliance, his creativity, his humanity and his ability to educate an audience beyond what they think they can do. McFerrin’s qualities as an artist-conductor might be a good thing in a president. The quote referred to–“Don’t worry, be happy”–is from an Eastern spiritual thinker, Meher Baba, and come to think of it, we might benefit from these teachings, too. We see in the Dalai Lama a gravitas and a happiness that I’d like to see in our presidential candidates. In the case of this election, I’ll vote for gravitas and Gore. There’s nothing grand in Bush land.

Cecile Moochnek

Berkeley, Calif.

Kiss, kiss; hug, hug! Is this the way American elections are won? It certainly does not reflect the way I will make my selection. Maybe I am old-fashioned (I hope not), but I am still waiting to hear a substantive discussion on subjects like gun control or abortion, for starters. It seems that Bush and Gore are too scared to discuss anything but taxes, Social Security and Medicare. These are important issues, to be sure, but the candidates must speak out on a broader agenda.

Joan Conrad

San Diego, Calif.

When Bush was asked what his best dream is, he indicated that it was the prospect of being sworn in as president. What ever happened to world peace, the end of poverty or a world without hatred? This is from a man who pledges his allegiance to God? Something is lacking.

June Baker

Chicago, Ill.

Choosing a vice presidential running mate for his ability rather than for political considerations (“Rough Waters for Cheney,” NEWS OF THE WEEK, Oct. 2)–what a novel idea! Dick Cheney is brilliant; his grasp of international affairs as well as domestic issues is unparalleled in one candidate. Now, if voters and, especially, reporters would listen to him, we just might learn something. Cheney avoids the sort of bathos we’ve been hearing about dogs and grandmothers to talk about the issues, and we’re proud of him for that.

Jesse and Shirley Hoese

Sundance, Wyo.

I’m rarely mystified by vocabulary in news magazines, but Howard Fineman stumped me with verklempt. I’ve heard it before, and have a hunch it may be a Yiddish word, but am not confident that I could define it.

David Attaway

Nashville, Tenn.

Editors’ note: The word, more frequently spelled “farklempt,” is indeed Yiddish; while its literal meaning is “clenched,” the character Linda Richman created by Mike Myers in “Saturday Night Live’s” “Coffee Talk” skit used (and popularized) the term to mean choked up in the emotional sense.

Frank Stanton’s history of the first presidential debates (“The First Debate Over Presidential Debates,” MY TURN, Sept. 25) added an interesting perspective to election lore. Unfortunately, in his concluding paragraph he repeated the common error that John F. Kennedy’s carrying of Illinois determined the 1960 presidential election. It did not. Kennedy won 303 electoral votes and Richard Nixon got 219. Without Illinois’s 27, Kennedy would have had 276 electoral votes, six more than he needed to win. It is probable that this error has appeared in print more times than the truth.

Timothy Hitchings

Newark, Dela.

How edifying it was to read George F. Will’s Oct. 2 column, “A Question for Gore Next Week” (THE LAST WORD). It isn’t often that ideas that flow from principle make it into print. Standing against the position of NARAL (the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League), which Will describes dramatically as a belief that “a woman who seeks an abortion has an indefeasible right to a dead baby,” is courageous. Finally, someone has had the courage and grace to stand up for the baby that isn’t quite dead.

Joan E. Maechling

Mason, Ohio

George Will is coaching George W. Bush to ask Al Gore if he favors passage of the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act. If that is a fair question, I suggest that Gore counter with another: “George, do you favor passage of ironbound federal legislation guaranteeing that all babies expelled from the womb will have the right to all the resources of this nation necessary for an ideal American life, regardless of medical, financial or social circumstances?” Extend such benefits to all mothers, and voila–a society perfected!

Art Darwin

Morganton, N.C.

I am neither strongly pro-choice nor strongly pro-life, but George Will’s column “A Question for Gore Next Week” motivates me to write. As seems usual for both extremes on the abortion debate, Will looks at the issue in a single dimension, trying somehow to distill a very complex issue into the stark colors of black and white. These clear shades don’t exist when a woman faces the very gray decision about carrying an unwanted, and perhaps severely deformed, child to term. Would it not be better to strike some compromise? Can people like George Will, and his counterparts on the other side, acknowledge that this is a tough call? Can they not see that no such decision is made without doubt or second thoughts?

Stephen Fitzpatrick

Stuart, Fla.

I applaud George Will for posing the question “Does a woman having an abortion have a right to a dead baby, even if it is born alive?” in his Oct. 2 column. I will be 18 years old in less than a month and am getting ready to vote in my first presidential election. The issue that I feel most strongly about is abortion. It is time people started recognizing preborn children as the human beings that they are. People should not get to decide when they want to consider a child growing inside a woman’s body to be alive and when they want to consider it dead. It is obvious that abortion is always infanticide, simply by considering the cells, organs, heart and mind that are busily developing from the moment of conception.

Lisa Bush

Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

George Will has a big problem.To take care of all the unwanted children he wants to force on women, he needs a big government.

John Genette

Carefree, Ariz.

Until I read George Will’s “Question for Gore” I had no idea where the abortion-rights movement was going. I am dumbfounded that there has not been more public outrage at the procedure called partial-birth abortion and the apparent trend toward denying infants the basic right to life. I felt sickened when I read about the procedure. I can only think that if more people knew about this, it would be banned immediately. Why is this on the last page of NEWSWEEK? Why isn’t it on the front page?

Stacey Harrison

Houston, Texas

The criticisms most often leveled against Spike Lee’s work and character are the result of an inability to see the complexity of the circumstances he addresses (“Spike’s Minstrel Show,” ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, Oct. 2). His social criticisms challenge the tendency of our culture and its media to oversimplify the subject. It seems to me that Lee is not about black vs. white, as his accusers often have it. Rather, he attempts to lay bare the layers and facets of a society that still does not quite know how to handle the past and present of race in our nation. The reason he hits so many walls of outrage and upset is that he forces us to look at things we’re not comfortable with–and, let’s face it, we shouldn’t be comfortable with the reality of racism. His work is meant to disturb us. He is masterful in his ability to see and present the grays that fall between black and white. The rest of us need to rise to the challenges he presents.

Lori Bedell

Hollidaysburg, Pa.

I read with disgust your interview with the controversial Spike Lee, which was filled with his profanity and a gutter logic attempting to justify his new racist minstrel film, “Bamboozled,” and his racist Jim Crow ads promoting it. Lee has bamboozled the public for too long in order to make a buck. I certainly hope his new movie will be his last.

Emzy Veazy III

Glendale, Calif.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-01” author: “Erik Mclaurin”

Thank you for your Sept. 25 Special Report, particularly the article about the young capitalists of Eastern Europe (“East Loves West”). I read this with enormous interest and was struck by its perfect description of how our generation feels. I’m a 20-year-old university student in Madrid. I remember my parents’ telling me, “Learn foreign languages because when this communism is over, you will be needed.” They were right. Now I speak four languages and plan to learn others. This is my passport to the future. I am aware that my nation is way behind rich Western countries, but that will change–maybe in 10 years or perhaps in 20. But living at this time makes me proud to see how the lives of so many Poles have changed for the better. I hope that after reading NEWSWEEK’s story, those who thought little of Poland and other Eastern European nations will change their opinions and look to our future, and theirs, with greater optimism.

Jaroslaw Zasadzinski–Warsaw, Poland

In your insightful article, you write of the Hungarian executive who “thinks nothing of popping over to Vienna to hear U2 or Whitney Houston.” This may not be as much a sign of globalization as a return to the way things were. In their day, our great-grandparents thought nothing of heading to Vienna for a night at the opera. They took the train, not their Alfa Romeo, and listened to Verdi, not Whitney. The difference is that back then not only the elite were able to afford this kind of entertainment.

Mate Hegedus–Budapest, Hungary

I am a student who speaks two languages, uses the Internet and spends holidays abroad. But I don’t do these things for profit; I do it because I am curious about the world. And I am one of the majority of people my age who are not going to develop their own enterprises but rather their personalities. We’d rather work in noncompetitive positions as teachers, physicians or scientists. I think that as the East gets closer to the West, the disadvantages of the rat race will be seen in more detail.

Krzysztof Turzynski–Warsaw, Poland

These young people must think the European Union is the promised land where they can get a free ride. But it’s about tolerance, teamwork and new national attitudes, not selfishness and worldly possessions. Pity those who are so badly informed.

Luz Lainez–Valencia, Spain

Nearly a decade ago, like many young Americans, I went to Prague amid media fantasies of poor ex-communists desperate for Levi’s jeans and dazzled by the freedom of the West. Instead I found extremely hip and savvy young Czechs who asked, “Why do Americans dress so badly?” I watched a whole generation experience “freedom” for the first time. Some went on to do great things; others died from drug overdoses. While I agree that democratic and capitalist reforms were wonderful, the current situation is not one-sided. Yes, the “new capitalists” look at the past, mocking bread lines and the propaganda they were force-fed. And they look at the future with great promise. Yet one day they may long for a time when mothers shopped and left babies, without fear, in strollers on the sidewalk, and everyone had a right to a home, free education and medical care. It was an era when culture wasn’t reduced to profit and America was about as real as the girls on “Baywatch.”

Richard Baimbridge–Brooklyn, New York

Your graphic “On the Threshold” surprised me. It said the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland were among the former socialist countries closest to catching up economically with the West. How could you overlook Slovenia, the most developed former socialist country, and one that has already caught up with countries like Greece and Portugal? This seems unfair toward Slovenia, which has, in spite of all the troubles in its vicinity, remained an island of democracy, peace and prosperity.

Tomaz Bartol–Ljubljana, Slovenia

Though you probably made the day for some wishful thinkers, the map of the European Union is incorrect. Switzerland has not joined the EU, though we do have bilateral contracts.

Stephan Stucklin–Renens, Switzerland

I applaud NEWSWEEK for pointing to real and agonizing issues that Western protesters ignore and people in the developing world face every day (“Something to Protest”). As an American who lives in West Africa, daily I see greedy and corrupt governments grasping for more power and money with little regard to advancing the overall social and economic development of their countries. I suggest that the anti-globalization protesters go to African villagers and ask what is the more pressing problem in their lives–the lack of potable water, employment opportunities and education, or the introduction of Coca-Cola?

Andra Tamburro–Via Internet

I enjoyed reading your report, but i think you missed a few points. Just because Eastern Europeans only recently began protesting against globalization doesn’t mean they love it. They simply aren’t always against it because this process hasn’t reached the same level of impact as in Western Europe or the United States. If you wander through Prague’s Mala Strana or Stare Mesto, you’ll see more people eating in restaurants and pubs than places like McDonald’s. And for poorer countries, economic development doesn’t allow many people to shop for international brands. When you work for an average salary of $100 a month, it is a luxury to buy $40 jeans or shoes. In addition, even optimistic statistics show that significant economic improvement is no sooner than 10 to 15 years away. Until then, East European countries will be more nationally focused than internationally.

Traian Butan–Bucharest, Romania

What was portrayed in the article “This Year’s Model” was a trend quite disheartening to read about (Business, Sept. 25). Although I believe that it is good to see Brazilian fashion models being recognized internationally for their unique beauty, their heavy influence on teens is discouraging. This may sound like another conservative remark, but it is of no doubt that going through the proper steps of education is more important and promises financial stability in the long run. It is possible that there will be many more Giseles, but it is more likely that there will also be many more discouraged hearts.

Jung Yeon Cho–Seoul, South Korea

“1.77 meters tall” and “smoldering blue eyes”? Phooey! What if you’re not like Gisele, Cindy or any other Barbie babe? While reading your article, which I found funny, I thought about my friends and a huge grin spread across my face. As teens, we discuss beauty but always turn back to the same question: “What’s the point of acting like the perfect girl with the perfect body (and what about the brain) when you know that after a couple of years you’re nothing but garbage?” Perhaps the answer is money. But my friends and I prefer being ourselves rather than exhibiting our body parts when asked. These girls, like marionettes, aren’t really living. But we are. And that’s worth more than all the money in the world.

Justine Van Impe–Thenon, France

Did the FBI fear that this diminutive 60-year-old man with no previous record of violent behavior, caged in a 13-by-7-foot room, would attack the prison staff and escape (“Into the Sunshine,” world affairs, Sept. 25)? All this reeks not only of unabashed racism but also of sadism. If there is any other explanation, will Janet Reno and Louis Freeh please enlighten us?

M. V. Subbarao–Hong Kong

The treatment meted out is wholly consistent with America’s history of ill treatment of minorities. Just examine the broken treaties with the Native Americans, slavery of blacks and forced removal and internment of the Japanese. Wen Ho Lee will not be the last. I would be less disturbed if America didn’t clothe itself with a moral right to annually “audit” the world on human-rights abuses when it has its own appalling record.

Toh Weng Cheong–Singapore

Thanks for the fine article on Angola (“A Graveyard of Failed Diplomacy,” World Affairs, Sept. 25). I read it with great interest, especially because it expresses the exact opinion of many Angolans who left the country after the outbreak of civil war in 1975. Studying Portuguese in Lisbon some years ago, I had a language teacher who was born in Luanda and left in 1975 with his family. He told me about the natural riches of his country and it was so hard to believe because Angola had become synonymous with despair. With 25 years of civil war and still no peace in sight, one is tempted to think that Angolans were better off with the Portuguese rule of Prime Minister [Antonio] Salazar. Even Portuguese colonial policy was never a matter of racism, as with other European powers.

Christof Ohnesorge–Kirchhain, Germany

I can only respond with outrage to Sen. John McCain’s comment that the free market does not trump our children’s well-being (“Hollywood Lands in the Hot Seat,” Society & the Arts, Sept. 25). One need only look at the shameful inequalities between rich and poor in America’s hyper-capitalist society to realize that the free market continually and adversely affects the well-being of children. Inadequate schools, homes and health care are but a few of the pressing problems. Yet it is much easier for politicians to bash the entertainment industry than it is for them to come up with viable solutions for these other more insidious evils.

L. Grace Godwin–Stratford-Upon-Avon, England

In your Sept. 25 article “Secret Agent: Inside a Triad,” NEWSWEEK incorrectly said that “more than 700,000 people have been convicted for triad offenses since World War II” (Asia). The fact is, about 700,000 have been convicted for criminal offenses since the Hong Kong police began recording criminal convictions shortly before WWII, and among them some 32,000 have been convicted for triad offenses. The incorrect statement exaggerates the triad problem and will bring a negative image of Hong Kong, which is regarded internationally as a safe city. Moreover, the correct name of the head of the Hong Kong Police Force’s Organized Crime and Triad Bureau is Andy Tsang, not Andy Cheng.

Fung Kin-Man– Hong Kong Police Public Relations, Hong Kong

After the Italian soccer team’s mini-striptease following the victory over Australia, NEWSWEEK portrayed the team as acting kind of irreverent toward the spectators (“And They’re Off!” Society and the Arts, Sept. 25). This way of celebrating a victory, throwing clothes to the fans, is a common practice in Italy, and there is absolutely no irreverence intended toward anybody.

Francesco Nardulli–Acquaviva delle Fonti, Italy

There is a mistake in “The Drug Charade” (Olympics Preview, Sept. 11). NEWSWEEK wrote that Dieter Baumann won the 5,000-meter run in Atlanta. That is not true. He won in 1992 at Barcelona.

Christl Reder–via internet

Liberia’s President Charles Taylor should be ashamed that after three years he has failed to restore basic services like electricity and running water and has instead prioritized supporting a murderous rebel gang in a neighboring country (“A Bully in His Pulpit,“World Affairs, Aug. 28). Here’s a president who exchanged arms for diamonds when he supported Sierra Leone’s Revolutionary United Front, a group noted for cutting off the limbs of its victims. It’s unthinkable that militias of the dissident Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy or any military operation will liberate this country, but without question Liberia needs deliverance.

Simon Reeves–Falkenberg, Sweden

On the one hand, it was a relief to learn that lots of American women are putting their best foot forward to succeed in both their personal and their professional lives (” ‘We Have the Power’,” The New America, Sept. 18). On the other hand, I had been convinced that discrimination against women, such as being underpaid and deprived of promotions, happened everywhere–with the spectacular exception of America. Unfortunately, I’ve learned that I couldn’t be more wrong. And realized that I can pinpoint the achievements of only a few American women–Hillary Clinton, Madeleine Albright, Janet Reno and Oprah Winfrey. The United States might be the only genuine democratic superpower, but in fact it is no different from the rest of the world as far as women’s issues are concerned.

Magdalena Ukowska–Wroclaw, Poland

Mass Murder in Uganda

I read with great interest your story on Ugandan mass murderer Credonia Mwerinde (“Priestess of Death,” World Affairs, Aug. 14). Your reporting was excellent. But Mwerinde had murdered thousands of people–including 600 who were incinerated in a gasoline-powered explosion “so intense, skulls exploded”–and you say that she was “possibly mentally unstable.” Possibly?

Jamie James–Jakarta, Indonesia

I commend you for an informative article on autism (“Understanding Autism,” Society and the Arts, July 31). Being told “Your son is autistic” is the beginning of a lonely and costly emotional journey on a roller-coaster ride of frustration. It is devastatingly depressing to be informed that your health-insurance provider covers only speech therapy acquired as a result of physical disability. Since autism is classified as a mental disability, parents of children with autism can find themselves alone and lacking the lifeline of the critical element of an early intervention program. Debating with these so-called providers leaves one feeling very much alone and part of the problem, rather than the solution. Articles such as yours go a long way in helping educate people about this misunderstood condition. And I thank you.

Glenn Wardle–Noosaville, Australia

NEWSWEEK’s article brought back many happy memories of my years of service at the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology in New Delhi (“First Pain, Then Gain,“The G8 Summit, July 24). I found the dedication of its students to achieve the highest standards possible and the enthusiasm and leadership of its staff most gratifying to observe. In fact, the statement that “youthful exuberance” is lacking in the students’ nonacademic activities is misleading. The IIT’s dramatics, cultural, social and sporting clubs presented some of the most professional performances I have seen. A competitive challenge was also apparent between the five institutes in their annual tennis, Olympic athletics and gymnastic events. These fine institutes are, indeed, a living testament to the farsighted vision of India’s late prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and to the superb staffs who envisaged their collaborative development.

Robert T. Russell–Kilmarnock, Scotland

Britain’s increasingly diverse society is an asset and an example to other nations (“The Color of Great Britain,” The New America, Sept. 18). Sadly, individuals like Norman Tebbit will never understand or appreciate this. They belong to a different generation and a bygone era that clings to a fading image of a Britain synonymous with the monarchy, tea on the lawn, strawberries and cream, and village cricket.

Darren Cooper–Birmingham, England

I congratulate Yasmin Alibhai-Brown for taking on deep-seated notions of race and heredity as represented by Lord Tebbit. During the three years I spent in England, I noticed that the concept of multiculturalism espoused by Tony Blair had been totally rejected by English society, as they simply refuse to get along with the ethnic-minority population. This racial divide is noticeable everywhere, in all aspects of life, making Britain quite an unpleasant place to be if one belongs to a minority group. At the end of the day, what else can be expected in a country where a commission set up by the government reaches the verdict that the police force is institutionally racist, and the police (forwarding the argument that they are representative of society) blame society as the root of the cause?

Feroz Aly–Paris, France

I hate to say this, but not all of us share the need to convince the likes of Norman Tebbit that we are British. He is entitled to want a place that is made up of people like him, and just because it means that the likes of you and me are excluded doesn’t mean that I have to go mental over it. I’d much rather spend my energy on more pressing things, like figuring out alternatives for black children who are perpetually let down by the education system.

Pat Whittaker–London, England

This article was impressive and necessary. As an indigenous Briton, I must point out that many of my countrymen are deeply concerned at the levels of unchecked immigration of whatever color but are too afraid to speak out for fear of being branded racist. Immigration at levels responsibly enforced is good for any nation and adds to its culture. I hope my country can become a successful multiracial democracy where indigenous and immigrant people can prosper together and jointly be proud to be British.

Dominic Shelmerdine–London, England

In your article on U.S. aid to Colombia, it is implied that all violations of human rights in our country should be blamed on the paramilitary and the Colombian Army ("$1.3 Billion Question,” World Affairs, Sept. 4). Nowhere are the guerrillas implicated in their dirty war. This group often attacks civilians, and when their “taxes” aren’t paid, herds of cattle are corralled and dynamited. But it seems as if Jose Miguel Vivanco of Human Rights Watch thinks the guerrillas are better than the others and don’t commit atrocities at all.

Francisco Ruiz–Bogota, Colombia

When the Colombian guerrillas came to life in the ’60s, thousands of us, university teachers and students, hailed them as modern Robin Hoods who would rescue the poor and build a brave new world. The Colombian Army behaved like the one your article described. But today the roles are reversed. The guerrillas have degenerated into a combination of Pol Pot, Hitler, Stalin and Al Capone, and our Army defends and respects our people. Unfortunately, the terrorists have used civilians as human shields so that their accomplices, the human-rights activists, can blame our soldiers. How can Vivanco and other people lie so openly? He has been shown the pictures of the atrocities committed by the narcoterrorists against innocent people. I only hope Americans will come to know the real facts. Not helping Colombia now in its heroic struggle for peace and freedom can be very costly later.

Alvaro Botero–Manizales, Colombia

It was shocking to watch the Kursk tragedy. As a Finn it reminded me of the 1994 sinking of the Estonia which happened near Finland’s coast (“Into Troubled Waters,” Europe, Sept. 4). During the cold-war days, Russia was a communist bastion, but the country is on the right track learning democracy and human rights. No one should oppose Russia on its course for better living, and we should all hope and pray for the country.

Olli Kettunen–Helsinki, Finland

As a citizen of Costa Rica, I was proud to see your article “A Silicon Republic” (Business, Aug. 28). While the current president of Costa Rica, Dr. Miguel A. Rodriguez, has managed the transition to a “new economy,” NEWSWEEK should also mention the key person in the negotiation process which led Intel to build its only Latin American plant in Costa Rica: former president Jose Maria Figueres.

Federico Jenkins–Miami, Florida

The Namibians are not alone in their struggle for compensation (“The Forgotten Genocide,” World Affairs, Aug. 21). I fully understand the pain of the Hereros, because my family suffered during the Nazi occupation of Greece (1941-1944). My family watched my great-uncle hang after he tried to stop a German soldier from looting our house, and our village was burned because we hid partisans and British officers. The village is still in ruins. I will never forget how our horror was compensated with a ludicrous few hundred dollars, though some think we are the “lucky” ones, since many families didn’t receive anything. The people from my village understand the people of Namibia, and we support their rightful demands.

Paschalis Paschalidis–Kavala, Greece

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-18” author: “Tyler Schlemmer”

Up and Away Down Under I’ve just read your terrific Sept. 11 Olympic preview issue, and I must tell you that I got all goosebumpy. Now my sense of patriotism is heightened, and I’m ready for this ultimate sporting event to begin. Being an extreme Olympic freak, I raced through article after article, and was disappointed only when the special section came to an end. Kudos to all writers, research assistants and photographers involved in its production. Marge Neal Baltimore, Md.

Athletes from all around the world go through an intense workout before showing up and competing at the Olympic Games. Many will participate; some will manage to score good results; only a few will get the world’s attention for their amazing achievements. But all performers will be greeted as modern-day keepers of the spirit embodied in their ancient Greek counterparts: they are pushing the boundaries of human capability and, in doing so, earning a firm place in the Olympics’ history and Hall of Fame. Although the Games have been a bit tainted by several scandals over the past century, excelling is still the main incentive on athletes’ minds, and no multimillion-dollar investments or sponsorship deals are going to change that. Giulio Cicconi Teramo, Italy

Why not forget trying to ban all those substances athletes take to enhance their performance? Someone will always find something that can’t be detected. Just announce what each athlete is taking along with their names and countries. If they can be proud of their medals, they should be proud of how they got them. Maybe someday truly dedicated competitors will start their own “Clean Games.” I hate watching all the smiles, tears, high-fives and hugs while wondering who the cheaters are. Jan Ledyard Kennett Square, Pa.

I received a free copy of your Sept. 11 Olympic preview issue, and I can’t get beyond the cover. It will be bad enough to suffer through the television coverage giving us fewer events and more of those soggy stories about Brave Little Women whose Sensitive Fathers encouraged their athletic ambitions until Dad got cancer and was supplanted by Wise Female Coach, who was denied her Place in the Sun 20 years ago by Hegemonic Males. In choosing to feature any athlete on your cover, you reduce the Games to individual ambition, “personality” and cheap medal-counting. I can tell you that men care nothing about those things. They watch because they see competitive games as interesting in and of themselves. In selecting a woman athlete, however gifted, for your cover, you show your biases all too clearly. Gerald Trett Charlottesville, Va.

With God on Their Side The Anti-Defamation league pointed out that Sen. Joseph Lieberman’s views are contrary to the First Amendment (“Does God Belong on the Stump?” News of the Week, Sept. 11). NEWSWEEK called that “irony,” stating: “Here was a Jewish watchdog group criticizing one of its own for expressing his religious con-victions–and exercising his freedom of speech.” The ADL should be applauded for taking a consistent, principled position, regardless of whether the one advocating views “contrary to the American ideal” (as the ADL puts it) is Jewish or not Jewish. Where do you see “irony”? Bob Steiner Pinole, Calif.

Despite what the ADL says, the vast majority of Jewish Americans believe that Senator Lieberman’s professions of faith are within the bounds of American history, culture and, most important, the First Amendment clause that prohibits interfering with the practice of religion. Rabbi Sholem Ber Hecht Chairman, National Committee for Furtherance of Jewish Education Brooklyn, N.Y.

If I want to hear a preacher, I’ll go to church, thank you very much. A godless engineer I may be, but I’ll take on Senator Lieberman any day in the morality department. It is secularism, not religion, that has brought this country both the prosperity and the private religious freedom it enjoys. If you don’t believe it, perhaps you’d prefer Iran. Our Founding Fathers, fresh from factionalism in England, probably wouldn’t. Mike Duncan Boulder, Colo.

Polls Apart If polling were actually done in a responsible manner, polls might actually have some value. The way NEWSWEEK’s recent poll (NEWSWEEK.com, Sept. 1), along with many others, was conducted, however, seems irresponsible and closer to creating the news than reporting it. How a poll of 0.0003 percent of Americans (that’s three ten-thousandths of a percent)–755 registered voters, half of whom are unlikely to actually vote anyway–can have any meaning at all is beyond me. Please, if we must conduct polls to measure voter sentiment in important elections, at least let’s do it with greater care, taking a large enough sample size and including only those who describe themselves as likely to vote come Election Day. Phil Maddaloni Lafayette, Colo.

You may jump for joy at the fact that your poll shows that Al Gore is ahead by 10 points. This really is good news for the Bush team. You have falsely assured the left wing that Gore is ahead. What you’ve also done here is totally infuriate the “likely voters” who will go out in droves to vote for Bush on Nov. 7, because our vote is all we have! May the best man win, and we likely voters know who that’s going to be–and you will eat crow! Betsy Murray Cameron Park, Calif.

Bush Goes Negative I just finished reading Jonathan Alter’s Sept. 11 column about the Bush campaign’s going nasty (“Bush Throws a Hail Mary Pass,” Between The Lines), and it saddened me. I try to teach my daughters that one can accept losing and lose peacefully, with dignity. But we live in a culture that tells us to respond to frustration by throwing a punch, not a Hail Mary. I wish our national leaders could demonstrate that aggression isn’t the only way to deal with problems. J. Timothy Petersik Ripon, Wis.

It’s All in the Cards Your Sept. 11 Periscope item “Stand And Deliver. Or Sit. Just Pick One” (The Buzz, Sept. 11) made reference to the expectation among some folks that Bush would “fold like a hand of five-card Texas Hold ‘Em” in the anticipated presidential debates. As a Texan and avid poker player, I feel compelled to point out that Hold ‘Em is a game of skill and chance whose winner shows the best hand culled from a total of seven, not five, cards. While the best five cards on the table win or share each hand, no true poker aficionado would refer to Hold ‘Em as a five-card game. Stephen R. Bjordammen Wichita Falls, Texas

Who Foots College Bills? In her adamant defense of her admittedly atypical college experience, “Pay Your Own Way! (Then Thank Mom),” Audrey Rock-Richardson was so busy calling other college students lazy that she neglected to realize there was a lot she didn’t get out of college (My Turn, Sept. 11). Ideally, college is not merely an academic experience but also a time for broader personal growth. I doubt she had time to involve herself in any extracurricular activities, hold a leadership position or develop close personal relationships with her classmates, to name a few experiences from which others benefit enormously. I don’t mean this to serve as a criticism of Rock-Richardson’s experience but as an explanation of why many parents are willing to make the sacrifice to pay or help pay for a child’s education. My parents are paying for mine, and I don’t regard my “free” education with a sense of entitlement, but with extreme gratitude. Amy Hand Hamilton, N.Y.

Hallelujah! I’m cutting out this article and saving it for my sons and daughter. Having grown up in a wealthy town, I can’t tell you how many kids I knew who went to college on their parents’ dollar only to drop out because of poor grades, too much partying or both. Only when they returned to school paying their own way did they appreciate what they had squandered. I have always planned to have my children pay for much of their own college education. I realize that this may discourage their wanting to go, but if that’s the case, then they aren’t mature enough to be there in the first place! I applaud Audrey Rock-Richardson for her accomplishment and for her unspoiled attitude that the world doesn’t owe her a living. In this day and age, when so many kids have been taught that their mere existence entitles them to a topnotch education, a brand-new car, a great job after college and instant gratification, it’s refreshing to know that there are still some students out there who believe that the way to succeed lies in the good old-fashioned work ethic and personal sacrifice. Carolyn Melrose Canton, Conn.

I have tremendous respect for those students who work and put themselves through school, but I don’t think that Rock-Richardson’s message of “we don’t owe our kids” is a very productive one. The American Dream has always been a hope of giving our children a better life than we had, and in most cases that includes a good education. Sharon Batek Columbia, Mo.

When Audrey Rock-Richardson wasn’t congratulating herself for doing something millions of college students have done quietly and modestly before her, she was looking down on people who opted for a different path to achieve their objectives. Rock-Richardson was evidently too busy working to take away the most vital lesson college offers: a tolerance for other people’s life choices. Some parents consider it their biggest responsibility to put their children through college, and it doesn’t make their children’s college experiences less valid. It doesn’t mean their children are lazy. It doesn’t mean their children had expensive cars, or any cars at all. It doesn’t mean their children never learned how to prioritize or multitask. And although Rock-Richardson talked about paying her own way through college, she had the luxury of a husband and thus a second family income to help her–something many college students lack. Her entire column seemed little more than an outlet for the bitterness she so clearly feels toward the “sorority girls” who simply had it easier than she did. Jennifer Robison Las Vegas, Nev.

Being Gay Is (Almost) Ho-Hum I was disappointed but not surprised to read Anna Quindlen’s subtle attack on the Boy Scouts’ opposition to homosexual Scout leaders and the organization’s support for the traditional nuclear family (“The Right to Be Ordinary,” the last word, Sept. 11). I commend the Scouts for their courage and commitment on behalf of the American nuclear family, a position that was once overwhelmingly supported in our beloved country. G. Kevin Jones Salt Lake City, Utah

In response to Anna Quindlen’s piece “The Right to Be Ordinary,” let’s talk about another disappearing right. This is the right to disagree with what I and many other people regard as the homosexual agenda without being labeled a “homophobe.” Quindlen is clearly saddened that the recent decision by the Boy Scouts not to allow gay scoutmasters will teach prospective members to be homophobes. Why is it so politically incorrect to disagree respectfully with the homosexual lifestyle? America is the land of respectful disagreement. The Scout rule doesn’t send a “clear message” encouraging homophobia, as Quindlen states. It teaches respectful disagreement. The Scouts have as much right to disagree with what many of us believe is a lifestyle choice as they have to agree with one. Most Boy Scouts want to camp, fish and earn badges. They will learn to treat all people with respect even in the absence of gay scoutmasters. Will Edwards Spartanburg, S.C.

Thank you, Anna Quindlen, for your common-sense approach to the very difficult and divisive issue of the Boy Scouts of America’s policy against homosexuals. As a currently registered adult leader with the BSA and a 20-year BSA veteran, I resent the BSA’s insistence that the values of the leadership must dictate the entire organization’s operations. Homosexuals and heterosexuals who molest their charges or flaunt their sexuality must be removed from positions of leadership in any youth-serving organization. Heterosexuals, as well as homosexuals, may be “morally straight,” but are not necessarily so. It is time for the Boy Scouts of America to become truly an organization of inclusion, rather than one of exclusion. Jim Tuck Flagstaff, Ariz.

Anna Quindlen’s column that reiterates an Internet parody of the Scriptural arguments against homosexuality isn’t theology; it’s bigotry. She apparently doesn’t see the distinction, drawn by both theology and the Boy Scouts, between the morality of tolerance and the morality of homosexual sex. It’s one thing to show kindness and respect to your homosexual neighbor; it’s quite another thing to send your adolescent son out to share a pup tent with him for the weekend. Paul Taussig Decatur, Ill.

My partner and I are one of the 500 couples who were joined in civil unions this summer in Vermont, five years to the day after meeting each other. We flew from our home in Portland, Ore., where our union is not yet recognized. Anna Quindlen’s essay was one of the most eloquent descriptions I have read about my so-called agenda. I want to live with the person I love, support the community in which I live, pay my taxes and enjoy the freedoms to which we are all entitled. The support and encouragement that we have from our friends and family echo the points that Quindlen makes so well–our lives are not a political statement but simply our normal routine. I for one am proud to be boring! John Kenagy Portland, Ore.

Let’s see. According to Anna Quindlen, those who disagree with the gay lifestyle can be described as bigots, threatened, discriminators, haters, prejudiced, intolerant or homophobic. Such biased labeling of a group that includes millions of Americans seems itself to smack of intolerance. Perhaps Quindlen’s demonization of those who disagree with her reveals that she herself sees “differences as threatening.” How would she describe the many people who, while still loving and accepting gay family members, have deeply held convictions against their lifestyle? Judging by the exclusively negative descriptions in her column, Quindlen has disdain for even them. Scott Cook Prattville, Ala.

Anna Quindlen’s “The Right to be Ordinary” brought tears to this 74-year-old gay man’s eyes. I now walk a little taller, my head held a little higher. Full equality may escape me in my lifetime, but it’s reassuring to think that it will not always be so. Jack Tolar Cathedral City, Calif.

Anna Quindlen says that the national response to Vermont’s gay civil unions was “ho-hum,” but that is by no means the reaction of all Vermont residents. The forcing of this law on Vermonters, many of whom were clearly against it (either the process or the content or both), has now led to a strong grass-roots movement, Take Back Vermont. The arrogance of elected leaders (who have followed Quindlen’s lead) is threatening massive division in the state. Without the benefit of experts, political advisers or paid staff, a great number of ordinary Vermonters are working hard to stop this Quindlen type of thinking from reducing them to mere outcasts in their own state. Neal Laybourne Barre, Vt.

A Word From CNBC I was disappointed to read NEWSWEEK’s take on CNBC’s role in the media participation in the Emulex press-release hoax (“Hype Is Hip on CNBC,” book excerpt, Sept. 4). Contrary to the statement that CNBC was part of the “trigger finger” media, CNBC did not report the false news release as news from Emulex and maintained a healthy dose of skepticism throughout our coverage. There is a clear difference between “blindly touting a press release” as news and providing viewers with a real-time look at market activity, balanced with responsible reporting. We at CNBC are proud to say we did the latter. Bruno Cohen Senior Vice President, Business News, CNBC Fort Lee, N.J.

Clarification In an article in our Sept. 18 news of the week section (“Ford vs. Firestone”), in a reference to the congressional hearings on the tire-safety issue and the companies’ handling of the problem, we quoted New Mexico Rep. Heather Wilson as saying, “That’s rubbish. You knew a long time ago.” Wilson’s comment was directed solely at Firestone.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-19” author: “Maureen Martin”

Diabetes: On the Rise I have finally realized that I am slowly “poisoning my body by sugar” and becoming diabetic. Your cover story, “An American Epidemic: Diabetes” (which I read on your Web site), and the article “Helping to Break Bad Habits” were totally what I needed to read (Society, Sept. 4). Unlike many technical articles, this one was short, clear and very informative. Its clear explanation of what diabetes is and how to avoid becoming a victim has been extremely helpful to me. I have turned over a new leaf (of lettuce) and will never again add sugar to my diet. At 55 I was beginning to have blurred vision and unquenchable thirst. Now I have an informed understanding of my doctor’s prognosis that I was in danger of getting diabetes. Because of this excellent article, I have found a guide to follow each day. Carole Nelson Ventura, Calif.

When I read in your article about the amazing jump in the incidence of diabetes over the last decade, I looked at the potato chip in my hand in horror, then put on my sneakers and went out for a walk. Thank you for a timely reminder. Elizabeth Ray Cedar Rapids, Iowa

I applaud you for your article on diabetes. I am a registered nurse who deals daily with patients suffering the many complications of the disease. It is, unfortunately, one that many people take lightly, not understanding what its extremely serious long-term consequences can be. Your article was straightforward and educational, and I hope people will read it and take it to heart. I wish all newly diagnosed diabetics could come and see some of the patients I’ve taken care of who are blind, bilateral leg amputees in kidney failure because they let their diabetes control them. Heidi S. Vawdrey Provo, Utah

I read with interest your cover story on diabetes. The article exposes the seriousness of type-2 (until recently, known as adult-onset) diabetes and the devastating toll it takes on millions of Americans. Diabetes has long been a misunderstood disease, and there is a true need to educate the public. Since the CDC statistics you cite were limited to people 18 and older, they did not include the children who also have type-2 diabetes and, more important to me, the 1 million Americans who have type 1, the most serious and complicated form of the disease. Your article underscores the lack of available data on and awareness of type-1 (or juvenile) diabetes. Each year more than 30,000 Americans are newly diagnosed with type 1. As the father of a daughter (diagnosed at 10, now 32) with this devastating form of the disease, I know firsthand the complications she can expect in her lifetime if we do not find a cure. While insulin does allow people with type 1 to live, it is not a cure and does not prevent life-threatening complications like blindness, kidney failure, heart attack, stroke and limb amputations. In order to survive, my daughter must take multiple daily injections of insulin and test her blood by pricking her finger six or more times a day. While trying to balance insulin injections with the amount of their food intake, people with type 1 must be constantly prepared for potential hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) and hyperglycemic (high blood sugar) reactions, both of which are life-threatening. The American public needs to know the facts, and we need your help in further educating all citizens about this very serious form of diabetes. Ross Cooley Chairman of the Board Juvenile Diabetes Foundation International New York, N.Y.

After reading your cover story on diabetes, I hope that more people will stop, look and listen to their bodies before they experience the ravaging consequences of this terrible disease. JoAnn Lee Frank Clearwater, Fla.

Whom Do You Trust? I’m 24 years old, am very interested in the presidential election and have been trying to read all the coverage I can that will help me make up my mind (“Ready for a Wild Ride,” National Affairs, Sept. 4). After reading your piece, I can’t hold back any longer. What I want to say, in a nutshell, is this: Bush scares me. Do I like him? Yeah, he seems like a nice enough guy. He may even be funny, and surely if I lived in Austin or he lived in Shavertown, I’d invite him over for a barbecue. But do I want him as my president? At this point I have to say that I don’t think so. I don’t want a president who says “ain’t” (even if it is “as common as cattle” in Texas, according to a letter writer in your Sept. 4 column), who prefers to have others read things for him and then tell him the content and who fumbles his own numbers on his proposals and plans. I think it’s a bit ironic that Bush made those number jumbles, because there are so many things about his candidacy that just aren’t adding up. I find it disturbing that he always talks about how his presidency will be a team and how he will, in effect, be the captain of all these intelligent, well-seasoned people who make up for the experience and perhaps intellect that he lacks. Last time I checked, the team usually picks its captain; the captain doesn’t pick his team. Bush wants us to like him, and maybe we do. But instead of liking Bush and letting his team focus on Gore’s “credibility,” shouldn’t we really be focusing a little more on Bush’s ability? Erin McLaughlin Shavertown, Pa.

After reading “Ready For a Wild Ride,” I would have to say that the only ones being taken for a ride are the American people. With Gore’s new and improved image, which he suddenly got overnight (and it didn’t have anything to do with bringing Lieberman on board), Americans are seeing how easy it is to adopt a role just to get elected. Americans want to see good in Gore, the same way they wanted to see good in Clinton. But Gore had eight years to be good, and where was all this good hidden? Phil Gonzalez Houston, Texas

When the Republican Party nominated George W. Bush as its presidential candidate, it had hoped for someone with Dan Quayle’s ethics and Bill Clinton’s intellect. Judging from Bush’s latest bumbling and display of vulgar behavior (in his open-mike comment about a New York Times reporter), it appears the Republicans got just the opposite. Kevin Cole Seattle, Wash.

Taking a Cue From Baseball Well, I’ll be damned. George F. Will, that vitriolic crusader for the conservative wing of the Republican Party, thinks that revenue disparities are destroying the competitive balance in major-league baseball (“The 158-Game Winning Streak,” The Last Word, Sept. 4). He is supporting a proposal that a targeted 50 percent tax be levied against the richest teams in order to supplement the payrolls of the poorest teams. In other words, Will thinks that leveling the playing field will increase competitiveness and revive public interest in America’s sport. Well, I think that what’s good for baseball is good for America. A targeted tax cut for the poor and working poor, as proposed by Al Gore and the Democrats, would greatly improve the competitive prospects of those Americans who most need it. Judith O’Boyle San Diego, Calif.

An Agonizing Decision Christine Mitchell has written a beautifully touching piece on realizing when to give up and let go (“When Living Is a Fate Worse Than Death,” My Turn, Aug. 28). Our medical technology has seemingly surpassed our ability to manage it. When prolonging life means prolonging suffering, we have gone too far. The cost in physical, emotional and financial suffering is immeasurable and inhumane. I have given my family written instructions that if I become seriously impaired, I do not want heroic measures taken that would extend only existence, not living. I hope that someone like Mitchell is around to give them guidance. Larry E. Collins Dallas, Texas

Christine Mitchell’s My Turn was outstanding. As a hospice social worker, I deal with these exact issues on a daily basis. Mitchell echoes the message of hospice workers around the country. In a society as technically advanced as ours, it is a message we need to hear. Medicine will never be able to fix it all. We will all die of something, and some of us will die too soon. Like Mitchell’s, much of my work involves helping families distinguish between sustaining life and prolonging death. Articles like hers help the public begin to question the modern myth that medical miracles will keep us going forever. Cynthia Anderson Little Rock, Ark.

As the daughter of an elderly patient, I know too well the battle with hospital staff who were discomfited that I wanted everything done to keep my mother alive. They mournfully predicted her imminent death, urging me to give up, allegedly out of concern for my mother and me. I believe that insurance-company pressure and, in my mother’s case, Medicare benefits that were terminating had a lot to do with the staff’s itch to pull the plug. But I’m happy to say that my mom rebounded. My advice to patients’ families who want everything done for their loved ones: believe in miracles. Retain control. If necessary, get a lawyer involved (as I did) if you feel pressured by hospital staff to terminate treatment. Believe me, they do not care about your relative or friend even a fraction as much as you do, and their “concern” may very well be dollar-related. Nina Vitale New York, N.y.

Thanks for having such a great article on what life is like for babies born with conditions that are untreatable. With the presidential election approaching, this is a subject that is close to my heart. Several years ago I found out late in my pregnancy that my unborn baby had Down syndrome and many other conditions associated with this chromosomal abnormality. My husband and I were faced with a decision that will pain me for the rest of my life. However, after reading this article, I know that terminating my pregnancy was the best decision for my baby. This is yet another reason that Roe v. Wade cannot be overturned. I am a registered Republican, but this subject is making me lean toward voting Democratic. Name Withheld Austin, Texas

The Nader Crusade Anna Quindlen cites the Green Party platform in her attack against Ralph Nader (“Nader and the Push for Purity,” The Last Word, Aug. 28). We want to clarify that Nader is running on the platform of the Association of State Green Parties, which is different from that of the Green Party and does not call for nationalizing the Fortune 500 or taxing income that exceeds 10 times the minimum wage at a rate of 100 percent. Steve Cobble Strategist for the Nader 2000 Campaign Washington, D.C.

In her Aug. 28 piece about Ralph Nader, Anna Quindlen wrote nothing to dissuade me from voting for him. She seems to fault Nader for his seriousness and consistency by inaccurately describing his attitude as “either-or” and comparing him to Peter Pan, as if having adjustable ideals lends one maturity. Quindlen’s real concern is that Nader may be stealing votes away from Al Gore. She need not worry: no one is stealing anything. Corporate America is buying votes for two candidates with whom it can be comfortable, and Ralph Nader has spent more than a generation earning the votes that he will receive in November. He has done this by demonstrating that he finds effecting positive change more motivating than greed. That Quindlen feels she must vilify Nader for virtues that make him an exceptionally good citizen is distressing. Harold B. Mosher St. Albans, Maine

Anna Quindlen’s column was right on target regarding Ralph Nader’s third-party candidacy. Nader supporters’ voting for him to make a “statement” is a classic case of cutting off your nose to spite your face. What they, and right-wing conservatives, don’t seem to realize is that a president, while sticking to some core values, has to represent all the people and is therefore committing political suicide if he skews to one extreme or the other. Nader’s liberals would do better to further their legislative agenda by helping to elect a left-leaning senator or, better yet, a Democratic-controlled House of Representatives with a few Greens and independents sprinkled in, rather than advocating through the presidency. Larry Nutting Salinas, Calif.

Anna Quindlen doesn’t seem to get it in her Aug. 28 column. Those of us who are voting for Nader don’t actually care who wins the election. Corporate America may be endorsing a candidate now, but it will be endorsing a president after the election. As long as that president is Bush or Gore, that endorsement will be coddled and wooed. It will still be the biggest money that wins. My voice will still go unheard. The personal and political agendas of the Democrat or Republican in power will still take a back seat to big business. “A scant eight years,” and we are now looking at universal health care differently. That’s an accomplishment? Please. Seat belts–that’s an accomplishment. Air bags–that’s an accomplishment. What Quindlen refers to as the oversimplification of complex issues, and the “either-or” attitude of Nader and idealistic young people, gave us a Civil Rights Act. Delana S. Heidrich Bonanza, Ore.

Bravo for Quindlen’s clear perceptions of Nader’s wild Don Quixote plunge into politics. She has pointed out one of the most bewildering attempts to create a revisionist platform in recent campaign history. It is dismaying to see our champion against consumer fraud, Ralph Nader, take up this badly organized, untruthful pilgrimage into presidential politics. It is hard to understand why he’d put himself in the position of offering the American voting population his out-of-touch, exaggerated observations that could ultimately win the election for Bush–the epitome of the gross governmental misconduct that Nader says he abhors. Amina Eagle Rhinebeck, N.Y.

Anna Quindlen’s arrogant and patronizing remarks notwithstanding, I fully intend to vote for Ralph Nader this November. She sits on her high horse and defends Gore with platitudes while Nader decimates Gore’s record with the facts. Nader has already answered in interviews and speeches all of the plaintive arguments Quindlen makes and the snide questions she raises, so what was the point of this column? For me, Quindlen only confirmed a belief that the Democratic Party to which I used to belong is now a shell hollowed out by elitism, cynicism and feel-good abortion rhetoric. Jeanne Bryson Iowa City, Iowa

The Naked Million-Dollar Man When we heard that Daniel Radcliffe was selected to play the title role in the movie of “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” we were curious to see how closely he resembled the illustrated Harry. Unfortunately, your placement of naked Richard Hatch’s huge photo marred the event (“The Rich Gets Richer,” Newsmakers, Sept. 4). Was it really necessary to place that on the same page as a “family” news piece? Come on, NEWSWEEK. We’ve seen enough of “Survivor”–and we never even watched it. Holly Johnson Heuer McFarland, Wis.

I am writing to you from my classroom of high-school students who range in age from 17 to 19, where we occasionally use NEWSWEEK as a guide for discussions on current events. Today we opened our Sept. 4 issue and saw the newsmakers section. In the first item you wrote, “Americans have already seen far more of Rich- ard Hatch than we wanted…” Much to our dismay, you showed us the rest. In this day and age, teaching school is difficult enough; now we have to precheck our news magazines too! E. Wagar Valley City, N.d.

I must say that while I don’t agree with Richard Hatch’s tactics for winning the “Survivor” game, I am impressed with his positive opinion of himself. There are not many people I know who are comfortable displaying their nakedness even when they are alone in front of their bedroom mirrors, but this man jiggled his blubber before 51 million TV viewers–and now he poses naked for millions of NEWSWEEK readers. Lori Gillen Framingham, Mass.

I’m 15, and I would like to thank you for the seminude picture of “Survivor” winner Richard Hatch. I had fun drawing clothes on him. But could you tell me why you think his nudity is newsworthy? Lindsey Schultz Springville, Utah

Oh, my gosh! Great pinup of “survivor” Richard Hatch, wearing nothing but that winning smile and a briefcase. Where can I get a poster-size version, or at least a file I can download to my computer? Straight or gay, he’s a hunk! Lisa Escaloni Richardson, Texas

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-08” author: “Beatrice Quiroga”

‘Survivor’: Turnoff or Turn-On? A cover story on “Survivor” ("‘Survivor’ Tsunami,” ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, Aug. 28)? Come on. I’m proud to be among a select group of Americans (maybe there are seven of us) who did not see a single episode of the show. It was just a dumb game with a ludicrous prize that fundamentally was about strangers exhibiting appallingly bad manners and bad behavior toward each other. Greed is good–for ratings. Jeffrey Owens Philadelphia, Pa.

Does anyone else have a bad taste in her mouth after watching the much-heralded “Survivor” finale? Having devoted so many hours of my life to this program, watching the prize awarded to that smirking, arrogant Machiavellian antihero by the very people he despised and manipulated was a bitter pill. I don’t think there’ll be many high-fives around the water cooler today. “Survivor II”? Think I’ll pass. Guess I lost my innocence, too! Melinda Romeo Woodland Hills, Calif.

A Russian sub sits on the ocean floor with heavy loss of life and potential nuclear consequences, and you give us “exclusive interviews” with the cast of “Survivor” as the Aug. 28 cover story. It amazes me that a magazine of your reputation would waste its time glorifying this phony, scripted, choreographed soap opera whose roots seem to be in pro wrestling. Networks continue their suicidal ways, serving up this “flash in the pan” dreck, and your attention to it is nothing less than Kevorkianesque. Wayne Lynch Springfield, Va.

Oh, no! what’ll I do to survive now that “Survivor” has disappeared like an unwanted castaway? The TV spectacle was interesting, exciting and, yes, even addictive. It definitely captivated the heart and soul of this land-lover yearning for adventure.

Joseph Daudish Westchester, Ill.

“Survivor” should be commended for delivering an invaluable and sobering, if depressing, reminder to us all: that social Darwinism, tempered only by the power of law and the dwindling influence of a tiny, idealistic minority devoted to the concept of brotherhood, still dominates social intercourse in our world. I just pray that the millions of people who have watched the show will interpret it as a cautionary fable and illuminating exercise in group psychology, not take to it as a textbook for succeeding in the new millennium. David Weibel Union City, Calif.

These are interesting times we live in. We were able to keep the identity of the person who won the “Survivor” contest secret until the very end, but somehow we still can’t keep nuclear secrets safe at our labs like Los Alamos. Daniel G. Moir Eden Prairie, Minn.

Forgive me if I am less than enthusiastic about the TV show “Survivor.” I feel that I am one of perhaps a dozen people who did not get caught up in the mania surrounding the show. When I think of a survivor, I do not picture such petulant, selfish adults. My idea of a survivor is the 4-year-old pupil I had last year who is bravely battling leukemia, or an elderly woman I know who subsists on Social Security yet contributes much time to her church and its youth, or a teenage mom who is working two jobs to provide for her children. Those people and many more like them are true survivors: people who confront real obstacles in life and succeed. And they are much more worthy of a $1 million prize than the sad examples of human behavior exhibited and glorified by a network that is apparently willing to do anything to win ratings. Roxanne Rowley Manistee, Mich.

“Survivor”! What a treat! What an eclectic mix of personalities that surely would have had Freud salivating for sessions ad nauseam with this crazy mixed-up bunch. We want more. Give us “Survivor” forever. I truly believe the producers could never again find a better concept and should seriously consider hiring these same participants, because they’re now part of the lives of the 51 million Americans who tuned in to the finale. Great stuff!

Donald W. Parks Allentown, Pa.

With the photos of nude men NEWSWEEK has been running lately–like Richard Hatch wearing only a briefcase–my husband is having difficulty believing that I read the magazine “for the articles.” Dawn Schiller

Thousand Oaks, Calif.

So 15 strangers get voted off the island one by one, or get booted out of a house by viewers. Who cares? We all saw this in the high-school cafeteria. Now put eight Klingons on one disabled Starship and eight Romulans on another, and say that an ion storm is approaching so they have to work together or their life-support systems will be knocked out–that will keep me riveted. Not to mention that it would promote teamwork, cooperation, tolerance, seeing past differences and working toward the good of the whole–all of which are sorely lacking in these so-called reality shows. Idria Barone Knecht Brooklyn, N.Y.

How ironic that in a TV show described by NEWSWEEK as “office politics,” the finalists were a gay man, two women and a senior citizen–all unlikely candidates to make it to the top in real-world office politics. Maybe “Cutthroat Island” wouldn’t be such a bad place to live after all. Kerry Kaempf Roseville, Calif.

The perfect ending for “Survivor” would have been for the audience to have voted on the fate of the four finalists, to decide which one should be thrown to the sharks, which one boiled in oil, which one strapped down over an anthill and which one dropped from an airplane into a live volcano. Edward G. Koran Phoenix, Ariz.

A Different Take on HIV NEWSWEEK’s report on the growing global movement to rethink AIDS begins with a sensationalistic statement that is untrue (“The HIV Disbeliever,” SOCIETY, Aug. 28). I do not advise people to stop drug therapy or forgo condoms. The extensive public record of my work stands as evidence to the contrary and clearly shows that I advocate informed choice with regard to HIV testing and treatment. Prior to raising questions about HIV, I promoted the standard answers as an awareness educator for prominent AIDS groups. My scrutiny of the science began when a series of tests I had fluctuated between HIV-positive, -negative and indeterminate, and after I noticed that my ill and dying colleagues were the ones following doctors’ orders. Your article adopts the position that my natural good health is a puzzle, while dismissing as weird the carefully considered choices that keep me and hundreds of other unmedicated HIV-positives defiantly alive and well. With no cure or vaccine in sight, and more death and toxic drugs on the horizon, there is just cause for people who care about AIDS to explore outside the narrow confines of the HIV hypothesis and join our search for meaningful solutions. Christine Maggiore Founder-Director, Alive & Well AIDS Alternatives Studio City, Calif.

Reading your article “The HIV Disbeliever” was not only shocking but also disturbing. Christine Maggiore’s unjustifiable message only fosters more ignorance. Her suggestion that HIV does not cause AIDS is a cruel slap in the face for everyone who has died of the disease, for everyone who suffers from the disease and for all who have ever loved someone infected by the disease. That people are actively funding and spreading misinformation on the issue of AIDS is wrong. I genuinely hope that with their naive stupidity, these activists do not contract the horrible virus themselves. Undoubtedly, though, that would shut them up in a New York minute. Greg Binstock Medford, Mass.

While gay men’s health crisis endorses open and even provocative exploration of the issues of HIV and AIDS, it is irresponsible and unconscionable for anyone to, in effect, encourage people to practice unsafe sex and to stop taking medication to treat HIV infection. The overwhelming preponderance of worldwide scientific research supports the reality that HIV infection causes AIDS. Until there is a vaccine against HIV infection, the only sane options are to continue education about high-risk activities that can lead to new infections and to encourage the practice of safer alternatives. For those infected by HIV, careful and responsible exploration and application of treatment options remain the best assurance of wellness and life. Instead of deflecting attention from the deadly nature of the virus, energy would be better spent focusing on the prevention of new infections, supporting more research on vaccines and microbicides and increasing access to treatment and care for the estimated 34 million people infected worldwide. Ana Oliveira, Executive Director Gay Men’s Health Crisis, Inc. New York, N.Y.

Granted, the pharmaceutical companies who provide HIV and AIDS treatment regimens won’t be pleased, but what if Christine Maggiore is on to something real? Anne Burgesen Malibu, Calif.

While I’m happy to hear that Christine Maggiore has maintained good health, I can testify to the beneficial effect of AIDS medications that is the exact opposite of what she is preaching. When I tested HIV-positive in 1984, I followed Maggiore’s logic: I was prescribed AZT (once it was available), but being “ridiculously healthy,” I flushed it down the toilet. Even after landing in the hospital with AIDS-induced PCP (pneumonia) nine years later, I still refused to take any medications. Only after my T-cell count went down to six and I lost both mental and physical functioning (along with more than 60 of my 175 pounds) did I start taking my medications. I continued to decline until I changed meds and started taking a combination therapy that included one of the first protease inhibitors. On the day that I started the combination, I was too weak to stand up for the few minutes required to take a shower. But three days later I spent the day bustling along with other shoppers at a Christmas craft fair and haven’t looked back. Thanks to my meds and my devoted doctor, I now have a T-cell count of 868, well within the normal range, I once again work full time and I volunteer as a Red Cross HIV/AIDS prevention instructor. I can’t encourage HIV-positive people strongly enough to run from Christine Maggiore and her irresponsible message. Jim Frenchik Indianapolis, Ind.

What Christine Maggiore has is a good, old-fashioned case of denial. She needs other people’s opinions to coincide with her own, thereby giving her the confidence she needs not to be afraid. I cannot find the words to express my anger over the harm she may cause her son in the future. Not to have the child checked for HIV is simply inexcusable. Or maybe she thinks her “faith healing” will work for the rest of the world as well. Tassie Zahner-Palyka Ypsilanti, Mich.

Since when is it a crime to question orthodox views? Where would humanity be without those who look beyond the mainstream and challenge the existing paradigm? We humans never seem to learn from history and are continually attempting to crucify those who challenge the general consensus. Maggiore and other dissidents should be praised for their courageous efforts to get to the heart of a very important issue. There was a time when the experts all agreed that the earth was flat. Eric White Brooklyn, N.Y.

Christine Maggiore reminds me of the kind of people who denounce aging, embrace “fountains of youth” and announce that they will live forever. There is nothing for the rest of us to do except attend their funerals. Jennifer M. Sowden Nocona, Texas

More Than a Bounce and a Kiss We would do well to remember that there are important things at stake in this election (“How Al Got His Bounce,” NATIONAL AFFAIRS, Aug. 28). If elected, Bush not only stands to turn the Supreme Court sharply to the right, but his surreal characterization of the current administration as a “failure,” if believed, implies a troubling pledge to dismantle that administration’s policies rather than build on its successes, as Gore likely would. Jane Auer Oak Park, Ill.

So Governor Bush plans to “force Gore to spend crucial time and money in places that shouldn’t need defending and hope that the GOP’s superior resources will leave Bush with a financial advantage.” This sentence sums up both the Bush campaign and the Republican way of life: focusing on financial advantage. With Bush and the Republicans, it’s never been about the people, the country, ideas, honor or leadership. It’s always been about the money and the advantages it brings to those who have the most. Rather than cleansing the White House, as Bush and Dick Cheney have promised to do, their “may the richest man win” attitude will dishonor it further and leave an indelible stain on our democracy. Sharon Fleck Herman Lindenhurst, Ill.

Enough already about “the kiss.” Jeez Louise, it’s embarrassing, like talking about Al Gore’s puberty or something. If George W. Bush grabbed his wife and engaged in the same kind of smooch, the press would be ridiculing it and calling it inappropriate till the cows came home. Karenna Gore Schiff volunteered afterward that her parents are always doing “stuff like that” at home. But not in front of 25 million people. Apparently Gore thinks he must constantly remind and reassure us that he’s not only his “own man,” but also a real live one at that, strictly monogamous (unlike you-know-who) and fully capable of passionately kissing his wife. Great. What a relief! Now we can all sleep tight. Elena Smith Longboat Key, Fla.

It’s important to keep in mind that our next president will not only lead the United States into the 21st century, but he will also be recognized as a global leader–which is a position of both opportunity and great risk. While I have maintained only a grudging acceptance of Bill Clinton over the past eight years, I have remained an enthusiastic supporter of Al Gore, because he has consistently exhibited an understanding of the inseparable: economics and the environment. I am convinced that Gore has the stamina, character and smarts to lead America and the world. Neil Ridgely Finksburg, Md.

I’m sure that Al’s “big bounce” will eventually come to earth as a dull thud, in perfect harmony with his personality. James R. Schaefer Mt. Prospect, Ill.

McCain Fights On As someone whose gastrointestinal cancer took eight years to diagnose, I feel great compassion for Sen. John McCain and all of his family (“An Old Soldier Fights a New Battle,” PERISCOPE, Aug. 28). I am thankful that he has been getting the necessary follow-up exams since his earlier surgery in 1993. McCain is a gutsy guy and a fighter who will do all that is necessary in his war on melanoma to put himself in remission. Susan L. Anderson Tempe, Ariz.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-04” author: “Juan Randall”

Compassionate Conservatism? Your report on the Republican convention (“Bush’s Party,” U.S. Affairs, Aug. 14) is exceptional. I normally favor a Republican ticket for the U.S. presidency. But I’m alarmed at the prospect of George W. Bush’s succeeding Bill Clinton next January. Bush speaks of compassion, yet he showed none to the inmates on death row in Texas. Dick Cheney’s failure to support the sanctions against apartheid in South Africa, and the moves for Nelson Mandela’s release, speaks for itself. He was Defense secretary under the elder George Bush, who failed to go after Saddam Hussein in the gulf war. Boring as Al Gore may be, he’s the vice president, with eight years’ experience, and his bold choice of Sen. Joseph Lieberman as his running mate has done more for U.S. minorities than George W’s lip service. America may be a duller place under a Gore presidency, but that’s preferable to a dangerous one under Bush. Gore aims to renew America’s glory; Bush aims to renew the Bush family’s glory. Dominic Shelmerdine London, England

Let’s take a look at the snake oil being peddled by the Republican candidates under the rubric of “compassionate conservatism.” Governor Bush claims he’s devoted to providing health care to “every low-income working family in America.” But his record as governor of Texas shows that he heartlessly opposed expanding the Children’s Health Insurance Program and tenaciously fought the patient’s bill of rights; his federal health-care program would cover less than half the insurance costs for most low-income families. Further, he’s hiding his abysmal record on environmental issues with sweet-talking rhetoric. He claims to believe that “prosperity is meaningless without a healthy environment.” But he favors “voluntary cleanup” to preserve a healthy and clean environment. George W. Bush obviously speaks with a forked tongue on health-care issues and the environment, while having chosen a running mate who has no empathy with those issues whatever. “Compassionate conservatism”? William Herziger Neenah, Wisconsin

Isn’t it sad that some people want to applaud the Republican Party for trying to reach out to minorities in the 21st century when the Democratic Party has been doing that since the 20th century? What is so noble about a compassionate conservatism that wants to step on working families’ feet? Prince George has not put his hand on the Bible yet, but he’s already playing fast and loose with facts. How will honor and integrity usher in an era of prosperity that we haven’t already had for the past eight years? How will honor and integrity feed hungry children, and make prescription drugs affordable for seniors? If “honor” and “integrity” are the reasons to run for president, Bush should stay home. Victor F. Alao St. Louis, Missouri

Once again, presidential hopefuls are wooing the American public with their visions for the future of America. I hope the next administration won’t end up repeating the present one’s scandal-tainted rule. Joel A. Bernasor Iligan City, Philippines

Why do Americans refuse to select a president based on his true (or potential) competence? Why does it have to be based on who is less likely to cheat on his wife? At the end of the day, the so-called character Americans talk about comes back to sex. Rene Gardea Prague, Czech republic

Jonathan Alter hit the nail right on the head in suggesting that President Clinton swallow his pride, acknowledge that he made some personal mistakes, but add that this simply isn’t a reason not to vote Al Gore into office (“The Glad-Hander & the Egghead,” World View, Aug. 14). The president’s transgressions seem to be the only basis on which Bush may stake his own claim to the White House. The Republican convention was low on concrete political substance, and the term “compassionate conservatism” sounds sanctimonious when measured against Republican records. The move to allow Colin Powell to aim some social criticism in his party’s direction was clever, but to be genuinely effective on that score, will it make sense to appoint him secretary of State? Werner Radtke Paderborn, Germany

Rape in Kosovo Thanks for the compelling piece on the plight of Kosovo women (“A War’s Hidden Tragedy,” Europe, Aug. 14). No effort can erase the humiliating memory of rape, but the international aid community does try to help Kosovo women come to terms with past traumas and rebuild their shattered lives. The largest such project is the U.S.-funded Kosovo Women’s Initiative, a $10 million program administered by the U.N. refugee agency, UNHCR, and run by several international and local organizations. The projects range from counseling and health to education and employment. Some of the effort is designed to help Kosovo women deal with the psychological aftermath of sexual violence, but it also strives to make them more self-reliant and better prepared for tomorrow. We cannot undo their past suffering, but making a difference in their future is possible. Rick Barton U.N. Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees Geneva, Switzerland

Muslims of the Moluccas There you go again, pandering to the stereotype of the terrorist Muslim, in “An Island Holy War” (Asia, Aug. 7). Hidden somewhere in your story is the fact that Christian militias expelled more than 100,000 Muslims from their homes. Farther down is the fact that the same militias destroyed the Muslim town of Maliput, sending 70,000 Muslims fleeing. But these don’t make the headlines, and there are no pictures of destroyed mosques or screaming Christians brandishing machetes anywhere. This is Crusader-age journalism! Mohammed Arshad Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The Muslims were attacked by a Christian mob for no apparent reason in the city of Ambon. It’s this incident that sparked violence against the Muslim population. Thousands were displaced and many mosques were burnt down. Only recently have the Muslims counterattacked. Erik Fadli Jakarta, Indonesia

Invite the Dalai Lama! I was grieved to read your Aug. 7 PERISCOPE item “Dalai Lama Uninvited.” It is a shame that the United Nations invites more than 1,000 spiritual leaders for the Millennium World Peace Summit but leaves out the Dalai Lama because of Chinese intervention. Kalachakra for World Peace, the best-known Buddhist ritual, is celebrated annually by His Holiness. Last year it was held in the United States; in 2002 it will be held in Graz, Austria. I’m glad the Dalai Lama, who is known to promote peace and tolerance, will have the opportunity to perform this ritual here even if the United Nations has snubbed him. Herwig R. Brandstetter Graz, Austria

President Clinton treats the charismatic and ethical Dalai Lama as a photo opportunity (“Dreams as Big as the West,” Asia, July 10), but his latest picture with His Holiness will be banned in Tibet by America’s most-favored-nation friend Chinese President Jiang Zemin. In Lhasa, being caught with any picture of the Dalai Lama means prison–a thousand Buddhist monks and nuns languish in Jiang’s jails right now. Clinton’s silence on Jiang’s “strike hard” policy, which drained what little was left of political freedom out of the world’s biggest military colonies, Tibet and East Turkistan, will no doubt be balanced by voluble support of the new “develop the west” policy that will drain resources like uranium, gold and forests from those same places. We hope that whoever becomes the new American president will show more gumption on the Tibet issue. Sen. Bob Brown Australian Greens Senator for Tasmania Canberra, Australia

Where’s the McMovie? After reading your July 10 articles “McParadox” (Europe) and the one about the nutty Farrelly brothers (“The Farrellys’ Wild Ride,” Society & the Arts), I suggest Hollywood is ready for a “McMovie”: cheap, fast and enjoyable to millions around the world. Michael Driver Ichihara City, Japan

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-04” author: “Sheena Mayfield”

The Tragedy of the Kursk Sub By almost all expert accounts, the nuclear-powered Russian submarine Kursk was an accident waiting to happen (“Lost in the Depths,” Europe, Aug. 28). With the bulk of Russia’s military hardware going to rust and ruin, the majority of its soldiers underpaid, undertrained and undermotivated, it comes as a surprise that more tragedies haven’t occurred. Hurt national pride and a general unwillingness to accept, let alone ask for, foreign help created a veritable powder keg. One wonders whether Western politicians are aware that the lurking dangers are a threat to the Russian Federation and other countries as well. Werner Radtke Paderborn, Germany

What happened in Russia was unbelievably inhuman. Maybe if one of the crew had been Vladimir Putin’s relative, the president would have accepted assistance at once without second thoughts. Lita Shimada Tokyo, Japan

The whole world waited, faithfully listening to Russian speeches full of unreal hopes. It seemed impossible that a country so powerful would keep secrets and refuse the assistance of other countries. Putin’s behavior was intolerable, and the 118 people who died must forever stay on his conscience–if he still has one. Perhaps no one could have saved those men, but the world should have known the truth, no matter how tragic. After all the lies, what can we possibly say to the sailors’ parents? Max Salogni Capriolo, Italy

The tragedy of the Kursk submarine gives Putin an excuse to strengthen the military’s power and his own authority. He has already shown that he does not like freedom of speech or freedom of the press. I wonder, will he be Russia’s next dictator? Dennis Brinkeback Stockholm, Sweden

The Russian military brass should treat this Kursk affair as a wake-up call in the interest of Russia. Please tear off the blindfold of the Soviet-era mentality, or you may pay the price–like the Roman emperor Nero, whose kingdom was reduced to ashes right before his eyes. Mohammad Athar Quetta, Pakistan

I come from a country where only 11 years ago we all had to carry the burden of Soviet stupidity and exploitation. Thank God we can now relish the freedom of a fully democratic country. Those in Russia, however, do not have such luck. I pity Russian people, who perhaps more now than in the past have had to put up with the government’s machinations and manipulation. The Kursk drama is a fine example. Vladimir Putin’s and his officials’ handling of the tragedy reminds me of the most infamous cases of violating human rights. It seems like the communist Russia of the past. We should all pray that this thoughtless, self-interested, enslaving system does not return. Karol Matysiak Qniezno, Poland

It Is Ash, Not Art The picture accompanying the Aug. 28 Periscope item titled “Volcanic Beauty” is not beautiful. You can’t imagine how terrible it is to live on a small island where families are forced to move as sulfur dioxide fills the air and volcanic ash falls. Your headline lacks compassion. Yoshikazu Shiro Uchita, Japan

A Different Take on HIV Your report on the growing global movement to rethink AIDS begins with a sensationalistic statement that is untrue (“The HIV Disbeliever,” Society & the Arts, Aug. 28). I don’t advise people to stop drug therapy or forgo condoms. The extensive public record of my work stands as evidence to the contrary and clearly shows that I advocate informed choice with regard to HIV testing and treatment. Prior to raising questions about HIV, I promoted the standard answers as an awareness educator for prominent AIDS groups. My scrutiny of the science began when a series of tests I had fluctuated between HIV-positive, -negative and indeterminate, and after I noticed that my ill and dying colleagues were the ones following doctors’ orders. You adopt the position that my natural good health is a puzzle, while dismissing as weird the carefully considered choices that keep me and hundreds of other unmedicated HIV-positives defiantly alive and well. With no cure or vaccine in sight, and more death and toxic drugs on the horizon, there is just cause for people who care about AIDS to explore outside the narrow confines of the HIV hypothesis and join our search for meaningful solutions. Christine Maggiore Founder/Director, Alive & Well AIDS Alternatives Studio City, California

Christine Maggiore is not, as her brother suggests, a “modern-day Copernicus.” Copernicus used science in an age of ignorance. While science does not have all the answers yet, Maggiore opposes the science of her age with ignorance. When my own brother died three years ago, it was not HIV that killed him. Not directly, anyway. He died of fungal meningitis. However, the doctors who tended him were in no doubt that HIV had reduced his immune system, allowing other infections to set in. While I applaud NEWSWEEK’s decision to publish an objective article on the AIDS doubters, the individual photographed posting bills that read aids is over insults the memory of my brother and the 18.8 million others who have died. Mark Phillips Tokyo, Japan

I do hope that Maggiore’s view takes hold in the United Kingdom. Then the disproportionately huge sums of money from our cash-strapped National Health Service thrown at AIDS can be directed at more pressing needs and more deserving patients. Margaret Crawford Dampier Southampton, England

While we endorse open, even provocative, exploration of issues of HIV and AIDS, it is irresponsible and unconscionable for anyone to encourage people to practice unsafe sex and to stop taking medication to treat HIV infection. Worldwide scientific research supports the reality that HIV infection causes AIDS. Until there is an HIV vaccine, the only sane options are to continue education about high-risk activities that can lead to new infections, and to encourage the practice of safer alternatives. For those infected by HIV, careful and responsible exploration and application of treatment options remains the best assurance of wellness and life. Instead of deflecting attention from the deadly nature of the virus, it would be better to focus on the prevention of new infections, support more research on vaccines and increase access to treatment and care for the estimated 34 million people infected worldwide. Ana Oliveira, Executive Director Gay Men’s Health Crisis, Inc. New York, New York

Maggiore is keeping herself healthy by listening to her instincts, just as Lance Armstrong didn’t beat cancer and win the Tour de France because of fancy drugs. He used the most powerful drug of all, his own determination to live and be healthy. My friend Robert was convinced that the HIV drugs were making him sicker. I don’t blame anyone testing HIV-positive for wanting to “live in wellness… without fear of AIDS” and for wanting to eat macaroons instead of AZT cocktails. Elizabeth Dobie-Sarsam Vienna, Austria

Maggiore reminds me of people who denounce aging, embrace “fountains of youth” and announce that they will live forever. There is nothing for the rest of us to do except attend their funerals. Jennifer M. Sowden Nocona, Texas

Britain’s Partisan Press Alan Rusbridger, editor of the Guardian, says that British journalistic culture doesn’t encourage deep-thinking journalists (“Rethinking the Media Rules,” Interview, Aug. 28). He implies that ethics are for wimps and points out that British newspapers have traditionally been politically partisan. Surely there is a link between these things? It seems that politicians are often most concerned about short-term issues and their own skin; a partisan press can’t avoid having a similar approach. Steven Kostyn Ramat Bet Shemesh, Israel

From “Rethinking the Media Rules,” your interview with Alan Rusbridger, it would appear that the oft-vaunted “freedom of the press” is somewhat of a myth and that the news media are constantly under pressure to present views that have a particular slant. Could “news” be properly defined as “propaganda”? Is this what readers are paying for and receiving? N. Narayanan Singapore

The Middle East Push for Peace Along with many Israelis, I take offense at NEWSWEEK’s claim that “if Shas or Likud is in, conventional wisdom has it, peace is out” (“A Prod for Peace Talks,” World Affairs, Aug. 28). No matter what anyone’s political inclinations may be, who would not want peace, freedom from terrorism and the ability to live in security? The question remains only, at what price? How much must one side be willing to give up for the hope of an unfulfilled, though often promised, declaration of recognition and security? I travel a lot and see many examples of integration among Arabs and Jews–in hospitals, shopping malls, parks and business. Daily, we can and do live in peace. But we must deal with fundamentalist leaders and their followers who are not affected on a day-to-day basis, and we must count on them to deliver on promises of the peace so precious, yet elusive to us all. Nina R. Cohen Jerusalem, Israel

The Middle East peace talks remind me of children fighting in a sandbox. “OK, enough! If you can’t get along nicely, everybody out!” Sonja Welker Hong Kong

Bravo, Brazil! If Brazilian government officials could keep their hands out of the money jars and start investing in the country’s ailing public-education system, health care and social services, we’d see more successes like those of the Brazilian scientists who contributed to the international genome research (“Cinderella Genes,” Society & the Arts, Aug. 14). My thanks to Newsweek for spotlighting an image of Brazil that the world rarely sees. Brazil is stereotyped as an example of violence and poverty, and we are recognized only for our contributions to soccer and samba. Here’s an example of Brazil’s putting its talent and tax revenues to good use. Lisa R. Greenwood Fortaleza, Brazil

God Was Grieving, Too Everyone sympathizes with the relatives of the victims of the Concorde tragedy. But it was surprising to hear Bishop Josef Homeyer ask, “God, where were you in Paris?” (Perspectives, Aug. 7). At the time of the accident, thousands of people around the world were dying because of hunger, disease or war. Is all this the fault of God, his mismanagement? Was God in charge of the maintenance of the Concorde? The responsibility of managing our world is entrusted to our hands. So where was God? I’d say he was grieving with the relatives. Gervais Turgeon Khartoum, Sudan

Learning More About Autism Thank you, thank you, thank you for helping to shed a little light on autism (“Understanding Autism,” Society & the Arts, July 31). As the aunt of an autistic 23-year-old man, I experience double heartache: the everyday challenge my beautiful nephew deals with in his inability to be normal, and the struggle my sister and brother-in-law deal with in the daily challenge of caring for him. There are still many people who have no idea what autism is, or the strides that have been made in our never-ending effort to find a cure or prevention to assist those who are autistic and their families. Your story will help many people who are in need. Renie S. Geller Atlanta, Georgia

I’ve known my brother, Russell, most of my life (I’m 14, he’s 9), and every day is another adventure. Usually, Russell is sad and frustrated, and most of the years of his life have been years of great adversity. Although he has come a long way, my dad, my mom and I work day and night trying to help him, and to make sure he is happy. If he isn’t happy, none of us are. He is, without a doubt, the bravest person I know. He’s been through more tests and scans than I can count–and the procedures have often been painful. I feel that we are coming closer and closer to a “cure” for autism. Until then, our love for Russell and Russell’s love for us will keep us going. Matthew Rollens Granite Bay, California

On behalf of my beautiful 8-year-old daughter, who can’t express this herself, thank you. There is more hope for my daughter’s future, and for all the autistic people, when there is more known about the world of autism. Nancy Blackmon Via Internet

The McDonald’s Madness I’m sick and tired of French activists claiming that anything American is some sort of bush devil trying to devour their culture (“McParadox,” Europe, July 10). When something American comes along in Nepal, we say thanks and live easier for it. Truth is, if French culture is really as great as they say it is, they wouldn’t be so paranoid of losing it. Nikhil Jaisinghani Bhojpur, Nepal

The enormously successful marketing strategy of McDonald’s is based on advertising targeted almost exclusively to children. You can’t argue with a child about gastronomic value or food quality. They are interested only in getting their picture taken with the stupid clown, or taking home the latest plastic dinosaur toy. Children drag their parents to McDonald’s and that’s the beginning of child obesity. Andres T. Stepkowski Santa Cruz, Bolivia

In 1972 in the Netherlands there were no decent hamburgers. And the ones that were available were usually not 100 percent beef, and were breaded and deep fried. But finally, in a Delft suburb, I encountered my first McDonald’s–it became my McOasis! But it was always empty. Back then, people in Holland did not handle food with their hands. So to entice and satisfy customers, McDonald’s laid out plastic utensils. I should have photographed the Dutch struggling to politely cut a Big Mac with plastic cutlery! Despite all that, McDonald’s closed, and I was heartbroken. Much later a new one opened in downtown Rotterdam. Was there hesitation because of the Delft failure? Was it red tape from suspicious Dutch officials? Who knows? But it did become a success everywhere–even in the suburbs, even without plastic knives and forks. Sharon Bohner Capelle, Netherlands

Disappearing Dialects I would like to congratulate Jeffrey Bartholet for his in-depth reporting, which was not only interesting in itself but served as a warning about the preservation of our culture and history (“The Sounds of Silence,” Society & the Arts, June 19). In Nairobi, approximately 80 percent of the 18- to 30-year-old population isn’t fluent in their mother tongues, thanks to the prevalence of English. Globalization is not only endangering local languages and dialects, but also Africa’s national languages. Jack Mwaura Nairobi, Kenya

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-26” author: “Leanna Pelletier”

Gore Picks a Running Mate The choice of Sen. Joseph Lieberman as the vice presidential candidate of the Democratic Party is a proud day for all Americans, not just for Jewish Americans (“Praying to Win,” U.S. affairs, Aug. 21). Jews can feel proud that one of their own now has a realistic opportunity to become the vice president of the United States. But all Americans can join in a sense of pride that in the United States, Americans of varied backgrounds can truly reach for such an honor. The choice of Senator Lieberman has shown that yet another unstated barrier to government service at the highest level has been torn down. It is a real step in achieving the ideals of the U.S. Constitution, which describes the prerequisites for the office of the president (and, by extension, of the vice president) not by imposing limitations of gender, race, religion or ethnic background but by focusing on the most important trait shared by the potential candidates: being a natural-born American citizen. Rita J. Jeremy San Francisco, California

Wow, Lieberman on the democratic ticket! What is a conservative, Republican, Orthodox Jew like me supposed to do? Al Gore and Joe Lieberman will be the best friends Israel ever had, but George W. Bush and Dick Cheney will be better for America, as they will clean up Bill Clinton’s squalor. I’ll go by ideology and vote for Bush–but I won’t feel too bad if he loses. Abe Krieger Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

U.S. citizens should do what is right for their country and the world. They should vote for Al Gore, who is elegant, experienced and, most important, intelligent. We in Europe need a wise America to lead us through this new century. Wake up, guys, vote logical–make Gore our next president! James McDonald Milan, Italy

I am one of many non-U.S. citizens who understand how presidential races are run and won in America; we are fascinated by the quantity of material that you have been providing on the background, upbringing and formative influences of each candidate. But everyone knows the only thing that is going to count for the person elected is who bought and paid for him. It would be informative for readers if you did some background investigation into who finances the candidates, especially which corporate donors. Jon Cloke Masaya, Nicaragua

Your extensive articles on vice presidential nominee Joseph Lieberman provide no insight into how he might influence U.S. foreign policy. It seems to me that Lieberman’s Jewish faith will really be significant if it convinces the leaders and peoples of the Middle East that a Gore-Lieberman administration will be favorably disposed toward Israel in the conflicts there. Lew Rabenberg Austin, Texas

NEWSWEEK sums it all up with its preoccupation, concentration and emphasis on the background and ethnicity of Sen. Joseph Lieberman. If I were an American citizen I would ask, “What’s the big deal–he is American, isn’t he?” But perhaps we in the Arab and Islamic world should be worried. The United States is selling its heart and soul to the Jews in order to win votes. What next? Majid Said Nasser Al-Suleimany Muscat, Oman

I’m perturbed by Senator Lieberman’s frequent references, exhortations and thanks to God. If these expressions were uttered by members of the Christian Coalition, I would be equally offended, since religion must be separate from government. If the senator wants the country to accept him as a candidate, he should curtail his continual references to God and the Bible. Cyrus P. Schoen Sarasota, Florida

How interesting that both presidential candidates picked running mates who are the equivalent of political spackle. Bush chose someone to fill in the gaps in his intellect, while Gore selected someone to smooth over the holes in his administration’s morality. Michael Wagman Hidden Hills, California

You say that “stylistically,” Gore and Lieberman may be wholesome but perhaps too serious for the age of MTV and that voters may prefer Bush’s “sly smile, a reformed sinner’s riveting story line and just enough honky-tonk in his blue blood to be unpredictably entertaining.” I hope you are wrong. These men are not running for president of some college fraternity. They are running for president of the United States. For that, serious is good; MTV is of little value. And a sly smile and being unpredictably entertaining are of no value. Your comment underscores America’s continuing devaluation of substance and elevation of style over content and ability, as if campaigns were popularity contests. Honey Kessler Amado Beverly Hills, California

I’m proud to be a Democrat. The party nominated the first Roman Catholic–John F. Kennedy–to be president of the United States. It nominated the first woman and the first Jew–Geraldine Ferraro and Joe Lieberman–to be candidates for vice president. When an African-American is nominated to one of these high offices, it will surely be the Democratic Party that does it. Lawrence O. Aasen Westport, Connecticut

As the daughter of a Jewish father and a Protestant mother, I was raised with the traditions of both religions (“A Look at Jewish America in Transition”). I choose not to practice either, but it doesn’t mean I have no morals, ethics and values. Compared with others, I think I have a greater sense of religious tolerance. Robin Pam Menlo Park, California

May the Force Be With Sir Alec Sir Alec Guinness held the “Guinness record” of dissimilar movie characters (Society & the Arts, Aug. 21). His diverse acting roles ranged from a Jedi to a POW, from a prince to a pickpocket. He could play any part, although he was rarely cast in the role of lover. His portrayals were so real and different in each movie that the audience often failed to recognize him as an actor. For me, his most unforgettable performance was in the epic “Lawrence of Arabia” as Prince Faisal, which your article did not mention. Perhaps this letter can serve as an addendum to your “Remembrance” of this truly marvelous actor. Edward B. Fan Upper Marlboro, Maryland

Mamma, I’m Home–to Stay Your article Staying Home With Mamma” (Society & the Arts, Aug. 14) unfairly judges cultures through an American prism. I am Latino, and we do not stay close to our parents for material needs only. Our culture emphasizes the parent-child bond as a lifetime commitment, which children reciprocate as the parents grow older. I bet a serious study would show that the drug Prozac sells better in countries where children take the easy way out and value their own pleasures over the caretaking of their parents–who need them now but have loved them always. Enrique Escobar-Gattas Santiago, Chile

While you cited cultural, social and economic reasons for the young Italian people living at home, you failed to mention the inadequate teaching system, which doesn’t focus on practical market-oriented subjects. This is the reason that Italy’s potential work force is full of talented and educated youths who are inexperienced and can’t find their place in the labor market. In addition, my first-class university degree doesn’t help when I am faced with high rent, a housing crisis and a two-digit unemployment rate. I am forced to live with Mamma. Giulio Cicconi Teramo, Italy

Not Necessarily Nazi In the article " ‘As Good As Anybody Else’, " you say, “Taking the town cost 100 Nazi soldiers their lives” (World Affairs, July 24). But many did not deserve such a description. It would be wrong, for example, to label Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn and all the Red Army soldiers communists. Rudolf Hackl Vienna, Austria

Kosovo’s Continuing Crisis By heaping opprobrium exclusively on Serbian rapists, the well-reported article “A War’s Hidden Tragedy” (Europe, Aug. 14) misses half of its own point. While Western countries don’t want to condemn practices of another’s culture, there is a prevalent Albanian belief that a woman is a chattel whose value as a human being can be nullified by an enemy soldier’s assault. Even women have internalized the warped logic of blaming the victims of rape. As the details reveal, the Serbs’ use of rape as a war tactic derives its power from the stigma attached to sexual defilement of female Albanians. Whitney Mason Istanbul, Turkey

Your article raises a number of serious issues regarding rape, war crimes and the recognition of what actually goes on when mass violence hits. However, the problem is not really analyzed and taken to its logical conclusion. Rape has clearly not been accepted as a crime in most societies. Trying to punish the culprits is an oversimplification. We must sexually educate the world so that people know what is right and wrong. As long as this basic principle is not understood, rape and its terrible consequences will be with us. Rene Gardea Prague, Czech Republic

Is “unearthing the truth” literally discovering massacred bodies of poor mistreated Albanians in Kosovo (“Unearthing the Truth,” Europe, July 17)? Obviously, on a metaphorical level it is much more. I consider the Kosovar Albanians brutal in their ripping off of Kosovo. Kosovar Albanians held entire villages that Serbs were forbidden to enter. What kind of will for peace or will to live with the Serbs is that? This and much more, which I hope NEWSWEEK will reveal soon, is what I would call unearthing the truth. Jelena Popovic Tel Aviv, Israel

I read “The Truth About the Kosovo War” with interest (Periscope, July 10). So France, Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands now have second thoughts about this “war”? Pity they didn’t think of this during the early days. When Prime Minister Tony Blair suggested sending ground troops to Kosovo, President Bill Clinton almost had a heart attack and wouldn’t risk the lives of American soldiers. As a result, this first “virtual” war was a test of America’s weaponry waged from the stratosphere. Kurt Redisch Sao Paulo, Brazil

Whatever the crimes of the Serbs, if you consider self-defense a crime, nothing can justify a genocide unprecedented in human history. Piera Graffer Hall Trento, Italy

Unfair Attacks In the article “targeting immigrants,” the author says that in the former East Germany there were virtually no foreigners and that this is the main reason for violence against foreigners (Special Report, July 3). But 1 percent of the East German population was foreign–from Vietnam, Mozambique, Cuba, Angola and Poland. The East German state reacted to violence in a far stricter way, and people with right-wing attitudes were not tolerated by the state either. It was hardly possible to get hold of “fascist” rock music. Unemployment was not a worry–the right of work was guaranteed by the state. There was less pressure on parents, so they had time to care for their children. Youth organizations offered leisure activities free of charge; music lessons were cheap. There were hardly any reasons to attack a foreigner. A government that approves right-wing demonstrations on May 1, as in Leipzig two years ago, should not be astonished by right-wing violence. Jana Schubert Panitzsch, Germany

You report that “Dessau’s authorities have vowed to fight racism,” but official statements often blame the victims for not integrating into German society. How integrated do we have to be? Jews who had converted to Christianity, served in the German Army and considered themselves to be German were still killed in the Holocaust. It’s not a question of integration so much as one of acceptance and tolerance; don’t blame the victim. Geoff Carver Dresden, Germany

There’s hate and violence against people in most countries. Being openly gay in Thatcher’s Britain, I felt some hostility. But while in other countries such violence is discussed in the media, people march to protest it and everybody is aware of the problems of racism, anti-Semitism and homophobia, in Germany the media do not highlight such incidents. On television, news of a racist attack is covered in 15 seconds. Most Germans are not bothered. Have we got used to such attacks, or do we not care about our neighbors? I suspect it is both. Hartmut Eckert Alsfeld, Germany

Jerusalem’s Divisions I was most interested in your July 24 Special Report, “The New Jerusalem.” The Israelis insist that Jerusalem must not be divided, when it already is! In East Jerusalem, rubbish literally covers the ground you walk on. You have to stand in lines for hours on end for something as paltry as a stamp. On the west side, however, you walk on clean streets where everything is conveniently available. Yes, that means no standing in lines! So how can Ehud Olmert, the mayor of Jerusalem, talk about a unified city when the city’s inhabitants are not treated equally. Talk about racial discrimination. Nadia Awad Jerusalem

Lessons From Sri Lanka Any understanding of Sri Lankan Tamil Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran’s motives is incomplete without a direct meeting with the man himself. In this sense, your reporter Ian MacKinnon’s sketchy profile ("‘You Will Have to Die’," Asia, May 29) faces a credibility problem. Also, as a Tamil who is well read in the Tamil Tiger literature (published predominantly in the Tamil language), I can assure you that Prabhakaran has never stated that his inspiration comes from Hitler, though he has acknowledged the influence of other historical personalities such as Napoleon, Mao Zedong and Che Guevara, as well as Clint Eastwood. Prof. Sachi Sri Kantha Gifu University Kamigahara, Japan

Prabhakaran is fighting for all Tamils all over the world and not for a particular caste, so why did your correspondent think it necessary to refer to Prabhakaran’s caste? In any case, the correct name of Prabhakaran’s caste is Kurukulam, not the inaccurate and pejorative English “fisherman.” The Kurukulams were naval commanders, warriors and mercenaries. The traditional caste system of Sri Lanka got inverted during the colonial period. Agricultural serf families rose by serving Europeans as guides, spies and interpreters. They propagated the use of inaccurate English translations such as the one used by your correspondent in order to denigrate their countrymen. The use of such terms even in this day and age, and even by your correspondent, goes to illustrate the widespread effect of false propaganda. The root of the Sri Lankan problem is the attempt by the cultivators–the agricultural class–to subjugate all others. K. Arulkumar

Wellawatta, Sri Lanka

I’m perturbed by Senator Lieberman’s frequent references, exhortations and thanks to God. If these expressions were uttered by members of the Christian Coalition, I would be equally offended, since religion must be separate from government. If the senator wants the country to accept him as a candidate, he should curtail his continual references to God and the Bible. Cyrus P. Schoen Sarasota, Florida

How interesting that both presidential candidates picked running mates who are the equivalent of political spackle. George W. Bush chose someone to fill in the gaps in his intellect, while Vice President Gore selected someone to smooth over the holes in his administration’s morality. Michael Wagman Hidden Hills, California

You say that “stylistically” al Gore and Joseph Lieberman may be wholesome but are perhaps too serious for the age of MTV, and that voters may prefer George W. Bush’s “sly smile, a reformed sinner’s riveting story line and just enough honky-tonk in his blue blood to be unpredictably entertaining.” I hope you are wrong. These men are not running for president of some college fraternity. They are not candidates for best boyfriend. They are running for president of the United States. For that, serious is good; MTV is of little value. And a sly smile and being unpredictably entertaining are of no value. Your comment underscores America’s continuing devaluation of substance and elevation of style over content and ability, as if campaigns were popularity contests. Honey Kessler Amado Beverly Hills, California

Correction Due to a technical error, an image used on the cover of the Sept. 4 issue was inadvertently reversed. The image should have appeared as shown above.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-18” author: “Michael Gilbert”

The Real RFK Revealed Coming between the Republican and Democratic national conventions, your article on Robert Kennedy and the Cuban Missile Crisis serves as a poignant reminder of what is at stake when we elect a president (“Bobby at the Brink,” book excerpt, Aug. 14). Kennedy’s fortitude, intelligence and palpable desire for peace during a period that seemed to call for war reinforces my belief that this nation lost a great leader in June of 1968. Jay Heimbach Alexandria, Va.

Not having grown up during the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis, I never understood its seriousness from both the governmental and the public viewpoint. Evan Thomas deftly describes those consequential moments with the precision and accuracy one would hope for in the explanation of such a critical episode in American history. Jenny Cracchiola St. Peters, Mo.

Certainly the media are reputed to be biased toward the Democrats, but putting a cover story on Robert F. Kennedy in between the two convention issues is about as subtle as a herd of stampeding donkeys! Jane A. Blank Westerville, Ohio

Both RFK and JFK were political thinkers far ahead of their time. The president bravely held back his rabid, warmongering “brass hats,” who were eager to bomb Cuba and thereby plunge us into nuclear destruction. RFK’s clear-thinking pragmatism literally “saved the world.” These men both fulfilled their lives’ purpose in October 1962, but they had so much more to give. Those gifts would have further enriched all our lives, and especially their children’s. But because of these Kennedy brothers, we still have a life to enrich. Shirley Timura Riverside, Calif.

Is He or Ain’t He for Real? Anna Quindlen is dead-on, writing that we often vote for a presidential candidate based on a gut feeling of “I just like the guy” (“It’s the Cult of Personality,” The Last Word, Aug. 14). Unfortunately, there is often little else to help us choose between two virtually hand-picked, bought-off candidates of the major parties, whose speeches are interchangeable. There is no better time than now to cast a vote for an alternative party. Gary Drake Stamford, Conn.

In a stretch of the pen (or, more likely, the keyboard), the Northerner Anna Quindlen suggests that George W. Bush had pretensions of folksiness when he used the word “ain’t” in an interview with NBC’s Tom Brokaw. Governor Bush is from Texas, for heaven’s sake, where the word is as common as cattle. Mark A. Sadd Charleston, W.Va.

‘Birds Do It, Bees Do It…’ After reading your article “Sex and the Single Fly” (Society, Aug. 14), I’d like to observe that the purpose (if one can use that word) of promiscuity among female animals seems to be to ensure pregnancy, which is hardly the motivation of the babes on “Sex and the City” and their uncritical fans. Somehow, I’ll still hang on to the conviction that human nature is an invitation to evolve beyond the animal in us. It’s an invitation, however, that can easily be ignored. William J. O’Malley, S.J. Bronx, N.Y.

A Warning From UWESO Your Special Report on the plight of orphaned children in Africa (International, Jan. 17) gave the world a deep insight into the gravity of the AIDS problem in our region. UWESO has received an overwhelming response from your readers, who are willing to lend a hand in the enormous task of supporting orphan families. Many of them have made monetary contributions to the cause.

Some readers’ checks, however, were not received by UWESO. Apparently, they were stolen and altered to reflect larger amounts; additionally, forged signatures were presented to banks in order to fraudulently obtain wire transfers. In your May 8 issue, you advised readers about the situation and passed on UWESO’s suggestion that future donations not be made through the mail. Though the Ugandan authorities have been actively pursuing this case, I understand that several more NEWSWEEK readers have recently experienced the same scam. Several readers also received letters from individuals soliciting funds who claimed they were destitute students who had been given the recipient’s name by UWESO.

I want to assure your readers that UWESO did not provide any information to these “students” and does not condone their conduct. UWESO would, again, like to make an appeal to all readers not to send checks to P.O. Box 8419, Kampala, Uganda (the address we originally supplied). Please instead contact me directly by e-mail at uweso@imul.com or pntambirweki@hotmail.com for details on how you can safely send a donation. We deeply regret the distress and inconvenience your readers have had and are doing everything possible to help our legal system in identifying and dealing with the people responsible. Pelucy Ntambirweki Executive Director Ugandan Women’s Efforts to Save Orphans Kampala, Uganda

Correction In our July 31 cover story on autism, the label on an MRI image of an autistic person’s brain misidentified the left fusiform gyrus as the inferior temporal gyrus.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-14” author: “Willie Patricio”

The choice of Sen. Joseph Lieberman as the vice presidential candidate of the Democratic Party is a proud day for all Americans, not just for Americans who are Jewish (“Praying to Win,” NATIONAL AFFAIRS, Aug. 21). Jewish Americans can feel proud that another Jewish American now has a realistic opportunity to become the vice president of the United States. But all Americans can join in a sense of pride that in the United States, Americans of varied backgrounds can truly reach for such an honor. The choice of Senator Lieberman has shown that yet another unstated barrier to government service at the highest level has been torn down. It is yet another step in achieving the ideals of the U.S. Constitution, which describes the prerequisites for the office of the president (and by extension, of the vice president), not by imposing limitations of gender, race, religion or ethnic background, but by focusing on the most important trait shared by the potential candidates: being a natural-born American citizen. Rita J. Jeremy San Francisco, Calif.

The religious right should rejoice in the selection of Senator Lieberman. There is now one candidate who actually obeys all Ten Commandments (including the Sabbath one) that they want to post in our schools. Neal Matson Fairbanks, Alaska

Wow, Joe Lieberman on the Democratic ticket! What is a conservative, Republican, Orthodox Jew like me supposed to do? Gore and Lieberman will be the best friends Israel ever had, but Bush and Cheney will be better for America, as they will clean up Clinton’s squalor. I’ll go by ideology and vote for Bush–but I won’t feel too bad if he loses. Abe Krieger Philadelphia, Pa.

Brandishing sabers of integrity and morality, Sen. Joseph Lieberman burst into the political spotlight like a knight in shining armor. Because he was known to be the soul of honesty, he would slay and lay low all the scandals and immorality of the past several years. And he was welcomed with open arms and loud acclaim, even by some of his “enemies.” But power corrupts. Within a few hours the shine was dimming from his armor as he began to waffle and flip-flop over the differences between his beliefs and those of Al Gore. After listening to him on the five Sunday-morning talk shows, I believe that Lieberman’s armor is now tarnished. Hazel O. Edwards Houston, Texas

In June 1998, Gov. George W. Bush sold his share of the Texas Rangers Baseball Club for $14.9 million. His original investment was $609,000. Last month Richard Cheney received an estimated $20 million retirement package from the Halliburton Co., even though he retired three years before becoming officially eligible to do so. Also in August, President Clinton asked Americans, “Are you better off today than you were eight years ago?” In the interest of honesty in government, can’t he count on Bush and Cheney to say yes? Norman L. Bender Woodbridge, Conn.

As a Jew, I am perturbed by Senator Lieberman’s frequent references, exhortations and thanks to God. If these expressions were uttered by members of the Christian Coalition, I would be equally offended, since religion must be separate from government. If the senator wants the country to accept him as a candidate, he should curtail his continual references to God and the Bible. Cyrus P. Schoen Sarasota, Fla.

You comment that “stylistically” Gore and Lieberman may be wholesome but perhaps too C-Span for the age of MTV and that voters may prefer Bush’s “sly smile, a reformed sinner’s riveting story line and just enough honky-tonk in his blue blood to be unpredictably entertaining.” I hope that assessment underestimates the interests and wisdom of the voters. These men are not running for president of some college fraternity. Nor are they running for best boyfriend. They are running for president of the United States. For that, C-Span is good; MTV is of little value. And a sly smile and being unpredictably entertaining are of no value. Your comment underscores our society’s continuing devaluation of substance, and the elevation of style over content and ability, as if campaigns were popularity contests. Honey Kessler Amado Beverly Hills, Calif.

I’m proud to be a Democrat. The party nominated the first Roman Catholic–John F. Kennedy–to be president of the United States. It nominated the first woman and the first Jew–Geraldine Ferraro and Joe Lieberman–to be candidates for vice president. When an African-American is nominated to one of these high offices, it will surely be the Democratic Party that does it. Lawrence O. Aasen Westport, Conn.

How interesting that both presidential candidates picked running mates who are the equivalent of political spackle. Bush chose someone to fill in the gaps in his intellect, while Gore selected someone to smooth over the holes in his administration’s morality. Michael Wagman Hidden Hills, Calif.

Now that both parties have given us their “best,” is there any way we could have a Cheney-Lieberman ticket? It is clear that the best two are the second two. Both show more of the best stuff than Bush and Gore together. Cheney shows he can get business done and knows what it’s like outside the Beltway. Lieberman at least takes his faith seriously, a huge change from our current president. Bob Pritchard Glendale, Ore.

Referring to Pennsylvania Gov. Milton Shapp’s unsuccessful 1976 bid for the presidency, you say that “the country was clearly not ready then for a son of Abraham in high office” (“Post-Seinfeld America,” NATIONAL AFFAIRS, Aug. 21). May I remind you that Christians and Muslims, in addition to Jewish people, are descendants of Abraham? Tracy Garfinkel Nyack, N.Y.

Joe Lieberman the conscience of the Senate? Well, maybe. If Senator Lieberman believed only half the things he said about President Clinton when he excoriated him in a September 1998 speech, he would never have voted twice to sustain the president in office; but party loyalty, it seems, is even a higher duty. When it comes to principle, Senator Lieberman can “talk the talk.” But he has difficulty when it comes to “walking the walk.” Benedict G. Breitung Springfield, Mass.

It looks like Al Gore has found his mo-joe! Marc R. Stanley Dallas, Texas

Your extensive articles on vice presidential nominee Joseph Lieberman provide no insight into how he might influence U.S. foreign policy. It seems to me that Lieberman’s Jewish faith will really be significant if it convinces the leaders and peoples of the Middle East that a Gore-Lieberman administration will be favorably disposed toward Israel in the conflicts there. Lew Rabenberg Austin, Texas

Al Gore may not be notable for wearing his heart on his sleeve, but that wonderful kiss he and his wife shared at the Democratic convention sure put the passion back in family values! Shirley Mack San Diego, Calif.

I’m a seventh-grade teacher and mother of two. I watched Bush. I watched Gore. Bush made me wince. Gore made me cry–twice. If my husband ever kissed me the way Gore kissed Tipper, I might not watch so much television. Kris Tierney-Sword Dillingham, Ala.

Thanks, Richard Speer, for “Signing Off: A News Anchor Tunes Out” (MY TURN, Aug. 21). Add two more tuning-out anchors to that list. My husband and I have also signed off after 35 collective years at a Central Illinois TV station. We were forced out after a station buyout and contract dispute, but are we glad to be out! No, our clothes aren’t paid for anymore. We don’t have the hefty paychecks and cushy hours, but we, too, are not part of the problem anymore. How many times can you promote “What to get your pet for Valentine’s Day: Details at 10!” Thanks, Richard, for having the courage to say what many of us “talking heads” have felt for a long time, but grew too complacent to admit! Marta I. Carreira-Slabe

Monticello, Ill.

Sir Alec Guinness held the “Guinness Record” of dissimilar movie characters (TRANSITION, Aug. 21). His diverse acting roles ranged from a Jedi to a POW, from a prince to a pickpocket. He could play any part, although he was rarely cast in the role of lover. His portrayals were so real and different in each movie that the audience often failed to recognize him as an actor. For me, his most unforgettable performance was in the epic “Lawrence of Arabia” as Prince Faisal, which your article did not mention. Perhaps this letter can serve as an addendum to your “Remembrance” of this truly marvelous actor. Edward B. Fan Upper Marlboro, Md.

In our Aug. 21 PERSPECTIVES section, we misspelled the name of the president of the American Bar Association: she is Martha Barnett.

In a guest essay in our Aug. 21 NATIONAL AFFAIRS section (“A Vision of the American Zion”), the novelist E. L. Doctorow mistakenly identified the 18th-century Puritan preacher Cotton Mather as the person who called George Washington the American Moses. Mather died in 1728, four years before Washington was born; it was actually Timothy Dwight (1752-1817), an American educator, poet, theologian and legislator, who called Washington the American Moses.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-12” author: “Kimberlee Noeldner”

Here Comes George W Congratulations on your Aug. 7 report on George W. Bush (“Ready for Their Close-Up,” U.S. AFFAIRS). I found it to be excellent and unbiased. I was beginning to think George W could not get a fair shake with the media. I was wrong. Malcolm MacPherson Alameda, California

Thanks for your expose on George W. Bush. Last week I was still undecided about whom to vote for in November, but now I see a man who by his own words admits supporting tax cuts for the wealthy over funding children’s health and housing. Even more jaw-dropping is his genuine surprise when anyone asks him to rationalize such skewed priorities. Perhaps someone should hand the governor a dictionary so he can look up the word “compassionate”? Brennan Enos West Palm Beach, Florida

It’s frightening that someone who does not seem to have a profound and farsighted political platform probably will become the most powerful man on earth. As governor of Texas, he made headlines abroad only because of his controversial record on state executions whose number was higher than those in any other state. As you said, it’s likely that he would be a president who depends on personal advisers rather than having far-ranging political competence. And he probably won’t show farsightedness on global problems of the environment and foreign policy. Bush is willing to establish the National Missile Defense and risk the cooperation and support of Russia. I hope for the sake of America and the rest of the world that this man won’t succeed Clinton as the leader of the world’s only superpower. Sebastian Wolking Damme, Germany

In an otherwise overflattering profile of George W. Bush, we’re told that “The ’70s and early ’80s are seen as Bush’s years in the wilderness, a time when he was drifting about in a sort of restless, perpetual adolescence.” What exactly was he doing between the ages of 24 and his late 30s? Was this the time of alleged business failures, drinking and womanizing? I’d expect a candidate for president to have made notable achievements during those years. Instead, we have an overconfident man with little relevant experience except being the fortunate son of a famous father. George W must be one of the least qualified presidential candidates in recent history. Brian Savage Bangkok, Thailand

If a big and powerful country like the United States gives presidential power to a person who kills people without adequate evidence of guilt, we as foreigners will have a lot to worry about. George Bush, the “wanna-be president,” needs to show us that he can reconsider and act differently in Texas so we know he’ll be a good president not only for the United States but also for managing planet Earth. Dominique Michelin Embrun, France

Just a word regarding the tremendously powerful speech by George W. Bush at the Republican convention. Thank God! At last someone I feel I can fully support and pray for, who truly deserves to be president! My wife and I were so blessed to hear a man who boldly declares values and principles that America desperately needs to reclaim as its own. Len Hummel Cebu City, Philippines

Like many Americans, my wife and I were feeling very disappointed about the coming election and, as in years before, we had decided not to vote. That changed drastically after we saw your Aug. 7 story. George W. Bush and Dick Cheney seem ready and willing to do anything in their reach to achieve their own personal goals while preparing to unleash the beast of intolerance in our beautiful America. Reading your articles only deepened our fears. We do not believe that Vice President Al Gore is going to be a good president, but at least we will have the small comfort that under his term our children will not be chastised for their ethnic background and for espousing freedom of choice or criticized for their ideals. G. Rodriguez Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

What a surprise! The Republicans have nominated two very rich, very white oilmen who both went to Yale, both avoided Vietnam and are ready now to make other rich folks like them even richer. As a gay American in a relationship for six years, I take the November elections very personally. Behind their happy-face convention the candidates are still toeing the same old anti-choice, gay-bashing and gun-loving Republican line. I’m locking my doors right now! Tim Miller Los Angeles, California

The Concorde Crash I was shaken by the news of air France’s tragic Concorde flight which crashed near Paris, killing 114 people (“Death in Paris,” EUROPE, Aug. 7). A Titanic-like tragedy was repeated, and the world is shocked. The glamour of the Concorde ended in blood. Andreas Karides Nicosia, Cyprus

Speed, efficiency and safety create problems that have always dogged aviation. The question is, will we continue to fly supersonic planes after this disaster? I believe we will, but we’ll do it differently. The Hindenburg disaster didn’t prevent people from flying; it only changed how they did it. We still need to push toward the unknown, increase our knowledge and enhance our capabilities. We shouldn’t forget how many improvements in our daily life were triggered by innovations in aerospace technology. I hope that a supersonic-transport consortium will give the world a new “bird” that will fascinate us in the same way the Concorde has done for 30 years. Federico R. Casci Munich, Germany

The Concorde had been the airplane with the best safety record in the world, but now, this horrible accident has altered everything. Since there were only 13 Concordes in the world, losing one is comparable to losing 70 Boeing 747s. It is good that Air France and British Airways have stopped all Concorde flights now. They cannot afford to take chances anymore. Karsten Strey Hamburg, Germany

With so many people flying nowadays, safety in our skies is not a salable commodity. Whatever the outcome of the Paris inquiry, airline bosses have an absolute duty to maintain and improve safety; they cannot afford to cut corners–ever. If necessary, the Concorde should be consigned to the history books. Dominic Shelmerdine London, England

With modern society’s increasing addiction to anything that is “higher, farther, faster,” tragedies like the one in Paris are waiting to happen. The technological behemoths of the past century–the Titanic, the Hindenburg and the Challenger–became victims of the same fate as the Concorde. Technology will never reach a state of perfection because, after all is said and done, its creators are no more than fallible humans. Werner Radtke Paderborn, Germany

The Trouble With Technology Your report about a link between cell-phone radiation and brain cancer was most informative (“Is Your Cell Really Safe?” SOCIETY & THE ARTS, Aug. 7). People who make a fortune through technology and modern advances do not accept that technology has its own risks. What about looking into microwave ovens or video-games that children play with for hours on end? It’s time to acknowledge that technology might be harmful. Leonardo Siqueira Sao Roque, Brazil

Sailing to Switzerland What exactly do you mean when you say that cigarettes get routed “through a network of subsidiary companies in countries with free ports, including Aruba, Switzerland and the Netherlands” (“Big Tobacco’s Next Legal War,” BUSINESS, July 31)? Switzerland does not have an inch of coastline so I am very curious to find out how it can have “free ports.” Matthias Jaeggi Zurich, Switzerland

Fresh Blood? History really repeats itself–people’s economic desires have changed little over the centuries. For technically advanced countries like Britain, Germany and the States, enticing immigrants for jobs is not a new thing (“See How They Wander,” THE G8 SUMMIT, July 24). How many “bodyshoppers” went to Asia in the 19th century speaking of the economic benefits of railroad construction and other manual labor? In fact, the demographics of both the States and Malaysia are determined by economic migration, whether forced or encouraged. But I wonder what the average not-so-open-minded American thinks when he sees new communities of immigrants moving in. Historically, immigrants are not welcome. George Karr Carlsbad, California

American society would become less litigious and need fewer high-tech immigrants if the country educated more scientists and fewer lawyers. Lawyers are glamorized inordinately in the States, but the law is not a productive or constructive profession. D. Vandepitte Ghent, Belgium

The Poor and Their Livelihood Your article “‘Promised Land’ Turns Deadly” (ASIA, July 24) blames the Payatas tragedy on government negligence in dealing with squatter relocation and waste management. However, an underlying reason for this dreadful event is that a large number of Filipinos continue to live in extreme poverty and are forced to scavenge their way through mountains of garbage to survive. When the Ramos administration closed down Smokey Mountain, a number of residents from that dump simply relocated to Payatas. This migration is likely to continue, and a tragedy similar to this is bound to occur when a new landfill opens up, as promised by President Estrada. Until better means of livelihood are made available, these scavengers dubbed “the poorest of the poor” still see places like Payatas as gold mines. Hester C. See Makati City, Philippines

You are right: this tragedy could have been prevented by the government. The problem is, the scavengers don’t want to leave the area. They want to live near the trash, which is their livelihood. Dire poverty made it impossible to save the lives of these poor Filipinos. Marie Hazel Sangitan Legazpi City, Philippines

Endangered Languages Your report on languages spoken by so few people that they’re in danger of extinction was of particular interest to me (“The Sounds of Silence” SOCIETY & THE ARTS, June 19). Icelandic, my native tongue, is spoken by fewer than 300,000 people. About 200 years ago a Danish linguist visiting Reykjavik found Icelandic so mixed with Danish that he predicted Icelandic would not be spoken after 200 years. But Icelandic has shown a remarkable resilience, probably because of our ancient literary heritage. I hope it will be alive and well 200 years hence. Palmi Ingolfsson Reykjavik, Iceland

In order to slow the decline of the language of a small Slavonic minority in eastern Germany (where I’ve been living for more than 20 years), I have learned to speak it. But the number of native speakers is shrinking steadily. Those linguists who predict the extinction of so many languages seem to be right. Is it possible that at the end of the worldwide process, there will be only one language left–international English? Wilfried Grundei Rackwitz, Germany

The process of destruction has also affected the Indonesian national language, Bahasa Indonesia. The causes are globalization and English–and the ignorance of the Indonesian people. In 10 years of research, I’ve recorded more than 2,000 English words, terms and expressions that are already commonly used in Indonesian publications, formal speeches and in daily conversation. Most of them are already modified and adjusted to Indonesian spelling and pronunciation. Sadly, these new adopted words have kicked the original Indonesian words out of circulation. They will eventually disappear forever from Bahasa Indonesia. Does anybody care? B. R. Sayoga Bandung, Indonesia

As a Peace Corps volunteer in the Kingdom of Tonga, a small island country in the South Pacific, I have been warned that speaking a language from a country of fewer than 100,000 people will provide me with no long-term benefit. But I’ve earned a profound appreciation for the native people, their culture and roots that I would otherwise not enjoy without linguistic competency. Global unity is an exciting prospect, but it’s unhealthy if cultures and their languages are disregarded and discarded. Paul Neville Nukualofa, Tonga

I thank Jeffrey Bartholet for his fascinating article about endangered languages. However, I’d like to point out an error made by a person interviewed in your article who attributed the revival of the Hebrew language to the Israeli government’s interest. In fact, the Hebrew language’s revival began in the late 19th century, and by the time the state of Israel was founded in 1948, modern Hebrew was already a fully developed and functioning language again. Therefore, the revival of Hebrew doesn’t prove that government support is necessary for a language’s revival, but rather the contrary–it proves that such intervention is unnecessary if there is an ideological movement supporting it. Eli Engelberg Jerusalem, Israel

I think that in a couple of centuries the only language spoken in the whole world will be English, and though it is sad to know that many languages are disappearing, it is also good to realize that if a person does not understand and speak English well, his future is really dark. All over the world people try to learn English, one way or another, irrespective of whether they live in South America or Asia. And I wouldn’t really mind if someday we all use just one language–it could be an opportunity to improve the relationships between countries and between peoples. Andre Cordova Quito, Ecuador

Destruction of languages is not always bad, because replacing many languages with one makes it easier for rulers to govern a large country. A new culture and a new society are created; trading and sharing information are made easier. The first Emperor of China, for example, saw the problem of communication in relaying messages to his people in their various languages. He ordered other languages abolished; one unified character system was adopted under his draconian rule. His harsh law created a race known as the Chinese, or people of the Chin dynasty. Now, in our fast-paced, competitive, globalizing world, many parents are eager for their children to learn English or French first before learning their own language. Most of us are willing to throw off parts of our identity in order to survive in this highly competitive world. My own ethnic-Chinese language, Hakka, might be slowly disappearing, but if I were given a choice between learning Hakka and French, I’d pick French. The bottom line is survival. Hendrian Sukardi Jakarta, Indonesia

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-04” author: “Jerry Powell”

Harry Hits the Spot I loved your story about Harry. I’m a 17-year-old Hungarian girl, fond of novels and murder mysteries, but this children’s book is my favorite. Only the first two books have appeared in Hungary, but they stole my heart. Reading them, I realized that though I’m no longer a child, I still love wizardry and witchcraft, invisible cloaks and wishing rods. I wish I could attend a school where I could learn to mix magic drinks and grow magic plants. Unfortunately, I can’t get the fourth book here. Beata Juhasz–Zalaegerszeg, Hungary

My country has a very low rate of readers, so I don’t think that the publishing of a book will ever cause such a frenzy here. It makes me sad. If we had more time to read and if we watched less TV, we’d be better parents and better people. Imagination and dreams are not just for children. Maria Grazia Cazzaniga–Milan, Italy

I’d like to thank the muggleheads who managed to take a lot of the fun out of reading J. K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.” Whoever put together the sidebar “Harry Potter From A to Z” should be sent to Azkaban. Since when do good reporters give away major plot elements when writing about books? You might as well reveal who did it when reviewing a mystery novel. I sentence the perpetrators of this muggle-bungle to a year of living “under the stairs” in the Dursleys’ home. They ruined what was an otherwise enjoyable pair of articles about a wonderful series of books and their creator. John L. Aurbakken–Sofia, Bulgaria

“The Wizard of Oz” captivated me as a child. “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy blew me away as a young adult. Now the Harry Potter books have reintroduced me, at 58, to all that fun. I’m looking forward to the grand finale, when I’ll turn off my cell phone so as not to have my reading interrupted. Michael G. Driver–Ichihara City, Japan

OK. I am hooked and it’s all your fault, NEWSWEEK. I just finished reading your Harry Potter story. Until now, I wondered what all the fuss was. After all, what kind of a kids’ book could outsell “The Hobbit”? Now it’s because of you that I am compelled to buy all four of Rowling’s books. What is a 62-year-old grandmother doing reading Harry Potter? What can I say? I love mystery stories. Jacqui Jeffrey–Eureka, California

As an English teacher, I’m delighted that kids are champing at the bit to tackle a 730-plus-page novel. But frankly, I am a bit surprised that J. K. Rowling, talented writer though she be, has been praised so effusively for her powers of invention. Here’s hoping that all the Potterphiliacs move on from Harry to the real masters of children’s fantasy who precede and (in my opinion) exceed Rowling–J.R.R. Tolkien, Roald Dahl, Ursula Le Guin, Lloyd Alexander, Susan Cooper, Jane Yolen and many others. Fantasy literature for young people does not begin and end at Hogwarts, NEWSWEEK’s lavish coverage to the contrary. John Deal–Worcester, Massachusetts

Modernizing Mexico Your well-balanced article on contrasts with those in Mexico that praise the results of the last election without any criticism. Being “the first democratic government” calls for commitment to values such as respect and tolerance. Vicente Fox’s colorful views on opponents and minorities seem to foretell a troublesome human-rights scenario. I hope the president-elect knows better than to project his personal dislikes through public policies. Innovative campaigns alone are no guarantee of a positive change. Remember Bucaram and Fujimori? Alfonso Flores–Mexico City, Mexico

At last, for the first time in many years, Mexico is in the international spotlight for something other than corruption, crime or scandal in our country. We’re proud of the exercise in democracy that resulted in the civic fiesta in which Fox was elected president. We hope that our electorate’s ample participation, the clean results and the conciliatory language used by Fox toward his opponents will all encourage voters to appreciate that their votes made a difference. Juan Fernandez-Galeazzi–Mexico City, Mexico

It’s sad to see so little credit given to the first party ever to defeat an almighty self-imposed dictatorship after 71 years. Fox may not be a superhero, but he achieved success with real hard work, not like the privileged who got rich on our taxes and national treasure. And why should his religious views be a concern? Mexico has a Roman Catholic majority. The fact is, Fox won, the PAN (National Action Party) has its chance and we have change in Mexico at last. Sonia Gomori Gonzalez–Geneva, Switzerland

In the Buddha’s Footsteps? Brook Larmer’s excellent article “Kung Fu Capitalism” made me wonder if the phenomenon he describes is what the Buddha had in mind. The only thing that the Shaolin kung fu teachers seem to have in common with Buddhism is that they’re training their students in the first of the Four Noble Truths: suffering. I’d also like to point out that the surname Shi, used by all Chinese Buddhist monks, does not mean teacher–that’s a different “shi.” More than 70 Chinese characters are pronounced “shi,” all with different meanings. The surname Shi is the first syllable in the Chinese name for Sakyamuni Buddha, and signifies that the monk is a Sakyaputra, or son of Buddha. Since the Buddha stood against all forms of fighting, greed and worldly ambition, the Shaolin monks portrayed in your article seem unworthy of such a name. Maybe they should adopt a more suitable name–like Chien, meaning money. William Page–Bangkok, Thailand

Don’t Rock the Babies Debra Klein’s intriguing but uncritical article on volunteer evoked strong emotions for me. It’s wonderful that U.S. citizens want to help others instead of lying on a beach. But some of the vacations described are designed to fill the needs of the vacationers more than those of the purported beneficiaries. Bursting into a country for two weeks of “rocking babies in Romania,” for example, can actually do more harm than good. Institutionalized children do need human contact in order to develop normally, but a two-week disruption followed by the departure of their “rocker” does not help them. It also reinforces negative stereotypes of rich Americans who think themselves superior to those who work every day with abandoned children. Not to mention the fact that the Americans return home with a biased image of the country they have so briefly visited. If all you can spare is two weeks, please go weed on a tropical island or build a children’s home in Madras. But think about the long-term effects of your visit and leave the babies alone. Jay Sorensen–Bistrita, Romania

AIDS Awareness for Africa Your latest report on AIDS was very impressive in its emphasis on the role of awareness. It is only an aggressive awareness crusade that can change things and block this evil disease from leaving many more children orphaned. In the absence of an awareness campaign in Africa, and with no parents to educate them, how can we expect these orphans to do better? S. Faisal Bukhari, M.D.–Karachi, Pakistan

Miriam Makeba is right: we have to frighten these African teenagers into practicing safe sex or abstinence. The governments hard hit by AIDS also have to become more aggressive in their campaigns against AIDS. Serious and strict legislation is needed in South Africa and in all other black African countries to change the behavior that fuels the AIDS crisis. Many of the people infected with this deadly disease are either illiterate or ignorant. How can they be allowed to make decisions concerning their welfare? The governments have to make these decisions for them. It’s their duty, their job. They absolutely need to embark on more aggressive AIDS-awareness campaigns. Oghomwen Ehigie–Lagos, Nigeria

In “Breaking the Silence,” Tom Masland says that Roman Catholicism forbids the use of condoms, the implication being that this is a hindrance to overcoming AIDS. That is an unsavory misrepresentation of the truth. Why are we not informed that the church also holds that pre- and extramarital sex is immoral? Promiscuity is a major factor in the spread of AIDS. We’re also not informed that the Roman Catholic Church–and other churches–run numerous schools, hospitals and hospices in the worst-hit areas, where they work for those in danger of or infected with HIV. Andras Cser–Budapest, Hungary

This is a disease that can be stopped from spreading and probably even eradicated. Billions of dollars are spent on space exploration and armaments; how about spending a fraction of that on AIDS education? Then perhaps Africa’s children can survive into adulthood to lead rewarding lives free of the AIDS menace. It can and must be done. It is the West’s duty.

Dominic Shelmerdine–London, England

Opening Up Japan I read your article “A New Open Door Policy?” with great interest. If Japan’s opening up to the world over 140 years ago had been delayed, it would not have developed into the country that it is today. Now it is faced with opening itself to the people who come to live and work here. With the drop in the birthrate, Japan would be on the decline in regard to labor and vitality, down the road. Although we are not used to “diversity,” it is a key point for us to learn to appreciate it now for our survival. Otherwise we can’t become global citizens. Starting to teach our first graders English is not enough, and stressing racial and national identity will lead us nowhere. Sachiko Matsushita–Osaka, Japan

Japan is a most densely populated country, with about 127 million people (not counting illegals) living in a total land area of 145,000 square miles. Uninhabitable mountainous and forest regions account for 70 percent of this. Of the remaining 30 percent, only about 15 percent is available for human habitation. There is practically no space available for burial of the dead (cremation is mandatory), and trash disposal is a perennial problem. Our land is plagued by killer earthquakes, typhoons, volcanic eruptions, floods, landslides, tsunamis and other natural disasters. We have virtually no natural resources to speak of, our economy is stagnant, the unemployment rate is high. It’s hard to understand why anyone would want to come and live in such a country. The Japanese don’t have a choice in the matter. Kisaburo Murakami–Yokohama, Japan

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-30” author: “David Hernandez”

Republicans Rev Up Congratulations on your Aug. 7 report on George W. Bush (“Ready for Their Close-Up,” National Affairs). I found it to be excellent and unbiased. I was beginning to think George W could not get a fair shake with the media. I was wrong. Malcolm MacPherson–Alameda, Calif.

Low inflation, high employment, a booming economy with hardly a cloud in the sky and Dick Cheney says that America has gone “astray.” He must be living in a parallel universe. We Americans can afford eight more years of going astray. Michael Driver–Ichihara City, Japan

Just two words regarding the tremendously powerful speech by George W. Bush at the Republican convention: thank God! At last, someone I feel I can fully support and pray for, who truly deserves to be president. My wife and I felt so blessed to hear a man who boldly declares values and principles that America desperately needs to reclaim as its own. Len Hummel–Cebu City, Philippines

Like many Americans, my wife and I were feeling very disappointed about the coming election and, as in years before, we had decided not to vote. That changed drastically after we saw your Aug. 7 cover (“The Avengers”). Looking at the two Republican candidates was like facing evil incarnate. They seem ready and willing to do anything in their reach to achieve their own personal goals, while preparing to unleash the beast of intolerance in this beautiful country of ours. Reading your articles inside only deepened our fears. We do not believe that Vice President Gore would be a good president, but if he wins, at least my children will not be chastised for espousing freedom of choice and for their other ideals. G. Rodriguez–Philadelphia, Pa.

What a surprise! The Republicans have nominated two very rich, very white oilmen who both went to Yale, both avoided Vietnam and are ready now to make other rich folks like them even richer. As a gay American in a relationship for six years, I take the November election very personally. Behind their happy-face convention, the candidates are undoubtedly still toeing the same old anti-choice, gay-bashing, gun-loving GOP line. I’m locking my doors right now! Tim Miller–Los Angeles, Calif.

Reach Out and Touch a Parent Nicole Wise brings up an interesting topic in her Aug. 7 My Turn, “Parents Shouldn’t Be on Call All the Time.” Are we too connected to our kids with the technology available? Perhaps. But what it comes down to is that there is no substitute for actually being there. A novel concept in this day and age, I know. Wise laments all the interruptions in her daily life from her children via the cell phone, and complains that they have become so demanding of her time. The thing is, it’s their time, too. She might not get as many interruptions about dinner plans during her meetings if she were actually home to make it for them. I hope that when Wise is unable to be reached, her nanny is teaching her kids the “life skills” they need. I’m happy to report that the “real world” my children live in is very different. Julie A. Zaback–Farmington Hills, Mich.

Rock On, Kittie What a nice surprise to see an article about girl band Kittie in your Aug. 7 issue. I’m a 36-year-old wife and mother who still listens to the kind of music I fell in love with when I was a teen: punk, metal–anything “subversive.” Kittie follows in the footsteps of the Runaways, Girlschool, Bikini Kill and L7. They are a delight, and will likely be the next all-female hard-rock band to make it big time. In an era choked with boy bands and the likes of Britney, Christina and Mandy, it’s nice that some girls know what it means to rock and roll. Kittie has also proved to my 14-year-old son and his peers that girls can do a whole lot more onstage than just dance and look pretty. Jean Bailey–Newark, Ohio

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-30” author: “Kathy Foote”

The Enigma of Autism Congratulations on the best over-view of autism that I’ve read in my 40 years of professional practice (“Understanding Autism,” Society & the Arts, July 31). The descriptions are vivid, poignant and heartfelt. You’ve captured the essence of an extremely complex area comprehensively, and treated controversies in a balanced, scientifically sound manner. Your writers deserve a Pulitzer Prize for this reporting. Hats off to NEWSWEEK for once again providing timely coverage to a condition that is affecting more and more families everywhere. Thomas F. Anders, M.D. Professor and Acting Director, M.I.N.D. Institute University of California, Davis, School of Medicine Davis, California

An excellent job of dispelling the myths surrounding this condition! Sadly, our government does not pay much attention to “special” children. Your story may make it easier for parents’ advocacy work. M. S. Ordonez Quezon City, Philippines

The writers of your informative and responsible article on autism clearly did their homework, and resisted the temptation to sensationalize the current controversies regarding possible etiologies and the vast array of treatments. As a developmental pediatrician charged with diagnosing and treating children with autism, I work daily with families who are struggling to access appropriate treatments and educational programs for their children. Children with autism can make progress, a fact that, unfortunately, is still overlooked, even by members of the medical community. Hats off to the families who have joined forces to push for changes at the same time that they have been raising their children with autism. Your article makes an important contribution to their efforts. Patricia Manning-Courtney, M.D. Director, The Kelly O’Leary Center for Pervasive Developmental Disorders Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center Cincinnati, Ohio

As the parent of a severely autistic 6-year-old boy, I thank you for your article on autism. But you presented mostly verbal, higher-functioning autistics, as if they represented the norm and the condition were little more than a social blemish. My son requires 24-hour, one-on-one supervision just to keep him from ingesting non-edible household furnishings (pieces of dressers, carpet, windowsills). His autism is very serious, self-destructive and life-threatening. We don’t even deal with issues like “Will my son ever know what it feels like to fall in love?” Our issues are more basic: keeping him safe from himself. Laura Cochran Beaverton, Oregon

You have done a great service by producing an informative, evenhanded article on a frustrating subject. I say this as an 18,968-day-old adult with Asperger syndrome, for whom this has been and probably will continue to be a lifetime condition. But if I were offered a cure that would take away everything that is there because of my condition, such as my intense sincerity, dependability, talent with numbers and love of animals, I would want to stay as I am, and learn to cope better with the world in which I must live. Many of my adult support-group peers feel this way, and people who are normal should not assume that we are doomed to misery because we are not just like them. Our misery comes from our inability to make the most of what we have, as the rest of you can. Jerry Newport Los Angeles, California

I’m the mother of a 6-year-old with autism. We live in France, where, unfortunately, autism is not taken seriously. Luckily, we found a doctor able to help us and he pulled us through difficult times. If it had not been for him, our daughter would be in the hospital instead of going to school this fall. It’s time that people all over the world were informed about autism so more schools could be founded to deal with these children, and so people could learn that this condition is not the mother’s fault. We need to help these children and their families and find a cure. Lisa Sanchez Toulouse, France

Two of my four sons have been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome. Now I have a key to understanding these unique boys and this confusing syndrome. Having a description and a name for their behavior makes all the difference. The more we know about Asperger, the better the chances of these kids’ having productive lives. What a waste to lose these bright, dedicated minds–they could be scientists or inventors. Elizabeth Hendrix Des Moines, Iowa

My son is autistic. Your report will educate the many people who have never heard of autism and have no understanding of the challenges it poses. If people knew what autistic children face in their daily lives, there might be a more humane approach toward their families who need support. Because autistic people appear “normal,” with no visible physical disability, they aren’t afforded the time or consideration that those in wheelchairs or those with a guide dog are. Life is hard trying to instill morals, values and manners in my son, not to mention the simple tasks of dressing, bathing, speech, toilet training and every other thing we take for granted. But you know what? I wouldn’t exchange my son for all the able-minded kids in Australia, because he is unique and makes me feel blessed every time he tells me “I love you.” Rowena Salter Oakleigh, Australia

The Youngest Queen In your June 12 article “Queen of Hearts,” you say that “the fresh-faced Jordanian royal, at 29 [is] the youngest queen in the world” (World Affairs). But this past February, Lesotho’s King Letsie III married a 24-year-old woman from Leribe district. So, we’d say, the Queen of Lesotho is the youngest queen in the world. Sheryl Simonitis and Wendy Lawrence U.S. Peace Corps Maseru, Lesotho

The ‘McDo’ Showdown As a Hungarian girl living in France, I appreciated your article on McDonald’s (“McParadox,” Europe, July 10). To have an insight into these problems, you have to live here: strikes are as much a part of French life as baguettes, cheese and wine. Every youngster queuing up at “McDo’s” finds Bove’s movement ridiculous. I’m sure these local farmer-activists are aware of the fact that they would never be able to produce enough meat for France’s McDonald’s. Still, these showdowns are too well tolerated here. In Eastern Europe, everybody understands that these franchises create new jobs and make profits so they participate in the inevitable globalization. Besides, even though it is not the healthiest food, people like it; and it’s better to eat a hamburger sometimes than smoke as much as the French do. Katy Posztos Gosier, Guadeloupe

The problem with McDonald’s is not the “garbage food,” but the company’s incredible arrogance and nontolerance. Most European countries have their own wide variety of fast-food brands. The burger is a welcome addition to our hot dogs, pizzas, etc., but the loudness, pushiness and takeover mentality of the McDonald’s chain is grossly unappetizing. Einar J. Berle III Oslo, Norway

Call it what you like–“malbouffe” or garbage food–Big Macs may not be good for the stomach but they are for the pocket. For example, in Italy, McDonald’s restaurants are successful because the price of a Big Mac and a drink is the same at every McDonald’s throughout the country. By contrast, eat in a modest trattoria, you never know what your bill will be after the usual add-ons: cover charge, bread, fresh this and that… Samuel Cohen Asmara, Eritrea

McDonald’s is making money, not food. I never eat at McDonald’s, my friends don’t either, and there are better jobs than those in a fast-food place. But I enjoy provocative writing–“McParadox”? Great! Hristo Froloshky Sofia, Bulgaria

Calling McDonald’s a “restaurant” is an insult to the legions of people in the business who take professional pride in serving quality food in a variety of preparations. Andres T. Stepkowski Santa Cruz, Bolivia

The Complexities of Caste Apropos your article “Caste Struggle,” about India (Asia, July 3), this is an extremely complex issue. The best way to achieve social justice and equal opportunity for all (mostly poor Dalits, but also the non-Dalit poor) is through education and economic uplifting. Activism is necessary, but violence is counterproductive. The increase in armed caste conflicts in Bihar is related chiefly to bad governance and a breakdown of law and order. The poorest and most illiterate Indian state, Bihar has been “ruled” in recent years by chief ministers belonging to a “backward” community. Affirmative action should consist of providing free education, subsidized food and health care. Giving jobs to those who lack merit, however, at the expense of the more deserving (e.g., in the fields of science and technology) is indefensible. Can one imagine a large percentage of jobs being reserved for blacks and Hispanics in the United States? Rajendra Nath Srivastava New Delhi, India

When I read “The Untouchable,” by Indian novelist Mulk Raj Anand, I naively assumed it was only fiction. Now, with the issue of untouchability rearing its ugly head in NEWSWEEK, I’m disgusted by the hypocrisy permeating Indian society. Elaborate purification ceremonies are held at the mere touch of a lower caste, yet there is no defilement when devadasis (“servants of God”) are sought under cover of night by upper-caste men. How can such practices still survive in a country that boasts feminists like actress Shabana Azmi and novelist Arundhati Roy? To hell with women’s lib–India needs to get out of the dark ages first. Dashini Ann Jeyathurai Johor Baharu, Malaysia

As one who was a Jesuit in South India for 10 years, I can tell you that even the Roman Catholic Church in Tamil Nadu state is very caste-minded. There have been numerous caste conflicts among priests and nuns. Some of them, just because they are Dalits, have not been appointed to higher positions. Some young nuns and priests give an impression that they are social activists when, in fact, they are more caste-minded than laypeople. Albert P’Rayan Kigali, Rwanda

I appreciated your informative update on caste. One result of the Dalits’ slow and steady rise to equality is that the president of India, K. R. Narayanan, is a Dalit. Aneel Advani, M.D. Stanford, California

Carla Power’s article was misleading in giving the impression that the Dalits have just “begun” their civil-rights struggle and that this struggle has been inspired by the liberation campaigns of American blacks. As a matter of fact, it has been long and openly acknowledged that Martin Luther King Jr. and his civil-rights movement were greatly inspired and influenced by Mahatma Gandhi. Second, I find it hard to understand how an important fact–the activity of the Mandal Commission, which provided quotas for “backward” castes–found no mention in the article. In recent times, the polarization in Indian society has been worsened as a result of the recommendations of this government-appointed commission. Rohan C. Thakur New Delhi, India

The Dalit struggle inspired by American and South African civil-rights movements? Really? What a strange suggestion! India could almost patent both civil disobedience and peaceful protest. Both have been long and proud traditions since the days of Mahatma Gandhi. Their devastating effect is, in fact, evident at every turn of Indian life. By contrast, the violent element in the Dalit movement follows a vaguely Maoist doctrine. Che Guevara, Mao and even Ho Chi Minh as the collective inspiration for the Dalits is believable. But the American civil-rights movement? Well, I will put it to the next Dalit activist I come across and look for the spark of recognition in his eyes. Aninda Biswas Doncaster, England

I was touched by your article. Caste looks backward and ancient to the outside world, but it is an inseparable part of the lives of the people living in this Subcontinent. It may surprise you, but it is still also prevalent in most Indian Muslim families that converted to Islam. I, for example, am a Muslim by faith but a Rajput by caste; my great-grandfather embraced Islam in 1920, but the traditions in our family are still the same as they were then. We still follow the old customs of the Rajputs–I grew up hearing tales about the great Rajput warriors. Education has little effect on these customs: my parents are both doctors, and my father teaches in one of the most prestigious institutions in Pakistan. All other relatives have great educational backgrounds, too, but they are all proud of their pure bloodlines. The caste system is strong. It is part of our identity. Sarah Zahid Bhatti Shikupura, Pakistan

I thank Jeffrey Bartholet for his fascinating article about endangered languages. However, I’d like to point out an error made by a person interviewed in your article who attributed the revival of the Hebrew language to the Israeli government’s interest. In fact, the Hebrew language’s revival began in the late 19th century, and by the time the state of Israel was founded in 1948, modern Hebrew was already a fully developed and functioning language again. Therefore, the revival of Hebrew doesn’t prove that government support is necessary for a language’s revival, but rather the contrary–it proves that such intervention is unnecessary if there is an ideological movement supporting it. Eli Engelberg Jerusalem, Israel

I think that in a couple of centuries the only language spoken in the whole world will be English, and though it is sad to know that many languages are disappearing, it is also good to realize that if a person does not understand and speak English well, his future is really dark. All over the world people try to learn English, one way or another, irrespective of whether they live in South America or Asia. And I wouldn’t really mind if someday we all use just one language–it could be an opportunity to improve the relationships between countries and between peoples. Andre Cordova Quito, Ecuador

Destruction of languages is not always bad, because replacing many languages with one makes it easier for rulers to govern a large country. A new culture and a new society are created; trading and sharing information are made easier. The first Emperor of China, for example, saw the problem of communication in relaying messages to his people in their various languages. He ordered other languages abolished; one unified character system was adopted under his draconian rule. His harsh law created a race known as the Chinese, or people of the Chin dynasty. Now, in our fast-paced, competitive, globalizing world, many parents are eager for their children to learn English or French first before learning their own language. Most of us are willing to throw off parts of our identity in order to survive in this highly competitive world. My own ethnic-Chinese language, Hakka, might be slowly disappearing, but if I were given a choice between learning Hakka and French, I’d pick French. The bottom line is survival. Hendrian Sukardi Jakarta, Indonesia

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-26” author: “Rose Weaver”

Your Dec. 20 issue has to be one of the very best issues of any magazine in the 20th century. I truly feel sorry for anyone who hasn’t had the opportunity to read it cover to cover. Your competitors must be eating their hearts out. Congratulations! George T. Goodwin Ventura, Calif.

As a writer and journalist, I usually find that the old maxim “A picture is worth a thousand words” gets my blood boiling. But Bill Mauldin’s drawing of President Lincoln burying his face in his hands after JFK’s assassination changed my mind. The picture was one of the most powerful images I have ever seen, and I commend you for reprinting it for a new generation. R. J. Beatty Carrboro, N.C.

I was reading out loud to my wife your article on Charles M. Schulz and Charlie Brown when my nose started running and then my eyes. I thought, good grief, I’m coming down with a cold–and in Arizona! I then realized it wasn’t a cold. I had acquired this emotion from reading the beautiful poetry of your article. Thanks to Charles Schulz for making the last 50 years a little happier, and thanks to NEWSWEEK’s staff for your wonderful article. Bill D. Morgan Phoenix, Ariz.

In 1972, as a college freshman appearing in a school production of “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” I thought it would be swell if Charles Schulz could draw a little something for our director. With the innocence of youth, I wrote to him. It would have been so easy for him to send a form letter rejecting my request or even to ignore it altogether. Instead, that dear man created a large, personalized, full-color portrait of Snoopy’s “suppertime” routine. Needless to say, we were all overwhelmed, and some years ago the piece was appraised at more than $5,000. I have never forgotten Schulz’s kindness to this kid, and I know I am not the only one touched by his generosity. God bless you, Charlie Brown. Leslie Roman Richmond, Va.

When my now teenage son was young, he loved Snoopy so much that he decided to become a dog. He ate his cereal out of a dog dish and did quite a bit of woofing for a few years. I particularly remember a day when he was deeply saddened by the cruelty of someone he had thought was a friend. This was the first time he felt truly betrayed by the world. He looked up at me, eyes full of tears, and said, “I wish Snoopy was real.” We talked about Snoopy for a while and were comforted. What a wonderful imaginary pal Snoopy was for us. I admit there are days when I too “wish Snoopy was real,” and that everyone I encountered had the gentle heart of Charles M. Schulz. Claudia Chapman Danbury, Conn.

We may lack experience. We may listen to loud, obnoxious music, have rings in our noses and far-from-traditional haircuts and consider the Salvation Army the finest place to shop. We have never lived through wartime and suffered the hardships that accompany that experience. However, Generation Next is optimistic about the future. I applaud Anna Quindlen for authoring the first upbeat view I’ve seen of the millennials. We are clearly not our parents, but we are their children, and they are the ones who have taught us, and taught us well. What we lack now we will learn, and build on what we do know: that education is of the utmost importance, that we must preserve the environment for generations to come, that we must work hard to succeed and that there are no limits to what we can do. So thank you, Anna Quindlen. I promise you won’t be disappointed. Carrie M. Majer Glastonbury, Conn.

AIDS in Africa: What You Can Do to Help In our Jan. 17 perspectives section, we attributed a quote about data revealing a crater on Mars to Richard Zurek, project scientist for the Mars Polar Lander. The quote should have been attributed to “unnamed engineers” at Lockheed Martin.

UNICEF has programs throughout Africa addressing the needs of children. Call 800-FORKIDS, or go to the Web site unicefusa.org.

US Fund for UNICEF 333 East 38th St., New York, NY 10016

SOS Kinderdorf has facilities for orphaned or destitute children. General donations can be made to SOS Children’s Villages USA with a note designating the gift for children in Africa, or donors can sponsor a specific village or child.

SOS Children’s Villages–USA 1010 Pendleton St. Alexandria, VA 22314-9740 703-683-9020

Africare promotes African self-help projects in a wide range of areas, including maternal health and child survival.

Africare> 440 R St. NW Washington, DC 20001 202-462-3614

The Uganda Women’s Effort to Save Orphans (UWESO) provides job training and loans to families fostering orphans.

UWESO 2 Tagore Crescent, Kamwokya P.O. Box 8419 Kampala, Uganda (256-41) 532394 or 532395 uweso@imul.com

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-26” author: “Kristen Gruber”

betterPashko GjonajHamtramck, Michigan

Shouldn’t we determine that there’s intelligent life down here before we blow another billion dollars or so trying to find it on Mars?

Robert del Valle Royal Oak, Michigan

Christopher Columbus had a hard time raising funds from the King of Spain, too. But who, today, would argue that his effort was not worthwhile? So what is all this equivocation about getting a man on Mars? Quibbles about microeconomics and management efficiencies should pale before the sheer scientific and human challenge that this project begs.

David Green Limassol, Cyprus

I’m an American living in Brazil, and I’m appalled at how much of my hard-earned, heavily taxed money is floating around in space when more of it could have been put into education or into feeding the hungry. Instead, “competent” scientists, like those in charge of the Climate Orbiter, which was lost this past September, are calculating flight maneuvers in pound-seconds and not newton-seconds and as a result blowing $125 million. I do not need scientists telling me that life exists elsewhere, because what I see here is real and is not going to go away as some people hope it will.

Bryan C. Buckley Ouro Preto, Brazil

Has it occurred to anyone that someone or something does not want us people of Earth to become too familiar with the Red Planet? I’m wondering how many landers we have to lose before this becomes apparent. And can you blame them? Our planet is being destroyed by pollution, violence and overpopulation. It must concern other intelligences that boorish neighbors are considering moving to their neighborhood.

Tom Angere Houston, Texas

We read your article “The Search for Life” with great interest, but felt upset that billions of dollars are being spent in the search for life on Mars. This money should be redirected for research in ecofriendly energy sources. Maybe intelligent life once existed on Mars but they just didn’t pay enough attention to their environment–and look what happened to them.

Mel and John Hagerty Aldbourne, England

Your story about the red planet made for compelling reading. I hope that the Polar Lander discovers traces of life out there so that the Earth, especially overpopulated countries like India, can offload some of its population.

K. Chidanand Kumar Bangalore, IndiaStephanie S. Araneta Manila, Philippines

For the last weeks and months, the news and the cover pages of Philippine publications have centered on the issue of “bold films,” “pornography” and “censorship.” Everyone is pointing fingers. But we are the ones to blame. Like leading director Peque Gallaga said, “As artists and as a moviegoing public, we have to take responsibility.” If you think a movie looks bad, then do not watch it. It’s that simple. The Filipinos should rather focus on more important issues such as poverty.

Lea Payongayong Quezon City, Philippines

Jessica Zafra’s article, “Save Us from Saviors,” reminds me strikingly of what Italy was like 30 years ago. Since then this country–home to what must be the most hypocritical and self-righteous Roman Catholicism in the world–underwent a revolution and is now a highly liberal place. This happened thanks to the events of 1968 and to the works of people like Zafra.

Giovanni Borla Milan, ItalyRandol Grass Fort Bragg, California

I was very happy to see your nice article “Sharks Up Close.” It’s sad that these beautiful animals are now threatened. People have lost respect and admiration for the shark as a result of films like “Jaws.” I wish someone would make a film about a cute and cuddly shark so that the next generation would grow up to boycott shark-fin soup and protect these magnificent sea creatures.

Eva Malmstrom Shivdasani Soneva Fushi Resort Male, Maldives

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-28” author: “Mary Cantu”

Hope and Caution in the Balkans Along with Madeleine Albright, I rejoice in the downfall of Slobodan Milosevic (“Sweet Victory for Albright,” INTERNATIONAL, Oct. 16). But I’m not about to light a bonfire and dance around it. Almost eight decades of observation have taught me a bit about the ups and downs in the Balkan region. Even in my cradle in the old country (Austria), I heard my parents talk about the “Balkan troubles.” Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in Sarajevo, which led to World War I and untold suffering for millions of families. An uncle of mine carried a bullet in his body for 28 years, until he died. Until a solution is found that will truly unite the diverse peoples of the Balkan region, the situation bears keeping a close watch for the next crisis to come along. Frances Nunnally Richmond, Va.

No sooner than the day of Milosevic’s ouster and Vojislav Kostunica’s victory did President Clinton, Madeleine Albright and other Western leaders attempt to take credit for what the Serbian people themselves accomplished. In fact, an ill-conceived U.S.-led foreign policy in the Balkans prolonged Milosevic’s reign. Economic sanctions left people no choice but to turn to the black market controlled by Milosevic and his cronies, which gave them greater control. NATO’s bombing only increased anti-Western sentiment, making the lives of pro-democracy opposition leaders more difficult. Albright shouldn’t be so quick to pat herself on the back–she didn’t help. Milo Stevanovich Chicago, Ill.

The world salutes the heroes of Serbia. But Serbians should know that rebuilding is a slow process, and they should make sure that democracy is well guarded. The corrupt allies of Slobo will try to make a comeback, and I believe that Milosevic himself will try to regain power. The celebrations are now in high gear, but wait another decade and we’ll see what may happen. R. M. Salvio Dubai, United Arab Emirates

The Quest for Middle East Peace Your article on the Middle East “No Peace in the Streets” (INTERNATIONAL, Oct. 30) says that “French President [Jacques] Chirac, according to U.S. sources, encouraged [Yasir] Arafat to hold out for a better deal after he had already agreed to one.” I cannot let such an assertion go unanswered, because it is simply not true. At the meetings in Paris on the Middle East, President Chirac and the French authorities did their very best, alongside Madeleine Albright, to encourage Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Arafat to reach an agreement. That was actually the whole purpose of the meeting, and it has always been the goal of France’s strong commitment to peace in the Middle East. Those who allege that President Chirac encouraged Arafat to back away from an agreement he’d accepted are either ignoring the reality or trying to twist it for reasons of their own. The situation in the Middle East is far too serious to tolerate disinformation. France, the United States and their partners will never give up their common effort to break the cycle of violence and put the peace process back on track. Catherine Colonna Press Secretary for President Jacques Chirac Paris, France The Truth About Gore After detailing the lies told so far by both presidential candidates (“Al Gore and the Fib Factor,” BETWEEN THE LINES, Oct. 16), Jonathan Alter seems to excuse them by saying that “none of this is the slightest bit unusual in politics.” But it should be. Alter could have gone on to condemn lying in politics and, perhaps, started a revolution by announcing that it is not acceptable behavior. E. Steve Clever Carlisle, Pa.

The so-called fibs attributed to Gore are often nothing more than the press’s requoting inaccurate news accounts by others. Or a reporter’s reiteration of the Bush campaign’s attempt to “negatively spin” the Gore record–for example, claiming that Gore said, “I invented the Internet.” The Internet claim is particularly unfortunate, because it ridicules Gore for something that was actually a positive achievement. I personally remember his touting the Information Superhighway as vice president at a time when I still thought of it as just a trendy fad for people hopelessly obsessed with their computers. But even Newt Gingrich has publicly given Gore credit for encouraging the development of the Internet. And no less an authority than Phillip Hallam-Baker, the man who helped create the World Wide Web, has called the smearing of Gore’s reputation “a calculated piece of political propaganda to deny Gore credit for what is probably his biggest achievement.” Beth Shir Thousand Oaks, Calif.

If I claimed to have written most of Bob Dylan’s song lyrics, or you claimed to have helped Jonas Salk develop the vaccine for polio, no one would care; people would simply think we were foolish. But Al Gore is applying for the most important job on the planet, and therefore his judgment must be called into question. Why would he take such huge risks to his credibility for such inconsequential potential gains? Nicholas Cook Bernville, Pa.

Jonathan Alter refers to Gore’s problems with the media cliches about “Love Story,” Love Canal and inventing the Internet. Supposedly, everybody knows how Gore has lied to us about these topics. The trouble is, “everybody” is misinformed. In point of verifiable fact, (a) Gore never claimed to have “invented” the Internet, (b) he never claimed to have discovered the Love Canal problem and (c) he was, in fact, a model for Oliver Barrett in “Love Story,” as the best-selling novel’s author, Erich Segal, confirms. The repeated smearing, widely reported by the media and eagerly adopt-ed by the GOP spinners, has defamed and ridiculed a decent, honorable and highly capable public servant and, much worse, may well deprive the public of his leadership. Ernest Partridge Cedarpines Park, Calif.

Jonathan Alter lists among political “fibs” of the past that Jimmy Carter falsely claimed to be a “nuclear engineer.” Not so. Carter was, in fact, a nuclear engineer. What he falsely claimed to be was a nuclear physicist–a different profession altogether, although obviously related. Eric B. Lipps Staten Island, N.Y.

So Gore is a liar and Bush is dim. I think quite a lot of people believe that and are heartily sick of this whole business. Just think, we could have a bloodless revolution just as dramatic as the recent events in Yugoslavia; we could have a breath of fresh air in the White House. Where is it written that our president must be a politician? If every person who is sick and tired of the Bush-Gore vaudeville act would walk into the voting booth next month and put his or her faith in Ralph Nader, we could send away the clowns and see how it works with a president who is beholden to no one but each individual person in this country. How lovely the change! How about it, people? Let’s see if it might be possible to have an administration without corruption and scandal. Robin L. Berenbaum St. Johnsbury, Vt.

Dishing Day Care Day care is a must for people who are, economically, between a rock and a hard place (“Back to Day Care,” SOCIETY, Oct. 16). Many parents, however, are signing their kids up and dropping them off because they are in pursuit of things that are much more important to them: the newest SUV, designer clothes, a bigger house and personal gratification. Some parents say new research shows that children develop more quickly than their peers if they are placed in day care, but I think they are trying to remove the guilt and anguish most parents feel over leaving their children with a “stranger” for 20-plus hours a week. Give me a break! It is a shame that a child under the age of 3 cannot adequately express, when Mommy and Daddy drop him off, that he doesn’t care about how fast he will develop. I’ll bet you any amount of money that such children would rather be home with Mommy or Daddy, who loves them like no other person can in this big world. You get only one chance at childhood, and I’m convinced that it shouldn’t be wasted in a day-care center, no matter what the research shows. Kathy Gonzalez Ft. Recovery, Ohio

It’s great that the benefits of quality child-care programs are being recognized. But what about the millions of families most in need of such child care who are denied access? Adequate care for two children in a center easily costs more than $12,000 a year, about $2,000 more than a minimum-wage worker earns. Head Start, the principal federal child-development program for children in poverty, is so underfunded that it can serve only half the eligible children. The Child Care and Development Block Grant, designed to help low-income parents pay for child care, serves only one in 10 eligible children. That puts every American at risk. Recently, Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, an anti-crime organization made up of more than 1,000 police chiefs, sheriffs, prosecutors and victims of violence, published a report showing that quality child care significantly cuts juvenile and adult crime and violence. That is why nearly every major national law-enforcement organization has called on federal and state governments to expand investment in educational child care and make it available to all families. R. Gil Kerlikowske Chief of Police, Seattle Police Department Seattle, Wash.

“Back to Day Care” does a disservice to those of us who have decided to devote our time and talents to raising our children–at home. While we should all be concerned about the quality of care children receive, only a small percentage of day-care centers are high quality. So let’s not leave “parent” off the list of available caregivers. At-home parenting may not be a trend worthy of profiling in NEWSWEEK, but it is a career path millions of mothers (and a growing number of fathers) have consciously chosen. Susan De Ritis Mothers at Home Fairfax, Va.

Get Little, Be Cozy Thank you, Sarah Susanka. for years I wondered why a family of four needs an energy-guzzling house with two-story windows, cavernous rooms and multiple bathrooms (“Home Is Where the Heart Is,” ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, Oct. 16). Does each family member need to have his or her own “space”? Shouldn’t the goal be to be together in a “home,” or is that status symbol, the “house,” now more important? Helene R. Lee Lockport, N.Y.

Sarah Susanka touches on so many profound issues in America today: materialism, consumerism, spirituality, psychology and the environment. While reading the article I could feel the warmth and coziness of the houses that Susanka designs, contrasted with the hollowness of sprawling homes built to be filled with unnecessary material possessions. Susanka couldn’t be more on target when she says people are usually not relaxed in enormous rooms, and that “we tend to gravitate toward the corners of spaces to feel protected.” Check out the Web site notsobighouse.com to learn more about the theoretical perspectives that support downsizing our homes. Lisa Dambach Ferndale, Mich.

A Triathlon Takes Time Thank you for reporting on the sport of triathlon and the timing chips now in use at most of our races (“Microchips for Mega-Athletes,” CYBERSCOPE, Oct. 16). The debut of triathlon as an Olympic event this year in Sydney has focused increasing attention on this growing sport for competitors of all ages. Finishing times for triathlons of various distances range from less than an hour for sprint distances, to about two hours for the Olympic distance, to about four hours for a half-Ironman. However, having finished two full Ironman distance races myself, I can tell you that the 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike and 26.2-mile run cannot be covered in “under five hours,” as you reported. This year’s top male and female professionals in Hawaii crossed the finish line in eight hours and 21 minutes and nine hours and 26 minutes, respectively. John Kelso San Diego, Calif.

Not Every Vote Counts George Will needs to brush up a bit on either his American history or his arithmetic. He says that from 1876 to 1892, five consecutive presidents (Hayes, Garfield, Cleveland, Harrison and Cleveland again) were elected by pluralities. Two of those presidents, however, did not get even a plurality of the votes. In 1876 and 1888, Rutherford B. Hayes and Benjamin Harrison were elected despite coming in behind their opponents (Samuel J. Tilden and Grover Cleveland, respectively) in the popular vote. Tim Durkin East Lansing, Mich.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-29” author: “Veronica Parham”

No Longer Slobodan’s Serbia I read your informative article “Slobo’s Endgame” with great interest (Europe, Oct. 9). I cannot help wondering why it took the Serbian people so long to get rid of their dictator, Slobodan Milosevic. He never played by the rules, but created his own. Among them were his deadly, deeply inhumane policies of “ethnic cleansing,” which he tried to apply to almost every corner of the former Yugoslavia. Yugoslavia, quo vadis? Let’s hope it’s to a better, more peaceful future that will allow the troubled region to come to terms with itself and its sad past. But keep in mind that the era of Milosevic will come to a real end only if the indicted war criminal is brought to trial in The Hague, the Parliament attains a majority dominated by Milosevic’s opponents and Serbia apologizes to the international community for the wars and crimes it supported. Until these requirements are met, sanctions against Yugoslavia should be upheld. Lars Straeter Dortmund, Germany

As we celebrate the victory of opposition candidate Vojislav Kostunica over Milosevic, one issue of concern remains. Although Milosevic’s defeat is that of a certain kind of extreme Serb nationalism, Kostunica is quite a nationalist himself. A photograph that is now famous shows him holding an automatic weapon with Kosovo Serbs during Operation Allied Force last year, and he has already warned that he will not deliver Milosevic to The Hague. Kostunica should never believe that defeating an all-out nationalist is an excuse for a “smoother” kind of nationalism. We finally have a chance to phase out that fearful nationalism of Serbia’s for good, and no one should be allowed to spoil that chance–especially not the very man who has made it possible for this change to come. Bernard J. Henry Garches, France

I was thrilled watching pictures of popular unrest in Belgrade. It reminded me of events in Central Europe 11 years ago. I’m so proud of the Serb people, who raised their voices and showed the world that their nation does not consist only of thugs and criminals. Yet I was quite astonished by the Russian attitude. A year ago the Russians helped NATO force the Yugoslav Army out of Kosovo without any fight, and now when it was clear that Milosevic was finished, they sided with him and recognized the first round of voting as valid. While the Russian rhetoric was always full of support for the Serb people, it became clear that the only thing Moscow really craved was meddling in Yugoslav affairs. There is no other role left for Russians in Europe. Andres Garcia Slavicek Sokolov, Czech Republic

Disco Dancing on the Dead For more than 50 years Poland has been trying to come to terms with the devastation of the Holocaust (“Dancing on Old Graves,” Europe, Oct. 9). But it upsets me that this “coming to terms” means having Jell-O wrestling and topless dancing in a town that most consider to be sacred. Even if this was not intended to be an insult, it is hard to cope with the fact that a place of drinking and dancing has been erected on the exact site where hundreds perished. It’s just tasteless. I understand that there is nothing for the youths to do in Oswiecim, but erecting a disco one mile from the center of the burial ground hits too close to home for the millions of survivors, families and friends. Lindsey Rosenberg Peace Corps Via Internet

What Poland needs today is more than a discotheque. This land is soaked with blood, and it has been for centuries. At 24, I’m old enough to remember armed police shooting civilian protesters in the early 1980s. Still, life goes on for us. While the Holocaust was the ultimate horror, it must not shape and shadow the life of this nation forever. I believe the victims are remembered with respect, and we have the right to happiness and a future the way we want to have it. Those who fail to realize this only cause Hitler to laugh mockingly in hell. Fifty-five years in his grave, and he still has the power to distort the lives of even the youngest generations. Magdalena Zytek Lodz, Poland

I am against building anything on the sacred place where people perished in anguish. Nevertheless, we must remember that in Poland and particularly in the Oswiecim area, there are many places where people died during the war. Surely we ought to pay equal respect to the death of Jews, Poles and others alike. However, we must also remember that the inhabitants of Oswiecim want to develop their city and not be known only for the death camp. Poland isn’t solely a museum of relics. Kordelia Koziel Cisownica, Poland

Why do you refer to the Holocaust against the Jews in Europe as the Holocaust? There were many other mass slaughters of innocent people during WWII and since the war; there have been many other holocausts. It’s strange that people think one holocaust more significant than others. Adrian McKay Jakarta, Indonesia

An Anniversary With Angst Why does NEWSWEEK celebrate the 10th anniversary of German reunification with stories of failure and division (“The Iron Barb Anniversary,” Europe, Oct. 9)? Could you not find a success story and a person enjoying German unity? And you had to reproduce a bleak winter picture of a lifeless street in the East with communist remnants, rather than a photo of the Oct. 3 festivities, which took place in golden weather. Without a doubt there is still something like “the wall” in the heads of the Germans, just as you will find feelings of defeat and lost-cause sentiments in American Southerners when they think of Appomattox in 1865. Will you show a photo of one of the ubiquitously flying Confederate flags to celebrate an anniversary of American unity? Karl E. Schuhmacher Romerberg, Germany

Quindlen: A New Choice Anna Quindlen’s treatment of the recent Food and Drug Administration approval of RU-486 is the most intelligent that I have heard (“RU-486 and the Right to Choose,” Opinion, Oct. 9). As a medical student, I often speak candidly with physicians who were in practice before Roe v. Wade. I have listened to horror stories of what happened to women seeking illegal abortions, and I know she is right: the real choice we have in America is between safe, legal abortion and a return to the back alleys. The right to choose has been protected by the Supreme Court, but the court is not able to protect women and medical personnel from the dehumanizing harassment they endure when they walk through the doors of a clinic. With RU-486, some women will be able to avoid this ordeal and carry out the weighty decision to end a pregnancy with privacy and dignity. It will not solve the problems of anti-choice intimidation and lack of access to abortion. But it is a step in the right direction to the day when each woman will be recognized as a moral agent capable of weighing decisions for herself. Sarah E. Bork St. Louis, Missouri

I think Quindlen portrayed all the opponents of RU-486 as male chauvinists seeking only to keep the female population under their authoritarian control. And the central issue of the debate was declared as the woman’s self-rule of her body. As an opponent of RU-486, I reject these central values. The issue is not the woman’s right of self-determination but the usurping of the child’s right to life. Should we debate to choose the higher value? That would be measuring the woman’s right to convenience against the child’s right to live. The author places us between a rock and a hard place by making our decision one of legal and safe or illegal and unsafe abortion–a dichotomy based on opinion and fiction. The real question is whether we will ever recover our ability to truly love and value our children. Todd Thomas Mwanza, Tanzania

Consider for a moment the Manchester twins, Jodie and Mary. If they were aborted, even at partial birth, it would be fine in America. Yet British courts told the parents, who wished to preserve both lives, that one child must die. I thought it wasn’t the business of governments to get involved in things like this. I can control my body but not my children? James Carmody Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine

The choice isn’t between legal abortion and no abortion or between safe abortion and unsafe abortion. The choice is between what is right and what is wrong. But the one most vitally involved, the unborn child, has no choice whatever. Surgical abortion, however humanely presented, and pills, however palatably coated, obscure the real moral issue at stake. This is a choice of life and death. Dermot O’Hanlon Wicklow, Ireland

Please don’t associate pro-life with the murders of doctors or bombings at abortion clinics. Anyone who is really pro-life obviously deplores violence and killing in any form. Every human life is a gift from God and should be treated as such. My wife and I had an unplanned pregnancy, and the child she gave birth to is now a healthy 15-year-old whom we love dearly. And since my wife’s tubes were tied, we haven’t had any more surprises. It’s possible to practice choice through birth control rather than through abortion. Larry Zinck Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Can’t pro-choice and right-to-life advocates agree that “women who own and control their own bodies” choose whether they want to become pregnant? In this age of enlightenment and vending-machine contraceptives, women should make their choice before they face the agony and pain of deciding whether to terminate a pregnancy. They should encourage each other and teach their daughters that all people must take responsibility for their actions. Jill Bilfinger Sindelfingen, Germany

In the words of Anna Quindlen, the RU-486 pill is indeed “an exercise in self-determination for the woman who chooses to use it.” It is too bad that the baby, whose life she is determining, has no say. Diana Lew Hong Kong

Anna Quindlen is a voice of reason in the overheated discussion over abortion. Her statement that “the pill that would best serve all our interests is the one that prevents conception, not causes abortion” goes right to the heart of the matter. Millions of dollars and thousands of lives (born and unborn) would be saved if birth-control services were covered by all health-care plans in America, including Medicaid. Carol C. Brown Northfield, Massachusetts

A Furor Over RU-486 The abortion pill, RU-486, gives new meaning to the phrase “drugs kill” (“The Abortion Pill,” Society, Oct. 9). And it’s approved by the FDA. All drugs, like steroids, amphetamines and barbiturates, have a classification. As the first drug approved by the FDA to terminate the origin of human life, what classification should this drug be placed in? Substances used to kill unwanted plants, fungi and insects are called pesticides. Because RU-486 targets human life, I believe its proper classification would be homicide. Gerald L. Trzebiatowski Amherst Junction, Wisconsin

Your article about the abortion pill was extraordinary. It is important that the world be updated on this issue. Nowadays the world is overpopulated, and this pill might be the solution to that problem. It is unfair that unwanted children are brought into this world just to starve and be unloved. Paulina Segoviano Mexico City, Mexico

Thank you for your timely and truly informative article. It was inevitable that this issue would spark protests by activists around the world. What matters is that RU-486 increases the freedom and right to choose by a woman or a couple. Every time you strengthen freedom, it’s a good thing. Francesco Nardulli Acquaviva delle Fonti, Italy

I really don’t understand why countries like the United States insist that abortion be legalized and abortion pills be commercially available. It makes for a culture of immorality and negligence. I believe the government should protect every life here on earth. If it can protect the endangered animals, why not the unborn human? When you speak of women’s rights, think about the rights of the unborn and human rights. Francis Regalado Muntinlupa City, Philippines

To many people, the availability of abortion and RU-486 do not mean increased freedom for women, but further oppression. If RU-486 makes abortion easier, the responsibility for an unplanned, unwanted pregnancy becomes more than ever the woman’s burden, with men taking less and less–if any–responsibility for their actions before and after conception. This may be why, according to some polls, more men than women are pro-choice. Kelly MacGrady Tallahassee, Florida

Olympic Moments I was both elated and appalled by the actions of the U.S. men’s 4 x 100 relay team at the Sydney Olympics (“Breaking the Tape,” The Sydney Games, Oct. 9). Elated because they were truly the best team, and they won. Appalled because of their postrace, half-nude victory dance during which they did everything with an American flag except burn it. Jon Drummond tried to justify his actions by stating that he had never won an Olympic gold medal before. Most of the gold medalists in Sydney had never won gold medals before, either, but they didn’t strip to their skin and disrespect their nation’s flag and national anthem. No wonder we have the image abroad of being “ugly Americans.” The regrettable part about it is that these actions are often televised and viewed by children, many of whom may continue the cycle of “ugly Americanism” on the field, court or track. Mike Glaze Rancho Cucamonga, California

In your article “The Real Olympics,” you mention that weight-lifter Karnam Malleswari is the first Indian woman to win an individual medal. Medals for India at the Olympics come few and far between, but I am a satisfied Indian, because these medals have been achieved through individual brilliance and not as the result of a highly organized sports system in the country that I am so very proud of. Ameya Bhobe Mumbai, India

Marion Jones is a fantastic athlete, and I kept my fingers crossed for her (“Give Me Five,” Olympics Preview, Sept. 11). But while it is true that no woman has won four gold medals in the same events as Carl Lewis and Jesse Owens, people shouldn’t forget that during the 1948 Olympics, held in London, a woman named Fanny Blankers-Koen won four gold medals: in the 80-meter hurdles, 100 meters, 200 meters and 4 x 100 relays. Herman Verbeek Springs, South Africa

So the Olympic Village got rowdy, and the organizers had to ship in an extra 20,000 condoms. I assume there was a prior shipment of at least 20,000–totaling 40,000 condoms. But hey, without these the world might have begotten 40,000 competitors for the 2020 Olympics. Their parents would look on proudly while reminiscing about Sydney 2000. Rainer Puvogel Vina del Mar, Chile

Remembering Trudeau I was in Canada the day former prime minister Pierre Trudeau died (“Political Charm,” Periscope, Oct. 9), and his death drove virtually all the other news into a corner of the daily press. But your one-paragraph notice went to the opposite extreme. The dynamic leader who made the rest of the world sit up and take notice of Canada deserved more space than you gave him. Lawrence Poston Chicago, Illinois

As a Canadian, I’m disappointed that only 10 lines were dedicated to the death of Pierre Trudeau. He deserved more after all he did for Canada as prime minister. Stephanie Da Riva Treviso, Italy

Revising Turkish History It’s a disgrace that the U.S. government is waffling over recognition of the Turkish genocide of Armenians in 1915 (“A Risky Game of History,” Periscope, Oct. 9). I find it all the more disgusting that the bill has “languished in the House for more than a decade” because of fears of fueling the fires of Turkish nationalism. The genocide is a regrettable, incontrovertible historical event and one that we should fully recognize and study in order to prevent similar events from happening again. Any attempt to give in to historical revisionists for the sake of air-base usage or military-equipment contracts is blindly immoral and a dishonor to those who have perished in the name of ethnic hatred. Haven’t we learned anything from the Holocaust? Jason Menayan Mikolow, Poland

Will the Protests Aid the Poor? The pro- and anti-globalization squabbles amused me greatly (“Taking It to the Streets,” Special Report, Sept. 25). The same people who found the excesses of capitalism cloying have now turned against the immeasurable greed of globalization. Enjoying the highest-ever level of income and an ever-decreasing unemployment rate, it is indeed the proper time for the beneficiaries of capitalism to worry about the terrible prices being paid by the world’s poor. The anti-globalization forces are not likely to find a grateful heart among the Third World poor. Millions around the world have not even heard the term “globalization,” and these people take poverty for granted. Even when it is dooming them to a life of deprivation, globalization will remain a word in a dictionary they do not have. Ayenew Haileselassie Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Building Harmony and Peace I just got a copy of your article titled “Rescue Mission” in the issue of Oct. 2 (Asia). I am dismayed to note that you quoted me as saying something I have never said and will never say: “The Muslims’ basic motivation has been money… to force everyone in the area to follow the ways of Islam. They’re obsessed by the [idea] that it is their territory.” This is a serious distortion of the truth and the context of the conversation we had about your questions on the Mindanao situation. The remarks were made in reference to extremists and cannot be applied to the Muslims in general. I have a great respect and esteem for the Muslims of the Philippines and the cause of the Moro people. Those comments do not reflect the ideals and principles to which I have devoted my life all these three decades of working with Muslims for peace and interreligious dialogue in the southern Philippines. By quoting me out of context, you have set back the efforts of many people in Mindanao who have been painstakingly working to build harmony and peace among the different cultural and religious groups, most especially between Muslims and Christians in our land. Angel Calvo, C.M.F. Zamboanga City, Philippines

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-13” author: “Ryan King”

Musing on Mideast Violence

YOUR MIDDLE EAST COVERAGE IN THE Oct. 23 issue had no discussion as to why these events are taking place. From the Palestinians’ point of view (and the United Nations’), the Palestinians have as much of a right to a viable state as the Jews. They were driven from their lands by ethnic cleansing when Israel was created after the second world war. Also, from the Israeli Arabs’ viewpoint, they are in a parallel situation to the blacks in apartheid-era South Africa. These are the forces behind the Middle East conflict, and they demand comment and analysis, a dimension that was absent from your coverage. PAUL EMMERSON LONDON, ENGLAND

I FOUND YOUR HEADLINE “THE PRICE of Pride” offensive, as if pride were the main issue (SPECIAL REPORT, Oct. 23). While not overlooking the defects of Palestinian leadership, I believe the main issue is that there are millions of Palestinians who have seen the Israeli leadership play word games. The “violence” here, as anyone can see, weighs on the Israeli side, not the Palestinian. Who are the people being slaughtered? In your interview with Benjamin Netanyahu, he suggested Yasir Arafat could turn the violence off like a fountain. Netanyahu’s arrogance and rhetoric were some of the factors that killed the peace process long ago. BOB ROBERTSON AMMAN, JORDAN

THE DELIBERATE BRUTAL LYNCHING and mutilation of the Israeli soldiers, Yosef Avraham and Vadim Noveshe, was a horrible act that should be condemned by the world community so that it will never be repeated. ANNE GOLDBERG OSLO, NORWAY

YOU CARRY THREE ARTICLES WRITTEN by people With an Israeli bias. To be fair you have to give equal space to Palestinian pictures, articles and interviews. You do it most of the time; why not in this issue? Please let the Palestinians tell their side of the story. SAKINA YUSUF KAGDA SINGAPORE

READING YOUR ARTICLES MAKES ONE think that the Palestinians don’t want peace, they just throw rocks and mob Israeli soldiers–the very soldiers who shoot their children, torture their parents and invade their land. NEWSWEEK gives only the Israeli point of view: you interview Netanyahu and Barak and your reporters are biased. What isn’t said is that Israel refuses to cooperate with the United Nations, sends soldiers into Palestinian territory and commits numerous human-rights violations. NASSIM KEFI VIA INTERNET

I’M ASHAMED OF YOUR APPROACH TO THE Mideast crisis. On the cover there is a terrorist-like black image of a (supposed) Palestinian man bearing a machine gun, but no Israeli tanks or choppers firing against stone-throwing teenagers. No one is innocent and the interests are disparate, but the casualties are about 10 to one, Palestinians to Israelis. Your SPECIAL REPORT begins, “A Palestinian mob killed two Israeli soldiers, then Israel retaliated by bombing a police station.” As a Brazilian with an interest in world affairs and no Arab or Jewish connections, I have no sides to take on this issue, but your coverage is revolting to anyone who knows the facts. I have not seen this much bias in recent years in the mainstream press. ROBERTO CATALDO COSTA PORTO ALEGRE, BRAZIL

DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS BY THE INTERNAtional community may calm the situation in the Middle East. But that would be only a temporary respite. The Palestinian people are fed up after decades of occupation and years of peace talks that have delivered very little. And, contrary to the Israeli government’s wishful thinking, Yasir Arafat’s resented administration, replete with corruption and multiple security services, will be unable to control the population. True, neither side is innocent, but Israel is in control of all of what was Mandatory Palestine, including the Palestinian- controlled areas, Which enjoy only local autonomy. For peace to be achieved, Israel must give up land. With the backing of the United States, Israel can be uncooperative, knowing it will not be punished. The international community sits idly by, afraid of being labeled anti-Semitic should Israel be criticized. Israel is in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions, has developed weapons of mass destruction and uses apartheid-like practices against the Palestinians. Other countries have been vilified for far less. Israel must be brought to make concessions regardless of who is to blame for the latest round of violence. MASSOUD DERHALLY LONDON, ENGLAND

I BLAME PRESIDENT CLINTON FOR THE unrest in the Middle East. In his zeal for a legacy, he forced Ehud Barak and Yasir Arafat to the table prematurely. Everyone was unprepared. The resulting public statements on Jerusalem reawakened the sleeping giant of Mideast tension. The issues there are too complex and will affect too many people and too many generations to rush a peace agreement. One man covets a Nobel Prize, so a hundred people can die and tens of thousands of expatriate Americans are placed at high risk. Thanks for nothing, Bill. ALLAN C.STOVER JIDDA, SAUDI ARABIA

AMAZINGLY ENOUGH, THE JEWISH PEOple have assumed the very same role that they were subjugated under for so many centuries-that of the aggressor. They are suppressing by brutal force a people who value their land, religion and cultural heritage. Israel was founded on dignity, and yet dignity is the very thing they are denying the Palestinians. Concessions to the Palestinians on Eastern Jerusalem might be hard for Israelis, but if it brings about a lasting peace in the Middle East, wouldn’t it be worthwhile? SONALINI SAPRA NEW DELHI, INDIA

AS LONG AS THE MUSLIMS KEEP ENACTing their jihads or holy wars, promote terrorism against foreign and unsuspecting countries, consider lynching of prisoners to be noble and pride themselves of the blood on their hands, no thinking person in the West will believe the claim that Islam and the Qur’an are synonymous with compassion, mercy, love and civilization. G. IRACI PERUGIA, ITALY

HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT SO MANY countries are severely punished when they ignore U.N. resolutions while Israel, who is reluctant to obey any of them, manages to get away with it? ANTONIO SOLINO VIDAL PALMA DE MALLORCA, SPAIN

YOU ASKED BARAK WHY THE PALESTINIans have refused his “generous deal.” That is exactly the problem. Most Palestinians feel the deal was totally inadequate, not “generous.” When reporting on excessive Israeli reactions, such as “gangs of Jews … rampaged through Arab towns,” you excuse them by saying that they were “enraged by the lynching of two Israeli soldiers.” But there’s no similar downplaying of Palestinian actions by specifically mentioning that outrage at the killing of children like Mohammed al-Dura is a motivating factor. BILL MARTIN ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE PRESENT CONflict between the Palestinians and Israelis is the continued illegal occupation by the Israeli Army of Palestinian territory on the West Bank and Gaza Strip. During the 33 years of occupation, the Israelis have built Jewish settlements on Palestinian land (despite the fact that these settlements were illegal under international law), deprived the Palestinian people of access to adequate water supplies, routinely tortured Palestinian prisoners and treated the Palestinians as second-class noncitizens in their own land. If Israel wants lasting peace, it must obey U.N. Resolution 242 and Withdraw from the West Bank and Gaza Strip. It must recognize the right of the Palestinian people to have a viable state. The establishment of a sovereign, independent Palestinian state comprising all of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital, is the only guarantee of peace and stability in the region. The sooner it is established, with full international recognition and support, the better for everyone in the area. MAIRTIN O. GLIOSAIN DUBLIN, IRELAND

YOU STATE THAT RAMALLAH IS “AN AFfluent suburb that has benefited from peace and economic integration With Israeli Jerusalem. " By whose standard is Ramallah affluent? While spending time there last year, I met families living in one-room, practically windowless cement-block apartments. I met men who worked as plumbers, mechanics and cabdrivers for $6 a day. I walked on dirt roads that were in horrible need of repair. I saw men and boys out on the streets all day because they had no jobs. I heard about how hard it is to find jobs in the more “affluent” Jerusalem be cause you had to have a permit to travel there; and if you are a male of a certain age you might as well forget it. I visited a day care center with deteriorating walls and almost no toys for the children. So where is the affluence? I would never condone violence, and the violent act in Ramallah against two Israeli soldiers was as horrible as the killing of an innocent 12-year-old by Israeli soldiers. The Arab people there are desperate and out of work and feel they have nothing to lose. It’s no excuse for violence, but it does explain their complete sense of hopelessness about their situation. WENDY WONG RICHFIELD, WISCONSIN

YOU SAY THAT THE VIOLENCE BEGAN With a provocative visit by Ariel Sharon to a Muslim holy site. The two mosques, however, are the only specifically Muslim holy sites on the Temple Mount. Muslims claim the area to be their third holiest site after Mecca and Medina. To Jews the Temple Mount is the holiest point in the physical universe, the site of the sacrifice of Isaac, the place where the first and second temples were built and the focus of prayers for more than a thousand years before Islam came into being. BENJAMIN DANSKER EFRAT, ISRAEL

More Computers Than People

A HEADLINE IN YOUR OCT. 23 ISSUE ASKS, “Is the PC Boom Over?"(BUSINESS). Hardly. While most households own one, and the remaining houses, as you say, are “a hard nut to crack,“we are still seeing the early days. Recall when Americans were proud to have one telephone or one TV. In many homes, these consumer products now outnumber the people living there. it took years for the industries to mature, and for the market to adjust, but the norm did switch from one to several. Experience lately shows that the digital economy repeats the past, only faster. JOHN L. SHELTON REDWOOD CITY, CALIFORNIA

A World of Trouble

AS I READ “AMERICANS UNDER ATTACK…” (SPECIAL REPORT, on a flight to meet a ship diverted to Turkey because of trouble in Israel, I could relate to being on board a ship in a strange port, far from home, both in distance and customs. The photos of the 17 young sailors killed on the USS Cole made me shudder. As investigations continue, maybe we Americans need to ask some questions. Are those in charge weighing all the facts? Should we send forces to known dangerous areas? What risk is worth 17 lives? ROB LOWENBERG FT. LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA

THE FACT THAT NO ONE WAS SEARCHING all boats that were going to be within a certain distance of the USS Cole suggests a mind-boggling lapse of security (“A Sneak Attack,” SPECIAL REPORT,Oct. 23). JOHN D. MARSHALL HONOLULU, HAWAII

THE USS COLE IS ONE OF THE WORLD’S most sophisticated and formidable warships, but it was a sitting duck when tied up in port, its systems at their least effective. Given that the U.S. Navy has long been the world’s most adept sea power at high-speed refueling while underway, there is no defensible reason to have entered Aden to refuel. Refueling should have taken place at sea, using a U.S. Navy tanker. The United States spends billions of dollars equipping ships like the Cole to be able to defend themselves against multiple adversaries, including submarines. How is a decision then made allowing two men in a small boat to “torpedo” our ship at point-blank range? Our sophisticated and formidable ship is reduced to naught, and its crew put in harm’s Way for no good reason. ADAM R. TRUPP Commander, U.S. Naval Reserve (Ret.) TOPEKA, KANSAS

THERE WERE TWO OBVIOUS AND PRUdent ways to avoid the tragedy of the USS Cole. The first would have been to refuel the Cole at sea, using a U.S. Navy tanker stationed in the gulf area. Perhaps the cost of fielding a tanker was considered too high. In that event, heavily armed picket boats should have been deployed to keep all unidentified craft away from the Cole while in its vulnerable position in the harbor. If picket boats were not allowed in that foreign harbor, the Cole should have been refueled using the tanker scenario. How costly does fueling that tanker look now? RICHARD A. MELLOH JR. CORNISH, NEW HAMPSHIRE

Conserving Oil

HIGH OIL PRICES SHOULD BE SEEN AS A godsend (“The New War Over Oil,” BUSINESS, Oct. 2). How can we affect any pretense of resolve in trying to rid ourselves of dependence on nonrenewable pollutants for energy when at the same time we fret over our economy when we can’t get the stuff dirt cheap? If something is too cheap, we will all be like an unsupervised child at the cookie jar and use the oil until it is all gone or we have given ourselves one heck of a global stomachache. The governments that tax oil heavily are taking flak, when logic dictates it should be taxed just as cigarettes are. If more of the tax revenues were used to develop renewable resources, it would be a win-win situation in the long run. JEREMY C. SAGAWA NISHIAIZU, JAPAN

Namibia’s Heroes

SORRY, BUT I’M TIRED OF THE CONTINued denouncing of German atrocities–this time against the Herero people in Namibia (“The Forgotten Genocide,” WORLD AFFAIRS, Aug. 21). I am tired of the hypocrisy, the double morality, the blackmailing and the moneymaking involved in it. Have the Boers yet presented their bill to the British, who in the Anglo-Boer war (1899-1902) cruelly killed about 30,000 innocent women and children? Has the United States at least refunded the descendants of the black slaves snatched like animals from Africa and then relentlessly exploited for more than 200 years? What about the Indians whose land it took over and whom it tried to extinguish? I am sure the United States compensated the Vietnamese people for the devastating napalm pattern bombing of Vietnam. And what have the British done for the 60,000 civilian victims, mainly refugees, who died in the unnecessary bombing and complete destruction of Dresden, three months before the German capitulation in World War II? They recently erected a monument to the “hero” who executed this inhuman order. Germany has been paying and paying ever since the end of World War I. How long shall this search for historic (money) sources continue? I suppose till the end of the money and the end of goodwill. CELINE NIEHUIS WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA

WHILE READING TOM MASLAND’S ARTIcle on the extermination of Herero herders in Namibia, I found myself asking, “Is it that easy to use the word genocide?” For decades Armenian worldwide communities have been campaigning for the recognition of the 1915 genocide in western Armenia, now eastern Turkey. And the Turkish government has been sponsoring a shameful process of denying it, despite the presence of vast documented evidence. This year on April 24, the commemoration date of the brutal annihilation of 1.5 million Armenians in Turkey, Bill Clinton addressed the American Armenian community, and mentioned only the word “massacres. " Following his approach, a majority of American-based international media avoided the use of the word “genocide.” Being an important regional ally and a member of NATO, Turkey has been successful in turning down many attempts for the official recognition of genocide, particularly in the United States, Britain, France and Italy. Thus, only a few American or European news magazines have given some coverage to those events. I want to congratulate NEWSWEEK for breaking the silence over the 1904 genocide of Herero herders. ANNA ABRAHAMIAN ATHENS, GREECE

Reviewing the Olympics

WHAT A SHAME THAT ANYONE WOULD think the Olympics are overproduced (“The Real Olympics”, SYDNEY OLYMPIC GAMES, Oct. 9). At the age of 85, 1 never miss an Olympics and feel privileged to be able to see and hear the great camaraderie of many nations throughout the world joining together in peace. Winning or losing, the great sportsmanship is a joy to watch ’ Shame on those who belittle the primetime shows. Thank you, NBC! Lois P. HALE ORANGE CITY, FLORIDA

SURE, MARION JONES IS GREAT! (“MARIon Takes to the Air,” SYDNEY OLYMPIC GAMES, Oct. 2). Reading this issue, however, I was left with the impression that there were no other competitors from other nations and that no other noteworthy events occurred in Sydney. Your “Solid Gold” coverage was the worst indeed. BASIL ARVANITAKIS HALANDRI, GREECE

A Heart-Rending Dilemma

I FOUND YOUR ARTICLE “AN ETHICAL Quandary” (EUROPE, Oct. 2) most thought-provoking. It was great to see that someone cares for children like Mary and Jodie, the conjoined twins. I am sure their parents must have been really confused over what to do, and saddened by the court’s decision. PAULINA SEGOVIANO MEXICO CITY, MEXICO

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-21” author: “Ryan Black”

The fact that no one was searching all boats that were going to be within a certain perimeter of the USS Cole suggests a mind-boggling lapse of security (“A Sneak Attack,” SPECIAL REPORT, Oct. 23). John D. Marshall Honolulu, Hawaii

The USS Cole is one of the world’s most sophisticated and formidable warships, but it was a sitting duck when tied up in port, its systems at their least effective. Given that the U.S. Navy has long been the world’s most adept sea power at high-speed refueling while underway, there is no defensible reason to have entered Aden to refuel. Refueling should have taken place at sea using a U.S. Navy tanker. Adam R. Trupp Commander, U.S. Naval Reserve (Ret.) Topeka, Kans.

Peace Under Fire In your article “The Price Of Pride,” you state that Ramallah is “an affluent suburb that has benefited from peace and economic integration with Israeli Jerusalem” (SPECIAL REPORT, Oct. 23). By whose standard is Ramallah affluent? While spending time there last year, I met families living in one-room, practically windowless cement-block apartments. I met men who worked as plumbers, mechanics and cabdrivers for $6 a day. I walked on dirt roads that were in horrible need of repair. I saw men and boys out on the streets all day because they had no jobs. I visited a day-care center with deteriorating walls and almost no toys for the children. So where is the affluence? I would never condone violence, and the violent act in Ramallah against two Israeli soldiers was as horrible as the killing of an innocent 12-year-old by Israeli soldiers. The Arab people there are desperate and out of work and feel they have nothing to lose. It’s no excuse for violence, but it does explain their complete sense of hopelessness about their situation. Wendy Wong Richfield, Wis.

As an instructor in holocaust and genocide history, I believe we’ve been there, done that. It was a long time ago–and it was only yesterday. The world thought “you could deal with him.” Give him the land he said was taken from him and you would have peace. The rhetoric, the lies, the attacks on Jews were only a temporary phase. Let him re-arm the Rhineland (substitute Ramallah). After all, the Rhineland is part of Germany. Give him the Sudetenland (substitute Gaza). After all, this land really belongs to the Germans (substitute Palestinians). In the meantime, let him destroy Jewish holy sites, homes and even people. Joel M. Glazer Elizabeth, N.J.

The site visited by Ariel Sharon was not just a Muslim holy site, but also a Jewish one, and he had every right to visit it. Ron Freeman Mobile, Ala.

I have to protest what I feel is slanted coverage on recent events in the Middle East. For example, your attempt in the Oct. 23 special report to allow “both sides” to speak means lengthy interviews with two Israeli political leaders, Benjamin Netanyahu (“Israel Is Here to Stay”) and Ehud Barak ( “I Will Never Lose Hope”), but no corresponding opportunity for a Palestinian leader to express himself or herself. Your interviewer asks Barak why Arafat turned to violence after being offered a “generous deal.” That is exactly the problem: most Palestinians feel the deal was totally inadequate, not “generous.” When reporting on excessive Israeli reactions, such as “gangs of Jews… rampag[ing] through Arab towns,” you give them the excuse that they were “enraged by the lynching of two Israeli soldiers.” You do not make a similar effort to downplay Palestinian actions by pointing out that the same kind of outrage at the killing of children, like Mohammed al Dura, is a motivating factor. Bill Martin Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates The Most Civil State? Your article “State Of The ‘Union’ " (SOCIETY, Oct. 23) says that more than half of Vermont voters are opposed to our civil-unions law. Fortunately, many of us in Vermont understand that this law has nothing to do with the way other people, homosexual and heterosexual, conduct their private lives. Indeed, that is not our business or the state’s. It has everything to do with equality for all of our citizens, who do their jobs, pay their taxes, raise their families and obey the law, just as I do. Certainly, all committed couples are entitled to the rights that marriage affords. No matter what happens on Election Day, Vermont citizens who support the civil-unions law–and we are legion–will continue to be proud of our legislators, our governor and our state for having recognized the humanity of all of us. Jill Stevens Fairfax, Vt.

When my partner, Darryl, and I went to Vermont in July for our civil union, we thought it would be a way to affirm our 10 years together. We were surprised not only by how moving the ceremony turned out to be, but also by how warm and sincere the Vermonters we met were in welcoming us and helping us celebrate our love for each other. While the take back Vermont signs we also saw didn’t wish us well, those who celebrate civil unions in Vermont take back an acceptance and friendship that are priceless. If Vermonters vote to “take Vermont forward” by electing officials who won’t overturn the civil-unions law, I think the state will continue to take the whole country forward. Jack Miller Atlanta, Ga.

More Computers Than People A headline in your Oct. 23 issue asks, “Is the PC Boom Over?” (BUSINESS). Hardly. While most households own one, and the remaining houses, as you say, are “a hard nut to crack,” we are still seeing the early days. Recall when Americans were proud to have one telephone or one TV. In many homes, these consumer products now outnumber the people living there. It took years for the industries to mature, and for the market to adjust, but the norm did switch from one to several. Experience lately shows that the digital economy repeats the past, only faster. John L. Shelton Redwood City, Calif.

Dumping on DiMaggio After reading the excerpt from Richard Ben Cramer’s scathing book about Joe DiMaggio (“The Loneliest Hero,” ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, Oct. 23), I could not help wondering why Cramer would trample on DiMaggio’s grave by digging up dirty laundry that is personal and private. The only logical reason I could think of was pure avarice. It is ironic that Cramer paints DiMaggio as a greedy, money-hungry individual while presumably hoping to make a large profit himself in doing so. Terry Herrington Jr. Ft. Worth, Texas

If the portrait Richard Ben Cramer paints of Joe DiMaggio is anything close to accurate, DiMaggio seems to have been a greedy, penny-pinching, small-minded freeloader. He may have been a giant of a baseball player, but he was a midget of a human being. Certainly not my idea of a hero. William D. Ehrhart Philadelphia, Pa.

As the next-door neighbor of Joe DiMaggio’s “old house on Beach Street” in San Francisco, I continue to be perplexed by the ongoing criticism after his death of his lifestyle and peccadilloes. I can attest that DiMaggio was a private man, but he was a pleasant neighbor and always a gentleman. If more of today’s sports stars could emulate his quiet dignity, perhaps we wouldn’t have to contend with the poisonous invective of personalities like John Rocker and Allen Iverson. DiMaggio was fiercely protective of his reputation and guarded himself from those who would exploit it. For God’s sake, let the man rest in peace. Winston F. Wong San Francisco, Calif.

In a world in which athletes of lesser gifts are paid fortunes for considerably lesser accomplishments, who can blame DiMaggio for finally receiving some remuneration for a sport that he graced for so long, for so little? Richard Hofflich Short Hills, N.J.

Regarding the excellent excerpts from Richard Ben Cramer’s new book on Joe DiMaggio (who cadged, screwed and rooked everyone he came near–except, apparently, Marilyn Monroe), I’m curious to know for whom he was stashing all the loot. Or, being DiMaggio, did he find a way to take it with him? George F. Manitzas Santa Monica, Calif.

I honestly don’t know what good purpose it serves to destroy a hero. Maybe times have changed (I’m 68), but I don’t want to hear about President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s crippled legs, or General Eisenhower’s girlfriend or Joe DiMaggio’s faults. I want to remember how Roosevelt made us all feel good in the middle of the Great Depression, how Ike led us to victory in World War II and how the Yankee Clipper hit in an incredible 56 straight games and flawlessly performed in Yankee Stadium. I feel sorry for writers and readers of today, who need to crumble the idols. Ralph Craig Amherst, Mass.

Protests Minus Politics In her Oct. 23 column, Anna Quindlen argues that the crass behavior of so many college students is evidence that the doctrines of political correctness have not taken hold in our universities (“Welcome to Animal House,” THE LAST WORD). Quindlen forgets that the politically correct ethos consists of more than just a sensitivity toward racial issues and an intolerance of sexual harassment. It also includes a pervasive moral relativism and an aversion to traditional values. When students are taught that right and wrong are meaningless social constructs, we should not be surprised at their nihilistic behavior. When they are taught that Western civilization has been a curse on humanity, we should not be shocked if they act in uncivilized ways. The boorish students to whom Quindlen refers are not rejecting P.C. dogma; they are simply taking it to its logical conclusion. Greg Pitner Mountain View, Calif.

Once again I was comforted not only by the eloquence of Anna Quindlen’s words, but by the thoughtfulness and integrity of the message in her piece about campus “protests.” As a recent college graduate–not of Indiana University–I, too, wonder and worry about how supposedly enlightened students of higher education could menace a college president, damage school property and cultivate an environment of intimidation over a basketball coach whose behavior was unacceptable. Although a few brave voices in this community have gone against the flow and tried to turn the tide back in favor of academics, learning, open-mindedness and discussion with respect, it was Quindlen who brought the message home. Jason Lee Bloomington, Ind.

As a senior at Denison University in Ohio, I was appalled by Anna Quindlen’s negative comments about fraternity culture as a whole, and especially on my campus. How many NEWSWEEK readers know that there have been more than five years of rebuilding and reconceptualizing of the Greek system and life at Denison? Had Quindlen spoken to any student at Denison, she would have learned that, while “any number of colleges identified the fraternity culture… as a source of problems ranging from vandalism to date rape,” the Denison chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha became the first fraternity to sponsor Katie Koestner, an outspoken date-rape survivor, who addressed more than 500 students here last month. This is just one example of what the “animal house” I belong to does. Food drives, book drives and an entire week dedicated to helping the blind are other examples. So fraternity life can change, and doesn’t always adhere to the stereotypes Quindlen presents. Jason Hackworth Granville, Ohio

I read with disbelief Anna Quindlen’s proclamation of the death of student left-wing activism, and her theory that it has given way to the “Animal House” ethos. That a certain party mentality prevails among some college students whose greatest concern may be the maintenance of a winning athletic program does not imply that there must simultaneously be a decline in real concern among other, more conscientious students about real-world problems. As a student at the University of Texas at Austin, I’ve been witness to (and often participated in) countless displays of student solidarity, whether in support of affirmative-action programs in higher education, or against the inhumanity of the death penalty, or in protest against the corporate greed and disregard of human interests demonstrated by the Fortune 500, which recently held part of their annual convention on our campus. If student idealism is dead, how do you account for the huge numbers of students rallying behind the candidacy of Ralph Nader in a shared contempt for the selling of our democracy to the highest corporate bidder? Michelle Marx Austin, Texas

Tea for One As a dedicated nonconformist, I was horrified to see that tea has become trendy (“The Temptations of Tea,” SOCIETY, Oct. 23). I’ve been a tea drinker for 30 years, and now when I drink tea everyone’s going to think I’ve succumbed to yet another commercial trend. Three years ago, I bought a scooter. Now everyone has one. This has to stop. What am I going to drink? What am I going to ride? It seems like there is no obscure territory left for me. Kool-Aid and tricycles, anyone? Janet Periat Pescadero, Calif.

Save the Plant The time has come in this country to reinvest in commercially and socially important native plants by establishing a federal conservation fund for their sound management (“Bitter Harvest,” SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, Oct. 16). Despite conservationists’ best efforts, wild ginseng populations continue to decline due to heavy harvest, among other human and natural factors. Far more ginseng is extracted from the wild (about $20 million worth) than is spent on protecting the medicinal plant and restoring its natural habitat. The lack of financial support for conserving plants like ginseng is in part related to a general perception that plants are unimportant. Ginseng, goldenseal, echinacea and dozens of other native plants are as much a part of our landscape as they are our medicine cabinets. Christopher S. Robbins World Wildlife Fund Washington, D.C.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-20” author: “James Hill”

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-04” author: “Debra Justus”

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-28” author: “Lee Hicks”

Election Overtime I believe the election mess will be a good thing. People are going to say, “Let’s not go through this again!” and make changes to forestall a repeat. Possible changes could include uniform ballots and voting machines, more precise election laws and better voter instruction in the use of ballots and machines, not to mention looking at the Electoral College to see whether this is how we really want to elect our presidents. Nothing like a little chaos to shake things up! A. A. Lloyd Asheville, N.C.

I voted for George W, but I have been surprised and embarrassed by the level of near hatred displayed by Republicans toward Al Gore and the Democrats and by the claims of larceny, sore loser and coup d’etat. All this is not helpful or warranted and will serve only to further divide our country. C. J. Garrett Houston, Texas

In the early stages of the election, I got my 9-year-old daughter motivated to learn all she could about our electoral process. I explained to her that it is important to vote, that it is a privilege not everyone in the world has. She was very excited when a mock election was held in school, with ballots to fill out and a box to put them in so others couldn’t see the vote or change it if they didn’t like who was voted for. The day after the presidential election, she came home from school and asked, “Who’s the president?” When I told her it hadn’t been decided yet but we should find out sometime soon, she said, “[The election] is stupid. There is only one every four years, and they can’t even get it right. We had our election yesterday and we had our result at the end of the day. We could all figure out how to use our ballots–how come everybody else can’t?” I didn’t have an answer, but her statement made me think that the process was disenchanting voters long before they even reached voting age. Jeremy Anthony Carson City, Nev.

Your Dec. 4 article “Here Come the Justices” (National Affairs) was an insightful look into the Supreme Court’s role in this year’s disputed presidential election. There was one error in your discussion of other landmark cases in the court’s history. The 1974 Nixon decision by a unanimous court ordered the president to hand over the disputed tapes to Special Prosecutor Leon Jaworski. Former prosecutor Archibald Cox had been dismissed in October 1973 as a result of the “Saturday Night Massacre.” Eric W. Rader Hamtramck, Mich.

Traumatic at Any Age As a pastor, I read with interest your article on the increase in divorce among the elderly (“Feeling the 50-Year Itch,” Society, Dec. 4). The statistics and explanations, while very sad, only point to the real reason for divorce among any age group. As we move away from a society based on Biblical values, we move toward a society that is completely self-absorbed. Sacred vows mean nothing anymore; the only thing that matters is whether one’s own needs are being met. These days people soothe their conscience by giving to charity or doing some kind of commendable social work, but abandon those who are closest to them. The idea of giving ourselves totally to someone “till death do us part” is foreign to our looking-out-for-number-one lifestyle. It is all the more tragic that this attitude is now affecting our oldest and presumably most stable generation. Rev. Greg Howell Stockbridge, Ga.

Your story notes that there’s one thing to be said for elder couples’ divorcing–“the kids are grown and (usually) out of the house.” Divorce is traumatic for family members, especially children, at any age. Traditions are broken, family history comes under a more cynical evaluation and new stepparents are difficult to fit into long-standing family equations. I am fortunate that when my mother divorced my father after 28 years of marriage, I was able to maintain a good relationship with both of them and to accept my dad’s new wife (and she was able to accept me and my six siblings). But repairing the damage and coming to terms with new relationships was the hardest work I’ve done in my life. Laura J. Morefield Saugus, Calif.

Out of It–And Glad About It NEWSWEEK, you made my day! Thank goodness for Ellen Karsh’s view on retirement; I was beginning to feel like a freak (“Bungee Jumping? I’d Rather Watch ‘Rosie’,” My Turn, Nov. 27). I retired from a very rewarding high-school and university teaching career of 35 years on May 12 at the age of 56. If I hear one more person ask me, “Now what are you going to do?” I think I’ll scream! No, I don’t want to learn how to play golf, or write a book or research the family. Finally, I want to be able to watch “Good Morning America” all the way through, read my NEWSWEEK cover to cover, listen to old albums and tapes that are dusty, sit at my new computer for hours e-mailing family, students and colleagues, enjoy more quality time with my husband, let homemade soup simmer for hours and share it with neighbors, visit with friends or simply do nothing! Marcy Rye Blout Carmichaels, Pa.

I would like to say thank you to Ellen Karsh for so eloquently explaining my own ideas about retirement. For several months prior to my retirement two years ago, I was constantly warned by my friends and co-workers that I would be bored silly or get depressed if I did not find something to do in retirement. Well, I did find something to do, like sleeping late, reading a lot and sometimes having what my late wife described as an “S and S” (sit and stare) day. My life has not been this stress-free since childhood. Go for it, Ellen, and enjoy! John Sanders San Bernardino, Calif.

Kudos to Ellen Karsh, who “outed” me. I’m newly nonemployed, 55-ish and perfecting the term “slug.” Anne R. West Chester, Va.

Grave Consequences In your otherwise useful article on Paul Ewald’s theory about the connection between germs and modern plagues, you link cervical cancer to “sexual promiscuity” (“The Real ‘Hot Zone’,” Society, Nov. 27). In doing so, you brand with a scarlet P countless monogamous women whose great mistake was not promiscuity but trusting one faithless man. Personal case: I am a cervical-cancer survivor, faithful for nearly 40 years to a husband who hid a string of affairs–until he brought home two sexually transmitted diseases, including the human papilloma virus, which is present in more than 90 percent of cervical-cancer cases. Fifteen thousand women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year. A third of them die. Testifying before a congressional-subcommittee hearing in 1999, Carol Ann Armenti, director of the Center for Cervical Health, pointed out: “Our society has branded these women pariahs. They are ashamed to discuss their disease.” The public needs to be made aware of the plight of women who are victimized not only by cervical cancer but also by their unwarranted trust in a promiscuous male and then by societal assumptions. Name Withheld Tuscaloosa, Ala.

What’s Best for Baby? I was sickened by the celebrities’ comments in your article “Baby’s Booty” (Society, Dec. 4), especially Cindy Crawford’s assertion that “you want your kids to have it all. That’s being a mother.” Being a mother is wiping runny noses, cleaning dirty bottoms and nurturing children so they grow up to be loving, responsible adults with a strong sense of themselves and what really matters in this world. That takes hard work and dedication, and is infinitely harder than shelling out cash for Gucci and Burberry. Showering youngsters with cashmere and miniature Mercedes-Benzes tells them not that they are loved and cherished but that possessions will bring them joy. What a sad and pathetic way to parent a child. Maryam Kubasek Loveland, Ohio

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-03” author: “Shirley Padgett”

Election Dissection Election 2000 has become a black comedy. I am so filled with disgust at the manipulation of the law and the election that I can’t bear to watch or listen anymore, and I believe most Americans (Republicans and Democrats) share that sentiment. Enough already with the recounts, hand counts and appeals. While Gore may have received the popular vote, he has lost the public’s backing with his legal maneuvering. Stephanie Packwood–Kirkland, Wash.

Everyone seems so worried about the health of Dick Cheney. I think that the greater concern should be with Al Gore’s hearing. The fat lady is singing, and she’s already into her encore–and he seems completely oblivious to it! Jo Ewy–Perry, Okla.

Can anyone tell me how I will explain to my children that every vote counts except those the lawyers fight to exclude? Pamela Chatenay-Lapointe–West Greenwich, R.I.

Bush should concede the election. He’s obviously lost the popular vote and, judging by his vehemence in objecting to Florida recounts, realizes that in reality he didn’t have enough votes there either. Claiming the presidency expresses his disbelief in democracy. Steve Troy–Boulder, Colo.

I am totally fed up with this election. I am an independent voter and have voted for Democrats and Republicans in the past. I think this year is a joke. Let it end. Gore has had more than enough chances. Barbara Mayfield–Meridianville, Ala.

Election rules in Florida and every other state were set, known and agreed on before the election. By those rules, Bush won. People who think the rules are not fair are free to try to change them–between elections. You don’t get to change the rules after the game is started. Didn’t most of us learn that in preschool or kindergarten? Mari Werner–North Hollywood, Calif.

Republicans are perpetual sore losers. Still infuriated over Nixon’s resignation and the Bush and Dole losses, they wasted $52 million in public funds on the Whitewater investigation, trying to reverse the will of the people who twice elected Bill Clinton. Now, incensed by the likelihood that Al Gore actually got more popular votes in the state that’s under the Republican domination of their candidate’s brother, they have done everything possible to delay, nullify and stop the legal hand recount of tens of thousands of ballots that machines cannot count. The Republican assault on the right of the people to be heard is intended to delay hand recounts until they do not matter. I hope the judiciary will regard such intentional disenfranchisement with contempt. William T. Fidurski–Clark, N.J.

Over the years, I have voted for candidates from various parties based on their positions on the issues as well as more intangible qualities (honesty and forthrightness). I have always felt that one of the best indicators of a man’s character is how he handles defeat. Is it with grace and aplomb? Or does he cry and whine and complain that he was “cheated”? The vice president does neither himself nor his party any good by the continued foot stamping and proliferation of lawsuits. Years ago my father told me that sometimes one has to “take it like a man.” While losing is lousy, it must be accepted (and learned from), and the loser must move on to other challenges. As the Democratic Party continues to support Gore’s efforts (to the detriment of the country), I am increasingly losing respect for the party as a whole. Rod Corey–Gettysburg, Pa.

Prison Generation In “The Prison Paradox” (Nov. 13), Ellis Cose has done his usual professional job on a troubling and complex issue, but he has described mostly the consequences of the disease of lawbreaking. I would have liked to see him bring his significant talents to bear on such contributors to the bulging minority prison population as specific cultural attitudes toward incarceration. For example, he states that many young minority men (and an increasing number of women) have adopted a blase attitude about doing time. It might be illuminating to ask the nearly 2 million inmates in American prisons to what extent fear of punishment influenced their decisions to commit crimes. Wayne Stephanoff–Las Vegas, Nev.

Now that you’ve given the criminals their say, will a future issue of NEWSWEEK feature nine pages detailing the misery of their victims? Pete Walker–Houston, Texas

Kenneth Barber is quoted in your cover story on prisoners as saying, “If most of the men in the community are incarcerated, you leave women to be community leaders and raise the families when it should be the other way around.” Why is having women acting as community leaders and raising families a bad thing? It may in fact be the only good thing to come out of this mess. Derek Ammons–Laurel, Md.

Are We Too Lax About Lyme? The lack of diagnosis and inadequate treatment of Lyme disease are only beginning to become public knowledge (“A War Over Lyme Disease,” society, Nov. 13), and you are to be congratulated on breaking the news of a medical conflict. Constance A. Bean–Wayland, Mass.

The Grinch Goes Hollywood Audrey Geisel should know better than anyone that the magic of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” lies in her late husband’s spare telling and trademark rhyming, its profundity in its sweet simplicity (“The Grinch’s Gatekeeper,” society, Nov. 13). Do we really want to sully such a pure and perfect story with the gaudy, over-the-top production and hype of big-budget Hollywood? To me, and I hope to many others, this $123 million movie is a near sacrilege. I will encourage every child within my personal sphere of influence to pass on this gross and utterly unnecessary gilding of Seuss’s beloved lily, and stick with the original book and/or animated film. To me, these will always embody the true spirit of Christmas… and the true spirit of Dr. Seuss. Randal Bruce Thatcher–Seattle, Wash.

As a child and now as the mother of a daughter born on Dr. Seuss’s last birthday, I have long been devoted to his creativity and integrity in equal measure. My father said he raised his children guided by Dr. Seuss instead of Dr. Spock, and I am doing so, too. Dr. Seuss wanted to be remembered as “the writer who turned down the most money per word in history” and created the fable “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” to illustrate the folly of commercialism. His widow, Audrey Geisel, has shown how little respect she has for his creative legacy by licensing his characters on everything from Pop-Tarts to ornaments. She calls her pocketing of Grinch merchandise revenues “a paradox to end all paradoxes.” I call Audrey Geisel the Grinch who stole Dr. Seuss. Ginny Southgate–Newport, Ky.

I’m 48 but the child in me celebrates and anticipates watching Jim Carrey as the Grinch. And bravo to Audrey Geisel for maintaining quality-control rights to preserve the story’s original intent, and to Ron Howard for adding more. I can’t wait! Patti Brown–Charleston, W.Va.

Correction In a story on the breakdown of the Mideast peace talks (“Walking Off a Cliff,” Nov. 27), the name of National Security Council officer Bruce Riedel was misspelled. We regret the error.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-14” author: “James Bossert”

The Wait for the White House I got your Nov. 20 Election Special Issue, “The Winner Is… ,” in the mail today and I can’t put it down. Bravo. I’ve spent countless hours in front of the TV following this still-undecided presidential race, watching the twists and turns it keeps taking. But the stories in your issue are fresh and engaging. It’s like I’m reading something that was written this morning. Good stuff. Thanks. Now I’ve got to get back to reading the magazine. Jeff Kart Bay City, Michigan

Instead of “The Winner Is… ,” the cover line on your Nov. 20 election issue should have read “The Whiner Is…” Presidential candidates George W. Bush and Al Gore have acted more like spoiled, peevish children than like true statesmen, displaying behavior that has become an embarrassment to our country’s proud political heritage. Kenneth L. Zimmerman Huntington Beach, California

Your Special Election Issue brings two words to mind right away: great cover! Jon Weis San Diego, California

Congratulations on an excellent election issue and on the stories tracing how the candidates entered the race for president and ran their campaigns. The material only confirmed the ravenous hunger for the presidency manifested by Al Gore in his willingness to alter his personality and mien in- stantaneously if it could garner votes. The Republican effort seemed to center on the desires of a group of power-hungry super-annuated individuals (all of the elder Bush’s former advisers) to regain the perks of power and privilege by training and sponsoring an inflatable dummy. The tragedy of this election is not the struggle for the presidency, but the fact that the richest and most powerful country on earth could not come up with better choices for leadership. Michel Wugmeister Stamford, Connecticut

The American people have spoken, and despite the utter bewilderment of politicians and pundits alike, they have spoken loud and clear. We, the collective voice of the electorate, have no overwhelming desire for either party to carry out its political agenda. We’ve had enough of agendas and ideologies. We want no experiments, fixes, “improvements” or “bright ideas.” No tinkering with government programs that currently work, if only imperfectly. No posturing, promises or partisanship. No politics as usual. We want the two major parties to settle their differences and, if necessary, to make a deal. To rule by consensus. To form a “caretaker government” in the European style. We want an end to the paralysis caused by the electoral impasse. In short, we just want to get on with our lives. Mendel Cooper St. David, Arizona

As an African, I’m amazed to learn that Americans, whom we considered to be well educated and intelligent, could be confused by a ballot paper. The implication is that the responsibility of choosing the world’s most powerful leader rests on voters who cannot even interpret the position of an arrow or a punch hole. How well, then, do they understand the issues they are supposed to base their decision on? If, after several centuries, this is the state of democracy in the most advanced country in the world, I can understand why it does not succeed in Africa. Andre Kruger Erasmia, South Africa

I was astounded to hear that thousands of voters in Palm Beach County were deprived of their right to choose the president of the United States because they inadvertently voted for more than one candidate. The old, primitive but effective mechanical voting machines still used in other parts of the country that have been around for more than 25 years make it impossible to vote for more than one candidate. It’s ironic that a country wealthy and sophisticated enough to send a man to the moon is unable to provide a simple voting machine for all its citizens. This fiasco in Florida has cost America more than the price of the machines and has made it the laughingstock of the world. David Tal Haifa, Israel

If you cannot (or choose not to) put your political house in order, perhaps you should consider this: keep Bill Clinton in office, have him fitted with a chastity belt and give the key to Jerry Falwell for safekeeping. Then abolish the Electoral College. True democracy will then smile upon you. Mario Quintino D’Avellar Vancouver, Canada

I’m a 14-year-old American citizen, and I’m appalled by this year’s presidential election. Our Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution to serve as the basis for our government. I don’t understand why neither Al Gore nor George Bush is willing to stop this madness that has gripped our country. The results of an American election should not hinge on what a specific group of voters is saying. I’m sorry if the ballot confused some voters, but if people did not understand how valuable their vote truly is until after the results came out, and didn’t take the time, the few seconds, necessary to read the ballot instructions, then they do not deserve a second chance; nor do they deserve the privilege of casting a ballot to elect the person who will lead our country. Megan McMahon Cincinnati, Ohio

It is a pleasure and an honor to welcome the strongest democracy in the world to the “Banana-Republic Club” of countries with electoral crises. Rodrigo Jaramillo Medellin, Colombia

All those who whine that “their vote doesn’t count” no longer have that excuse. Anyone who didn’t vote and is either surprised or upset by the outcome will have four years to think about it. Chad Bleakley Oklahoma city, Oklahoma

The United States has the presidential candidates it deserves. Gore and Bush tried so hard to please that their differences boiled down to who visited which talk show. No wonder the election came to resemble a soap opera. And in true American fashion, the voters who checked the wrong box aren’t vowing to do better next time–they’re suing. Now, while votes are being recounted and lawyers huddle, I suggest that Britney Spears prepare her candidacy. Stephan Stucklin Renens, Switzerland

I think it’s absurd that nations around the world should lampoon the United States about the electoral mess we’ve witnessed. Sure, it’s ironic that we Americans (who take upon ourselves the charge of educating the world on nation-building based on the model of our pristine democratic system) should have an uncertain presidential mandate similar to what could happen in, say, Yugoslavia. But keep in mind also that some 200 years ago, nobody provided Americans with even the slightest model for how to do this thing we call representative democracy. All the Founding Fathers had to work with was nearly limitless insight, coupled with the integrity of their convictions and a lot of hard work. And although after 200 years it would appear that the Electoral College is more of a relic than anything, well, the framers were just geniuses, not gods. Ed Zeltser New York, New York

A significant side effect of this postelection purgatory is a priceless opportunity for Americans and foreign nations to learn how Bush and Gore will behave in office under pressure in unplanned, ambiguous situations, in activating their staff, in not seeing the big picture and in perusing details. These real-time observations will be closely monitored by all, revealing personal style, strategy and tactics in parallel situations that the well-polished “official” campaign could not. Benny A. Benjamin Jerusalem, Israel

It’s undeniable that a significant number of Palm Beach County voters inadvertently cast their ballots for Pat Buchanan instead of Vice President Gore. It follows, then, that regardless of the outcome of the Florida recount, the will of the people was to elect Gore as the next president. Bush campaigned on the moral high ground. For him to choose to reject the will of the people involves no small measure of hypocrisy. David Magence Jerusalem, Israel

The presidential election shows that the democratic process is dead and has been replaced by a random statistical process. Voter turnout in the United States is about 50 percent. For Americans, deciding to go to the polls is like tossing a coin–heads for voting, tails for something else. No one cares where the candidates stand on the issues anyway. What are the issues? Toss the coin again and pick a candidate. Each candidate then gets plus or minus 50 percent–a statistical uncertainty in the tens of thousands for a voting population of 100 million. In Florida, the uncertainty is only about a thousand votes. The number in this marginal group will, nevertheless, determine who will have the future of the United States–and the planet–in his hands. I find this system arbitrary, dangerous and absurd. The world community should call for international supervision of the recounting in Florida, so that friends or brothers or incompetence will not cause an illegitimate victory. Jan Erik Eninger Stockholm, Sweden

The U.S. election in two words: fuzzy results. Alan Bryson Grassau, Germany

A few thousand Florida voters demonstrated their inability to comprehend and accurately complete their ballot forms. Predictably, they blamed someone else for their shortcomings and claimed special treatment and extra privileges. Vice President Gore and his team are doing everything possible to benefit from the situation. In the process, they risk making the entire nation look foolish. Armin J. Mattle Bourg-St-Andeol, France

George W. Bush can put an immediate end to the bitter partisan wrangling over the election by acknowledging the fact that some 20,000 voters in Palm Beach who thought they were voting for Al Gore had their votes voided. Aaron Sternfield Morges, Switzerland

Europeans find it incredible that the Republicans don’t seem to be interested in the correct number of votes and, therefore, in the voters’ will. Trying to stop the recounting smells of “bananas” and reminds one of the dirty tricks of Watergate. Republicans are tricky–they want to win no matter what the vote is. Is this the message of our leading democracy? Cyrill Wahrer Waldkirch-Kollnau, Germany

Middle East Madness So Israelis resent the fact that “all the land they have returned to the Arabs in the last seven years has earned them little good will” (“At the Breaking Point,” World Affairs, Oct. 16)? Why should it earn them good will? The Israelis occupied (took away, stole) Arab land, and they handed back bits and pieces of it to the Arabs, the rightful owners. As long as the Arabs are the deprived underdogs and the Israelis the masters, there will be no peace. Barbara Dahlgruen Hannover, Fermany

I believed that peace was the only hope for the Middle East, and the Camp David treaty was the Arab world’s chance for a better future. Now, after watching the systematic demolishing of Palestinian identity, land and life, I’m not sure. While Palestinians are forced to beg for a fraction of the occupied territories, they are still not getting it peacefully. After seeing two decades of Israeli occupation of Lebanon–how it went on with the whole world watching, doing nothing and then seeing the way it ended–I believe that the Israelis will not offer peace unless they realize that not doing so will incur a very high price. Unfortunately, the only price that will be of any value is violence. If organizations like Hamas become involved, they will find a lot of supporters even among those who do not share their political views. Hanna Aboulghar Cairo, Egypt

In keeping with the noble spirit of Biblical tradition and inclusiveness, when the modern state of Israel rescued the Temple Mount from the attacking Jordanians in 1967, Israel graciously allowed the Arabs to continue worshipping on this mountain and even gave them de facto religious control of the site. Now the new Muslim safekeepers of the Temple Mount are too intolerant to watch a Jew approach without calling for a jihad (holy war) against Israel. Shalom Spira Montreal, Canada

I am not for any one side, but I do not believe you tried to be fair in your reporting. You did not include one picture of an Israeli soldier shooting rubber bullets at the young rock throwers. You did not include one interview with a spokesperson from the Palestinian side, while you provided two with Israeli leaders. Your cover shows Palestinians with guns, but it does not show Israeli tanks and soldiers shooting civilians. Caroline Derkson via internet

The Israelis need to get out. The violence is against an occupying force. U.N. Resolution 242 calls for a return of the West Bank and Gaza to the Palestinians. Instead, the Israelis have attempted to colonize the West Bank and refuse to leave, even under the proposed peace plan. The violence we see now is perpetrated by the Israeli army of occupation, using U.S.-supplied helicopters and lethal weapons against children and rock throwers. Nowhere else in the world would we tolerate such excessive use of force against civilians. We need to restrain the Israelis, support U.N. Resolution 242, get the Israelis out of the West Bank and respect Palestinian sovereignty. That will end the violence. It will bring security for the Israelis and justice for the Palestinians. George and Dianna Sparks Kuwait

The bottom line is this: if you oppress and abuse a people long enough, they will eventually rise up against you. And if you continue to deny them their human rights in the face of their righteous indignation, the rest of the world will turn against you as well. This is what Israel is experiencing now. Not rampant anti-Semitism or perpetual victim status, but the fruits of its own oppressive policies, flouting of international law and disregard for Palestinian human rights. Diana Maxfield-Helwani Kansas City, Missouri

There cannot be peace between Israelis and Palestinians until Palestinian leaders stop preaching hate and violence against the Israelis. As long as Hamas and Hizbullah (and the idea of jihad) are supported and financed by Iran, Syria and Lebanon, there will be no peace. These terrorist organizations were formed to remove Israel from the face of the earth. If these groups and countries were truly concerned with the plight of the Palestinians, the money used for terrorism would be channeled to educate, to teach trades, to improve the standard of living and elevate people from poverty and frustration. Where are the parents of these Palestinian children throwing rocks at Israeli soldiers? Why do they allow these victims the freedom to participate in violence that can maim or kill them? The Palestinian Authority cares little for these victims, or it wouldn’t inflame them to fight to the death. These youngsters are frustrated because they have no future and blame the Israelis instead of the Palestinian leaders, who do nothing to help them change their situation. Name Withheld Guadalajara, Mexico

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-17” author: “Mary Cogliano”

Your article naively assumes that Russia is like a poor United States, rubs Putin’s nose in the poverty of his country and demands he kowtow to Washington as a matter of duty. He disagrees with some U.S. foreign policy and expresses his opinion. As head of a sovereign state, he even acts. Does he need U.S. permission for this? Putin’s problems and concerns cannot be understood in an American framework or solved by U.S.-style democratic means, since neither these laws nor the philosophical framework exists in Russia. President Putin is forced to go a different way; and insisting that the United States’ version of democracy is the only model worth following is naive, isolationist and arrogant. Hans-Peter Clamann–Bern, Switzerland Questionable Criteria The criteria you used to compile the list of people for “Gone But Not Forgotten” are unclear, but it doesn’t seem indicative of NEWSWEEK’s good reputation. Among others, the list of people includes a murderer and dictator (Hafez Assad) and the king of all bribe takers (Benedetto Craxi). Who’s next? Adolf Hitler? Carlo Gambacorti–Monza, Italy Praying for Peace As a Christian from Bethlehem, I was upset by the implication made in your article “From Olive Oil to Sniper Fire” (World Affairs, Nov. 27). It suggested that Christians do not agree with Muslims and therefore are happy with the occupation by Israel. This is not true. Christians have suffered as much as Muslims because of the Israeli occupation, and are eager to see it end. The Israeli government has consistently tried to cause rifts between the two religions–in this case, demolishing Christian towns and blaming it on Muslims. Many Christians belong to the Palestinian Authority, including Dr. Hanan Ashrawi, who has dedicated her life to liberating the occupied territories for all Palestinians. Religion is not the issue. Israel has been breaking international law and violating human rights for more than 50 years. Olga Aburdene–London, England Revisiting America’s Election Thank you for the fine coverage of the American courts’ active role in the installation of George W. Bush as the next president of the United States. As your own Jonathan Alter puts it in “The Fallout” (Election 2000, Dec. 25/Jan. 1), the response of any American administration to the same event happening abroad would be one of " ‘grave concern’ and threats to cut off aid.” This election has shown us that, in the end, judges run our democracies. Neil Dias–Colombo, Sri Lanka

I found your article on Hillary Clinton very enlightening. The headline grabbed my attention, the subtitle pulled me in and each paragraph got me more interested. I was sure I was in for details about her seat in the Senate, but I was pleased to read an article that showed more of a personal side to Hillary. For the first time I got an impression of her as a normal person who has had to deal with many difficult things. It became obvious to me how hard she worked to earn her current role in America. Though many New Yorkers had been supportive of Hillary all along, I was not. But because of your article, I think I will be doing some serious research before stepping into the voting booth again. Janine Estrada–Bethpage, New York Al Gore’s Crusade I enjoyed reading your article about Al Gore (“Al Eyes The Future,” Election 2000, Dec. 25/Jan. 1). I watched his concession speech and thought he was sincere and dignified. It was another side of Gore that we rarely got to see during the campaign. If he decides to run for president again in 2004, he’s already won my vote. He is a strong advocate for nature and is trying to bring awareness of the seriousness of global warming to the public. He wants stronger gun control to prevent gratuitous deaths, and he wants to fix Medicare. Thanks for showing the softer side of Al Gore. The Democrats have a great man on their side. I hope he gets a second chance at becoming a great leader for America. Laura Schneider New Hyde Park, New York

It’s great to hear that Al Gore will devote his time to crusading for global-warming awareness. This issue demands our full attention, and Al Gore is leading the way. We didn’t get our environmental president, but Al Gore is still keeping his promise to help protect the environment. Thank you, NEWSWEEK, for another fine article. Carl Coerdt–Dover, New Hampshire Working on the Railroad Thank you for your excellent article on the British railway system (“Traveling on the Cheap,” Europe, Dec. 18). British Railways is in a hopeless situation and needs considerable investment and expertise. Recently BR has invited Indian Railway engineers to provide necessary skills and experience for a difficult upgrading project. India has the second largest railway network in the world and is experienced in managing demanding projects. To put the matter in perspective, Indian Railways transports about 11 million passengers between 7,000 stations every day. Indian trains–90 percent of which arrive within 20 minutes of their scheduled time–run more punctually than Britain’s. I think BR should hand over the technical planning and implementation of track management to Indian Railways so that we poor commuters can get better service. Vipul Thakore–London, England The World Is Too Much With Us It is highly symptomatic of our times that you lament global warming at the beginning of your issue (“Too Hot To Handle?” World View, Nov. 13) and then sing the praises of urbanization, globalization and commuting between London and New York (“The NY-LON Life”). Is life all about money, high-profile restaurants and style, or does it have a basis in the natural resources of our planet? As for “globalization,” you really mean “Americanization.” Yes, we have Paris, but as you point out, it too is becoming more like New York. How boring. Rudolf Hiller von Gaertringen–Frankfurt Am Main, Germany

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-11” author: “Evelyn Borgman”

Our cover story on cryptography, from Steven Levy’s new book, elicited strong opinions. “No event in human history has so fundamentally altered the relationship between government and governed as the crypto breakthrough,” declared one reader. Several praised NEWSWEEK for placing the subject at center stage. “I learned a great deal about encryption from your excerpt,” one told us. But some folks urged caution: “Logical and technical flaws must be answered before we accept the cryptos’ prescription,” said one. Warned another: “There are many unanswered questions about security, all of which begin with the simple observation that the tightest pipes still leak at either end.”

Is Your E-Mail Really Private?

Your Jan. 15 cover story, “beating Big Brother” (science & technology), was right on target. While there have been many articles on the threat of computer hackers and the loss of privacy in comput-er systems, few authors discuss solutions. Your article addressed a specific solution–the use of strong encryption to protect the integrity and confidentiality of electronic transactions. In an age when we increasingly rely on electronic storage and transmission of our private information, encryption is the keystone not only to the protection of our data but to the protection of our democracy.

Joseph T. Broghamer – Arlington, Va.

“Beating Big Brother” must have struck a chord with millions of Americans who value our most sacred constitutional rights, especially freedom of speech and of assembly. The National Security Agency’s ropping on everyone’s encrypted messages because the technology of privacy will be abused by a few bad apples was foolish. The rule in America is freedom, and when government creates an exception to that rule–like the Clipper Chip–that is so broad it affects everyone, then the exception inevitably swallows the rule and replaces it.

Sam Stewart – Columbus, N.J.

Your article on cryptography and Internet privacy concerns puts corporations and legal firms on notice in terms of negligence and the malpractice suits that could result from their naive approach to e-mail security. Organizations spend thousands of dollars to protect their networks and intellectual property against intrusions from the outside by installing firewalls and protective software. Yet they routinely e-mail the most confidential and private documents “in the clear” across the Internet, where they can be intercepted at will by corporate eavesdroppers and government snoops. This betrayal of trust opens the door to theft, espionage and fraud, and exposes the parties to damaging risks and liabilities. As your article points out, encryption technology is the only way to turn e-mail from a broadcast medium into a private one-on-one communications channel.

Art Quirk – South Glastonbury, Conn.

I read with reassurance Steven Levy’s story of how Whit Diffie and others scored a victory for civil liberties against the potential abuses of the government. However, the government, at least, has to get a warrant before it invades its citizens’ privacy. Private employers, on the other hand, routinely monitor the phone calls and e-mails of their employees, and exercise surveillance over not only the workplace but dressing areas and restrooms as well. I don’t minimize the threat government poses, but I fear we are worrying about the wrong foe. Had George Orwell written today, he might well have called Big Brother “The Boss.”

John Strom – Washington, D.C.

A Movie All Too True to Life

Jonathan Alter’s commentary on America’s drug problem as presented by the film “Traffic” was welcome (“A Well-Timed ‘Traffic’ Signal,” between the lines, Jan. 15). Alter reminds us that we need to focus on all aspects of America’s drug menace. Law enforcement alone will not cure addiction. America still has too many teenagers snorting cocaine, smoking crack and marijuana and using heroin. In fact, nationally, heroin use has doubled in the last five years. “Traffic” should be required viewing for parents and teenagers, for our new president and his cabinet. Let’s hope the new drug czar asks the right questions and gets involved soon. We need long-range programs emphasizing prevention and treatment, along with law enforcement and training at every level. While interdiction has a role, it should not take precedence over what we need to do here at home.

Peter B. Bensinger

Chicago, Ill.

When Jonathan Alter suggests that our drug policy should be updated by new ideas, “thinking outside the box,” he is exactly right. Unfortunately, the proposed “new” thinking offered by Gen. Barry McCaffrey really does not address the underlying problem. I think it is obvious that our drug policy is not achieving any desirable results. General McCaffrey suggested improving insurance coverage for substance-abuse problems. That would be helpful, but as a physician I’d like to point out that it does not address the reality that medical treatment of drug problems has so few successes that it cannot solve the problem. Most users rapidly relapse. Our nation’s failure to substantially reduce drug use despite an expensive long-term effort merely demonstrates that we never really learned the lesson of Prohibition. I have never used any illegal drugs and have no desire to do so, but the demand for drugs in America remains huge, and it is not going to disappear merely because the products happen to be illegal. Furthermore, the criminalization of drug use is fueling much of the violence in our cities. Drug czars looking for ideas that might work should start by considering the model we use for tobacco. Tobacco is legal, but it is regulated and taxed. If we legalized most of the currently abused drugs, we could tax their sales and use the revenue to fund treatment programs, enforcement efforts and research into truly effective treatments. If most drugs were legal, there would be less incentive for Third World farmers to raise drug-related plants for cash crops, and the nation’s prisons would no longer be overflowing with small-time users and sellers. We might even reduce the federal deficit by taxing the growers of marijuana, since it is possibly one of the nation’s most lucrative cash crops. It looks like a no-brainer to me.

William Renfroe – Mocksville, N.C.

The Joy of Presidents

I just finished reading Anna Quindlen’s insightful piece “Happy Leader, Happy Nation” (the last word, Jan. 15) and find myself having an “aha!” moment. Ever since the bizarre presidential election of 2000 was settled, I’ve been wondering how our new president is going to be successful, given his less than overwhelming approval by the voters. Quindlen is right on the mark here–what this country needs is a leader who lifts us up, a happy leader who believes that he has the greatest job running the greatest country in the world. Even though I voted for Gore, I’d like to see Bush succeed. I hope that he is a happy leader and that we are a happier nation for it. Let’s put all this political messiness behind us and be happy.

Karen Ryan – Erie, PA.

Quindlen’s column says that in spite of Ronald Reagan’s “disastrous policies,” he won by huge margins because he exuded the confidence of “pride of place.” Reagan had excellent judgment, and his policies were the polar opposite of disastrous. He had the guts to fight inflation, fight blackmailing labor unions and, most important, send the Soviet Union into disunion with the eventual fall of communism.

Lee Tabin – Highland Park, Ill.

I think Anna Quindlen’s “happy leader, Happy Nation” is an outstanding essay, succinct and to the point. I have been trying to figure out for years why and how Reagan was so popular. Now I know: like Clinton, he was happy in his job and projected that to the people, which made them feel good about “morning in America.”

James T. Engle Jr. – Brandenburg, KY.

Will Bill Speak Out About W?

In “The Buzz” (Periscope, Jan. 15), a quote you include from a news publication suggests that it may be hard for Bill Clinton to observe a “discreet ex-presidential silence about the policies of his successor.” For all of our sakes, I certainly hope Clinton doesn’t stay quiet. In fact, I hope he begins every sentence with “Well, you know, the American people never really elected him.”

Patty Brissenden – Hope Valley, Calif.

Time to Separate the Twins

I object strongly to the caption in your Jan. 15 periscope item “The Bush House of Style,” referring to the president’s daughters simply as “the twins.” As a twin myself, who has a great relationship with her own sister, I can assure you that Jenna and Barbara do not want to be known for the next four to eight years as “the twins.” Each of them is her own distinct person, looking for her own individuality; perhaps one example of this is that they are attending different colleges. It would be nice for NEWSWEEK to take the lead and vow to identify each young woman individually by name. I can remember growing up and always thinking that my sister and I would get one toaster to split between us for a wedding gift. I wonder if Jenna and Barbara think the same thing.

Deborah Byron Nixon – Reston, VA.

The Ugly 1936 Olympics

Your small item noting the death of sports broadcaster Marty Glickman (transition, Jan. 15) was unfair to him. You state that Glickman “always claimed” that he lost his spot on the 1936 Berlin Olympics 4 x 100 relay team because he was Jewish, but that, in fact, he was replaced by a faster runner. Factually, this statement is probably correct. However, the implication that Glickman was a race baiter and a sore loser could not be further from the truth. In 1936 it was the practice that the 4 x 100 relay team be made up of the four fastest runners who did not individually qualify for the 100. Glickman was among those four. Over the years, it has been affirmed by many others–including Jesse Owens, one of the runners who replaced Glickman–that Glickman and another Jewish athlete were replaced because they were Jewish. Your statement implying that this might not have been the explanation had no place in your recognition of the passing of this great sports figure.

Shoshana Paige – Dallas, Texas

Corrections

In his column in our Jan. 22 issue (“AOL’s ‘Transforming Transaction’”), Allan Sloan wrote that AOL had acquired its Instant Messenger product. In fact, AOL created Instant Messenger. AOL purchased a second instant-message service, ICQ. We regret the error.

In our dec. 25/Jan. 1 double issue (Perspectives 2000), we inadvertently republished a quote about data revealing a crater on Mars that had been misattributed in our Jan. 17, 2000, perspectives section to Richard Zurek, project scientist for the Mars Polar Lander. The quote, as we noted in our Jan. 24, 2000, letters column, should have been attributed to “unnamed engineers” at Lockheed Martin. We apologize for the oversight.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-25” author: “Mathew Scott”

As a mother of four children and a student of women’s studies, I agree with Carla Power’s assessment that European women are being affected by globalization in both positive and negative ways. I think there needs to be a greater emphasis on understanding gender roles. Although we have seen major improvements in recent years, the extent to which these improvements have helped working mothers raise children remains disappointing. To guarantee full and equal use of globalization’s enormous potential, traditional attitudes toward the roles of men and women must change. A case in point is the sharing of care for aging relatives. Petra Lutticke–Drolshagen, Germany

Your Jan. 1 issue, which devoted 30 pages to the U.S. presidential election, made me lose all hope that NEWSWEEK would cover anything but domestic politics. Then came the Jan. 8 issue, with your Special Report on women. Readers of the new millennium deserve less of George W. Bush and more of important social issues like this. Ahu Latifoglu–Istanbul, Turkey

Carla Power’s article gives inspiration and hope to women all around the globe that they, too, can make something of themselves in a world dominated by men. I hope that this century will be the century of the woman. Brother Joel A. Bernasor–Catholic Center Campus Ministry Iligan, Philippines

Susan Faludi focuses on a survey that addresses the concerns of wealthy women (“Don’t Get the Wrong Message”). As a divorced woman with two young children, I do not worry about “the better Chanel bag.” I worry about getting food on the table and buying them winter coats this year. Maria Thomassin–LaSalle, France The Palestinian Dilemma Yasir Arafat’s motives are becoming increasingly mysterious (“Arafat’s Choice,” World Affairs, Jan. 8). Now that Bill Clinton is out of office and the chances of Ehud Barak’s losing the election to hard-liner Ariel Sharon are very high, why do the Palestinians keep demanding 100 percent of the cake? Is Arafat counting on the military support of his Arab neighbors, drawing countries like Syria, Jordan or Egypt into a major war with Israel? If the present situation is allowed to continue, one Israeli killed compared with approximately 10 Palestinians is tantamount to an agonizingly slow destruction of Arafat’s people. Werner Radtke–Paderborn, Germany The Return of an Icon It is great that you devoted space in your prestigious magazine to the Taiwanese-born singer A-mei (“Back in the Spotlight,” Asia, Jan. 8). However, I must take issue with some of the statements in your article. I am an admirer of A-mei’s, but the claim that she is the “sole Taiwanese pop star to earn a near-cult following on the mainland” is an exaggeration. Since the 1980s, several Taiwanese pop stars have gained superstar status in China. At present there are several singers who command huge fame, such as Phil Chang (Zhang Yu) and Richie (Ren Xianxi). Furthermore, A-mei is not exactly “persona non grata in China,” as you say. Her ads and concerts may have been banned by Beijing, but her popularity has dipped only because of her hiatus, not because of some imperial edict. Mainlanders were as excited as the rest of Asia by the release of A-mei’s new album, which can be bought in pirated form from almost any corner music shop in the People’s Republic. Lu Xiong–Shanghai, China Working on the Railroad Thank you for your excellent article on the British railway system “Traveling on the Cheap,” Europe, Dec. 18). British Rail is in a hopeless situation and needs considerable investment and expertise. Recently BR has invited Indian Railways engineers to provide necessary skills and experience for a difficult upgrading project. India has the second largest railway network in the world and is experienced in managing demanding projects. To put the matter in perspective, Indian Railways transports about 11 million passengers between 7,000 stations every day. Indian trains–with 90 percent arriving within 20 minutes of scheduled time–run more punctually than in Britain. I think BR should hand over the technical planning and implementation of track management to Indian Railways, so that we poor commuters can get better service. Vipul Thakore–London, England A High-Tech Army? In “Buying a Better Army” (Asia, Dec. 18) you say that “Chinese strategists were sobered by U.S. high-tech wizardry during the gulf war and… by NATO’s intervention in Kosovo.” By NATO’s own admission, more than 70 percent of its targets were missed in both Iraq and Kosovo. That’s not exactly what you would call high-tech wizardry. It’s one thing to have high-tech weapons, and another to know how to use them. One can have the best technology in the world, but if the soldiers don’t know how to use it, the military will be useless. Jiri Sahula–via Internet Al Gore’s Crusade I enjoyed your article on Al Gore (“Al Eyes the Future,” Election 2000, Dec. 25/Jan. 1). His concession speech was sincere and dignified, a side of Gore that we rarely saw during the campaign. If he decides to run for president in 2004, he’s already won my vote. He’s bringing an awareness of global warming to the public, wants stronger gun control and wants to fix Medicare. Thanks for showing the softer aspect of Al Gore. The Democrats have a great man on their side. I hope he gets a second chance at becoming a great leader. Laura Schneider–New Hyde Park, New York

It’s great to hear that Al Gore will devote his time to crusading for global-warming awareness. This issue demands our full attention, and Gore’s leading the way. We didn’t get our environmental president, but Gore is keeping his promise to help protect the environment. Thank you, NEWSWEEK, for another fine article. Carl Coerdt–Dover, New Hampshire Desperate for Refuge Your article on the Afghan refugees (“The Doors Are Closed,” Asia, Dec. 11) made me realize just how badly they are treated. Refugees are supposed to be taken care of. The United Nations has done much in this situation, but it needs to do more than hand out money. Salby Ng–Kuching, Malaysia A No-Guilt Virus I was intrigued by a sentence in your article on AIDS in China (“Facing a Demon,” Asia, Dec. 4): “Yuppies, People’s Liberation Army soldiers… and innocents like Li Ning have HIV.” Li Ning contracted HIV through a tainted blood transfusion. Yuppies are presumably infected by drug abuse or unprotected sex, and soldiers presumably contract the disease by visiting prostitutes. But does that make those two groups any less “innocent” than others who are HIV-positive? Are the Yuppies and soldiers “guilty” of contracting the virus? This attitude betrays a certain degree of prejudice, similar to the attitudes in China that your article criticizes. Raimund Schiess–Frankfurt am Main, Germany Endangered Reefs In “A Growing Coral Crisis” (World Affairs, Oct. 30) you say, “Always wanted to go scuba diving on a coral reef but never quite found the time? You might want to book your flight fast… coral reefs are among the most endangered ecosystems on the planet.” It has been documented that in the oceanic national parks off the coast of Florida, one of the most damaging “invaders” happens to be–surprise!–man. Yet you encourage more people to hurry up and inflict further insult on a delicate and wondrous habitat. A neophyte snorkeler myself, I was deeply shocked to see the dead coral and devastation off the beaches of Barbados last year. Save a reef: stay away! Judy Barbour–Elon, North Carolina

Your article on the coral-reef crisis left the impression that there is nothing the “little guy” can do, because it’s global warming that’s causing the problem. But there is something we can do to help stop the degradation of the coral reefs: boycott all commercial coffee and chocolate products. Black-marketed DDT is killing coral reefs even as you read this. DDT is applied to plantations for commercial sun-grown coffee and cocoa because it works so well. DDT comes to you and your children in beverages and treats. Pamela Lewis–Eugene, Oregon

The rising number of dead coral reefs, like the melting poles, should inspire the nations of the world to launch an effective program that will reduce–even stop–global warming. It will cost a lot, but if everyone is willing to make small sacrifices, such as driving less, it won’t be impossible. If we can’t be persuaded to give up this inconsiderate way of living, it will be just a question of time until a freshwater shortage makes us realize that money is not edible or potable. Philipp Mitterbauer–Regensburg, Germany

The coral crisis is a real concern for the Pacific island countries. We in the Republic of Palau, known the world over for its pristine waters and great diving spots, stand to lose our major economic resource–the tourist industry–if the world community continues to do little about global warming that threatens the low islands of Micronesia with rising water levels. Andres Uherbelau–Former Minister of State and Foreign Affairs Republic of PalauA Cool New Old Car These days sports cars are not popular in Japan (“Secret Weapon,” Business, Jan. 8). People prefer more practical cars, so I don’t think it will be easy for Nissan to revive itself with the Z car, even if it does have a cool design. Shinji Nakano–Chiba, Japan

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-16” author: “Mickey Jolly”

“How They Beat Big Brother” must have struck a chord with millions of Americans who value our most sacred constitutional rights, especially freedom of speech and of assembly. The National Security Agency’s apparently well-meaning attempt to develop a means of eavesdropping on everyone’s encrypted messages because the technology of privacy will be abused by a few bad apples was foolish. The rule in America is freedom, and when government creates an exception to that rule–like the Clipper Chip–that is so broad it affects everyone, then the exception inevitably swallows the rule and replaces it. Sam Stewart – Columbus, New Jersey

Your article on cryptography and Internet-privacy concerns puts corporations and legal firms on notice in terms of negligence and the malpractice suits that could result from their naive approach to e-mail security. Organizations spend thousands of dollars to protect their networks and intellectual property against intrusions from the outside by installing firewalls and protective software. Yet they routinely e-mail the most confidential and private documents “in the clear” across the Internet, where they can be intercepted at will by corporate eavesdroppers and government snoops. This betrayal of trust opens the door to theft, espionage and fraud, and exposes the parties to damaging risks and liabilities. As you point out, encryption technology is the only way to turn e-mail from a broadcast medium into a private one-on-one communications channel. Art Quirk – South Glastonbury, Connecticut

I read with reassurance Steven Levy’s story of how Whit Diffie and others scored a victory for civil liberties against the potential abuses of the government. However, the government at least has to get a warrant before it invades its citizens’ pri- vacy. Private employers, on the other hand, routinely monitor the phone calls and e-mails of their employees, and exercise surveillance over not only the workplace but dressing areas and restrooms as well. I don’t minimize the threat government poses, but I fear we are worrying about the wrong foe. Had George Orwell written today, he might well have called Big Brother “The Boss.” John Strom – Washington, D.C. Football Follies Your article “The Fall of Football” (World Affairs, Jan. 15) made very interesting and informative reading. However, as a longtime supporter of the French national team, I couldn’t help noticing that Mac Margolis erred in his initial mention of the score in the ‘98 World Cup Final. That day France defeated Brazil 3-0, not 3-1. Gallic pride aside, this was an unprecedented shutout score for a world final which only added to the collective sense of defeat caused in Brazil by this loss. Manfred LaCassagnere – Bastia, France

You write “led by Pele, Brazil won three World Cups in 12 years, in 1958, 1962 and 1970.” Pele emerged as a great player but not yet a leader in the finals of the 1958 Cup since he was only 17 at the time. And in 1962, due to a muscle injury in the first match, Pele sat out most of the Cup held in Chile. It is true, however, that from 1958 up to the ’70s he was considered the greatest football player in the world. Mauricio Sanchez – Mexico City, Mexico

We Brazilians still think we have the best soccer players in the world, but that has not been true for quite some time now. We lost the World Cups from 1974 to 1990, we won the ‘94 World Cup in a pathetic tie against Italy and lost again in ‘98. After losing to France, very few people here accepted the fact that France played the best soccer in the Cup and deserved to win. We may find answers to what is happening to Brazilian soccer after the Senate panel’s investigation of corruption. But being the best will still remain in doubt. I’m still interested in soccer but I’m not eager to see the games in our violent stadiums. Marcelo Goncalves de Freitas – Sao Paulo, Brazil

I’m very upset about the corruption in Brazilian soccer. This sport, which is almost a religion here, has turned into a big business; and many powerful men, including politicians, are finding ways to profit from it even though the teams and players keep getting worse and worse. Fortunately, this mafia of cartolas, soccer-club associations, businessmen, politicians and other professionals, is now being publicly exposed. Also, NEWSWEEK, please note that in Brazil, we speak Portuguese, not Spanish. So, it’s not “Numero Uno,” but “Numero Um.” Jose Luiz Damasceno – Londrina, Brazil

Can Brazilian football be saved? Yes, if the monopoly of the cartolas is controlled and the spreading cancer of commercialization of clubs based on shareholders’ fat, lucrative profits is removed once and for all. Let the real game of football prevail again without cartolas for all soccer-loving Brazilians. Syed Rashid Ali Shah – Vroomshoop, Netherlands The ‘Traffic’ Signal Jonathan Alter’s commentary on America’s drug problem as presented by the film “Traffic” was welcome (“A Well-Timed ‘Traffic’ Signal,” Opinion, Jan. 15). Alter reminds us that we need to focus on all aspects of our drug menace. Law enforcement alone will not cure addiction. America still has too many teenagers snorting cocaine, smoking crack and marijuana and using heroin. In fact, nationally, heroin use has doubled in the last five years. “Traffic” should be required viewing for parents and teenagers, for the president and his cabinet. Let’s hope the new drug czar asks the right questions and gets involved soon. We need long-range programs emphasizing prevention and treatment, along with law enforcement and training at every level. While interdiction has a role, it should not take precedence over what we must do at home. Peter B. Bensinger Former Administrator U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Chicago, Illinois

Alter suggests that our drug policy should be updated by new ideas, “thinking outside the box.” He is right. Unfortunately, the proposed “new” thinking offered by Gen. Barry McCaffrey really does not address the underlying problem. It is obvious that our drug policy is not achieving any desirable results. General McCaffrey suggested improving insurance coverage for substance-abuse problems. That would help, but as a physician I know the reality: medical treatment of drug problems has so few successes that it cannot solve the problem. Most users rapidly relapse. America’s failure to substantially reduce drug use despite an expensive long-term effort demonstrates that we never learned the lesson of Prohibition. The demand for drugs remains huge and is not going to disappear merely because the products are illegal. Furthermore, the criminalization of drug use is fueling violence. Let’s consider the model we use for tobacco. It is legal, but regulated and taxed. If we legalized drugs, we could tax their sales and use the revenue to fund treatment programs, enforcement efforts and research into effective treatments. If most drugs were legal, there would be less incentive for Third World farmers to raise drug- related plants for cash crops, and U.S. prisons would not be overflowing with small-time users and sellers. We might even reduce the federal deficit by taxing the growers of marijuana–one of the nation’s most lucrative cash crops. William Renfroe – Mocksville, North Carolina Waiting for Democracy Brook Larmer’s article on the “new generation” of Asian leaders was right on target (“No Guiding Light,” Asia, Dec. 25/Jan. 1). In terms of ideals and models, we have democracy in Asia. However, “democracy” in countries like the Philippines, South Korea and Indonesia is a mere shadow of the Western notion of democracy. In the Philippines, for example, Joseph Estrada was elected by the highest number of the popular vote since the end of the Marcos regime. Yet, as shown by his impeachment, this did not guarantee the country a competent and responsible president. Similarly, in many other fledgling democracies in Asia, the so-called new generation of leaders may turn out to be nothing more than the shadows of their former authoritarian rulers who often ruled with the full support of Western capitalist enterprises. Asia’s challenge is to find its rightful place in the world, both economically and culturally. If we remain content to be shells of our former colonizers, we will not be able to take our place on the world stage. Zak Yuson – Manila, Philippines

In “No Guiding Light,” Brook Larmer writes that the Asian leadership crisis is “part of the natural growing pains of democracy.” This gives a bad name to democracy. Asia’s crises stem from the mismanagement of democracy, not from democracy itself. The citizens of these formerly colonized nations have to learn to handle freedom itself. As Larmer mentions, the leaders of these nations came to power just after the economic crisis and had to shoulder an enormous responsibility. Their inability to manage their respective countries only increased their people’s dissatisfaction. This is a complex issue and we should not simplify it by referring to it as “growing pains.” I hope that these crises will only strengthen the democracies in these countries. Diana Marie P. Miano – Quezon City, Philippines

Labeling Philippine president Joseph Estrada a “new generation” leader is like saying that 45rpm vinyl records are still in vogue. Estrada is no “new” leader! He is a ghost of our Marcos past, which still cries out for closure before the country can move on. The martial-law years held back the emergence of decent and visionary political leaders in our country. Give us a little more time to set things straight and rejoin mainstream democracy. Augustus C. Mamaril – Quezon City, Philippines A Changing Climate Your article about the summit on climate change (“The Mercury’s Rising,” Society & the Arts, Dec. 4) was a woefully inadequate response to the most serious situation affecting the future of humanity and other life forms on the planet. More and more respected scientists have realized the impact that human activity is having on global warming and the concomitant changes to climate and weather patterns. It is imperative that an agreement on how this should be addressed is reached fairly and equitably. The United States creates 24 percent of the world’s carbon-dioxide emissions from only 5 percent of its population. Other countries have successfully implemented sustainability policies to reduce their emissions. The cause of the breakdown in talks at the summit was the United States’ inability to agree on any real concessions. John Gazeley – London, England

In the Dec. 4 story on climate, your writer draws an analogy between the likelihood of the United States Senate’s ratifying a greenhouse-gas emissions treaty and “Holocaust survivors voting for Pat Buchanan.” This statement was in very poor taste. The Holocaust is linked to hidden registers of human evil and pain whose significance ought not to be enlisted as an analogy to any other human condition or circumstance, no matter how important. Please be more careful in future. Moshe Halevi Spero – Jerusalem, Israel

I very much hope you are wrong in including Sao Paulo as one of the cities vulnerable to flooding as a result of global warming. If sea level is going to rise 823 meters, then the ark-building business is definitely going to be in for a boom. Anthony Addis – Alcochete, Portugal Of Euros, Rubles and Dollars Your article “Toward E-Day” (Europe, Nov. 27) was interesting reading, but I do not share your optimism about the future of the Euro currency. I fear that the European Union will become an overregulated, Soviet-type monster, and that the euro will meet the same fate as the Russian ruble–especially if the world eventually has one global currency. Ecuador has already adopted the American dollar. It is hard to see the Euro competing against the U.S. dollar. Palmi Ingolfsson – Reykjavik, Iceland

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-01” author: “Michael Eldridge”

I read with interest your article on John Ashcroft. I found it surprising, however, that the piece doesn’t mention that voters in Ashcroft’s home state of Missouri refused to re-elect the incumbent senator in November, choosing instead to cast their votes for Mel Carnahan, a candidate who had died several weeks before the election. The voters in Missouri clearly did not want Ashcroft to return to Washington, D.C., to represent them. Why would our nation want him as our next attorney general? Debra Pettit – West Plains, Mo.

Despite John Ashcroft’s definite leaning toward the right, he seems more than reasonable, and more than willing to maintain the current laws now in place to protect a woman’s right to choose (particularly Roe v. Wade), even if he doesn’t agree with them personally. To me, this is a sign of a truly strong character: a man who is not willing to sacrifice his own personal and political opinions, but who also acknowledges that his opinions aren’t the ones that count when they conflict with the nation’s laws. Michelle Kenoyer – Seattle, Wash.

I was pleased to see such an informative article on John Ashcroft in your magazine. I was, however, disappointed with your one-sentence description of the Assemblies of God denomination. I am a member of the Assemblies, my father is a minister in the denomination and my fiancee is attending one of its universities. And although I do not drink or smoke, the Assemblies did not forbid me to do those things. It was a personal choice, albeit one founded in Biblical teachings. We also do not condemn those who choose otherwise. I am not a Republican, and I do not agree with everything John Ashcroft does and says, but I do believe that you painted an inaccurate picture of something many people believe in. People of every race, color, creed and station in life make up the Assemblies of God. We are not as puritanical as you would hope. Bobby Cave – Olathe, Kans. Whirlwind on the Left Coast Adam Bryant’s “California Powers Down” (NATIONAL AFFAIRS, Jan. 22) devotes only one sentence to the root cause of the state’s power woes–the NIMBY/BANANA (Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anything) syndrome. For more than 20 years, and well before deregulation, Californians have sown the wind (talked and legislated a pseudo-environmentalism), and now they are reaping the whirlwind. True environmentalists would not generate their power in neighboring states so they wouldn’t have to be accountable for the pollution and environmental impacts. They would instead site their generating stations close to the point of consumption to minimize transmission losses and pollution and maximize generating capacity. They would work as partners with their utility companies to find solutions that address all aspects of generating power for California consumers. Currently, Californians are reacting angrily to regulators, their electric-utility companies, out-of-state power suppliers and anyone else except the real culprit: themselves. Until those attitudes change, Californians will continue to reap as they sow. Charles L. Foxx – Los Alamos, N.M.

The California energy crisis is only one of a number of consequences that have resulted from the Reagan administration’s policy of deregulation. In this day and age we have seen the end of reliability and efficiency in luxuries like air travel and in basic necessities like electricity and phone service. With deregulation we face high prices, and even with high prices, the power companies face debt and bankruptcy. This didn’t happen with a centralized power system. Without the incentive of a profit motive, energy was produced at a steady rate and a reasonable price. I think that this most recent crisis should prompt people to realize that there is a common factor in American economics that is hurting people, and it is the danger of deregulation. People need to see deregulation as the reason their flights don’t leave on time, and also the reason they are sitting in the dark. Ari Paul – Ann Arbor, Mich. Point, Click and Feel Better We at the American Psychological Association (APA) appreciate Newsweek’s tackling the complex issues involved in delivering and receiving mental-health services online (“Seeing a Virtual Shrink,” SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, Jan. 22). The appropriate application of new technologies to health-care information and services is a very positive development. As with any other new technology, however, the use of the Internet in health care should not be undertaken in a sweeping fashion. The Internet and electronic communications can be used effectively for some aspects of health-care delivery, but not for others. Which areas are enabled by the Internet and which are not must be determined through research and experience. The APA is now assembling the studies that have been done to date and evaluating the emerging data in this critical area. Russ Newman Executive Director for Professional Practice American Psychological Association Washington, D.C. Guns Don’t Tell the Whole Story I read with interest, then annoyance, your comparison of politics in Scranton, Pa., with those in the small rural town of Towanda, about an hour and a half to the north (“Red Zone vs. Blue Zone,” NATIONAL AFFAIRS, Jan. 22). Did your reporter really spend much time in Towanda, or was it just long enough to confirm your stereotypes of gun-toting yokels with suspicions about “‘minorities’ in the city”? Your picture of life in Towanda was no more fair or balanced than a report about city dwellers would be if it characterized all urbanites as gangbangers or drug dealers. Yes, people in Bradford County own guns. And so do the people who drive up there from million-dollar homes outside Philadelphia to hunt deer on weekends. It’s just harder to put a gun rack in a Lexus. Kimberly A. Robinson – Downingtown, Pa.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-02-01” author: “Tyrell Slay”

Do opponents of stem-cell research also propose banning in vitro fertilization? If not, what do they propose to do with the thousands of unused frozen embryos stored in fertility clinics? Since IVF needs multiple fertilized embryos to achieve a good chance of pregnancy, and since stem cells can be produced from these embryos with parental consent (and therefore do not require aborted fetuses), why would anyone object to using for research the embryos that are not implanted? Which is better, to discard these precious gifts from God, or to use them for the betterment of mankind? Elizabeth Snider, M.D. Mason, Ohio

As a pro-life woman with Parkinson’s disease, I read with interest your article on stem-cell research. I was a bit dismayed by your implication that anyone with this disease would automatically be in favor of stem-cell treatment. I am grappling with a number of questions about this issue. For instance, what will happen if we run out of fertilized eggs to harvest for stem cells? Do we create more? What about looking more closely into using the placenta? I firmly believe that we must never use embryos and fetuses that are viable. In fact, I am not sure about the whole process, and it sounds as if the scientists aren’t either. I have participated in, and am currently involved in, new drug research, although I am aware of the risks. Parkinson’s is a very scary disease to face each day, but living with it has only renewed my commitment to all forms of life. Linda J. Dubay Columbus, Mich.

Roman Catholics who do not follow what the church teaches with regard to such basic things as stem-cell research should learn, perhaps, why the church takes this position and then follow the teachings of the pope. It isn’t always easy or popular to do the right thing. But unlike President George W. Bush, the pope isn’t going to be influenced by a popularity poll. People with Type I diabetes (like me), Parkinson’s and other diseases have to live with these unfortunate conditions. Science can and must wait until an effective method is developed for using adult stem cells. Dale Cebula Shaker Heights, Ohio

I was extremely disappointed to find in your July 9 cover story on stem cells that my work and remarks to your reporter were seriously misrepresented. You say, “Last month, in fact, Margaret Goodell of Baylor College of Medicine backed away from her 1999 claim that she induced human muscle stem cells to become blood cells.” I never worked with human muscle cells; I never claimed I induced muscle stem cells to become blood. I have always made it clear that there were at least two possible explanations for our observation of blood-forming activity in mouse muscle–one, that muscle stem cells can be induced to become blood, and the second, that the muscle contains two distinct stem-cell populations: one that makes muscle and one that makes blood. We now favor the second hypothesis. I am not backing away from anything. I stand by the work, and every word I published on the topic, 100 percent. Margaret A. Goodell, Ph.D., Asst. Prof. Center for Cell and Gene Therapy Baylor College of Medicine Houston, Texas Kill Thy Neighbor As a young Catholic Polish woman, I was at first outraged by George Will’s column about Jan Gross’s book on a massacre of Jews by Poles (“July 10, 1941, in Jedwabne,” The Last Word, July 9). How could anyone picture Polish villagers as such ruthless killers–not just intolerant, but downright inhuman? Could some of “us” really have committed this slaughter? Lectures about Nazi crimes were mandatory at my school in Gdansk. But what was easy to believe about Germans is difficult to read about my own nation. And although burdened by shame, I feel the crimes must not be forgotten: the world, and especially Polish people, need to know. This tragedy is about our fragile humanity, and the constant need to nurture tolerance and compassion. Kalina Klamann Reseda, Calif. Correction In our July 9 story on U.S. poet laureate Billy Collins (“Pushing Poetry to Lighten Up–And Brighten Up,” Arts & Entertainment), we should have said Collins teaches at Lehman College, City University of New York.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-21” author: “Eloise Paul”

Your writer did a good job of showing the genius in Tiger Woods. Unfortunately, I think Woods was compared unfairly to other “greats” such as Pele and Michael Jordan. These people needed teammates to help perform their feats. I suggest that Woods should be compared to Albert Einstein. Although he operates on a different turf, Woods, like Einstein, thinks into the unknown. Seyi Ogunjobi Lagos, Nigeria

Isn’t there anything else happening in the world to deserve the front cover of your magazine? Tiger Woods’s “rules” do not make a difference in the real world, nor do they interest me. I belong to a minority group myself, and the real challenge is keeping both my refrigerator and my car tank full. Marcia Gomyde Silver Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

Your editors are playing with fire: they are either knowingly challenging prejudice or blissfully unaware of the laws of common mental association, perception and semantics. With all due respect to a great athlete, if you gaze at NEWSWEEK’s cover from a few meters away (say, at a newsstand), you will see a black teenager, his face partially covered by lettering, with bold blood-red type screaming killer. With modern sensitivity heightened (or dulled) by terrorism, school crime and guerrilla warfare, one is bound to misunderstand the message in spite of all the good intentions or liberal views. Couldn’t there have been a kinder, gentler way of communicating (healthy) willpower and determination? Valentino Szemere Lugano, Switzerland

Don’t you think you should have reconsidered your wording on the cover this week? We in Japan are all deeply hurt and confused about the recent mass murder that took place at Ikeda Elementary School, and all you mention is the “killer instinct” in sportsmen. This was not appropriate, especially in that week’s Asia edition. And don’t you think the elementary-school incident should have been given more than one page? We need facts; we need assurances. We need more than what the daily talk shows give us. We expect that from NEWSWEEK. Marian Kinoshita Kawanishi, Japan

Your cover photo and headline made me wonder if a golf course is a “killing field” and if Tiger Woods seeks to murder. I also wonder if he is a vampire as suggested by the line “wiped the blood from his chops.” Do you mean to suggest that if he wins, he “murders” his opponents? Although not a golf fan, I had the privilege of viewing Woods’s talent on television when he won a Pebble Beach, California, tournament in June 2000. This was the only time I ever watched golf, and I was entranced. His performance was a thing of beauty indeed. To use a violent analogy to write about this man and what he does insults not only me but him and the sport as well. Patricia Dunn Zacatecas, Mexico

I am very disappointed that Ja-Hangir Khan and Jansher Khan did not merit a mention or even a picture in your item comparing the best of the best. They both dominated the international squash scene for a good 20 years. Maybe their only drawback is that they are Muslims? Adil Ahmad Karachi, Pakistan Blair’s Europe Problem According to Anthony King, the Labour landslide in Britain indicates that ideology is dead in European politics (“The Essence of Blair’s Revolution,” Europe, June 18). He is utterly mistaken. Last year elections in Austria brought a party whose leader was known for extreme rightist views into a coalition that excluded the left. Consequently, the new government was ostracized by Europe and was not given the chance to prove what its policy was. That was pure ideology. Rejecting extremist as well as ideological thinking of any persuasion, I regard talk of “the death of ideology” and “pragmatism in politics” (or, as King says, “What works works”) as parts of a strategy to re-ideologize European politics from the left. Armin Paul Frank Gottingen, Germany

So much solemn and prolonged debate on Tony Blair’s “Third Way.” As far as I can see, the essence of Blair’s “revolution,” as described by Anthony King, was summed up in 1734 by Alexander Pope in a simple couplet in his poem “An Essay on Man”: “For forms of Government, let fools contest; Whate’er is best administer’d is best.” Ian McDonald Georgetown, Guyana The 2004 Olympics In your sidebar “Enhanced Reality” (“The Future of Computers,” Science & Technology, June 18), you say that in Greece “a tourist-information system… is being planned for the 2006 Olympics.” Last time I checked, the Olympics in Athens will be in the summer of 2004, not 2006. Eyassu Epheraim London, England

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-25” author: “Tiffani Lemmons”

Your story about Andrea Yates and the murder of her children was restrained and respectful and lacked the hysteria I have read in so many other publications (“Motherhood and Murder,” National Affairs, July 2). The Anna Quindlen column “Playing God on No Sleep” was the perfect last word on the subject. This is a story that terrifies and horrifies and mystifies and confuses. Like Quindlen, I remember vividly the reality of that stage of new motherhood when all you want is a sense of adequacy, 10 minutes to take a shower and just one full night of sleep. Reading about Yates and twice reading Quindlen’s column brought back such strong memories of love and desperation that I found tears in my eyes–and my “baby” is 20 years old. My heart breaks for Andrea Yates and her poor children. Anne Barnstead-Klos St. Louis, Mo.

Thank you for your compassionate coverage of the Yates case and postpartum depression. It has been four years since I was diagnosed with and treated for severe PPD. Women will not seek treatment for PPD if they are not adequately informed about the disorder or are too ashamed to talk about their symptoms. PPD is treatable. Not a day goes by that I don’t marvel at my brave, funny, gap-toothed blond beauty of a daughter and thank God that I finally overcame my own ignorance and shame and received the aggressive medical treatment I needed to heal and recover. Women need to be as proactive about PPD as we are about diseases like breast cancer. PPD is not something that “other people” get. Our sisters, our daughters, our neighbors, our childhood best friends… nobody is immune. We need to be aware, unafraid and united in our quest to keep each other well. Katie Willard Sudbury, Mass.

Thank you, Anna Quindlen, for your column. As a stay-at-home mother of three children who are under the age of 4, I have been affected deeply by the story of Andrea Yates. Your words made such an impression on me at a time when I was feeling exactly what you wrote about. Although I have never suffered from postpartum depression, I have been consumed by overwhelming days filled with breast-feeding, dirty diapers and temper tantrums galore. For anyone who has condemned Andrea Yates as a bad mother or one who did not love her children, you must walk a mile in her shoes in order to know what her world was like. Tina Godfrey Elizabethtown, Ky.

I’ve been in the business of treating PPD for more than a decade, and I’ve never seen anything come remotely close to what NEWSWEEK has put together. The sensitivity, accuracy and depth of the coverage of the spectrum of emotional illnesses associated with childbirth simply dazzled me. You will have a tremendous impact on the public perception of new motherhood, as well as a huge impact on individual mothers who think they are the only ones suffering. I was very pleased to be included in your story. All I can say is, wow! And thank you. Valerie Davis Raskin, M.D. Chicago, Ill.

Five years ago, I left an enormously demanding profession as an obstetrician-gynecologist to come home and care for my children, now 3 to 10 years old. The sleepless, foodless, nonstop night calls of my medical training pale next to the demands of motherhood. Like the mothers Quindlen asked for their reaction to what Andrea Yates did, I also am appalled and aghast at this tragedy. However, unlike them, at no “forbidden level” do I understand. I say shame, shame, shame to those who have permitted even the smallest speck of forgiving light into this darkest of human transgressions. Martha Laird, M.D., M.P.H. Houston, Texas

I remain haunted by the total senselessness of this tragedy and by what possible thoughts of horror, fear and disbelief could have gone through the minds of these trusting children as their mother held their heads under the water. With all the warning signs, including suicide attempts, documented bouts of severe depression and a visible, rapid slide from emotional stability that was gaining momentum, I wonder how an intelligent father and husband with even a basic understanding of the signs of dysfunctional mental health could have ever allowed the mother of these children to be alone with them for one minute. To what degree is the blame with him and a fatal case of denial? Gary Goodfriend Houston, Texas

In response to Anna Quindlen’s July 2 piece, I can only say it’s about time someone finally had the courage to tell the truth about what I call women’s dirty little secret. As the former editor in chief of Seventeen, and the mother of three children who were once simultaneously under the age of 3, I have always felt that women, women’s magazines, indeed the entire media, must do a better job of telling the full story of what mothering is about–warts and all. Unless we start admitting to ourselves and each other that it’s not always a walk in the park, our guilt, anger, fear and depression will continue to go underground. And as we have learned, that is not a healthy place for them to be. Meredith Berlin Armonk, N.Y.

Anna Quindlen’s comments insinuate that motherhood is to blame for what Andrea Yates did, rather than the mental illness that could have erupted in violence in any setting. She further perpetuates the notion of motherhood as a less-than-noble vocation. Stay-at-home moms must be applauded and encouraged by society just as much as those moms who work outside the home. Sadly, that is not often the case, and the “woe is me,” mothers-as-victims tone of Quindlen’s commentary is exactly what women and mothers do not need! Give us some credit; we are tougher than that. Depression can come from many sources, physical and emotional. It is not foreign to me either. Clearly Andrea Yates is mentally ill to a far greater degree than ordinary PPD. The trials and tribulations of motherhood did not cause, and do not justify, this horrific crime. To even hint at that is ludicrous and a disservice to all women. Rosemary H. BuShea Miami, Fla.

The media’s compassion for Andrea Yates strikes me as racist. This family had plenty of choices. If she was having such a hard time with all those kids, why didn’t she just do what we ask all the poor women in this country to do: use better birth control, practice birth spacing? When one woman in the ‘hood beats her child, in all probability she is suffering from some form of depression. But because she is poor and black, she’ll have to settle for the label “child abuser” and be cursed and maligned by everyone. Where, I’d like to know, is the media’s compassion for her? Beverly Lyles Silver Spring, Md.

For the last week I could hardly think of anything but the Yates family. I do not think of Andrea Yates as a monster. On the contrary, I feel she deserves nothing but the most tender care. I can empathize with her and perhaps have glimpsed what a personal hell she was wading through. My son was 2 when my daughter was born. My doctor thought I was a prime candidate for postpartum depression and prescribed Zoloft, and then Effexor. When my daughter was about 6 months old I stopped taking medication. In the months that followed I felt isolated, worthless, tired, tired, tired and more tired. My husband didn’t know what to do. My mother-in-law told me I was a lazy, worthless human being, a lousy wife and a lousy mother, and I should just get over it, whatever “it” was. I was afraid that I would harm our children if I hadn’t already done so by not being June Cleaver. I didn’t get the help I needed at a very crucial time, and no one around me saw the illness for what it was. I can only thank God that he kept me from somehow doing the unthinkable. My son is now 4, and my daughter is almost 2. Three weeks ago I took a home-pregnancy test, and it was positive despite several birth-control measures. I was not and am not ready for another child and another round of PPD. Two weeks ago I had a miscarriage. My friends and family have studied and questioned me to make sure I was not too devastated by the loss. I was sad, but after seeing Andrea Yates and imagining the horrible images she must relive every second, I feel I have been given a chance to avoid a very bad place. Name Withheld

Andrea Yates faces capital murder charges, but before she can be formally charged, postpartum depression is being blamed for the deaths of her five children. As an attorney, I’d like to note that temporary insanity (from postpartum psychosis) is an affirmative defense under the law, and must be proved by the defendant in order to avoid criminal conviction. It is not an “escape hatch” from the charge of murder. It is worth noting that very few mothers suffering from postpartum depression or any other form of depression ever harm their children or anyone else. It seems that the concepts of evil, personal guilt and individual responsibility have become politically incorrect and are no longer acceptable in our brave new world. THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT may soon take the place of IN GOD WE TRUST on the wall of every courtroom in America. Lt. Michael J. Gorman New York Police Department Whitestone, N.Y.

It does indeed take a village to raise a child, but this woman’s immediate as well as extended family saw her own drowning and did nothing to help her. In my opinion it is not accidental that Andrea Yates chose drowning as the means of murdering her children. William H. Marshall Williamsburg, Va.

A stay-at-home mother of three boys under the age of 4, I have to say that I understand the depression that gripped Andrea Yates. Don’t tune me out yet, I abhor her crime as much as anyone does, but let’s take advantage of this tragedy and see it as the cry for help that it is. Somewhere, right in your own neighborhood, is a mother of young children struggling to make it through each day. There are some very practical things that you can do to help. Make a meal and take it to the family. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to try to cook dinner with three little people crying, tugging on your leg, one of them in your arms? Give her an hour of your time. You may find it hard to spare even one hour, but an hour is a lifetime to a mom who usually doesn’t get 10 minutes to herself during the day. Let her read, go out for a walk, shop or catch up on some much-needed sleep. No time? Drop off some takeout. Or hire a babysitter for her and her husband; living on one income leaves little room for such luxuries as a night out as a couple. Don’t criticize the unkempt house; help her clean it or treat her to a cleaning service. Do something, today, right in your own backyard, to help an exhausted, depressed mother. Add some joy to her life, and possibly prevent another tragedy like the one we watched in Houston. Cindi Sutter North Canton, Ohio

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-08” author: “Betty Swartwood”

I respect Tiger Woods for embracing his heritage and calling himself “multi-ethnic.” It disappoints me that some people in the African-American community want him to define himself as “black.” Sure, as Charles Barkley said, “Thai people don’t get hate mail, black people do.” But why should Tiger allow himself to be defined by the hatred of narrow-minded people? Why would we even ask him to? Megan Farkas Mountain View, Calif.

Is Tiger Woods a great man because he’s black, Thai or a fantastic golfer? No. Tiger Woods is a great man because he is following his dream, regardless of how other people who don’t know him tell him he should be living his life. Leif Thor San Francisco, Calif.

Enough about Tiger Woods already! Who is this guy, anyway? Jesus Christ with a 9-iron? It’s golf, just a game. It’s not a sport in the true sense of the word, nor is it a cure for cancer or AIDS. Does the word “overkill” mean anything to anyone? William Jefferson Culver City, Calif.

I’m writing to express my gratitude for your choice of a cover story in the June 18 NEWSWEEK. I had fully expected to see an image of Timothy McVeigh staring back at me, especially in an issue I received on the very day of his execution. As a golfer and a concerned citizen, please let me thank you for giving the cover to Tiger instead. I hope McVeigh had the chance, before he died, to see that his martyrdom was trumped by the game of golf. Joshua J. Weikert Collegeville, Pa. McVeigh Still Troubles Us I would like to commend you on your coverage of the McVeigh mess (” ‘I Thought I Was Going to Die’,” National Affairs, June 18). The rest of the media (newspapers and television) concentrated only on him. You had the courage and empathy to write about the many victims. Was his life worth any more than the lives of his victims? Virginia Constantine Baltimore, Md.

I felt unexpected emotions in the days leading up to the execution of Timothy McVeigh. I felt great sadness for the innocent men, women and children who were victims of McVeigh’s terrorist attack. But not just for them. The cold, calculated execution of criminals by our society is barbaric and immoral–perhaps not as immoral as McVeigh’s heinous acts, but deeply troubling because it is sanctioned by law. It is a sad day for humanity when, despite all our progress, we still behave like savages. David W. Bertoni Yarmouth, Maine

Well, Timothy McVeigh got just what he wanted. He went out in a blaze of media attention, however notorious. He does not have to live with what he did. Those who remain do. Maybe locking him away by himself without access to media or any other soapbox would have led him eventually to a state of remorse that could have led to true repentance. Now we will never know. Miriam Thompson Bladenboro, N.C. Dubya Does Europe It’s embarrassing that our president has to be tutored by his staff before he goes off to Europe (“See George. See George Learn Foreign Policy,” National Affairs, June 18). Why is it that people have to take a civil-service examination to deliver mail but brain power is not required to become president of the United States? I think a basic intelligence test for high office is long overdue. Karen Christiansen Chanhassen, Minn.

You make it sound as though President Bush is unusual in being unprepared for his job. All presidents need to be brought up to speed on most issues. No one can know it all. Where was the concern over his predecessor’s lack of foreign-policy experience when he was elected? In fact, Bill Clinton’s foreign-policy experience consisted primarily of protesting U.S. policy while he was overseas. President Bush unquestionably has a far more professional and capable foreign-policy team than Clinton did. Like all his predecessors, he’ll learn. Bruce Blum Frederick, Md. The Doctor Is Definitely In Dr. Jack McConnell, author of your June 18 My Turn essay (“And What Did You Do for Someone Today?”), is a wonderful example of the kind of person we should all strive to be. As the mother of three young children, I struggle with how to teach them to consider the needs of others before their own. They see my husband and me volunteering our time and donating money and goods, but somehow it doesn’t seem to sink in. Asking them the question McConnell’s father asked him so many years ago, “And what did you do for someone today?” has given me the perfect tool to bring the theory of helping others down to an understandable level. Answering that question is becoming part of our dinnertime routine, and my kids are actually putting thought into what they do during the day so they will have a good response that evening. Thank you for what you do for others, Dr. McConnell, and what you’ve done for my children. I know your father is very proud of you. Julie A. Watt Bishop, Calif.

Tiger may rule, but in my opinion, you should instead have featured Dr. Jack McConnell, a true American hero, as your cover story. McConnell exemplifies these words of William Wordsworth’s: “The best portion of a good man’s life, his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love.” In raising two teenage boys, my husband and I are constantly in search of role models. Both of our boys read McConnell’s article and will not be surprised when we ask them, “What did you do for someone today?” Thank you, Dr. McConnell, for reminding us that parents are worth listening to, and it is never too late to heed their advice. Mary Shea Hendricks Catonsville, Md.

I applaud Dr. Jack McConnell’s willingness to devote time in his retirement to the underserved. There are many similar clinics providing free health care to the uninsured (and underinsured) across the United States; the one where I volunteer is the Good Neighbor Clinic in White River Junction, Vt. I enjoy the time I spend there and am happy to do what I can for those who cannot afford to come see me at my usual office location. However, I do not harbor any illusions about this activity; it amounts to little more than a Band-Aid for the few people who manage to find the clinic. The tragedy is that anyone needs to come to the Good Neighbor Clinic or to Volunteers in Medicine. Access to services aimed at the prevention and treatment of disease should be a right, not a privilege. Frances C. Brokaw, M.D. Norwich, Vt. Correction In George Will’s June 11 column, " ‘We Have Been Here Before’ " (The Last Word), the term “dim sum” was misspelled, and a phrase noting resemblances between “Jews then and Latinos now” should have read: “Jews then and Asians now.” We regret the errors.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-15” author: “Guadalupe Carney”

Your AIDS cover story never mentioned the surest way to halt its spread: change the personal behavior that causes people to get it. James B. Osbon Amelia Island, Fla.

Rarely have I seen images more evocative of their subject’s personality than Ethan Hill’s photographs of Larry Kramer accompanying your piece “The Angry Prophet Is Dying.” Kramer’s inner strength and outward pride are clearly evident, and well explored in David France’s prose. It gladdens my heart to see that the “oldest living AIDS activist” is still as irate and defiant as ever, despite his dire health situation. From his founding role at GMHC (Gay Men’s Health Crisis) and ACT UP to his incendiary writings describing AIDS as “intentional genocide,” Kramer has never hesitated to “rage against the dying of the light,” as Dylan Thomas wrote in urging resistance to impending death. Kramer’s exhortations to action were invaluable in publicly shaming those in the morally bankrupt Reagan-Bush era who ignored the burgeoning AIDS crisis until it became an epidemic. I hope fervently that Larry Kramer prevails in his current struggle with liver disease, and that a transplant will allow him to continue railing against silence and inaction. Rage on, Larry. Curtis Rissmiller Bear, Dela.

Whether you agree with Larry Kramer or not, he has certainly raised the consciousness of others when it comes to AIDS (and all diseases). A few more years of life for the Larry Kramer types will benefit us all. Mike McIntyre Alexandria, Va.

Your article reflecting on 20 years of the AIDS crisis was well done, but there is one thing that concerned me. A sentence citing a long list of celebrities whose lives were said to be stolen by AIDS ends with the phrase “… and all the [other] emaciated, sunken-eyed nameless victims.” I realize that your writer was taking some literary license with her language, but still want to emphasize that while the other victims might not have been famous, they were most certainly not nameless. Every one was beloved to someone else. While they may never have made magazine covers, their loss changed the world nonetheless. Take one look at the Names Project quilt, and it is a fact you can never forget. Sabena Moretz-Van Namen Mechanicsville, Va. The Sound of Silence I am gratified to learn that there are still heroines like Emily Lesk, who stands up against her state’s Minute of Silence law (“My 60-Second Protest From the Hallway,” My Turn, June 11). It is not easy to buck the system, and she must be a very mature and brave young woman to do it so openly. As a 70-year-old woman, I say to her, “You go, girl!” Mary E. Sanford San Antonio, Texas

Emily Lesk’s school asks her to think about her life, in any way she chooses, for a mere 60 seconds of silence. She says she protests this by standing in the hall–thinking about her life, considering “how significant 60 seconds can be,” reflecting on how standing up against discrimination is important, wondering if her objection is justified and considering the impact she has had on her school. As far as Emily is concerned, it sounds as if the state of Virginia is accomplishing its goal very nicely. Mark Rust New Paltz, N.Y.

Emily Lesk’s essay on Virginia’s Minute of Silence legislation does not fairly represent students who maintain personal reservations about the law without engaging in fruitless activism. As a Virginia high-school student, I can tell you that many of my classmates do not participate in or agree with the momentary silence, but they also choose not to parade around the school expressing personal dissatisfaction. Rampant praying is not the biggest problem facing this nation today. Our focus could be assigned to much more worthwhile issues. Let’s fight a battle that needs to be fought. Joseph Neilson Chester, Va.

Emily Lesk writes that she recites the Pledge of Allegiance, including the “one Nation, under God” part, because, she says, “it has historical, not religious, implications.” As a matter of fact, the phrase “under God” was added by a 1954 act of Congress, which is just the sort of interference with the Constitution that Emily is protesting. In her lifetime, “under God” has always been there, and this is what the sponsors of a moment of silence hope to achieve: an eventual widespread acceptance of it because “we always had a moment for prayer.” David A. Gibson Spencerport, N.Y. Correction In “A 20-Year Toll,” a piece that was part of our June 11 Special Report on AIDS, we misstated the first name of Dr. Joseph Sonnabend. We regret the error.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-12” author: “Michelle Davison”

Here’s to Your Future Health I found your review of health-related technological developments to be excellent and informative (“How Technology Will Heal Your Heart,” special report, June 25). You made clear the immediate and potential benefits of biotechnology. Behavioral technology (good in-formation can be found at behavior.org) is also starting to make significant contributions to solving problems previously thought untreatable. For example, until recently early-childhood autism was a lifelong affliction. But several computer-assisted studies have shown that a specialized form of intensive early intervention, using the science of applied behavioral analysis, can return many of these children to normal lives emotionally, intellectually and socially.

Howard Sloane Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.

The promise of e-health care is enormous: digitized medical records online, on demand; prescriptions written over wireless devices; Internet-enabled remote consultations with physicians. Information technology has the potential to deliver tremendous gains in the quality and efficiency of health care. It could reduce vast distances between patients and providers, as well as time to treatment. Yet by some estimates, only 10 percent of all health-care transactions are processed electronically today. The health-care industry must change its culture before it can reach the next frontier. But when it does, the transformation and its benefits will be dramatic.

Mike Ruettgers, Executive Chairman EMC Corp. Hopkinton, Mass.

After reading “how technology Will Heal Your Heart,” about experimental mechanical organs, I cannot help commenting that we already have the answer to organ failure: it is the successful technology of organ transplantation. What we still require, however, is a greater awareness by the public of the urgent need for organ donors. At 39, my husband was the recipient of a kidney transplant. Now he not only has a good quality of life; he has his life itself back.

C. Campbell Whitestone, N.Y.

Your cover story on health and technology was a marvel in itself–thousands of words on how to improve health, and not a single one of them was “behavior.” If every technology advance you highlighted came to pass, more than half the population would still be at risk of premature death. Why? Because most of what kills us–heart disease, strokes, cancer, lung disease, diabetes–is controllable by what we do to prevent the illness in the first place or to manage it more wisely. When it comes to improving health, biology matters, genes matter, machines matter, but behavior really matters.

Jessie C. Gruman, Executive Director Center for the Advancement of Health Washington, D.C.

I read with interest your article “The New Patient Power.” There is a great deal of information available on the Internet, and so much information can be confusing to the patient. But there is also an entire profession dedicated to sorting it all out: medical librarians, who have specialized training in how to find credible medical Web sites or other resources. Many hospitals have medical libraries on site that may be open to patients and their families as well as to the general public.

Leann Isaac New Castle, Pa.

In the title of his guest essay, dr. Melvin Konner asks, “Have we lost the healing touch?” Well, yes, and a long time ago, as a matter of fact. I’m not worried about technology’s coming between me and my doctors. Money, prestige, power trips and fear of patients’ malpractice suits have already created such a wide chasm that I hardly think technology will make much difference!

Mary Anne Connelly Cathedral City, Calif.

Who’s Doing the Crime? While lifting a glass to your recognition of the issue of racial profiling, I must caution that unsteady assertions may spill its carefully distilled contents (“Hillary Raises Her Profile,” Between The Lines, June 25). To victims, racial profiling is millennial Jim Crow, creating “whites only” thoroughfares. Studies in Maryland, New Jersey and New York and by the U.S. Customs Service show percentages of blacks and Latinos with contraband that are lower than or equal to those for whites. And less profiling will mean less, not more crime, as law enforcement moves toward more effective and less arbitrary and discriminatory criteria. Present policies yield smoldering resentment. It boiled over in Cincinnati. Which city will be next?

King Downing, National Coordinator Campaign Against Racial Profiling American Civil Liberties Union New York, N.Y.

In his column on racial profiling, Jonathan Alter makes a huge assumption– long held in American society–when he states, “The politically incorrect truth is that minorities do in fact commit a disproportionate number of crimes.” A significant portion of reported crimes are never solved. In some categories the percentage is as low as 14 percent. Given this statistic, how could any of us possibly know who is committing most of the crimes? For centuries, we have believed that black and Hispanic people are more likely to commit crimes. It is a belief rooted not in the facts but in the system of racial distinctions and discrimination that continues to plague us.

Nibs Stroupe, Pastor Oakhurst Presbyterian Church Decatur, Ga.

The Bill for the Pill We should all celebrate the recent federal-court ruling that excluding women’s contraception from health-plan coverage of prescription drugs constitutes sex discrimination (“Paying for the Pill,” Business, June 25). It’s time we stopped dismissing women’s reproductive-health needs as less important than the health needs of men. A commitment to covering contraception for women will actually help cut health-care costs and reduce the appalling rate of unintended pregnancy and lower the abortion rate. This court ruling is a win not only for women; it’s a win for everybody.

Thomas F. Purdon, M.D., President American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Washington, D.C.

As a pharmacist, I’m concerned about the kind of thinking that is leading to skyrocketing insurance premiums for all Americans. Birth-control pills, when used for the prevention of pregnancy, fall into a category of medications known as “lifestyle” drugs; they make life easier for people, but they don’t treat or prevent a disease or medical condition. When they are sometimes used to treat a medical condition they should be covered by insurance, but they should not be covered for the prevention of pregnancy.

Tim Redline Hastings, Neb.

It’s All Happening at the Barn I really appreciated John Berry’s June 25 My Turn column (“What Being ‘Fully Vested’ Really Means”). I, too, recently learned to appreciate spending my days working hands-on with animals. This past March I quit my corporate job (crazy in this economy, I know, but I had to get out!) to volunteer for two months at Farm Sanctuary, a nonprofit organization that rescues “food-production animals” from abusive and neglectful conditions at factory farms, stockyards and slaughterhouses. I have done everything from shoveling poop to stuffing envelopes to checking chicken “vents” (otherwise known as butts) for infection, and it has been so rewarding that I’ve decided to stay on for the rest of the summer. Our hyperefficient high-tech economy has created millions of jobs that many of us find boring and unrewarding. Taking some time off to pursue something you’re passionate about or, better yet, finding a career that you’re passionate about can change your life.

Nora Kramer San Francisco, Calif.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-17” author: “Todd Davis”

The promise of e-health care is enormous: digitized medical records online, on demand; prescriptions written over wireless devices; Internet-enabled remote consultations with physicians. Information technology has the potential to deliver tremendous gains in the quality and efficiency of health care. It could reduce vast distances between patients and providers, as well as time to treatment. Yet by some estimates, only 10 percent of all health-care transactions are processed electronically today. The health-care industry must change its culture before it can reach the next frontier. But when it does, the transformation and its benefits will be dramatic. Mike Ruettgers Hopkinton, Massachusetts

After reading “How Technology Will Heal Your Heart,” about experimental mechanical organs, I can’t help noting that we already have the answer to organ failure: it is the successful technology of organ transplantation. What we still require, however, is a greater awareness by the public of the urgent need for organ donors. At 39, my husband was the recipient of a kidney transplant. Now he not only has a good quality of life, he has his life itself back. C. Campbell Whitestone, New York

Your story on health and technology was a marvel in itself–thousands of words on how to improve health, and not one of them was “behavior.” If every technology advance you highlighted came to pass, more than half the population would still be at risk of premature death. Why? Because most of what kills us–heart disease, strokes, cancer, lung disease, diabetes–is controllable by what we do to prevent the illness in the first place or to manage it more wisely. When it comes to improving health, biology matters, genes matter, machines matter, but behavior really matters. Jessie C. Gruman, Executive Director, Center for the Advancement of Health, Washington, D.C.

There is a lot of information available on the Internet, and so much information can be confusing to the patient. But there is also a profession dedicated to sorting it all out: medical librarians, who have specialized training in how to find credible medical Web sites or other resources. Many hospitals have medical libraries on site that may be open to patients and their families as well as to the public. Leann Isaac New Castle, Pennsylvania

Your article “New Heart, New Hope” gave me a lot of insights. The human heart is certainly a magnificent, mysterious thing. Even if scientists can make similar machines that can pump blood through the body, they will never be close to the real thing. I wonder, will the artificial heart give its owner a constricting feeling every time dread washes over him? Will it hurt just the same if he breaks up with someone or loses a contest? The artificial heart can save lives biologically, but life is more than just pumping blood. More than anything, life is about heart–and not just the physical kind. Krystle Ang Metro Manila, Philippines

In the title of his guest essay, Dr. Melvin Konner asks, “Have We Lost the Healing Touch?” Well, yes, a long time ago, in fact. I’m not worried about technology’s coming between me and my doctors. Money, prestige, power trips and fear of patients’ malpractice suits have already created such a wide chasm that I hardly think technology will make much difference! Mary Anne Connelly Cathedral City, California

Kudos to Dr. Konner for his excellent piece on the limitations of robot technology in the field of modern medicine. In this day and age, when we hear so much about the close interdependence of body and mind in so many diseases, leaving more and more to increasingly sophisticated machines could be counterproductive. To me, this latest trend is just another example of our blind belief in the possibilities of technological prowess and our failure to recognize how we are being intoxicated by the hype rather than led by reasonable hope. Werner Radtke Paderborn, Germany

Stereotyping Islamic Women? As a loyal NEWSWEEK reader I’ve always treasured the respect shown by your journalists toward religious, cultural and social diversity. Unfortunately, in the June 25 issue, a good Cyberscope story with lots of information (“Sin-Free Investing”) was ruined by a stereotyped image of a woman with a veiled face. This is a Western caricature–95 percent of women in Muslim countries do not dress like this. Is Islam no more than hijab, fundamentalism and oppression of women? Bashy Quraishy Frederiksberg, Denmark

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-22” author: “Jacqueline Rossin”

Attacks upon Americans of Arab or Muslim heritage after the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington are an attack upon the American way of life. It is the respect for all beliefs that gives America its moral strength. If one allows or does not speak up against these attacks, the terrorists are achieving their goals. These terrorists want not only to destroy the West but to enslave their fellow Muslims in the perverse feudal system that we have seen in Afghanistan. The war must be against evil, not against peaceful fellow citizens. All Americans must stand together in these times of anguish. T. Golan Stockholm, Sweden

America needs to invest in long-term counterterrorist measures like cultural understanding. Build cross-cultural learning centers to bridge the gap between Islam and Western culture (our religions are amazingly similar in their pure form and essence), and invest money in helping Palestinians live normal lives in their own homeland. Support democracy, education and economic development in the Arab world instead of supporting oil-pumping dictatorships. It should be easy–and I guarantee 100 percent success. In 10 years there would be no frustrated terrorists willing to blow themselves up. They would be busy working and providing for their families. Mladen Erjavec Doha, Qatar

In Spain we’ve realized how hard it is to fight the terror perpetrated by undemocratic minds. The quick and easy solution is violence. But to really solve this problem takes many years and many generations. Let’s think about hunting down the criminals while promoting development and collaboration that always–almost always–makes a tolerant and nonviolent people. Sonia Alonso Madrid, Spain

I do not in any way justify the acts of the terrorists. But I want to give expression to a feeling that is shared by many: arrogance breeds violence. The world needs America for its strength and constructive guidance in the building of nations. It is time to stop being the policeman and the hunting hound of the world and show your true power in noble service. Anand Nayak Corminboeuf, Switzerland

The Israel-Palestine conflict pervades the whole of the Middle East. The perception that America unfairly favors Israel is the predominant cause of a very real dislike and distrust of America even among moderate people of the region. Fanaticism builds on and thrives in this climate. The solution? United Nations resolutions should be implemented, Israeli settlement of Palestinian land should cease and an autonomous Palestinian state should be created. Muslims and Jews should have free access to worship in Jerusalem. The most powerful countermeasure against repeating the appalling events that took place on Sept. 11 is for America to be seen throughout the world as fair on the Israeli-Palestinian issue. Mike Wood Kuwait

Let’s not forget that it was the United States that made Osama bin Laden strong in Afghanistan during the Soviet invasion. America has backed many other such regimes and then turned its back on them. To name just a few, there is Castro in Cuba, Noriega in Panama, Hussein in Iraq, the Sandinistas in Nicaragua and Iran before the ayatollah. The United States has made great contributions to society but it needs to revise its foreign policies. Ricardo J. Guajardo Garza Garcia, Mexico

The demonstrations, the long lines to donate blood, the flags at half mast: all testify to Israel’s participation in America’s tragedy. We know what terror is. Every week we have men, women and children blown up, shot at, killed and maimed for life. But why is it acceptable for Americans to want to fight back when Israel is urged to show restraint, to realize that violence begets violence and to be told that negotiations are the only answer? Would President George W. Bush negotiate with bin Laden or Saddam Hussein? R. Abt Jerusalem, Israel

The United States is the main supporter of the terror against the Palestinian people. If those atrocities stop and Palestinians can live within secure borders in their own state, the whole world will be a much safer place. I have lived and worked in Israel so, believe me, I know what I am writing about. Birger H. Bye Georgetown, Guyana

Hijackings are preventable. A two-step proposal needs to be implemented by the airlines. First, the cockpit must be sealed off from the passenger area by a solid steel wall. Second, communication between the two areas must be one-way–pilots to passengers, but not passengers to pilots–except for an emergency buzzer, accessible to flight attendants, to signal the pilots to land at the first opportunity. The pilots do not need to know if terrorists are onboard or if a passenger has been taken ill; all they need to know is that the plane must be landed as soon as possible. Such a system will make atrocities like those that took place on Sept. 11 impossible. Ben-Zion Cohen Haifa, Israel

People all over the world are shocked and saddened by these latest terrorist attacks, and many have compared them to Pearl Harbor. I do not agree with this comparison. It would be more fair if the incident were compared to the atomic-bomb attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In both cases the targets were civilians, while at Pearl Harbor the attack was strictly on military facilities. In fact, the A-bomb attacks were much worse, as the number of civilian victims was not in the thousands but in the hundreds of thousands. Koichi Hiroki Tokyo, Japan

Islamic-sponsored terrorism will stop only when Islam’s spiritual leaders stop honoring murderers. Unlike priests, ministers and rabbis, sheiks and imams wield both political and religious power. If Muslim clerics would condemn suicide bombing and stop honoring the sick and misguided people who carry out these acts, most global terror would stop. If America hopes to address the real issues behind the global terror threat, it will need to deal directly with Islam’s real leadership, not its puppet governments. Rabbi Ivan Lerner Jerusalem, Israel

I was really shocked by the brutal attacks on the States. As a Muslim, I think it is barbarous to kill innocent people. But this incident demands a thorough study by American foreign-policy makers. There is no doubt that the Muslim world is suspicious of the support America gives to Israel. In fact, American policies have never been appreciated by the people of the Third World. If America hopes to nab terrorists, it is time for its policymakers to think about the suffering of the Palestinian people. Muhammad Saeed Akhter Dera Ghazi Khan, Pakistan

I am fearful of the hatred I see–on message boards, in chat rooms and in the public–being incorrectly focused on the Muslim community. I am a Muslim, and I would never wish any hurt or pain on another human being. Islam does not teach this violence. The people who committed these acts were insane. As one of many Muslim Americans, I love this country and pray for peace for all. Yasmeen Mahmood Chicago, Illinois

I am saddened and disgusted by the terrorist attacks on the United States. I admit I am not a fan of Americans; I’ve often found them ignorant, narrow-minded and arrogant. But living in South Africa, I sympathize with them, although we have never experienced violence of such magnitude. Many South Africans and people from other developing nations feel that America is to blame for violence, too. They cite Hiroshima, Dresden, Hamburg, et cetera. But it should not be tit for tat–innocent lives are involved. This tragedy will have an impact on the rest of the world. We will all bear the repercussions. America does not have a blemish-free track record, but which nation does? Meg Anderson St. Francis Bay, South Africa

I have felt a whole range of emotions in the days since the recent terrorist attacks, starting with complete incredulity that any human being could perpetrate such atrocities, through outrage, to a profound feeling of impotence (at one’s inability to personally do anything to prevent such acts from recurring). Then I felt admiration for those who selflessly helped without regard to their own safety, to skepticism that durable solutions will be found by our politicians, who need to rise above themselves to cope with this crisis. And then came the inability to even begin to comprehend the pain and suffering caused to so many thousands. Now I am left feeling nothing but simple sorrow. Michael Madison Richmond, England

In the two weeks following the tragic events, Muslim store owners have been murdered, scarved women have been assaulted by bat-wielding gangs and mosques have had Ford Mustangs driven through them. Certain flights of Northwest and Delta airline pilots have refused to fly with Arab- and Muslim-“looking” individuals. These acts vehemently contradict American principles and come from the same ignorance as the terrorists’ perverse plan. There are more than 1 billion Muslims on earth and 7 million adherents of Islam living as Americans in this wonderful country. To associate and harass an entire demographic group, based on the actions of a few, would go against everything the constitutional fathers spent their lives trying to achieve. Arsalan Tariq Iftikhar Council on American-Islamic Relations St. Louis, Missouri

During the dozens of hours of television coverage of the Sept. 11 tragedy, one thing kept standing out in my mind: we are one family, and it’s time to let go of all the remnants of prejudice we still exhibit on occasion. In the hours of newscasts I watched, the people many Americans think of as “they” (blacks, Hispanics, Asians and Muslims) were an integral, intimate part of the entire scene. “They” were there at all levels–high-ranking officials, rescue workers, firefighters, police, doctors, nurses and on and on. “They” were victims, and “they” were loved ones. “They” cried and were injured and died. We are no longer separate entities–black or white, gay or straight, Asian or Caucasian, Hispanic or European and Muslim or Christian. We are one, integrated, hurting family. “They” are us. David Bowman Martinsburg, West Virginia

The terrorists attacked symbols of American power, but they missed the reality of it, the thing that really makes us great and influential in the world: the unstoppable force of ordinary people living their lives in liberty. Jennifer L. Fries Somerville, Massachusetts

After reading your Sept. 24 Special Report, I’m certain about one thing–if I’m ever buried under a burning building, I want a New Yorker looking for me. Denise DeCoster Mountain View, California

Instead of praising Rudolph Giuliani for the wonderful job he has done as mayor of New York City–eliminating street crime and cleaning up the city, thus making it a haven for visitors and prosperous for its residents–Adam Piore chooses to paint him as a modern-day Hitler (“A Yuppie in Giuliani’s New York,” Letter From America, Sept. 10). Giuliani is the best mayor New York has had since Fiorello La Guardia–and now he’s proved himself. If Piore can’t live by the rules, he should be banished to New Jersey. Constantine Soloyanis Glyfada, Greece

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-01” author: “James Homza”

A World Divided Congratulations, NEWSWEEK, for your comprehensive coverage of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Your articles gave me a better perspective on the fatal events and provided new information in a professional way. As a reader I understand and appreciate the risks you take to bring the latest events around the world into my home. I believe that reporters, along with firemen, police officers and paramedics, should also be treated as heroes. I send my warmest and friendliest hug to those risking their lives to keep the world informed: reporters. Ramon Araiza Quiroz Aquascalientes, Mexico

Your articles on the terrorist attacks contain much talk about patriotism. The United States of the last few weeks reminded me of Nuremburg in 1938–all the flags, nationalistic songs and speeches are awful. We experienced some of this at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles, which many journalists compared to the Berlin Games of 1936. Now I think such patriotism is threatening to mankind. Sven Olof Ohlsson Seoul, Korea

In a way, the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 should have been expected. If the American people, and particularly the security and intelligence services, had read NEWSWEEK’s illuminating Feb. 19 exclusive (“Terror Goes Global,” World Affairs), they would have known that terrorists were going to strike sooner or later, and could have taken steps to prevent this. Hats off to NEWSWEEK for highlighting this in a cover story as far back as February. If only your warning had been heeded. Ravindra Rupesinghe Kotte, Sri Lanka

I was deeply moved to see Americans participating in the massive relief and humanitarian efforts for Afghan refugees. The TV footage I saw showed food and supplies being sent to starving people in Afghanistan. To show such compassion for a people ravaged by savage attacks brought tears to my eyes. I hope that this love for humanity can bring down the many walls of hatred that perpetrate such violence. Naveed Afraz Lahore, Pakistan

History is full of hateful people who use religion as a justification for their evil deeds and repression. The Muslim faith today is particularly susceptible to this kind of abuse. The Quran forbids one to take one’s own life or kill innocent civilians, but suicide attackers preach the opposite. True Muslims –religious and secular ones alike–should be proactive in preventing their brethren from soiling the name of a great religion. Tony Pupkewitz Windhoek, Namibia

I oppose terrorism and believe it is a cowardly and venal way to solve problems, but it is rarely executed without reason. It is a monumental challenge to maintain objectivity after the World Trade Center disaster, but the American government must be open-minded about who committed the acts, and why. This will empower them to more effectively determine a judicious method for resolving the immediate conflict and the larger threat of global terrorism. Automatically assuming that terrorism is orchestrated by irrational people without motive who cannot be negotiated with is an ignorant and arrogant assumption and will not contribute to conflict resolution. Such a generalization turns a deaf ear to the perpetrators’ messages, which will only provoke them to wreak more havoc. Firth McEachern Hurghada, Egypt

Terrorism is a war against the people in streets, offices, cafes and every other public place. It’s the unaware person who is the prime target of terrorists. It is very easy for us to look out in our neighborhood and workplace and search out those we personally know in order to help the local authorities take proper action. Ordinary people cannot and should not take up a war against terrorism, but they can help authorities substantially by making them aware of suspicious people. Wahid Bakhsh Bhayo Shikarpur, Pakistan

The world understands America’s anger and its pain. But I urge you not to let the need for revenge blur your judgment. The war on terrorism can be won only by identifying and eliminating the reasons that brought about this catastrophe. This may be painful. We’d have to admit that the expansion of Western culture is not always welcome. Americans must understand that truth cannot be patented and that the West may have to change its behavior, perhaps even share its wealth. Young men turn themselves into suicide bombers not because they are evil, but because they think we are. The real opponent in this war is hate. To be victorious, America must control its wrath. Ebbe Norsk Ruds Vedby, Denmark

I’m thankful to NEWSWEEK that, along with its brilliant coverage of the recent terrible acts against humanity, gave a really illuminating account of the peaceful core of Islam. As long as you continue to remain unbiased, I am with you. Chingiz Maatkerimov Karakol, Kyrgyzstan

I’m not Arab or Muslim but I must protest when you say that Mohamed Atta “… began to wear Muslim dress” (“Bush: ‘We’re at War’, " Fighting Back, Sept. 24). There’s no “Muslim dress.” What you meant is “he stopped wearing Western clothes.” Andre Louon, M.D. Muscat, Oman

It is good that you mentioned that Osama bin Laden is a creation of the CIA. Perhaps you should also tell American taxpayers how their money was spent on training, arming and building shelters in the mountains for bin Laden and his followers. A good start in fighting terrorism is eliminating the original cause, not increasing security measures in airports. Maybe then we can live in a world that looks like the one we used to enjoy before that bloody day in September. Yehia Shalash Alexandria, Egypt

To many of us far away from ground Zero in New York, the reaction of the American media has been almost as otherworldly as the attack itself. Americans must make a choice between struggling to understand why their nation is widely held in contempt around the world and submerging themselves once again in their culture of self-congratulation and deliberate blindness. He who lives by the sword dies by the sword. Since Richard Nixon’s illegal bombing of Cambodia, terror has been utilized more by the United States than by any other state. Whether it has involved propping up dictators in El Salvador, Guatemala, Iran and Argentina, installing them in Chile or removing benevolent governments in Nicaragua, terrorism has been, by any measure, an American staple. If the strike against America was a strike against democracy, then the target would have been a fully democratic nation like Germany, New Zealand or Finland. If it was a strike against freedom, then why choose the country with the worst record on civil rights and the environment in the developed world? This was a strike on American foreign policy, pure and simple–a policy of violence, racism and bullying that must end in order for terrorism to end. David Brown Helsinki, Finland

I feel a tremor of fear and sorrow run through my body every time I see a terrifying picture of a gap instead of the Twin Towers, because I was there once, at the top, in 1998. This tragedy has many dimensions and calls for soul-searching by all concerned, especially the United States. Terrorism deserves condemnation as well as handling the criminals with a strong fist but in a transparent manner. Hameed Sethi Lahore, Pakistan

How many Arabs were in the SS? How many were in the Nazi Party? How many Arab guards worked in concentration camps? Who were the Arabs who stole confiscated property from the Jews in the Holocaust, and which Arabs stole land from the Jews? The answer is that no Arabs were involved in either the Holocaust or the pogroms of earlier years. The problem was always European. The only place Jews could go for safety for 2,000 years was Arabia. Today Europeans make the Arabs pay the price of their guilt, and the Jews have totally abused the sanctuary and hospitality given to them by the real inhabitants of Palestine: the Palestinians. John and Eveline Roberts Mangalore, India

For the past 11 years, the United States has been the driving force behind U.N. sanctions against Saddam Hussein and the 22 million Iraqi people. Estimates vary, but the World Health Organization and UNICEF studies certify that sanctions are responsible for the death of more than a million Iraqi civilians, including more than half a million children. Genocide is taking place right now, every day, in Iraq, by the very power that claims to set the standard for democracy, freedom and justice. Marc Bumgarner Chicago, Illinois

The sight of the burning and collapsing towers will haunt our memories for a long time. Many Europeans were following the situation in real time–in disbelief and despair. Such attacks against civilians can never be accepted. However, it must not be forgotten that although the era of colonialism has long been over, the United States continues to further its own interests by commercially exploiting developing countries. It has been intervening in the local politics of independent nations not to help them but to secure its own global interests. Arms are supplied to countries in civil war, military groups have been trained using U.S. capital and U.S. experts. This is what happened in Afghanistan and with Osama bin Laden. Sadly, then, this will be a long war in which only innocent people will suffer again–American soldiers who blindly follow the policies of their government, and poor Afghans who are already near starving. Why are American politicians averse to diplomacy? Getting the Afghans to hand bin Laden over to an international court would have given President Bush international credit and a place in history. Violence, on the other hand, only creates more violence. Noor Sofia Helsinki, Finland

Today I am not happy being a Muslim because the terrorist attacks make people think there is something wrong with Muslims. Being a Muslim sometimes means having the same religion as terrorists. The victims of the Sept. 11 attack are not under the rubble of the buildings, they are inside our hearts. God bless all the innocent people around the world. Bora Onat Istanbul, Turkey

Your Oct. 1 issue certainly covered a lot of angles in the war on terrorism in real depth, but I was a bit disappointed that it failed to raise questions that I would have wanted to ask Islamic authorities. Among them: if expulsion from the Islamic faith is not possible, then how about issuing a fatwa against bin Laden similar to that issued against author Salman Rushdie? Such a move will be far more meaningful than simply disowning him. Roberto A. Palileo Makati, Philippines

I enjoyed your exclusive “Trail of Terror” issue very much (Oct. 1). As you pointed out, the CIA pampered the suspects, and the United States never made an effort to win the hearts of the people of Third World countries. America has invariably supported antipeople governments–for example, in Pakistan, the despicable Gen. Zia ul-Haq was supported even though he promoted fundamentalists in our country that led to national ruin. Then the United States supported the Taliban. Now America should think about supporting regimes that are friendly to the local people. Muhammad Saeed Akhter Dera Ghazi Khan, Pakistan

Pakistan has rightly joined hands with the world community in its fight against terrorism. But as soon as Pakistan did this, the Taliban clerics declared in a ruling (fatwa) that it is the duty of all Muslims to fight and kill those who are supporting the U.S.-led coalition–whether they are Muslims or not. Saudi Arabia has a central place in the Muslim ummah (nation) and it has remained a center of Islamic learning. Its clerics are more capable and have had authority for hundreds of years, so they must issue guidelines for Muslims all over the world. It is the Saudi clerics who should issue rulings on these matters instead of the unknown clerics of Afghanistan. Sher Ali Karachi, Pakistan

I’m a British TV reporter who arrived in Florida on vacation just hours before the terrorist atrocities. I’m now back home, but I still can’t believe it all. I feel if I went to New York now, the WTC would still be standing and that what I’ve seen on television has just been scenes from some dreadful movie. What has chilled me most of all is seeing rational, highly intelligent people, faced with a blazing inferno, take the decision to jump from the top floors of those towers. Anyone who has been to the top of the WTC knows that even looking out the window, from the safety of the bar or the viewing gallery, is dizzying. The terror and desperation that made jumping out preferable to staying in the building is just too horrific to imagine. Surely there must be a way of protecting workers in other tall buildings from a similarly hideous fate, in the event of any kind of fire that engulfs an entire floor below blocking all exits by elevator or stairwell. Could some kind of “parachute pack” be kept under all office desks on high floors for emergencies of this kind, with compulsory safety training for all employees? “Office parachutes” may have been a laughable idea before, but if just one of those many lives that ended brutally on the Manhattan concrete below could have been saved that day, it would have been worth it. After all, “base jumpers” parachute down from far smaller structures. Karin Giannone Norwich, England

President Bush has said we’re at war, but let us please not make bin Laden a martyr, lest the violence escalate. Seven months ago NEWSWEEK quoted a “senior U.S. official” saying, “If Osama bin Laden were to fall off a cliff in Afghanistan, we would all cheer, but his organization would still be in place” (“Terror Goes Global,” World Affairs, Feb. 19). If even an accidental death would leave the situation unchanged, then assassination would surely bring fears instead of cheers because martyrdom inspires fanatics. It would be better to have bin Laden alive and chastised by true Muslims. Let him be humiliated by the world’s respected clerics and ayatollahs, who may torment him with the words of the Prophet in the Koran: “Fight in the way of Allah against those who fight against you, but begin not hostilities. Truly Allah does not love aggressors” (sura II 190). Then turn him over to the World Court. It has no death penalty, but Osama may wish it did if he has to share a cell with Slobo. Paul Terpstra and Ann Davidson Springfield, Illinois

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-20” author: “Lisa Fuqua”

Several letters to the editor in the Oct. 22 issue of NEWSWEEK spoke of acts of terrorism committed against the United States as a “consequence of failed American foreign policy.” This is an outrage! While a constant examination of our foreign policy is always appropriate, to rationalize or justify in any way the actions taken by deluded madmen on Sept. 11 is preposterous and insulting to the thousands of innocent lives lost. Whether people agree with American foreign policy or not, the target of our actions is never innocent civilians. Nor will it ever be! To excuse terrorism, for any reason, is to endorse it. Paul Shriver Moberly, Mo.

Your Oct. 15 cover, with the photo of a child toting a realistic-looking toy gun, tells a chilling story all by itself. One can almost see the hatred in that child’s eyes, and he can’t possibly be old enough to understand the “why.” This is a story that will never end. Only the faces and the names will change. There was enormous tragedy in America on Sept. 11, but equally tragic is the destruction of the minds of so many children of the world. The children of extremists and radicals are brainwashed from birth and never experience childhood or adolescence as they are meant to be, but it’s the only life they know. The chilling reminder your cover sends is that tomorrow’s terrorists are bred from the children of today, from their children and from generations to come. We have a long battle ahead. Mark G. Johnstone Redford, Mich.

The picture on your Oct. 15 cover answers the question “Why do they hate us?” If you put guns into the hands of 5-year-olds and teach them nothing but hate and violence from their youngest years, what chance do we really have of changing that attitude? Of all the unnerving cover images since Sept. 11, this one troubled me the most. That sweet-faced little boy could grow up to be the next Osama bin Laden. Janet Banaszak Pittsburgh, Pa.

The thousands of innocents in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania will not have died in vain if we take to heart the advice of Fareed Zakaria in his exceptional essay (“Why Do They Hate Us?” Special Report, Oct. 15). As he suggests, we and our allies must not only stop bin Laden and the Taliban. We must also adopt policies aimed at reversing “the sense of humiliation, decline and despair that sweeps the Arab world.” As Zakaria so diplomatically says, America’s past Middle East policy is riddled with mistakes and lost opportunities. Our new vulnerability is all the more reason to pursue a more enlightened course of nation-building. If we succeed, young Arabs will never again perceive a need for acts of dreadful desperation. Fortunately, the Bush administration seems to be reversing its unilateralist approach and embarking on something wiser. We had a costly lesson; let’s hope at least we’ve learned from it. James B. Russo Bernville, Pa.

I wanted to let you know how well Jonathan Alter’s Oct. 15 column, “Blame America at Your Peril,” captured my own feelings about the events of Sept. 11 and thereafter. Many of us who consider ourselves liberal have recoiled from the position of those in the far-left peace movement who believe that we can “love” away this evil. In fact, many of us liberals have come to believe that not standing in the way of evil is evil–and have grown very tired of the knee-jerk “blame America” rhetoric of our left-wing colleagues and friends. Holly Brady Stanford, Calif.

I’m 17, and as I was reading the Oct. 15 issue of NEWSWEEK, two specific articles hit home. “Cracking the Terror Code” really surprised me. Somehow I’d envisioned the suicide pilots as abnormal, suspicious-sounding people, but they weren’t. They seemed in many ways to be regular people–with a terrible plan in their minds. It was really shocking. And thank you for the article “The Kids Who Saw It All,” about students at New York’s Stuyvesant High School. It brought back resolutions and memories of my own. I have always been an adamant American patriot–so much so that I’ve been teased about it by friends from other countries. After the World Trade Center towers went down and the Pentagon was crashed into, my resolve and commitment to my country have only been strengthened. I used to debate whether my nationality was American, Indian or European, but now when people ask, I simply say I’m an American. Heather Janetzko Union Springs, N.Y.

In Osama bin Laden’s first major political victory, British Prime Minister Tony Blair has joined President Bush in a renewed call for a Palestinian state. Terrorism seems to be paying off handsomely. Expect more of it. David Holcberg Marina Del Rey, Calif.

Having lived in Israel for some years, I am braced for what we will be up against in America in the next few months. Radical Islamic fundamentalism has the most sophisticated and dangerous propaganda machine in history. Its prized tool is the open, free and reflective nature of the Western mind. In Israel we have been facing a constant barrage of media images fed by terrorist propaganda. This propaganda attempts to equate the intentional acts of terror designed to kill as many civilians as possible with the unintentional and unfortunate loss of civilian lives that occurs as a side effect of a military action against terrorists. In the course of the next few months, Americans will hear about the suffering of innocents from military actions, the deprivation of children because of economic sanctions. Over and over, we will hear interviews from Afghans and others contending that we, too, are terrorists. As the horrific acts of Sept. 11 get farther away in time, only moral clarity will keep us resolute in our fight to protect our free society from the general threat of international terrorism. Susan Tresser Los Angeles, Calif.

During nine years of active service in the Army, I was stationed in Somalia, Haiti and Central America, and I know what it’s like to be considered fair game by those who oppose U.S. foreign policy. It seems to me that American citizens who are protesting the military campaign against the Taliban have little understanding of our adversaries. Time and time again, Osama bin Laden has said that it is God’s will that we be destroyed. We are in the beginning stages of a war of beliefs. I would ask the protesters to wake up. We are at war. Our enemy is patient, fanatically dedicated, well funded and without remorse. Do you think that the terrorists waiting to commit their next cowardly act would hesitate if you or your loved ones were in their target area? If your answer is yes, I believe you are living in a fool’s paradise. Mike Rocha Burbank, Calif.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-04” author: “Marjorie Walker”

I thought I was patriotic before, but now the sight of our flag or the singing of our national anthem fills my eyes with tears and my heart with pride. Before Sept. 11, I was pretty complacent about my freedoms as an American. Now I have come to realize all that our flag symbolizes. I read the Bill of Rights with a renewed understanding. I will never, ever again take for granted the freedoms we have here in the United States.

Roxanne Rowley Manistee, Mich.

I believe that the people who died in New York, in Washington and on a lonely field in Pennsylvania were the first casualties of a war that we must win. For the most part these people wore no uniform, nor did they carry a gun. These were innocent citizens who were slain with no forewarning, and with no means of defense at their disposal. I have no doubt that there were acts of selflessness and courage aboard those airplanes and in those buildings that we may never know about. This is the stuff that real heroism is made of. My husband and I are just Mr. and Mrs. Average U.S. Citizen. We love America and are proud to fly its flag. Our hope is that our children may raise our precious grandchildren in a country that is defined by peace rather than war and by love rather than hate. Let us all go that extra mile to ensure that privilege for all Americans.

Marcia Brown Chouteau, Okla.

Among the many powerful images in your Sept. 24 issue was the photo of a bronze statue of a businessman, surrounded by debris from the attack on the World Trade Center. I saw it at the same time that I heard the first conversations about a possible memorial for the people killed in New York. I suggest that the memorial already exists–in this statue. I was born in New York. I spent the first 31 years of my life there. Four generations of my family are buried in Queens and Brooklyn. I remember when the Twin Towers went up. My first job was at a store in the WTC concourse, and at later jobs over the years I walked in and out of the WTC subway station twice a day, five days a week, with thousands of others. I remember this statue. The shaded benches around it were a good place to meet friends, hang out and eat lunch on sunny days like Sept. 11. When I saw the picture, my breath flew out of me. Surrounded by ruin, it seems completely undamaged. It looks more alive than ever. This generic portrait of the anonymous office worker has been transformed. Having survived the disaster, it seems to symbolize how we, as a nation, will survive this crisis. The terrorists attacked symbols of American power, but they missed the reality of it, the thing that really makes us great and influential in the world: the unstoppable force of ordinary people living their lives in liberty.

Jennifer L. Fries Somerville, Mass.

Technology can work for us if the government recruits all those creative computer hackers who have been able to get into the purportedly secure systems of organizations like the CIA. Let’s put them to work digging out where the terrorist money is, monitoring terrorist activities and using all their abilities in a positive way.

Elaine Hendrie Bellport, N.Y.

In the two weeks after the tragic events, Muslim store owners have been murdered, scarved women have been assaulted by bat-wielding gangs and a mosque has had a Ford Mustang driven through it. On certain Northwest and Delta flights, pilots have refused to fly with passengers they thought looked like Arabs or Muslims. These acts totally contradict American principles and reflect the same kind of prejudice as the terrorists’ perverse plan. There are more than 1 billion Muslims on earth and 3 million to 6 million living in this wonderful country. To harass an entire demographic based on the actions of a few goes against everything the Founding Fathers worked so hard to achieve.

Arsalan Tariq Iftikhar Midwest Communications Director, Council on American-Islamic Relations St. Louis, Mo.

This thirtysomething feels like an elder muttering “I remember when” to herself. When your Sept. 24 issue arrived, I found myself relieved to be behind in my Newsweek reading. I am savoring the previous issue, remembering when a presidential recount and a falling stock market were the truly pressing issues in our country. If I were to save a landmark magazine, it would not be the Special Report on terrorism, but rather your Sept. 17 issue, which marked the end of the innocence in our nation. Thanks for the memories.

Susan Selig-Elliott Frederick, Md.

How fitting that peeking out at the top of the “Errands of Mercy” photo of former president Bill Clinton, daughter Chelsea and others is the street sign Herman Melville Square (“Ground Zero,” Sept. 24). Was the photographer aware of the significant implications emanating from this nearly eclipsed image in his shot? Like Dante, Shakespeare and Milton before him, Melville, a 19th-century New Yorker from lower Manhattan, gave his genius to an exploration of the same baffling questions that New Yorkers and indeed all thinking humans are pondering today. Melville’s quest into the mysteries of the tragic coexistence of good and evil produced a multiplicity of conflicting answers in the minds and imaginations of his fictive and poetic characters–Captain Ahab, Benito Cereno, Captain Vere and Clarel, to name a few. Melville himself never found a definitive answer. While we who mourn in the aftermath of the WTC tragedy may find no full consolation in this gifted visionary’s ultimately unsuccessful search for clarity and certitude, we can take a measure of comfort in knowing that we are not, and have not been, alone in the same struggle.

Malcolm O. Magaw New Orleans, La.

After reading your Sept. 24 special Report, I’m certain about one thing–if I’m ever buried under a burning building, I want a New Yorker looking for me.

Denise DeCoster Mountain View, Calif.

Patriotism need not signify militancy. In the 21st century it should signify pride in our country’s goodness, its traditions of democratic governance, its maintenance of our freedoms, its pursuit of justice and its efforts to strengthen the world community of nations and to contribute to a more peaceful global society. Patriotism may also be expressed by criticism of our government’s actions, when such criticism is offered on behalf of our nation’s well-being. If we understand that our nation’s real long-term power in the world is rooted in our influence rather than in our military might, we will take care to punish only those who have demonstrated their intent to harm us.

Betty Jean Craige Athens, Ga.

It is morally indefensible that all Muslims be held responsible for the actions of a murderous few. But while America does its part to try to root out the menace of terrorism, the Muslim community also must face the collective responsibility of rooting out among themselves those who sully the name of Allah by their deeds. Islam is a religion of peace, but Muslim youngsters are not being taught that. Who is responsible for the quality of what is being taught in the countless madrasas all over the world? What are the guarantees that the often barely literate preachers in small towns are not planting an intolerant version of Islam in impressionable young minds? Your writer Kenneth Woodward (“A Peaceful Faith, a Fanatic Few”) is correct in concluding that only Muslims can shed Islamic terrorism, by self-policing. As one watches the father of one of the alleged terrorists wondering how his son could have been part of this, one struggles to understand what happened to a tolerant and pious religion like Islam.

Vandana Kumar Manama, Bahrain

In addition to cries for reprisal, we also hear calls for America to seek the “moral high ground” and to refrain from military action. Those who are making this plea believe that we can attain peace in our time by engaging in a dialogue with the terrorists and listening to–and perhaps giving in to–their demands. But as British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain’s actions at Munich in 1938 proved, high moral intentions combined with a blindness to reality open the floodgates to disaster. No one in his right mind wants war. But would America have been a more moral nation if it had remained in passive isolation and allowed the Nazis to exterminate or enslave all of Russia and Europe?

William Jamieson Nantucket, Mass.

I deplore George W. Bush’s repeatedly calling the recent tragedy “war.” It is not a war, and we must not react to it as war. War is defined by two or more governments and nations fighting each other. Pearl Harbor was indeed war, and we reacted to it ferociously and well. But our recent tragedy was the work of a band of hateful individual terrorists, and we should deal with them individually, not as if they were a nation at war. The analogy of this tragedy is not Pearl Harbor but the assassination of John F. Kennedy by a terrorist who, in turn, was assassinated.

Wallace Rusterholtz Professor of History (Ret.), Chicago City Colleges Chicago, Ill.

During the dozens of hours of television coverage of the Sept. 11 tragedy, I found that one thing kept standing out in my mind: we are one family, and it’s time to let go of all the remnants of prejudice we still exhibit on occasion. In the hours of newscasts I watched, the people some Americans think of as “they” (blacks, Hispanics, Asians, Muslims) were an integral, intimate part of the entire scene. “They” were there at all levels-among the high-ranking officials, rescue workers, fire-fighters, police, doctors, nurses and on and on. “They” were victims, and “they” were loved ones. “They” cried and were injured and died. We are no longer separate entities–black/white, gay/straight, Asian/Caucasian, Hispanic/European and Muslim/Christian. We are one, integrated, hurting family. “They” are us.

David Bowman Martinsburg, W.Va.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-30” author: “Ernest Wagner”

Your articles on the terrorist attack in New York contain a lot of talk about patriotism. The United States of the last few weeks reminds me of Nuremburg in 1938. All the flags, nationalistic songs and speeches are awful. We experienced some of this at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles, which many journalists compared to the Berlin Games of 1936. Now I think such patriotism is threatening to mankind. Sven Olof Ohlsson Seoul, Korea

In a way the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 should have been expected. If the American people, and particularly their nation’s security and intelligence services, had read the illuminating article in the Feb. 19 NEWSWEEK (“Danger: Terror Ahead,” international), they would have known terrorists were going to strike sooner or later, and could have taken steps to prevent this. Hats off to NEWSWEEK for highlighting this as far back as February. If only your warning had been heeded. Ravindra Rupesinghe Kotte, Sri Lanka

The irresponsible foreign policy of the Bush administration and the biased U.S. support of Israel played a significant role in the World Trade Center tragedy by having brought desperation, humiliation and frustration to the Palestinian people and a feeling of discrimination shared by the entire Muslim world. There is no way to halt terrorism unless its causes are tackled. It is distressing to see that the world is being drawn into something that is a consequence of failed American politics. Alex Miro Essen, Germany

I was deeply moved by U.S. participation in the massive relief and humanitarian efforts for Afghan refugees. The TV footage I saw showed food and supplies being sent to starving people. To see such compassion for a people ravaged by savage attacks brought tears to my eyes. I hope that this love for humanity can bring down the many walls of hatred that perpetrate violence. Naveed Afraz Lahore, Pakistan

The rest of the world understands America’s anger and its pain. But I urge you not to let the need for revenge blur your judgment. The war on terrorism can be won only by identifying and eliminating the conditions that brought about this catastrophe. This could be painful. We might have to admit that the expansion of Western culture is not always welcome. Americans must understand that the West may have to change its behavior, perhaps even share its wealth. Young men turn themselves into suicide bombers not because they are evil, but because they think we are. The real opponent in this war is hate. To be victorious, the United States must control its wrath. Ebbe Norsk Ruds Vedby, Denmark

Thank you, NEWSWEEK. In addition to providing brilliant coverage of the recent terrible acts against humanity, you gave an illuminating account of the core of Islam: peace and harmony among people. As long as you remain unbiased, I am with you. Chingiz Maatkerimov Karakol, Kyrgyzstan

I oppose terrorism and believe it is a cowardly and venal way to try to solve problems, but it is rarely executed without reason. It is a monumental challenge to maintain objectivity after the World Trade Center disaster, but the U.S. government must be open-minded about who committed the acts and why. Automatically assuming that terrorism is orchestrated by irrational people without motive who cannot be negotiated with is ignorant and arrogant, and will not contribute to conflict resolution. Such a generalization turns a deaf ear to the perpetrators’ messages, which will only provoke them to wreak more havoc. Firth McEachern Hurghada, Egypt

If Muslims truly adhere to their Islamic faith as they claim to, they must take it upon themselves to weed out the zealots within their ranks. If they do not, they can expect to endure the prejudice of the civilized world. Carlos R. Manabat, M.D. Cabanatuan City, Philippines

Many Americans are completely ignorant about what kinds of policies their government pursues outside of their own country. They need to realize that many people around the world, while shocked by the tragedy of Sept. 11, regard it as a consequence of American foreign policy. Unless the U.S. government revises its double-standard foreign policies–for example, supporting Israeli oppression of Palestinian people while accusing other countries of human-rights violations–hatred of the United States will never end. Retaliation will only fuel more hatred and the cycle of violence. The U.S. government needs to try sincerely to help those people who are left out of the wealth of globalization. Momo Ohta Otaru, Japan

When will the people and corporate leaders of America hold accountable the other guilty party responsible for the outrages on its soil: the CIA? It is now clear that the CIA failed utterly in its duty to protect the American people, which is what it is paid to do. Might the agency be held legally accountable for this massive intelligence failure and be obliged to pay compensation to the families of those who died, and to the many businesses that were wiped out or suffered enormous losses due to the terror attack? K. J. Cronin Nottingham, England

I sympathize with the good people of America and share their grief and horror over these despicable terrorist attacks. The world can understand their need for justified revenge. But Pakistan is not a stable or reliable friend to take help from. It has its own internal and external economic, financial and political problems. What’s more, there is no popular support in Pakistan for helping the United States. And America has a history of ignoring the wishes of the local people and propping up unreliable heads of state. In the long run, all this has backfired against the States and alienated the people of those nations. The simple truth is that the United States does not need Pakistan–it can build a coalition with Russia and/or Iran to root out terrorists from Afghanistan. At this moment, Pakistan’s leaders have a very narrow self-interest in help-ing the United States. But this could become the kiss of death for the current leadership in Pakistan. So America should think carefully before forming such unstable alliances. Mohan Sivaswamy Auckland, New Zealand

Why do people in the United States consider having an identity card to be a loss of freedom and civil liberty? Opponents say it would be the beginning of a police state, but under the new circumstances, an ID card for every U.S. citizen and resident is an obvious necessity as a first step toward defending the American way of life. In Italy, it is against the law not to have your ID with you at all times. And it’s no worse than carrying a driver’s license. In this “new world,” are Americans not willing to change? James Raymond Milan, Italy

The Sept. 11 terrorist attacks launched against the United States were of such magnitude and insolence that people the world over agree they must not go unpunished. But peace-loving people are concerned that the current military campaign in Afghanistan carries considerable potential for growing into a protracted war that will hurt and kill many more innocent people. While Osama bin Laden and his associates (or any government that has harbored him or supported his terrorist activities) can find no sympathy in the civilized world, the show of military brute force will ultimately achieve little more than the restoration of America’s hurt pride. Bin Laden’s strength lies not in his direct involvement in such acts but in his ability to spread his word and brainwash young Muslim zealots. A dead bin Laden won’t stop terrorism as we know it; there will be more bin Ladens out there who may well emulate and avenge him once he has been martyred in a U.S.-led war. More U.S. targets around the world might be subjected to the terror that hit the World Trade Center, with the killing of countless numbers of innocents. Shan-Meng Chung Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

I’m a British TV reporter who arrived in Florida on vacation just hours before the terrorist atrocities. I’m now back home, but I still can’t believe it all. I feel that if I went to New York now, the WTC would still be standing and that what I’ve seen on television has just been scenes from some dreadful movie. What chilled me most of all was seeing people, fleeing from a blazing inferno, make the decision to jump from the top floors of those towers. The terror and desperation that made jumping out preferable to staying in the building are just too horrific to imagine. Surely there must be a way of protecting workers in other tall buildings from a similarly hideous fate in the event of any kind of fire that engulfs an entire floor below, blocking all egress by elevator or stairwell. Could some kind of “parachute pack” be kept under all office desks on high floors for emergencies of this kind, with compulsory safety training for all employees? “Office parachutes” may have been a laughable idea before, but if just one of those many lives that ended brutally on the concrete sidewalk could have been saved that day, it would have been worth it. Karin Glannone Norwich, England

I have Afghan parents who are peace-loving Muslims but also appreciate America. I’d like to say that on Sept. 11, my fellow Americans fell victim to the same regime that has repressed Afghans for the last many years. However, not much will change if the world simply condemns the ruling group in Kabul. We can’t expect change to come from within Afghanistan, because Afghans are held hostage by the current regime. The United States and the world powers need to stop the slaughter in Afghanistan by rooting out the terrorist camps there, which I’m glad to see is part of the current U.S.-led military campaign. They need to support the establishment of a democratically elected government in Afghanistan under U.N. auspices. And then I hope they will help with the return of the exiled Afghan intellectuals, bureaucrats and technocrats. America sees itself as the savior of freedom and democracy. So when will it help stop the misery in Afghanistan? We may not be white like the Bosnians or rich in oil like the Kuwaitis, but we need the world community’s help just as much. Please free the people of Afghanistan and restore humanity in that country. Mir Hekmatullah Sadat San Diego, Calif.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-18” author: “Rudy Ortega”

I am a freshman at the college of Wooster, a small liberal-arts school in Ohio. Although physically I was not near the tragic events of Sept. 11, mentally I was. Our classes were canceled, and the campus was silent. We all frantically called family members and friends and spent hours glued to the TV. In the past two weeks I have seen more patriotism and love for our country than I have in my 18 years of life. I have found that I am privileged to live in a nation filled with heroes. Thank you for showing the youth of America how to pull together in a time of deep sorrow, pain, anger and fear. This could have torn the nation apart, but instead it brought America together. I truly am proud to be an American. Abby Johnson Wooster, Ohio

The Afghan people are the first victims, not the supporters, of the Taliban. If we bomb Afghanistan, the hundreds of thousands of starving orphans and war widows are much more likely to die than the relatively well-fed and mobile terrorists. The idea that American lives are somehow worth more than other human lives is wrong, but it is our ongoing assumption. After the Oklahoma City bombing, we tried Timothy McVeigh; nobody suggested attacking right-wing militia-training camps, let alone bombing the U.S. “states that harbor them.” The revenge killing of innocent Muslims, Arabs or Afghans would be the exact moral equivalent of last week’s revenge killing of innocent Americans. Any wholesale attack we may be contemplating would make us the very best recruiters for Osama bin Laden and his cause. Karima Bushnell Minneapolis, Minn.

I didn’t know a single person who died in New York or Washington, D.C. I never met any of the passengers who died in the crash in Pennsylvania. Still, a great sadness continues to follow me through the days and into a restless sleep. It is a sense of something being out of place, not quite right. In rural south Alabama, we are far removed from the pace of city life. It’s hard to make a connection to skyscrapers and subways. But now I feel connected to those cities far away from this peaceful acre I occupy. Their citizens seem as close as the town down the road where my mother and father live. When I watched the news on Sept. 11, I saw the unbelievable horror of a world gone mad. In the blink of an eye, we became a nation of souls linked by shock and grief. Now we wait for what comes next. Life continues, but things are out of sync as I move through the motions of watering my plants, washing laundry, all the activities that take up the hours of a day. Days tumble over days, and still a heaviness lingers. Always in the back of my mind is a sense of loss, a longing to go back to the place I lived before the morning of Sept. 11. A place where life felt safe and secure. A place that is different now, changed perhaps forever. Nancy Blackmon Andalusia, Ala.

I received my Oct. 1 NEWSWEEK today and was sickened and very upset that you would put Osama bin Laden on the cover. I don’t want this evil monster in my house. I hope this letter is one of millions you receive. Why didn’t you put New York Fire Commissioner Thomas Von Essen or Mayor Rudolph Giuliani on the cover? There are countless heroes who could have graced your cover. I love this country with all my heart, and with all the gut-wrenching pain we have suffered the past two weeks, I feel that this cover is an insult to the American people. Jill H. Foley Atlantic City, N.J.

What a wonderful photo you have on page 18 of your Oct. 1 Special Report, accompanied by President Bush’s quote, “We will not tire…” It depicts two firefighters standing near where the World Trade Center towers once stood. Their silhouettes against the New York skies symbolize the strength of the American people. Even under the most horrific circumstances, such as the terrible tragedy that has befallen this country, even in sorrow, Americans will courageously stand tall, ready to help those in need. Maria Russell Durham, N.H.

Will retaliating by bombing Kabul or other cities do much more than escalate the war, cause Muslims worldwide to unite behind Osama bin Laden or avenge his death if we kill him, and snag us into the same kind of vicious, unending cycle of anger and fear and death that plagues Israel? Innocent civilians on all sides who have had nothing to do with terrorism or U.S. foreign policy will continue to die, and Arab-Americans will be particularly at risk. Fighting terrorists with our big powerful weapons is like battling killer bees with a baseball bat. We will destroy some of them, but pretty soon we’ll find we have enraged the whole hive. Perhaps the only way to resolve this is to reach out to and establish dialogue with reasonable Muslim leaders before it’s too late, to try to address the legitimate needs of the Palestinian people and transform the status of the radical terrorist factions, in the eyes of the Muslim world, to that of outlaw renegades instead of heroes. Bruce Cowan Pacific Grove, Calif.

I agree with the many who say that we need to “stop the cycle of violence.” However, I disagree about the means to do it. The only way to stop this kind of violence is war. We have tried tolerance for the past 50 years. We have negotiated with terrorists and some terrorist governments. We have won for them what I consider concessions from our friends (like Israel). We have sent some of them millions of dollars in aid and food. We have trained their forces to defend themselves against the Soviet Union. We have turned the other cheek when they attacked us in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Tanzania. We have compromised, appeased and tolerated. If the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon do not show us that tolerance does not work, what scale of carnage do we need? Now is the time for war, and no more moral compromise. Michael J. Gold Houston, Texas

In reply to George Will’s Oct. 1 column, I’d like to say that although we are all deeply united in our response to the tragedy, now should not be the time to abandon our values and blindly follow the Republican agenda. We should not abandon issues such as protecting the environment (the Kyoto Protocol, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge) and opposing the use of tax dollars for a missile defense that was never a good idea. Inevitably, domestic programs will continue to be squeezed as more funds are diverted to jump-start the economy and to fight terrorism. More than ever, the tax cut appears to have been poor-ly conceived, leaving us now with very little money for the neediest. I believe that it will be the Republicans who will undergo the greatest changes, recognizing that this is no longer a world where we can go it alone on terrorism, the environment, gun control or arms treaties. Randolph Walther Montclair, N.J.

Now that we are beginning to absorb the reality of the horror of Sept. 11, and the U.S. government is making plans to respond appropriately, Americans are starting to ask whether the government did enough to protect us in the period leading up to this tragedy. As members of a free society, we have an obligation to examine this issue. According to news reports, the FBI, CIA, INS, FAA, NSA and other agencies all share in the blame. So do the rest of us. We must not forget that we live in a representative democracy where ultimate responsibility resides with the populace. Intelligence and policy failures have been compounded by the fact that “we, the people” neglected our responsibility to engage in public debate to the extent necessary to set the priorities of our elected representatives. No one in this country who has traveled on airplanes, read the newspaper or watched the nightly news can candidly say he was not aware that our borders are porous, airport security is inadequate and intelligence agencies were behind the curve in tracking terrorist activity. Let us resolve to accept our part of the blame and move forward together to engage in civilized public discourse to ensure that government is responsive to the true needs of the nation. Michael Gewirtz Carmel, Ind.

Millions of Americans are calling for blood, and understandably so. Many want to see full-scale military action, but this can never be a war in the true sense of the word. Our enemies in this conflict want neither our land nor our money. They simply want our way of life destroyed. Our uniquely Western ideals of capitalism and democracy are seen as sinful in their eyes, as is our frequent intervention in world affairs. The terrorist networks would love nothing more than to see the ruin of our governments, our economies and, particularly, our freedoms. But the succession of events since Sept. 11 has made it clear that we will never surrender our way of life. Rather than tearing the fabric that holds us together, these attacks have made it stronger. We realize that we may be attacked again, yet people are not afraid. We go to school, to work; we carry on our daily routines just as we did before. People are flying on airplanes at this very moment, because the terrorists failed to instill the sense of fear in us that they intended. Our enemies are watching their own plan backfire. America’s collective patriotism, fearlessness and defiance have been magnified in the wake of this tragedy. Our way of life is unscathed. Tyler D. Semmelman Landenberg, Pa.

Like the “nervous consumers” described by Daniel McGinn (“Screeching to a Halt”) in your Oct. 1 issue, I was fearful about taking a flight to California for an upcoming vacation. Then, while I was listening to President Bush’s speech to Congress and the nation, it occurred to me that when my father was 20 years old, time after time and day after day he climbed up into the cockpit of a B-24 Liberator and flew it on bombing missions over Nazi-controlled Europe, in the face of deadly antiaircraft fire actually directed at his plane. Should the events of Sept. 11 frighten me off a vacation flight on a commercial airliner? Not anymore. Daniel J. Venters Somerset, Ky.

Of the many dramatic pictures of the attack and its aftermath, I found particularly moving the one you ran in your Oct. 1 issue of President Bush, apparently reflecting, in a room near the House chamber shortly prior to his speech before Congress. Coupled with your account of the president’s meeting with several clergymen before the speech (“Bush’s Battle Cry”), it depicts a man who is very comfortable with his convictions, principles and faith. In these trying times, we are most fortunate to have such a leader. Richard C. Marcy Jr. Marblehead, Mass.

Thank You, David Ansen, for your call for a different voice in the world of art and entertainment (“Finding Our New Voice,” Periscope, Oct. 1). I have long been appalled by our culture’s appetite for violence by the megaton exploding on the screen. We got our “blockbuster” at the World Trade Center. Those who died in this real-life disaster are our martyrs, giving their lives to change the eyes and souls of all Americans. Sofia Shafquat Encinitas, Calif.

As a former teacher and a current principal, I have heard many adults say that young people today are not patriotic. And I always worried that only those from generations that witnessed the sacrifices given for our freedoms could truly be patriotic. But on the evening of Sept. 11, as my family sat glued to the TV, my 17-year-old son, Brandon, a high-school senior, wrote an essay that–when I read it the next day–gave me a renewed sense of hope for our future. Here, in part, is what he wrote: “A cloud of dust and death settles over the city that has served as the gateway to the American Dream for 100 years. The port in which our ancestors first walked and dreamed freely is now the scene of an attack on everything we hold dear. We can never be the same. The nation that has given you the freedom to form your own opinion has come under attack by a force bent on taking that freedom away from you. This is the test for a generation untested. There are many willing and capable of rising to the task at hand. Patriotism, pride and support for our leaders, all of which are concepts lost to my generation, can no longer be forgotten.” Karrie Oswald Sulphur Springs, Texas

I read Marc Peyser’s story “Anguish On the Airwaves” in your Sept. 24 issue, and I agree with his conclusion regarding the press–I am grateful that it was there to cover the events of Sept. 11. However, I fail to comprehend the judgment of the networks that detailed the whereabouts of President Bush on that day (to the extent of announcing the altitude of Air Force One). Why not also report his flight coordinates? I implore the press to consider the safety implications of its reporting ahead of the “glory” of being the first to tell the story. Mary-Jane Thorpe Kohm St. Louis, Mo.

Having been born and raised in New York, I watched the World Trade Center being built and, like millions of others, marveled at the Twin Towers as they rose into the sky. And when those towers came tumbling down, I felt a connection to the tragedy that I’ve rarely felt before. Perhaps because of that connection I felt compelled to travel to the scene from my current home near Albany, N.Y., to witness the destruction in person. Smoke was still in the air a week after the attack, and the mass of rubble was just as grim as in the pictures I had seen numerous times on TV and in the press. Having paid my respects, I decided to walk the few miles back to the Port Authority bus terminal. I couldn’t help noticing that, for all the death and destruction surrounding what had been the World Trade Center, the rest of the city was back in action. Vendors lined the sidewalks hawking their watches and CDs. Vehicles filled the streets, and pedestrians searched for a break in traffic so they could scoot across, red light or not. It was comforting to see that life was going on in the rest of the city. I think America needs to know that, for all the carnage, New York has not been brought to its knees. Like all families after a funeral, it’s getting on with life. Sadder, inevitably, and with indelible memories of the tragedy, but nonetheless moving ahead. New York and America will survive. Mike Malachowski Delmar, N.Y.Bush v. Gore NEWSWEEK’s excerpt from David A. Kaplan’s book “The Accidental President” (National Affairs, Sept. 17) reproduced remarks allegedly made by Justice David Souter to my students in an off-the-record meeting with them on Jan. 30 of this year. According to Mr. Kaplan, Justice Souter told the students that if he had had but “one more day–one more day,” he believed that he could have persuaded Justice Anthony Kennedy to vote with the minority in Bush v. Gore. Justice Souter made no such statement in our meeting. I have checked my memory on this score with the only other adult in the room besides Justice Souter, as well as with a student still here at school who was at the meeting. Two other students on the trip, unbeknown to me, e-mailed a friend here at school to express surprise at the report and at this particular quotation, saying that the justice never made such a remark. I have never talked with Mr. Kaplan. It is disturbing that such an error could reach print. Zachary Goodyear Department of History Choate Rosemary Hall Wallingford, Conn.

Your excerpt from “The Accidental President” contains what purports to be a direct quotation from Justice Stephen Breyer to a group of non-English-speaking judges about Bush v. Gore. I accompanied this group to the court, and, having now checked with Justice Breyer himself as well as with Justices O’Connor, Kennedy, Ginsburg and Stevens, all of whom were present at the meeting, I can certify that Justice Breyer said nothing of the kind. Prof. Stephen Holmes NYU School of Law New York, N.Y.

Editors’ note: The primary source for the Souter quotation personally heard the remark. The primary source for the Breyer quotation was in the room with Breyer. Both justices were given an opportunity to respond prior to the publication of Kaplan’s book. Both did not and have not done so postpublication. Kaplan, his publisher, William Morrow, and NEWSWEEK stand by the excerpt. Clarification In our Oct. 8 issue, a photo on page 23 inadvertently ran without a caption. The photo showed bodies of people from the Iraqi city of Halabja who were among the thousands of Kurds fatally gassed by Saddam Hussein in March of 1988.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-24” author: “Luis Yoshida”

To characterize the delay of Timothy McVeigh’s execution as “Justice on Hold” is incorrect. Rather, we are seeing justice in action. In our legal system, criminal defendants, no matter how heinous the crime, are entitled to certain safeguards, including disclosure of all information gathered by law enforcement. The FBI’s revelation about documents it failed to turn over to McVeigh’s defense attorneys brings to light a larger issue that should concern all Americans. If the defense in a high-profile case such as this was not provided with all discovery before trial (unintentionally or otherwise), it is frightening to think what happens in ordinary cases. Those who support the death penalty, believing the legal system to be infallible, should re-examine their position. Tony K. Heider–Bakersfield, Calif.

Your cover headline should have read revenge on hold, not justice on hold. When will we learn that when a government utilizes capital punishment, it automatically sends a message to its citizens that killing a person is an acceptable way to deal with a problem? Scott D. Roller–Pittsburgh, Pa.

Kenneth Woodward’s NEWSWEEK stories are always perspicacious, and his May 21 article, “Overcoming Sin” (NATIONAL AFFAIRS), is universal in its exploration of theology and profound in its individual application. Thanks for this truly erudite piece of introspection. Kathleen Bone–Dallas, Texas

McVeigh should be forced to live with what he did. He wants to die, and shouldn’t be given anything he wants. At first I thought he should be put in the general population of the highest maximum-security prison, but the inmates would kill him the same way they killed Jeffrey Dahmer. Let him die of old age in solitary confinement if you really want to punish him. D. Jackson–Jacksonville, Fla.

Timothy McVeigh is not a man but a monster. I believe he knew exactly what he was doing and he didn’t care about who he killed. I think that keeping him alive is wrong. We are letting him live in a clean jail cell and giving him three meals a day. I think that after killing those 168 people, he deserves to be killed himself. The families who had their loved ones snatched from them by evil should have justice. Kristen Etherly–North Jackson, Ohio Spreading the Wealth Michael Lupinacci (“Jeter: Put your Money Where Your Fans Are,” MY TURN, May 21) couldn’t be more on the mark in calling on successful Americans to give back and help young people pursue their dreams–particularly those kids whose circumstances hinder their view of what is possible. However, I would like to point out that Derek Jeter, the Yankee shortstop, already actively supports kids at the South Bronx-based Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club, through his Turn 2 Foundation. Andre Agassi, Shaquille O’Neal, Jackie Joyner-Kersee and Michael Jordan are also among those who have made significant commitments–and should be viewed as role models by other athletes who take Lupinacci’s plea to heart. Roxanne Spillett, President Boys & Girls Clubs of America–Atlanta, Ga.

Michael Lupinacci’s article is just another example of how naive the American public is about taxes. Lupinacci thinks that Jeter should take his money and build a public school. Doesn’t he realize that when all of Jeter’s taxes are paid (federal, state, local, gas, property, sales, etc.), a large percentage of his $189 million will have gone to the government? Jeter’s tax payments could probably build many schools and staff them as well. But he certainly qualifies already as one of those “sharing their rewards,” and needn’t be told what to do with his leftover cash. Stan Cutter–Arbuckle, Calif.

I have been a subscriber to Newsweek for many years. Each week when the latest issue arrives, the first thing I read is My Turn. This week was no different; I have just finished “Jeter: Put Your Money Where Your Fans Are.” As a public-school teacher in Houston, I can appreciate Michael Lupinacci’s point of view. I see so many unfortunate students who do indeed wear the same clothes to school every day. I do whatever I can to help them whenever I can, but so much more is needed. I love sports and will continue to root for athletes who make millions of dollars. But those who give generously of their money and time get my respect and admiration. Lupinacci is not only an excellent writer, but also an incredibly caring man. When I reached the end of his article, tears welled up in my eyes. I hope that Lupinacci’s students realize what a wonderful teacher they have and learn all they can from him. Laura Lockyear–Spring, Texas

In response to Michael Lupinacci’s essay, I just want to say thank you for publishing such a great article. I hope that the author’s wonderful common sense and huge admiration for today’s youth will illuminate the possibilities for some wealthy Americans who may not realize the terrific uses to which they can put their spare cash. Kids need a physically up-to-date environment in their schools so that they can advance to a more fruitful life, instead of advancing to the druggy street corners. Bill Gross–Philadelphia, Pa.

The Trials of Pets and Vets While I applaud the fact that the courts are finally recognizing the difference between living animals and lawn ornaments (“Good Dogs, Bad Medicine?” SOCIETY, May 21), I am chilled by the thought that lawsuits will invade the arena of veterinary care. The inevitable outcome of a flood of malpractice suits will be a dramatic rise in the costs of veterinary care–costs that are already increasing with the use of more sophisticated treatments and expensive drugs. The specter of lawsuits would also destroy the atmosphere of trust many of us enjoy with our vets. I would plead with people who are suing the vet for an unhappy outcome (partly in an effort to assuage their grief) to consider that they would be instrumental in compounding the tragedy when veterinary care becomes less affordable for many other pet owners. Don’t punish us, our pets (whom we love as much as Marc Bluestone loved his dog, Shane) or the responsible veterinary clinics. Instead, please go quickly to the nearest animal shelter and save the life of another dog. That will yield greater satisfaction in the long run than any vengeance money you might win in court. Judith A. Sabol–Lawtons, N.Y.

As a veterinarian, I was chilled to the bone to read your article “Good Dogs, Bad Medicine.” I do agree that pet owners deserve some recourse if their pets are victims of true veterinary bungling; this is why we have complaints committees on our licensing boards. But I must point out that such bungling is rare in a profession where the veterinarian’s rewards come from personal pride and satisfaction in dealing with sick patients who cannot tell us what is wrong. Certainly, no veterinarian goes into practice for the money; we are among the most highly trained, but lowest-paid, of all professionals, and few of us can afford malpractice insurance. Bonnie Beresford, D.V.M. Guelph, Ont. Give Me a C-H-E-E-R… Thank you for the excellent article “Cheerleading Gets Tough” (SOCIETY, May 21). The world of competitive cheerleading is a dangerous, difficult, yet awesome one! As a high-school cheerleader, I’m so glad we are finally getting some of the recognition we deserve. I feel strongly that we need to put out a positive message about cheerleading to the public outside of the sport. Many may argue that cheerleading is in no way an actual sport because we don’t use a ball or equipment (other than our spirit and determination). I hope your article has opened people’s eyes to the truth about cheerleading. It’s definitely a start, and it puts us one step closer to the goal on every serious cheerleader’s mind: cheerleading at the 2004 Summer Olympics! Kristina Murray–Atlanta, Ga. Vintage R.E.M. R.E.M.’s fans knew better than to worry about the band’s new CD, “Reveal” (“Finding Their Religion,” Arts & Entertainment, May 21). Michael Stipe & Co. continue to be one of the most talented, creative and amazing bands out there–even as they push middle age. “Refrigerator-magnet poetry” is not the way I would describe the lyrics of a group that draws new fans with every record. R.E.M. grows musically with each album; Stipe’s “gorgeously melancholy” voice is only part of the package. “Reveal” simply solidifies R.E.M’s hold on top ranking for genuine music fans in this era of hip-hop horrors. Eliana Osborn–Yuma, Ariz. Opening Doors for All Women In your article “Bush’s ‘Power Puff Girls’ " (NATIONAL AFFAIRS, May 7), you wrote that “women’s groups complain that Republican women are benefiting from decades of feminist activism,” followed by a quote from me. In saying that we knew when we were kicking open doors of opportunity that some of the women who walked through would be conservatives, I meant to convey that our work was and is intended to improve the lives of all women, of all political stripes. And, of course, Republican women and men are among those who have helped make that progress possible. Patricia Ireland, President National Organization for Women Washington, D.C.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-14” author: “Vincent Diaz”

Your criticism of the right-wing British press is altogether too timid. North American business interests, with their own European political agenda, dominate the British media and frustrate all attempts at a rational debate on the future of Britain in Europe. Their power is such that in March they forced a postponement of the forthcoming parliamentary elections against the wishes of the elected government. Meanwhile, NEWSWEEK continues to lament the takeover in Russia of the Gusinsky media empire. But didn’t Vladimir Gusinsky see himself as a “kingmaker,” using staff from his media businesses to run Boris Yeltsin’s last election campaign while simultaneously reporting it as news? A supine press is unhealthy in any democracy, but a press that tries to usurp the democratic process is positively dangerous. Charles Self Bristol, England

The point is not whether media barons can inflict damage on Blair. In Britain, there is only one way to win the election: get Murdoch on your side. As long as press and information monopolies remain lawful, an Australian will continue to select the resident of 10 Downing Street. Rene Gardea Prague, Czech Republic

You claim that “Fleet Street will be out to get” Tony Blair if he wins re-election. Is this the same British press that I know? Of the nine national newspapers in Britain, six support the Labour Party, two support the Conservatives and one is independent. What “right wing” press? Brian Stewart Bebington, England

Your feature on Blair may be giving a false impression of the importance of the British press in political matters. It is true that the bias shown in newspapers can often be attributed to the views or ambitions of their owners. But the power of the British press has been overtaken by those of television and radio broadcasting, which exercise a more subtle and dangerous influence over the body politic. The current general-election satellite-television news is dominated by Sky, owned by Rupert Murdoch, who has been openly in confab with the campaign organizers of the Labour (Socialist) Party. The supposedly independent BBC is financed by a license fee of $140 per household, but its independence is titular: the chairman and director general are appointed by the government. Broadcast media pose a great danger to the freedom of political information. Peter Lee-Roberts Faversham, England

The two apparently unrelated articles “Blair vs. the Press” and “What Scares CEOs” (INTERVIEW) frighteningly demonstrate the power of transnational corporations. Fleet Street’s gutter press attacks Tony Blair not only to keep him from joining the European Union, but also to hinder him from introducing much-needed health and education policies. Not joining the EU has already cost Britain dearly because the pound has risen so much against the euro that British products are no longer competitive. During the recent foot-and-mouth epidemic, Britain had to “borrow” veterinarians from Europe. In his illuminating interview, Prof. Jeffrey E. Garten says that “the era of the swashbuckling CEO who enriches shareholders… is gone. The future is more genuinely global companies… that assume more social responsibilities.” Rupert Murdoch and Conrad Black don’t think that way. If they had their way, they’d nominate the future prime ministers of Europe. That could be the end of democracy and European civilization. Wilhelm Guschlbauer Bures-Sur-Yvette, France

A War of Futility Joseph Contreras should know that Colombia’s most powerful and criminal drug kingpin is not Hernan Giraldo, but Manuel Marulanda, the leader of narcoterrorism in this country (“War Without End,” WORLD AFFAIRS, May 21). The Colombian guerrillas are no longer fighting an insurgency. They are exporting drugs, kidnapping people, extorting money from peasants and villagers, burning vehicles at checkpoints to scare drivers into paying them “taxes” and burning small villages to ashes when their inhabitants are slow to pay. They claim to be defending us from a fiendish war the “gringos” are waging on Colombia. With the huge fortune they have amassed, they can bribe journalists and lawyers with whose aid they hope to dupe the United States into “retreating from Plan Colombia.” Alvaro Botero Manizales, Colombia

How much death and destruction has to take place before the American government understands that this “war on drugs” in nothing but an exercise in futility? First it was Pablo Escobar, then the Rodriguez Orejuela brothers, now it’s Hernan Giraldo. As long as there is an addict willing to pay dollars for drugs, there will be somebody somewhere willing to supply the stuff. That is the law of the market, which the U.S. government should recognize. Andres T. Stepkowski Santa Cruz, Bolivia

Barbarous or Just? I absolutely oppose every execution, without reservation, regardless of the heinousness of the crime (“Waiting for Justice,” U.S. AFFAIRS, May 21). The death penalty is a symptom of a culture of violence, not a solution to it. I do not condone violence and killings, but the death penalty remains fraught with arbitrariness, discrimination, caprice and mistakes. Indeed, a country with the death penalty is holding up a sign telling the world of its lack of moral progress. By keeping the ultimate penalty, politicians and legal personnel encourage feelings of vengeance, division, intolerance and hatred. Executing a human being is an entirely destructive exercise with no measurable social benefits. Monica Selen Nykoping, Sweden

Those who are opposed to the death penalty say that such a punishment is inhumane and unworthy of our species. Did they ask the convict if what he has done is inhumane and unworthy of him? Does anyone care about the victims of the fami- lies and the difficulties they must live with? With a DNA sample, we can make sure that the right person is convicted and sentenced. Indeed, we must not make mistakes about who the criminal is. But to those people against the death penalty, I ask: as a taxpayer, do you agree to sustain these criminals forever in jail with your taxes? Violette Petit Fribourg, Switzerland

An Occasion for Controversy When I saw the headline of your article on Pope John Paul II’s recent visit to Syria, “Lesson in Brotherly Love” (WORLD AFFAIRS, May 21), I thought that either it was intended sarcastically or that I wasn’t seeing straight. But no, the article praised the “warm glow of love and joy” surrounding the papal visit. There was no indication that this visit was an occasion for one of the worst volleys of anti-Semitic venom uttered publicly by a national leader in a long time. Syria’s president, Bashar Assad, used the occasion to inform His Holiness that the Jews “betrayed Jesus Christ the same way they tried to betray and kill the prophet Muhammad.” If this is brotherly love, I’d like to know what NEWSWEEK considers hatred and hostility. Jonathan Chipman Jerusalem, Israel

Your writer John Culhane’s message of “love and joy” from Syria is marred by his quoting a libelous fabrication. No Zionist ever said that “love thy neighbor as thyself” does not apply to Arabs. The people of Syria, as well as the people of Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Iran, are basically good and kind. It is their radical nondemocratic leaders who fill them with hatred. Howard J. Zirkin Metar, Israel

Why, in negating an anti-Syrian-Arab stereotype, does Culhane promote an anti-Israeli-Jewish one by quoting a Syrian friend, without comment, who says, “[Zionists say] ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself… unless he’s an Arab’ “? Interesting that Culhane did not see fit to quote his enlightened interlocutor’s response to her president’s raw anti-Semitism, when he crudely accused “the Jews” of persecuting both Jesus and Muhammad. Perhaps she, like the pope in whose presence Assad’s comments were made, just quietly took them in. Moshe Rosman Jerusalem, Israel

In your article about brotherhood in Syria, it was erroneously stated that Leviticus was a Jewish prophet of the Old Testament. In fact, Leviticus is the English translation of the name of one of the five books of the Torah, and is not a prophet. The book in question is titled “Leviticus” because it refers to the many duties of the Levites, who were the sons of Aaron. Larry Brooks New York, New York

Culhane’s Syrian friend is mistaken in speaking of a prophet Leviticus. There is no such person. The commandments in the book of Leviticus were given to Moses or his brother Aaron. She is also mistaken in implying that Jews hate Arabs. Jews do not attack Arab ambulances, do not (unless mentally disturbed) deliberately murder Arab civilians and do not target school buses. Nor are the Israeli media devoted to the instigation of murder, mayhem and martyrdom. Arab children have died when they were present in areas that were the source of Arab-initiated violence. This fact does not give Jews any joy. Arabs can and do walk freely in Jewish neighborhoods any time of day without fear of being tortured or mutilated. Given the facts, who hates whom? Riva Bickel Ramat Beit Shemesh, Israel

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-15” author: “Sharon Baggett”

My uncle Glen was in the control tower when the Japanese bombers arrived at Pearl Harbor. A patrol-bomber pilot, he was killed in a crash a month later while returning from a search mission. My grandmother, having lost her oldest child, wanted to keep her surviving son out of danger. That would prove impossible, since her youngest was placed in the infantry and sent to train for the Normandy invasion. Uncle Al landed in the first wave on Omaha Beach and fortunately made it through to the end of the war, with a Silver Star and two Bronze Stars for the Battle of the Bulge. He will be 79 this year. In my ordinary family, my two uncles were part of two pivotal events of the last century. I will proudly point out their names, along with my late father’s, to my two sons when the World War II memorial is finally completed. Mary McMahon – Palo Alto, Calif.

Thank you so much for your coverage of the release of the movie “Pearl Harbor” and for also providing the “real” story. I’d like your readers to know that more information is available. The National Park Service at the USS Arizona Memorial, in conjunction with the Arizona Memorial Museum Association, will sponsor the 60th-anniversary conference from Dec. 1 to 5, 2001. The event is open to the public and will feature noted veterans, historians, writers, artists and speakers on a variety of topics. Prices, schedules and other information are available online at pearlharborevents.com. Sue Husch, Conference Coordinator Moab, Utah Tyranny and Terror in Liberia Your report on president Charles Taylor of Liberia brings needed focus to this pariah and the chaos he is sowing in west Africa (“A Big Man in Africa,” INTERNATIONAL, May 14). Taylor claims that the international community has conspired against him. The United Nations imposed sanctions on his regime in the past month only after an exhaustive report last December documented his support for rebels in neighboring Sierra Leone. Taylor complains about the United States’ imposing its values, but he is supporting behavior that horrifies people worldwide: Taylor-backed rebels amputate the arms and legs of children on a routine basis. Big Men have failed in Africa. There is no substitute for the difficult job of building democratic systems. And there are tens of thousands of Africans, including Liberians, who are committed to democracy and willing to do that work. Many have fled their homelands to escape Big Men. Edward R. Royce Chairman, Subcommittee on Africa U.S. House of Representatives Washington, D.C.

In Jeffrey Bartholet’s otherwise excellent article on the rule of Charles Taylor in Liberia, there was no mention of Taylor’s wholesale destruction of the country’s remarkable untouched rain forests. An area nearly twice the size of Yellowstone Park is being clear-cut at an astonishing rate, destroying the critical habitat of rare species while exposing the newly barren land to severe erosion. The proceeds from the sale of the timber are disbursed under Taylor’s personal direction without benefiting the Liberian people. Irvin G. Bieser Jr. – Dayton, Ohio

From a distance, it is too easy to generalize about Africa. Your article on Liberia and Charles Taylor also fleetingly mentions Nigeria, Ghana and Senegal as countries that “still have a long way to go.” These countries are not only very different from Liberia, but quite distinct from each other as well. By all accounts, to visit Liberia could be to take your life in your hands. Nigeria shows more hopeful signs, but still has some very serious challenges ahead. Senegal and Ghana are economically fragile, but enjoy significant tourism–including a visit this month from my 82-year-old mother. Leverett Smith – El Cerrito, Calif. DWC: Driving While Calling As a lawyer who’s constantly in the car (and a single father), I read with great interest your article on the extremely serious injuries suffered by supermodel Niki Taylor in a car crash that resulted from a mobile-phone incident (“A Car, a Call and a Terrible Crash,” NATIONAL AFFAIRS, May 14). In response, I placed my mobile phone in my glove compartment and locked it with the car’s ignition key. Now, if I want to use the phone, I have to stop the car to unlock the glove compartment. A simple solution that will keep this parent aware at the wheel. Ned E. Tolbert – Sacramento, Calif.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-08” author: “Bonnie Fernandez”

With so many exposes of big tobacco, big chemical, big oil and big drug companies, how can we trust these money-making behemoths to make rational decisions for the good of all? Corporations are set up to make money, not to promote social good, so governments will have to curb their worst excesses. I don’t think that is naive or poor economics. Linda E. Dale–Portland, Oregon

Fareed Zakaria insists that only economic growth will save developing countries. What kind of economic growth is he thinking of? According to “World Scientists’ Warning to Humanity” (signed by the majority of living Nobel laureates–hardly a tree-hugging crowd), the developed nations are overfishing, depleting our soils and fouling our air and water to the point where we’ve reached the limits. Most “economic growth” adds more of these same stresses to our resources. We need economic growth that benefits life also–not just profits. David C. Ergo–Berkeley, California

Developing countries need economic growth but free trade typically increases poverty. Local businesses and farmers can’t compete with big multinational corporations. Result? Many thousands of people who were previously self-supporting lose their land and their jobs. Luxury crops for export displace basic food staples. New jobs offer low wages and demeaning working conditions. The environment is trashed with no thought of the true long-term economic cost. Democracy is undermined as self-determination is replaced by outside corporate control that is neither elected by nor accountable to the people. Our best values demand that we challenge the serious shortcomings of modern globalization. Elizabeth Moberly–Upper Darby, Pennsylvania

Zakaria criticizes the small fraction of protesters who tangled with the police, but overlooks thousands protesting peacefully. They were protesting because that’s their constitutional right and because “traditional democratic methods” such as “campaigns, lobbying and legislatures” are now the sole domain of corporate interests. Kris Thoreson–Sarasota, Florida

Demonstrations, even violent ones, are as American as apple pie. G. Breault–Key Largo, Florida

I’m sick of people saying, “Third World countries need good ol’ capitalism,” as if it has satisfied the needs of every American. There’s a growing movement of people who care about the interests of humans, not profit. It is not democracy that will be brought to Third World countries with globalization, but capitalism and greed. Christopher Lier–Andover, Massachusetts

It is the organizers of the large international economic summits (e.g., the World Bank, the IMF and the WTO) who are, at their core, undemocratic. By erecting fences, employing thousands of police and utilizing generous portions of tear gas, pepper spray and illegal detention, they have sought to limit the ability of ordinary citizens to assemble, march peacefully and petition for redress of grievances. Eric Oines–Minneapolis, Minnesota

The heart of democracy is the protection of the weak from the strong, including the protection of consumers, workers and other citizens from unsafe products, working environments and pollutants. These treaties seek to remove those protections. They grant greater protection to corporations, giving them greater legal rights than individuals, fewer legal responsibilities and budgets that can dwarf those of the countries they do business with. Far from creating a more democratic world, globalization is creating a corporate aristocracy. Mark Baxter–Altamonte Springs, Florida

Advocating free trade without any minimal labor guidelines has led to the defense of child labor and inhumane working conditions in underdeveloped countries. I can’t speak for the new left or the demonstrators against free trade, but as a consumer I will boycott products made in an inhumane work environment. Jerry Frankel–Plano, Texas

Applying Zakaria’s line of reasoning, we would have to conclude that the old-left protests for civil rights and against the Vietnam War were anti-democratic. However, most of the benefit of protests comes from drawing attention to the issues. The hope is that once people become aware of what’s happening, they’ll put pressure on their elected officials. The protests in Quebec City are, therefore, consummately democratic. Democracy works only when people have a detailed understanding of world issues, and without direct action, the deals made in Quebec City would not be held up to public scrutiny. Such a situation would be truly undemocratic. Manuel Martinez–Gainesville, Florida

As an old ’60s hippie and peacenik, I disagree with Fareed Zakaria: our goals have not changed, they have only taken on a new urgency and now require new thoughts and methods. Gary Anderson–Charlotte, North Carolina

The protesters were protesting the abuses of multinational corporations that threaten both democracy and the environment. But the word “corporation” did not appear even once in Zakaria’s piece. Some proceedings of the FTAA were so secret they were not disclosed to the U.S. Senate or Congress. This shatters any illusion that this is a democratic institution. The protesters have had the moral high ground even before the protesting began. Arthur Sturm–Milford, Pennsylvania

You manage to dismiss an entire movement as uninformed, undemocratic and selfish without mentioning any of the motivations we might have for opposing globalization. You argue that FTAA stands for democracy because it excludes Cuba. However, you fail to mention that we oppose the usurping of national laws in the name of free trade by a nonelected body. That is not democracy. At a minimum, this issue needs to be more actively discussed by the public, but journalistic institutions like NEWSWEEK are failing them. Kevin Crabtree–Berkeley, California

Congratulations! Fareed Zakaria’s article correctly revealed the selfish, greedy, insensitive, anti-democratic nature of the left. Now if only the rest of your publication would follow suit… Ross Winters–Beaverton, Oregon Forward to the Future I just read “Time to Do Everything Except Think” (NEXT FRONTIERS, April 30) by David Brooks while looking up the word “moribund” on yourdictionary.com and talking to a friend on the AOL Instant Messenger. Brooks has described me almost perfectly… and I’m still in high school! I may not have important business e-mails to check on, or inventories to track, but if I go more than 24 hours without logging on, I feel out of the loop. Even after reading your magazine cover to cover, I check out your Web site–to cover all bases. Kraig W. Bye–Rochester, New Hampshire

Brooks is right about creativity’s free flow during idle moments in the shower. He says he’ll design a placebo machine, without batteries, to free us from the constant intrusion of wireless devices. I wish he’d design one to keep my good ideas from going down the drain. The minute I step out of the shower my mind goes blank. Peter Kushkowski–Haddam, Connecticut Out of Cuba Your April 30 interview with Cuban exile Mario Cabello speaks volumes (“Return to the Bay of Pigs”). In Cuba, he found a respectful atmosphere; in Miami, he saw close-minded hostility and rejection. Of his reception in Miami, Cabello says, “I just feel sad that we haven’t learned what it is to live in a free society and allow people to freely discuss ideas.” A little less Western righteousness would be in order, would it not? Freedom from our own prejudices may ultimately be the only true freedom. John Whitmore–Sevenoaks, England Pizza Peeves A little comment on the American claim to have invented pizza (“Food Fight!” PERISCOPE, April 30). We used to own a little house in an old Italian village. The pizza oven in this house predated the existence of the United States by about 200 years. I hope this might help clear up the issue. G. K. Hoppe–Smethwick, England

If people all over the world were asked to choose between an Italian pizza and an American one, no one would have to be a professional chef to know what the answer would be. Face it, America: you simply can’t be No. 1 in every field–especially where good cuisine is concerned. Giulio Cicconi–Teramo, Italy Evaluating Intelligence There’s no way to evaluate the level of intelligence in a human being year after year (“Are We Getting Smarter?” SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, April 23). Doing so can only show how someone adapts to the conditions of the world. Intelligence has many manifestations like sensitivity, creativity, empathy, et cetera. Jean Jacques Lefebvre–Montezuma, Costa Rica

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-14” author: “Jerome Benson”

The pirating of Microsoft office is a big problem. But by not allowing computer vendors outside the United States to sell their product with the same software it comes with in the States, it is Microsoft itself that contributes to people’s wanting to purchase pirated software. Try to buy a computer on the Net from outside the States and vendors tell you their licenses make them unable to sell it with Microsoft Office, which is standard for the same computer for use in America. You have to buy this program separately at extremely high prices. No wonder people borrow copies or buy counterfeit. Richard Bourne Bridgetown, Barbados

I’m a lunatic to have bought an original copy of Office and Windows 98 for $300 to $400. I was sorry within a month. The Windows version is full of errors and crashes regularly every time you force its limits. What chance do I have to win in court against Microsoft for lost data? Information should not be free–people should be paid for their work but not outrageously; the margin of profit should be measured by common sense. Microsoft holds a monopoly and the black market only slows it down a little. Sooner or later, Microsoft will win. Cosmin Haraga Pitesti, Romania

As an anti-counterfeiting lawyer working for a consumer-goods company in Eastern Europe, I can only say “beware.” Criminal groups now systematically make fakes–including food and medicines–in Russia, and export them to the West. In my short time on the job, I’ve been threatened that I’d be killed–for a $1,500 fee! This past February, a counterfeiter was murdered by his colleagues who preferred silence over being sued by me. Counterfeiting is a sideline to groups that deal in narcotics, government extortion and murder for hire, and they are looking to Western Europeans as the next chickens to pluck. Patients and consumers need police protection, not another warning letter from a lawyer. For obvious reasons, I’d prefer not to provide my name. Name Withheld Paris, France The Slobo Legacy Michael Meyer’s account of the genocide Serbia perpetrated on Croats, Bosnian Muslims and Kosovars is the most accurate summary I’ve read to date (“His Willing Executioners,” EUROPE, April 9). But I do not agree that a “nation” was destroyed. Yugoslavia was a federation of independent republics. The Serb and Montenegrin republics refused a confederal arrangement that the other republics desired after the first fair and internationally monitored elections in all the republics. Milosevic was elected legitimately. Meyer is correct, though, in saying that Serb guilt will be hard to come by since most Serbs knew and supported what was happening. Even the Serbian Orthodox Church has not spoken out about the evils committed by Milosevic or Serb soldiers. Nick Pavic Wakayama City, Japan

Meyer’s article is clear and pithy, but the political history of Yugoslavia does not lend itself to simplistic interpretations. As ever, parallels with Nazi Germany are used to hush opposing voices. Serbs have been defrauded with the bombing of Dubrovnik and Sarajevo. Milosevic’s propaganda machine worked tirelessly to convince the nation of looming annihilation should Croatia and Bosnia be allowed to secede. But in Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo one passes by the graves of Serbs and their burned houses and devastated churches. Is this just a myth that Serbs need to renounce to make the Balkans a haven of peace? Are hundreds of thousands of refugees in Serbia just a propaganda scam? True, had NATO not intervened and defeated Yugoslavia, Milosevic’s (and other Serbs’) crimes would have been justified as grim realities of war. But winners write history, and so we’re not told of the odious political games that preceded the independence of Croatia and Bosnia, the bombing of Yugoslavia and perhaps, in the near future, the secession of Kosovo and Montenegro. Aleksandar Mijovic London, England

So, Milosevic is Hitler, and the troubles of the entire region can be laid at the door of one man? For good measure, Meyer cites Daniel Goldhagen’s deeply flawed and much-derided “Hitler’s Willing Executioners.” As a doctoral student working on southeastern Europe, I find the attempt to reduce the conflicts of the past 10 years to black and white disturbing. Really, how “similar” are Hitler and Milosevic? Rory Yeomans via Internet

Meyer is right in comparing Milosevic and Serbia with Hitler and Germany. In both cases, a glorified leader systematically mobilized mobs with a rhetoric of hate, started a brutal war of conquest, committed horrendous atrocities and war crimes, and eventually lost that war. But Milosevic is not the issue. His willing executioners, millions of Serbs, are. They elected Milosevic several times, volunteered in his wars, killing, torturing, raping, plundering and destroying the ethnic and cultural life of Croats, Bosnian Muslims, Kosovar Albanians and displaced millions. Guiltier even than Milosevic are the Serbian intellectuals who, in their Academy of Arts and Sciences, defined the program of Greater Serbia in 1989. So, I disagree with Meyer: it is essential for Serbia to be forced to deliver Milosevic to the International War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague, and not be tried in Belgrade. That way, the world will learn the truth and Serbs will see themselves as others see them. Boris Radovan Zagreb, Croatia

To spiritually purify Serbia and Serbs, Milosevic must be sent to The Hague for his crimes against humanity, duly sentenced and put away for good. Serbs need to become tolerant and democratic. A re-education program like the one adopted in post-war Germany might do it. And, Serbia’s neighbors deserve an apology from Serbia for the bad deeds inflicted upon them. Abudllah Baysak Izmir, Turkey

A pity you did not publish Meyer’s description of events in Pakrac 10 years earlier. Many lives could have been saved! Darko Ivekovic Zagreb, Croatia

Meyer’s article was moving, but he’s wrong in saying that Milosevic is a “rare abstraction.” Power-hungry people like this are to be found everywhere. T. B. White Istanbul, Turkey

Slow and Easy Does It Experts now recommend super slow training to burn calories, lose weight and become fit (“Going Super Slow,” SOCIETY & THE ARTS, Feb. 12). Such “intense,” “uncomfortable” training might be the answer for some people. But those who simply want to have fun working out should stick to their walks in the park, do aerobics to their favorite songs and continue whatever they’re most comfortable with. Nicole Groenewald Stord, Norway

At 5 feet 8 and 176 pounds, I should look fat, but as 59 birthday candles march toward me, I’m more hunk than chunk. It must be “lifting weights at a snail’s pace” that does it. It’s nice that less translates to more. Michael Driver Ichihara City, Japan

As an avid daily jogger, I’m interested in the latest panacea for weight loss. It reminds me of the soorya namaskar, or sun salutation a yoga exercise that covers nearly a dozen body postures (asanas) in one go. Yoga is also slow, and offers real benefits. K. P. Thrivikramaji Trivandrum, India

“Going Super Slow” is not new. such exercise has been practiced by the Chinese for a thousand years in the form of tai chi. Khor Mee Kuan Bandar Utama, Malaysia

Your story compels me to argue with Dr. Alexander. At 56, his body is different from what it was when he was younger. He needs a different workout now. Even if he had known of these benefits earlier, he may not have gone for this program. Young people who work out regularly want to sweat: they enjoy it! And there’s the runner’s high–you can’t get that by lifting weights slowly. Sharlene Meisner Dhaka, Bangladesh

What about the psychological effects? What’s more relaxing: spending an hour running in the forest, listening to the twittering birds, or spending an hour in a gym, competing with showy body-builders? Your article reflects the materialism of America, a country that enthuses over greasy chips and a hamburger. And that hamburger is made with meat from an animal that has been treated with steroids to make it grow faster, an animal that has never seen the sun because it was held in a factory–just like the people who believe they’ll find their way to health and vitality in a fitness center. Raphael Vogel Lucerne, Switzerland

The Cole Women The sexism in “Desperate Hours” (U.S. AFFAIRS, March 26) appalled me. Why did you begin with the story of a female officer onboard the USS Cole, only to later call the crew “men”? Wake up, NEWSWEEK, and join the 21st century, where strong and competent women (and men) no longer consider being called one of the guys a compliment. Cheryl Bellus Hockenheim, Germany

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-22” author: “Shawn Martin”

In your April 23 article “7 ways to Fix Air Travel,” you forgot to mention a basic one: develop high-speed rail, such as Amtrak’s Acela, a mode very competitive with air in the 250- to 500-mile range. Using existing technologies in most of Europe and Japan, high-speed rail has already proved to be quiet, nonpolluting and very energy-efficient. Donald Shaw – Bloomfield, Conn.

In your report on air travel, you say that too many small planes take up precious airspace. As a pilot of one of those small planes, I can tell you that most private planes won’t go near large airports. They make it expensive to go there, and it’s not worth the trouble. The vast majority of aircraft landing at airports where passengers are arriving and departing (and waiting and waiting) are turboprop or jet aircraft. We’re not slowing anyone down. If we even pass by, we’re required to stay well clear of the airport area–sometimes as much as 30 miles. Lowell Williams – Nashua, N.H.

Your April 23 cover story included a number of misleading statements and left the false impression that there are easy fixes to the problem of system delays. For example, the article states, “Smaller planes are slower than big jets, so air-traffic controllers have to give them more time on the runway.” In fact, many of the smaller aircraft at commercial airports have performance capabilities that actually exceed those of the commercial jetliners. Moreover, because the smaller planes can land and turn with less runway than the larger commercial carriers, they actually spend less, not more, time on the active runways. There is no doubt that we need to increase the capacity for our nation’s air-transportation system in order to accommodate the growing demand for air travel. For well over a year, all the various segments of the aviation community have been working together toward that end. However, it is not an easy task. Building new runways, adopting new air-traffic procedures and fielding new technologies–all essential elements for increasing capacity–require a level of national commitment that, unfortunately, has not been evident to date. Edward M. Bolen, President and CEO General Aviation Manufacturers Association Washington, D.C. Bring On the Arsenic Howard Fineman’s article “W’s Green War” (NATIONAL AFFAIRS, April 23) is wonderful. I am from Houston, and know what Bush didn’t do about almost everything when he was in the governor’s office (some days I’m not sure he was there). He was herded through by older, wiser politicians who apparently liked him and his daddy. If the press doesn’t begin to tell the truth about what Bush is up to, this country will not be a better place when he leaves office in four years (please let it be only four years!). Gayle Harris Birk – Willis, Texas

Why are you attacking Bush for trying to bring rationality and science to our environmental policies? The Senate has already rejected the Kyoto global-warming treaty by 95-0, Arctic reindeer are thriving as never before and our 50-parts-per-billion arsenic-in-water standard is not causing people to die in the streets. Ted Soberay – Brecksville, Ohio ‘What Have We Got Here?’ In your April 23 story on Suge Knight, he casts aspersions on Elton John and calls him an ugly name (“Suge Knight Is Back in Business,” ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT). As a songwriting collaborator of Elton John’s for 34 years, I was fully prepared to compose a lengthy letter that was to begin: God help us if an incarcerated white record executive had made the kind of statement about a black artist that Suge Knight made about Elton John. Then I simply thought, why bother? What have we got here? On the one hand, a thug whose resume contains numerous examples of intimidation and negativity–and on the other, a good, albeit slightly eccentric icon who has raised untold millions of pounds and dollars to ease suffering. So, Suge, while you bandy about the word “nigga” like it’s any less offensive coming out of your mouth, just bear in mind that the “f—-t” you refer to was onstage at the Grammys because he was invited. Bernie Taupin – Los Olivos, Calif. Breaking Ranks in Cincinnati As a 27-year-old black male Cincinnatian, I have this comment on the recent Cincinnati riots (“Days of Rage,” A THOUSAND WORDS, April 23): until well-meaning cops can feel free to criticize other cops’ actions without being considered traitors to their police brethren, and well-meaning blacks can feel free to criticize other blacks’ lack of personal responsibility without being considered Uncle Toms, very little will change between the police and the inner-city African-American community. Glenn Riley – Cincinnati, Ohio

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-20” author: “Basil Weimer”

My own brain devoured your May 7 cover story on religion and the brain. What’s more, my brain won’t let me forget about the article, because it’s urging me to learn more about this fascinating topic. Congratulations to Sharon Begley for her excellent science reporting! Kathleen M. Peterson – Camp Hill, Pa.

I liked your cover stories on God and the brain. But it’s futile for the article writers–or the scientists, for that matter–to try to use the kind of studies you cite to suggest the existence or nonexistence of God. It’s like a comic-book detective using his ink-line magnifying glass to search for the artist who drew him. The best proof of the creator is the creation itself. Walter Baran – Tarrytown, N.Y.

Kenneth Woodward has it right. Authentic religion is not about feelings but about faithfulness, regardless of what scientists discover about our neurons. The narcissistic search for transcendent experiences might be called spirituality in a New Age sense, but it has little to do with religion or faith. In every tradition, faithfulness is founded on love of God (regular prayer even when it doesn’t feel good) and love of neighbor (reaching out to others even when it doesn’t feel good). Katharine Watt – Easton, Pa. The War That Won’t Go Away Former Senator Bob Kerrey has said, “I have not been able to justify what we did… morally” (“Coming to Terms With a Tragedy,” NATIONAL AFFAIRS, May 7). I assume he is speaking not just for himself but also for me, for all the others of us who served in Vietnam and for five men named Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon, who decided we should be there for no apparent good reason. Some of us who served were less wounded physically than Kerrey, but all of us left some of our humanity and civility behind. It has been said that all gave some; some gave all. For Bob Kerrey (whose team I would be honored to have been a part of) and all the rest of us, I plead again for what we hoped for when we returned, but will never know: peace. Please, let it be. Howard Gintell – Brooklyn, N.Y.

I appreciated the story on Bob Kerrey, but I have a problem with the sentence in which he is described as a Medal of Honor “winner.” Please! This is the most prestigious military decoration awarded; a great many of those who earn it receive it posthumously. Kerrey didn’t participate in the “Medal of Honor Olympics” to get that award. He didn’t win anything. Like most Medal of Honor recipients (a more dignified way of describing them), Kerrey lost much–some of his soul, and some of his right leg–in that vicious, stupid, murderous war. To describe him as a winner is, in my opinion, to belittle the medal and the man. Jeff Brown – Great Lakes, Ill.

Spare me the sad story about Bob Kerrey’s “shame” and “anguish.” Kerrey is not the victim in this sordid episode. The victims are the people he killed. Atrocities by U.S. forces–the random murders and rapes, the larger incidents like the My Lai massacre, the use of torture under the CIA’s Phoenix program–were ubiquitous, and not aberrations, in Vietnam. To blame these acts on abstractions like “the war” is to strip them of deliberation, and to absolve the actual perpetrators of any culpability. Satadru Sen – West Lafayette, Ind. Bush: The Early Returns What a wonderfully crafted article by Evan Thomas in your May 7 issue (“First Brush With History,” NATIONAL AFFAIRS). It really gave me insight into the president’s integrity, patriotism and sense of what it means to actually be the commander in chief. The love and respect of his wife, mother and father, as well as many common touches he exhibited, come through in this piece so strongly that it makes me all the more certain that to sit down and talk with President Bush face to face would be to find the same humble man whose public persona we see on television. To use the same words Thomas quotes from the president: “Pretty cool, huh?” Robert Loftin – Weskan, Kans.

Regarding the article “First Brush With History,” I’d like to say that in his first 100 days, President Bush has established that he acts sophomoric at the White House, dreams up goofy nicknames for staff and media personnel and wants the world to know how humble he is. (Saying it doesn’t necessarily make it so.) It’s going to be a long four years! June Polzin – Luverne, Minn.

Your photo of national-security adviser Condoleezza Rice giving the president’s jacket lapel a quick little brushing (as he engages in conversation with Colin Powell and others in the Oval Office) says it all about this administration. It demonstrates the care and devotion Bush’s staff exhibit, so that not even a stray bit of lint will be permitted to mar this president’s image. Kudos to your photographer for capturing this very warm and human moment. Joe L. Hamner – Wichita, Kans. The Verdict Is In Thank you for Anna Quindlen’s May 7 column about jury duty (“Duty? Maybe It’s Really Self-Help,” THE LAST WORD). I just served for six weeks on a murder trial. I saw 12 people try their utmost to reach a just verdict. We pushed ourselves to the limit and were utterly drained after the process–but we felt somehow as if we had passed some sort of test. This trial, which ordinarily I would have passed over as dealing with a garden-variety gang murder, with a shrug of noninterest, has changed me in ways I cannot yet fathom. I am glad I was a part of it. Christina Waldeck – Torrance, Calif. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? If Americans don’t envy the rich, as Robert J. Samuelson claims, that’s good news (“Indifferent to Inequality,” JUDGMENT CALLS, May 7). It’s also wise. Envying the rich would be a little like envying the obese; consuming a lot of stuff does not make you healthy or happy. But if envy doesn’t make sense, maybe resentment does. The rich have resources that could help stop the spread of AIDS, improve health care, revitalize public schools, protect our environment, refurbish national parks, clean up inner cities, improve military pay, provide child care for working families and increase the minimum wage. These are national problems that can’t be fixed at least in part because the rich must have their toys. I think resentment makes sense. And we should fear the rich, too. Like the rest of us, they want to be richer. Unlike most of us, they have a shortcut. They won’t mug us in an alley, but they will mug us in the halls of Congress, where at this moment their gang is relieving America’s national interests of $1.3 trillion. Earl Simpson – Wake, Va. Depression and Success Thanks to Derrick Adkins for writing a refreshingly honest account of his experience with success (“What the World Didn’t Know About Me,” MY TURN, May 7). I am a college senior surrounded by classmates seemingly on the path to material success, with lucrative jobs lined up or admission to prestigious graduate schools. I, on the other hand, am still uncertain about what career I will pursue after graduation next month. I’m grateful to Adkins for pointing out, at this time of crucial decision making in my life, that a new house and a bulging bank account don’t necessarily bring contentment and inner peace. Elaine Gee – Davis, Calif.

Thank you for publishing Derrick Adkins’s testimony to living with chronic depression. It is an invisible disease, a bio-chemical imbalance within the brain. The self is robbed of a general sense of hope and well-being. If Adkins’s interior story sounds a little too familiar to you, act now. Respond to his message: “Don’t be too proud to seek help.” I responded–and have made an appointment with a licensed psychiatrist. Paul Sybor – Vancouver, Wash.

Derrick Adkins has bravely and forthrightly described his struggle with depression. Such declarations humanize this common but shamefully stigmatized disorder. However, Adkins implies that he had no choice but to relinquish his competitive running for the sake of his emotional health, stating that the sedating side effects of his medication forced him to terminate his athletic career. For Adkins, this sacrifice was well worth the price, but for many patients such an exchange is unnecessary. The modern compendium of antidepressant medications includes many with minimal side effects. Athletes, musicians, artists and others can be successfully treated for depression without having to abandon their professions. Indeed, in most situations performance is enhanced. We must hope for the day when depression will emerge from the shadows of shame and be recognized as just another medical illness that, like many others, can be treated effectively. Jerold J. Kreisman, M.D. – St. Louis, Mo. Memories From Meg In the May 7 excerpt you ran from Meg Greenfield’s posthumous book, it’s great to see a Beltway insider finally telling the truth about the farce our Congress has become (“From Meg Greenfield, the Last Word on Washington,” ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT). It is the best argument for federal term limits I’ve heard in a long time. William J. Adams – Topanga, Calif. Clarification In our May 14 story “Execution: the Grisly Play-by-Play” (NATIONAL AFFAIRS), we said that National Public Radio aired the audiotape of a Georgia state-prison official narrating the execution of a condemned man. NPR had actually decided against broadcasting the “death tape,” but many NPR affiliates did air it.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-16” author: “Mary West”

Shane Osborn, the pilot of the U.S. Navy EP-3E reconnaissance plane, heroically piloted a severely damaged aircraft to a safe landing, saving the lives of his 23 fellow crew members. But NEWSWEEK chooses to describe him as a lowly lieutenant instead of the hero that he is. Every day, the men and women of the armed forces of the United States put their lives in danger to defend the freedom of every American citizen and to spread peace throughout the world. These are the true role models for our children–not the overpaid athletes the media so often hold up as heroes. Alan Doyon Wayland, Mass.

In your article “A Crash in the Clouds,” I believe it was irresponsible for NEWSWEEK to imply that President Bush “[wasn’t] quite clear” on the goals of his policy toward the Chinese. And how did you ascertain that he was “relatively unfazed” when he first learned of the collision? When the news broke that the crew of the Navy EP-3E was coming home, I was so proud of the Bush administration for handling the situation with honor and class. Unlike previous administrations, this one seems more than capable of dealing with tense geopolitical situations while keeping its dignity intact. Karen D. Bloom Bakersfield, Calif.

I want to thank you for your April 16 cover story on the whole China/U.S. Navy spy-plane matter. I find it amazing that NEWSWEEK, as a general-interest news magazine, was able to explain the subtleties of Chinese diplomacy in a few scant pages, while President Bush apparently had to call his father and other China experts to explain the situation to him. This is why our citizens sat on Hainan Island for a week and a half instead of being home in a few short days. Adam D. Sperry North Hollywood, Calif.

Let Gore Be Gore I think the writer of your article on Al Gore fails to realize that many people believe he is the lawful president (“The Belly, But Not the Fire?” SPECIAL REPORT, April 16). All those other Democrats you mentioned had better be prepared to face an electorate angry over the Supreme Court’s decision to appoint the president and disregard the voters. We look forward to righting a wrong by electing Al Gore to the highest office in the land. As my bumper sticker says, RE-ELECT GORE IN 2004. Shane Krim Chicago, Ill.

Why do Howard Fineman and the rest of the press continue to attack Al Gore personally (“near-Taftian proportions,” “yesterday’s loser”)? And why do they criticize Gore for refusing to speak out against the Bush presidency? Gore clearly doesn’t want any media attention and has been acting accordingly. What, pray tell, would the press be saying about Gore if he did criticize Bush publicly? After he was mercilessly attacked by the media during the presidential campaign for being power-obsessed and self-aggrandizing, I can just guess… Carolina de Onis New York, N.Y.

Christianity Goes Global Kenneth L. Woodward’s excellent article on the current state of Christianity in Africa, Asia and Latin America couldn’t have come at a better time for me (“The Changing Face of the Church,” SOCIETY, April 16). Prior to the session on Christianity in my comparative-religions class, I had to apologize to my students because our text and my lecture focused almost exclusively on Western, European Christianity. Now I, and they, have a wonderful resource to use in order to round out our examination of Christianity. Thanks to Woodward for allowing us as readers and students to see a more balanced picture of Christianity. Dan Clanton, Instructor, Department of Philosophy, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Colo.

You refer to Cardinal Francis Arinze as Nigeria’s first cardinal (“The Next Pope?” SOCIETY, April 16). In fact, the first Nigerian cardinal was Cardinal Dominic Ekandem of Ikot-Ekpene Diocese. Jude Udedibia Calgary, Alta.

Taxes, Schmaxes… So the IRS has gone all warm and squishy and has decided to write off zillions of dollars in owed back taxes (“A Kinder, Gentler Face for the IRS,” BUSINESS, April 16)? Well, somehow all that neighborly generosity and good will toward tax cheats give little comfort to those of us who manage to pay every penny we owe–and on time! Who’s running the IRS? Oprah? Thomas M. Dieb Ft. Worth, Texas

In the matter of a kinder, gentler Internal Revenue Service, Clinton administration newspeak considered the IRS to have “customers.” Your reporter’s rhetoric ups the putative status of taxpayers to the august realm of “clients.” Under most governments, taxpayers can best be described as citizens or subjects. To confuse these statuses with that of customers or clients in the marketplace is to make both politics and economics surreal. R. L. Franklin Tampa, Texas

Barney and Bobby Knight As a sports psychologist, I’d like to thank John Baer (“Wins and Losses Are Not What I Remember,” MY TURN, April 16) for reminding us that the most valuable victories and the unique richness of youth sports come from transforming success and disappointment on the playing field into the building blocks that make stronger people, families and communities. At its best, amateur athletics should transcend both the “winning is everything” philosophy associated with Vince Lombardi and Bobby Knight and the “let’s just have fun” perspective of Mr. Rogers and Barney. With the proper foundation of competition, sportsmanship, passion, perseverance and respect for excellence, sports can blend and extend those seemingly contradictory views to teach important life lessons about personal potential and interpersonal relationships. Malcolm Rubinstein, Ph.D. Winston-Salem, N.C.

There’s No Silencing Tupac Even though Tupac Shakur rests in peace, I am glad to see that he has more songs still coming out for us to remember him by (“Dead Man Rises to No. 1,” NEWSMAKERS, April 16). To see a dead rapper selling millions of CDs is amazing. It’s just too bad that he can’t be here to share the excitement. Rachel Farrar Roscoe, Ill.

Bridget and Jane Your interview with the charming Renee Zellweger is very clever (“Jonesing for Miss Bridget,” ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, April 16). But your story neglected to credit an equally charming “older” woman whose work inspired the hilarious Helen Fielding’s best-selling book “Bridget Jones’s Diary.” Readers and moviegoers may miss the references and a whole layer of humor if they do not realize that “Bridget Jones’s Diary” is a takeoff on Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice,” complete with a valiant Mr. Darcy–played, coincidentally, by the noble Colin Firth in both the new “Bridget” movie and the most recent film version of “Pride and Prejudice.” Zellweger is indeed quite delightful, but as a member of the Jane Austen Society of North America, I’d like to say that it’s not nice to ignore Austen just because she was an even older singleton and has actually been dead for nearly 184 years. Cindy Landsberg Monument, Colo.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-13” author: “Robert Rutter”

My heart wept when I read about what the Albanians are going through in their own country and the role NATO plays in all of it. If the Slavs and Albanians of Macedonia cannot coexist, shouldn’t they be allowed to live separately and in peace? I don’t understand how Albanians can live in such abject poverty and degradation in the same country where Slavs are flourishing. How could any fair-minded person expect them to live in peace? I do not appreciate what NATO is doing in the Balkans. Yemisi Emeaghara Abuja, Nigeria

Fareed Zakaria’s article about redrawing borders in the Balkans was so simple: rearrange multiethnic states into nation states and–presto! all problems are solved. May I suggest similar border corrections for Hungary (a country surrounded by itself, as the proverb goes)? And how about border corrections to establish an independent Kurdistan? The list could go on indefinitely–Palestine, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, several African states, among others. I wish a solution were so easy to find. Boldizsar Koenig Budapest, Hungary

I applaud Fareed Zakaria for so correctly and concisely summarizing the situation in the Balkans and suggesting some sensible strategies for our politicians to consider–even if it means reversing our ill-fated “no breaking away” policy, which has stymied the legitimate aspirations of peoples of common ethnic origin. I will pass copies of this article to all of my military acquaintances who have committed to tirelessly carrying out the missions assigned to them by their politicians back home. Robert Jay Cook Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army Reserve Berlin, Germany

I have been working in Macedonia for the past 30 years, seven of which were spent directing a nongovernmental organization engaged in conflict transformation. There are many explanations for the violence that has afflicted Macedonia recently. There are also various reasons that some of Macedonia’s Albanians may support such violence and some Macedonians deeply fear the Albanian community. None of these phenomena, however, is absolute. Macedonia is not just another Balkan country waiting to explode. Also, like most Western publications, you insist on distinguishing between ethnic Albanians and Macedonian Slavs. Macedonia’s population has a majority of ethnic Macedonians and a minority of ethnic Albanians. But, be advised, there are no Slavs as such. By refusing to refer properly to Macedonians, you deny this community’s cultural and ethnic identity. You allow Albanians a cultural identity, but Macedonians only a racial one. Why? Are you deliberately supporting one side in the on-going regional political debate about the name of this state and its people? Eran Fraenkel Executive Director Search for Common Ground in Macedonia Skopje, Macedonia

With all of the rights Albanians are given in Macedonia, it is hardly believable that their “desperation” was so strong they had to take up arms. They shoot from the villages, then claim that “the Slavs” want to destroy them. In the meantime, NEWSWEEK fails to mention that no Macedonian broke any Albanian shop window in Tetovo or elsewhere during the crisis as “evidence” of such hatred. Karolina Ristova-Aasterud Skopje, Macedonia

Zakaria’s attempt to compare Macedonia to Bosnia in regard to social makeup and ethnic harmony is disrespectful and dangerous. To claim that ethnic Macedonians and Albanians “have always coexisted separately and uneasily” is wrong. Zakaria claims that Albanians are “persecuted in myriad ways” because of a 60 percent unemployment rate, “highly inequitable” education and an “Army and police top brass [that] are all Slavs.” But unemployment in Macedonia is a nationwide problem, regardless of religion and ethnicity. As for education, Albanians can be educated in their mother tongue, in school and at university. There are also “eased admissions requirements for minorities,” as stated in the U.S. State Department’s 2000 Report on Human Rights Practices in Macedonia. Finally, Albanians hold high-ranking executive positions in the Army, the police and the government. The deputy minister of Defense and two of the 10 general officers are ethnic Albanians, as are the deputy minister of Internal Affairs, the deputy speaker of Parliament, the vice prime minister and several ambassadors. Jovan Babav Columbus, Ohio Revisiting Macedonia A million thanks for your article “Fire in the Mountains” (EUROPE, March 26). As a Macedonian, I was proud that my government dealt peacefully with its separation from the Yugoslav Federation. And I’m also proud of the relationship my neighbors back home have with each other regardless of their Turkish, Gypsy, Macedonian or Albanian origin. Nobody wants another war, but as long as the media continue to portray a group of disillusioned extremists as maltreated victims when, in fact, the opposite is true, the chance of new bloodshed is inevitable. Have we learned nothing from the killings in Kosovo? Alek Bimbiloski Paris, France

As an Albanian born in Macedonia and raised in France, I was offended by your article. If you researched the drug problem in Kosovo more thoroughly, you’d find its real source. Exposing the puppets of an organized crime group points the finger in the wrong direction. The Albanians in Kosovo are poor; they are forced to seek work outside their homeland to provide for their families. Sometimes this means transporting and distributing drugs while the drug lords in the former Yugoslavia are untouched by the law. We Albanians live in close, hardworking communities. We’ve suffered under kings and dictators. It’s time for us to get a fair share of freedom rather than become the “mules” of another dictatorial regime. Agim Yoosoofi New York, New York

Your reporter consistently refers to Macedonians as “Slavs.” While Macedonians do have Slavic traits–as do Serbs, Croats, Slovenians and Montenegrins–we are much more than just Slavs. We have a unique history, culture, alphabet, language and a sense of belonging to Macedonia. Albanians living on this land have been given many rights, too. They have their own political parties, places in government, schools where Albanian is spoken, even a university. That’s more rights than any other minority in the world, yet they think they’re being treated unfairly. Albanians must realize that they are a minority here, just as the Macedonians living in Albania are. As Macedonians, we only ask for the right to live in our own country without fear of being forgotten or exterminated. We have survived Byzantine rule and oppression by the Turkish Ottomans, and some of Macedonia is still part of Bulgaria and Greece. The only land we have left is now being attacked by Albanians. Dejvi Kroket Skopje, Macedonia A Deep Digital Divide In your April 2 report “Nibbling at the Net” (WORLD AFFAIRS), you say that in Arab countries, access to the Internet is restricted out of fear by religious conservatives and authoritarian governments. However difficult to swallow, that is at least an excuse. But what explanation could be offered for industrialized Western nations, such as Greece, which profess to have the necessary infrastructure for the new tech world but whose rural residents still cannot access the Net? Living with this problem is, I assure you, as frustrating and serious as the situation you portrayed in your article. Kontargyris Xenophon Doumbia Chalkidiki, Greece

Your story on digital Arabia must have been accurate and objective: the censors here in Saudi Arabia removed it in its entirety from every single copy of NEWSWEEK. I think their actions speak just as loudly as the contents of your article. Please withhold my name, as I may get into serious trouble for informing on life here. Name Withheld via Internet

Hamoud Salhi’s comments on the cultural limitations of introducing the latest innovations in information technology to the Arab world (“Now It’s Time to Get Real”) highlight a problem that, in varying degrees, crops up in numerous other regions of the globe that are underdeveloped by Western standards. Providing people with personal computers, laptops or even digital assistants will, in and of itself, do scarcely anything to improve low educational and socioeconomic standards. Unless the haves show a genuine preparedness to share more than the products of their technical prowess, the have-nots will remain just that for decades to come. Werner Radtke Paderborn, Germany

Zorro to the Rescue Melinda Liu’s article “The Mark of Zorro” (ASIA, April 2) shows that even sporadic acts of courage by individuals with very limited resources can sometimes make a real difference. The Chinese government should encourage such people by granting them adequate resources to create a central task force to crack down on the trafficking of women and by making sure that traffickers are severely punished. Bravery of isolated heroes like Zhu Wenguang, operating in a hostile environment, must be rewarded so he can become a role model. Joseph Hamadani Lugano, Switzerland America and the Environment With reference to your energy article “The Price Spike” (U.S. AFFAIRS, April 2), I think it’s about time that the United States woke up to its irresponsible use of natural resources. The fact that, as you report, people have “even taken to driving more slowly” to save money on fuel is the beginning of a necessary learning process. Saving money thus, by saving energy, is something that the whole world needs to do. It will be beneficial if the most powerful and most power-consuming nation in the world demonstrates to the rest of us that it can learn to contain its consumption. Leitha Martin Milan, Italy

For Europeans visiting the united States, an unforgettable impression is of waste–unlimited, thoughtless waste–and your article confirms this impression about environmental thinking in the States. When will Americans begin to realize that our climate is a precious commodity and that the answer to shortage should be energy conservation and reduced consumption? It has always been need, not abundance, that pushed inventions. Europe, with gasoline prices $4 per gallon, is developing the three-liter motor for cars that get 82 miles per gallon. There are windmills and heat pumps everywhere. How long will the United States continue to waste energy and push global warming? One or two generations of Americans–about 4 percent of the world population–live at the expense of future generations. More power plants, new price regulations, bigger cars and disregarding international treaties are not the solution to the blackouts that threaten to loom in our future. Johannes Guschlbauer Vienna, Austria

I was scandalized when I heard the latest news from President George W. Bush that, against everything he had promised during his campaign, he renounced the reduction of pollution-causing carbon dioxide emissions. I am concerned about my great-grandchildren and about the survival of this planet. The United States accounts for 25 percent of the carbon dioxide emitted in the world, and now announces it will not do anything about it. We had a king here in France, Louis XV, who said, “After me, the deluge.” That is what President Bush and his powerful friends are now doing. What happens to his great-grandchildren does not seem to concern him. Claudie Langlois Paris, France

Forget the Mouse; Try Shoes I wanted to commend you for your March 12 article about online dating services (“Love Online,” SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY). It was a good introduction to the services out there and the pros and cons of using them. Having belonged to one online dating service for two years and two others for a few months, I can tell you that they tend to be an ineffective way of meeting a mate. As you said, there really is no substitute for meeting people in the real world. Potential mates who look like good matches “on paper” (or on-screen) often turn out to be terribly unsuitable in person. My advice to any man who wants to meet a mate is to become a shoe salesman at one of the fancier department stores. You’ll meet lots of nice ladies and be a provider of something for which they have a true passion. David Kleinbard Montclair, New Jersey

When Will the Music Die? My computer students at school know me as “Mr. Copyright Law” because of what I say about copying software, but I believe that the record industry shot itself in the foot long ago when it stopped making singles available and insisted that I buy a $16.98 CD for the two songs I heard on the radio that I liked and a bunch of filler (“Good to the Last Drop,” SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, Feb. 26). That being said, I use Napster to download old, hard-to-find recordings that have long been out of print. It’s been the door to the “Land of Lost Music” for me. As Mr. Copyright Law, I wouldn’t mind paying 10 cents per song. Even at 1,000 songs, that would cost only $100. But the record companies should forget about trying to prevent us from burning our own CDs from the songs online; after all, any scheme they come up with to digitally limit our legitimate rights can easily be circumvented by a piece of old analog technology–the cassette deck. Keith E. Gatling Syracuse, New York

My generation lives in the digital age. Most of our lives we’ve been able to copy CDs from friends or download MP3s either using Napster or another of the zillion sites available. Most people use Napster to download rare songs from LPs published years ago that are not available anywhere else (unless you buy them through eBay for $700) or unpublished live performances. The people who download the songs and burn them to CDs for distribution are the minority. It is disgraceful that these billionaire musicians and record labels fight Napster as if they weren’t making enough money already. They should be thankful that there’s someone out there promoting the artists’ music free of charge, enabling unknown artists to be discovered by the consumers. We’re supposed to be living in a free world but this seems more like 1984 with Big Brother watching. Anna Savolainen Reading, England

Enabling an Addict Your Feb. 12 SPECIAL REPORT, “Fighting Addiction,” was informative. But I think Robert Downey Jr.’s problem isn’t drugs. It’s his family, friends, fans and the star-struck court system that are enabling him every step of the way. They all seem to be buying into a slick, self-deceptive “oh, poor me” snow job from Downey. I adore Downey, too, but I’m not a sheltered white guy passing judgment from the comfort of my wing chair. I speak from experience. A long stint in prison, stripped of fame–long enough for the drugs and the dependence to get out of his system–will do him more good than being tossed back into the dangerous arms of his enablers, and that includes a coddling rehab program. Jeff Heglin Los Angeles, California

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-01” author: “Carmen Turco”

I just finished reading “Time to Do Everything Except Think” (Business & Technology, April 30) by David Brooks, while looking up the word “moribund” on yourdictionary.com and talking to a friend on the AOL Instant Messenger. Brooks has described me almost perfectly… and I’m still in high school! I may not have important business e-mails to check on, or inventories to track, but if I go more than 24 hours without logging on, I feel horribly out of the loop. Even after reading your magazine cover to cover, I check out your Web site, just to cover all possible bases. I guess you could call me an Internet junkie, but to be honest, I don’t want to be cured. Kraig W. Bye – Rochester, N.H.

David Brooks is right on about creativity’s free flow during idle moments in the shower. He says he’ll design a placebo machine, without batteries, to free us from the constant intrusion of wireless devices. I wish he would instead design something to keep my good ideas from going down the drain. The minute I step out of the shower my mind goes blank. Peter Kushkowski – Haddam, Conn. A Less Inclusive New Left Fareed Zakaria decrees that the New Left is anti-democratic (“The New Face of the Left,” World View, April 30). The negotiations of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) were performed in virtual secrecy; our own Congress will not see the agreement until after the representatives have signed it. Five hundred corporate leaders were privy to this document, though no private citizen was. There’s “democracy” in action: it kind of makes you wonder whom the FTAA will really benefit. Steve Payne – Sebring, Fla. A Confusion of Flags The confederate flag (the one with stars on an X-shaped configuration) discussed and depicted in your April 23 story “Old Times There Are…” (Society) is not the “Stars and Bars,” but the Confederate battle flag. The Stars and Bars is the flag of 1861, consisting of three horizontal stripes (bars) and a blue square containing seven white stars. Also, South Carolina’s state flag never incorporated the battle flag in its design. The battle flag flew separately over the State House dome in Columbia, on the same flagpole as (but below) the American and state flags. Last year it was relocated to its own flagpole on the State House grounds, where it flies today. Ronald F. Litz – Conway, S.C.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-09” author: “Bobbie Cofer”

I must protest on behalf of all siblings. From your picture gallery of seven purported only children, you have borrowed at least two from our ranks. Christopher Columbus had a brother, Bartholomew, and Oscar Wilde had an older brother, William. To paraphrase Wilde (a beloved fellow citizen), to make one mistake may be regarded as a misfortune, but to make two looks like carelessness. On this matter, I think Wilde would say, “An only child? Fie, sir, not I!” Mel Kirwan–Swords, Ireland

Editor’s note: NEWSWEEK regrets the error.

Far from being an only child, Oscar Wilde was in fact one of an extended family of altogether six children. Sir William Wilde, Oscar’s father, had three illegitimate childrenc–Henry Wilson, Emily Wilde and Mary Wilde–whom he had sired with another woman before he married Oscar’s mother, Jane (pseudonym Speranza). With Lady Jane, he had three more children: William, Oscar and Isola. The entire family spent time together, so Wilde was not deprived of siblings–except for the fact that all three of the girls died young. Traude Slaughter–Donegal, Ireland

The World Book Encyclopedia says that Christopher Columbus was the oldest of five siblings. In fact, his next brother, Bartholomew, helped plan Columbus’s great voyage and was his right-hand man. Stephen Lauer–Kobe, Japan

The one-child family is becoming a growing trend in our society because it is difficult to raise more than one child. Toys, education and leisure-time activities cost much more than in earlier times. Something your article does not mention, however, is that though siblings often argue and criticize each other, this is a healthy act that is likely to make one more open to criticism and tolerance for other people’s ideas. Martina Farrugia–Mellieha, Malta

While many countries’ birthrates are declining, I do not understand why that is considered bad. This is actually a good thing. Imagine if First World countries had the fertility rates of most developing countries. We have too many people as it is. Adrian M. Gonzalez Guerra–Monterrey, Mexico

What next, NEWSWEEK, a cover showing siblings sparring in full-fledged rivalry? We all know people who are “off the wall,” yet no one would ever suggest that their behavior stems from the fact that they have siblings. Anything an only child does is assumed to be due to his being an only child. The only time I regretted being an only child was when I had to care for my dying parents, until one of their doctors told me that it made his job easier, taking directions from one child instead of several who argue about the next step to take. There are pros and cons to most things in life. Madeline Gelis–Chicago, Illinois

Although many children will have less rich lives because they won’t know what having a brother or sister is like, the only-child trend is a positive one and is desirable for the planet. The only way to promote the earth’s sustainable long-term development is by controlling population growth and by eventually leveling it off to zero or to a very small growth. Jesus Nieto–Cambrils, Spain

Your report on only children is well timed. Even in India, we’re seeing more and more families with only one child. What is interesting, though, is that primarily because of the reasons stated in your article, it is the affluent who are opting to have one child; the poor still have more than a couple of children due to a lack of education or the desire to have sons. However, the only child in India is usually not as pampered as his counterparts in affluent countries, because we have many extended families here. My older brother’s 6-year-old daughter, an only child, acquired a younger “sister” when I became a father; before that she shared her things with our cousins’ children, because we all live together. Most of us have only one child, and we plan to keep it that way. Gagan Arora–Delhi, India

We are two adolescents, both only children, and we have very different opinions from the statements in your article. We think that the self-esteem of an only child is lower than that of children who have siblings, because we do not have as much experience in socializing with other children. Without constant interaction, only children may tend to be more shy and unsure of themselves. They are also not necessarily friendlier or more communicative, because they are not used to relating to other people their age. They can be socially inept, as we sometimes feel when interacting with our peers. Only children are also not necessarily closer to their parents. Of course this depends on the family, but it seems that having a sibling might bring one closer to one’s parents. Most people have long perceived only children to be pampered, self-centered and living in a bed of roses. We believe that most only children long for a sibling, as we do. Aaron Ong and Rachel Tan–Singapore Taking Aim at Pokemon In the PERISCOPE section of your April 23 issue, you publish a photo that shows a cartoon of an Arab chasing Pikachu, a character in the popular children’s game Pokemon (“Taking Out a Hit on Pokemon”). I am the person who created that cartoon, and I believe that you portrayed the cartoon in a way that gave it the opposite meaning of what I intended. The picture was cropped so that it cut off part of the Israeli tank with a laughing Ariel Sharon inside it. This makes it look as if my cartoon was an Islamic poster condemning Pokemon, when in fact it meant to illustrate the silliness of the fatwa issued by Islamic religious leaders. Obviously Sharon and his big tank pose a much larger threat to the Islamic world than Pikachu does. Emad Hajjaj–Amman, Jordan

Editors’ note: NEWSWEEK reprinted the cartoon as it was cropped by the Jordanian newspaper Ad-Dustour.

In the cartoon of the Arab chasing a Pokemon character, the bold headline implies that the world is laughing at the Arab nations for their ignorance in focusing on a minor issue like Pokemon and forgetting about the major tragedy and suffering of Arabs. Ramzi Adel–Amman, Jordan

It is true that some Islamic scholars have spoken out against the gambling nature of card swapping and the unsuitable idea of evolution that is part of the Pokemon craze. However, your article completely ignores the cultural clash that is the real core of this issue and turns it into an opportunity to once again mock Islam. By claiming that Islamic scholars believed the world was flat, you add insult to injury. You should have known better than to try to feed your readers this image of ignorant Islamic religious leaders’ believing outdated theories. The Quran speaks of human embryology, of the orbit of planets, of the creation of heaven and earth from gaseous heated particles, and of night and day from the revolution of the globe–all while Europe was still in the Dark Ages. Surprisingly, you also failed to report that many schools in the United States have banned Pokemon for distracting their students from studies, and that churches from Mexico to Slovakia have called the game demonic. John Marshall, Editor, Newsofthegulf.com–Dubai, United Arab Emirates Africa’s Gravy Train Your article on the corruption in the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees in Kenya (“The Nairobi Connection,” WORLD AFFAIRS, Feb. 26) should be read along with the statement, in the same issue, about the Sydney Olympic Committee officials who bribed Kenya and Uganda IOC members to obtain their votes (“Who Gets the Gold?” ASIA). The real question is, where does corruption start? Does hiring a brother or niece (nepotism to Westerners) for a government job, an acceptable African practice, constitute corruption? If African leaders skim money for their own benefit, are their voters going to say no? Corruption filters down from the top. From Kenya to Zimbabwe to South Africa, “gravy trains” are sucking the lifeblood of the economies. The “African” system fails to encourage true merit but encourages incompetence and mediocrity by centralizing authority (witness Thabo Mbeki’s gagging of his ministers over the HIV/AIDS debacle). An unsophisticated voting populace in African “democracies” assumes their leaders will help themselves. The people only hope that some of the “gravy” will spill over to them. Some chance! Andrew B. Smith–Cape Town, South Africa Old School Ties I am very fond of your magazine and understand your criticism of my school, the Ecole Nationale d’Administration (“Old School, New Age,” EUROPE, April 23). But it is unfair to allege things that are clearly untrue. If your reporter had come to the ENA here in Strasbourg, he would have seen that we are all very good at surfing the Web. Thomas Lambert–Strasbourg, France Understanding Falun Gong Ron Javers’s Feb. 12 OPINION piece “Making Sense of a Suicide” takes Falun Gong out of its context and appeals to popular fears of things unfamiliar. Fueled by Javers’s own traumatic experiences in Jonestown, Guyana, more than 20 years ago, the article claims that Falun Gong is a cult, and that it is prone to violence. More correctly understood, however, it is a form of traditional Chinese qigong , a form of self-cultivation for refining the body and mind. Branding the more than 70 million people who practice Falun Gong in over 40 countries as “cult members” is just not right. Levi Browde, President, Falun Dafa InfoCenter–New York, New York

In his article on the Falun Gong suicides, Ron Javers is mistaken in drawing parallels between the cult followers of Jim Jones and a movement based on the ancient Chinese traditions of tai chi and meditation. As for the suicides, during the Vietnam War, Buddhist monks committed similar acts of self-immolation. Yet no one would suggest that Buddhism is a flaky “cult.” The truth is that Falun Gong followers face the same despair as the dispossessed people of Tibet: they are victims of a cynical regime that tramples freedom, confident in the knowledge that the world will look away. The United States and the European Union appease China, preserving “good relations” for the sake of commercial gain. China is courted by everyone, including media barons like Rupert Murdoch, who censor critical comments from their publications. This is what drives good people to acts of desperation. Kerry Marshall–Brighton, England

I am a Singaporean living in Shanghai, China, for the past three years. I travel extensively around China, and I can tell you that Falun Gong is no different from other cults. Do we need to wait for another Aum Shinrikyo or Jim Jones situation to take place before we realize that it is just as dangerous as the others? The immolations in Tiananmen are just the beginning. William Tan–Singapore

I see no similarity between the Jonestown massacre of 1978 and Falun Gong: the people in Jonestown were forced to drink poison. They were members of a cult, kept there by armed guards. But Falun Gong people live all over the world and are free to think and act independently. They are not an isolated group with a single powerful leader controlling their daily lives. Furthermore, no one associated with Falun Gong has ever recommended suicide. Falun Dafa is a peaceful way of life, practiced by millions of people. It has no hidden agenda. Please don’t be fooled by the Chinese government’s propaganda. I have practiced Falun Gong for two and a half years, and never once have I wanted to kill myself. Pamela McLennan–via internet

The Chinese government has conducted an all-out war against Falun Gong since July 1999. The fact that millions of Falun Gong practitioners in China have endured a tremendous amount of persecution during this time is indisputable. Even if those people who set themselves on fire were Falun Gong practitioners, didn’t the government drive them to it? Why did Ron Javers’s article contain no reference to the role that the Chinese government has played in this tragedy? There is always another side to the story. Rae Song–Houston, Texas

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-29” author: “Kathlyn Lafever”

Your coverage of the conflict between the United States and China seems to have circumvented a crucial ethical point. The collision meant that the United States was caught in the act of spying. Beijing’s harassment of U.S. spy planes and the detention of the EP-3E crew is hardly surprising. How would the States have reacted if the roles had been reversed? Should the United States assume the right to operate reconnaissance activities anywhere it pleases? Jo Yong Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The United States is nothing but a bully. Being strong and powerful does not give it license to intimidate others. Philip Wong Pak Ming Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Contrasting the two aviators by attempting to make the U.S. pilot look like a relatively unskilled, inexperienced, Santa-hat-wearing clown and the Chinese one an aggressive go-getter flyboy is a cheap shot, but that’s your prerogative (“A Crash in the Clouds”). However, I must object to your characterization of a lieutenant as “lowly.” If we were to take the lowly lieutenants out of the ranks of our naval aviators, we would be missing most of our pilots. Jim Richards Leiden, The Netherlands

In its first 100 days, this new administration has articulated no Middle East policy, it has upset the Russians and Europeans, and now it provokes the Chinese. Isn’t it time to live up to the responsibilities of being the only global superpower? E. G. Petrakakis Maputo, Mozambique

I wonder if the U.S. government and public would tolerate any nation’s planes constantly flying along its borders on spying missions and how they would react if a U.S. pilot lost his life tracking one of these intruders? Robert Du Bois Brussels, Belgium

It is difficult to comprehend that Colin Powell acknowledged that the U.S. surveillance plane had intruded into China but that there was nothing to apologize for. It was the U.S. plane that flew thousands of miles to China to eavesdrop on its electronic communications. Whoever’s fault it was, it was the United States that initiated this unfriendly act and caused an accident. This is enough to warrant an apology. Dennis Ng Hong Kong

From a Brazilian’s standpoint, China is no more dangerous than the United States with all its interference around the globe. Nuclear warheads are a menace, regardless of the country which holds them. And if one wants to be paranoid, it isn’t China that is constantly boasting about the number of its missiles. Thiago Poggio Padua Goiania, Brazil

Your theory that China’s danger to U.S. security lies not in its strength but in its weakness sounds like a new strain of anti-China McCarthyist virus. With the end of the cold war and the demise of the Soviet Union, right-wing U.S. conservatives are bereft of a powerful communist enemy. So, they invent an imaginary enemy to further their own political, economic and military agenda, the so-called U.S. national-strategic interests. We’re witnessing the return of innovative right-wing strategists and their cold-war propaganda mills to do what they do best: formulate plans and craft strategies to spread fear and foment hatred against a presumptive enemy–a weak but dangerous China. In this new century, they’ll make the Bush administration look like a throwback to the Eisenhower-Dulles era of the 1950s. J. K. Lee Penang, Malaysia

For your information, the typical Chinese attitude toward the Beijing government is one of loyalty. We have not yet forgotten foreign invasions and the opium wars. Without the PRC and the PLA, the Chinese today might well be like the Palestinians. They fought hard for China’s freedom from the West, endowed us with the best socioeconomic period of our entire history and, now, have embarked successfully on creating economic well-being for our people. Thus, the West’s demonization of Beijing and the PLA is offensive to Chinese citizens like myself. Beijing, the PLA and Wang Wei have our total support in the U.S. spy-plane affair. Mary Chang Hong Kong A Counterproductive Gesture President George W. Bush’s decision to discontinue aid to international family-planning agencies ostensibly as “a small gesture to his supporters on the religious right” is a sad example of how America’s school-yard politics affect millions of people around the world (“Texas Two-Step,” U.S. AFFAIRS, Feb. 5). These institutes do not simply perform abortions but, through education programs and provision of contraceptives, prevent many more abortions than they perform. Now, thanks to this “small gesture,” many women will die at the hands of quacks in Third World slums. Murithi Mutiga Meru, Kenya

The Mobile-Phone Phenom In “The Text Generation,” you report that Japanese people “use their mobile phones to fill in ’niche time,’ waiting for the bus” (SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, April 2). It seems that in public places more and more people have their heads down, captivated by the little machines in their hands. In the name of communication, we have cut ourselves off from the world. People no longer say “good morning” to each other–they say “good morning” to their mobile phone, and it answers them. You also report that “a heartless 13 percent of users have used text messages to break off relationships.” Mobile phones have become a means of legitimizing our actions without giving explanations. It is really easier to hide ourselves behind a small screen than to face a person. Brice Legrand Paris, France

A recent poll by computer magazine showed that 70 percent of all mobile-phone users regard text messaging as the most important function of their appliances because it is “an everyday tool.” While this “tool” is popular with the younger generation, I would not call them the “text generation.” Such a generation would be characterized by technical progress made in computers and the Internet, not by these silly short messages. It might be fun sending and receiving messages, but doing so by e-mail is just as popular. It also is cheaper, arrives as fast as it is sent and is not limited to 160 characters. You can also append files and pictures to e-mail. Its only disadvantage is that one cannot have a computer in one’s pocket. Fabrizio Branca Frankenthal, Germany

Your article pointed out the fun that young people have with mobile phones. But mobile phones can present problems, too. As a 15-year-old, I know how important it is for young people to be trendy. In some areas, kids who have no phones are discriminated against. This is a common problem for poor families who cannot afford to buy their children mobile phones. You should have pointed this out in your article. Therese Daberitz Dresden, Germany Preventing Future bin Ladens Your articles on “Terror Goes Global” were timely (WORLD AFFAIRS, Feb. 19). But Osama bin Laden is only one example of the globalization of terror. We really need to prevent future bin Ladens from emerging. Democracies need to learn that terrorist groups (or states) of whatever ideology should not be supported to destabilize regions or unfriendly states. Let’s not forget the past: Iraq was armed to fight newly emerging Iran, and tacit support was given to the Taliban in its war against Russian-occupied Afghanistan. Both these actions are partly responsible for the present strength of bin Laden. And we also need to restrict activities (lawful or otherwise) of terror groups in the free world. They collect funds and publicize their cause in the West without breaking the laws of their host countries, while using funds so collected to unleash terror in their own homelands. Sri Lanka’s Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, for example, is banned for its terrorist activities in the United States and in India, but, until very recently, it had its international headquarters in London. S. Jayasinghe Nugegoda, Sri Lanka

I read with interest your investigative report on terrorism (“Danger: Terror Ahead,” WORLD AFFAIRS, Feb. 19). After all is said and done, it must not be forgotten that it is the United States that has created Osama bin Laden. Were it not for the indiscriminate and shortsighted American funding and arming of Afghanistan, there would have been neither the Taliban nor an environment that could harbor a fugitive like bin Laden. J. D. Gajjar Ahmadabad, India

As a Muslim American, I was offended by your article “A Spreading Islamic Fire.” We don’t want the destruction of the United States–we enjoy its freedoms, and we also contribute a lot to the society in the fields of medicine, computers, technology and so on. These stereotypes hurt more than you can imagine. Yes, there are fanatics in our religion, just as in every other religion. We don’t condone their violence, but can you blame people whose land was taken, their houses destroyed? Right before the Serbian war, Muslims were vilified in Yugoslavia. Would you want to create such hate for us in the hearts of the American public that they’d want to see us destroyed? Mujtaba Ali Khan via internet God and the Neurotransmitters The brain researchers mentioned in your article “Searching for the God Within” (SOCIETY AND THE ARTS, Feb. 5) gave a narrow-minded and unconvincing interpretation of data from their experiments when they claimed that religious feelings could be explained through what happens in the brain. It is nothing new that changes in thought can produce changes in brain characteristics. I believe a soul may perceive with, and use, a body. The brain is the body’s main control center and will react to various thoughts. That doesn’t mean that the brain is the source of those thoughts. Having preconceived notions that we and our awareness are only a bunch of chemicals is the blindest faith of all. Humanity is greater than that. Aaron Kramer Oslo, Norway

Searching for God in a Buddhist monk’s brain? That’s an oxymoron–or a stretch, at the very least. As the Dalai Lama has pointed out, the difference between Buddhism and other religions is that Buddhists don’t accept the notion of a living God but rather, the reality that our future is in our hands alone. Buddhist meditation can slow the heart rate, reduce stress and open up the road to satisfaction. You want more? Peter Sayers Managua, Nicaragua

It is heartening to note that the electrophysiological monitoring of neuronal circuitry of the human brain during religious rituals has given some credibility to the usually suspect territory of religion. No physicist denies the existence of energy, electrons or protons, even though he has never seen them. He knows them by virtue of indirect evidence. Similarly, God cannot just be lost in the jugglery of neurotransmitters or by a materialistic interpretation of such a significant discovery. Even Sharon Begley says there has to be a master electrician for such a marvelous neuronal circuitry. That’s where religion comes in, giving us the concept of a creator–a concept that not only solves many riddles of this universe but also bestows on us the sacred duty of accountability for our actions. But eventually, we have to agree with Dr. Andrew Newburgh that God cannot go away from us because he is within all of us. Wakeel Ansari Maseru, Lesotho

If we close our eyes to everything outside the assumptions of the times, there’s no room for great thinkers like Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo or Einstein. They didn’t fit within the limits of science in their time, did they? The true challenge for the science of the 21st century would be to add scientific understanding to the wisdom of the world, not to deny it. It may take time but spirituality is an area well worth mapping, both scientifically and in practice. Steinar Almelid Oslo, Norway

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-17” author: “Victoria Mitchell”

Hey, Big Spenders… I thought that your cover story on credit-card debt was fantastic (“Maxed Out!” Business, Aug. 27). A great many Americans seem to adhere to the belief that the accumulation of material things is the road to happiness and fulfillment. This debt is a problem. Every day, businesses churn out more and more goods for us to consume. Unfortunately, we have not even paid for the things we already own. This situation is not helped by a credit-card industry that saturates our mail, e-mail and television with promises of easy access and low-interest lending. Will our economy crumble? I don’t know. However, it is certain that a segment of our society will be spending its life dealing with the plastic nightmare.

Chad M. James

Washington, D.C.

How well I can identify with the frugal grandpa in your story who said, “If you don’t have the cash, you just don’t buy.” With the exception of a house, a car and major appliances, my motto has always been the same as his. True, as a young woman I longingly viewed shop windows filled with pretty dresses and shoes. As a mother, I was nearly heartbroken when I leafed through catalogs of expensive toys I could not afford to buy for my children. Now old age has granted me insight into how little we really need. Most older people have houses bursting with possessions nobody wants–least of all their children, who are just as overloaded with stuff. And a lot of that excess has contributed to their credit cards’ being “maxed out”!

Frances Nunnally

Richmond, Va.

It is sad that a generation of Americans will never know the satisfaction gained by desiring something, saving until there is enough money and then buying it.

William H. Seager

Coronado, Calif.

Kudos to NEWSWEEK for spotlighting the culture of denial and rationalization that has led to record credit-card debt in this country. There is one area of runaway indebtedness that you did not touch on: many college students with no credit history and little or no income are being bombarded by credit-card companies eager to give them access to seemingly “free money.” Not surprisingly, students are ringing up record-high, unaffordable debt loads, too. Ultimately, credit-card use is a matter of personal responsibility. But credit-card companies should also act responsibly when issuing cards and establishing credit limits.

Daniel W. Hynes

Chicago, Ill.

I appreciate the light you have shed on America’s spending habits and what’s wrong with them. But should we really feel sorry for people who make $80,000 a year or a woman who owns a Saab? Give me a break! You would have done this story more justice had you talked to the working-class poor who make $16,000 a year or less and are forced to rely on credit just to maintain any semblance of a decent lifestyle.

Rick Hufnagel

St. Johns, mich.

I am a board member of a prominent credit union, and I see the results of poor money management on a monthly basis. I’m always astonished by the lack of financial discipline and the “live for today” attitude some people have. It’s usually a matter of crossing the line between need and want. I believe our society at large crosses that line all too often, and your article reinforces that perception.

Larry E. Lanning

Spokane, Wash.

It is not only the consumer who lacks discipline in today’s sea of personal debt. The banks flood millions of American mailboxes each year with credit-card solicitations, appealing to rich and poor, employed and unemployed alike. It is time for Americans to wake up and realize that these cards are plastic heroin–addictive and dangerous.

Jason Reynolds

Portland, Ore.

What’s Due, and to Whom? I agree with Shelby Steele that the idea of reparations is a bad one (”… Or a Childish Illusion of Justice?” National Affairs, Aug. 27). The issue of the payment of reparations to the descendants of slaves brings up a pertinent and essential question: who is going to pay them? Do we really want to impose a de facto reparations tax on all our citizens, including black taxpayers? Do we really want to tax the descendants of Union soldiers who fought and in many cases died to preserve the Union and ensure that slavery was dead? Do we really want to tax immigrants and the descendants of immigrants who came here after emancipation and from countries with no links to slavery (Ireland and Italy, for example)? We need to address the issue of race relations in a constructive and substantive way. There is no way anyone can, or should be asked to, atone for the sins of a long-dead ancestor. Continuing to demand reparations from people who had no connection to the institution at issue is a recipe for resentment.

Scott A. MacMillan

Boca Raton, Fla.

Unlike Shelby Steele, I can, with one hand, maintain hold of my “birthright” as the great-granddaughter of a slave, while receiving reparations for the injustice of slavery with the other. I don’t believe that acceptance of a long-overdue payment of a debt will suddenly dismantle the rich cultural heritage and character that have been indelibly woven into our people, any more than accepting an insurance settlement neutralizes the character-building effect of surviving a natural disaster. The view that social programs discourage excellence and hard work on the part of African-Americans seems to ignore our history of success and the numerous contributions we make to this society on a daily basis.

Claudia Owens Shields

Azusa, Calif.

The concept of reparations for black Americans deserves serious consideration (“Debating the Wages of Slavery”), since all have suffered from the long-term effects of slavery and institutionalized racism. But first place in line should go to the descendants of the almost 5,000 men (and some women) who were lynched by mobs throughout this country, from the Jim Crow era right up to the ’60s.

James H. Dee

Austin, Texas

Instead of using their slave heritage as an inspiration to succeed in life, it seems that some African-Americans favor placing their forefathers on the auction block one more time to see how much they will bring in today’s market.

Terrell Bowers

West Jordan, Utah

Let’s add the following to reparations seekers: Native Americans from whom the continent was stolen, grossly underpaid indentured servants, soldiers killed and wounded in wars by the negligent decisions of their commanders, sweatshop workers and laborers abused by robber barons. Maybe everyone in America can find a qualifying ancestor.

David A. Lennert

Cincinnati, Ohio

A Question of Postwar Protocol I was moved by and appreciated Fareed Zakaria’s attempt to present a balanced view of Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi’s visit to the Yasukuni shrine, consecrated to his nation’s war dead (“Keeping the War Alive,” International, Aug. 27). The brouhaha over Koizumi’s visit has yet to subside, and Zakaria is right to point out that the rest of the world doesn’t see it the way Koizumi does. We need to bear in mind that Koizumi is Japanese–a patriot–and in Japan, veneration for the dead runs deep. There is no shame in the leader of a nation’s honoring his or her own people, especially those “brave men” who “gave their lives that the nation might live,” to quote Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, commemorating the United States’ war dead, Union and Confederate soldiers alike.

Victor L. Turks

San Francisco, Calif.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-30” author: “Janeen Howard”

Europe’s Immigrants Thanks for your article on immigration policy in Europe (“Out of the Shadows,” Business, Aug. 13). A Sikh or a Hindu may feel at home in multicultural, multiracial Britain, but in Germany it is not possible. Germany plans to introduce some amendments in immigration law, but a draft on the home page of the Interior Ministry shows that these changes are merely cosmetic. We will continue to have an 88-year-old citizenship law based on the strong notion of German blood–Germany still considers itself to be the custodian of a superior Germanic culture. The “new” immigration law is not real reform: the old terminologies of the Kaiser Wilhelm era have been replaced by modern words. But in some respects the basic immigration law has been retained, and for most Asians there are simply too many insurmountable hurdles in acquiring German citizenship. Moreover, nothing has been done for the welfare of immigrants already living in this country. Their fate remains unpredictable. Germany is a rich, democratic country for its natives, but for its minorities it is a xenophobic nation with too many regulations, too many highly erected fences. Every alien living in Germany is registered in a central data bank. After 31 years of living in Germany, I feel I made a mistake: I found nothing in return for the precious years I’ve spent here. Tanweer Hussain Bickenbach, Germany

While I do agree with the broad message in your article about reform of German immigration laws, I would like to point out that Germany has done more for its immigrants than many other European countries. Ever since the end of World War II, Germany has been under pressure to avoid the image of a racist society–if immigration laws become stricter, there would be an international outcry over German racism. In fact, Germany is a true European melting pot with relatively few intercultural clashes; compare that with the recent interracial violence in “Cool Britannia.” Yet your article points out the “legacy of mistrusting foreigners.” It is a statement that I cannot support at all. Of course, there is much work to be done still, but after examining immigration policies worldwide, I find it hard to agree that German law is more backward than those in other countries. How would other nations respond if they had to take the same quota of war refugees and foreign immigrants? I can assure you that, in such a case, Europe would, without a doubt, be overrun with Bradford-style racial clashes! Leonie Schultens Singapore

You report that George W. Bush is considering giving legal status to 3 million illegal Mexican immigrants in a deal with Mexico likely to be finalized soon. Even though my father’s mother was born in the United States, my father is a permanent resident and my sister has been a U.S. citizen for many years, I will have to wait for 15 years before I can get my permanent resident visa, approved by the Immigration and Naturalization Service in 1995, simply because I am doing it through the proper legal channels. If Bush is going to legalize Mexican illegals, then he should also reduce the many years of waiting time and grant visas to those like me who go through the long bureaucratic process. I, too, want to contribute to the U.S. economy, and I think I have at least as much of a right to live in the United States as many of those 3 million Mexicans. Karl Ian Ransome Edinburgh, Scotland

Allow me to disagree with your notion that Europe envies the “big secrets of America’s success” in accepting and incorporating foreign immigrants. How can Americans, with their national history of only 200 years, speak of “foreigners” or “immigrants”? Europe, with its long history of civilization and culture, is justified in being a tad more selective and concerned about the influx of foreign elements that might cause its cultural image to change. It may strive to catch up with American marvels in technology and science, but it is certainly not envious of the American way of life and social behavior–which remain an object of universal mockery–or its ethnosocial melting pot. Europe accepts immigrants with a certain degree of caution because it has many values to safeguard. America, on the other hand, has nothing to lose–anything is better than the current McDonald’s culture. As for your well- advertised hospitality: which other country requires so many time- and money- consuming procedures for foreigners–even tourists–to obtain a visitor’s visa as the submission of bank statements, income-tax returns, medical exams and vaccination records? Constantinos Ellinas Athens, Greece

Your articles appear to be a blueprint for disaster, not a solution to Europe’s problems. Culturally homogeneous societies have existed since time immemorial. Whenever a minority population exceeded a certain percentage, ghettoization, pogroms, persecutions and exterminations have occurred. We should have learned at least this much from the victims of the 20th century. New immigrants will be uprooted, their customs abandoned, old habits broken, simply because that way of life might not be acceptable to the “natives.” The riots in Bradford, Brixton and several French, German and Spanish towns evoke the specter of pogroms and apartheid. Finally, after looting the Third World during two centuries of colonialism, is it morally defensible for the West to extract the intellectual lifeblood of developing countries by luring away their doctors, entrepreneurs and scientists while excluding menial workers who need jobs, just to “keep the economy humming”? Is it economically sound to support NGOs and spend billions in foreign aid while recruiting those people that these countries need most? It will only lead to even more impoverishment of developing countries. Wouldn’t it just be better to “slow down Europe”? Wilhelm Guschlbauer Bures-Sur-Yvette, France

If so many people crowd into a small boat that it sinks at sea, think how many millions of people from poor countries will crowd into European nations without regard to their capacity. Will immigrants stop coming when jobs are no longer available for them? How many people with criminal records try to escape justice by leaving their own countries? Will they live by honest means in liberal Europe? How can Europe control organized crime brought in from abroad? The battle is lost already. Much as it could be wished that people of poor and/or war-torn countries find a place to live in peace and prosperity, it must be realized that such places are very limited in our world, since they require both a high investment and an equally high maintenance. Peter Kloeckner Bremen, Germany

I appreciated your report about the necessity of immigrants in Europe, but journalists and politicians do not understand the difference between those who cross the border in accordance with the law and those who do it illegally. Those who really want to work should be encouraged to come (whereas bureaucrats do as much as they can to make it nearly impossible). But there is no point in our maintaining illegal immigrants who only want to rob or steal. If you have had your car stolen by illegal immigrants who have already been sent to the border twice, it is much easier to understand the Italian Labor minister when he says that immigrants who don’t work should be thrown out of the country. Alberto Venco Como, Italy

The Melting Pot of New York Your story on “The New New York” throws light on the merits of a multiracial society (Society & the Arts, Aug. 6). At this stage of human development, societies all over the globe should embrace multi- racialism rather than fear people of other races. Racial attacks and conservative, rigid immigration laws, however, will ward off multiracial immigrants from any society. Prince Ike-Nwankwo Carlow, Ireland

The Glories of Cricket I almost canceled my subscription to NEWSWEEK after reading your biased conclusions on the great game of cricket (“When Life Bowls You a Googly…,” Periscope, May 7). Cricket is a game of ultimate subtlety and passion. Sure, games can last five days, with 30 hours of play, and result in a draw. But every minute of those 30 hours can be absolutely riveting. Of all games, cricket sits at the highest pinnacle of sporting achievement. Nicholas Crosby Jakarta, Indonesia

It is not the snail’s pace that has cricketers killing themselves. More likely it is the inability to adjust to an ordinary life after their superstar status has faded. Cricketers earn less money than most other professionals and spend their lives on tour. Fans, however, are unforgiving of failures, and national pride among the non-American countries borders on hysteria. For two one-day matches played in Grenada recently, my country was shut down–except for the airport, so fans from around the world could fly in. But don’t sell this game short. Cricket and the requisite tea are how Britannia ruled the world for so long. Andrew Bierzynski St. George’s, Grenada

Author David Frith is wrong in saying that cricket is a slow game. The latest test matches between India and Australia showed cricket at its glorious best. Each match, whether of five days’ duration or one, had a pulsating finish and was sold out. High television viewer ratings beat out all previous records. Like the players, chances of death among cricket fans are high, too–not by suicide, however, but by heart seizure while watching the game or by sunstroke from waiting in long queues for tickets. Aniruddha G. Kulkarni Pune, India

A Fall From Mount Everest Those looking for Andrew Irvine’s body on Mount Everest seemed to be using every little point regarding the body of his partner, George Mallory, the way a drunk uses a lamppost: for support (of the theory they submitted) rather than illumination (“Into the Clouds of Everest,” Society & the Arts, April 30). Your correspondent says that Mallory “appeared to have fallen from above.” Oh, really? As good a climber as he apparently was, he could hardly have done otherwise. To place significance in that is to severely underestimate the gravity of the assumption. He may have fallen 300 feet, 30 feet or 3 feet. He may have fallen and broken a leg. It would be as difficult to have fallen from below as it should be to fall for the line of logic being peddled here. You cannot tell who climbed where from the evidence so far. Is Everest’s North Face becoming the grassy knoll of climbing’s “what really happened here” theories? Simon Balderstone Manly, Australia

Afghan Refugees Your excellent interview with the new U.N. high commissioner for refugees, Ruud Lubbers, gives some hope to more than 2 million Afghan refugees stranded in camps in Pakistan and Iran for the past 20 years (“Out to Save the World,” World Affairs, April 23). Commissioner Lubbers has correctly identified the humanitarian dimensions of the world’s most intractable but nearly forgotten mass refugee situation. I fully concur with his view that refugee repatriation should be delinked from the ideological idiosyncrasies of the ruling Taliban. The UNHCR persuaded Kabul to issue a formal amnesty welcoming refugees home. S. S. Wijeratne Former UNHCR chief in Afghanistan via internet

The reason that the refugee problem is greatest in Africa is the never-ending conflicts in that continent and the corrupt selfishness of its leaders. When calling on rich nations to assist with financial contributions, why not have them pledge to stop selling arms to African countries? Wealthy countries need to look at their banking systems that allow African leaders to siphon billions into their own foreign accounts while asking for only a few thousand dollars for their citizens. B. Kodzo Ofori Solingen, Germany

Save the Environment! Why does a country that is so proud of being the most important economy in the world have a president who is so selfish that he does not care about the health of our planet (“W’s Green War,” U.S. Affairs, April 23)? Doesn’t he know that his country causes the most environmental damage for the world’s 6 billion people? Please, President Bush, don’t tell us how to take care of our forests and rivers. I would like my grandchildren to see simple things like a tree or an animal that you are helping to destroy. You don’t have this right. Tamy Matsumoto Sao Paulo, Brazil

‘Letter From America’ NEWSWEEK is getting better and better all the time. Your Letter From America reminds me of Alistair Cooke’s BBC radio broadcast of that name. I thoroughly enjoyed that. Now Fareed Zakaria’s World View column, Letter From America, Perspectives and Letters are among the first pages read by my family and me. Keep up the good work, NEWSWEEK. A. N. Marfatia Mumbai, India

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-06” author: “Hugh Greathouse”

Connecting With Mrs. Graham

When I received the issue with Katharine Graham on the cover (“An American Original,” Special Report, July 30), I assumed at first that I had nothing in common with this wealthy woman. But after reading the remembrances from her friends, I realized how wrong I was. Mrs. Graham’s life was, and continues to be, an inspiration to every woman who strives to do more than she thinks she can. Through the memories of her friends, I feel I have come to know her, if just a little, and she has touched my life. Thank you, NEWSWEEK, for sharing her story with us. Becky Rulis Peoria, Illinois

My mother’s generation had Eleanor Roosevelt. My generation had Katharine Graham. She showed us not only that we can do everything men can, and also have babies, but how to do it with class. Christine Wigg Howard Beach, New York

Katharine Graham is mourned not only by the famous but also by hundreds of us “commoners” to whom she responded with the grace for which she will always be remembered. To me, an 86-year-old woman, Mrs. Graham brought lasting pleasure and pride when she herself answered my comment on her memoir, “Personal History.” I had thanked her for the comfort and forward-looking philosophy she shared so generously in the final three paragraphs. Your tribute to Mrs. Graham is a treasure. She’s “an unforgettable woman” indeed. Charlotte P. Heimann Ft. Myers, Florida

The messages of sympathy you receive by e-mail will undoubtedly be heartfelt and well-meaning, but they just don’t conform to the kind of etiquette of which I believe Mrs. Graham would approve. For sending my condolences on the loss of your unique, beloved “Mrs. G,” only an old-fashioned note, written on paper with pen and ink, seems proper in honor of such a classy lady. Laurie Bartholomew Harleysville, Pennsylvania

Thank you for all the wonderful articles on Katharine Graham. I knew a different side of her as her waiter, in 1970-71 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and at various times on Martha’s Vineyard. Underneath a formal public persona was one of the warmest, most charming people I have ever had the pleasure of working for. She made me feel I was the most special person on earth. I was. I was Katharine Graham’s waiter. I reveled in the fact that she loved chocolate as much as I do, and I can still hear her laughter. She taught me both the art of good service and how to enjoy life to its fullest. Loren P. Bundeson Portland, Oregon

I had the pleasure of meeting Katharine Graham only once, at a charity event about five years ago. I was having a drink with Mrs. Robert (Oatsie) Charles when she flagged down a woman who looked a little lost, saying to me, “You have to meet my friend Kay.” When I realized who “Kay” was, my brain was overwhelmed with questions about publishing, Nixon, Deep Throat, Princess Diana, politics and power. They never made it to my lips because Kay kept asking questions of me. When I told her I had recently left a successful 20-year career as a television writer to reinvent myself as a novelist, she replied, with a self-deprecating grin, “I’m rather the poster girl for reinvention.” Her advice? “No matter how tough it gets or how frightened you may be, hold tight to the determination at your core. Believe in yourself.” She made me promise to set my second book in Washington, D.C., and when it was published a year later–with a fictitious scene set smack in her living room–she was thrilled and wrote to me that “I too am setting scenes in my living room, but I envy you, for you actually finished yours.” Finish she did, and what a book it was. Everyone who remembered her in NEWSWEEK was blessed to have known her for a very long time. I knew her for only three hours. But I have the same affection and honor for her memory that they do. I’ll never forget her. Thom Racina Palm Springs, California

Values, Old and New

Marcus Mabry suggests that the “value gap” between America and Europe is growing because Europe embraces gay rights, abhors the death penalty, etc. (“A Bad Case of Euro Envy,” World View, April 16). I’m a European, and I’m not proud of these “achievements.” For me the family–a man and a woman together raising their children–remains the basic value of society. As for the death penalty, many Europeans would prefer it to coddling vicious criminals. Europe may be in top shape technologically, but morally it’s on the decline. It should not be teaching America moral values. Gabor Lorincz-Veger Sopron, Hungary

Mabry does not realize that Europe is not the same as the European Union. Countries like Poland, Hungary or the Czech Republic, insignificant as they might appear outside the EU, are also a part of Europe. I wonder about the origin of Mabry’s unorthodox belief that Europeans are united in their enthusiasm for the concept of homosexual marriage and see it as clear proof of their moral superiority over Americans. I’d like to assure Americans that such phenomena as legalized homosexual marriages and adoptions, euthanasia and abortions at will are restricted to a handful of European countries, and the suggestion that they are representative of “Old World values” would be considered by most Europeans as an insult or, at best, a bad joke. Grzegorz Dabkowski Lublin, Poland

I don’t think the rest of the world looks to, or has ever looked upon, the United States as the “global leader.” Here in Asia we look at the United States, with its insular nature and backward ideas, as little more than an overgrown village. Nishana Soysa Colombo, Sri Lanka

If the U.S. death penalty is human-rights abuse, then Mabry should read how The Hague treats Balkan war criminals (“The Big Embarrassment,” Europe, April 16). Thanks to Europeans, these criminals must feel as if they died and went to heaven with amenities like TV, computers, pornography channels and the possibility of early release. Human rights are being abused here: the rights of the victims in Bosnia, Croatia and Kosovo. Euro envy? It’s more like Euro shame. Frankie Samuel Munich, Germany

It’s clear that the issues of gun rights, high-school violence and the death penalty are specific to the United States, and they shock Europeans as well as many Americans. However, morality in Europe is nothing to aspire to. Europeans are much too complacent to question growing moral trends until it’s too late. The Monica Lewinsky affair was nothing compared with the case of child molester Marc Dutroux in Belgium. A globalized world with globalized values? As a U.S. expatriate who spent 10 years living in Germany and the past five years in Austria, I say, “No, thanks!” Christine Tevnan Linz, Austria

To my knowledge, the United States never had any moral authority. The only leadership it can boast of is economic and military, both reluctantly accepted by Europe. Comparing criticism of America’s infant mortality and violent crime to criticism of Europe’s welfare state is a strange intellectual exercise. I have never understood what is wrong with the European welfare state, but poverty and violence are another story. Is America really paying for European security? Or is the American taxpayer a victim of a holdup by its own arms lobby? Nick De Clippel Montenaken, Belgium

Europe is a diverse continent, and the European identity that Mabry portrays is certainly not evident in southern Europe. Besides, I don’t think that the United States and Europe are drifting apart culturally. American music, television and films become more and more popular in Europe. Despite minor differences in some areas, our transatlantic relationship remains stronger than ever, with both sides realizing that they are the pillars of democracy and human rights in the world. Randall Nelson Madrid, Spain

As an American teacher of English in northern Italy, I have often had to defend, among other things, America’s gun laws, health-care system and violent teenagers to my students and colleagues. I can tell you that what incenses Italians most about America is capital punishment. For every execution in the United States, Italians organize letter-writing and e-mail campaigns, anti-U.S. marches and protests in front of the American Embassy and companies. Unfortunately, these same Italian demonstrators would not dare protest in Palermo, Naples or Bari against the mafia, Camorra or ‘Ndrangheta. These secret organizations are responsible for hundreds of killings a year, for drug and gun trades in Europe, for ruining thousands of small businessmen and for buying and selling innocent teenagers from Eastern Europe and Africa to feed a lucrative sex market in Italy. For the Italians to protest against these mafias would be dangerous. It is much easier and safer to defend three or four convicts in America a year. The hypocrisy inherent in protesting capital punishment in America while ignoring mafia crimes in their own country seems not to faze these gallant moralists. Bettie Mims Nesta Brescia, Italy

Europe, with its politics based largely on 19th-century class warfare, has different values than the United States, but they certainly aren’t better–just different. In any case, France is not Europe, and most Europeans would say that the French point of view does not represent their views. Carl Alan Key Vienna, Austria

Where’s Shangri-La?

Thank you for your story “Searching for Shangri-La” (Society & the Arts, March 26). Tao Yuanming, a Chinese scholar who lived in the fourth and fifth centuries A.D., also described a lost paradise: a small land named Taohua Yuan, or “the source with flowering peaches,” whose inhabitants descended from refugees who went there during the second century B.C. Their offspring lived happily there for six centuries without any contact with the outside world. There was peace, and the people lived in small groups without interference from an authoritarian, imperial government. Perhaps Tao Yuanming was right. M. Trung Ho Sceaux, France

There was something disturbing about your article on Shangri-La. I have been waiting for serious coverage of the present situation in Chinese-occupied Tibet, including China’s violation of human rights, its imprisonment of political dissidents, its destruction of the Tibetan language and culture and the ecological catastrophes it brought about. Reading about wolves and antelopes roaming through Kham is too idyllic. Reports from reliable sources about the systematic destruction of Tibetan wildlife tell a completely different story. And please, when will the romantic linking of Tibet with Hollywood movies stop? The real Shangri-La would be a free Tibet and a free Lhasa inhabited by Tibetans, who have a right to rule their own country. Marianne Backlen Helsinski, Finland

Your piece on Shangri-La disappointed me. You featured a map of the zone of Tibet that indicated it was a part of China. Tibet’s not a part of China–it’s under occupation, and you should not forget that. I hope you’ll be more careful in future, because the well-being of the Tibetan people is of concern to everyone in the world. Miguel Naranjo San Jose, Costa Rica

When in Rome…

I wholeheartedly agree with Ron Unz: bilingual programs, as opposed to English immersion, do not help students (“Habla Ingles, Por Favor,” Society & the Arts, March 26). Immigrants must learn the language of their adopted country in order to integrate into their new society. Their adopted country is already providing work, education and needed social services–it is not obligated to adapt to foreign languages. All my grandparents emigrated from Europe to the United States, and my parents grew up in homes where non-English languages were dominant. I speak English to my children, who are growing up bilingual in Italy. If someone wants to continue a “native” tongue, it needs to be done in the home. It is society’s responsibility to educate children so that they can function in the world immediately surrounding them. That means teaching in the country’s official language. Maria Teresa Palasits Prato, Italy

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-13” author: “Willard Hall”

‘Should We Call It Sun Cancer?’

We applaud Claudia Kalb and NEWSWEEK for the excellent, comprehensive article on melanoma (“Overexposed,” Society, Aug. 20). You have made your readers aware of this serious disease, and that awareness will save many lives. Incidence of melanoma, the most life-threatening form of skin cancer, is increasing at an alarming rate. When diagnosed in its earliest stage and treated promptly, melanoma is almost completely curable. Melanoma does not strike without warning. The early signs can be recognized by skin self-examination, which should become as routine as breast self-examination and accompanied by an annual total-body skin examination by a physician. Perry Robins, M.D. President, The Skin Cancer Foundation New York, N.Y.

I don’t think I have ever opened my NEWSWEEK as fast as I opened, and read, your cover story on skin cancer. My dad died of melanoma a year and a half ago. Your article gave my family and me hope that more people will become aware of the disease, as well as of the precautions that can be taken to reduce the risk of any type of skin cancer. I’d also like to thank Sen. John McCain and his wife, Cindy, for candidly discussing their own experience with melanoma ("‘My Life Has Been Full of Narrow Escapes’”). I know such an experience is deeply personal, and I am grateful that he openly conveyed the fear, uncertainty and need to come to terms spiritually and psychologically with the fight against melanoma. Shannon Kearns Glendale, Calif.

I was pleased to read your informative and balanced article on skin cancer and general skin health. In particular, you clearly link the effects of UV exposure (“healthy golden tan” is an oxymoron if ever there was one) and the permanent damage that results. At last we are recognizing that good skin health is as important as the rest of our health. We struggle to eat right, exercise daily and take good care of our bodies. Because of these efforts, some of us are, quite literally, outliving our skin. Certainly no one expects his teeth to survive the better part of a century without regular care, and the same kind of daily attention is just as critical for skin. Applying sunscreen and avoiding unnecessary UV exposure takes less time than brushing our teeth. Let’s hope that it also becomes as routine. Jon C. Starr, M.D. Palo Alto, Calif.

Your cover story on skin cancer was excellent. Do you think it might help people to wake up and avoid overexposure if we started calling it sun cancer? Tom O’Leary Santa Cruz, Calif.

Melanoma is even more terrifying than your story conveys. Eighteen months ago I noticed that a small, round, flat brown mole on my chest seemed to be growing. I went to my doctor, who showed me the same skin-cancer photos displayed in your article and didn’t think my mole was anything to worry about. Three months later, certain that the mole had slightly increased in size, I returned to the doctor. While he still believed it was not a cause for concern, he sent me to a dermatologist, who removed the “spot” and diagnosed my melanoma. Because the mole was thin and the surgical margins clear, my survival odds are very good. My general practitioner told me I had saved my own life. Having easy-tanning olive skin and having used sunscreen diligently since college, I was not a prime candidate for skin cancer. In addition, the melanoma looked like an everyday mole; had it been in a less visible place than under my collarbone, I would have missed it until it was far too late. Please urge your readers to be vigilant about any changes in moles, and to be assertive with their physicians. Carolyn Laughlin Evanston, Ill.

Teachers and Testing

Hal Urban expresses the opinion of our best teachers, who know the difference between teaching to high standards and teaching to high-stakes testing (“What Can a Flawed Test Tell Us, Anyway?” My Turn, Aug. 20). High standards send two important positive messages to students: first, the purpose of learning is to gain knowledge, understanding and critical-thinking skills through a variety of educational experiences, and second, the purpose of teaching is to guide and support the full development of each student. High-stakes testing also sends two messages to students, albeit negative: first, the purpose of learning is to pass state tests, and second, the purpose of teaching is to prepare students to pass state tests. We face an educational crisis if Congress approves President Bush’s education proposal to fund schools on the basis of annual tests in grades three to eight. Rather than raising standards, this will lower them by transforming schools into test-readiness factories. It won’t be long after that before teachers like Hal Urban leave the profession because they will no longer be allowed to open worlds of possibility for students. Michael Shaw Director, Graduate Education Program St. Thomas Aquinas College Sparkill, N.Y.

It’s interesting that you chose to print complaints about standardized tests from a California teacher, particularly one who is “active in the character-education movement (the push to teach students positive behavior traits as well as academics).” This tells us more about the sorry state of education and the low standards for teachers in California than it does about standardized tests. California students have for years been among the worst performing in the nation, and California has a huge percentage of uncertified and unqualified teachers. In dealing with my son’s schools, I’ve found the majority of California teachers to be among the least intelligent people I have ever met. I found myself often correcting their “corrections” of my son’s work. One teacher graded my son’s completely incorrect assignments with A’s because “we’re just happy he turned it in–we’ll go over the mistakes in class. Process is more important than results.” Bob Zeidman Cupertino, Calif.

Stemming Diseases

I’m neither a scientist nor a clergyman, but as a retired judge and born-again Christian, I can’t, for the life of me, see what’s wrong with stem-cell research (“Bush Draws a Stem Cell Line,” National Affairs, Aug. 20). These embryos would otherwise be discarded and of no use to anyone. I support the theory that this is not murder, but a positive use of God’s love and bounty to find cures for hideous diseases. H. S. Bradshaw Pioneer, Calif.

Let’s Hear It for Ohio

I am writing in regard to the Aug. 20 Newsmakers item on Macy Gray’s rendition of our national anthem at the NFL Hall of Fame exhibition game in her hometown of Canton, Ohio. Certainly she embarrassed herself; her audience booed. I wish your editors had responded in the same way to the gratuitous insult about Ohio in your article: “The state’s other claim to fame is the indigenous greater prairie chicken.” Just a few of Ohio’s other claims to fame are Neil Armstrong, John Glenn, Albert Sabin, Thomas Edison, Bob Hope, the Wright brothers, the first professional baseball team and seven U.S. presidents. Constance Steele Fairborn, Ohio

Corrections

In “Mission: Take Back the Hills” (National Affairs, Sept. 3), we should have said that Mark Warner, Virginia’s Democratic gubernatorial candidate, moved to the state in 1984.

In “The Disc That Saved Hollywood” (Business, Aug. 20), we should have said that the DVD of “Shrek” will be released Nov. 2 and will include 15 minutes of new animation material, including a new three-minute ending. And an accompanying graphic should have noted that “Gladiator” is a DreamWorks/Universal production.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-21” author: “Mary Gordon”

Your cover story on fertility was excellent and right on target. As a New York corporate lawyer who got married after 40 and wanted to have children, I felt profoundly misled by all the news articles describing 40-plus moms and fertility treatments. Those stories have an unintended consequence–they create the false impression that it will be relatively easy to start having babies after the age of 40. Fortunately, in my case, my doctor advised me to immediately and aggressively pursue fertility treatments. Although that advice initially stunned me, a fit and otherwise healthy 41-year-old, it was, in retrospect, absolutely correct. Eventually, I got pregnant and delivered my “miracle” son, now 2 years old. Time almost ran out for me; I hope other women finally get the message. Nancy A. Lieberman New York, N.Y.

I always used to say “When I turn 40, if I don’t have kids and I’m not married, I’ll have a baby on my own.” True to my word, I waited until my 40th birthday and then got down to business. I left my consulting position just before leaping onto the partnertrack and scaled back my lifestyle accordingly. I investigated and chose a fertility specialist. Like Nancy Weil in your story, I never thought that I would have difficulty getting pregnant. Nineteen months later I had to throw in the towel (and the syringes, vials of Pergonal and sharps containers). Not that there was anything amiss in my reproductive system. Everything was working perfectly; I just couldn’t get pregnant. No reason, no explanation, just month after month of hearing, “I’m sorry, your Beta hCG was negative.” I always thought that I could deal with most things life threw my way, but I was wrong. This is like a long, painful death, not of a person, but of a dream. It is emotionally devastating. So my advice to all of those thirtysomethings out there waiting to have children is this: start now. Science won’t necessarily make it all happen whenever you decide the time is right. Before the end of the year, I will travel to Cambodia to adopt my first child, and I know in my heart that adoption is the right thing for me. Still, there is a part of me that plaintively calls out for an answer to an unanswerable question: “But what was wrong with me?” Melanie L. Curtright Seattle, Wash.

It’s not just the aging of eggs. Another issue with having a baby at an older age is having enough parental energy to keep up with a child. My wife and I are 37, and I’ve been up since 4 a.m. dealing with a constantly crying 4-month-old. I’m happy to do it, but I could have tolerated it better in my 20s. Kenneth A. Iczkowski, M.D. Gainesville, Fla.

The biological clock should play a role in the decision not only about when to start a family but also about when to complete it. During the past fours years my husband and I have experienced the pain of secondary infertility. After the easy conception and birth of our daughter when I was 34, we decided to wait a couple of years before having the second child we had always planned. Between 36 and 40, I had six miscarriages. Although there were several possible reasons, age seems to have been a primary factor in the losses we have suffered. This disappointment has reminded us that in our carefully scheduled lives, some things do not happen according to day planners and Palm Pilots. Regardless of whether the baby you are dreaming of will be your first, second or even third, keep your eye on the biological clock. Susan Dear Uhley Los Angeles, Calif.

Women have been fed a myth that our personal fulfillment is more important than having a family. When I’m lying on my back in the last moments of my life, I doubt very much I will be concerned about any of the plaques on my wall, or where I fit in the executive food chain. Genuine satisfaction comes from a life of giving, supporting and being a significant person in the life of your children. If more women in their 20s understood this, it would save them a great deal of pain in their 40s. Coni Meyer Loyal, Wisc.

Your article says, “When, and how, to have children will remain the most personal of all life’s choices.” It seems to me that the most fundamental question is whether to have children at all. The title of your article seems to imply that all women, whether sooner or later, plan to have babies. But there are also those women like me, who are aware of our biological clocks but couldn’t care less. Adrielle Rose Ventura, Calif.

While it may be a popular choice for women to have children later in life, they may not think about the consequences that their age will have for their children. I am the 16-year-old daughter of an almost 60-year-old mother, and I believe the huge generation gap has led to a greater misunderstanding in our relationship. Name Withheld Bridgeport, Conn.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-02” author: “Timothy Spier”

I’m grateful to you for creating such a terrific Special Report (Sept. 24) on the horrible tragedy that touched us all on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001. Since I live in Arizona and have never been to New York, I can only imagine what life is now like there, after watching TV reports. The pictures in your latest magazine made me stop to think about how lucky I was and what just a few people could do to hurt so many others out of pure hate. It saddened me to see the look of terror on the faces of many people in New York, and to see the big empty space that used to be the two huge World Trade Center buildings. You are doing a great job and have been very informative. Thanks for all of your hard work and time! Natalie Ivan Peoria, Ariz.

Sept. 11, 2001, will be remembered as a very dark day by all Americans. However, I believe history will also record it as a black day for international terrorism. Those who would do us harm should recall the words of Japanese Adm. Isokuru Yamamoto, the last person to successfully execute a surprise attack on us. In the 1970 movie “Tora! Tora! Tora!” he is quoted as having said: “All we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve.” He understood Americans. We are the kindest people on earth and the slowest to anger. It takes a lot to get us mad, but once you do, we do not rest until we have extracted the last ounce of retribution. Osama bin Laden, Sheik Omar Abdel-Rahman, Hizbullah, Hamas, the Taliban, Iran, Iraq and all the rest, you are on notice–your days are numbered. Oh, and by the way, while you destroyed one symbol of America’s power and damaged another, an additional emblem of our financial might, The Wall Street Journal, was published the next day, just as usual. Chris Daly Yucaipa, Calif.

Thank you for the wonderful article on President George W. Bush in your Sept. 24 special report (“A President Finds His True Voice”). The author, Howard Fineman, puts into words what we who voted for Bush have known all along: that he is a president with great resolve to serve our country with dignity and honor. Alison A. Shurtleff Benicia, Calif.

I am the mother of a 16-year-old son. The horror that took place on Sept. 11 was a tragedy that I had hoped Jordan would never witness. But like the rest of us, he did. He was asked to write an editorial for his high-school newspaper, and I wanted to share a 16-year-old’s thoughts with you: “In 1941 the Washington Redskins played the Philadelphia Eagles in Washington, D.C. The date was December 7th, the day of the surprise attack by the Japanese on Pearl Harbor. The game began after the attack had started. The news reached the president of the Redskins, who decided not to inform all the fans about the attack, pointing out that it could lead to a great sadness. The fans at the game were very special in that the devastation of the attack was not known to them. Those people were allowed just a few more precious hours of purity of heart, of peace and of escape from the horrible tragedies that lay before them. Flash ahead to Tuesday, September 11, 2001. The second bell has rung and I’m walking to my Psych class. It’s a normal walk. The kind I make every day. I’m sure that I talked to people. I’m sure that I slapped a few hands and shook a few hands. One thing I’m sure I didn’t do was think of what was waiting for me. That walk to Psych class was, for me, like the aforementioned football game. It was the beginning of the end of the way things once were. It was the beginning of the lingering sick feeling in my stomach. I walked into class and saw on the TV screen the World Trade Center on fire. I saw the beginning of a world where everyone is now worried. That walk to Psych was the last time that I was myself, not someone who has been forever altered by the events I witnessed Tuesday morning.” Kathy Beane Ballston, N.Y.

I have just received my Sept. 24 issue, “After the Terror.” I haven’t even had time to read it yet, but I wanted to say thank you for the cover picture. I have wondered what the icon of this event would be and am pleased with your choice. In showing the flag being raised out of the rubble, you have chosen a positive image–the strength and resilience of Americans, and the specific bravery of those members of the NYPD and FDNY who risked and sometimes lost their lives in the hope of saving others. Jodi Williams Decatur, Ala.

Did any of us believe our eyes on Sept. 11? Buildings exploded, innocent lives were lost and a country “changed, changed utterly,” as Yeats wrote in “Easter 1916.” New York took the hit for all of us, but from whom? London knew its civilians were targets of the Luftwaffe, but our cowardly enemies hide. I am sorry my children have seen what I tell them is the most horrible thing I’ve seen in my 46 years. My 11-year-old thought her field-trip pictures of the pre-disaster New York skyline showed something “beautiful.” She was right. My heart goes out to New York. It will be America’s “terrible beauty.” We are all now New Yorkers. Mary Ellen Quindlen Wallingford, Pa.

When I hear “suicide bombers,” I feel I’m hearing only half the story. “Suicide bomber” sounds so isolated and self-inflicted: the poor terrorist! Wouldn’t it be a more accurate reflection of the new reality to call these murderers “homicide bombers”? Sally Kannemeyer Richmond, Va.

I plan to keep your Sept. 24 issue. If I should become complacent about striking back at the monsters who did this, if I complain about the inconveniences we all might face after this incomprehensible evil, I will look through your issue again and remember that we as a nation must do everything possible to avenge all those lost lives. Your cover photo, with the firemen raising the flag in the rubble, has to be the photo that says what we are about in this great country. Cheryl Black Aiken, S.C.

I am an American citizen, born and raised here. I am also Muslim. Although I am not of Arab origin (my parents are from India), I am at times mistaken for an Arab. That is because I wear the hajib (head scarf). This identifies me as a Muslim. I was extremely saddened by the events that occurred at the World Trade Center. But I was also afraid, and I had every right to be afraid. In the days after the tragic events, the Arab and Muslim communities have been the target of a number of hate crimes. I myself am afraid to go out in public for fear of becoming a victim of a hate crime. It is important for the American people to know that the Muslims do not applaud these terrorist acts of violence. Islam, probably the most misunderstood religion in America, is a religion of peace. Nowhere does our religion say that it’s OK to kill innocent civilians. This act is condemned by Islam! Whoever carried out this atrocious act had to be insane and must be punished. It is important for the schools to educate the children and for the TV newscasters, radio broadcasters, newspapers and magazines to stress the importance of unity in America and not to engender any anger toward the Muslims and Arabs living in the United States. We have to stick together in order to fight back. We must not terrorize our own people. Sarwath Khan Skokie, Ill.

I think it is very appropriate to remind everyone what John F. Kennedy said in his Inaugural Address: “Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty.” David A. Taylor Tallahassee, Fla.

Like most Americans, I wish to see the perpetrators of this act brought to justice. Yet I am a patriot for peace, and I wish to see justice, not revenge. I am deeply alarmed by the suggestion that America will go to war against a nameless enemy. I can envision only more wanton destruction of innocent human lives as the consequence of such a policy. I believe that America has neither the moral authority nor the legal justification to attack independent countries that are said to harbor our enemies. And I do not feel that a military strike is the best means through which to handle such disputes. Violence will only beget more violence. Enough blood has been shed. Henry Schwarz Director, Program on Justice and Peace Georgetown University Washington, D.C.

I can think of nothing more un-American than Jerry Falwell’s spouting his venomous “religious” rhetoric on how the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon are God’s revenge for sin. If Falwell can’t use his faith to offer words of unity and comfort at a time of grave crisis, then he is not a true American, not a role model or a Christian leader. I am a devoted Christian, and my faith teaches love, compassion, understanding and forgiveness. Now I know how ashamed Muslims must feel about being associated with Osama bin Laden. Richard Burdett Daytona Beach, Fla.

I am writing to make a request that could save many lives in the upcoming days. Following the horrific attacks in New York and the Washington, D.C., area, it now seems probable that terrorists from the Middle East may be responsible for these actions. My concern is that Sikhs, who look similar to Muslims because of their beards and turbans but have no relation to them at all, might inadvertently become targets of hate crimes. Some Sikh taxi drivers in New York are already being unfairly targeted. It is unfair to target Sikhs, or for that matter Muslims, who live peacefully in this country. They are in no way related to the criminals who committed these horrendous acts. They must not be made into scapegoats. Sikhs actually come from India, and their philosophy of peace is completely opposed to that of fundamentalist Muslim radicals. Kultej Singh Sawhney Irvine, Calif.

Sensationalism must be tempered by discretion, of which it appears NEWSWEEK had a lapse. To me, the photo of the person falling “from high” in your Sept. 24 special report was inappropriate. He or she was someone’s child, and perhaps someone’s spouse and parent. And although whoever it is may always be an unidentified victim of the tragedy in a fatal fall with the burning of the North Tower in the background, he or she deserves privacy and our respect. Many of your other photos captured the American spirit, the nation’s renewed unity and confidence in God. I’d like to relish the hopes those images evoke, but unfortunately I am pained by the vivid picture of this solitary person’s agony. Including this photo in your issue did nothing to assist in the healing of our nation. Carin Larson Arlington, Va.

As we watch footage of the Taliban in Afghanistan, let us be grateful that the United States Constitution’s First Amendment prevents any one religion from gaining ascendancy over all others. No matter which group is in the majority–whether Christian or Muslim, Jewish or Hindu–its adherents cannot substitute their theology for the law of the land. That wall is still standing, and may no terrorist attack bring it down. Kim D. Gainer Radford, Va.

If the Bush administration has learned one thing from the terrible events of Sept. 11, it should be that the president’s unilateralism in foreign policy and attempt to build a national defense around a missile shield is a course to be quickly abandoned. Global cooperation with alliances that mutually benefit all nations and their concerns, and building a strong defense to fight terrorists, are the course we must undertake now. I hope the president has the wisdom to adjust and the gravitas to hunker down and set the course. No more vacations for him, that’s for sure. Juan Matute Peachtree City, Ga.

One set of heroes in this tragedy has not been praised enough: the rescue dogs that are out there, climbing in the rubble, getting broken legs, cuts and heat exhaustion, and inhaling smoke. They, with their masters, never stop. Let us acknowledge and applaud them. Judy Littleton Houston, Texas

Corrections In “Grits, Guts and Rudy Giuliani” (Special Report, Sept. 24), we described the murder rate in New York as “surging.” In fact, homicides, which rose slightly in 2000, are down 11 percent in 2001 and 68 percent since Giuliani became mayor. In “Ground Zero,” we reported that two Port Authority police officers fell more than 80 floors and survived in the World Trade Center collapse. The Port Authority now believes that the officers reached the ground floor by foot before the towers fell. In “Love and Loss,” we misspelled the surname of David Retik, who was a partner in a venture-capital firm. NEWSWEEK very much regrets these errors.

Most relief organizations, while deeply appreciative of the donations of goods and services that have poured in, say that financial support is now what is needed most. You can maximize the impact of your contribution by checking to see whether your company matches employee donations. Be wary of organizations that are interested only in obtaining your credit-card number. The Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance offers tips on spotting scams at give.org, and the New York BBB lists vetted organizations at newyork.bbb.org. Here is a selection of groups that are helping victims, their families and areas affected by the attacks.

American Liberty Partnership: Six Internet companies have joined to create a central donation center at libertyunites.org for charities that include the American Red Cross, United Way’s September 11th Fund, New York State World Trade Center Relief Fund and America’s Second Harvest. These organizations also maintain their own Web sites and hot lines.

Mercy Corps: Supports local agencies that provide trauma counseling, especially for children, as well as food supplies and scholarships. Donate online at mercycorps.org, call 800-852-2100 or mail checks to Mercy Corps, Dept. W, U.S. Emergency Fund, P.O. Box 2669, Portland, OR 97208.

Twin Towers Job Link: Businesses can help by posting job openings. Visit twintowersjobs.org or call 718-630-2457.

World Trade Center School Relief Fund: Set up by the New York Board of Education, this fund helps with counseling, training and relocation costs for local teachers, schoolchildren and their parents. Call 800-459-5545 or send checks to The Fund for Public Schools-WTC School Relief Fund, 110 Livingston Street, Room 826, Brooklyn, NY 11201.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-27” author: “Lawrence Clark”

The Global-Warming Debate It matters not whether global warming is fast or slow, large or small, true or false. The point is, as every child in my classroom learns, we should not be burning the precious nonrenewable resources of our fragile earth to produce energy. Scientists and governments, in their debates, should resolve that issue, not produce their own “hot air.” Sheila Bradford Cheadle Hulme, England

After reading your July 23 article “The Truth About Global Warming” (SCIENCE &TECHNOLOGY), I’m no less concerned about the earth’s environmental condition. You say “Scientists are still grappling with huge gaps in their knowledge.” But meteorologist Richard Lindzen is no closer to the truth simply because he can criticize. Global warming may be far from understood, but let us act to prevent it anyway. Just in case the effects are real. Nikhil Jaisinghani Katmandu, Nepal

It’s outrageous that you present Lindzen’s views on climate change as “The Truth About Global Warming.” There was no question mark, no quotation marks around that headline to suggest that NEWSWEEK is keeping an open mind, even though you acknowledge that most climate scientists disagree with Lindzen’s opinions. You characterize the view that emissions should be cut (in case the pessimistic majority is right) as “very European.” I take it that it is very American to pursue a policy of profligate energy consumption without giving a damn about what most scientists and other countries think. John Leaver London, England

How can we trust and believe a man who “expounds on how weakly lung cancer is linked to cigarette smoking”? Lindzen’s position is unacceptable because it shows his lack of knowledge about cancer. I believe French President Jacques Chirac is more informed on global warming–which no serious scientist denies–than President Bush, whose interests depend on the oil industry. Thomas Hervouet Nantes, France

What Lindzen says makes sense to me. For years I’ve read articles on climatic catastrophe and the greenhouse effect. The only consensus seems to be “We agree that we disagree.” Considering the recent chilly summers in Germany, I’ve no idea where the “warming” can be found. In past decades, summers were hot, almost unbearable. Now, in the midst of summer, we turn the heaters on and wear our warm clothes. Hans-Joachim Heil Fischback, Germany

We may credit George W. Bush for bringing the Kyoto Protocol to the world’s attention. People now worry how climate change will affect them. Unlike most scientists, meteorologist Lindzen believes that emission gases will not cause global warming. And Bush believes him. This amounts to saying that air pollution is “good” as long as it does not change the climate. Shouldn’t we cut the emission gases for health reasons? Apart from global warming, emission gases may also cause asthma, allergies and cancer, and destroy nature. Michael Parys Vienna, Austria

President Bush should act for the American people by signing the Kyoto agreement, instead of acting for Big Oil in America. Even if scientists cannot agree on the numbers, global warming is taking place, and this is not beneficial for the planet. Bush’s anti-Kyoto stance is a short-term political move, but the long-term losers will be the American people and the environment. Derek Dickinson Lagoa, Portugal

Your article reveals your ideological colors and political bias. You give so much prominence to a single dissenter while ignoring the views of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the Union of Concerned Scientists, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center and the United Nations Environment Program/World Meteorological Organization–all of which agree that the world is warming. I’m dismayed that you gave this much space to one dissenting scientist’s theory while ignoring those of many thousands of truly independent climate scientists worldwide. Your article seems aimed at creating further doubt over an area of critical importance and at giving the impression that climate change is a hotly debated theory. Conservative forces are attempting to hijack the debate by shifting the uncertainty over the outcome of climate change (which is acknowledged) to climate change itself. Thus, your article is misleading and dangerous. Jeffrey A. Harvey Senior Scientist, Netherlands Institute of Ecology Heteren, Netherlands

Richard Lindzen obviously relishes being a maverick if “he’ll even expound on how weakly lung cancer is linked to cigarette smoking,” when it has been accepted by the medical profession and even by Philip Morris that cigarette smoking causes lung cancer and is a danger to health. By providing a platform for his views and appearing to give them credibility, NEWSWEEK takes a stance that makes me think your respected news magazine has lost its objectivity and become a tool for the views of powerful corporations such as the oil and tobacco giants that pay for such propaganda. Shame on you. H. A. Bonarjee Calais, France

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-22” author: “Larry Gallo”

I literally backtracked in the grocery aisle when I caught a glimpse of your “Jesus Rocks!” cover (Society, July 16). As a 26-year-old single professional female, I’m constantly in search of entertainment that does not belittle or mock me as a Christian. I have followed Christian music for as long as I can remember, and am so very thankful for these artists who are brave enough not to cave in to the secular business world. I’m no different from any other young person out there–I like being entertained by good music and great stories. However, I refuse to compromise myself or my beliefs. I’m not asking that all entertainment be moral or every character Christian, but surely there is enough room to include this point of view. Erica Pogel Chicago, Ill.

As one of those you describe as being in “the vast swath of the nation that tends to go to church, voted for George W. Bush and is sometimes suspicious of the national press,” I want to commend you for writing the first unbiased article on anything Christian that I have read in a long time. I work in a Christian store and know firsthand how hard it is to keep Christian music on the shelves, but I have to admit that when I started reading, I expected to encounter put-downs and rude jokes. Instead, I found an informative article with a respectful attitude seldom seen these days. I can’t tell you how thrilled that made me and my family. Brooke Williams Santa Rosa, Calif.

My preteenager and I are still singing the songs that we listened to at our first Festival Con Dios a few weeks ago. Newsboys’ “Shine” tends to be a bit more fun than “Amazing Grace” when you are in a joyous mood. What really impressed me about the bands and the crowd was that they were there to praise God and be witnesses; they weren’t there for their egos or for antics. Putting words of praise into a form that people, young and old, will listen to must make God smile–maybe even mosh a bit. Dawn Rux Aberdeen, S.D.

Christian rock is an oxymoron. It may be a clever imitation of rock, but folks, it’ll never be the real thing. Rock and roll is still the Devil’s music. Let’s keep it that way. Betsey Crockett Merritt Island, Fla. The Game of Life

I read with interest your article about the relationship between pro golfers and their caddies (“The Silent Partner,” Business, July 16). My 24-year-old son played high-school and college golf and was captain of his college team–all the time caddying for his gas and spending money. While doing this he learned patience, the ability to speak responsibly to adults, how to hustle and the fine art of diplomacy. Now gainfully employed, he still plays golf and caddies whenever he gets a chance. He says caddying was the best teacher he ever had. Maryann Douglass Jacksonville, Fla. ‘Nature’s Marvelous Machine’

Your June 25 cover-story headline “How Technology Will Heal Your Heart” makes the right statement, but about the wrong technology. Cutting out the heart cannot heal it and is a step backward to an obsolete approach. The AbioCor replacement heart featured in your story requires maximally invasive surgery and is 25 times larger and heavier than the new Jarvik 2000 Heart, which, at only three ounces, is the size of a C-cell battery and slips inside the natural heart to support the left ventricle. In the uncommon cases where both the left and right ventricles need support, two tiny rotary pumps like the Jarvik 2000 could be used. The best news about patients like Peter Houghton, who is profiled in your story, is that their natural hearts can heal with artificial hearts that assist (rather than replace) the natural one. Once, when Houghton was at his dentist’s office, he found that he’d accidentally replaced his main battery with a half-spent one and had also forgotten to bring his backup. His Jarvik 2000 Heart stopped for about 20 minutes while he returned home for a fresh battery. His natural heart safely supported him along the way. The fact that his own heart recovered so much clearly shows why we should see the wisdom of healing nature’s marvelous machine, not discarding it. Robert Jarvik, M.D. New York, N.Y. Correction

The photo on our July 16 “Jesus Rocks!” cover was taken at a Christian-rock festival in Dallas, not Tulsa. We regret the error.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-30” author: “Daniel Letko”

Enjoying the Slow Life As an American who has worked in Europe for more than a decade, I can confirm the depth of the lifestyle gap between the two continents (“Eat, Drink and Go Slow,” EUROPE, July 2). During a recent short-lived “permanent” transfer to the United States, I encountered enough differences to fill a book–business practices, government policies, public safety, pastimes, events considered newsworthy. Now that I’ve returned to Europe, I am finding the experience most enjoyable. The slow movement is only one small facet of a broader attitude toward shaping quality of life. You have to plan around store-closing hours; some laws and traditions are archaic and occasionally you have to deal with latent anti-Americanism–but Europe offers a wealth that I would not want to miss, along with the leisure to enjoy it. And, with the time left over, I can explore more of my home country than I ever could if I lived there! Rob Sethre Hannover, Germany Your story is spot-on. Of course the main objective of getting rich is to drop out of the rat race. How much money is enough? For you? For your heirs? I admire all those who can decide. Apparently Europeans have an easier choice than Americans. Rene M. Finkler London, England

Individuals should be free to work as many hours as they want. What I dislike about the European socialist model is that it imposes rules and regulations limiting the amount of hours people can work. This is an infringement of individual liberty. The best solution to stress is to dig a six-foot-deep hole in your garden and bury yourself! M. T. Innecco Bickley, England

Living in Germany, I, too, have grown to appreciate a slower pace of life. But applauding government for forcing it upon the population is like thanking East Germany for the Iron Curtain. In the last several years, I’ve heard people talk of the “good ole times” in the GDR when people had time to relax and money in the bank. They forget the fact that you couldn’t control when or where you worked or find much in the stores to spend your money on. Leaving the rat race is a lifestyle people should choose, not be forced into because all other possibilities are illegal. David Chenault Zwickau, Germany

Slow food and slow cities are protests against American culture and globalization but not the whole system of capitalism. They’re a way to introduce a new political system–social capitalism. Economies of countries like Britain, France and Germany prove that capitalism doesn’t have to be so bad, but some changes are essential; reduced hours in a workweek, free time and eating are just a few of them. Artur Zamkowski Gdansk, Poland Telling It Like It Is In “Notes From the Underground” (SOCIETY & THE ARTS, May 21), the Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami says the Japanese “want to be quiet, because that’s a tradition of Japanese society.” That is not true. We who were born after the war can say what we think–and we will. Takako Tsurui Tokyo, JapanMotherhood’s Dark Moment I am not looking for excuses for Andrea Yates’s killing of her children (“The Killer Was Mom,” U.S. AFFAIRS, July 2). But this extreme case, when a mother is so deeply distressed that she can kill her own kids, should at least draw attention to something rarely openly discussed–postpartum depression and the difficulty of caring for a baby. When a mother gives birth and raises a child, there is a huge need for help, care and understanding. Sadly enough, Andrea Yates had no help at all. This case should open people’s eyes. If you realistically look at what motherhood is, you are better prepared to face it. If women delude themselves with rosy dreams of doll babies that don’t cry, don’t get wet or sick but just smile at you, then the awakening to reality will be harsh. Ioana Prundaru Konstanz, Germany

Andrea Yates and her five children are a tragedy incomprehensible by human nature. Why did it happen? The signs were there, but nobody saw them. The probable explanation is that Yates was a victim of postpartum psychosis. The worst part about this horrible story is that it happens all the time in many countries. The American tragedy is only the newest example. Andrea Souza Jaboato Dos Guararapes, Brazil

Andrea Yates faces capital murder charges, but before she can be formally charged, postpartum depression is being blamed for the deaths of her five children. As a lawyer, I’d like to note that temporary insanity (from postpartum psychosis) is an affirmative defense under the law, and must be proved by the defendant in order to avoid criminal conviction. It is not an “escape hatch” from the charge of murder. It is worth noting that very few mothers suffering from postpartum depression or any other form of depression ever harm their children or anyone else. It seems that the concepts of evil, personal guilt and individual responsibility have become politically incorrect and are no longer acceptable in our brave new world. the devil made me do it may soon take the place of IN GOD WE TRUST on the wall of every courtroom in America. Lt. Michael J. Gorman New York Police Department Whitestone, New York

Your article portrays a horrifying gap in society’s understanding of what a woman’s needs are after childbirth. The entire family needs to help the mother as well as the baby. What was this Yates couple trying to do, having so many children one after another? She was barely out of the rigor of producing one baby when she became pregnant again and again. What are doctors and social services doing when they see a woman so exhausted that she can barely think but has to go through the day with no help? Prescribing antidepressants is not the answer. Providing contraceptives, counseling and physical assistance with child care is. Certainly Andrea Yates’s family should have been more supportive. Her husband, who departed every morning leaving her to cope with five small children, is also culpable. Revathy Gopal Mumbai, India

As a parent in this community that has seen little other than the Andrea Yates story on the local news, I remain haunted by the total senselessness of this tragedy and by what possible thoughts of horror, fear and disbelief could have gone through the minds of these trusting children as their mother held their heads under the water. With all the warning signs, including suicide attempts, documented bouts of severe depression and a visible, rapid slide from emotional stability that was gaining momentum, I wonder how an intelligent father and husband with even a basic understanding of the signs of dysfunctional mental health could have ever allowed the mother of these children to be alone with them for one minute. To what degree is the blame with him and a fatal case of denial? Gary Goodfriend Houston, Texas

It does indeed take a village to raise a child, but this woman’s immediate as well as extended family saw her drowning and did nothing to help her. In my opinion it is not accidental that Andrea chose drowning as the means of murdering her children. William H. Marshall Williamsburg, Virginia

The media’s compassion for Andrea Yates strikes me as racist. This family had plenty of choices. If she was having such a hard time with all those kids, why didn’t she just do what we ask all the poor women in this country to do: use better birth control, practice birth spacing? When one woman in the ‘hood beats her child, in all probability she is suffering from some form of depression. But because she is poor and black, she’ll have to settle for the label “child abuser” and be cursed and maligned by everyone. Where, I’d like to know, is the media’s compassion for her? Beverly Lyles Silver Spring, Maryland

A stay-at-home mother of three boys under the age of 4, I have to say that I understand the depression that gripped Andrea Yates. Don’t tune me out yet. I abhor her crime as much as anyone does, but let’s take advantage of this tragedy and see it as the cry for help that it is. Somewhere, right in your own neighborhood, is a mother of young children struggling to make it through each day. There are some very practical things that you can do to help. Make a meal and take it to the family. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to try to cook dinner with three little people crying, tugging on your leg, one of them in your arms? Give her an hour of your time. You may find it hard to spare even one hour, but an hour is a lifetime to a mom who usually doesn’t get 10 minutes to herself during the day. Let her read, go out for a walk, shop or catch up on some much needed sleep. No time? Drop off some takeout. Or hire a babysitter for them; living on one income leaves little room for such luxuries as a night out as a couple. Don’t criticize the unkempt house; help her clean it or treat her to a cleaning service. Do something, today, right in your own backyard, to help an exhausted, depressed mother. Add some joy to her life, and possibly prevent another tragedy like the one we watched in Houston. Cindi Sutter North Canton, Ohio Tony Blair’s Victory Guest columnist Anthony King refers to “the now discredited Tory party” (“The Essence of Blair’s Revolution,” EUROPE, June 18). This is, frankly, absurd on the statistics alone. King, a professor of government at the University of Essex, must have failed to notice that 33 percent of the votes cast in the recent election were for the Conservative Party, a real but hardly earthshaking 9 percent behind Labour. In fact, the Labour winning vote was substantially less than John Major’s vote in 1992, an election he barely won. Perhaps King is upset that in both general and local elections there was such a strong move toward conservatives in his county of Essex. Rupert Dilnott-Cooper London, England Lessons From Jane Goodall I want to thank you so much for printing Jane Goodall’s article about using animals in experiments (“A Question of Ethics,” SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, May 7). It is very important that a well-respected person like Goodall speaks out against vivisection in a well-respected magazine such as yours. Many people think that animal-rights activists are a “bunch of nuts.” This article gives us a lot of credibility. Kim Downes Guttenberg, New Jersey

Research on animals is at worst a necessary evil. Animal-rights groups such as Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty fail to realize that testing on animals does not justify the threatening and beating of employees who carry out this type of work. When such actions are taken, animal-anticruelty groups risk losing public empathy on these issues. SHAC would have a tough time gathering support for its cause if it took a human life for an animal life in the name of social activism. Furthermore, having companies like Huntingdon Life Sciences in open and democratic countries like the United Kingdom–where information is easily accessible–is far more advantageous than having them in a Third World country where animals are sure to be treated far worse in the name of research. Pushing companies like HLS to the brink of bankruptcy, as SHAC has done, will not solve the problem, only displace it. Cory Askew Hamamatsu, Japan

Jane Goodall introduced me to love of the great apes. Although these are wild animals, they are sentient, emotional beings like humans. They are far too much like us to be used as if they were just objects. I support Jane Goodall and her great-apes projects. Eileen Cameron Littleover, England

One way to stop animal suffering in the vivisection industry is to buy only household products that are labeled “cruelty free.” Animals should not have to endure painful experiments for shampoo, soaps and cosmetics products. Allison Pang Portland, Oregon

As Jane Goodall pointed out in regard to AIDS research, there are discrepancies in reactions even between species as closely related as humans and chimpanzees. These differences are particularly apparent in toxicity testing, where variations in metabolism and subtle molecular responses can make the difference between a beneficial drug and death. Bina Robinson Swain, New York

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-25” author: “Andy Gonzalez”

It is sad to see the decline of an organization that has contributed so much to generations of Americans. It is sadder still that some people appeal to Christian morality to justify the Boy Scouts’ position on homosexuality, which is anything but morally straight. There are many Christians who worship a God of compassion and social justice, whose son Jesus practiced and taught inclusion, not exclusion. The Boy Scouts have disgraced themselves, offended millions of Christians and betrayed their nation and their own oath. Grant R. Grissom Media, Pa.

I read with disgust your article about the Boy Scouts. Your prejudice began on the cover with the reference to the Scouts’ “stand against gays”–rather than what Scouts stand for. The article itself is a thinly disguised opinion piece that portrays supporters of the Scouts as out-of-touch zealots and the other side as compassionate modernists. The Scouts are standing up for what they believe in and have every right to do so. Let them be. Joel Pechauer Dallas, Texas

I have lots of fond memories of my many years working with the Boy Scouts. Although my recollection of the Scout Law has faded somewhat, I remember the words “friendly,” " brave,” “clean” and “reverent.” I don’t recall “intolerant,” " ignorant” or “exclusionary.” Lee Seeger Ft. Wayne, Ind.

A man may be an excellent leader and a good father figure for many boys who need one. But if he is an avowed homosexual, even with the highest standards of personal conduct, I believe that it is inappropriate for him to be in a position of supervision over and closeness with impressionable boys and young men who are still grappling with their own developing sexuality. Anderson M. Rearick Quincy, Mass.

The Boy Scouts are chameleonlike in their ability to change their status depending on the charges against them. When they want to discriminate against atheists, they are a religious organization. When they want to discriminate against homosexuals, they are a private organization. When they want millions of dollars in federal (taxpayer) handouts, they are a public organization. The leadership of the Boy Scouts has earned its merit badge in hypocrisy. David Clark Round Rock, Texas

How very discouraging it is to realize that we have come to a point where fighting the tide of public opinion and standing firm on a moral issue is no longer considered a virtue. The Boy Scouts did not misjudge the cultural climate of the country; rather, they are standing bravely in the face of that climate, refusing to abandon their principles in order to be politically correct. What a great demonstration of resisting peer pressure for our youth. Hang in there, BSA. Robin Stewart Burleson, Texas

I earned my Eagle Scout rank at 15 and was named Missouri’s Eagle Scout of the Year in 1996 by the American Legion. As a young adult assistant scoutmaster during college, I helped guide a troop of boys from surrounding councils to the 1999 World Scout Jamboree in Chile, and I worked at my Boy Scout council’s summer camps for seven summers. None of that mattered, however, when I revealed that I was gay to my local council, which sharply curtailed my participation in official Boy Scout events. The latest edition of the “Boy Scout Handbook” states on page 50, “Extending kindness to those around you and having compassion for all people is a powerful antidote to the poisons of hatred and violence.” Perhaps it is time for scouting to live by its own words instead of promoting ignorance and discrimination. Curtis P. Hainds St. Louis, Mo.

As a 15-year-old Life Scout, I support the Boy Scouts’ decision to ban homosexuals, but I don’t see it as an excuse to be hateful. I realize it is still my duty to help elderly lesbians across the street. Benjamin Bolinger Broad Top, Pa.

Correction In “Where the Girls Are,” a sidebar accompanying our Aug. 6 cover story on the Boy Scouts, we used an incorrect abbreviation for the Girl Scouts’ national organization. It should have been GSUSA.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-19” author: “Violet Fegueroa”

My mother’s generation had Eleanor Roosevelt. My generation had Katharine Graham. She showed us not only that we can do everything men can, and also have babies, but how to do it with class. Christine Wigg Howard Beach, N.Y.

Katharine Graham is mourned not only by the famous, but also by hundreds of us “commoners” to whom she responded with the grace for which she will always be remembered. To me, an 86-year-old woman, Mrs. Graham brought lasting pleasure and pride when she herself answered my comment on her memoir, “Personal History.” I had thanked her for the comfort and forward-looking philosophy she shared so generously in the final three paragraphs. Your tribute to Mrs. Graham is a treasure. She’s “A Woman to Remember” indeed. Charlotte P. Heimann Ft. Myers, Fla.

The messages of sympathy you receive by e-mail will undoubtedly be heartfelt and well-meaning, but they just don’t conform to the kind of etiquette of which I believe Mrs. Graham would approve. For sending my condolences on the loss of your unique, beloved “Mrs. G,” only an old-fashioned note, written on paper with pen and ink, seems proper in honor of such a classy lady. Laurie Bartholomew Harleysville, Pa.

Thank you for all the wonderful articles on Katharine Graham. I knew a different side of her as her waiter, in 1970-71 in Myrtle Beach, S.C., and at various times on Martha’s Vineyard. Underneath a formal public persona was one of the warmest, most charming people I have ever had the pleasure of working for. She made me feel I was the most special person on earth. I was. I was Katharine Graham’s waiter. I reveled in the fact that she loved chocolate as much as I do, and I can still hear her laughter. She taught me both the art of good service and how to enjoy life to its fullest. Loren P. Bundeson Portland, Ore.

As the editor of NEWSWEEK at the time of the Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961, I take exception to your statement that Philip Graham “crossed the line between the publisher’s office and the newsroom to water down a NEWSWEEK cover story about the fiasco.” Graham had been away from the office for weeks, struck low by one of his recurring depressions. I called him at home and asked: “If you cast your mind back over all the Eisenhower years, can you think of a single disaster as great as this one?” Graham’s answer: “No, I can’t think of anything as bad.” Years later I wrote in my book “The World of Oz”: “What I got from Graham in that first conversation about a specific news story… was the freedom to call the shots as we, the editors, saw them. NEWSWEEK’s story the next week started this way: ‘Only 90 days after it took power, the Kennedy Administration suffered a setback as grave as any that befell President Eisenhower during his entire eight years in office’.” Osborn Elliott Chairman, Citizens Committee for New York City New York, N.Y.

Editor’s note: Mrs. Graham described her husband’s editorial interference in NEWSWEEK’s and The Washington Post’s coverage of the Bay of Pigs on pages 284-85 of “Personal History.” Ben Bradlee, then NEWSWEEK’s Washington bureau chief, recalls that Phil Graham “meddled beyond endurance” with a cover story on the CIA that appeared one week after the magazine’s initial story on the Bay of Pigs. Elliott was unaware of Graham’s role.

I had the pleasure of meeting Katharine Graham only once, at a charity event about five years ago. I was having a drink with Mrs. Robert (Oatsie) Charles when she flagged down a woman who looked a little lost, saying to me, “You have to meet my friend Kay.” When I realized who “Kay” was, my brain was overwhelmed with questions about publishing, Nixon, Deep Throat, Princess Diana, politics and power. They never made it to my lips because Kay kept asking questions of me. When I told her I had recently left a successful 20-year career as a television writer to reinvent myself as a novelist, she replied, with a self-deprecating grin, “I’m rather the poster girl for reinvention.” Her advice was this: “No matter how tough it gets or how frightened you may be, hold tight to the determination at your core. Believe in yourself.” She made me promise to set my second book in D.C., and when it was published a year later–with a fictitious scene set smack in her living room–she was thrilled and wrote to me that “I too am setting scenes in my living room, but I envy you, for you actually finished yours.” Finish she did, and what a book it was. Everyone who remembered her in NEWSWEEK was blessed to have known her for a very long time. I knew her for only three hours. But I have the same affection and honor for her memory that they do. I’ll never forget her. Thom Racina Palm Springs, Calif.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-23” author: “Ruth Rule”

NEWSWEEK should be complimented on its balanced and comprehensive account of the stem-cell debate. In other areas of medicine, federal funding provides incentives to focus on the research that holds the most promise for the public as a whole and professional oversight that distinguishes between acceptable and unacceptable research methods. If the federal government responds to controversy over genetics research by departing the field, future research will develop in one of two ways. First, private companies will conduct the experiments on their own, free from any effective oversight. The greatest funding will go to the developers with the prospect of the largest immediate financial payoff. Second, the single-interest groups driving the current stem-cell debate may try to ban the private research outright. If the bans survive constitutional scrutiny, they will drive genetics research overseas. Either way, the American public, which overwhelmingly supports responsible genetics research, will be the loser. June Carbone Santa Clara, California

Do opponents of stem-cell research also propose banning in vitro fertilization? If not, what do they propose to do with the thousands of unused frozen embryos stored in fertility clinics? Since IVF needs multiple fertilized embryos to achieve a good chance of pregnancy, and since stem cells can be produced from these embryos with parental consent (and therefore do not require aborted fetuses), why would anyone object to using for research the embryos that are not implanted? Which is better, to discard these precious gifts from God, or to use them for the betterment of mankind? Elizabeth Snider, M.D. Mason, Ohio

Roman Catholics who do not follow what the church teaches with regard to such basic things as stem-cell research should learn, perhaps, why the church takes this position and then follow the teachings of the pope. It isn’t always easy or popular to do the right thing. But unlike President George W. Bush, the pope isn’t going to be influenced by a popularity poll. People with Type I diabetes (like me), Parkinson’s and other diseases have to live with these unfortunate conditions. Science can and must wait until an effective method is developed for using adult stem cells. Dale Cebula Shaker Heights, Ohio Enchanting Apulia In the article “Now, That’s Italian,” the writer refers to “even crime-ridden Apulia” (FOCUS ON TRAVEL, July 16). I was surprised and angered when I read this. I chose to live here more than 30 years ago because during my first visit I was enchanted by the area. I enjoyed the quality of the people, the beauty of the scenery and the rich archeological resources. Naturally there is a degree of crime, just as in other parts of the world, but between this percentage and “crime-ridden” lies a sea of difference. I can assure you that we walk around at any hour of day or night without fear. Isabella Palazzo Monopoli, Italy

Calling Off the Drug War Irvine Welsh’s interview presented an honest and powerful depiction of drug use in “Trainspotting” (“Saying Yes to Drugs,” INTERVIEW, July 16). It is not surprising, then, that he offers pragmatic and useful advice on how to deal with the war on drugs. That is, we should end it. It is wonderful to see someone speak so frankly and truthfully on an issue that has been swept under the rug for far too long. Miranda Collins Valley Village, California

America, Heal Thyself In your SPECIAL REPORT, “The Worst Countries in the World,” where was America? (July 9) This country is one of the most unpopular, except in the minds of misguided fools who flaunt USA on their cardigans. NEWSWEEK should wake up to the shortcomings of its own country and stay out of the business of other countries’ affairs. W. F. Pearson Auckland, New Zealand

Genetically Modified Profits It is fanciful to think the first beneficiary of the genetically modified (GM) foods opposed by Europeans would be “the starving nations” of the world (“The Amazing Euroman,” BUSINESS, July 9). GM food will hardly change the situation in Third World countries and certainly world starvation is not the first thing on every GM food producer’s mind. Neither in Europe nor in the United States are the concerns of the Third World countries generally considered of prime importance, except in occasional lip service. Barbara Stadler Petzenkirchen, Austria

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-08” author: “Stephen Abrams”

I agree with NEWSWEEK that there is no country where things are worse for women than Afghanistan. Women there have already suffered because of the loss of their beloved ones; making them lose their jobs amounts to passing a death sentence on them, especially when the government does not provide any help. This system makes the apartheid regime in South Africa look holy. Mohamed Adan Oslo, Norway

Thanks for your enlightening Special Report. It was interesting, yet disturbing. But what are the world’s best countries doing to transform the lives of the worst ones? If the richest people would give only 5 percent of their wealth to the poor, the standard of life would be so much better. But the world’s richest people seem to have a law in common: “Thou shalt not help.” Temitope O. Oyetomi Akure, Nigeria

For those of us involved in the development efforts in Albania, it would have been helpful if you had mentioned the moderating role Albania has played within the overall Balkan crisis, the country’s substantive economic growth since 1997 and the fact that negotiations have started with the European Union on a stabilization and association agreement. Your report included Albania among the bottom 10 countries in the world. But this year’s Human Development Report ranked Albania within the medium human-development category; we were 85th among 162 countries. Promoting a positive image of Albania would really assist the country’s integration into a Western democracy and increase readers’ interest in this part of the world. Anna Stjarnerklint Resident Representative U.N. Development Programme Tirana, Albania

I consider it irresponsible and callous for NEWSWEEK to glorify the problems, shortcomings and woes of certain countries without mentioning the racism and prejudices of the United States and European countries. These are some of the worst places to be black or a minority immigrant. How can your report look down upon developing nations and give a blind eye to the inadequacies of the so-called best nations? I studied in the United States, and yet I choose to stay here in the Philippines, which is a developing country, because I feel it is the best place to live and raise a family. Ernesto A. Tabujara III Makati, Philippines Judgment Day for Milosevic Ex-president Slobodan Milosevic’s extradition to The Hague was a morale booster (“Judgment Day,” News of the Week, July 9). This is another victory for human-rights activists around the world. It is also a reassurance that other cruel rulers will soon have rooms at The Hague. John Tanwani Hova, Sweden

The war-crimes tribunal appears to have been established solely for former president Milosevic and a few Serbian criminals. People will not be misled by the coming trial. This condemnation is supposed to satisfy public opinion. But no charges were brought for the similar crimes of Augusto Pinochet, Suharto or Vladimir Putin. These men and others are responsible for killing thousands of civilians in their own countries. Riccardo Ruffin Rome, Italy

The Bush administration is hypocritical. It thinks Slobodan Milosevic should be brought before the war-crimes tribunal, yet the Pentagon has no intention of investigating the war crimes committed by former senator Bob Kerry in the village of Thanh Phong, Vietnam. We Europeans are skeptical of the United States’ motives, and who can blame us? Gordon Cunningham Dublin, Ireland Beer for Babies? Your item “Baby Boozers” was too incredible (Periscope, July 9). How could a group propose serving alcohol to Belgium’s elementary-school children? This is a strange way of maintaining our responsibilities to children and their future. Aurelien Fraisse Portes les Valence, France Tiger’s Prowess Your article on Tiger Woods provides a comprehensive view on how some legendary athletes, such as Michael Jordan and Joe Montana, have such unbelievable achievements (“The Dominator,” Society & the Arts, June 18). It further proves that many athletes exert tremendous efforts behind their success. Their excellent positive outlook and hard work are more important than the gift they possess. Vincent Leung Hong Kong

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-09” author: “Cindy Delafuente”

I was moved to write by former Chrysler board member John Neff’s quote “I am just confounded that the Chrysler franchise could become as bad as they say so quickly.” I, on the other hand, wonder how it survived as long as it has and how it managed to fool Daimler-Benz. Lest we forget, Chrysler was in serious trouble in the ’70s. It represented the worst of America’s manufacturing decline, it was guilty of loading its vehicles with expensive features that consumers didn’t want and it eventually had to be bailed out by the U.S. government. It “recovered” by producing a line of K cars. My family, in an effort to buy American, purchased a new Reliant in 1982. That car was junk, and Lee Iacocca admitted as much in this publication when he acknowledged that the company may have “shipped… some crap.” Chrysler is a house of cards that is tumbling down. The company is populated by thugs, and I couldn’t be happier to see them go. I only hope they don’t take Benz with them. John A. Belt – Davidsonville, Maryland

Perhaps the executives of Daimler-Chrysler need to go back to square one. When business becomes a matter of egos and gross mismanagement at the cost of good customer relations, it would seem a lesson could be learned from Business Management 101–that is, the lesson of customer satisfaction. I ordered a PT Cruiser in May and was told by the dealer that DaimlerChrysler had not anticipated the popularity of the vehicle, and therefore I had to wait up to six months. Eight months and hundreds of phone calls and e-mails later, not one representative from dealer to corporate management will respond with so much as a production date. Shouldn’t this give their so-called leaders a hint from whence their woes come? Sandra Cavallaro – Milford, Connecticut

Mideast Toil and Trouble

I am a Peace Corps volunteer in Jordan and look forward to my weekly NEWSWEEK with enthusiasm. One of the major challenges I’ve faced here is convincing people that not all Jews are evil. People often have a hard time distinguishing between Israelis (a national distinction), Zionists (a philosophical distinction) and Jews (a religious or ethnic distinction). Although I’ve argued time and again that there are Jews in the world–including, perhaps, in Israel–who do not support the recent Israeli crackdown, my efforts seem to be largely fruitless. But, NEWSWEEK, you too often portray the conflict as one between Jews and Palestinians or, more confusingly, between Jews and Arabs. You even print letters from readers who claim that “the Jewish people” have become tyrants when they have so often been the oppressed. Not all Jews are engaged in armed conflict, nor do all Arabs or all Jews sympathize with the “Arab” or “Jewish” perspectives as you define them. The Mideast conflict is incredibly complex. Please don’t be in such a rush to oversimplify it. Alden Mahler – Irbid, Jordan

It is with anger that I read your biased coverage of the ongoing conflict in the Mideast. Why is it always noted when an Israeli is killed, when more than 200 Palestinians have been killed and thousands more wounded? I am a Norwegian living in the occupied territories, and every day I see the terror that the Palestinians are subjected to by Israelis. I see how the Israelis take away a people’s dignity and freedom. Even I have been shot at by Israeli soldiers. I hope in the future that NEWSWEEK can feature articles that present both sides of the conflict. Ragnar Nilsen – Ramallah, West Bank

Why do the United States and the rest of the world condone the violence perpetrated by Israel in territories it has illegally occupied, but do not hesitate to bomb Yugoslavia for doing less shameful things to people within its own borders? The crisis in the Middle East will most likely come to an end when the Israeli settlements in occupied territories are dismantled and the Palestinians are allowed to have what the Jews were given after the second world war: their own state. The harder Israel tries to refuse the inevitable, the greater the number of victims. The Palestinians’ desperation is obvious, and one has to be devoid of any moral sense to accept the justifications put forth by the Israelis and the Americans. Israel can act reasonably and morally only when the United States stops subsidizing its armed forces. Nicolae Popescu – Timisoara, Romania

I’m always shocked, amazed and saddened by the Palestinians’ seemingly unending capacity for seizing defeat from the jaws of victory. They could have had nationhood, but apparently they prefer anarchy. Arafat should stop this, or else he should not be in control. Israel has every reason to worry about security, and the Palestinian Authority has failed its test. Token statements of support show that the rest of the Arab world is equally weary of the Palestinian question. What does Arafat want? More child martyrs, a Likud prime minister and a full military reoccupation of Palestine? Geoff Carver – Dresden, Germany

As a peace-loving Turk who sees the last chance for peace in the Middle East float away, I can definitely say that both the Palestinians and the Israelis are responsible for this conflict. On the fifth anniversary of the death of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, we must remember that the spirit of Oslo is not dead and Jerusalem is the common holy place for everyone on earth. Suleyman Doou – Izmir, Turkey

Your article about the settler families and their struggle with the “terrorist” Arabs made me sick. These settlements were created on land confiscated from Arabs, who should have the right to get back what was theirs. The peace talks with Israel did nothing to stop settlement building. In fact, more land was confiscated and more housing units were built than at any time prior to the so-called peace talks. The settlers are not innocent people who want to live in peace. Fatina Al-Ahmad – Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

The escalating problems between the Palestinians and Israelis should remind us of prophecies that the next global conflict will originate in this region. With so many positive changes in world peace over the past few decades, it seems strangely ironic that America should continue to fund terrorism in the Middle East with tax dollars, providing cut-price military aid to Israel. The world has been constantly reminded of the killing of millions of Jews in the 1930s and ’40s, but does this give Jews the right to inflict death on others? In places like Iraq, Bosnia and Yugoslavia, the world powers did not allow such actions, and imposed sanctions or military intervention. What point must be reached before the self-interest of the American government to placate its Jewish voters results in world justice and peace? Paul Brown – Limassol, Cyprus

In addition to existing land resources, an army, international legitimacy, governing authority over 95 percent of the population and control over virtually every aspect of their civic life, Israel has now offered the Palestinians fully 90 percent of the West Bank and Gaza. Rather than accept or negotiate the offer that would lead to Palestinian statehood, Yasir Arafat chose to abandon diplomacy in favor of violence. Civilians and children are being deployed at the front lines to attack Israeli soldiers with rocks. Both the international and Palestinian media have accentuated the tragic fact that children have been killed or wounded. But these children are being deliberately taken out of their homes, schools and playgrounds and being sent to the streets, alongside snipers and terrorists, with the express purpose of placing them in the line of fire in a calculated ploy for world sympathy. In the eyes of the Palestinians, the fact that children are being wounded or killed is secondary to the fact that the world sees them being wounded or killed. Debbie Levison – Trumbull, Connecticut

How many Arab lives will it take to convince the world that Israel is no better than the Germans were during the Holocaust? Do the Palestinian people really have to lose their lives in the most brutal and inhumane fashion just because they are pursuing what is rightfully theirs? Can’t two different ideologies coexist in one place without bloodshed? Suraj Tekwani – Jakarta, Indonesia

A NY-LON State of Mind

After having lived in new york and Paris, I recently moved to London. I still lead a NY-LON life, not just because of business, but because New York is an addiction. It is also relatively cheap compared to London. I used to live on the Upper East Side in Manhattan and now live in Belgravia, paying 40 percent more for lower standards. And Paris? Forget about it. It may be the City of Light, but it’s years behind NY-LON and a decade behind for investment-banking purposes. Ata Koseoglu – London, England

While Paris may be the most beautiful city in the world, as Christopher Dickey and Antonia Francis say in their article (“We’ll Always Have Paris”), New York and London share an advantage: English. One can enjoy Shakespeare’s plays, conduct business and go shopping without seeing confusion on the faces of clerks because of language barriers. Linguistically speaking, Paris should match with Quebec. Ramon Araiza Quiroz Director of Language Department Bonaterra University Aguascalientes, Mexico

I don’t expect that people who do not reside in New York or London care about the similarities between the two cities. I would have expected NEWSWEEK to give us something more newsworthy amid hundreds of more important happenings around the globe. Suresh Kirpalani – Accra, Ghana

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-30” author: “Michele Hill”

I was fascinated by your article on Tony Blair, “Onward, Christian Soldier.” But you erred in comparing Blair to Winston Churchill. He is no such leader, and he cannot be compared to Margaret Thatcher, either. Blair is an opportunist who had the role of war leader thrust upon him. The Afghanistan crisis has conveniently allowed him to divert his attention from the domestic scene and strut the international stage. Indeed, he has pandered to Britain’s ethnic Muslim minority community, who appear, on the whole, to sympathize with Osama bin Laden and his terrorist group. If anyone has proved to be the hero of the hour it is, rather surprisingly, George W. Bush, with his simple but sincere oratory. Dominic Shelmerdine London, England

I just received my copy of the Dec. 3 issue and am disappointed to see the article on Blair titled “Onward, Christian Soldier.” With the situation around the Afghanistan problem being what it is, this is like branding the crisis once again as a war between Christians and Muslims. Benjamin Ong Tours, France

The United States may have the power, but the British prime minister has the vision that has been missing from U.S. foreign policy for the last 10 years. So here’s to Tony Blair and a truly integrated international community. As an American, I am grateful that our special relationship with the British lives on. Britain is not our loyal sidekick but rather our truest partner. And we are lucky to have it. Susan Berglund Caracas, Venezuela

Visiting America’s First Couple I wonder whether President Bush realizes how similar his words can be to Osama bin Laden’s (” ‘This Is Our Life Now’,” The First Team, Dec. 3). What really distinguishes Islamic fanatics from the civilized world is not that they throw bombs, but that they believe God is “sustaining” and guiding their actions. Wars are not about who gets God on his side. For if God’s hand is behind the U.S. strategy and military campaign, then he must also be the mastermind of the attacks on the Twin Towers. Civilized politicians should keep their religious beliefs private, and justify their actions only in political terms; democracy and human rights are reasons enough to fight against terrorism. Xavier Prats-Monne Brussels, Belgium

You quote President Bush as saying, “This country bends over backwards to provide rights for people,” defending Attorney General John Ashcroft’s dragnet and the proposed military tribunals, which alarm civil libertarians. No country provides rights for people. Rights are inalienable. They do not come from the generosity of any government. Thomas J. Corcoran Dalby, Sweden

As a regular reader of NEWSWEEK, I look to your magazine for objective, albeit America-focused, coverage of world affairs. I found your hero-worship article on Bush faintly nauseating and of no worth other than as propaganda. It seemed your reporters did not challenge Bush on his politics–foreign or domestic–or his knowledge. Bush is seen by many people here as being a puppet for the oil barons. And he’s famously ignorant on foreign affairs. Now he’s making an alliance with a leader, President Musharraf, whose name he didn’t even know a year ago, and bombing a place he probably didn’t know existed before September 11. Bush may be more widely respected within the United States. But even with that market in mind, surely you could have pushed him a little more? Or are your writers the simpering cheerleaders to his jock? Katie Sotheran London, England

" ‘This Is Our Life Now’ " took my breath away! Your writers outdid themselves in their praise of the leadership of George W. Bush in a crisis situation. If the story had appeared on April 1, I’d have been amused by it as an April Fools’ joke. But as it appeared on Dec. 3, I assume the writers were in earnest. I’ve always respected your magazine and preferred it to Time. But after reading this article, I’ve decided not to renew my subscription and feel certain that I’m not alone in my decision. What a shame! Matilda Lipscomb Montpellier, France

Calling the First Lady “Laura,” and the President and Mrs. Bush “you guys” while interviewing them on Air Force One, is disrespectful and rude (" ‘We Can Handle It’ “). I’m all for less formality in our daily lives–it’s one of the most “American” things about our country–but calling the president “Mr. President” and the First Lady “Mrs. Bush” is a basic courtesy that even a cub reporter would be expected to get right. And I speak as a former journalist and a former assistant White House press secretary (for Foreign Affairs in the Clinton administration). Eric Rubin U.S. Consul General Chiang Mai, Thailand

AIDS in Russia Your report on the AIDS epidemic sweeping Russia was fascinating (“A Social ‘Neutron Bomb’,” Europe, Sept. 17). Russia has been slow to address this problem and is ill equipped to cope with it, but the epidemic can no longer be ignored. Russia’s future rests on the state of its economy, which does not inspire much optimism right now. So it’s incredible that Russian Health Ministry officials refused a £150 million World Bank loan, which could have been used for AIDS education and for radical measures like needle exchanges and special clinics. Foreign aid to combat the spread of AIDS should be accepted. Russian officials must stop denying that there’s a problem. Scott Gillespie Falkirk, Scotland

Of Saudi Princes There was a photo mix-up in your Nov. 26 mail call, “Furor Over a Saudi Prince.” You ran a picture of Prince Saud al-Faisal, the Saudi foreign minister, instead of one of Prince Alwaleed bin Talal. Abdullah Al-Semery Jidda, Saudi Arabia

Germany’s East-West Fusion I don’t see why you concentrate on Berlin when reporting about Germany (“The Berlin Question,” Europe, Sept. 10). Berlin became capital of the German empire only in 1871. The 74 years that it remained the capital were unfortunate years in German history. Why does that deserve renewal? Wouldn’t it be preferable to go back to Germany’s roots as a federalist, open country instead of building skyscrapers on seas of blood with money that is not available? Berlin is a dull, bankrupt place; how can it be “Europe’s hub” when it is not even the hub of Germany? Many German regions are more conscious of their grand traditions of internationalism, hospitality and free enterprise. If you ask the citizens of the once mighty and still important Hanseatic League cities in the north, for example, you learn where Germany’s democracy was born, and where it should be continued–and it’s not in Berlin. Lars Straeter Dortmund, Germany

As Germany’s neighbor, I worry about the tensions between the former East and West (“The East: Still Sinking,” Europe, Aug. 27). It’s difficult for our German friends to forget about the “border” when the press keeps looking for differences between the two former countries whenever possible. Why do you say things like “A New Flight From the East” and “East Germans emigrate”? Does anyone count how many citizens of Bavaria “emigrate” to Rhineland-Palatinate (or vice versa)? Furthermore, in regard to the trillions of Deutsche marks spent on the East, why should we count separately the amount of money being spent in one section of Germany? It is logical that more state money goes into places that have the worst infrastructure. The answer to your question at the end of the article–“How much more time [will it take]?”–is obvious: the more stories like this one, the more time will be needed. Jan Kerner Louny, Czech Republic

The old “East-West divide” doesn’t need NEWSWEEK to add fuel to the fire. How can people view Germany as a single, united country when you continue to pit East against West? As West Germany received much aid in reconstruction and re-education from Britain, America and France, East Germany was having its resources sapped. It is now the responsibility of a whole, united Germany to pull together and rebuild itself. Christina Russell Berlin, Germany

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-19” author: “Patricia Armstrong”

Oprah Winfrey is a role model not only for women but for guys too. I am proud to say that I, a young Jewish male, have been an Oprah devotee for years. Her passion and commitment to making this world a better place have inspired me to be of service to others. After all, isn’t that the whole reason we are here: to help one another along this journey called life? Perhaps if more of us embraced her positive ideals, we would be more compassionate, empowered and wise. Oprah, don’t stop doing what you’re doing! Ofhir Avtalion – Brooklyn, N.Y.

I fail to understand how a talk-show host is the savior for millions of Americans. I truly feel sorry for anyone who turns to a woman he or she has never met for life advice and spiritual guidance, rather than to family, friends, clergy or trained professionals. Oprah is a talk-show host, nothing more. The only person Oprah serves is Oprah. What kind of egomaniac puts a picture of herself on the cover of every issue of her magazine? How about “O” for Overhyped, Obnoxious and Outrageous? Jerry Kohn – Chicago, Ill.

I was happy to see the picture of Oprah with one of my favorite authors, Wally Lamb. But your caption mistakenly says they are handing out his first novel, “She’s Come Undone.” The novel in the photo is Lamb’s second, “I Know This Much Is True.” Kim Sleeper – St. Cloud, Minn.

I burst out laughing when I ran across your article “Watch Out” (WOMEN OF THE 21ST CENTURY, Jan. 8). All the women mentioned in your article were between the ages of 29 and 39. So if you’re female and weren’t born between 1962 and 1972, you won’t be the kind of woman “who will shape America’s new century”? Based on NEWSWEEK’s perspective, if you’re a female in your 40s, 50s or 60s, you’d better start dusting off that old rocking chair, ‘cause the century’s just going to pass you by. Yeah, right! We boomers will put our indelible mark on this new century, just as we have on everything else we’ve touched. You’d better watch us; we’re just hitting our stride. And if you don’t believe me, then ask your leading lady, the “old-timer,” Oprah herself–who was born in (oops!) 1954. Jill Goodell – Portland, Ore.

Your article “Time to Plan Your Life” (WOMEN OF THE 21ST CENTURY, Jan. 8) says that “today’s young women… recognize that blending full-time work with raising children is hardly ‘having it all.’ At the same time, the idea of not working is unfathomable to many of them.” Apparently what is also unfathomable, at least to NEWSWEEK, is the idea that some young women do not wish to have children. Nowhere in the balance of this article, which purports to portray the lifestyle decisions of a variety of young women, is the idea mentioned that some women are not opting for motherhood. It appears to this 27-year-old that, 30 years into the women’s movement, the knee-jerk associ-ation between womanhood and motherhood is alive and well. JJacqueline Carpenter – Los Angeles, Calif.

Mideast Peace: Still Battling

and

What was George Will thinking when he penned " ‘Peace Psychosis’ in the Mideast”? He simply couldn’t resist throwing one final insult at Bill Clinton before the end of this presidency, could he? And then he launched full throttle into an evisceration of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and an even more brutal caricature of Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat. I know this is an editorial page and therefore contains opinion rather than straight reporting, but I think this column is particularly inflammatory. The world doesn’t need any more zealots–even if their only weapons are the PC and printer. Gema Gray – Randolph, Mass.

In your PERISCOPE item “The Prayer That Killed the Peace” (Dec. 25/Jan. 1), your editors seem geographically challenged. The headline suggests that Ariel Sharon prayed at the Temple Mount, the “disputed area” mentioned in your caption. But Jews are forbidden by Muslim authorities to pray at the Temple Mount, and Sharon simply visited the site, with the permission of the Israeli police. To confuse matters further, your photo shows Sharon not at the Temple Mount but at the contiguous Western Wall, where Jews have prayed for thousands of years. Richard D. Wilkins – Syracuse, N.Y.

Ken Burns and All That Jazz

Correction

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-13” author: “Sharon Rivera”

Your Issues 2001 pays scant attention to the dangers of global warming, which is already causing flooding around the world and will bring about the loss of thousands of square miles of land as sea levels rise. America has the financial and technical capability to lead the world in helping to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels in transportation, electrical production and in industry. Instead, there is an increased use of gas-guzzling SUVs (sport utility vehicles), and there has been no effort to introduce alternate means for air conditioning and heating. Douglas Aitken – Kingston, Jamaica

It is true that Europe tries to liberate itself from mainstream American culture (“Europe: The Un-American,” THE WORLD AHEAD). However, the continent has not yet found its own identity. Europe refuses to absorb the American way of life, but it is reluctant to see that its own identity has been shaped throughout centuries by the moral and ethical values of Christianity. Europe may be a post-Christian society, but I don’t believe this attitude will prevail, let alone be able to fill the religious vacuum left by secular materialism and atheism. Muslims have not lost their identity as they cling to their roots. America, too, emphasizes the values it was founded on. It seems that only Europeans are silly enough to destroy their common ground. Christian Hartenberger – Mannheim, Germany

In “Europe: The Un-American,” you give a distorted picture of European attitudes. Outside of France, anti-Americanism is hard to find. The criticism of America’s political process by Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee conveniently ignored the undemocratic, secretive and corrupt European Commission, which often operates more like a Stalinist regime than a modern democracy. For the British, who bridge the European and English-speaking worlds, our favored holiday destinations are the United States and Australia, both of which we have an abiding affection for. Kerry Marshall – Brighton, England

The people of the anti-globalization movement have a vision about the way modern society plows forward without much regard for where we will land (“Protesting Plutocracy,” THE GLOBAL SOCIETY). We have created a system that destroys millions of animals a month. We burn up resources at a pace that could wipe out everything we cherish within the next 50 years. We have allowed millions of our fellow world citizens to starve because of our insatiable consumption. The protesters are the birds in the mine shaft. We can cover our eyes and ears, but the results will be the same. Ron Deutsch – Los Angeles, California

In “How To Deal With Failed Countries” (THE WORLD AHEAD), it states that the increased reliance of the United States on Nigeria for peacekeeping in Sierra Leone is due to a “new strategy” reflecting the “unwillingness of the United States… to serve as the world’s policeman.” While this may be true, it is misleading not to touch on the “old prejudice” the United States has had against intervening for peace in Africa–especially when compared with the massive interventions it has staged on other continents. Leaving Africa to the Africans is what the United States has been doing all along. Jeremy C. Sagawa – Nishiaizu, Japan

Embracing a Buddhist Faith

Director of Communications Soka Gakkai International

Too Much Booty for Baby

Caught in the Cross-Fire

Your article about the young casualties was very unfair. It treats the victims of both sides of the conflict as victims, and thus, both sides as equal aggressors. The two incidents were not the same. The Israeli girl was injured by a terrorist bomb as she was riding in a school bus, while the Arab boy was injured because he was in an area where Arabs were acting violently against Israelis–not quite a comparable situation. Every Arab child mentioned was in an area of violent confrontation where their fellow Arabs were seen shooting guns–not throwing rocks–knowing that the Israelis would retaliate. In the case of Mohammed al Dura, the boy who was killed, the Arabs could have stopped shooting to retrieve the boy, but they chose not to. Your article says that the boy “strayed into the cross-fire,” but you do not say how a child can “stray” into such an obviously dangerous area. Aharon Goldberg – Hatzor Haglilit, Israel

Tehila Cohen and Ghazaleh Garadat are only two casualties among many in the Middle East conflict. I do not want to accuse either the Israelis or the Palestinians, but both sides in this war must do something for the sake of the innocent children who are killed or injured. Both sides should live together in peace and come to an agreement without having to be controlled by any political authority. Bylal Celyk – Adiyaman, Turkey

In its attempt to be objective in reporting the suffering of children on both sides in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, NEWSWEEK misses the fundamental difference behind that suffering. Whereas most Palestinian children were injured in cross-fire while being used as human shields, the Israeli children were deliberately maimed by roadside bombs set by terrorists on Israeli schoolbuses. Baruch Ben-Haim – Ashkelon, Israel

Praying for Peace

The Road to Reconciliation

Your article about Cote d’Ivoire was biased against Muslims. By saying that “Muslim militants fought supporters of the winner, a Christian,” you make it seem that the Muslims were the only ones who took part in the fighting, when they actually were mostly defending themselves from the Christians. I was here at the time of the overthrow and saw what happened. I saw people marching in the streets for new elections, and I heard many gunshots being fired in the air. Please get information from both sides of the story before determining who caused the most trouble. Tiffany King – Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire

An All-Too-Common Problem

Health According to WHO

Don’t Leave Home Without It

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-15” author: “Timothy Spivey”

The only superpower in the world will be ruled by an ignorant man who does not even know the names of world leaders, and who is so indifferent to humankind that he will allow almost any crime to be perpetrated abroad as long as it does not hurt U.S. interests. He will bring damage to the planet, and thus the survival of its inhabitants, because he finds life-or-death environmental issues irrelevant compared with the needs of big oil companies. Carl Falkman – Stockholm, Sweden

When George W. Bush failed to name the leader of Pakistan, it set the tone for his tenure and his “hands off” approach to the outside world. These are turbulent and complex times, and we need intelligent and liberal people to lead us, not those who are contemptuous of change. Bush is of less than average intellect, and many of his half-cooked policies will cause embarrassment to the United States and harm to the rest of the world. There will be an absence of leadership in the ongoing Mideast peace process and a cowboyish approach to U.S. national security. Asad Janjua – Rawalpindi, Pakistan

The Bush campaign adopted dirty tricks to ensure that the recount could not be completed before the certification date. Promising to bring honor to Washington, Bush used dishonorable means to get there. No talk of bipartisanship can cover this up. Nalin Mendis – Colombo, Sri Lanka

Messing With Mother Nature

When dogs and cats are ill treated, the public makes alarming comments and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals comes to the rescue. Particularly in the West, active campaigns have long been instituted to save the whale, the shark and now the bear. But the West doesn’t seem to be alarmed by the demonic act of slaughtering a staggering amount of cattle merely to satisfy taste buds. Europeans are annihilating millions of cattle, infected and uninfected, in order to raise new broods all over again for human consumption. Is it not time to save the cattle? Yap Young-Choun – Singapore

A Battle Over Children

The comment by Cesarina Alghisi of the Rilima orphanage that Rwandan children would prefer to grow up in Italy rather than Rwanda is insensitive and highly disrespectful to the surviving parents and relatives of Rwandan children living “comfortably” in Europe. Alghisi has no right to take a child away from his or her parents without their consent simply because there was a war. She may have had the children’s best interests at heart at the time, but Rwanda is recovering, and part of the healing process is being surrounded by loved ones.

Alex Mutiso – Nairobi, Kenya

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-13” author: “Hong Gallagher”

I am not typically compelled to write letters in response to magazine articles, but Jonathan Alter’s “36 Days: The Fallout” (ELECTION 2000, Dec. 25/Jan. 1) provided an exceptional perspective on the circus that was Election 2000. In fact, your entire double issue was one of NEWSWEEK’s most enjoyable in recent years. Alter’s poignant Third World “take” on the election was so dead-on accurate that I found myself nodding in agreement with every “imagine” scenario presented. He was also on target when he praised Al Gore for exemplifying the “bedrock democratic principles that make the United States so formidable.” Let other countries laugh at our inability to secure a president-elect in one evening. It is those very democratic principles that allow us to pursue truth and justice in a (mostly) peaceful way, whether it takes one day or 36. In the meantime, let’s hope that President-elect Bush can overcome his “exposed weaknesses” and lead this country with a modicum of dignity, maturity, respect and grace… but only for four years! Barbara Cossman – Ann Arbor, Mich.

Jonathan Alter writes, “It took 36 ballots in the House before Thomas Jefferson edged John Adams.” As a retired professor of American history, I’d like to point out that this is a misleading statement. In the election of 1800, Adams ran behind Jefferson and Aaron Burr, who were tied in the Electoral College at 73 votes each. Adams had 65. This situation was possible because under the original Constitution, electors voted for two candidates for president, not separately for president and vice president. Because of the emerging party system, the Antifederalists voted equally for Jefferson and Burr. In 1804 the 12th Amendment specified that although each elector still had two votes, one had to be for president and one for vice president. Earl Spangler – Waupaca, Wis.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-03” author: “Wendell Constanza”

Fear of Falling

Executive DirectorCenter for the Advancement of Health

Peanuts, Cracker Jack and Cash

What Women Want: Nerds

Correction

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-11” author: “Martin Robinson”

With the article “A Bad Case of ‘Mad Dow’ Disease” (BUSINESS, March 26), your Wall Street Editor Allan Sloan proves once again that he has an excellent sense of humor as well as a very high level of economic common sense. Those heavily invested in the Nasdaq during its “bubble phase” probably didn’t find this particular piece of Sloan’s as funny as I did, but if they had been following his message of economic reason, they would have recognized the recent technology-investment boom as a repeat of similar occurrences with tulips, railroads, autos, radio and other trends, all of which were destined for eventual severe correction. If Sloan were to start an investment advisory sheet, I’d be the first to subscribe. James W. Reed – Hilton Head Island, S.c.

Only in a country as wealthy and overindulged as America could a news magazine cite a canceled face-lift and frozen pizza for dinner as two calamity stories related to the recent stock-market correction. Boohoo. John Dean – Chicago, Ill.

Come on, NEWSWEEK. what’s with the retro image that ran with your “Weathering the Storm” article about economic recession? The woman, dressed in a sexy leather outfit (which no woman would ever wear in the rain, but that’s another matter), is desperately clinging to her man while he strongly faces forward, singlehandedly protecting his family. Haven’t you heard? Women now often handle their own, and their families’, money–and they can hold their own umbrellas, too. Wendy Weiner – New York, N.Y. Courage and Character I read your article on the bombing of the USS Cole on the same day that my son received notification that he has been accepted into the United States Naval Academy (“Desperate Hours,” INTERNATIONAL, March 26). Although concerned about the possibility that he could be killed or wounded in the line of duty, I was comforted by your story about the courage and skills of the officers and sailors aboard the Cole. As for the coward behind the bombing, I hope some day to read an article about a Navy air crew who delivers the ordnance that sends Osama bin Laden to the fate he so richly deserves. Michael Doyle – Los Angeles, Calif.

As the spouse of a Navy veteran (USNA ‘63) and the mother of two Navy veterans, I have always been proud of their service and supportive of the U.S. military. Never, however, have I been prouder than I am of those who served aboard the USS Cole. Your article portrayed a community that worked together, regardless of rank, to demonstrate skill, courage and patriotism. Their respect and regard for each other, and especially for those who died, is a testament to their training and moral fiber. As an American, I shed tears and smiled all at the same time as I read their story. Linda Wakefield – Concord, N.H. Let’s Clear the Air The “I promise to reduce emissions” Dubya apple (“Where There’s Smoke…” BUSINESS, March 26) didn’t fall far from the “read my lips: no new taxes” Poppy Bush tree, did it? Barbara Laing – Placerville, Calif.

I’ve recently read articles in your publication and others claiming that President George W. Bush is “selling out” to corporate America by rolling back some of President Bill Clinton’s last-minute decisions regarding workplace rules, CO2 emissions and environmental restrictions. When Bush’s decisions on these matters are evaluated in light of our rapidly weakening economy and growing energy crisis, they make perfect sense, not only for corporate America, but for all Americans who want a strong, independent and prosperous nation. Brian B. Stephens – Lake Park, Minn.

Your story “Where There’s Smoke…” may give readers the mistaken impression that electric utilities are unconcerned about climate change and the importance of reducing emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. In fact, utilities have been very active in voluntarily reducing CO2 emissions in the past six years. Just last year electric utilities were projected to reduce, avoid or sequester more than 170 million metric tons of greenhouse gases through the Climate Challenge, a program created in 1994 in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy. Reasonable people may disagree about how best to address global climate-change issues. But the real progress that electric utilities are making in reducing greenhouse-gas emissions now is unmistakable. Thomas R. Kuhn President, Edison Electric Institute Washington, D.C. Does School Size Matter? I rarely agree with Anna Quindlen’s views on American society, but I found myself nodding as I read her March 26 essay (“The Problem of the Megaschool,” THE LAST WORD). I recently taught in a school with more than 2,300 students from grades 9 through 12, and I can vouch for the validity of Quindlen’s words. Students didn’t know their peers’ names when they were sitting in the same classroom; teachers didn’t know the names of fellow teachers at faculty meetings; administrators struggled to meet the demands of too many students, too many parents and too many teachers. Too many of today’s schools have become behemoths of mass education; the personal touch has been replaced by the factory conveyor belt. For many teenagers, being an unrecognizable face in the crowd only reinforces their feelings of worthlessness. When a teenager has no personal tie to the people around him–when he is detached from the community he moves in every day, when he is already depressed and alienated–he has no reason to care about his fellow man. Is it any wonder he has no compunction about acting out his anger and frustration by pulling a trigger? Melanie Rumsey – Apex, N.C.

I am writing in response to “The Problem of the Megaschool.” Now a junior, I transferred in ninth grade from a school with a total of 60 students to a school with more than 3,200 students. The change to my public high school was a shock at first, but I very quickly met and became friends with all of my teachers and hundreds of students. There are more peer groups to choose from in a larger school, and there are generally peer groups for every type of individual. I personally found life better in the larger school and, in my experience, the ratio of antisocial kids to better-adjusted ones has nothing to do with school size. The possibility of shootings is present in both large and small schools, and decreasing school size is not the solution to this problem. Marlowe Sher – Berkeley, Calif. Here’s the Beef NEWSWEEK’s March 12 cover story, “Cannibals to Cows: The Path of a Deadly Disease” (SOCIETY), devoted barely three paragraphs to explaining preventive measures being taken to keep this country free of BSE (commonly known as mad-cow disease). With new cases of BSE and foot-and-mouth disease in Europe, the U.S. beef industry and federal government are even more vigilantly pursuing a “triple firewall” strategy of banning imports, surveillance at borders and among herds and sophisticated testing for BSE. We regret that NEWSWEEK did not elaborate on such efforts and instead adopted such an alarmist perspective. Consumers deserve a more balanced account. Lynn Cornwell President, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Englewood, Colo.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-12” author: “Larry Weaver”

May I remind you, NEWSWEEK, that “the rest of the world” includes countries like England, France, Spain, Germany, Canada, Sweden, Switzerland, Denmark –countries with quite stable economies. They face only one or two minor problems every now and then. It is high time that Americans understand that the United States is not the center of the universe. The world is not simply divided into two continents–the States and the rest of the world. Believe it or not, it is more complex than that. Glaucia Arruda Recife, Brazil

Shame on you for your scaremongering cover story of March 26 (“Weathering the Storm,” BUSINESS). By relating anecdotes about companies’ “pre-emptively” laying people off–not because they are in financial trouble but because they fear they will be–you imply that if people aren’t scared, they should be. This can only worsen the situation. How many people will lose their jobs because your cover and the story inside scared yet another company into laying off workers? How many people may lose their life savings in the stock market because of a lost confidence due to your black economic picture? With your stature as a prestigious international news magazine, you must take responsibility for how your stories may affect the world. Lois Hoffer Nice, France

Your article on the U.S. economic slowdown provided some touching examples of how American families will deal with the slump. It is really moving to hear that the Manns family will have to lower their thermostat while most people in developing countries have no heat at all; that the McMillses must serve frozen pizza instead of eating out while most of the world population is having a hard time getting its next meal; that Kay Hadaway had to cancel her face-lift when a significant number of people in the world do not have basic health care. Pardon my sarcasm, but it is truly hard to sympathize with the “woes” of those who apparently have it all and have not suffered the real hardship of so many who live under the poverty line. Carmen Valderrama Mexico City, Mexico

The families portrayed in “Weathering the Storm” have had to trim their expenses and, in some cases, postpone their dreams. A Social Security recipient whose benefits have just been cut in half could face far grimmer consequences by having to choose between paying his utility bill and buying food. Will it take a hard landing before Republicans understand that Social Security stock accounts are not a wise investment option? Christine Schon Marques Geneva, Switzerland

Having observed a real recession here in Buenos Aires for the last two years, I think that many Americans do not have a clue as to what real economic challenges are. So what if your stock market gambling finally went sour and your portfolio is now worthless? Almost everyone in America still has food, a job, a home and a car. The average American’s garage is bigger than the housing that most humans on the planet enjoy. What Americans spend maintaining their household pets during this “recession” might be more than the domestic spending of many Third World countries. Please, get a grip and show a little perspective. Scott E. Isaacson Buenos Aires, Argentina

I was outraged when I read your story about the recession “troubles” Americans are experiencing. Americans have no idea what economic storms there are in the rest of the world. In Istanbul, where I am studying, men are burning themselves because they cannot provide for their families. In Kyrgyzstan, my homeland, professors with 30 years’ teaching experience are leaving their jobs and becoming street vendors or traders in bazaars because the poor government can’t pay them what they deserve. Chingiz Maatkerimov Przhevalsk k, Kyrgyzstan

In a world where people don’t know where they’re going to get their next meal or must worry about having a roof over their heads, it’s really difficult to feel bad for a woman who can’t get a face-lift this year because her stocks are down. The people you portrayed aren’t in bad situations. If you’d shown how less fortunate people are affected–not just a few upper-middle-class Americans–the rest of the world wouldn’t be so eager to view Americans as the selfish greedmongers that we’re believed to be. Tonya Graves Prague, Czech Republic

Can anyone really sympathize with the people profiled in your article? What sort of facile and preposterous society do Americans live in when those hardships are considered newsworthy? If I were an American, I’d be thoroughly ashamed to see my country depicted this way. Are we supposed to assume that this sort of economic “pain” is representative of all Americans’ experience? I could not muster up a single ounce of sympathy for these “suffering” citizens. The emotion I felt was pure contempt–not a good response when we live in a world where anti-American sentiments grow daily. Donna Morrell Paris, France

All of this just shows everyone who is not used to the “waste all, save nothing” attitudes of the American upper and middle classes that these people do not know what hardship actually is. Paul R. Woods via Internet Mayhem in Macedonia Thanks to Rod Nordland for his excellent and objective coverage of the situation in Macedonia (“Fire in the Mountains,” EUROPE, March 26). Stories like this encourage us to believe in the power of democracy. We are disappointed with our neighbors in Kosovo who, after we offered them shelter during their war, want to involve us in a new war between Macedonians and Albanians. We hope that NATO and KFOR will introduce stability and democracy in Kosovo and prevent the spreading violence in Macedonia by Albanian terrorists. Macedonians are peaceful, but we have no other home. We’re determined to defend every bit of the country. Kristina and Gjorgi Deriban Jane Mishevski Skopje, Macedonia

The dilemma facing NATO countries over the crisis in Macedonia is partly of their own making. It was the West’s complacency following the democratically enforced replacement of Milosevic by Kostunica and Djindjic that led politicians to believe that the question of Kosovo’s independence would somehow sort itself out. The irony that even moderate Albanian nationalists felt more abandoned than ever before is one that largely eluded leaders in both Europe and the United States. The fact that nonmilitant voices in Kosovo did not receive the attention they deserved will prove to be a costly mistake. It has already caused irreparable damage, because the men of violence have gained the momentum they had been seeking for quite some time. Werner Radtke Paderborn, Germany

What a pity that your Special Report on the Albanians in Macedonia appears now. NATO politicians should have studied the region and its history in depth and recognized the true colors of the Albanians before they bombed Yugoslavia. One could laugh at the black humor of NATO and the Yugoslav Army fighting together against the Albanians. What a farce. Carmella Dight Malaga, Spain

I think it’s scandalous that NATO has no mandate to support Macedonia in protecting its territory against the Albanian rebels. The NATO campaign in Kosovo two years ago would have been impossible without the support of Macedonia, which offered NATO forces a base and free passage through their country. The Albanian rebels’ attempt to seize other countries in order to create a “greater Albania” is totally unacceptable, and the international community should react accordingly. Anders Skjoedt Jr. Rodovre, Denmark

Coming Home Some people with a fine sense of irony must work at NEWSWEEK. Your touching article about the Sudanese refugees (“Going to America,” WORLD AFFAIRS, March 26) made me realize how much in luxury we Westerners live. What a difference, going from reading about a refugee’s joy in owning a pair of shoes and another’s in eating “twice in eight hours” to reading about the “deprivation” Americans face in an “almost” recession. Canceling a face-lift, eating frozen pizza instead of eating out and vacationing at home rather than somewhere exotic–that must really hurt. Silke Richelmann Cork, Ireland

I am impressed with the action undertaken by the U.S. government to alleviate the suffering of the Sudanese “Lost Boys.” However, I was dismayed to read that each boy must pay back the cost of his airfare to the United States. By realizing that the boys have been suffering for so many years and face the prospect of hard years ahead of them, it seems petty that the United States would require airfare reimbursement. When you save someone’s life, you don’t ask that person to pay back the money you spent on saving him. Agnieszka Bourret Warsaw, Poland

What a wonderfully sympathetic article! However, it’s a bit much to say that these boys had never seen a plane. There is an airstrip in the camp with regular flights. They were also often bombed by Sudanese government planes en route to Kenya during their trek. Barry Sesnan Kampala, Uganda A Net for All Your article on the use of the Internet in international development was an informative and insightful exploration of the possibilities for the use of IT in the developing world (“A Global Gap,” SPECIAL REPORT, Jan. 29). But I was dismayed by the gender-biased comment made by Sarabuland Khan, director of the U.N. Economic and Social Council. He’s quoted as saying, “A poor woman who is trying to get food might not need to use [the Internet]. But the man who is taking care of that woman might need to use the computer for crop information, weather information or access to doctors.” This comment reinforces gender inequalities between men and women in developing countries. Does Khan think that only men should have the right to access information made available by innovations in information technology? He implies that women will have no use for such global information, as they are passive recipients of what men will choose to share with them. Challenges are posed by traditional inequities among people of different genders, castes, religions. But the United Nations’ humanitarian programs should aim to break down these inequalities rather than to reinforce them. Gina Lucarelli Chiang Mai, Thailand

In your article “Mystery Solved” (SPECIAL REPORT, Jan. 29), we’re told that it took 40 years for the electric motor to raise productivity: “It took that long for industrialists to standardize the motor, rebuild factories around it and hook it up to electric grids.” The Internet, too, was made possible only by the adoption of standardized technologies–allowing communication between very different computers using standard communication protocols. It is only when standards-based software became mainstream in the form of the Internet that we saw the productivity growth that the technology revolution had promised for so long. Mike Parin Perth, Australia

It is not fair to judge the results of the New Economy on the basis of the old standards. Measuring “increase in productivity” is simply an objective way to measure something that is not so easy to pin down, namely an enhanced quality of life. Increased productivity leads to increased profits, which make us better equipped to improve the quality of our life. I was disappointed that your article failed to make this connection. For while technology may not have created many larger dollar signs, people’s lives are better because of electronics. The new technology has vastly improved the quality of life for billions of people in the last 30 years. To give just one example, even though banks don’t make a dime on their investment in ATMs (automated teller machines), they are now able to provide customers with a level of service–24-hour availability, little or no waiting in line, networks that allow withdrawals from banks even thousands of miles from the home branch–that was previously unaffordable. Daniel Cormode Perugia, Italy

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-04” author: “John Maurin”

It is gratifying to see a great chef like Alain Passard go vegetarian. Factory farming is cruel and contributes to environmental pollution. Mad cow is not the only reason to avoid eating meat. Many common diseases are attributable to meat and dairy products in the diet, including heart disease, a major killer. The amount of antibiotics and steroids being pumped into meat products is staggering. With so many restaurants now featuring vegetarian entrees, it’s easy to go veggie! Mary Jo Brooks – Ridgeland, Mississippi

I have been a vegetarian for six years, and I have never looked or felt better. I am grateful to NEWSWEEK for having the courage and the foresight to educate the public about some of the consequences of consuming dead flesh (well, that is what it is, isn’t it?). Please consider doing a follow-up story on the “living” conditions in factory farms and of the slaughter itself. By the way, I am not a commune-dwelling hippie; I am a professional and a Yuppie–I am the new vegetarian! Cynthia Tiano – Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

It’s so great that the fine French chef Alain Passard is turning to vegetarian cuisine. Meatless meals are healthier, better for the environment and cruelty-free. Collette L. Adkins Giese – Hugo, Minnesota

I was interested to read your article “You Say Tomato, I Say ‘Ick’.” America may save millions with this new technology, but will Americans really benefit from genetically modified foods in the long run? Divya Babu – Ixopo, South Africa

Here in China I have not heard of any cases of mad-cow disease so far, but the government is now banning the import of meat products from Europe because of the foot-and-mouth disease problems. Whatever goes into food ends up in our bodies one way or another, whether it be growth hormones or genetic modifications. Nature will claim its payback. Food here is generally very safe: farmers do not use growth hormones, and genetically modified foods have not arrived. Frank Dutton – Shanghai, China

Many thanks to Tony Emerson for his thoughtful coverage of the social impact of mad-cow disease in Europe. Here’s hoping the focus on factory farms will bring about better conditions for the animals suffering there and prompt people to ponder the many advantages of a vegetarian diet. Nancy L. Harrison, M.D. – San Diego, California A Chinese Olympiad? Just as doing business with China is about trade and economy, not politics, so, too, the Olympics are sport events–they are not about politics. The city that wins the Games should be picked on merit: excellent sporting facilities, good infrastructure, plenty of hotel rooms, great food, effective pollution control and so on. If Beijing wins and gets to host the Games, everything–perhaps even human rights–will improve. The fact that the local government has begun to renovate 452 notoriously filthy public toilets, as you reported (“Olympic Dreams,” Asia, Feb. 26), is a good example. The ultimate beneficiaries will be not just the visitors but the Chinese people themselves. John C.M. Lee, M.D. – Hong Kong

I’ve heard horrific tales of torture and abuse from Tibetans here, in India. So I have trouble stomaching the idea of celebrating humanity through Olympics in China, where human rights are still grossly abused. Rob Cornforth – on the road, India

By holding the Olympic Games of 2008, China will be forced to respect human rights every bit as much as Argentina had to respect them when hosting the FIFA World Cup of 1978, or as Nazi Germany had to because of the Olympics of 1936. Gerson Ferracini – Campo Grande, Brazil

Your graphic says “the Olympics have never been held in a predominantly Muslim country.” But surely you realize that religion has no place in sports? Being Muslim is irrelevant; it should be neither a plus nor a minus. Erhan Karabekir – Istanbul, Turkey

Giving the Olympics to Beijing would be an absolute mockery–an insult to the athletes who would have to compete in second-class facilities, and to human values. Rewarding a criminal government thus could be done only by a deeply corrupt organization. Rene Gardea - Prague, Czech Republic The Bond-Kennedy Connection In the Feb. 19 PERISCOPE item “Hot Properties,” you say: “The 1965 Aston Martin DB5 had a homing device to track villains. ‘When President Kennedy saw this [said author Rupert Allason], he phoned the FBI to ask if they had this capability.’ They do now–global positioning systems–‘and this may well have been because of the film’.” But since President Kennedy died in 1963, he could not have seen the 1965 Aston Martin with the homing device. Anil Weerasinghe – Colombo, Sri Lanka

Editors’ note: NEWSWEEK regrets the error. Wanted: A New Iraq Initiative Fareed Zakaria’s “Let’s Get Real About Iraq” (World View, Feb. 26) is the best article I’ve read about my country in a long time. He is right: the United States and Britain must change their Iraq policy. The sanctions have not hurt Saddam Hussein at all; they punish the Iraqi people, who have been suffering and dying in the last decade from lack of medicine and proper nutrition. It is time for the West to change its tactics on the Butcher of Baghdad. I supported the liberation of Kuwait and have always regarded Saddam’s invasion as an evil act, but seeing the suffering of my countrymen has made me hate America. Ramo Rattas – Warsaw, Poland

I’d like to propose an alternative to the Bush and Clinton administrations’ policies of bombing Baghdad and continuing the embargo. Let’s carpet-bomb Iraq with parachute drops of food, medicine, short-wave radios (to receive international broadcasts) and mobile phones (to aid resistance against this dictatorship). Such a shift in tactics would undercut Saddam’s lucrative hold on the black market and seriously threaten his regime. The present policy is both counterproductive and morally flawed. John Linnemeier – Arambol Beach, India He’s Going, Going–But Not Gone Your report on the last days of Bill Clinton’s presidency is a profound and thoughtful piece of journalism (“Backstage at the Finale,” U.S. Affairs, Feb. 26). A mixture of personal aggrandizement, workaholism and do-goodism, with more than a bit of do-badism thrown in for good measure, seems to sum up this president’s legacy to the American people–and to the world. His long and hauntingly ambiguous shadow may have spoiled Al Gore’s chances to succeed him in office. Still, if past experience is anything to go by, he will not disappear from the limelight for years to come. An intriguing question is whether he might inadvertently prevent Hillary from becoming her own political woman. Werner Radtke – Paderborn, Germany

Can’t you see that America just wants this man to go quietly into the night? It’s not our fault he can’t leave the limelight in a dignified manner, and NEWSWEEK is encouraging his tragic, self-indulgent behavior by devoting so much ink to his exploits. The former president’s ignominious departure from the White House, his politically tainted pardons and his embarrassing pandering to the African-American community in Harlem merely confirmed for many Americans what was so wrong with his administration. I voted for “Elvis” twice, but by the end of his second term, I’d had enough! Brian Wallace – Lancaster, Pennsylvania

The Clintons are absolutely without shame. They will attempt any profitable deed, no matter how unseemly, and if discovered, they make apologies and perhaps some restitution. My greatest concern is what we don’t know (despite almost daily revelations) about what may be even more of their dishonorable activities. In my opinion, history would be best served by forgetting about the Clinton Library and letting this most tarnished legacy slowly fade into the sunset, if that is possible. Gerald Bernier – Nashua, New Hampshire

Regarding your reference to former president Clinton’s “gold-plated office space in midtown Manhattan”: I do not understand the controversy. Everyone knows that midtown real estate is among the most expensive in the world, and I’m sure the offices Clinton sought, while undoubtedly luxurious, were no more so than those occupied by any major investment bank or law firm. I hope we haven’t reached the conclusion that no president can ever settle in the heart of the nation’s financial and cultural capital. Nina E. McAdoo – New York, New York

Bill’s clumsy exit from power and responsibility amounts to one last thumb in the eye to common-sense decency. What a tragic misuse of extraordinary talents! Clark Reid – West Bloomfield, Michigan

I will know that Bill Clinton has really left the building when I can read NEWSWEEK cover to cover without seeing his name in print. David Corbett – East Aurora, New York

We have a new president. His name is George W. Bush. Please put Bill Clinton behind us. The memories are bad enough without his name being constantly in the news. If the past is more important than the future, let’s have headlines about George Washington or someone who’s done some good for our country. Tom Wittstock – via internet Pesky Presidential Pardons The United States never fails to amaze me. President Clinton gets to pardon 176 convicted felons (“A Pardon’s Path,” U.S. Affairs, Feb. 19)? The idea of a retiring president’s handing out pardons is more reminiscent of a feudal state than of a modern society. If you’re convicted by judge and jury and can’t prove your innocence on appeal, then the sentence should stand. You should serve your time. Keith Appleyard – Brighton, England

Hasn’t the U.S. government already wasted enough time, energy and money investigating the “alleged circumstances surrounding the actions” of the former president? Wouldn’t it be wiser for the Bush administration to focus its efforts on more pressing problems–failing foreign relations, a slowing economy and more environmentally conscious energy policies? Andrew Prochnow – Tver, Russia Abandon All Hope, Ye Who Enter Thanks for the commendable piece by Pranay Gupte (“How to Save ‘Failed States’,” World View, Jan. 29). I spent 35 years on the front lines trying to facilitate a modicum of humane living conditions for people living in extreme poverty. My colleagues and I long ago concluded that peace and justice, both national and international, are prerequisites to improving the lot of the “hopelessly poorest people.” In regard to peacekeeping, the most obvious way to stop people driven by greed and hatred from slaughtering their populations and driving whole nations to utter misery is to eliminate the obstacles to peace, such as military weaponry. If the powers that be at Davos had the smallest interest in promoting peace and prosperity for the poor, they would have stopped delivering weapons to warlords of all factions long ago. Once bereft of the means to kill, perhaps these warlords will sit down at the conference table or use their energies to do something useful. Hansruedi Peplinski – Merligen, Switzerland

Gupte’s proposals are no different from the European excuses for the partitioning of African, Asian and Oceanic states, which they called pagan and uncivilized. Peacekeeping forces will partition these countries and create international protectorates. A “new global agency for better governance” will recolonize these “failed states.” Okpame Oronsaye – Wachtersbach, Germany

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-28” author: “Elaine Rowan”

Combine the tired format of a prime-time soap opera with the cliched genre of a Mafia melodrama and you have “The Sopranos,” a series that’s about as fresh as bottled sauce poured over yesterday’s macaroni. Like all Godfathers, Goodfellas and Wise Guys, the Sopranos are presented as the most Italian of all Italian-Americans. Each episode links exaggerated ethnicity with criminality. The humor is smug and mean-spirited; we viewers are in on the joke, but the characters are not. Maybe someday Hollywood will create a groundbreaking series based on a family of felons with a last name that ends in a consonant. Kenneth Castellano – San Francisco, Calif.

As a 14-year old, I think it’s awful that a show about a mob family is supposed to change the face of television. In the dictionary, entertainment is defined as something diverting, engaging or amusing. Since when is seeing someone get killed amusing? Viewers empathize with Tony Soprano, but do they acknowledge that he’s a murderer? Instead of wondering why children are so violent, maybe we should go to the root of the problem and discover why television and all forms of entertainment are so violent. Jennifer Greilich – San Antonio, Texas

“The Sopranos” has stung the competition because its creators have adeptly utilized factors consistent with the human condition: libidinous pleasures and disorders, greed, the everyone-is-expendable quest for power. Thus the product both entertains in the true Hollywood sense and assures the viewer that he or she is not alone in being imperfect. Mike Vinson – McMinnville, Tn.

Whatsamadda, NEWSWEEK; did ya owe Tony big time? Whadya promise him–ta knock off da competition wid one little article, badda boo, badda bing, and make sure he don’t get overlooked again come Emmy time? Your article was about as strong-armed as Tony’s dead mom (may she rest). So ya love Tony and da family–dat’s OK–just keep dose mitts off my West Wing. Elaine Yanow – Williamstown, Mass. How About a Little Moonlight? I was disheartened by the photo in your article “The Surging Price of Power” (NATIONAL AFFAIRS, April 2) that showed Californians playing soccer at night by the light of a portable generator. If California is having such an energy crisis, shouldn’t they be playing soccer in the daytime, when light is not only abundant, but free? Kirsten Howard – Charlottesville, Va.

Your satellite image showing U.S. energy use that accompanied your story “The Surging Price of Power” highlights “waste” outdoor lighting as one of the nation’s growing problems in the efficient use of electricity. These dazzling displays of useless light sent skyward are estimated by some sources to waste approximately 30 percent of the total energy used in outdoor lighting. Shielded and properly aimed outdoor-lighting fixtures that convert this waste light to useful illumination, by directing it toward the ground, could have a significant impact on conserving critical electrical production resources. W. Terry Kennaugh – Acton, Mass. Figuring Out What’s Fit to Print Jonathan Alter’s April 2 column (“Where PC Meets Free Speech,” BETWEEN THE LINES, April 2) on the uproar over David Horowitz’s attempt to publish his “Ten Reasons Why Reparations for Slavery Is a Bad Idea–and Racist Too” in dozens of college newspapers made me wonder when the introduction of provocative, controversial ideas on a campus became a bad thing. Colleges today strive for diversity, ostensibly to achieve a variety of viewpoints. Should any viewpoint in our institutions of higher learning be silenced for the sake of political correctness? As George Bernard Shaw once said, “All great truths begin as blasphemies.” Darryl Brock – Sylvania, Ohio Keep the Guests in Port Did it ever occur to anyone that 16 extra people on a submarine might cause some problems (“A Captain’s Story,” NATIONAL AFFAIRS, April 2)? With so many guests, the crew was bound to get nervous and distracted. Why couldn’t these “distinguished visitors” have gotten a tour of the USS Greeneville when it was safely docked? Lisa Brown – Hickory Hills, Ill. Correction In our April 16 story on Al Gore (“The Belly, But Not the Fire?,” POLITICS), the former vice president’s comments on the detainment of Americans by the Chinese government were slightly misquoted. This is what he said: “My prayers are with the personnel there and with their families, and I think we are right to insist upon their return. And I hope that they will be returned very soon.”

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-26” author: “Oswaldo Smith”

At the very least, I firmly believe, all pedophiles should be chemically castrated and those who kill should be executed or receive life-without-parole sentences. The practice of such vile abuse can be stopped only if the courts are prepared to mete out exemplary punishments and are politically backed up to the hilt. No child’s life should be ruined or forfeited for the sick and perverted gratification of such heinous barbarians. Dominic Shelmerdine London, England

Your article on child pornography and cyberspace is yet another “blame it on the Internet” piece. How about calling your cover story “The Darkest Corner of Humanity” instead? The Internet is a forum for humanity’s greatest achievements and its worst. It functions as an evolving picture of our civilization, beginning with the late 20th century. Accordingly, the Internet should be judged as a mirror that reflects who we are on a global scale. Without doubt the sexual exploitation of children is a horrendous thing. But I don’t believe that the Internet fosters such exploitation. Unfortunately, that already exists. Rather, it merely allows us to see this darker side of ourselves. Robert E. Frazier Falls Church, Virginia

You investigated the international linkage of the Internet, pedophilia and child pornography but failed to note that Japan is the child-pornography center of the world. As reported by The Economist (May 8, 1999), Japan “probably produces four-fifths of all the videos and magazines that show children in sexual situations.” James W. Porcaro Toyama, Japan

Your sidebar about Marc Dutroux tells a sad story about child abuse and murder. But what’s the connection with the Internet? Indeed, it is obvious that much of the criminal activity described in your report originated long before the Internet became popular. As you note, most child abuse (86 percent, according to the Department of Justice) is perpetrated by someone known to the child. If the Internet disappeared tomorrow, child pornography and child abuse would continue unchanged. Perhaps the only thing that would disappear would be slanted reports that attempt to exploit or even generate hysteria directed against new technology. Or does NEWSWEEK intend to campaign against the CD-ROMs, videos and photographs that are more culpable than the Internet in this issue? Thomas W. Fuller Turin, Italy

Your sidebar “Justice Delayed in Belgium” proves there’s something rotten in the kingdom of Belgium. Michel Nihoul admits he arranged orgies for prominent people but denies there were children at his parties. Sadomasochism, group sex and wife-swapping among consenting adults are not illegal in Belgium. But such activities can have a devastating effect upon the careers of high-ranking politicians, police officers, businessmen and magistrates who took part in them. Nihoul has threatened to blackmail these people by publishing photos of his orgies; he has bragged about friends in high places protecting him. He may not be a pedophile, but he’s involved in child traffic and can sabotage investigations into pedophile rings. His accomplices are still at large because the Belgian ruling class is in the grip of thugs. Grisly underworld characters who arrange orgies and child prostitution are a permanent power factor here and the organizers of pedophile rings have near-absolute immunity. Marc Joris Drongen, Belgium

Although sexual exploitation of children may flourish via the Internet, this deplorable, sickening activity has yet to reach the high level on the Internet that it has in Germany. Up until the mid-’90s, a party that participates in government had tried to remove intercourse with children from the category of “criminal acts”! A prominent member of that party is currently under scrutiny for alleged child abuse. Ekkehard Schaffner, M.D. Seeheim-Jugenheim, Germany

I’m surprised that you didn’t list “constant supervision” as a good way to protect children who go on the Internet. If parents consider their children too young to roam the streets of a major city unattended, they should not let them roam the Internet unattended either. The Internet is a wonderful store of information, but a babysitter it’s not–it lacks any sort of decency filter, and the software you recommend is like a cork in a bursting dam. Dan Morrison Binghamton, New York

Conducting a sting operation for pedophiles, I posed online as a 13-year-old girl recently. I was hit on by a male registered nurse, corporate VPs and business owners. With an age range of 24 to 54, most were well educated and married or divorced, with children of their own. People need to cast out the image of the dirty old man trolling for children and deal with the reality that it could be their neighbor. Suzanne Michael Private Investigator Ames, New York

Correction The quotation “Bush pulls out of saving the planet” (PERSPECTIVES, April 9), misattributed to a headline in the British newspaper The Sun, was in fact from the Daily Mail. NEWSWEEK regrets the error. What Makes Some Kids Explode? I am 18, and as the tragedies of the school shootings have unfolded, I’ve noticed that numerous sources of blame have been named for the students’ actions: music, television, parents, gangs and even lifestyles (“Using Students as Metal Detectors,” U.S. AFFAIRS, March 19). I have not seen the blame placed on the emotion that, I believe, is the source of the major problems: hate. In the reporting on these incidents there is almost always a sentence or two saying that the students were ridiculed by their peers. I know how that feels: I spent seven years being mocked in school. I know how it feels to lose all hope and want to punish those who have wronged you. The names, comments and looks a teen can get because he or she is different can become unbearable. Cameron C. Smith Aurora, Minnesota

We have angry and embittered children in Germany, too, but they do not go on shooting rampages and the only reason is that they do not have access to guns in our country. When you cannot lay your hands on a weapon, you cannot go out and kill at random. It’s as simple as that. I’m wondering how long it will take for this very basic fact to sink into the minds of the American people and politicians who have been fighting stricter gun-control laws in the United States. So much more is done to keep children from harm in the United States that it is hard to understand why–despite the mounting tragedies–this very real and obvious threat cannot be eliminated. I was also shocked by President Bush’s harsh reaction, which put the blame entirely on this troubled young boy. Teaching children higher values is a nice concept in theory but requires a different type of society to be practicable at all. Until that happens in America, there are lots of lost souls out there and lots of weapons within their reach–a perfect recipe for disaster. Bea Link Frankfurt, Germany

When we redefine bullying as harassment and punish it just like sexual harassment, we will begin to address the real cause of many of the school shootings. As a society, we now understand that a wife who has suffered abuse will sometimes commit murder. Why is it so hard to understand that an adolescent who is subjected to daily harassment may also turn to murder? Mary Burleigh Greenfield, New Hampshire

Sell more guns, America, buy more guns, and teach your children how to use guns and what the guns are good for–to assassinate one’s classmates or teachers. You’re moving right along on the path to civilization, America. Eckhardt Kiwitt Freising, Germany

When are Americans going to understand that they don’t have to run around like chickens on a farm trying to understand why the kid did it? What they need to ask is, how did the kid get those dangerous “toys”? We know guns are holier than the pope in the United States, but remember, the Roman Empire’s decline can be traced to similar excesses. Anouk Focquier Antwerp, Belgium

Exploiting the Disadvantaged Pranay Gupte’s recommendations for saving failed states may appear plausible (“How to Save ‘Failed States’,” WORLD VIEW, Jan. 29). But, if some basic things aren’t done, they will lead nowhere, no matter how carefully they are implemented. Any move to save failed states must first take into account the existence of some strange characters–hawks and sadists–who have contributed to the pitiable condition of these foreign nations; they will do anything possible to ensure that these nations remain in perpetual crisis or in a state of coma. These people reap huge profits from other peoples’ sufferings, and as long as they remain in their present positions from where they hijack the progress of their nations and swallow any blessings meant for their citizenry, any credit given to these states will end up in their pockets. Unfortunately, these elements are often the friends and business associates of the promoters of global capitalism who converge in Davos. Anybody who counts on the Davos summiteers to save the hopeless wretched of the earth will end up being disappointed. Styvn Obodoekwe Oba, Nigeria

I live in a Third-World country where our leaders are corrupt, backbiting and bloodsucking despots who will never change their ways. If they were invited–or invited themselves–to Davos, you would know them by their flamboyance, retinue of hangers-on, mistresses and fat Rolexes, all of which came at the expense of taxpayers. Going to Davos would, moreover, give them another opportunity to visit their Swiss-coded accounts, which hold money they have shamelessly stolen from the common till. Leonard Lawal Lagos, Nigeria

What lies at the root of the oft-lamented digital divide distinguishing the globe’s haves from its have-nots? For one thing, it is the erroneous belief that the New Economy will solve every problem in and of itself, and all we have to do is equip every citizen with a palmtop and the world is our oyster. For another, some of the internecine disasters alluded to in Gupte’s article would not have occurred had the West not looked the other way, as it did with Rwanda. Some countries in Europe seem to think it appropriate to reduce their armed forces, but they have not given any consideration to introducing compulsory service in areas where help is most urgently needed. Young people would not necessarily have to be trained in the use of arms to meet their societies’ obligations toward those who have been left to fend for themselves. There might be a price to pay for continued failure; several time bombs have already started ticking. Werner Radtke Paderborn, Germany

Debunking a Legend Thank you, NEWSWEEK, for having the courage to examine Colin Powell (“Colin Powell: Behind the Myth,” SPECIAL REPORT, March 5). As wonderful as his resume is, the man is neither an intellectual nor a visionary. A good soldier does not necessarily meet the requirements of diplomacy, as he has quickly proved. Powell’s lack of depth and breadth, which also characterizes the new American president, leaves us to hope that Dick Cheney’s ticker remains robust until a real pro is put in our most important cabinet position. Jim Greene Long Beach, New York

I found your March 5 report on Colin Powell mean-spirited and insulting. To suggest that an African-American can succeed in the military and in the world of politics without being a strategic thinker is inane. Powell’s job is to defend U.S. national interests and to promote democratic values whenever possible. There are many of us who believe that he is just the right man for the job. Seydou Coulibaly Wynnewood, Pennsylvania Willful Sophistry? George Will’s willful misreading of history (" ‘Peace Psychosis’ in the Mideast," WORLD VIEW, Jan. 8) is astounding. His piece reads like the “irredentist extremism” we have come to expect from Israeli spokesmen who talk about Israeli soldiers being “murdered by terrorists” while justifying well-trained Israel Defense Force members’ shooting children in the head. When will commentators like Will get it into their heads that the Israelis are illegitimate occupiers of another nation’s land in violation of countless U.N. resolutions? David Batten Penrhyn, Wales

George Will almost got it right. Acknowledging “the claimed right of up to 4 million” Palestinians who were forced to leave their land 52 years ago (a lot of them are still alive today) would be “demographic suicide” for Israel. But then, what would Will say about the “right of return” claimed by the children of Israel millenniums after they left? Walid ElGazzar Cairo, Egypt

The settlement of the displaced in Europe following the end of the war in 1945 was a great success for the majority of individuals who resettled, for the countries that benefited from receiving them and for the rest of the world in eliminating what would otherwise have been a dangerous revanchism. In contrast, the treatment of the Palestinians displaced in 1948 has been a disaster. Support for the Palestinian “cause” has been a tragedy for everyone. There are now about five times as many displaced Palestinians as there were in 1948, and bitterness has increased, not diminished. Displaced peoples should be resettled, not raised in camps of frustration and squalor. They need opportunities for a new life. Refugee camps should be for the shortest term possible. Leslie J. Elmslie Rome, Italy

George Will appoints himself to discuss the future of a Palestinian state while negating every international legality on the issue. When he refers to “dismantling Israel’s capital by ceding to Arafat sover-eignty over Arab neighborhoods in East Jerusalem,” he willfully forgets U.N. Resolution 181, which calls for the establishment of the city of Jerusalem as a corpus separatum under a special international regime. As to the right of return, can we expect Arafat to turn his back on the 4 million people who have lived in refugee camps for 52 years as a result of the creation of Israel? The Palestinian right of return is an inalienable right guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and U.N. Resolution 194. It should not be used as a bargaining chip. Rula Dajani MIFTAH: The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy Jerusalem

For more than a decade I have enjoyed the outstanding and brilliant journalism presented in NEWSWEEK. But in terms of boldness to confront the spirit of conventional wisdom with the truth, I have not yet seen anything like George Will’s razor-sharp and lucid depiction of the Mideast conflict. Congratulations to NEWSWEEK for giving a columnist with such a love of truth a platform on which to speak. Jens O. Bergen Urbach, Germany

George Will seems to be suffering from “peace psychosis” himself. He imposes his own gross misinterpretations of facts on others, persuading himself that he is a realist heralding the warning that peace in the Mideast will bring about a fate worse than the Holocaust to Jews in Israel. Such an irresponsible article is an affront to the stakeholders in the peace process, not least to world Jewry. Michael Chackal Cranfield, England

Your columnist George Will displays not only his bigotry, but his ignorance in his falsification of facts. There’s no parallel between the European refugees of World War II and the Palestinians. The right of return of the Palestinians has been affirmed by U.N. resolutions. The only thing that has prevented the return of their country is the armed occupation of their lands by the Jewish state, backed by an American veto power in the United Nations. Will’s piece fuels prejudice and bigotry. It is regretful that NEWSWEEK gave him a forum. Bill Richardson Cairo, Egypt

George Will missed the boat entirely. He omitted (or conveniently chose to ignore) the core issue of the Palestinian- Israeli conflict: who is the aggressor? What brought us to this point in history was the creation of the State of Israel on stolen Palestinian land. Wars, occupation and illegal confiscation of yet more land with settlements and settlers who have no relationship to Palestine–physically or historically–denied the rights of the indigenous population. All Palestinians want is to get their remaining land back, not “extort” it from Israel. Will contrasts democracy with “thugocracy,” yet refers to “the Jewish state.” This would make Israel a theocracy, for a democracy cannot pick and choose the religious orientation of its returnees. You can’t have it both ways. John Hunter Vancais, France

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-06” author: “Amy Bancroft”

Powell’s foreign policy, whether as an officer or as a statesman, reflects an unquestionable loyalty to the common American soldier. A modern leader steeped in Census data and Washington hype would be a leader fighting not for the people but for the bureaucracy. The ability to send men and women to die is no less difficult a decision than using your own hands in battle. We should not judge the character of a leader from his willingness to send troops into conflict. A quality leader is one who can forestall the soldiers from ever being used–that’s Colin Powell. Stuart S. W. Grande Ajka, Hungary

What a biased piece of journalism! A close friend calls him an “angry Vietnam vet, still carrying all those scars”? And you say “he has to prove that he has outgrown his Army uniform”? Vietnam veterans–among whose ranks I am proud to count myself–and particularly General Powell don’t deserve this kind of wrongheaded and simplistic antimilitarism. All you did was to reconfirm that NEWSWEEK has no journalists who have any military experience or the slightest understanding of it. Sneer all you want at General Powell, he’s done more for America than all your reporters combined. David Clayton Carrad Guernsey, Channel Islands

Congratulations! NEWSWEEK has finally exposed the so-called hero of the gulf war–the white, black American Colin Powell. Here in Europe, it was obvious that two short days more would have put an end to Saddam–we have not forgotten Powell’s docility and his stubborn misjudgments. Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf had to hold back and now, after 10 years, Americans are still there militarily, while Saddam continues to make fools of everybody. Of course, Dick Cheney and former President Bush must accept blame, too. Victor de Sabata Milan, Italy

I did not enjoy the hatchet job on Colin Powell. The two most damning things about him are that he has made mistakes and that he does not like to shed American blood? Good for him. And shame on all those “off the record” sources for knifing him in the back. Randall Cameron Sana, Yemen

Colin Powell has rightly identified the HIV/AIDS situation in Africa as a national-security threat to the United States. The Bush administration has wisely decided to keep the executive order signed by the Clinton administration to give poor countries greater access to AIDS drugs. These are good signs. But Powell’s ultimate test may be whether he is prepared to use his considerable influence to push the Bush administration and the G7 nations to save Africa from HIV/AIDS before it’s too late. Chinua Akukwe, M.D. The Constituency for Africa Washington, D.C.

Among “Powell’s biggest headaches,” you list the Mideast, Europe and Russia, North Korea and South America. But in your collective wisdom you left out the most dangerous nuclear flash point in South Asia– India and Pakistan, the world’s two newest nuclear powers. A huge percentage of the world’s population lives in this area: it would be a failure of U.S. foreign policy to ignore this potential inferno. Faheem Sardar Islamabad, Pakistan

Fleeing a Corrupt Country You paint a bleak but accurate picture of the problems faced by North Korean refugees on their road to freedom (“Riding the Seoul Train,” ASIA, March 5). Most of these refugees flee a famine created by corrupt and incompetent leaders of a country that, following the old communist farming model, produces much less food than it could. And refusing to participate in the world economy has led to severe shortages of oil: people turn to trees for fuel. Deforested mountains lead to floods and damaged crops, further reducing agricultural output. What happens with the little that is harvested and international food aid? It goes to party faithful and soldiers and is sold abroad for cash to finance the elite’s extravagant lifestyle. The rest of the population is left to starve. No wonder many see no other choice for survival but escape. Their country tells them their lives are not worth saving. Pascal Comeau Deputy Coordinator for International Affairs The Commission to Help North Korean Refugees Seoul, Republic of Korea

Zimbabwe’s Journalists I was very sad to read “Africa’s Imperiled Dream” (WORLD AFFAIRS, March 5). In the time I recently spent there as a student, I observed firsthand the country’s descent into lawlessness. The most inspiring aspect of Zimbabweans’ struggle is the success of their independent press. Despite violent attempts to silence them, brave local journalists continue to provide an accurate and truthful account of the actions of a corrupt and oppressive regime. Daniel Nadel Vienna, Austria

The news that foreigners are in grave danger in Zimbabwe frightens me. My brother just left for two years of service in the Peace Corps. Had we been aware of the callousness with which President Mugabe treats everyone–foreigners and his own people alike–and of the reluctance of his governmental peers to warn him of the wrongness of his actions, my family would not have been so proud to have my brother serve in that country. Coleen Dyer Erdenheim, Pennsylvania

Unmasking a Mole Thanks for your wonderful and informative article on how a spy and his stealing of classified secrets were discovered (“A Spy’s Secret World,” U.S. AFFAIRS, March 5). What I found more disturbing than the news that there was another spy in the FBI, however, was finding out how strong an influence the notorious Opus Dei has on the FBI and its members. It’s disgusting that FBI Director Louis Freeh is affiliated with this deeply antidemocratic organization. Why complain about Robert Hanssen’s spying for the KGB if the FBI’s headquarters is in the pope’s hands? Lars Straeter Dortmund, Germany

The fall of your reputable international magazine to tabloid descriptions of Opus Dei and its members as powerful, secretive and spooky is disappointing. You could have resisted the promotion of an urban myth about a religious organization. F. McDonald Glasgow, Scotland

Your story “A Spy’s Secret World” was most insightful. Although Hanssen’s motivation appears unclear, $600,000 is a pretty good salary for a part-time job. Should we even care what his motivation was? Thomas Kierstead Keflavik, Iceland

Your report on accused spy Robert Hanssen is alarming because it’s written as if Hanssen had already been convicted. Yet many of NEWSWEEK’s “facts” were from unidentified sources and an affidavit from the FBI, an agency that is sometimes less than candid about its internal affairs. Hanssen may be as guilty as Mata Hari (and was she really?). But let’s not forget, the United States is still a country where citizens are innocent until proved guilty in a court of law. Lael Morgan Portland, Maine

I am confused and troubled by your article on Robert Hanssen. Is it about catching a traitor or catching a Roman Catholic traitor? I counted more than a dozen references to Hanssen’s faith. As a practicing Catholic, I am disturbed that one of our own is apparently a traitor. But as a former U.S. military-intelligence officer, I know that spies come in all colors, flavors and religions. John O’Keefe Ann Arbor, Michigan

Your story on Hanssen gives a misleading impression of the organization called Opus Dei. This institution is not a religious order but a personal prelature whose members are predominantly laypeople. It is not secretive. You can find any information about it by contacting its office of information or visiting its Web page (opusdei.org). Opus Dei also publishes an informative journal every six months, available by subscription to anyone. The institution is fully approved by Rome, and its primary purpose is to explain Catholic doctrine to anyone who wants to know about it. Jose Maria Martinez Edinburg, Texas

How should we treat Robert Hanssen once he’s found guilty? I’d take him on a world tour of every U.S. military cemetery and make him read the name on every headstone. All those men and women gave their lives so he could live in freedom. What a shame. John E. Thomas Forked River, New Jersey

Correction In our Feb. 19 story “Solving the Next Genome Puzzle” (SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY), we mistakenly included the hormones estrogen and testosterone in a list of proteins produced by the body; they are actually steroids.

Drugs: It’s About Demand Unfortunately, unless there is a radical change in the drug-consuming habits of the United States, your magazine will have to continue reporting frequently about Colombia’s drug-fueled war (“Bordering on Chaos,” WORLD AFFAIRS, March 5). Neither greed nor the law of supply and demand can be abolished by decree. To eradicate drug production, you must wage a massive offensive against demand. Policymakers should be reminded that hypocrisy and lack of common sense are as lethal as drugs. Pablo Mamagallo Bogota, Colombia

Ironically, it is the drug war that makes drug dealers dangerous and violent. It is prohibition that allows these dealers to exist in the first place. Drug dealers fear neither the Drug Enforcement Administration, the CIA, the FBI, international law-enforcement agencies, politicians nor even armies. They either already own all these or have them outgunned. The only thing they fear is legalization and regulation. Therefore, it is only decriminalization that will separate the dealers from their huge black-market profits. Myron Von Hollingsworth Ft. Worth, Texas

The Mexican Connection President Bush’s future relations with Mexico have nothing to do with his being sympathetic to the country’s leaders (“Bush Family Ties,” LATIN AMERICA, Feb. 26). Rather, his actions stem from the fact that, during his governorship in Texas, Bush realized the voting power of the Mexican people. In any case, Mexico does not need sympathy from the United States, it needs the United States to act ethically and morally. Before Bush starts to attack Mexico’s commitment to the war on drugs, the U.S. demand for drugs needs to be curtailed. As for NAFTA, it is hailed as being a highlight of U.S.-Mexico relations, but it was former president Salinas and his cronies and American investors who have reaped its benefits. Lola Hermosillo Peace Corps via Internet

Of Addiction and Education Your Feb. 12 SPECIAL REPORT, “Fighting Addiction,” made interesting reading. I would like to add only that propaganda can sometimes be a good thing. Children must be allowed to see the hell of addiction. Waiting until after the addiction has taken hold is not the answer. The only effective tool is education and prevention–early. V. Jean Clelland Chiche, France

Whose Internet Cafe is it? In “A Global Gap” (SPECIAL REPORT, Jan. 29) you say that Carlos Vargas is the owner of www.tarrazucafe.com but this is wrong. The real owner and pioneer of this site is Jorge Umana, and tarrazucafe.com is the joint effort of two coffee growers and roasters in San Marcos de Tarrazu. They are developing two coffee trademarks called Don Evelio Tarrazu and Golden Flower Tarrazu. J. A. Saurez San Marcos, Costa Rica

Wanted: A New Iraq Initiative Fareed Zakaria’s “Let’s Get Real About Iraq” (WORLD VIEW, Feb. 26) is the best article I’ve read about my country in a long time. He is right: the United States and Britain must change their Iraq policy. The sanctions have not hurt Saddam Hussein at all; they punish the Iraqi people, who have been suffering and dying in the last decade from lack of medicine and proper nutrition. It is time for the West to change its tactics on the Butcher of Baghdad. I supported the liberation of Kuwait and have always regarded Saddam’s invasion as an evil act, but seeing the suffering of my countrymen has made me hate America. Ramo Rattas Warsaw, Poland

I’d like to propose an alternative to the Bush and Clinton administrations’ policies of bombing Baghdad and continuing the embargo. Let’s carpet-bomb Iraq with parachute drops of food, medicine, short-wave radios (to receive international broadcasts) and mobile phones (to aid resistance against this dictatorship). Such a shift in tactics would undercut Saddam’s lucrative hold on the black market and seriously threaten his regime. The present policy is both counterproductive and morally flawed. John Linnemeier Arambol Beach, India He’s Going, Going–But Not Gone Your report on the last days of Bill Clinton’s presidency is a profound and thoughtful piece of journalism (“Backstage at the Finale,” U.S. AFFAIRS, Feb. 26). A mixture of personal aggrandizement, workaholism and do-goodism, with more than a bit of do-badism thrown in for good measure, seems to sum up this president’s legacy to the American people–and to the world. His long and hauntingly ambiguous shadow may have spoiled Al Gore’s chances to succeed him in office. Still, if past experience is anything to go by, he will not disappear from the limelight for years to come. An intriguing question is whether he might inadvertently prevent Hillary from becoming her own political woman. Rene Gardea Prague, Czech Republic

Can’t you see that America just wants this man to go quietly into the night? It’s not our fault he can’t leave the limelight in a dignified manner, and NEWSWEEK is encouraging his tragic, self-indulgent behavior by devoting so much ink to his exploits. The former president’s ignominious departure from the White House, his politically tainted pardons and his embarrassing pandering to the African-American community in Harlem merely confirmed for many Americans what was so wrong with his administration. I voted for “Elvis” twice, but by the end of his second term, I’d had enough! Brian Wallace Lancaster, Pennsylvania

The Clintons are absolutely without shame. They will attempt any profitable deed, no matter how unseemly, and if discovered, they make apologies and perhaps some restitution. My greatest concern is what we don’t know (despite almost daily revelations) about what may be even more of their dishonorable activities. In my opinion, history would be best served by forgetting about the Clinton Library and letting this most tarnished legacy slowly fade into the sunset, if that is possible. Gerald Bernier Nashua, New Hampshire

Regarding your reference to former President Clinton’s “gold-plated office space in midtown Manhattan”: I do not understand the controversy. Everyone knows that midtown real estate is among the most expensive in the world, and I’m sure the offices Clinton sought, while undoubtedly luxurious, were no more so than those occupied by any major investment bank or law firm. I hope we haven’t reached the conclusion that no president can ever settle in the heart of the nation’s financial and cultural capital. Nina E. McAdoo New York, New York

Bill’s clumsy exit from power and responsibility amounts to one last thumb in the eye to common-sense decency. What a tragic misuse of extraordinary talents! Clark Reid West Bloomfield, Michigan

I will know that Bill Clinton has really left the building when I can read NEWSWEEK cover to cover without seeing his name in print. David Corbett East Aurora, New York

We have a new president. His name is George W. Bush. Please put Bill Clinton behind us. The memories are bad enough without his name being constantly in the news. If the past is more important than the future, let’s have headlines about George Washington or someone who’s done some good for our country. Tom Wittstock via Internet

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-11” author: “Barbara Maynard”

Your article on child pornography and cyberspace is yet another “blame it on the Internet” piece. How about calling your cover story “The Darkest Corner of Humanity” instead? The Internet is a forum for humanity’s greatest achievements and its worst degradations. It functions as an evolving picture of our civilization, beginning with the late 20th century. Accordingly, the Internet should be judged as a mirror that reflects who we are on a global scale. Without doubt the sexual exploitation of children is a horrendous thing. But I don’t believe that the Internet fosters such exploitation. Unfortunately, that already exists. Rather, it merely allows us to see this darker side of ourselves. Robert E. Frazier – Falls Church, Va.

I was surprised that in the sidebar, “How to Protect Your Kids Online” (March 19), you did not list “constant supervision” as one of the key means to protect children who go on the Internet. If parents consider their children too young to roam the streets of a major city unattended, they should not let them roam the Internet unattended either. The Internet is a wonderful store of information, but a babysitter it’s not–it lacks any sort of decency filter, and the software you recommend is like a cork in a bursting dam. Dan Morrison – Binghamton, N.Y.

Three months ago, conducting a sting operation for pedophiles, I posed online as a 13-year-old girl. I was hit on by a male registered nurse, corporate VPs and business owners. With an age range of 24 to 54, most were well educated and married or divorced, with children of their own. People need to cast out the image of the dirty old man trolling for children, and deal with the reality that it could be their suburban neighbor. Suzanne Michael Private Investigator Ames, N.Y. What Makes Some Kids Explode? I am 18, and as the tragedies of the school shootings have unfolded, I’ve noticed that numerous sources of blame have been named for the students’ actions: music, television, parents, gangs and even lifestyles (“Using Students as Metal Detectors,” National Affairs, March 19). I have not seen the blame placed on the emotion that, I believe, is the source of the major problems: hate. In the reporting on these incidents there is almost always a sentence or two saying that the students were ridiculed by their peers. I know how that feels: I spent almost seven years being mocked in school. I know how it feels to lose all hope and want to punish those who have wronged you. The names, comments and looks a teen can get because he or she is different can become unbearable. Cameron C. Smith – Aurora, Minn.

When we redefine bullying as harassment and punish it just like sexual harassment, we will begin to address the real cause of many of the school shootings. As a society, we now understand that a wife who has suffered abuse will sometimes commit murder. Why is it so hard to understand that an adolescent who is subjected to daily harassment may also turn to murder? Mary Burleigh – Greenfield, N.H.

Bravo, NEWSWEEK, for having the integrity to “acknowledge,” minimally yet informatively, the accused gunman in the Santana High School shooting tragedy. Court transcripts are the only place truly fitting for the intensely detailed accounts of such terrible crimes. Lynne Russell – Birmingham, Ala.

Under a two-page photo spread of school shooter Charles Andrew Williams (A Thousand Words, March 19), NEWSWEEK asks, “What could move a sweet-faced young boy to open fire?” Could it be the certainty of a two-page photo spread in magazines like NEWSWEEK? Mark Montgomery – Grinnell, Iowa Beside the Golden Door What a remarkable story about the young Sudanese refugees (“Out of Africa,” National Affairs, March 19). Their travail helps to keep in perspective things like a 200-point drop in the Dow. I’ll bet when they say, “What a great country!” it means a lot more to them than it does to any of us. Frank Hughes – Oglesby, Ill.

Refugees are traditionally settled in countries near their homeland so they can easily return when the strife that drove them out finally ends. Moving them to the other side of the globe makes no sense. Do those advocating such a policy truly believe that the United States is capable of absorbing an unlimited number of people? Just how generous are we expected to be? Dave Gorak – Lombard, Ill.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-19” author: “Matthew Owens”

Your story on mad-cow disease illustrates how horrifically efficient our food production has become. For years I dismissed free-range livestock and organically grown produce as overpriced and unnecessary byproducts of an overaffluent, paranoid society. But after reading your piece, I now see commercially produced food as truly sinister. If it’s paranoid to feel I’m walking through a minefield while grocery shopping, then count me as paranoid. This weekend I plan to measure my backyard for a vegetable garden–organic, of course. Jane Kramer – Quitman, Miss.

Normally, NEWSWEEK is a welcome sight in my mailbox, but this week I gasped. As the wife of a cattle rancher, I felt my stomach turn when I saw the cover on “Mad Cow Disease.” I understand the seriousness of the issue and want to be informed with all the right facts. Yet I am disappointed by NEWSWEEK’s scare tactics. The photos showed predominantly negative images. There is safe, nutritious beef here! Your article mentions that only ever so quietly. Give the U.S. cattle producers a chance; we are doing our best to ensure that we can all enjoy a good meal with confidence. Sarah Gardella – Jamestown, Calif.

Thank you for the story on mad-cow disease. You covered many questions, but I still have one. Can the disease be transmitted by the milk of an infected cow? Louis J. Linder III – Creve Coeur, Ill.

Editor’s note: There is no scientific evidence to date showing that BSE can be acquired by consuming dairy products.

As U.S. Secretary of Agriculture for the past six years, I am acutely aware of the dangers associated with mad-cow disease. But I believe that the tone of your March 12 cover story sensationalizes the problem far beyond any realistic threat to U.S. consumers. Your frightening descriptions of BSE do nothing to inform consumers about salmonella, E. coli or listeria–pathogens far more likely to affect Americans than mad-cow disease ever will. Dan Glickman – Washington, D.C.

Geoffrey Cowley and your other reporters are to be commended for their excellent article on mad-cow disease. The piece is very timely, informative and of universal concern. As a retired professor of microbiology, however, I regret that it did not describe the pioneering research of Dr. Stanley Prusiner, a professor of neurology and biochemistry at the University of California, San Francisco. Prusiner (a 1997 Nobel Prize laureate in Physiology or Medicine) coined the term “prion” while studying the transmissible central nervous system (CNS) disease scrapie. His group demonstrated that prions, proteinaceous infectious particles, were devoid of the nucleic acids DNA and RNA. Further research showed that prions could self-replicate and cause slow degenerative diseases of the CNS. Their discovery resulted in significant progress in understanding these diseases. Arthur W. Bender – Meshoppen, Pa. Gun Proponents Shoot Back “The Gun Crowd’s Guru” (National Affairs, March 12) misrepresents a number of facts about me, and also gives a mistaken impression of the academic response to my book “More Guns, Less Crime.” Academics at 45 universities have examined the data. Many were initially hostile to my findings, yet none has shown that letting law-abiding citizens carry concealed handguns increases crime. And no academic has disproved my research on the harmful impact of other gun-control laws, like the Brady Act. Some of my other research is mischaracterized as well. For example, while I studied what types of government policies women supported when they were given the right to vote, nowhere have I claimed that their preferences “made government spending surge out of control.” You also imply that I was paid by a “partisan group” to do research on November’s Florida presidential vote. In fact, my research was finished a month before the group contacted me to testify, and I was compensated only for travel expenses. John R. Lott Jr. Senior Research Scholar Yale Law School New Haven, Conn.

Your article on John Lott inaccurately implies that I considered Lott’s proposal to allow highly trained, law-abiding teachers to carry a weapon at school to be without any benefit. To the contrary, in Pearl, Miss., and other places, privately armed citizens saved many lives by using guns to prevent attackers from shooting more children while police responded. David B. Mustard – Athens, Ga. English: The Top Tongue? Ron Unz’s fight against bilingual education is just, rather than discriminatory, and I am surprised everyone does not see it (“Habla Ingles, Por Favor,” Society, March 12). Opponents of “English only” education need only look at the course curriculums in non-English-speaking countries around the world to see that English is the most commonly studied foreign language. Fairly or not, English is the dominant language of the increasingly global business world. Darryl Brock – Sylvania, Ohio

When students come to the United States speaking only their native language, Americans who oppose bilingual education want to take it away. The students are seen as deficient in some way instead of having all of their potential recognized. High-quality bilingual programs can help students be literate in their native languages and English. We want our native English-speaking students to be bilingual, so why don’t we feel the same way about our immigrant students? Rachel Barnes – Denver, Colo. Not Yet the Coin of the Realm The title of the article “The Money Nobody Wants” should really be “The Money Nobody Wants to Use” (Business, March 12). As the author of the golden-dollar-coin legislation and the highly successful 50 State Commemorative Quarter Program, I was disappointed by your unbalanced article, which suggests that the golden dollar coin is a failure. The golden dollar is a success–the coins are so popular that millions of Americans are collecting them, which is one reason they are not seen in general use. As of last September, 979 million golden dollars were in circulation. We knew that the coin would be a collector’s item but still hope that, in time, people will use it as a substitute for a pocket full of change. In the meantime, more than $800 million was added to federal coffers last year because people are keeping the golden dollars, so the government has to make and sell more of them. Rep. Michael N. Castle Republican of Delaware Washington, D.C.

U.S. Mint officials seem to lack an understanding of why the Sacagawea golden dollar has failed to catch on: I believe it’s because the coin is not yet compatible with such common receptacles as vending machines and coin-operated washers and dryers. When I want to buy a Pepsi at work, I’d love to drop a golden buck into the slot, rather than trying to cram a crumpled bill into a mechanism that spits it right back out. But I can’t. Make coin-operated machines compatible with the Sacagawea dollar, and its popularity will soar. Adam Silverman – Essex Junction, Vt.

Correction In a photo of two Sudanese emigres accompanying our March 19 story “Out of Africa” (National Affairs), the caption misidentified the young man on the left. He is William Thon Deng, not Joseph Leek.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-09” author: “Patricia Quinnie”

Our March 12 story on the Taliban’s plan to destroy ancient Buddhist statues prompted many readers to deplore what one called “a dastardly act.” Another remarked, “The Taliban is laying waste to its nation’s art and history.” Some, however, asserted that the indignant response of some Western nations was hypocritical. “The whole world has suffered from the destruction of natural and cultural riches by industrialized nations,” commented one critical reader. Doing Away With History You’re right, NEWSWEEK, the Taliban has “succeeded only in angering the world” by going on a rampage against Buddhist idols (“Destroying the Afghan Past,” SOCIETY & THE ARTS, March 12). But the world has had to reckon with many such Philistines through the ages. Nearly a decade back, the Babri Mosque in Ajodhya, India, was completely demolished by members of the party that is in power today. And yet now the Indian government has come out strongly against what happened in Bamiyan. It is difficult to digest such hypocritical self-righteousness on their part. Ratna Sansar Shrestha–Katmandu, Nepal

The destruction of Buddhist temples and statues is nothing new in the history of Islam in West and South Asia. The reason there are virtually no ancient Hindu or Buddhist temples anywhere in northern India is that they were razed by marauding Muslim conquerors nearly a millennium ago. Visitors to Delhi’s Quwwat ul-Islam mosque (India’s oldest) can discover that it is constructed of stones from demolished Hindu temples, the images nearly obliterated but still visible. The Katmandu Valley in Nepal, by contrast, is so rich in ancient Hindu and Buddhist shrines and manuscripts precisely because it was largely spared the ravages of Muslim invasion and iconoclasm. Some Muslim communities, on the other hand, have preserved the sacred art of other faiths with respect and loving care. I was delighted to come across one of the most extraordinary collections of Buddhist statuary I’ve ever seen in the municipal museum of Peshawar in Pakistan, 50 miles from the Afghan frontier. Bill Templer–Shumen University Shumen, Bulgaria

I did not believe that such barbarians still existed in this age of high-tech globalization until I read your article about the Taliban. That the entire world, including Muslim countries, is against this mad rampage shows that what the fanatical rulers of Taliban are doing is not only harming Buddhism but destroying world heritage. We in Sri Lanka–Buddhists, Christians, Hindus and Muslims alike–condemn this dastardly act by the Taliban with one voice because every religious man must respect another’s faith. Lionel Rajapakse–Kandy, Sri Lanka

Although I do not approve of the Taliban’s destruction of Buddhist statues, I find the outrage over it arrogant and hypocritical, especially when expressed by Europeans and Americans. After all, the whole world has suffered and continues to suffer from the destruction of natural and cultural riches by the industrialized nations. Our forefathers blindly sacked and eradicated the Mayan and Inca civilizations, enslaved Africans, humiliated Native Americans and imposed their religion, language and political systems on the peoples of the Southern Hemisphere. And it is the North American and European multinationals that, by way of their ever-growing financial power, continue to dictate economic and cultural choices and wreak ecological havoc on the rest of the world. Western colonialists are the real destroyers of cultural identity. I do not support the Taliban’s policies, especially with regard to women, but shame for the cultural crimes committed by my country and continent prevents me from joining the outrage over their demolition of idols. Georges Pfeiffenschneider– Luxembourg

The cultural vandalism of the Taliban just goes to show how the cancer of religious fundamentalism has taken hold, has debilitated the Afghan population and is spreading by laying waste to the nation’s art and history. We in the West should not be too smug, however, because we’re not altogether free of the malady. Given a chance, Christian creationists would show the same respect for the knowledge in our books as the Taliban has shown for stone carvings. Jeff Clarke– Maidstone, England Impact-Resistant Companies In your March 12 cover story on IKEA, you use the word “Teflon” on the cover as well as in the report itself (“The Teflon Shield,” BUSINESS). Teflon is a registered trademark of DuPont for its brand of fluoropolymer resins, coatings, films, surface and fabric protectors. We have invested a substantial sum of money to promote that trademark as the symbol of our company. Instead of using our trademark in the manner you did, you should have used the words “impact resistant” to connote IKEA for overcoming difficult obstacles and becoming a successful company. Giselle Ruiz-Arthur, Sr. Trademark Counsel, DuPont Legal Dept. Wilmington, Delaware Bolivia You say that Cargill is “accused of… damaging Bolivian coast” (“A Mix of Charisma and Dumb Luck”). Well, Cargill must have done one hell of a job, as there is no “coast” in Bolivia. Andrew C. Goldstein–Santa Cruz, Bolivia Sweatshops Unfortunately, like the student protesters of United Students Against Sweatshops, you’re prone to distortion of the truth, too. “Swoosh Wars” describes a “shantytown at Yale” built by members of USAS. As a Yale student, I can assure you that this “shantytown” was nothing more than a three-man tent and a card table. Though USAS has made inroads at some universities, it has failed to persuade the Yale administration to seriously consider its demands. Similarly, resolutions presented to the student body, recommended by USAS, failed to attract the votes of the majority. The size of this “shantytown” should be viewed not as a symbol of USAS’s difficulties but as proof that college students remain as ideologically diverse as ever and that most students are not easily swayed by the rhetoric of this latest student-activism fad. Aaron Nagano–London, England A Greater Danger The premise of Fareed Zakaria’s March 5 column that the danger is Russia, not China, is correct (“New Dangers Amid the Ruins,” WORLD VIEW). The 30,000 nukes Russia possesses without the financial means to secure them properly against illegal sale or misuse should give Americans little comfort that the imminent threat of nuclear war is over. Unfortunately, Zakaria fails to offer any way out for a ruined Russia that will continue to deteriorate economically and become less and less capable of managing its immense nuclear arsenal. The solution is simple: a full-fledged Marshall Plan for Russia. In the end, the billions of dollars that the United States and Western Europe will have to spend to resuscitate Russia’s economy will be cheap. The alternative, as Zakaria makes clear, is a terrible nuclear accident or a nuke sold to a group of terrorists who use it. Peter J. Foley, Director, Peace Corps Chengdu, China

Zakaria overlooks the fact that Russia is a known quantity while the world knows precious little about the closed society that is China. The United States ignores the Chinese reality at its own peril. J. D. Gajjar–Ahmadabad, India Poland Faces Its Past The murder of 1,600 Jews by their “Christian” neighbors in Poland (“Revisiting a Massacre,” EUROPE, March 5) is blamed by some on greed. Yes, people have been known to murder for money. But when you gouge out a man’s eyes, cut off a young woman’s head and use it for a football, then incinerate men, women and children in a locked barn, more than greed is at work. Joan Stuchner–Vancouver, Canada

Despite your upsetting story about the Jedwabne pogrom of 1941, it should be remembered that Poles have a proud tradition of a tolerance of the Jewish people that extends from the first charter of liberties in 1265, later much extended by King Casimir the Great (1333-1370). Poland’s national poet, Adam Mickiewicz, had a Jewish mother, and Jozef Pilsudski (Poland’s version of Winston Churchill) supposedly had a Jewish wife. The episode is an awful indictment, but not typical of Polish culture, which is bound up with and strengthened by its Jewish roots. Michael Holman–London, England

Andrew Nagorski’s article just confirms that anti-Semitism is extremely difficult to eradicate from Polish society. Even after the end of the war in 1946 Poles were still killing the Jews in their country, forcing thousands of survivors to leave Poland forever. Joseph Hamadani–Lugano, Switzerland

As a Pole in his 50s, I am shocked by the revelations about the Jedwabne massacre. I have read many articles on this subject and found that the occupation of that area by Russians and Germans led to acts of terror and depravity among locals. Many honest Poles were secretly denounced to Soviet security services, were prosecuted and disappeared. Many Poles charged Jews for the denunciations to Russians for “anti-Soviet” activities. Even if the Jewish collaboration with the Russian occupiers was not ethnic in character, the “war of families” seems to have been a reality. It is a very sad part of Polish history indeed. Jacek Gancarczyk–via internet

When Soviet troops invaded Poland in 1939, they were welcomed by many Jewish communities as liberators. In the next two years many Jews who had lived in eastern Poland for more than 100 years with no discrimination voluntarily and vigorously collaborated with Soviet invaders. Their denunciations of thousands of Polish families led to the deaths or deportations of these Poles to Soviet labor camps. The rapidity of Hitler’s attack on Polish territory under Soviet occupation prevented Jews from escaping. It was the hatred created by the Jews that helped the Gestapo to draw Poles into such terrible savagery. Kazimierz L. May–Warsaw, Poland

You presented Jan T. Gross’s book “Neighbors” as an incontestable source of information. But Professor Gross is not a historian–he’s a political scientist–and some leading Polish historians do not treat his book as reliable. He is reported to have confined himself to Jewish recollections or to Polish witnesses’ evidence–obtained under torture–so “Neighbors” is not really objective. The truth is that in Poland, as in any other country, a small group of cowards collaborated with Nazi invaders for profit. But this was a marginal group. In my family, as in many Polish families, there were people who hid and saved Jews and often paid for it with their own lives. Adam Pasternak-Winiarski–Warsaw, Poland Will Hamburgers Be History? The recent outbreak of foot-and- mouth disease in Europe should not have come as a surprise (“The Path of a Deadly Disease,” SOCIETY & THE ARTS, March 12). We should have seen this coming for years. It is only the last in a long line of food scandals in Europe, ranging from mad-cow disease to swine plague. The lesson to be learned from these scandals is not to stop eating beef–BSE has been around for years. The message is that farmers and politicians care not about the health of consumers, they care only about money and votes, respectively. Why else would it be standard policy to test only one in every hundred cows for BSE? Why else would the vaccination against foot-and-mouth disease be prohibited? Simply because such safety precautions cost too much money. Marije Otte–Maastricht, The Netherlands

Geoffrey Cowley deserves an award for his superb article on mad-cow disease. He made me understand the etiology and transmission of the ailment for the first time. Barbara A. Kendall–El Cajon, California

Thank you for your article on mad-cow disease. You covered many questions, but I still have one. Can the disease be transmitted by the milk of an infected cow? Louis J. Linder III–Creve Coeur, Illinois Editor’s note: There is no scientific evidence to date showing that BSE can be acquired by consuming dairy products.

As a retired professor of microbiology, I regret that your excellent article did not describe the pioneering research of Dr. Stanley Prusiner, a professor of neurology and biochemistry at the University of California, San Francisco. Prusiner (a 1997 Nobel Prize laureate in Physiology or Medicine) coined the term “prion” while studying the transmissible central-nervous system (CNS) disease scrapie. His group demonstrated that prions, proteinaceous infectious particles, were devoid of the nucleic acids DNA and RNA. Further research showed that prions could self-replicate and cause slow degenerative diseases of the CNS. Their discovery resulted in significant progress in understanding these diseases. Arthur W. Bender–Meshoppen, Pennsylvania

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-28” author: “Doris Baylor”

I am only 20 years old, and as I write this I am withdrawing from Vicodin. I struggled with heroin addiction for four years as an adolescent. I cleaned up, went to school, got a job and made amends with my family. I’m premed now, but the little white “Vike” has almost killed me. I’m shivering uncontrollably. I’ve lost 10 pounds in a week, and I can’t stop crying. I was battling depression and just wanted the pain to go away. Now I have more pain than I can ever control. Thank you, NEWSWEEK, for your article on the realities of what they call painkillers. Emily Whiteman Azusa, Calif.

Your article on painkillers, describing the destructive behavior of people who obtain these drugs illegally and use them for nonmedical purposes, needs to be put in the right perspective. As much as these individuals damage themselves and our society, their numbers pale in comparison with the millions of patients in this country who daily suffer needlessly from unrelieved pain caused by chronic medical conditions like cancer, osteoporosis and arthritis. A likely consequence of the current law-enforcement/media hysteria over abuse of painkillers is a call for greater legal restrictions on the accessibility of these drugs for legitimate medical purposes. One regional drugstore chain in New England has already taken its cue from the hysteria and is voluntarily reducing accessibility of these painkillers by ceasing to stock them. All this is another blow to patients who struggle every day to get adequate pain relief. C. Stratton Hill Jr., M.D. Founder, Pain Treatment Service M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Houston, Texas

I have taken Vicodin and OxyContin for a number of years–safely–for pain relief of fibromyalgia and Morton’s neuroma. Every day of my life is a battle against pain, yet these meds allow me to function at a high level: I work 12-hour days helping nonprofit organizations raise money. I carpool, I play with my dog, I travel with my husband and I visit with friends. Most of these activities would not be possible without my medications. I would ask that you and the rest of the media be mindful about categorizing those of us trying to embrace and enjoy our realities (with the support of medications like OxyContin and Vicodin) with those who are trying to escape theirs. Karen Winder Tigard, Ore.

After reading your March 19 article on Internet dangers for kids and your April 9 article on painkiller abuse, I feel compelled to bring to your attention a new hazard that links these two problems. My teenage son died recently from an overdose of Vicodin and morphine, and the pills were mailed to him from contacts he had made on the Internet. My son arranged an online consultation with a disreputable physician in another state who then prescribed an entire bottle of Vicodin pills without ever seeing him. The Internet can be a powerful tool for good or for evil, and parents must monitor their kids closely or risk paying the ultimate price. Bruce T. Haight, M.D. La Mesa, Calif.

The Man Who Won’t Be Mourned I’ve read the excerpt from the new book on Timothy McVeigh and the anguished response of a woman who was related to three of the bombing victims (“Outcry Over a Killer’s Story,” NATIONAL AFFAIRS, April 9). Although I am sorry beyond words for the pain of all involved, I disagree with the opposition to the book. We need to find out how someone like McVeigh got that way, or we will never be able to prevent another similar horror. And you can’t ban books because of their painful content. I’ve bought this one and hope it will help me understand at least a little about McVeigh, but I could never feel any forgiveness for him. I’ve been ambivalent about the death penalty for years, but I’m all for it in the case of this monster. Roberta Wenzler Brookfield, Wis.

Since the authors of the McVeigh book were rebuffed by the Oklahoma City bombing victims’ memorial and the local Red Cross when they offered to donate some of their profits, perhaps the best place for that money to go would be the FBI, to help it catch more criminals like McVeigh and the others on whose behalf he was protesting–before they strike. Robin Gray St. Peters, Mo.

I refuse to read any article or watch any television program with content related to Timothy McVeigh. It disturbs me that this repulsive individual will get his wish to die, when a more appropriate punishment would be to release him onto the streets of Oklahoma City to fend for himself. Peggy Cole Bradenton, Fla.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-17” author: “Rebecca Ortiz”

Afghans around the world feel the pain of Americans. Our hearts go out to them. But Americans need to know that the Taliban are not Afghan; they’re Pakistani. It is Pakistan that rules and controls the government in Afghanistan. We’ve been suffering under these terrorists for years. We’re not cowards. We fought the Russians for 20 years. The Taliban enjoy the full support of the Pakistani government even though Pakistan claims otherwise. The Afghan people want to get rid of the Taliban regime and Osama bin Laden once and for all, and live in peace with the rest of the world. Khalid Nazary Freiberg, Germany

Many compliments on your Oct. 1 issue. We read every word, then passed it along to friends. You showed great insight, sensitivity and the ability to analyze in your description of this tragedy that, we hope, will wake up U.S. security “experts” and the State Department. Experience should have taught Americans that encouraging and financing ultraconservative, nondemocratic governments around the world generally backfires with disastrous results. (The examples are endless: several South American nations, Afghanistan during the Russian war, the Iran/Iraq history, as well as some Asian nations.) Lessons must be learned from past policy mistakes. A little humility is in order, too. There are things to be learned from countries with experience in curbing terror. Israel’s security people, for example, are young, highly trained and very alert. They continually upgrade their training without waiting around for tragic occurrences. By contrast, U.S. “experts” are older, untrained, apathetic people with little incentive to change. Laurel S. Klarfeld and Melvin M. Klarfeld Ramat Aviv, Israel

Why do Americans refer to Pearl Harbor in connection with the attack on the World Trade Center? Japan attacked a military port, not civilians; the attack on Pearl Harbor was not a terrorist act. It is insulting and insensitive to compare the two. It is just this kind of insensitivity that invited the terrorism in the first place. If Americans allow their judgments to be controlled by emotion, they are no different from the Muslim extremists. Keiko Kadohira Tokyo, Japan

Fareed Zakaria’s Oct. 1 World View (“The Allies Who Made Our Foes”) seems self-contradictory. If terrorism is “a vast Arab operation that happens to be based in Afghanistan,” why not mount the crusade against the Arab countries that Zakaria pinpoints–Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates? He suggests that America put political pressure on its Arab allies “to change their ways.” But he also warns that “elections in the Middle East would simply bring more Talibans into power.” What then? Benign autocracies like those he lists–Jordan, Morocco, Oman and Qatar–compromising the noble U.S. ideal of democracy to secure selfish ends? But that’s exactly what America has always done. Narrow self-interest, pursued unscrupulously, has been the bedrock of U.S. foreign policy. S. G. Jilanee Karachi, Pakistan

Zakaria rightly strikes at Saudi Arabia as one of America’s “allies” that creates its foes. Saudi Arabia is the root of Islamic terrorism throughout the world. I’ve seen the multiplication of madrasas in India funded by Saudi Arabia. They churn out religious zealots for whom the Quran is the constitution and jihad the only path forward. Unless Saudi funding is stopped, the fight against terrorism will fail. Vineet Goyal New Delhi, India

Yokohama and the World Cup Your article, “Dirty Secret” (Asia, Aug. 6), contained descriptions differing from the facts and expressions that may give readers a wrong impression. The Yokohama International Stadium, site of next year’s World Cup finals, is located on a section of the Tsurumi River that is about 400 meters from the place where soil contaminated with PCBs and other hazardous materials has been detected. It is not located directly on polluted soil. We have embarked on separating the polluted soil for safe storage and plan to complete the work by the opening of the World Cup. The city of Yokohama tested samples of soil, river water, sediment and groundwater around the stadium. Tests have confirmed that they are not polluted by PCBs or other hazardous materials. Hidenobu Takahide Mayor, City of Yokohama

Masahiro Takano Director, Keihin Work Office Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Yokohama, Japan

The Mideast Dilemma I was touched by the piece by Rachel Newman, self-proclaimed socialist student and Jew turned American patriot (“The Day the World Changed, I Did, Too,” Psychology, Oct. 1). She mentions what many Americans are beginning to feel in the wake of Sept. 11. Israel was created by outside powers by taking land away from Palestinians, who were not compensated. I’m a patriot, too, and I hope that America punishes Osama bin Laden and wins the war against terrorism. But we can’t continue sitting on the sidelines waiting for Israel and the Palestinians to make peace. We must take a more evenhanded approach by persuading Israel to accept a Palestinian state, dividing Jerusalem into boroughs among all three major monotheistic religions. Such a policy will not stop lunatics from murder, but it will defuse their inspiration, which, sadly, exists even for many moderate Palestinians and their supporters around the world. Panos Kakaviatos Strasbourg, France

Newman’s description of her conversion from poet-musician to patriot was impressive. But I’d like to see her explain it to an Iraqi mother who has seen her child die from lack of medicine, to a Serb who suffered 79 days and nights of bombing or to a Cuban family who have endured more than 40 years of economic terrorism–all because successive U.S. governments have disliked the leaders of those countries. The transmutation from poet-musician to patriot is easy. All you have to do is turn off your brain and close your eyes to the fact that for the past few decades the United States has been the No. 1 exporter of international terrorism. Its victims are no less innocent, no less human than the Americans who died or suffered in the atrocities of Sept. 11. If the United States reconsiders its policies, fewer innocent Americans will be killed in the future and fewer knee-jerk patriots will be required. A “focused war on terrorists” makes as much sense as a war against evil or sin. Terrorism is in the eye of the beholder. Charles Alverson Parage, Yugoslavia

Americans may regard their country as “the champion of democracy and freedom,” a “beacon of light.” But they may be the only ones deluded into seeing themselves that way. It’s time to realize that people around the world are fed up with the way America seeks to impose its power on others for purely selfish economic interests, whatever the cost. That some madmen should then get insane enough to strike back in such a horrific way is sad but not surprising. Pierre-Andre Debons via internet

If America wants to win Muslim nations’ support in eliminating terrorism, it must take a hard look at its Middle East policy and stop being seen as a patron of Israel, which is responsible for the deaths of countless innocent civilians (including women and children) in Palestine. This is the root cause that has allowed Muslim fanatics to hold many moderate governments hostage. Without the wholehearted cooperation of the governments of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and other key Muslim states, the fight against terrorism will not succeed. This is not a conventional war that can be won with weapons of mass destruction. America’s superpower status has lent an arrogant edge to its behavior, encouraging it to think it can get away with anything. The United States is a great democracy and a land of opportunity. But its judgment and vision are distorted by its special relationship with Israel. And somehow, ordinary Americans do not seem to understand the repercussions of their government’s Middle East policy. Yousuf Syed London, England

News reports claim that Pakistan expects something in return for cooperation given to the States for punishing the perpetrator of the most heinous crime known to mankind. That Pakistan should expect anything is outrageous. It is the creator and the mentor of the Taliban. I hope that the security and interests of India will not be compromised by the United States in return for this “cooperation.” Dr. Jayesh R. Desai Mumbai, India

Attacking Afghanistan, even capturing or killing Osama bin Laden, is not going to solve the problem of terrorism. Over the years, Pakistan has nurtured terrorism. During the ’80s and ’90s, it accepted U.S. aid and arms to fight the Soviets in Afghanistan. Now, many of these arms have been handed over to militants engaged in acts of terrorism in the state of Kashmir in India. It is an open secret that Pakistan maintains a string of training camps for militants and those trained in these camps have spread out to foment unrest in Kashmir, Egypt and other parts of the Middle East. Osama bin Laden draws most of his cadre from this crucible of militancy. President Bush wants to eliminate terrorism, but it will not disappear simply by eliminating Osama bin Laden; others will spring up to take his place. The structure that nurtured him and gave him and his cadres sustenance and support–the training camps in Pakistan–must be closed down once and for all. Sathyan David Chennai, India

I’m a U.S. citizen and a Sikh. My religion requires me to wear a turban and keep an uncut beard. Since Sept. 11, many Sikhs have become targets of racism. As I walked back from school today, a classmate yelled out, “You did it! You did it!” I replied, “No, I didn’t,” and walked away. A Sikh in Arizona was shot and killed because he looked “like an Arab.” But we are not from the Middle East, we’re from India. We have nothing to do with Osama bin Laden, the Taliban or the hatred toward America. We condemn terrorism and support the United States. We chose to come here for a better life, for liberty and happiness. But now, my social life is restricted to other Sikhs because no one else wants to hang out with a guy who wears a turban. We’re Americans, we follow the law and we pay taxes. I ask all Americans to allow us, your fellow citizens, to live in this great country in peace and harmony. J. Singh via Internet

Sri Lanka has long suffered at the hands of a terrorist organization just as deadly as bin Laden’s. The LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) have brought suicide bombing to a fine art. They have bombed our Central Bank and our revered Temple of the Tooth, and assassinated many of our leaders. Still, we have had very little help from America, Britain or their allies. When our airport was bombed a few weeks ago, America and Britain immediately issued travel advisories to their citizens warning them not to visit Sri Lanka unless it was essential. This was another nail in the coffin of our economy since we are heavily dependent on tourism. It seems unlikely that Britain will issue a travel advisory about America even though it is now more dangerous to fly there than to Sri Lanka. While we are grateful to America for taking the lead in proscribing the LTTE, the Tigers still operate freely in Canada, Britain and European countries. They openly run offices and collect funds for their deadly work under various transparent guises. It is time for action to replace rhetoric. The United States, Canada, Britain and the rest of the developed world must crack down on all terrorists, not just on bin Laden. Charitha Prasanna de Silva Rajagiriya, Sri Lanka

Allow me to draw your attention to the misuse of a word that some of your reporters, like countless other commentators, have fallen into. This is the use of the term “Allah” whenever they want to speak of a Muslim praying to God (“Patriotism vs. Ethnic Pride: An American Dilemma,” the fallout, Sept. 24). Allah is the Arabic word for God, not the name of a particular Muslim divinity. In these days of conciliation and national unity it is important to avoid the use of words that might give a wrong impression of an exclusively Islamic God, when Muslims believe in the same God as that of all other monotheistic religions. Prof. Nasser Rabbat Cambridge, Massachusetts

I am surprised that none of your Special Issues acknowledged the reactions of the rest of the world to the Sept. 11 tragedy. Can you imagine the public stopping for three minutes all over Europe? In the Netherlands, cars pulled off to the side of the freeways. In Germany, churches were filled on weekdays. In Belgium, all transactions stopped, people were not served in restaurants, and radio and television stations stopped broadcasting–for three minutes. My company’s staff went down and gathered in the middle of the business center for three minutes’ silence. At the airport, people stopped walking and talking. It was like a frozen image. In this time, when all NATO countries are pulling together to fight terrorism, it would have been nice to include these signs of mourning and displays of compassion and grieving together in your magazine. Birgit Van Broekhoven Leuven, Belgium

In the videotaped address shown on television news channels, Osama bin Laden said that no one in the United States will be safe. That was a clear threat. It would have been different if he had challenged the U.S. military on the battlefield. In any case, I do not know what holy war he is talking about, because Islam strictly forbids targeting innocent, unarmed people. Rafi Ahmed Karachi, Pakistan

Why aren’t Islamic leaders publicly refuting Osama bin Laden’s statements? Whether one believes the Promised Land to be some real estate in Palestine or some spiritual place, it cannot be entered by force. Ask theologians from any mainline religion. Vince DePalma University Place, Washington

Congratulations on Evan Thomas’s excellent article about the NEWSWEEK investigation, “The Road to Sept. 11” (The Terrorists, Oct. 1). Such an investigation is not easy, but it will not be soon forgotten. Keep up the good work, Newsweek. And thanks again. J. A. Jaar Caracas, Venezuela

It is indicative of the west’s lack of understanding of the Muslim and Arab perspectives that you refer to Osama as “bin Laden.” Anyone with even a rudimentary knowledge of Muslim nomenclature would know that the word “bin” simply means “son of.” The correct reference to Osama bin Laden would be his full name or simply “Osama.” If the West can’t even get the name right, what hope is there for bridging the divide? Priya Gopalan Pahang, Malaysia

Forget Star Wars, America, and put the money into developing renewable energy sources. Get us off all foreign oil. That alone will not only save us, it will also save the world. Gene Deitch Prague, Czech Republic

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-18” author: “Barbara Cox”

Our coverage of the war in Afghanistan continued to provoke applause and opprobrium from our readers. One Muslim letter writer urged other Muslims to “reassess our value system and cultivate respect for other religions.” Others called for an end to the American military campaign. “The bombing is killing innocent Afghan civilians,” said one. Another asserted that “Americans lost 5,000 people. The ‘innocent victim’ propaganda must be put into perspective.”

Musing on Terror

The vast majority of Muslims believe in tolerance, harmony, co-existence and nonviolence. The attacks that took place on September 11 were barbaric and an act of madness. There is no way to justify such an act, just as there can be no way to justify murdering Jews in gas chambers or killing Palestinians. Hira Anwar Karachi, Pakistan

Every day, TV shows us falling bombs and streams of refugees and starving children in Afghanistan. Is this an effective response to the terrorist attacks of September 11? The bases of Al Qaeda should be targeted, but despite the use of modern weapons designed for surgical strikes, the bombing is still killing innocent Afghan civilians. Distrust, hate and anger are becoming more commonplace in the Arab world, and more people are beginning to admire Osama bin Laden. The United States and Britain should stop military action and focus instead on negotiating with other nations. Fighting Al Qaeda will not end when its bases are destroyed; it will be a long, hard process to disrupt bin Laden’s network. A success-ful long-term strategy must analyze the West’s politics in the Middle East. And the United States should negotiate with the Taliban. Gisela Fabian Berlin, Germany

Why not have a running tally board of innocent victims in this war against terrorism: an American tally and an Afghan tally? As it stands at present, Americans have lost at least 5,000 people. The Afghans have lost fewer than 100. The “innocent victim” propaganda must be put into perspective. Carol Fleming via Internet

An Afghan hates nothing more than being thought a coward. The more he is exposed to danger, the more it steels his nerves. He’d rather die than risk being remembered as a coward after his death. And he will sacrifice everything to protect his honor. By nature and tradition, an Afghan is generously hospitable: he is honor-bound to offer sanctuary to anyone asking for it, even at the risk of his own life. He will feed his guest even if it means he and his family have to go without. A guest must be kept safe from danger and protected at all costs. In light of this, how does President Bush expect the Afghans to betray Osama bin Laden and hand him over? “Only over our dead bodies,” they will say–and mean it. Col. Riaz Jafri (Ret.) Rawalpindi, Pakistan

British author Rudyard Kipling wrote many stories about Afghanistan. In one of them, an Afghan fugitive being chased by British soldiers took refuge under a heap of hay near a young child. Soldiers arrived and their captain lured the child into inadvertently revealing the fugitive: the child’s wandering eyes stopped at the heap of hay and the fugitive was captured. When the boy’s father returned home and found out what had happened, he shot his son for handing over the protected “guest” to the soldiers. According to Afghan tradition, Osama bin Laden is a guest to be protected: Americans should know that no amount of brutal force will make the Afghans hand him over. Syed A. Qadeer via Internet

Your writers need to think more like the terrorists. The topics presented on potential future threats are old ground. Thinking like the terrorists and the example they set must lead you to look at the existing infrastructure. Why take the risk of bringing something into a country that already has what you need? Consider chemical weapons: the sprawling petrochemical and chemical facilities are tough targets to protect and contain deadly chemicals. What about explosives factories supplying military and mining industries? Most of these types of facilities have large population centers nearby because they offer jobs. None of this should be a surprise. The terrorists might be evil, but we certainly know that they are not dumb. Mark Schanfein Vienna, Austria

Information has become a basic need these days. But I feel strongly that the media reveals too much information about possible terrorist methods. And that includes you, NEWSWEEK, for suggesting that the terrorists would have been more effective had they used antibiotic-resistant anthrax. You have given details on how to test, prepare and propagate the anthrax bacteria. Please stop doing this. Celeste Messina Buc, France

After the recent massacre by the Israeli Army of Palestinians in Beit Reema, will the United States now broaden its war against terrorism and take on Israel? Mairtin O. Gliosain Dublin, Ireland

We who survived terrorism in South Africa have learned you can’t think that if you just lock yourself indoors, nothing will happen to you. We live through it every day with violent muggings, carjackings, etc. All we can say is “Thank goodness I wasn’t killed.” Nichola Read Randburg, South Africa

I very much appreciate well-informed articles like the one by Sharon Begley on the realistic threat of biological and chemical weapons (“Unmasking Bioterror,” War on Terror, Oct. 8). But I don’t appreciate pictures of dead babies. We all know what people killed by such weapons look like. If you want to fill space, please do so in a more intelligent way. Otherwise, continue your good work, NEWSWEEK. Evelyn Kortum Geneva, Switzerland

The simplicity of life has been underscored with brutal clarity. There is good and evil, right and wrong, love and hate. Weak-kneed diplomacy, pandering to sensitivities, must cease if civilization is to survive. As always, the United States must be the beacon of hope for all. Otherwise, it is chilling to think that mankind may soon be on the endangered-species list. Glen Byrom Harare, Zimbabwe

As an American of Indian descent, I have recently been given the cold shoulder by people who seem to think that anyone who looks Middle Eastern may very well be a terrorist. That is nothing but prejudice disguised as patriotism. Arathi Jayaram Norfolk, Virginia

Patriotism need not signify militancy. In the 21st century, when we recognize the interdependence of all nations, patriotism should signify pride in the goodness of our country, pride in America’s traditions of democratic governance, pride in its maintenance of our freedoms and pursuit of justice, pride in its efforts to strengthen the global community of nations and to contribute to a more peaceful world. But patriotism may also be expressed by criticism of the government’s actions–criticism offered for our nation’s well-being. If we understand that our power in the world is rooted in our influence rather than in our military might, we will be careful to punish only those who have demonstrated their intent to harm us. Betty Jean Craige Athens, Georgia

In your massive coverage of America’s response to the terrorists, you overlook the fact that the best revenge is for people to try to carry on with their lives as normally as possible. Life is going on outside of Washington, Kabul and Islamabad, but you’re not paying much attention, NEWSWEEK. Your Oct. 15 issue devoted only five pages to non-terrorist-related issues. I was surprised and felt cheated. Please, NEWSWEEK, get back to work. Nina Berglund Oslo, Norway

The Worst of the World?

I am unsure whether to be outraged or amused by the Brit-bashing of your piece on the United Kingdom, the “worst place to be a sun worshiper.” It seems spurious, to say the least. I can think of countries that have to endure drought, monsoon, famine and hurricanes, and few that will not be affected by global warming to some degree. I shall continue to enjoy my own country’s mild and temperate climate, while less fortunate people swat bugs the size of kittens and melt under scorching 100-degree temperatures. Iain Croker New Malden, England

I think there’s more than a bit of irony when an American publication lists Britain as one of the world’s worst countries on the basis of its increasing rainfall, believed to be a result of global warming. This from a country with just 4 percent of the world’s population that burns 25 percent of the fossil fuels and generates 25 percent of the greenhouse gases? The United States loudly claims leadership of the developed world but has singlehandedly wrecked the Kyoto Protocol, so painstakingly constructed to attempt to redress the problem of global climate change. Peter Moulds Cairo, Egypt

What amazed me in your report was that there was no mention of the States at all. What about human-rights abuses, death row and deprived inner cities? Please don’t forget that the world does not revolve around the United States. Ronnie Stuart Fife, Scotland

It was frustrating to see your report dismiss the West’s responsibility. Why wasn’t America’s U.N. debt mentioned? Where was the debate on sweatshop child labor? And how could you forget to list the worst place to be black? Haukur Mar Helgason Reykjavik, Iceland

If you challenge the long-term illiteracy of Niger and the high income tax of Belgium, why not include some other facts that the world might see as tragic? There was nothing mentioning that children in the United States are more likely to die from guns or that Americans need metal detectors in public schools. Most people view these problems as “worse” than illiteracy or high tax rates. Fabio Stefani Brussels, Belgium

You forgot to mention the worst country to be a high-school student or teacher–the United States. It’s where you might get shot by a classmate or a student.

Ricardo Suarez Bogota, Colombia

Why such denouncing of nations? Surely there was a better way to inform the public of the world’s happenings. Sticks and stones definitely break bones; such name-calling really hurts. Justine Hamilton Daet, Philippines

I consider myself a lucky person. Here in Singapore, I can sleep peacefully and eat heartily. I wish all other countries could have peace and a sound government. Steven Ngern Singapore

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-10” author: “John Thornton”

Your recent stories on bioterrorism have carried me right back to World War II England, before America entered the war. There was great fear that the Germans might use poison gas on Britain’s civilian population. Factories went into overdrive to produce gas masks for every man, woman and child in the land. It became a civil offense to leave your home without toting the mask in its carrier bag. Yet, although the Germans pounded London and other English cities into rubble during the blitz, they never used poison gas. Did they fear retaliation, perhaps? Now, 60 years later, when our own little world in America seemed so very safe, we are faced with concerns reminiscent of the barbaric 1940s. Progress? Frances Nunnally Richmond, Va.

I would like to clarify a few points in Marine Corps officer Dan Sullivan’s Oct. 22 my turn (“Washington Is Calling: Will Anyone Answer?”), which contends that Harvard discourages students from joining the military or other government organizations. The Army began years ago to consolidate ROTC programs, reducing more than 400 programs nationally to 270 today. Since the early ’70s, Harvard students have participated in a consolidated ROTC program with MIT, Tufts, Wellesley and, more recently, Salem State, on the MIT campus. Harvard ROTC graduates are commissioned each year in a ceremony in the university’s commencement amphitheater with a military band and officials and members of the Harvard community in attendance. And it is not true that military recruiters are “banned from… Harvard Yard.” The branches of the armed forces, the FBI, the CIA and other government agencies participate in job fairs and career forums and are welcomed here. Harry R. Lewis, Dean Harvard College Cambridge, Mass.

In response to Dan Sullivan’s My Turn, I wish to remind him of many universities’ antidiscrimination policies that forbid groups that discriminate from operating on campus. The military’s stance on homosexuals is discrimination in every sense of the word. Perhaps when the military starts practicing what America preaches (freedom for all), the time will have come for it to return to campus. Until then, I salute any decision to block the military from recruiting on private campuses as a true act of patriotism. Andrew Ross St. Louis, Mo.

Dan Sullivan writes about his experience at Harvard during the 1980s, and says of the current war on terrorism: “I worry that this time, our most talented young people may be reluctant to help.” Not to worry. Until last January, I worked in student services at the University of California, Berkeley, for 32 years that included the Vietnam era. About six years ago students began asking about the possibility of interning at the FBI, and I ordered informational packets from the agency. The packets went like hot cakes. When we ran out of packets, students asked, “Well, do you have anything about the CIA?” With Berkeley joining up now, can Harvard be far behind? Cynthia Vogel Richmond, Calif.

I would like to thank the British and the Americans for what they are doing on behalf of the NATO alliance, and on behalf of my fellow countrymen. The overwhelming majority of the Danish population (and of other Europeans as well) are completely behind you. It’s a necessary battle, and we have no need of negotiation and appeasement; this is no time for a Chamberlain. That having been said, it must also be underlined that we in the West can no longer close our eyes to the events going on in Africa and the Arab world. The major problem is the huge growth of population in these regions, leading to hunger, wars and refugees. Future threats to world peace will all derive from this chain of events. Thus the overpopulation and poverty in these nations, along with Muslim extremism, must be fought and dealt with now, before it is too late. Steen Raaschou Copenhagen, Denmark

When will the U.S. government reduce our use of fossil fuels as the ultimate weapon against the Mideast oil countries that support and harbor hatred for us? In light of all the other drastic measures Congress has taken, I find it curious that it hasn’t passed legislation mandating higher mileage standards and higher gas-guzzler taxes, and voted additional subsidies for developing alternative fuels. Gabe Hausmann New Orleans, La.

The signs of a rebirth of patriotism are in evidence everywhere. New flags are flying on every block, and what a beautiful sight it is. How sad, however, that it takes a disaster of such dimensions as the one on Sept. 11 to make this feeling surface. I had wondered whether my husband and I should buy a new flag for our house, as ours is old and faded from years in the elements. But I am proud of our old Old Glory because it reflects how we feel every day. Americans cannot forget for a minute all the benefits, luxuries and, most important, freedoms that we enjoy. As hard as it may be to fathom at this moment, one day the horrible memory of Sept. 11 may also begin to fade. Let us always remember that patriotism is an everyday, not a once-in-a-while, feeling and that the victims of Sept. 11 did not die in vain. Ann Moss Zenowich New Orleans, La.

One of the media’s favorite topics last August was the president’s vacation. Many people and pundits were disturbed that he took a whole month off with so many pressing things to be done in America. After Sept. 11, the president has been saddled with such a stressful and busy schedule that I am sure some who criticized his vacation are now glad he got recharged for the challenges he is facing. Lu Borem St. Paul, Minn.

I am dismayed that the Oct. 8 NEWSWEEK refers to Queen Rania of Jordan and MSNBC reporter Ashleigh Banfield–both respectable, professional women–as “hotties.” I thought we’d come miles from such reductive remarks. Please leave the sexist commentary to the construction workers. Wait: at least here in New York, they, too, have better things to do. Jacki Goldhammer Brooklyn, N.Y. Correction In our July 2 story “Improving on History,” we mistakenly reported that Douglas Ginsburg, nominated by Ronald Reagan to the Supreme Court in 1987, had exaggerated his courtroom experience. NEWSWEEK regrets the error.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-25” author: “Joseph Gill”

I congratulate you on your comprehensive and insightful expose, which I hope will be published in full in the Arabic edition of NEWSWEEK. It merits the widest possible circulation in the Islamic world as a mind opener, a stimulator of debate. The love-hate emotions of most Arabs–Muslims and Christians alike–are not directed at the people of the West or its way of life, which, in fact, is the envy of the young everywhere. Rather, the anger is inspired by and directed at Western governments. Out of self-interest, many U.S. government actions do not reflect the high human values that America proclaims. U.S. administrations fight a dictator in one country while supporting an oppressive regime in another. This double standard is at the root of the distrust of the West. It causes frustration and anger, which first breed hatred, then permit extremists like bin Laden to exploit it for their own vicious ends. Despondency turns thugs into heroes. The way to deal with our turbulent world is not simply to fight terrorism. Leaders of powerful states must reform the business of politics, inject a human dimension into it and quit being selective in promoting democracy. This is beginning to happen in the Arab world through the Internet and mass media like Al-Jazeera TV. Your provocative article is yet another worthy endeavor. Keep up the good work! S. A. Sherif Montreux, Switzerland

I’m disappointed that Zakaria’s analysis of Islam didn’t once mention fundamentalist Islam’s systematic oppression of women and their total elimination from civil society and from economic, social and political life. It should have been one of the centerpieces of any analysis. It was like writing about South Africa of the 1970s and ’80s and not mentioning apartheid. Elizabeth Jennings Matera, Italy

I’d like to compliment Fareed Zakaria on his balanced analysis of the rise of terrorism around the world. While it is clear that a policy of appeasement is unacceptable and would have little effect on fundamental attitudes, it is also obvious that terrorism is bred from the kind of lazy political thinking in the West that supports oppressive regimes that deny their populations the most basic human rights and economic opportunities. Alice Choyke Budapest, Hungary

Well done, Fareed! Thank you for that clear analysis and particularly for the last section, “What to Do.” It was a relief to read such a vision of the “outer world” from an American writer. The Sept. 11 attack is the proof that history is not finished yet. A genuine strategy, following the author’s guidelines, is the only way for America to take up the challenge. Stephane Derivry Millau, France

If they hate you, America, it’s also because you are arrogant. Fareed Zakaria says, “America’s greatest sins toward the Arab world are sins of omission.” But it’s more than that. If you want to help the world, America–as you must because of your leadership position–try some self-criticism for a change. Olivier Meunier Grenoble, France

Zakaria has once again demonstrated his profound knowledge, fair judgment and deep understanding of historical and social roots, political systems, developments and consequences. I wish everyone would read his brilliant analysis and try to understand it. It not only sheds light on the “why,” but also tries to show “how” to find a way out of this dilemma. Barbara Haubold Vienna, Austria

The callousness of U.S. foreign policy stems from poor education in the United States. I’m 20 years old, but when I speak to U.S. citizens twice as old as I am, I find them simple-minded in international affairs. It seems that Americans are too preoccupied with their own lives to notice what’s happening outside their neighborhood. Such ignorance leads to minds that can be easily controlled or manipulated. Americans need to read newspapers and watch world news more. Alon Granot via Internet, Israel

I enjoyed reading “The Roots of Rage.” Certainly the United States needs to analyze current policies and be willing to make the necessary changes. Here in Brazil, Americans are treated well and many people want to learn English, yet most consider the United States a “global bully,” looking out for its own interests above all. Larry Zinck Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

NEWSWEEK devotes many pages to figuring out why America is hated, yet misses the real and obvious reason that everyone except Americans seems to know: the United States has an appalling foreign policy. What other country would give billions of dollars to a murdering dictator like Zaire’s Mobutu to keep him in power–and his people in misery–for three decades, making him the world’s third richest man at the expense of American taxpayers? David Wall Dunedin, New Zealand

Zakaria’s impressive article helped clear my thoughts. But I do feel he should have mentioned that, in the last 50 years, America enriched itself by manipulating the political environment of the Middle East. America acted to serve the interests of its own people without giving any thought to the people of countries it exploited. Zakaria suggests that for its own interests, and those of Muslims around the world, America should get back into the nation-building business. Patronizing, but true. Syed Humayun Kabir via Internet

“Roots of Rage” is by far the best piece I’ve read on this subject. It’s informative, thought-provoking and balanced–particularly the assertion that we need to focus only on the last 30 years to understand why such feelings exist. There is much wisdom and common sense in “What to Do.” Unfortunately, the problem with common sense is that it is not so common. This article should be compulsory reading for all politicians and world leaders who are genuinely interested in eradicating the root causes of terrorism. Harry McKnight Geneva, Switzerland

It is not only Middle Eastern Arab countries that hate America. What about other places where innocent blood has been spilled by the United States: Guatemala, El Salvador, Chile, Nicaragua, Vietnam and Hiroshima/Nagasaki? And note that all the victims were nonwhites. America needs to shed its overweening pride and hubris, its greed and racism. Learn to treat all human beings alike, America. Syed Ghulam Jilanee Karachi, Pakistan

Zakaria says that it’s necessary for the rest of the world to help the United States because the world depends on the U.S. economy to make profits, and because it owes America for different goodies. But that’s only part of the truth. The rest of the world will stand by the United States because it believes in humanity, its strengths and values, and because it wants to help those who are innocent victims. The United States alone is too weak to lead the whole world; assistance from other powers is needed. These antiterrorist campaigns will require an entirely new world order, one in which several powers will have to work in unison. There is no alternative. Lars Straeter Dortmund, Germany

Zakaria’s analysis of the roots of Islamic rage is trenchant and evenhanded and brings to the fore two salient points concerning Middle Eastern and North African nations’ adaptation to the world economy. First, their respective governments must take full responsibility for the empowerment of businesses and enterprises at a grass-roots level. Second, the G-24 nations must do everything they can to redress the legitimate grievances of poor Muslims in the aforementioned regions. Anything less will, at best, fail to empower transformation of their respective economies. At worst, it will leave many people mired in abject poverty, with militant Islam as the only viable alternative in their minds. Dave Morse Yokohama, Japan

I live in a country where every year 30,000 people die because of some kind of civil war, and yet I cried in front of my TV watching the images of the World Trade Center. My heart is with Americans, and I condemn every terrorist action, against whomever it may be directed. But the United States has interfered in conflicts all over the world, leaving many, many more victims than the Sept. 11 attacks. If that day proves difficult for Americans to forget, they should know that it’s not going to be any easier for those in Vietnam, Chile, Panama, Nicaragua, Palestine and Cuba to forget U.S. intervention in their countries. The attitude of Americans does not heal wounds; it plants the seeds of hatred in the hearts of the terrorists of the future. Fighting terrorism is well and good, but Americans need to fight their own distorted self-image as saviors of the world. Maria Adelaida Cubides Bogota, Colombia

I was surprised to see the results of NEWSWEEK’s opinion poll on the support for the Taliban in Pakistan. I have many family members in Pakistan–all educated, and all opposed to the Taliban. They mourn what happened on Sept. 11, support the fight against terrorism and would never consider Osama bin Laden a “crusader” for Islam. Assuming that your methodology was scientific, shouldn’t you try to balance the need for reporting the “truth” with our strong need, these days, for bringing people together rather than polarizing nations? The results of your poll are being broadcast on virtually every TV network and are only fueling further anti-Muslim (and anti-Pakistani) feelings and rhetoric, not to mention furthering bin Laden’s cause. It is clear that President Musharraf is with the United States in battling terrorism. Shouldn’t the media at least attempt to assist in that endeavor? And shouldn’t they assist the “silent majority” in airing their views rather than pander to the illiterate fanatics on the streets of Pakistan? H. Ahmed via Internet

Within minutes of the Sept. 11 tragedy, Arabs were dancing in the streets. Those who could not dance were on CNN blaming Israel for the tragedy. Palestinian spokeswoman Hanan Ashrawi assured us that she does not justify this, but that we must understand why the terrorists committed these acts. But I, for one, have no desire to “understand.” I find no solace in the psychological profile of Hitler as a child, or of Attila the Hun, Stalin, Pol Pot, Slobodan Milosevic, Saddam Hussein, Yasir Arafat or any other murderer. If Ashrawi believes that people must “understand” these butchers, I suggest that she take up a shovel and walk to lower Manhattan. Five thousand innocents in the rubble would have been eager to learn to learn the psychosocial reasons for their murder. Stephen Berger, M.D. Tel Aviv, Israel

At the end of the world’s most brutal war, World War II, a handful of visionaries rose and forever changed Europe’s destiny. Americans reached out and helped the people they fought. Peace won, and hatred was defeated. This was a great victory. At the verge of what could very well become World War III, I have a question for the leaders of the Western world: when are you going to realize that you need to swap armor for politics and economics? And when are you going to realize what kind of vision is required? True greatness is not achieved just by offering a compelling alternative to the blinded masses that support these lunatics. The West’s enemy is not a group of persons, but the hatred and resentment they feel for the West. Ulrich Kroner Brussels, Belgium

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-13” author: “Saundra Vandercook”

To link Islam with terrorism, fanaticism, fundamentalism, only serves the purpose of perpetrators of violence and terrorism. It allows them to justify their heinous crimes by giving them a religious facade, thereby legitimizing and glorifying their deeds in the eyes of their peers and of the world. You should not play into their hands, NEWSWEEK. Expose them for what they are–perhaps by initiating an objective discussion on Islamic principles and the teachings of the Prophet on nonviolence. Arif Humayun – Vancouver, Washington

I read your story with horror. for me, and most Muslims, the deeds of bin Laden (or any other terrorist) have nothing to do with Islam, a religion whose very name signifies “peace.” In fact, historically, very few people–neither communists nor atheists–have done as much harm to the cause of Islam as brutal terrorists like bin Laden. These people are traitors in the eyes of real Muslims. Hasan Yilmaz – Ankara, Turkey

There are two reasons for most of the hate generated against America in the Muslim world. First, the covert U.S. support of dictatorships and oppressive traditional regimes found in Muslim countries around the world. The other is the one-sided military and financial support of Israel: on a daily basis, many Muslims see their Arab brethren subjected to inhumane conditions by the “only democracy” in the region. The recent bombings by Palestinians against the occupying force of Israel cannot be treated like those carried out by individual terrorist entities like bin Laden against innocent people. Palestinians have been forced to resort to violence given the desperate conditions under which they live. They have been deprived of property, basic human rights and the means to make a living while a “superior other,” Jewish settlers in this case, enjoys unparalleled privileges. Faisal Mubarak – Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

What an inexcusable play on mounting U.S. paranoia and prejudice against Arabs and Islamic culture! In the body of the article, you admit that “what may look to the West like an uprising of the entire Islamic world is, in fact, still disowned by the vast majority of Muslims around the globe.” Yet the images accompanying the article served only to fuel the average American’s ignorance of the fact that the vast majority of Muslims are not involved in terrorism. Darren Kernaghan – Notre Dame, Indiana

Why are Americans hated? The answer can be found in the conduct of successive U.S. governments. While U.S. officials make speeches on human rights, they continue to supply weapons to the most brutal dictatorships in the Middle East and other Muslim nations. Having armed Saddam Hussein in the 1980s, America imposes sanctions that hurt innocent Iraqi civilians. How can the youth and pro-democracy movements in these countries love and respect the U.S. government after being persecuted with American-backed force? Naeem Siddiqi – Scarborough, Canada

Fundamentalists and fanatics are found in every religion. Fanatics killed Anwar Sadat; fanatics also killed Yitzak Rabin. If you see a Muslim doing something wrong, it does not mean Islam is wrong; it only means he is not a good Muslim. Samir Elhanbly, M.D. – El Mansura, Egypt

I’m a 14-year-old who is not religious, but I’ve been subjected to anti-Muslim prejudice at school. I don’t blame the people for this prejudice, I blame the media for suggesting that Muslims are evil and, given a chance, will destroy America. Many magazines cover the bombings in Palestine but they never do a story on the peaceful Muslim family that goes to mosque every Friday. Thanks, NEWSWEEK, for pointing out that most Muslims are not terrorists. Neehan Sheikh – Rockland, New York

If your writers believe that the vast majority of Muslims disown the ideals of Islamic extremists, why do the title of the article and the pictures imply that Muslims the world over embrace terrorism? Farah Akbar – Kew Gardens, New York

Your photograph shows a Palestinian boy holding a charred U.S. flag. But Palestinians are not even remotely comparable to societies like Afghanistan that are implementing an extreme, fundamentalist form of Islam. In such circumstances, the burning of a U.S. flag would be a statement against Western globalization. But a Palestinian boy who burns a U.S. flag is expressing the shared outrage of his people at a nation which continues to be the staunchest supporter and ally of their belligerent occupier. Palestinians are fighting for their independence from Israel, not for the “Islamicization” of Israel. Rania Awwad – Washington, D.C.

Your cover story on the radicalized Islamic world did not raise the fundamental question it should have: why this anti-American feeling in the Islamic world? Here’s one answer to that question. Whenever there are U.N. resolutions against Muslim countries, the United States is hellbent on implementing the sanctions, e.g., in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, when the U.N. Security Council resolutions happen to favor Muslim countries against non-Muslim nations (such as those concerning the Kashmir problem in India or those favoring the evacuation of occupied territories by Israel), the U.S. attitude is entirely different. “It is up to the parties themselves to agree… We are just trying to help them reach an agreement.” Is it still difficult to figure out the reaction of the Muslim world? Mustayeen A. Khan – Brumath, France

Fringe groups are present in all religions. I don’t see NEWSWEEK debasing other religions for that. Does the KKK speak for all of Christianity? Does Meir Kahane’s party speak for Judaism? Salim Mohammed – Houston, Texas

You write “while the extremists probably do not speak for the majority of Muslims, the field is tilting in their direction.” That is not true. These extremists and terrorists don’t speak for us. They are our enemies and a threat to Muslims who want to live in secular and stable democratic states. When next you publish an article on Islamic matters, you may be well advised to have a moderate Muslim journalist write your report so you do not insult moderate Muslims the world over. Sevgi Cetin – Samsun, Turkey

You lump Muslims, Arabs and terrorists together to give your readers the impression they are all the same–all dead set on destroying America. You succeeded in tarring everyone with the same brush without trying to delve into what it means to be on the receiving end of a brutal, illegal occupation that is supported by the United States. It is the feelings of resentment of the weak at this American support that have led to the birth of a violent resistance, one that lashes out at the aggressor. Rest assured, Americans are very well liked as a people; it is only the U.S. government, egged on by the powerful Jewish lobby, that is hated. Mourad Rouchdy – Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Your inflammatory pictures typified Muslims as senselessly violent militants. To stereotype a fifth of the world’s population in this manner is bad enough. But then you go on to depict anti-Americanism as a simple opposition to “freedom and the pursuit of happiness.” Why should it surprise Americans that we are not loved by people whom we bomb “routinely”? America is seen as the enemy because it often makes itself out to be an enemy–big, dominating, religiously insensitive and callous to global issues that don’t swell our bank accounts. So let’s not be bemused when there is violent reaction to our offenses. James Hargrave – De Land, Florida

Your global-terror cover story made me shake my head in disbelief. Just one man, Osama bin Laden, has the world’s only superpower flummoxed? We have thousands of people on the federal payroll to snoop into our lives, the lives of our allies and those of our enemies. Yet they can’t nail this sucker? Maybe it’s time to get them out of their air-conditioned, high-security “intelligence” centers and onto the street. As for the slippery bin Laden, what makes him influential is his money. So why don’t we identify where his money is and freeze his accounts? It makes me wonder if this “terrorist” scare is not another Washington-generated case of paranoia. Gerry Forbes – Bangkok, Thailand

While it is true that most Palestinians are Muslim, there is also a Christian minority (about 8 percent) that is just as affected and oppressed by the current situation. To assume that any Palestinian holding a flag in support of his or her homeland, or that a Palestinian embittered by America and its unjust Israel-friendly policies, is a Muslim is just that–an assumption. Olga Khoury – via internet

No group should carry the collective guilt of one of its members. We do not hold Christians responsible for the Oklahoma City bombing, or Irish Catholics responsible for a bomb explosion in central London, or Jews responsible for the massacre committed by Baruch Goldstein. Do not hold 1.2 billion Muslims and their deeply held faith responsible for crimes committed by a few. The rise in hate crimes against Muslims–loving, ordinary people–is a chilling reminder of the effects of stereotypes and Islamophobia. Safwan Badr, M.D. – Detroit, Michigan Tinkering With Genes Your article on Andi, the first genetically altered primate (“Brave New Monkey,” Society & the Arts, Jan. 22), appropriately hit Germany’s newsstands at the same time that German newspapers were dealing with the bovine spongiform encephalopathy epidemic that has now surfaced here. BSE and the new variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease results, as far as we know, solely from feeding meat remains to plant eaters. My imagination freezes trying to picture what will result from our tampering with the human genome and with human-disease genes. Stefan Kohler, M.D. – Kiel, Germany Africa Matters Africa needs help in finding solutions to the political crises in its many countries (“Will the ‘Dark Continent’ Still Matter?” Africa, Jan. 1). Promoting Western-style democracy has proved unsuccessful. With their negative economic-growth rates, many African nations have failed to provide food, water and health services to their populations. Development assistance from the West is essential. The Bush administration cannot ignore this; further catastrophe in Africa must be avoided. Kokil K. Shah – Mombasa, Kenya

According to George W. Bush, Africa will play no strategic role in his administration’s foreign-policy deliberations. This is cause for concern. By contrast, Al Gore sounded far more mature and responsible when he stated that Africa’s AIDS pandemic posed a threat to America’s national security. With two African-Americans now in Bush’s cabinet, perhaps there is some hope left for the “Dark Continent.” Werner Radtke – Paderborn, Germany

Your article’s statistic of 25 million people infected with AIDS in Africa is terrifying. More than 16 million people have died of AIDS since the 1980s, 60 percent of them in sub-Saharan Africa. Education is no longer enough–with the majority of the population under a death sentence, it doesn’t seem to be serving any purpose. When I visited Nairobi recently, a tourist described the nightclubs there as a place where sex is offered “like a cup of tea.” Medical science must develop an affordable vaccine against AIDS; otherwise, in less than 15 years, this beautiful continent will become a desolate wasteland. Philip Clarke – Basingstoke, England

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-17” author: “Laurie Decosta”

Your report on accused spy Robert Hanssen was alarming, because it is written as if Hanssen had already been convicted. Even the question posed on your cover, “Why Would a Trusted FBI Agent Betray Us to the Russians?” assumes guilt. Yet many of NEWSWEEK’s “facts” were from unidentified sources and an affidavit from the FBI, an agency that is sometimes less than candid about its internal affairs. Hanssen may be as guilty as Mata Hari (and was she really?). But this is still a country where citizens are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Lael Morgan – Portland, Maine

How should we treat Robert Hanssen once he’s found guilty? I’d take him on a world tour of every U.S. military cemetery and make him read the name on every headstone. All those men and women gave their lives so he could live in freedom. What a shame. John E. Thomas – Forked River, N.J.

I am confused and troubled by your article on Robert Hanssen. Is it about catching a traitor or catching a Roman Catholic traitor? I counted more than a dozen references to Hanssen’s faith. As a practicing Catholic, I am disturbed that one of our own is apparently a traitor. But as a former U.S. military-intelligence officer, I know that spies come in all colors, flavors and religions. John O’Keefe – Ann Arbor, Mich.

Your article on Robert Hanssen gives a misleading impression of the organization called Opus Dei. This institution is not a religious order but a personal prelature whose members are predominantly laypeople. It is not secretive. You can find any information about it by contacting its office of information or visit-ing its Web page (opusdei.org). Opus Dei also publishes an informative journal every six months, available by subscription to anyone. The institution is fully approved by Rome, and its primary purpose is to explain Catholic doctrine to anyone who wants to know about it. Jose Maria Martinez – Edinburg, Texas Powell in Power We’re very, very proud of Colin Powell and his accomplishments (“Colin Powell: Behind the Myth,” International, March 5). He brings positive diversity to an environment that otherwise isn’t amenable to input from minorities. It’s good to know that it didn’t take a basketball or football to put him in his current position. He has made it based on the quality of his work, and we’re glad to see him in the position he’s in. While we don’t like the term “role model,” in this case it’s appropriate. We hope young people worldwide will see that you can make it in this nation using brains instead of brawn. Barri Bass and C. Michelle – Buckhead, Ga.

Thanks, NEWSWEEK, for having the courage to explore the myth of Colin Powell. As wonderful as his resume is, the man is neither an intellectual nor a visionary. A good soldier does not necessarily meet the requirements of diplomacy, as he has quickly proved. Powell’s lack of depth and breadth, which also characterizes our president, leaves us to hope Dick Cheney’s ticker remains robust until a real pro is put in our most important cabinet position. Jim Greene – Long Beach, N.Y.

Your March 5 report on Colin Powell was mean-spirited and insulting. To suggest that an African-American can succeed in the military and in the world of politics without being a strategic thinker is inane. Powell’s job is to defend U.S. national interests and to promote democratic values whenever possible. There are many of us who believe that he is the right man for the job. Seydou Coulibaly – Wynnewood, Pa. Putting the SAT to the Test As a senior who has recently taken the SAT, I feel compelled to respond to your article “The SAT Showdown” (Society, March 5). Until schools discover a method other than testing to demonstrate a student’s abilities and knowledge, I believe that tests like the SAT will remain a factor in college admissions. For now, it’s the best indicator of whether students have the solid foundation of verbal and reasoning skills necessary for the academic work that will be required of them. However, as colleges begin to give more weight to factors like grades, course difficulty, recommendations and extracurricular activities, I think that tests like the SAT will come to be perceived not as a cause for stress but as another opportunity for students to display the skills they have developed in high school. Selina Spinos – Midlothian, Va.

On the SAT “showdown,” I am in full agreement with the decision of the University of California. After 45 years of university teaching, I am convinced that the SAT scores do not at all correlate, one way or the other, with a student’s ability to succeed in university studies. But the most negative aspect of the SAT is the great reduction in time from serious high-school studies it produces–time that is given instead to preparing for the test. High-school course grades and recommendations should be the only real criteria for admission. The sole positive effect of the SAT, as I see it, is the efficiency of filing the scores in a computer! Mendel Sachs – Williamsville, N.Y.

Everyone loves to bash the SAT, but your story, like most stories on this subject, oversimplified the relationship between parents’ income and children’s test scores. Yes, high parental income generates educational advantages for children and also protects them from living conditions that can degrade their intellectual development. But correlation is not causation; parents achieve high incomes in part because of their high intelligence, and their children are similarly intelligent for biological, not merely socioeconomic, reasons. Don’t forget that the original purpose of the SAT was to permit intellectually capable children from socioeconomically disadvantaged circumstances to demonstrate their potential. For all the shortcomings of the SAT, what alternative is equally objective? Dewey G. Cornell Professor of Education University of Virginia Charlottesville, Va. Those Rodhams Get Around Your article “Oh, Brothers!” (National Affairs, March 5) mentions that former First Lady Hillary Clinton’s two brothers, Hugh and Tony Rodham, visited South Korea in 1999, carrying a gift and personal letter from Mrs. Clinton to the Korean First Lady. At the time, the South Korean presidential office made a public announcement, in the form of a press release, that President Kim Dae Jung and First Lady Lee Hee Ho had met the Rodham brothers and that they had brought a small gift and letter from Mrs. Clinton. There was nothing more or less to the meeting. We have decided to write this letter because we think your reference could create a false impression that the brothers’ meeting with the First Lady had something to do with their reported attempt to do business in Korea. Joon-yeob Han Minister for Public Affairs Embassy of the Republic of Korea Washington, D.C. Wishing Earnhardt Good Speed Being a Jeff Gordon fan (the sworn enemy of the Dale Earnhardt fan), I wasn’t prepared for just how much I would miss the “Intimidator” (“A Farewell Lap for ‘The Intimidator’,” Society, March 5). In all great rivalries, you’re defined by your competitor as much as by your own deeds (Superman without Lex Luthor is just a journalist with great physical strength who’s not affected by airport delays). Dale Earnhardt was the ultimate competitor. In this age of athletic-shoe contracts and commercially manufactured sports stardom, Earnhardt stood alone as the genuine article: a no-nonsense, take-no-bull American folk hero for the working man. He ran hard until the end, and passed on while doing what he loved. Glenn Riley Cincinnati, Ohio No Victory in Victimhood I’ve been an avid reader of your magazine for 10 years now, and as a 31-year-old black male, I think George Will is right on the money in his column on blacks’ rejection of victim status and separatism (“The Ultimate Emancipation,” The Last Word, March 5). I have been making this argument since my college days, and it often falls on deaf ears. I could have easily decided to play a victim and blame whites for my troubles. But for some strange reason, I found it made more sense to attend college, graduate school and law school; be a political reporter, disc jockey and stand-up comic, and still find time to mentor underprivileged kids once a week. It’s just amazing what happens when you take charge of your destiny and refuse to play a victim because it’s easier than hard work and effort. Abdul-Hakim Shabazz – Springfield, Ill.

I think that George Will brings up some excellent points in his column. The statistics of academic underachievement in the African-American community do bear scrutiny, but my fear is that the rhetoric of the Will column follows an unfortunate century-old tradition of saying that blacks are lazy and disinclined to work for one reason or another. Such declarations were made by members of the majority culture in the past, despite the obvious oppression that was carried out under segregationist policies. As a white male, I am a member of the same majority culture. Even now, we have remained profoundly uncritical of ourselves, failing to come to grips with our own culpability for the past and unaware of our current impact on the African-American community. Chris Brandow – Pasadena, Calif. Correction In an item accompanying our March 12 photo of the recent earthquake in Washington state (“Shaken in Seattle,” A Thousand Words), we should have said that Highway 101 is in the western part of the state, not the eastern part.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-29” author: “Blake Mcdaniel”

The Clintons are absolutely without shame. They will attempt any profitable deed, no matter how unseemly, and if discovered, they make apologies and perhaps some restitution. My greatest concern is what we don’t know (despite almost daily revelations) about what may be even more of their dishonorable activities. In my opinion, history would be best served by forgetting about the Clinton Library and letting this most tarnished legacy slowly fade into the sunset, if that were possible. Gerald Bernier Nashua, N.H.

Regarding your reference to former president Clinton’s “gold-plated office space in midtown Manhattan”: the point may already be moot, but as a Manhattan worker and dweller, I never quite understood the controversy. Everyone knows that midtown real estate is among the most expensive in the world, and I’m sure the offices Clinton sought, while undoubtedly luxurious, were no more so than those occupied by any major investment bank or law firm. I sincerely hope we haven’t reached the conclusion that no president can ever settle in the heart of the nation’s financial and cultural capital. How unfortunate that would be. Nina E. McAdoo New York, N.Y.

Bill’s clumsy exit from power and responsibility amounts to one last “thumb in the eye” to common sense decency. What a tragic misuse of extraordinary talents. Clark Reid West Bloomfield, Mich.

I will know when Bill Clinton has really left the building when I can read NEWSWEEK cover to cover without seeing his name in print.

David Corbett East Aurora, N.Y. When Will the Music Die? My computer students at school know me as “Mr. Copyright Law” because of what I say about copying software, but I believe that the record industry shot itself in the foot long ago when it stopped making singles easily available and greedily insisted that I buy a $16.98 CD for the two songs I heard on the radio that I liked and a bunch of filler (“Good to the Last Drop,” SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, Feb. 26). That being said, I tend to use Napster to download old, hard-to-find recordings that have long been out of print. It’s been the door to the “Land of Lost Music” for me. As Mr. Copyright Law, I wouldn’t mind paying 10 cents per song. Even at 1,000 songs, that would cost me only $100. But the record companies should forget about trying to prevent us from burning our own CDs from the songs online; after all, any scheme they come up with to digitally limit our legitimate rights can easily be circumvented by a piece of old analog technology–the cassette deck. Keith E. Gatling Syracuse, N.Y.

Pardoning a Historical Hero As a translator of the memoirs of Jean Laffite (that’s how he spelled his family name), I’d like to point out that your Feb. 26 graphic on presidential pardons (“A Checkered Past,” NATIONAL AFFAIRS) inaccurately implies that Laffite, along with his pirates, was pardoned by President James Madison for aiding the British in the War of 1812. On the contrary, Laffite–whose crime was violation of customs laws–received his pardon because he had turned down a British bribe to assist with the invasion of New Orleans. Instead, Laffite helped the Americans fight off the British invasion in December 1814 and January 1815 through his donation of weapons, ammunition and men to Gen. Andrew Jackson. Gene Marshall Lake Charles, La.

Forget the Mouse; Try Shoes I wanted to commend you for your Feb. 19 article about online dating services (“Love Online,” SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY). The piece was a good introduction to the services that are out there and the pros and cons of using them. Having belonged to one online dating service for almost two years and two others for a few months, I can tell you that they tend to be a very ineffective way of meeting a mate. As you noted in your article, there really is no substitute for meeting people in the real world. Potential mates who look like good matches “on paper” (or on-screen) often turn out to be terribly unsuitable in person. My advice to any man who wants to meet a mate is to become a shoe salesman at one of the fancier department stores. You’ll meet lots of nice ladies and be a provider of something for which they have a true passion. David Kleinbard Montclair, N.J. Correction In our Feb. 19 story “Solving the Next Genome Puzzle” (SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY), we mistakenly included the hormones estrogen and testosterone in a list of proteins produced by the body; they are actually steroids.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-14” author: “Nathalie Hogan”

Our Special Report on drug addiction generated lots of praise for its comprehensive coverage. “Your report was superb for its breadth of views from political, clinical and personal perspectives,” wrote one reader. Many who have experienced addiction firsthand expressed gratitude. “While reading your Special Report, I experienced feelings of fright, despair and eventually hope,” wrote an addict from prison. “I thank you for an insightful and informative report.” But other readers had little sympathy for the difficulties addicts face in trying to kick their habit. Declared one: “Taking and selling drugs is a choice that people make–and they can choose not to do it.”

Loosening the Grip of Addiction

Your Feb. 12 special report, “fighting Addiction,” is the finest collection of articles on this subject ever published in a national magazine. This issue of NEWSWEEK should be read by every member of Congress, state legislator, city-council member and interested citizen who wants to understand the complexity of the problem of addiction to alcohol, illegal drugs and tobacco, and the need to prevent and treat it.

Joseph A. Califano Jr.

New York, N.Y.

I hope NEWSWEEK’s report on the U.S. drug dilemma is going to help turn political heads to begin addressing the urgent need to help people with drug-rehab programs. I am addicted to cocaine and I am crying for help. A few weeks ago I took the first step and went to the local hospital emergency room. I was hoping they would admit me for two to three days to begin a detox. I was told there is no such thing, but they provided me with the phone number of a rehab program. I went and was told my insurance would not cover the $8,000 program. I was also told the program is cheaper than my habit. Disappointed, ashamed and desperate, I didn’t know what to do next. I was afraid if I didn’t get help I would be buying cocaine for the weekend. I then called my doctor for help. He told me to go to the admitting office at the hospital. He would call the office and have the papers all ready. Ten minutes later, I was there. I was turned away because my insurance would not immediately process the paper and give the OK. I was told to go home and they would call me. That was two days ago. I am now high on cocaine, crying, ashamed and feeling like death.

Name Withheld – Homestead, Fla.

NEWSWEEK’s report on addiction and all that surrounds the problem is one of the most significant pieces I have ever read. Addiction is not black and white, nor is it gray. Addiction has the tentacles of an octopus and the grasp of the most cunning terrorist imaginable. There is no one solution to this massive disease that is devastating our youth. NEWSWEEK has taken a look at every corner of this problem and, with spirited discussion and frank opinions, has produced a package that every American should read. In all fairness, though, I must make one observation and suggestion. An enormous problem in this country that NEWSWEEK did not address in this issue is the rampant misuse of prescription drugs. There are millions of Americans suffering from a crippling addiction to hundreds of drugs that are considered “legal” in the United States. This kind of addiction is often unrecognized or ignored by the addict and his or her family until it is too late. As a recovering prescription-drug addict and someone who has faced the demons this enemy produces, I can testify that without intervention and treatment (and making incarceration a second option), we are going to lose this war. Addiction is a disease and not always a crime. Please, for the sake of every addict out there, continue to discuss and not criticize those who suffer. Thank you for your involvement with this very dangerous issue.

Cindy McCain – Phoenix, Ariz.

Robert Downey Jr.’s problem isn’t drugs. It’s his family, friends, fans and even the star-struck court system that are enabling him every step of the way. They all seem to be buying into a slick, self-deceptive “oh, poor me” snow job from Downey. I adore Downey, too. But I’m not some sheltered white guy passing judgment from the comfort of my wing chair. I speak from experience. A long stint in prison, stripped of fame–long enough for the drugs and the dependence to get completely out of his system–will do him more good at this stage of his addictions than being tossed back into the dangerous arms of his enablers, and that includes a coddling rehab program.

Jeff Heglin – Los Angeles, Calif.

Crime and Punishment

Your Feb. 12 article on the Lockerbie bombing (“Why One Defendant Got Off,” news of the week) says that “the U.S. government may have botched part of the case… [and] most of the blame for the Giaka fiasco lies with the FBI.” I was the FBI agent in charge of the Pan Am 103 investigation, dealt with all facets of the case from the beginning and know these statements to be wrong. Initially the FBI asked intelligence agencies to provide information they might have. Despite media reporting in early 1989 that the PFLP-GC, a Palestinian-terrorist group based in Syria, may have been responsible for the bombing, no evidence was found to incriminate them. Although Giaka [Abdul Majid Giaka is a former Libyan intelligence officer and CIA informant] provided information to the CIA prior and subsequent to the bombing, there were no early links to Malta or Libya, and no investigator ever said Giaka held the smoking gun. Your article implied that the FBI took Giaka as a witness to bolster a weak case against [Lockerbie defendant Al Amin Khalifa] Fhimah. This is wrong. Giaka’s evidence was turned over to Scottish prosecutors, who chose to use him as a witness. Cables that had never been made available to the FBI, containing CIA assessments of Giaka, were also turned over to the prosecutors. No one in the FBI referred to Giaka as “a star witness.” He was part of a strong circumstantial case. It was left to the judges to decide what portion, if any, of his evidence they would accept. The Scottish trial team did an exceptional job, and all associated with the investigation and prosecution should be proud. But I would like to note that Fhimah is not the only person associated with this case to escape punishment. Investigators believe that others were involved, but there is no evidence that could be used against them.

Richard A. Marquise

Oklahoma City, Okla.

Making Preschool a Priority

Kudos to Anna Quindlen on her article about the importance of preschool programs (“Building Blocks for Every Kid,” the last word, Feb. 12). As an educator for the past 25 years (and director of a child-development lab for 3- and 4-year-olds), I’ve seen firsthand the importance of preschool. And I find it appalling that prekindergarten and kindergarten classes are not a legal requirement for all states, especially in the president’s home state. Where will children go to learn to read if they don’t meet the low- income requirement for Head Start?

Emily S. Barksdale – El Paso, Texas

Anna Quindlen’s “building blocks for Every Kid” should be The First Word for all parents, professionals, policymakers and our country. Thanks, Anna.

Charlotte H. Rudel – Johnstown, Pa.

The intro to Anna Quindlen’s column says preschool programs are “neither a luxury nor a fad, but a real necessity.” Sorry, but it’s the two-parent home that should not be considered a luxury or a fad, but a real necessity.

Treska Lindsey – Flat Rock, N.C.

O’Reilly: Love Him or Hate Him

I was amused by your article on Bill O’Reilly (“Life of O’Reilly,” news of the week, Feb. 12). With its selected quotes and anecdotes, it portrays him as aloof, arrogant and obnoxious. In fact, it is a prime example of the biased reporting of the “elite media” that O’Reilly denounces. His greatest charm is his dedication to fair, honest reporting. That’s the secret to his success!

WWendy L. Coleman – Lynnwood, Wash.

Bill O’Reilly is to TV what Rush Limbaugh is to radio–an unscrupulous, right-wing buffoon who uses the pretense of objectivity to prey on the prejudiced and the gullible. His popularity speaks volumes about the irrationality of large segments of the American populace and the danger that the right wing poses to our freedoms.

Steve Parsons – Greeneville, Tenn.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-29” author: “Louis Mason”

Loosening the Grip of Addiction Your Feb. 12 Special Report, “Fighting Addiction,” is the finest collection of articles on this subject ever published in a news magazine. This issue of NEWSWEEK should be read by every member of Congress, state legislator, city-council member and interested citizen who wants to understand the complexity of the problem of addiction to alcohol, illegal drugs and tobacco, and the need to prevent and treat it. Joseph A. Califano Jr. President, The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University New York, New York

Thank you, NEWSWEEK, for your exceptional articles on the universal problem of drug addiction. Here in Asia, we have a growing number of people shooting up. I come face to face with drugs at almost every party. While the DJ smokes a joint of ganja (marijuana), others get wild on magic mushrooms and LSD. These are not just 17-year-olds like myself but also younger children. I’ve seen too many people go down with drugs, so I am very glad to see you raising awareness on this subject. Michelle de Saram Nugegoda, Sri Lanka

In a recent appearance on CNN’s “Larry King Live,” U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft stated that the war on drugs needs to be relaunched. Obviously, he had not read your Special Report. The older generation always tells us to study history so that we don’t replay the past. I suggest that they read up on the history of the failure of Prohibition and apply it to our current situation. This idiotic approach to drugs–smear-fear publicity, severe penalties, kicking down doors, black-helicopter enforcement–has done nothing to alleviate the problem of drugs. In fact, it has made drugs cheaper, more available and purer. As long as law enforcement dictates our drug-control policy, we are hurting, not healing, the human condition. Our policy needs to be dictated by those trained in clinical pharmacology and medical science, not by politicians. The federal government has a multibillion-dollar vested interest–DEA/criminal-justice system/ prison-industrial complex–in maintaining the status quo and imprisoning medically ill individuals. We have created a gigantic self-perpetuating crime machine. Chris Dmobrowski, M.D. Harmon, Guam

Your Special Report on addiction problems is especially painful and extremely important for our Central Asian region. Every day brings new victims of drug addiction, mostly teenagers. We need to face this problem not with ineffective medical treatment and a zero-tolerance policy–whereby addicted teenagers, expelled from schools, become someone else’s headache –but with counseling and support. We need to realize that these kids are our children’s friends, schoolmates, neighbors; they are our pain, our headache. Balzhan Suzhikova Almaty, Kazakhstan

One of the most astonishing facts in your excellent report is that there are more admissions for treatment for a legal drug–alcohol–than there are for heroin, cocaine and marijuana combined. Yet there are no stern warnings on bottles of booze. Alcohol remains legal through an accident of history. It became widely established early, and its effects, though devastating, are gradual. Unfortunately, it is now tightly woven into our social fabric. Martin French Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

I hope your report on the U.S. drug dilemma will help to turn political heads and to address the urgent need for drug-rehab programs. I’m addicted to cocaine and am crying for help. A few weeks ago I took the first step and went to the local hospital emergency room. I was hoping they would admit me for two to three days to begin a detox. I was told there is no such thing, but they provided me with the phone number of a rehab program. I went and was told my insurance would not cover the $8,000 program. I was also told the program is cheaper than my habit. Disappointed, ashamed and desperate, I didn’t know what to do next. I was afraid that if I didn’t get help I would be buying cocaine for the weekend. I then called my doctor for help. He told me to go to the admissions office at the hospital. He would call the office and have the papers all ready. Ten minutes later, I was there. I was turned away because my insurance would not immediately process the papers and give the OK. I was told to go home, they’d call me. That was two days ago. I’m now high on cocaine, crying, ashamed and feeling like death. Name Withheld Homestead, Florida

NEWSWEEK’s report on addiction and all that surrounds the problem is one of the most significant pieces I have ever read. Addiction is not black and white, nor is it gray. Addiction has the tentacles of an octopus and the grasp of the most cunning terrorist imaginable. There is no one solution to this massive disease that is devastating our youth. NEWSWEEK has taken a look at every corner of this problem and, with spirited discussion and frank opinions, has produced a package that everyone should read. In all fairness, though, I must make one observation and suggestion. An enormous problem that NEWSWEEK did not address in this issue is the rampant misuse of prescription drugs in America. Millions of Americans are suffering from a crippling addiction to hundreds of drugs that are legal in the United States. This kind of addiction is often unrecognized or ignored by the addict and his or her family until it is too late. As a recovering prescription-drug addict and someone who has faced the demons this enemy produces, I can testify that without intervention and treatment (and making incarceration a second option), we are going to lose this war. Addiction is a disease and not always a crime. Please, for the sake of every addict out there, continue to discuss and not criticize those who suffer. Thank you for your involvement with this very dangerous issue. Cindy McCain Phoenix, Arizona The Texas Two-Step It’s become a truism that President Bush’s first term will be a disaster because of partisan gridlock (" ‘I Will Work to Build a Single Nation’," U.S. AFFAIRS, Jan. 29). With Congress evenly divided, there’s no way for Bush to push through his programs without seeming like an uncompromising brute. But consider another scenario: a likable and politically nimble president, good at making friends with his biggest political foes and faced with an intractable Congress, skillfully shifts the blame onto his less photogenic colleagues in the House and Senate. Come midterm, public outrage over gridlock leads to a backlash–not against the president, but against the unpopular institution on Capitol Hill. Midterm congressional elections alter the political balance as the president becomes the most powerful force on the American political scene. Sound familiar? Gridlock ticks people off, but the president, speaking with one voice, has always been more adept at turning the tables on a dithering Congress. Also, Bush’s political credits consist of squaring off with Democrats in Texas and, in the event of a setback, making it seem like a victory. “Texas two-step” may become an accurate summary. John Barefield Budapest, Hungary Africa Matters Africa needs help in finding solutions to the political crises in its many countries (“Will the ‘Dark Continent’ Still Matter?” AFRICA, Jan. 1). Promoting Western-style democracy has proved unsuccessful. With their negative economic-growth rates, many African nations have failed to provide food, water and health services to their populations. Development assistance from the West is essential. The Bush administration cannot ignore this; further catastrophe in Africa must be avoided. Kokil K. Shah Mombasa, Kenya

According to George W. Bush, Africa will play no strategic role in his administration’s foreign-policy deliberations. This is cause for concern. By contrast, Al Gore sounded far more mature and responsible when he stated that Africa’s AIDS pandemic posed a threat to America’s national security. With two African-Americans now in Bush’s cabinet, perhaps there is some hope left for the “dark continent.” Werner Radtke Paderborn, Germany

Your article’s statistic of 25 million people infected with AIDS in Africa is terrifying. More than 16 million people have died of AIDS since the 1980s, 60 percent of them in sub-Saharan Africa. Education is no longer enough–with the majority of the population under a death sentence, it doesn’t seem to be serving any purpose. When I visited Nairobi recently, a tourist described the nightclubs there as a place where sex is offered “like a cup of tea.” Medical science must develop an affordable vaccine against AIDS; otherwise, in less than 15 years, this beautiful continent will become a desolate wasteland. Philip Clarke Basingstoke, England

The Children of Rwanda How can it be possible to adopt children who already have parents (“The Fight Over Rwanda’s Lost Children,” WORLD AFFAIRS, Nov. 13)? Has anyone thought of the parents whose children were taken away from them? I agree, life may be better in Italy than in Rwanda, but who can decide where these children should live? No one has the right to keep them in Europe; they should be sent back to their families. As you say, “It’s a war that no one is likely to win.” Sophie Hardy Noisy-Le-Grand, France

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-17” author: “Christopher Obrien”

Taking On Torture

choose

How disgusting can the human mind be! Fortunately, our European Union will not consider the use of torture even against terrorists. Otherwise, we might as well go back to the Middle Ages and send people to the stake. Massimo Mariani Turin, Italy

I’m just as upset as anyone about the September 11 attacks. As an American abroad, I tell my friends, neighbors, colleagues and strangers why my country is going after terrorists in Afghanistan. But I cannot accept the idea that torturing prisoners is necessary or desirable. Even to consider this is traitorous to the ideals that keep America on the high moral ground that makes us the “good guys” in this fight. If America institutes torture, we’re no better than the Taliban, the Viet Cong, Saddam Hussein. Worse still, Alter suggests that this torture should not take place on American territory, but in countries where there is no moral or legal scruple against torture. We should be loudly criticizing countries with such policies and demanding that they be stopped. I’m shocked, saddened and disappointed that the citizens of a great country like the United States would sink so low. David A. Widmayer Lengede, Germany

It is a telling indictment of American values and frame of mind that torture would be considered now and not in the case of Timothy McVeigh, who confessed to his crime but steadfastly refused to give any information about his accomplices. Torture–even as a measure to fight terrorism–was never mentioned then. The people in custody now are only suspects–with no confessions or proven complicity. The hypocrisy is so blatant, so obvious. Furthermore, Alter’s definition of torture includes Islamic justice and Saudi Arabia’s beheadings. He should know, however, that such punishments are meted out by Islamic law only after proper investigation and conviction: they are punishments for proven misdeeds, not means to obtain information. Incidentally, it was during the very early years of the Islamic state that the concept of innocent until proven guilty was established–more than 1,000 years before the drafting of the American Constitution. Amah Rag Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Alter’s column on torture shows how soon the moral grounds on which we were founded are becoming the first collateral damages of war. There’s no excuse for torture: it’s against human rights, it’s prohibited by the U.S. Constitution and by the laws of every decent, civilized country. Torture was abolished by most European countries during the 18th century. Wasn’t this one of the issues the United States was ready to give their citizens’ lives for–to fight a murderous regime which used torture freely? Thanks for pointing out that torture does not even work and that it destroys those who perform it on their victims. Perhaps there is a call for torture because today’s generation has grown up witnessing sadistic acts on TV, and does not understand what torture really means. There is no justification for leaving the ground on which Western civilization was founded. Godela Baldewein Oerlinghausen, Germany

Alter says that physical torture can’t be legalized because “it’s contrary to American values.” Yet, he adds, “… we’ll have to think about transferring some suspects to our less squeamish allies, even if that’s hypocritical.” In fact, any authority that did so would be an accomplice to the foreign torturers to whom the suspects would be turned over. Free citizens everywhere are supporting the fight against terrorism. They hope that this struggle will not be diminished by inhuman practices like torture, which would negate the values on which our civilization is founded. Torture is a crime under international law. We hope that U.S. citizens will resist justifying its use anywhere. Jean-Francois Benard, President Action of Christians for the Abolition of Torture Paris, France

Fathers and Sons

Terrorism and Accountability

Bridging the North-South Gap

Anthrax Anxiety

The Real Georgia?

Turning Off the Tube

Kudos to Karen Springen. Many Orthodox Jews share the same view about television. Not only do our children not watch TV, we often don’t even own one. Having grown up watching television, I was resistant to giving it up. My preferences were among the best that television had to offer, such as public broadcasting programs and football games of my favorite team. But thinking back, I recalled that the first time I saw a person being murdered indifferently by a gangster, I was appalled and wanted to vomit. The next time I saw something like that, I didn’t like it, but I didn’t feel nauseated. Desensitization is an important issue for children. Parents can determine how they want their children to react to abnormal violence–with disgust or with indifference. Turning on the TV is tantamount to opening a sluice gate and allowing the stuff into your home. My grandchildren will grow up without the two-hour daily exposure sanctioned by the American Academy of Pediatrics. They will see neither an ax murderer running amok on the screen nor the latest sexual perversion. If that turns them into social “lepers,” whose society would they really be missing? Arthur Bickel Ramat Beit Shemesh, Israel

Finland’s Golden Boys

The McDonagh Trilogies

not

A Dog’s Life

I was heartened to read your story on being a dog in Paris. Perhaps there’s hope for my new hometown of Berlin. I fail to understand why Berliners think that they can treat their city like a public toilet for their four-footed friends. Does the paltry annual “dog tax” they pay buy them this right? It fills me with dread that my daughter will soon be running through smelly parks. Could Yves Contassot, who espouses fining irresponsible dog owners, take a little trip to Berlin? I agree with him: we should hit errant dog owners where it hurts–right in the pocketbook. Malin Haugwitz Berlin, Germany

I like dogs, but I do not appreciate people who let their dogs relieve themselves on sidewalks or building walls, which is common here. In most French cities, especially in Marseilles, it’s smart to look where you’re walking. When fines are levied in France, we will no longer have to weave through dog droppings. Johan Mounier Aix-en-Provence, France

Hygiene, esthetics and economics all combine to make a persuasive case for using pooper-scoopers to pick up canine excrement. Low-tech toilet paper works, too. If Parisians were to carry a roll of tissue when walking their dogs, the streets under the Eiffel Tower would be free of 16 metric tons of mutt muffins. Individual responsibility is needed to keep the City of Light romantic, majestic and beautiful. Michael Driver Ichihara City, Japan

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-08” author: “Beth Warney”

Democracy in Pakistan?

I’d like to add some clarifications to General Musharraf’s comments. First, as a result of the 1970 general elections, the Pakistan People’s Party, under the leadership of the late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, formed the first democratic government. These were the first fair and free elections in Pakistan. With the support of all the political parties in the National Assembly, Bhutto had the 1973 Constitution approved. His government was also the first democratically elected government to complete its term in office. Second, in reference to Musharraf’s claim that he will continue to be president after the general elections, under the terms of the 1973 Constitution elections must be held in October 2002. Presidential candidates need to win a majority of the votes cast by the Electoral College, who are members of the four provincial legislative assemblies and both houses of Parliament. This is the only legal way for Musharraf to continue. Salim C. Mitha Coral Gables, Florida

How can President Musharraf claim that there was no democracy in Pakistan in the past, or that he’ll continue as president even after the 2002 elections? Does he understand what real democracy is? In his version, it looks as if a dictator can be the president. Perhaps he could declare himself king and have yet another kind of “democracy.” Rangaswamy N. Muniappan Yona, Guam

Afghan Women in Government

Drugs and Leprosy

ChairmanInternational Federation of Anti-Leprosy Associations, Medico-Social Commission

How many more poor patients will have to die from a shortage of drugs before we curb the profits of big pharmaceutical companies? Are we going to stand by even as our poorest nations sign World Trade Organization deals and their millions die from horrible diseases? The staggering reality of the bleak health prospects of the low-income nations should sound a wake-up call to the wealthy West to put in place global health policies that incorporate Big Pharma. Let us not rely on the comfort of the impalpable statistics; for a poor patient who needs these drugs, the difference is often life or death. Will we stand by and watch Africa, say, get wiped away by drug-responsive infections and infestations? Onyebuchi Arah Rotterdam, Netherlands

Tackling Muslim Issues

Finally, an unbiased article explaining the reason that the present situations exist in the Arab world and the Middle East. I would urge all those who want a better understanding of one of the most problematic areas in the world to read this Special Report. Mark Reitkopp Kibbutz Elrom, Israel

Fair play and sportsmanship have always been touted as part of American tradition and culture. But why is there no trace of that in America’s Middle East policy? The United States must realize that to lead and to dominate are two diametrically opposite things. To lead, one needs to command respect, not just project might. One must show wisdom, be fair and not use double standards, as America has been doing in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. You need power to dominate; to lead you need to have a superior quality, to command respect, so others follow and emulate you. Leaders walk in front. Herders use cowboys and sheepdogs. America’s practice of forcing its own ideals and way of life onto others is not much different from the Taliban’s forcing its extremism onto the people of Afghanistan. Neither can last. Jason M. Stone Nonthaburi, Thailand

Look at the way we’ve been behaving: protecting our borders with armed police; erecting “no-flight zones” in other people’s countries; propping up or tearing down foreign heads of state depending on whether they support our ideology or not. We love our ideology and call it democracy, but most of the world understands it’s really only making the world safe for American markets and protecting the sources of gasoline for American cars. In the name of free trade, we’ve wrecked the economies of several countries through currency speculation, created exploitation zones wherever there is cheap labor and seen pockets of obscene wealth forming wherever the entrepreneurs have headquarters. Most of the world’s investors have sent their money to our stock markets, and as a result of this all-the-eggs-in-one-basket logic, our economic failures are contributing to worldwide economic collapse. To many people who know us only at a distance, the American sense of entitlement has become monstrous. All over the world, buying people’s services, we expect to buy their admiration. Our consumption contributes more to global warming than anyone else’s, yet we refuse to help cure it. Price Calwell Tokyo, Japan

Using the CIA, widely perceived as America’s own terrorist organ operating in the Third World, the United States has masterminded the assassination of foreign leaders, invaded other nations in the name of fighting communism or engaged in various acts of unprovoked aggression against foreign leaders. In 1973 the CIA conspired to violently overthrow the government of Chilean President Salvador Allende. Before that, the United States invaded Vietnam with disastrous consequences, and mounted an economic and military blockade against Cuba. Americans funded and equipped Angolan hoodlums led by UNITA’s Jonas Savimbi to wage war against his homeland, as well as arming racist South Africans to kill blacks. That’s why America is hated. Slah Mari Maina Kaduna, Nigeria

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-07” author: “Kim Prat”

Your cover story on the Enron debacle illuminates the inbred, parochial thinking that dominates this administration’s approach to energy. Ken Lay is (was?) a friend of the president’s and of many key members of his administration. He was by some accounts a major contributor to the energy policy they formed. This energy plan was ill conceived and clearly crafted to benefit the oil executives. This is now more apparent than ever. Ken Lay’s actions and those of his fellow executives at Enron expose their moral hypocrisy. They withheld critical information from the public, deluded investors and employees about the true status of Enron, cashed in their own holdings while they still had value and, at the same time, prevented their own employees from selling Enron stock. As a consequence of their mismanagement and deception, thousands of people lost their jobs and a great many lost their retirement savings. Given the demonstrated dishonesty and lack of scruples of Lay and his fellow executives, any input they provided to our national energy plan is to be distrusted. In fact, the plan should be scrapped and a new effort to define an energy policy should be initiated that is open and includes participation by all relevant parties, not just energy executives. Paul W. Rosenberger Manhattan Beach, Calif.

This whole Enron story reminds me of the Ronald Reagan saga on Iran-contra. The president was said to be out of the loop, half of his administration was out of the loop and, lo and behold, critical documents were shredded. NEWSWEEK did a fine job with all of its contributors on the Enron story in helping us understand this awful mess. Let’s hope our Justice Department makes those who took all the money fess up. Is there a John Dean out there? Paula Belich Littlefield, Ariz.

What a pity we can’t treat the Enron executives who did wrong the way we now treat our domestic suspects in the September 11 attack: precipitous arrest, endless detention and frozen assets. My vote is to use all of their ill-gotten gains to fully compensate every last one of the victimized stockholders, employees and suppliers, and to keep the scum in uncomfortable hoose-gows (albeit with culturally appropriate cuisine) until they pay it all back. Frank LaRoche Los Angeles, Calif.

A Risky Business Gets Results

Director of Public AffairsCentral Intelligence Agency

Protecting the Tallest Tower

Steven Brill replies: The column does not say that rents at the Sears Tower have already risen. Rather, I was painting various possible scenarios, including the possibility that when a building like the Sears Tower has to renew its insurance, rents could shoot up if Congress doesn’t act.

Corrections

In a Jan. 14 story, “What’s Behind The Numbers?” (Periscope), we should have said that Chicago had the highest number of homicides among U.S. cities in 2001, not the highest number per capita.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-18” author: “Jessie Litton”

Why all the fuss about Martha? IF the allegations of her impropriety are proved true, she’ll likely pay the price. But why let her situation (small potatoes by comparison) overwhelm reporting on the real bad guys: the CEOs of Enron, WorldCom, Tyco and Halliburton, to name a few? These are the men who have contributed significantly to the plunge of the stock market and the decline of 401(k)s across the country. Will making Martha Stewart the sacrificial lamb restore consumer confidence? We think not. Robert and Manya Prahl Geneva, Ill.

Your cover story on Martha Stewart is chock full of innuendo and class envy. We are promised “An Insider Trading Scandal,” yet the story concludes that “it’s more likely that Peter Bacanovic [Stewart’s broker] deduced that ImClone was sinking and acted accordingly [by selling her stock].” The rest of the story focuses on Martha Stewart’s life as one of the rich and famous, as if a lavish lifestyle confirms she must be guilty of something. Living well is not a crime, nor is it a reason to yell “scandal” in a crowded theater, black tie or not. Greg Cunningham Des Moines, Iowa

Your article stated that Martha Stewart followed her prearranged plan and sold her ImClone shares when they dipped below $60 per share. Her voice message to Sam Waksal after the sale indicated her shock and surprise at the stock’s fall. Insider trading is mere speculation at this point. I am disgusted at the hammering Stewart continues to take. She doesn’t sell tobacco to teenagers or weapons to Third Worlders. Her goal is to enhance the lifestyle of average Americans–which she is accomplishing. David S. Mathis Houston, Texas

‘A Tragedy About Real People’ Your July 1 article “Code Blue in Jerusalem” is one of the saddest stories I have ever read. I can’t imagine the suffering being experienced by both sides. It shows that violence begets violence. How awful for the innocent people who pay with their lives for their governments’ inability to bring peace to the region. Ash Nasseri Charlotte, N.C.

I read your story on the Israeli trauma center with the numbness I now associate with the constant stream of stories on Middle East violence. The question asked of the trauma nurse by the sister of the 22-year-old woman murdered in the suicide bomb attack on the bus–“Please tell me, did you hold her hand?”–broke my heart. In the end, this is a tragedy about real people, with real families who just want to know if their loved ones were at least comforted during their final moments. Callie Pappas Pittsburgh, Pa.

Monstrous Ballyhoo Your July 1 article on Angela Bassett caught my eye (“Angela’s Fire”). Bassett wasn’t interested in the part of the black waitress in “Monster’s Ball” because, as she says, “I wasn’t going to be a prostitute on film.” “Monster’s Ball” is not about sex. It is about the possibility of compassion and healing. As a black woman, I applaud and affirm Halle Berry’s amazing performance in the film. Pearl Cleage Atlanta, Ga.

While Angela Bassett is indeed a gifted actress, she was never offered the role of Leticia in “Monster’s Ball” that Halle Berry played to perfection, and for which she so deservedly won an Academy Award. For the record, no actress besides Halle was ever offered the role, and for NEWSWEEK to suggest otherwise is a disservice to your readers and to Ms. Berry. Tom Ortenberg, President Lions Gate Films Releasing Marina Del Rey, Calif.

Editor’s note: NEWSWEEK stands by its reporting.

An Ever-Widening Income Gap Thank you so much for Anna Quindlen’s reminder that we still have problems within our own borders, one of the worst being the ever-widening gap between the haves and have-nots (“Staring Across a Great Divide,” The Last Word, July 1). Though I qualify as a “have,” I have learned a great deal about the “other side of the tracks” in my current profession: foster mother. Most of the children I’ve had in my home come from young, low-income, single mothers who did the best they could but were deemed “neglectful” for being unable to provide for their children. In some ways, I have taken these women’s places. The state now pays me very well to stay home and raise their kids while they flip burgers somewhere and send a portion of their income to child support. It might be an OK situation if the kids did not cry themselves to sleep every night, missing their mothers. I am the new welfare queen. Mary Callahan Lisbon, Maine

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-16” author: “Stanley Reinhold”

Thank you for accurately portraying the importance and complexities of sleep (“In Search of Sleep,” July 15). Despite evidence indicating that sleeplessness is a major threat to public health and safety, according to our polls fewer than one in 10 sleep problems are diagnosed and fewer still are treated. Two key changes are needed. First, individuals must be aware of symptoms of possible sleep disorders, such as snoring and excessive daytime sleepiness, and discuss them with their physician. Second, physicians and other health professionals involved in primary care should make sleep symptoms and habits a regular part of a patient’s medical history. James K. Walsh, Ph.D., President National Sleep Foundation Washington, D.C.

Oh, joy. Another “science” article that uncovers the mysterious workings of our body’s most natural processes–sleep and dreaming–only to cheerfully hope that “science” can find a “miracle pill” to replace them. While you quote researchers on the necessity of sleep and dreaming for both brain repair and emotional processing, you perpetuate the medical and pharmaceutical ignorance of the problems we cause for our bodies and minds by the way we live: frantic, manic, believing we can have it all and failing to attend to our emotional lives in any significant way. As a psychologist trying to help people learn about their minds and emotions, I am dismayed by America’s love affair with drugs. We ignore the signals of our distress and leave the burden of rescuing our overloaded lives to our sleeping brains and tortured dreams. Karen Peoples San Francisco, Calif.

I have suffered from sleep apnea for most of my adult life and have been happily using CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure). Sadly, your article “Sounds of Sleep” says that CPAP is “neither comfortable nor portable.” These assertions do not describe my experience. In the four years I have used CPAP, I usually experience discomfort for the first five minutes after I lie down, whereupon I then lapse into a wonderful night’s sleep. As for portability, my CPAP–the least expensive model around–is about the size of a lunchbox, and I have traveled all over the world with it as carry-on luggage. I understand there are travel models on the market that are even smaller. It is hard enough for people to decide to wear this apparatus, and unfortunate that now they may also be discouraged from getting the rest they need. Neon Weiss San Francisco, Calif.

Barbara Kantrowitz merrily writes that her $1,200-to-$1,600 night’s stay in a sleep-disorder clinic is covered by most health-insurance policies. Considering the debates surrounding the skyrocketing costs of health care, it is a comfort to know that the payment we struggled to make last month went to a good cause, the clinical diagnosis of Kantrowitz’s need to use nose spray and cut back on her fourth cup of coffee to wake up perky. Perhaps if insurers dared to discriminate between the cost of lifesaving and life-sustaining health measures and the cost of medically supervised lifestyle enhancement, we could all enjoy quality health care at a more affordable price. Nancy Jowske Whitmore Lake, Mich.

Your article on sleep deprivation lists more than a dozen possible causes of sleep disorders. Although you mention noises within the bedroom, I was surprised that you didn’t mention the noises that occur outside the home. There are many people who exercise, keep regular hours and avoid caffeine who would sleep soundly if they simply had considerate neighbors. Sure, some noises are unavoidable, but how many millions of Americans have their sleep shattered unnecessarily by the blast of car alarms or industrial-size wind chimes, to name just a few? The fact that the risk of disease and accidents increases with lack of sleep should lead more people to get serious about addressing noise problems in their communities. Janet Ryan Ocean Grove, N.J.

Thank you for your informative cover story on sleep disorders. For years I tossed and turned all night and consequently was tired all day long. I tried a number of remedies, but none was the least bit helpful. Then my specific allergies were diagnosed. Dust- and mite-proofing my bedroom has resulted in my sleeping soundly every night. I was stunned that such a simple intervention changed my life so dramatically. Melody Thompson Columbus, Ohio

I mourn the passing of baseball great Ted Williams, a 20th-century original, who was, among other things, a fighter pilot in WWII and Korea and a world-class fisherman (" ‘Simply the Best’," transition, July 15). He will also be remembered as a social visionary. Williams was among the first to recognize the emergence of black and Latino ballplayers on the major-league scene, urging the owners of his beloved Red Sox to have them get their 75 swings a day. His long fight for a cancer cure touched me most. How proper, then, that this man for all seasons also has the legacy of having helped ailing youngsters have additional seasons of their own. Norman L. Bender Woodbridge, Conn.

At today’s torrid pace, surely Ted Williams’s amazing batting records will eventually be eclipsed by present-day buff Goliath batters. To preserve Williams’s legacy, his statistics should therefore be qualified with an asterisk in the record books, indicating “steroid-free.” David M. Pepper malibu, calif.

I studied in disbelief the photo of the woman who was gang-raped in accordance with the ruling of a Pakistani tribal court as punishment for a perceived sexual transgression by her 12-year-old brother (“Criminal Justice,” 1000 words, July 15). I guess we Americans are not as “evil and decadent” as some countries would have one believe. Maybe you have to belong to a fundamentalist society to really view this as “justice.” It’s ironic that a society that so values its women’s purity would allow this. Maria Engel New York, N.Y.

As a former resident of Havana’s “golden ghetto” (Cuba’s American colony that prospered in pre-Castro days), I was moved to tears while reading about the valiant architects determined to preserve the city’s ancient and modern buildings (“Saving Havana,” July 15). I remember well the golf course where Castro and Guevara played, where they imagined schools on the fairways and where they foresaw poor families, once exploited by the Mafia-supported Batista regime, living in the comfort they deserved. Had the powerful American business leaders in Havana in the 1950s considered the plight of Cubans instead of their own financial gains, perhaps such dreams could have been realized long ago, and the revolution averted altogether. Caroline Lazo Minneapolis, Minn.

Affordable Medicine, Please

Contrary to Robert J. Samuelson’s opinion, a Medicare drug benefit is good policy (“Let’s Hope for Gridlock,” July 15). Many patients skimp on lifesaving medications because they can’t afford them. A drug benefit would be cost-effective, especially if regulated like other Medicare expenses. Let’s learn from less prosperous nations and provide universal health care with a drug benefit for all citizens. Jerry Frankel, M.D. Plano, Texas

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-24” author: “Belle Ramerez”

Bush’s Case Against Iraq

Thank you for your excellent cover story on the origins of Saddam Hussein and the United States’ role in helping this tyrant gain the capability of becoming a national-security threat (“How We Helped Create Saddam,” Sept. 23). To be fair, however, we were hardly alone. Germany, France, Russia and Britain all cheerfully provided the technology for Iraq’s chemical-, biological- and nuclear-weapons programs. If the world’s attitude toward Iraq hadn’t been “Don’t ask, just sell,” we’d still be debating domestic issues, rather than preparing America’s sons and daughters for the possibility of another war. Cindy Sanford Mifflinville, Pa.

I am confused. In his U.N. speech, President Bush outlined the many U.N. resolutions that Saddam Hussein has ignored, warning the United Nations that it risks becoming “irrelevant” if it continues to let this happen (“Selling the World on War,” Sept. 23). He then finished his speech with the pronouncement that if the world organization does not act, then America will, unilaterally. If this is the case, it seems that Bush will then be in a mad race with Saddam to see who will be the first to relegate the United Nations to the trash heap of irrelevance. James W. Scheer Soquel, Calif.

Christopher Dickey and Evan Thomas’s cover story finally attempts to bring some balance to the generally one-sided coverage of the “war on terrorism.” They highlight the Reagan and first Bush administrations’ attempts to manipulate the balance of power in the Middle East. American oil interests and hubris helped empower and entrench Saddam in Iraq. But under what rationale does the United States have some duty or right to “fix” Iraq or any other sovereign nation? We have none. What we do have is the right to defend ourselves and our allies against attack, and we must be prepared to do this swiftly and with devastating force. But a pre-emptive strike to remove a sovereign nation’s head of state is an act that says to me that the terrorists have already won. Chris Lee Oakland, Calif.

Secretary Of Defense Donald Rumsfeld says Iraq has stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons. After reading “How We Helped Create Saddam,” I now realize how he would know that. When he worked for President Ronald Reagan, Rumsfeld was responsible for seeing that Saddam had these weapons for use against the Iranians. Of course, the bottom line then, as it is now, was oil. Apparently any atrocity is acceptable in the name of oil. Imagine if our Founding Fathers had known what our leadership would be up to today. God save America, and the world, from those who conspire in the name of democracy. Genevieve C. Fraser Orange, Mass.

The American people are being told that Saddam Hussein’s government must be replaced because it possesses nuclear and chemical weapons and has a policy of first use. However, there is another government in the world that undeniably meets these criteria, and that is the United States. To be consistent, shouldn’t we then call for George W. Bush’s administration to be replaced as well? Mignonne Davis Lexington, Mass.

The unintended consequences of war are generally worse than anyone imagined at the war’s outset: the bourgeois European countries that entered WWI did not foresee the resultant Bolshevism; the Allies that defeated Hitler in WWII could not foresee an expanding Soviet empire or a communist China; Western aid to the Afghans, after Russia’s occupation, was not intended to create Al Qaeda or the Taliban. America’s earlier support for Saddam Hussein was intended to counterbalance Iran. With its large population and resources, Iran is the natural hegemon of the Middle East. But as long as it is ruled by extremists, it represents a threat. Seen in this light, American support for Saddam during the Reagan years was not a blunder, but rather the normal balancing that is part of international relations. Balance is still required. Unless Iranian President Mohammed Khatami’s reforms are more successful than they have been to date, taking out Iraq may prove to be a major blunder. Richard H. Howarth Reston, Va.

The desire to attack Iraq and dispose of Saddam Hussein has a Machiavellian bent to it captured best by a quotation from a famous German of WWII. “Naturally the common people don’t want war… But after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament or a communist dictatorship… All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.” That was said by Hermann Goring, Adolf Hitler’s second in command. W. E. Willingham Boone, N.C.

NEWSWEEK asks, “Can We Fix Iraq?” I ask, who are “we”? If you are referring to Americans, that strikes me as arrogant. We will have trouble fixing ourselves as long as we continue to think of violence as an acceptable way to solve our problems. That’s not the lesson we should be teaching our children. Rachel MacNair Kansas City, Mo.

Until I read Lorraine Ali’s moving childhood recollection (“The Baghdad I Knew,” Sept. 23), I had been opposed to a military strike against Iraq for political reasons alone. Thanks to Ali’s heart-rending, first-person account, I now have a portrait of the real honest-to-goodness people like us who live in Iraq. They have people who love and worry about their well-being just as we do. As I continue to oppose the United States’ unilaterally attacking Iraq, I do so with a newly found compassion for my fellow human beings. Instead of using all means to topple Saddam Hussein, my hope is that we use all means to find a peaceful solution and put an end to this crisis. JoAnn Lee Frank Clearwater, Fla.

The Chilling Cost of War

Robert J. Samuelson correctly states the economic realities of American wealth and the costs of going to war against Iraq (“A War We Can Afford,” Sept. 23). The richest nation on earth, with a $10 trillion GDP, clearly has the resources to fund a military budget of $350 billion. And, he says, we can well afford the $40 billion in “pocket change” the war in Iraq is likely to cost. Odd then, that the Senate recently rejected a proposal to provide seniors with even a skeletal Medicare drug benefit because we could not afford the $39 billion annual cost–a dime on the military dollar. Rich as we are, we make choices about spending priorities… with a little help from industry lobbyists. If we can afford a pre-emptory war against Iraq, it’s largely because we haven’t spent that money on our elderly poor. Joseph Chianese Oakland, Calif.

Robert J. Samuelson’s article left me dumbfounded. A country that needs to borrow $150 billion for its current-year budget, has a staggering national debt, needs universal health care urgently, is neglecting its schools and inner cities, and is not fulfilling its Afghanistan rebuilding promises can certainly not “afford” a new war. Thomans B. Jones Madison, Wis.

Facing Up to a Family’s Past

Good for Dewitt Hamilton for having the courage to face her family’s past (“What’s in a Name? A Legacy of Slavery,” My Turn, Sept. 23). However, it is misleading to refer to Harriet Jacobs’s “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl” as a “fictionalized account.” Only the names in that account are changed. The literal truth of the events was affirmed by George W. Lowther and Amy Post, friends of the narrator, to abolitionist Lydia Maria Child, editor of the narrative. Timothy J. Maloney Lambertville, Mich.

I was struck by Dewitt Hamilton’s account of slavery in her family. I am currently studying the writing of Harriet Jacobs and Frederick Douglass in an African-American literature class. We can all learn from such literature. There are “a million wrongs that cannot be made right” about slavery, but with understanding and comprehension of those wrongs, we might be able to bridge the gaps that still exist in our country. We might start with looking at the literature and then reflecting upon ourselves. It is time to heal the wounds that have afflicted us for so long. Kari Steger Rochester, N.Y.

More Vexed Voters in Florida As a resident and voter of Florida, I take offense at the phrase in the opening sentence of your article “Talk About Alligator Alley” (Sept. 23). “Even by the bleak standards of Florida” clearly shows a less than thorough investigation of the voting problems and the caliber of the County Elections Supervisors in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties. Had you looked closer you would have found that Gov. Jeb Bush has been at the forefront of election reform and is perhaps the nation’s leading proponent of accurate and complete elections. R. M. Stone Ft. Myers, Fla.

Recent Reflections on 9-11

On America’s day of sorrow, the first anniversary of September 11, I heard and read many heartfelt words of memorial. At the end of it all, I decided the most important thing that I heard or saw was the unforgettable reading of the names, which provided a human face of identity for all who were lost. I thought this would be the memorial that would remain in my conscience after the speeches and ceremonies fade. Then I read Anna Quindlen’s essay, “Strong as the Gusting Wind” (Sept. 23). Her eloquent words provided the memorial I will cherish. Ron Walker Bradenton, Fla.

Anna Quindlen is right that those who lost loved ones in the terrorist attacks have become “accidental experts.” I can only imagine their overwhelming need to fully understand everything about that fateful day, and, consequently, want to make changes in government. What she didn’t mention, however, is that we as a nation need to join them. The shock, fear and confusion I felt as a result of the attacks have inspired me to become a smarter citizen. I find myself checking out books like “The History of Iraq” along with my children’s “Arthur” books at the library. I choose to listen to National Public Radio much more often. And in my ongoing struggle against feeling like just another American who has no control of what truly matters in Washington, I have finally realized the incredible power of one simple action–the educated vote. We have been encouraged to “get out the vote,” but not necessarily to get out and vote for someone because we’ve taken the time to understand what a candidate represents and believes in. Never again will I vote for someone because I recognize his or her name from a yard sign, or because he or she is the incumbent or used to be a professional wrestler. This freedom to be able to choose who makes decisions for us is a freedom too many of us have either waived altogether, or made without considering the ramifications. The freedom to choose our leaders is the ultimate freedom. Linda Madson Minneapolis, Minn.

Anna Quindlen writes that the kin of those who died on September 11 now have the “moral authority to become a powerful force in the future.” Yes, what happened that day was terrible. But the constant drumbeat of the media–including Quindlen’s–has turned something very sad into a glorified happening. It should be remembered–not exploited. Frank Amanita Brooklyn, N.Y.

Noelle Bush’s Troubles

I don’t think anyone is going to argue that Noelle Bush would benefit from a lengthy mandatory prison sentence for possession of crack cocaine (“Truth or Consequences,” periscope, Sept. 23). While I can sympathize with the Bush family’s ongoing troubles with substance abuse, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush’s relentless opposition to the state’s short-lived treatment-instead-of-incarceration ballot initiative is hypocritical, to say the least. (Proponents of the initiative are expected to put it on the Florida ballot in 2004.) If drug treatment works for the Bushes, why not apply the same standard to Americans from less influential families? Robert Sharpe Program Officer, Drug Policy Alliance Washington, D.C.

The center for drug-free living’s officials should be charged with obstruction of justice for breaking their own rules by not reporting Noelle Bush’s possession of crack cocaine while under their care, lest the other participants at the center receive a lesson on the class-warfare nature of the drug war. We would not want poor minorities to realize that our zero-tolerance policies are aimed at them, not the wealthy white kids, would we? Matthew Hulett Short Hills, N.J.

Emphasize the Positive

I appreciate your Sept. 23 issue containing the next frontiers section on careers and technology. Gloom and doom have been a pervasive theme this past year: the tragedy of September 11, crooked corporate executives, child kidnappings, a tanking stock market and so on. I have been so worried about our great country’s future, but when I picked up my latest issue of NEWSWEEK and went right to the next frontiers articles, it was like magic. My spirits lifted immediately. I suddenly felt the promise and hope for our country and people. We only need to persevere through these hard times. The news media could help by following the terrible negative news with more positive, straightforward articles like these. Margaret Wren Mullen Rehoboth Beach, Dela.

Correction

In the Sept. 23 Tip Sheet article “Is Your Boss Honest?” we said that Barbara Ley Toffler, an ethics expert, was hired away from Harvard Business School in 1995 to work for Arthur Andersen. In fact, Toffler was working for her own consulting company at the time.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-02” author: “Nancy Deleon”

Two days before I received my June 17 issue of NEWSWEEK (“The United States of eBay”), I quit eBay cold turkey. I ignored the text messages that alerted me when I had been outbid. I changed my morning routine, still checking my e-mail but resisting the urge to check my eBay status. I felt in control, strong, saved. Then NEWSWEEK arrived in the mail. My resolve was put to the test. Based on more experience than I’d even like to admit, I have to disagree with the sentiment expressed in the article’s sidebar that there are no bargains on eBay (“How to Play the eBay Game”). On the contrary, if you know exactly what you want, what the item costs in the stores and what you are willing to pay, you can and will find what you want on eBay. Recently, my daughter wanted to buy a ridiculously overpriced sweat-shirt jacket that all of her friends have, but I said no. Then we went on eBay, found what she wanted and, while she learned volumes about patience, delayed gratification, limits and free enterprise, we ended up with the jacket–at about half the price her friends had paid. She is the hero of her clique for this shopping coup, and the other girls are now scouring eBay for more bargains. Thank you for bringing my happy obsession out into the open. And, by the way, you owe me $61 for the item I bid on this morning. Randi Geffner Los Angeles, Calif.

As an avid surfer of ebay, I made the mistake of buying a vehicle from an Internet car dealer through the eBay Web site. Upon delivery, I immediately realized I had been duped, but the dealer refused to take back the car and refund my money. I now have a lawsuit pending against the dealer in his home state. Through this experience, I discovered perhaps the biggest problem with eBay: while the buying and selling of products can be done across the country via Internet, the American legal system tends to stop at the state line. So unless your case is one of the few in which eBay takes an interest, you are stuck with the task of bringing charges against someone who may be thousands of miles away. For the average American, that can be inconvenient, expensive and downright confusing. Until our legal system catches up with our e-commerce system, consider eBay a “buyer beware” e-store. Eric Kierstead Cary, N.C.

The same day I read your ebay cover story, I received the 234th item I’ve ordered as a consumer in “the world’s biggest online marketplace.” The item? A hard-to-find baseball card of Dave Winfield that was originally given to fans at a 1977 San Diego Padres game. I had searched in vain for this item for more than a decade, and I thought I’d never be able to complete my collection. I’m sure I’d still be looking for this elusive card if we were living in an eBay-less world. It took a while, but supply finally met (my) demand. Thank goodness for eBay. Owen Lockwood Fairfield, Conn.

I made a couple of successful ebay purchases–a TWA flight bag and some TWA cups and saucers–but I am still waiting for the German kitchen knives that I paid $55 for but, despite three letters to the company, never arrived. It has been more than 18 months and eBay has been no help in getting me the knives or my money back. Getting once burned was enough to turn me off. Joseph D. Policano East Hampton, N.Y.

Your article seems to rely on statistics provided by eBay to evaluate its rate of fraudulent sales. EBay obviously has a vested interest in promoting the relatively risk-free nature of its service. It is up to the buyer, therefore, to take the responsibility of protecting him- or herself. I suggest practicing some (or all) of the following to minimize the risk of fraud on eBay: First, buy only from sellers with positive seller ratings. They have worked to earn those ratings and probably will not risk losing that for a transaction. Second, use escrow services for a transaction. This enables the buyer to inspect the goods before payment is transferred to the seller. Moreover, if the buyer has a legitimate problem with the product, the escrow company can facilitate a reduced price or a return for credit. Third, buy only from sellers in your local area or state. Unfortunately, the venue for small-claims court is based on the seller’s location. Savvy sellers with fraudulent intentions take full advantage of these significant barriers to justice. Glen Fraser San Diego, Calif.

As far as finding just the right item, eBay is second to none. Where else could I type in “Gladstone, New Jersey,” and come up with a postcard showing the ice-cream parlor where my grandmother used to take me for sundaes 45 years ago? If I searched for decades through junk and antiques shops, I could never find as many treasures as easily as I can on eBay. Catherine Lyle Seattle, Wash.

Bravo to Adriana Gardella for an insightful look into the struggle of growing up fatherless (“Living in the Shadow of a Lost Father,” My Turn, June 17). Once a carefree 9-year-old, I felt my world turn upside down in a flash when my father died abruptly. For a kid, it’s a light-bulb moment–bad things really happen. After September 11, I was shocked when I heard of the staggering amount of children left without a father or mother. When death happens swiftly and unexpectedly, there are no goodbyes and therefore a slim chance for closure. For some children it can take years before the harsh reality sinks in, leaving them swirling in a sea of negative emotions including embarrassment, sadness, fear and anger. We are lucky today because, as Gardella points out, there is an “army of advocates” to answer a sad child’s age-old question, “Why me?” Or as in the World Trade Center, Pentagon and United Airlines Flight 93 cases, “Why us?” Arlene Koster Horwitz Ventura, Calif.

Rather than envy the children who lost parents on September 11 for the emotional and psychological support they receive, Adriana Gardella’s energies may be better put to use attending a bereavement camp or, better yet, volunteering her time to an organization that works with grieving children. Patrice Schooley Irvine, Calif.

Will Writers Have Their Say?

Kudos to Anna Quindlen, one of my favorite writers, for criticizing attempts by bureaucrats to “dumb down” the next generation by removing objectionable words from excerpts of literature on standardized tests (“With a No. 2 Pencil, Delete,” The Last Word, June 17). This is especially egregious since the New York state Regents exams are supposed to test the intellectual readiness of students for the rigors of higher education. By the time teenagers take the Regents, most have been exposed to racist, sexist rap music and violent and sexually explicit movies. Yet they may be unable to write a coherent sentence using standard grammar, thanks to e-mail and instant messaging. Shouldn’t they also be exposed to a bit of literature and intellectually stimulating ideas? We complain that kids don’t know how to think for themselves–perhaps it’s because we don’t let them. Michelle Edelman Boca Raton, Fla.

Bravo to Anna Quindlen! as a professor emeritus with 40 years of teaching experience behind me, I also continue to fume as I think about the so-called educational experts who are doing a disservice to our children with their ludicrous guidelines for reading selections. How long before we evolve into a society of the “emotionally neutered”? Albert Beck Monroe City, Mo.

I strongly disagree with Anna Quindlen’s rationale for including controversial material in a test of reading comprehension. She suggests that students “deserve something tastier” than “pabulum,” and I agree–but a standardized test is not an appropriate venue for pursuing this aim. An assessment instrument is not a tool for exposing students to legitimate “variations in opinions and background” but a tool for determining what skills they have already learned. The removal of controversial or emotional content simply levels the playing field so that scores are clearly based on comprehension of the language, not on positive or negative reactions, or on knowledge or ignorance of questionable issues. Lyn Mellone Salinas, Calif.

Anna Quindlen’s essay “With a No. 2 Pencil, Delete” is absolutely, 100 percent correct. I am 14 years old, and I don’t think that editing the New York Regents exam is a good decision. I was particularly shocked by the state guideline that asks, “Does the material assume values not shared by all test takers?” Does such written material exist? We as people don’t all think alike, and I am offended that the New York State Education Department thinks that I, as a young person, am so dense that I can’t handle reading anything with opinions different from my own. How can you learn anything if what you are taught is what you already know? Kit Ryan Murphysboro, Ill.

Watching the details unfold in the highly visible Michael Skakel murder trial, I thought there was no way a person of Skakel’s wealth and Kennedy connections would ever get convicted of such a crime (“At Long Last, ‘Martha’s Day’,” June 17). When the verdict was read, I found myself buoyant that a mother’s long-awaited day of justice had come. It not only renewed my long-tainted faith in the justice system, but it made my heart rejoice for Martha Moxley, a young lady who never had a chance to shine in life. Christy Savella-Sanders Los Angeles, Calif.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-22” author: “Jose Khan”

Fathers and Sons

In my opinion, Fareed Zakaria’s column “It’s Time to Do as Daddy Did” (World View, Aug. 12) reveals a disturbing lack of knowledge about the world outside the United States. Zakaria seems to think that invading Iraq to rid the country of a leader the United States does not approve of is no different from liberating Kuwait from occupation by Iraq and that all the United States has to do is push a button and suddenly the United Nations will bow down to the “wisdom” of George W. Bush. He proceeds to say that the United States “has been concerned about international norms, and has had, in Thomas Jefferson’s phrase, a ‘decent respect for the opinions of mankind’.” Well, if the United States has a decent respect for the opinions of mankind, it should listen to the world and hear how everyone protests an illegal war against Iraq. Oystein Hetland Bryne, Norway

Fareed Zakaria’s advice that President Bush seek the counsel of his father, George H.W. Bush, on how to deal with Iraq is a blueprint for disaster. The father bears a heavy responsibility for Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait. Before Saddam Hussein launched the attack on his neighbor, he wanted to know how the United States regarded the territorial dispute between the two countries. So he asked the U.S. ambassador to Baghdad. Her reply was that the United States would regard the matter as a “Pan-Arab affair.” She was obviously speaking for her superiors, Secretary of State James Baker and President Bush. This reply gave Saddam the green light he sought. True, President George H.W. Bush demonstrated great diplomatic skill in creating an alliance to support the subsequent U.S. military response. But his decision to allow Iraq’s only effective fighting force, the Republican Guard, to withdraw to Baghdad with its equipment intact was a blunder of the first magnitude. The dissolution of Iraq’s military, the disposal of Saddam and a thorough inspection of all facilities for producing weapons of mass destruction could have been achieved at relatively low cost and few casualties. Objections from our allies would have been pro forma. But it was not done. George W. Bush now wants to send a military force of hundreds of thousands to punish Iraq for failing to live up to the obligations it agreed to after the U.S. forces left. Every Arab country would oppose such an invasion; none would allow the use of its territory to launch the attack. The United Nations and all European countries would condemn the attack. It would be a disaster. Incompetence appears to run in the Bush family, who seem to believe in staying your hand when the iron is hot and striking when it’s cold. Aaron Sternfield Morges, Switzerland

Fareed Zakaria says, “the United States derives much of its standing in the world because… it has been concerned about international norms and has had, in Thomas Jefferson’s phrase, a ‘decent respect for the opinions of mankind’.” Such being the case, how come the U.S. government is trying to get around the risk of possibly exposing U.S. soldiers to the International Court of Justice in The Hague? This behavior represents a lack of respect for the European practice of offering fair trials and illustrates unsurpassable arrogance of power. Rolf H. Zuercher Walchwil, Switzerland

In his optimistic appraisal of chances for finding a broad international coalition in a second war against Iraq, why did Zakaria fail to write a single line about the unresolved conflict between Israel and the Palestinians as a major obstacle to achieving a united front? Moreover, one must not forget that in 1990 and 1991 almost every Arab country went along with the Americans because one Islamic country (Iraq) had invaded another (Kuwait). The situation today is completely different and, I hasten to add, a lot more difficult and complicated than it was almost 12 years ago. Werner Radtke Paderborn, Germany

Island in the Sun?

I was disappointed to read the sidebar accompanying your article “From Rags to Riches” ("‘We Were… Like Slaves’," Asia, Aug. 12). It is not right to portray Mauritius as a sweatshop island. We are proud of our textile and apparel industry, which supplies goods to the largest, most reputable retail organizations in Europe and America–with the most rigorous labor standards for Mauritian and foreign workers. Our factories are being regularly inspected and audited by representatives of those European and American customers. This industry has raised the standard of living of the Mauritian population, particularly women, to one of the highest in Africa. It has allowed Mauritius to invest in its neighbors and to create stable employment, foreign-exchange inflows and sustainable growth where before there were poverty and despair. Political and business leaders here strive together to uphold the principles of true democracy and good governance under the rule of law to better promote the interests of our own people and those of our neighbors. Maurice Vigier de Latour President, American Chamber of Commerce (Mauritius) Port Louis, Mauritius

You say that 100 years ago, Chinese coolies were recruited to harvest sugar cane in Mauritius. Let me inform you that the Chinese did not come here to work in sugar fields; immigrants from India were recruited to toil in those. The Chinese came to work in commerce and they have flourished. Not a single descendant of Chinese immigrants can be found working with sugar cane, but plenty of descendants of Indian coolies and African slaves are still toiling away in sugar-cane fields in Mauritius. Souren Gokooloopadhya Mt. Blanche, Mauritius

While your article dealt with the case of one isolated employer, namely Novel Garments, which treated its employees badly, the tone of your piece suggested that such cases are quite common in Mauritius. Of course, as with anything else, there are occasional problems like abusive employers everywhere. Here the language barrier is definitely a big obstacle to the integration of the Chinese workers in the country, but they do enjoy the same status as Mauritian citizens, and they are protected by laws. They can even join trade unions. Besides, newcomers quickly learn the most common languages here, and they travel around, they go to the market and to restaurants just like everyone else. Mohammad Jaunbocus Port Louis, Mauritius

I would like to inform you that migrant workers in our country enjoy the same rights as Mauritian citizens–including the right to join unions. And naturally, our Constitution prohibits all forms of discrimination. The employment contracts of all migrant workers are verified by the Ministry of Labour and Industrial Relations, and regular inspections are carried out to monitor the enforcement of labor laws and standards. Showkutally Soodhun Minister of Labour and Industrial Relations Port Louis, Mauritius

Abusing Aid

Your Aug. 12 article “Fishy Smells” in “Cleanup Time: Here Comes the ‘Un-Arafat’” (World Affairs) touched a problem that is more than just tins of sardines going astray: I believe that aid promotes corruption. While it is obvious that we the inhabitants of this planet need to support each other, the concept of aid does not serve that purpose. In the 1980s a tin of soybean oil ended up in my kitchen in a north Indian hill station. The small print said: not for sale. The oil was American aid for Tibetan refugees, who had sold it and gone to the liquor shop to drench their miseries. Another time, in an orphanage in south India, I was helping children make rag dolls for which I needed crude cotton filling. The staff happily directed me to the medical room and a shelf with fine cotton for medical purposes–aid from Canada–that the staff reasoned was “free.” Such are the demoralizing consequences of aid. Sashana Askjellerud Eastbourne, England

In “Cleanup Time: Here Comes the ‘Un-Arafat’,” Dan Ephron writes that the Palestinians are selling sardines donated by the European Community. What a surprise! Up to now it was only rations provided by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) that were being sold to line the pockets of corrupt Arab administrators and opportunists–and that has been going on for decades while Europeans turned a blind eye. Salam Fayyad managed to free $15 million from Israel for the Palestinian Authority? Hooray! But how much of it is actually going to help poor Palestinians? Recently, Yasir Arafat was reported to have allegedly deposited more than $5 million into his personal bank account. One cannot help but wonder where that money came from. Aryeh Wetherhorn Elazar, Israel

A Vanishing Wonder of the World

I could not help but feel uneasy about your Aug. 5 report “The Late Great Wall” (Asia), which outlines the desperate need to preserve this ancient Chinese landmark. While no one with a historical sense likes to see the kitschification of historic sites that tourism and the travel industry often bring in their wake, it is simply a matter of economics. What we need to realize is that this landmark belongs as much to today’s economy as it does to the past and to our desire to preserve it. Just as Westerners flock to their Greco-Roman heritage sites, Asian upper classes would, of course, gain a bit of sophistication by “taking a fresh look” at their heritage, symbolized by the wall. But the real question is, who should come first–history buffs or the peasants in their “peasant-operated tourist traps”? As a resident of Southeast Asia, I have been annoyed countless times by people who earn their livelihood at similar tourist sites, but I would not dream of charging them with ruining my cultural experience. As for UNESCO’s participation, I have seen its work in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam, where it turned a limestone cave into a colored-light spectacle with concrete walkways and mechanically aided waterfalls. The well intentioned often do as much harm as unchecked profiteers in the “crusade” to save history. Needless to say, there is no debating the historical importance and the lesson of this magnificent construction. But today’s Chinese should not have to suffer for the Great Wall’s magnificence. Matthew Smith Bangkok, Thailand

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-14” author: “James Hasenberg”

A Woman’s Right to Know the Facts

At 75, I don’t say this lightly: you can take away my chocolate (a near addiction) before you’ll get me to give up my estrogen (“The End of the Age of Estrogen?” July 22). I started hormone-replacement therapy (HRT) 43 years ago after an emergency oophorectory and subsequent hysterectomy. My general health is good, and I plan to keep it that way. Having witnessed the promotion and then demotion of medications, therapies, foods and diets over several decades, I am somewhat cynical. And having been subject to misdiagnoses and resultant discomforts for temporary health problems, I decide which medications I’ll agree to take after a careful perusal of possible side effects. Mary Lou McLoughlin Guilford, Conn.

As a physician and founder of a pharmacy that compounds natural hormones, I’d like to add to your comprehensive article on the hormone quandary. I have been using natural hormones in my practice and personally for more than seven years and have found them to be most effective at treating the symptoms of menopause and other hormonal imbalances. Unfortunately, the articles don’t discuss natural hormones that are without side effects. Hormones are created naturally by our bodies, keep us young and help prevent illness. Hormones derived from plants are the closest thing to our own hormones. Studies ought to be done on natural hormones because women needn’t suffer through what should be the best time of their lives. Erika T. Schwartz, M.D. Hawthorne, N.Y.

I am one of the thousands of participants in the Women’s Health Initiative’s study on hormone-replacement therapy. More significantly, I am one of the less than one half of 1 percent of otherwise healthy women to suffer a stroke because I was probably taking Prempro as opposed to a placebo. I say “probably” because the double-blind disbursement of hormone and placebo is so rigorously observed that I have no formal confirmation of what I was given. Nonetheless, my body always felt that I had the real stuff. Fortunately, I recovered completely from a very slight stroke attributed by process of elimination to the study pills. In my view, the study accomplished what it was supposed to. While the study demonstrates the challenges and risks involved in HRT, it gives women information from which to make reasoned choices. That is what I hoped would result from my participation. Harriett Burt Martinez, Calif.

Claudia Kalb quotes an herbalist who promotes the “menopause is a natural event” approach to this aspect of women’s health (“What’s a Woman to Do?”). Death and disease are also natural events, yet advances in medical science have resulted in our living longer and healthier lives. Telling a woman who is suffering from disabling menopausal symptoms to quit taking hormone therapy because menopause is a “natural event” would be grossly negligent. Despite the recently released trial data, we should remember that the risk of a hormone-induced adverse effect is quite remote. Of course, the dose and duration of hormone therapy should be closely monitored, but this is consistent with the tried-and-true medical paradigm: use any medication at the lowest effective dose for the shortest requisite duration. Gilbert Ross, M.D., Medical Director The American Council on Science and Health New York, N.Y.

Perhaps the real story here lies in the fact that profitable, patented versions of hormones like Premarin and Prempro have been marketed and prescribed to millions, while bioidentical hormones, which are readily available in nature and therefore not patentable or substantially profitable, are equally, if not more, effective. Janet Jayne Bristol, VA.

I can’t help but think that if men went through something approaching menopause, there would have been a safe and reliable treatment ages ago. Helen Madden Lewis Branchburg, N.J.

When are we going to become better consumers, do the research ourselves and stop believing everything doctors and advertisers tell us? There were plenty of professionals yelling “foul” over hormone-replacement therapy from the beginning. I personally know dozens of women, including myself, who staved off their doctors’ insistence to take hormones during peri-menopause and menopause, and opted for a more natural remedy instead: natural progesterone cream applied correctly, weight-bearing exercise and a healthy diet. Unfortunately, we have become a culture that is unwilling to work hard to fix our problems. It is, after all, a lot easier for us to pop a pill. Pharmaceutical companies are aware of this and are all too willing to take advantage of it. Elizabeth Estey Thomson, GA.

Bush’s Risky Business

The raison d’etre for an endless, multimillion-dollar rage against the sexual excesses (and perjury) of former president Clinton was the belief that our national leaders should be held to a higher moral standard. That argument has now been conveniently cast aside by President Bush and his administration (“Harkening Back to Texas,” July 22). We are told to wink at the hypocrisy of Bush, Dick Cheney, Army Secretary Thomas White and countless others who may have acted with blatant greed and exercised improper corporate influence, fiduciary malfeasance and stockmarket manipulation. Where is a special prosecutor when we really need one? Harry Shannon Studio City, Calif.

You criticize President Bush for not providing full disclosure of his stock sale on a timely basis, but you withhold an important fact. While you mention that the post-sale notice was filed late with the SEC, you did not mention that Bush did file on time a form stating his intention to sell. This notice alerted the investment community to his plans regarding the stocks. The late filing of the post-sale form diminishes in importance when this fact is known. Dennis Fulmer Canton, Ohio

Plumbing the Inky Depths

You refer to the discovery of the PT 109 that sank while under the command of Navy Lt. John F. Kennedy with a picture of a “coral-encrusted torpedo” at 1,200 feet below the surface of the ocean (“For Those in Peril on the Sea,” 1000 words, July 22). However, no corals grow at that depth. The encrustation of the torpedo results from marine animals that do not depend on sunlight for their growth, as do corals. Although I cannot identify with certainty the animals that have colonized the torpedo, I believe some of them are barnacles. There is also a prominent pink sea anemone.

Paul D. Sorensen, Curator of the Herbarium, Northern Illinois University De Kalb, Ill.

Correction

In our july 29 chart “the nitty-Gritty: Handicapping Corporate Reform,” we stated that the Securities and Exchange Commission supports requiring corporate executives of only the largest companies to publicly certify their financial statements. On June 28, the SEC published a list of 945 companies whose CEOs needed to personally certify that their most recent reports were accurate. However, the SEC does support certification of all companies, and proposed a rule on June 17 to that effect.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-17” author: “Edna Garza”

You don’t put terrorists or their families on welfare. You don’t give them the funds that make it easier to purchase a gun. You don’t give their 15-year-old children a chance to “join the cause.” You get them out of the country, or into jail, now! When will we learn that these terrorists and their families are serious when they say that September 11 was a plot of the U.S. government and Israel? When will we get it? Dave Keyser Lindenhurst, N.Y.

At the Top of the Ivory Tower

A Beautiful Movie

Viewer Beware …

There’s No Place Like Home

Loving Husbands

Correction

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-12” author: “Arthur Winograd”

After reading your article “Founding Mothers” (Special Report, Dec. 17), I could see a light at the end of Afghanistan’s tunnel. It is wonderful to see that Afghan women, instead of crying and complaining about their fate, are trying to overcome years of intolerance and abuse. This article gives the world a fine example of strength and what it really means to go against all odds. Alessandra Da Silva Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Abandonment Issues

I am thankful to NEWSWEEK’s writers for providing its readers with such deep analyses of world affairs. Fareed Zakaria’s article on Afghanistan is an example of this. It is true that Afghanistan cannot afford to be abandoned by the West once more. However, I wish that Zakaria would write another essay entitled “Don’t Abandon Pakistan Again.” Yes, Afghanistan has been through invasion, occupation and civil war for more than two decades. But at the same time, and as a result of that, Pakistan has been invaded by refugees, drugs and arms. According to one estimate, more than 5 million Afghans have taken refuge in Pakistan over the last two decades. Because of this influx, Pakistan has got not only economic problems, but more dangerous social problems. Pakistan alone can’t cope with these 5 million people and the problems created by them. In rebuilding Afghanistan, the West should help Afghan refugees return from Pakistan to their homeland. I am waiting for Fareed Zakaria to discuss this topic. Hasan Raza Gondal Birmingham, England

The Death of a Beatle

As a Beatles fan, I am grateful for your article and homage to George Harrison. May I point out that the article’s core was that he was something more than a Beatle. The photographs in the article, however, relate only to his time as one of the Fab Four. It would have been nice to see photos of him playing the Bangladesh concert or working with the Traveling Wilburys. I also think the article should have been a bit longer. Mauricio Sanchez-Alvarez Tlalpan, Mexico

Rage Against a Musician

Your interview with Aki Nawaz, the founding member of the British Muslim rock group Fundamental, shows another side of the hypocrisy that is Islam. It beats me hollow that these guys use the freedom that Western societies offer, something totally alien to Islam: to castigate, revile, abuse and run down the West. Yet people like Nawaz cannot live anywhere else. If Islam is truly as good as they claim, then Islamic societies should be more open to alternative views. Islamic rage is nothing but a puerile reaction to challenges to Islamic dogmatism. Nawaz should be thankful for the opportunity to live in the West, and he should keep his mouth shut. Horace Awi Lagos, Nigeria

Aki Nawaz talks about his reasons for remaining in Britain, although he resents the life and attitudes of the Western world. Many more Muslims think as he does. Other British Muslims go so far as to fight in Afghanistan against their British compatriots. I think this is highly immoral. Either I decide to live in a country that is not my or my parents’ native country, or I fight against the people and attitudes of that country. I accept all different ways of life, but I hate having Muslims tell me in my own country that our lifestyle is evil and immoral, as well as insult our young women for wearing clothes in the way they fancy. Most Muslims would be furious if I took the liberty to criticize them in the same way. If angry Muslims cannot stand life in the “decadent” Western world, no one will force them to stay there. If they would prefer living in our world, that’s fine, as long as they are as tolerant of their hosts as their hosts are of them. Martin Lichte Jever, Germany

Aki Nawaz says, “Muslims and non-Muslims alike, there are millions and millions of people who really despise the American government.” This is perfectly stated. I am a non-Muslim, and I subscribe to this feeling wholeheartedly. But it’s not just the American government that’s hated; it’s the American people in general. Americans don’t know the first thing about the world, and they don’t care. Yet they are adamant that their country is the best on earth. None seem to wonder why it is that their country is the most hated in the world. All available American intelligence seems to go into smart bombs–not smart questions. Giovanni Borla Milan, Italy

Life in Britain, according to Aki Nawaz, lacks a spiritual or moral dimension. Perhaps this is because in the schools he attended, everything in the European tradition that was most inspiring and most demanding is being jettisoned in favor of multiculturalism. Why? So as to accommodate people like him. Patricia Meyer Johannesburg, South Africa

The New Engines of Capitalism

The Prince and the Mayor

In a pathetic political gesture, New York’s Mayor Rudy Giuliani decided to deprive the families of the September 11 victims of the $10 million donated by Prince Alwaleed bin Talal. But who would dare to criticize New York’s hero? Alfonso Torrents London, England

Saudi Prince Alwaleed says emphatically, “I am an ally and a friend of America!” If the prince is really a friend, he will use his influence to eliminate the Muslim-fundamentalist brainwashing schools that produce the jihad soldiers and are financed by the Saudis. Giuliani should have accepted his check with thanks, but the prince still has a chance to be a friend. V. Jean Clelland-Morin Chiche, France

The Saudi Prince is merely a fearful cynic attempting to protect his own business interests when he talks of the plight of the Palestinians. The thousands of Palestinians working in Saudi Arabia have fewer freedoms than Israeli and American Arabs do. They have no right to citizenship, even after living in the country for decades. For Palestinians living in Saudi Arabia, it is customary to lower their voices and look over their shoulders if they even remotely criticize the rulers or the status quo. It is the prince and his ilk, along with the kings and dictators ruling the Muslim countries of the Middle East, who are anachronisms. Perhaps he should realize that the insidious attacks of September 11 are merely the price the United States is paying for friendship with the repressive governments in his country, Egypt and elsewhere. Aviott John Vienna, Austria

Placing the Blame

Of the top 22 people on the FBI’s most-wanted terrorists list, all are Muslim. In Islamic countries, many displayed joy at the September 11 terrorist attacks, and many support bin Laden. In an effort to comprehend this rage we blame old colonial policy, beleaguered Israel, poverty and even the media. At the risk of being politically incorrect, I would suggest that the sole blame lies squarely at the feet of Islam, which refused to face up to the violent message of jihad that it has released into an innocent world. Jonny Raziel Maaleh Adumim, Israel

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-22” author: “Peter Kavanaugh”

A Tale of Two Teens

Your cover story on Rachel Levy and Ayat al-Akhras, the two teens whose paths crossed so tragically in Jerusalem, was sensitive and beautifully written (“How Two Lives Met in Death,” special report, April 15). It helped transform the horror for all involved into something that can be understood better with the insight of compassion. The tone of the piece was perfect–that could not have been easy. And NEWSWEEK’s cover design for the article was extremely powerful. Thank you all. At a time when everything in the world seems so dark, you reaffirmed my belief in the potential of writing to illuminate and heal. Elizabeth Moret Ross Blacksburg, Va.

I very much liked your article “How Two Lives Met in Death,” and was glad the story was not told from only one point of view. It was intriguing to hear from both families. I assumed that Ayat al-Akhras’s Palestinian family would have shared her radical beliefs and was surprised to learn that they did not exactly approve of her suicide-bomber mission. And I found it touching and disturbing to see the faces of many of the victims who died as the result of suicide bombings, especially the young. Nichole Sampson Roscoe, Ill.

I am 10 years old, and I wonder why you call those people suicide bombers. They are killing other people and I think they should be called suicide murderers. Natalie Lips Bethel Park, Pa.

One needs to look no further than your simple yet solemn cover photograph to demand an end to the bloodshed. If a picture speaks a thousand words, allow me to sum up this one with one sentence: Mr. Sharon, Mr. Arafat, stop the madness! Jay Darvish Bay Village, Ohio

Ayat al-Akhras, a Palestinian teen-age girl, straps a bomb to her body and kills Rachel Levy, an Israeli teenage girl, and a security guard in Jerusalem–and NEWSWEEK reports that there are now “three more victims of the madness of martyrdom.” Al-Akhras was a murderer, plain and simple. She was no more a “victim” than were the 19 terrorists who attacked the United States on September 11, and any attempt to suggest a moral equivalency between suicide murderers and their innocent civilian victims is outrageous and absolutely indefensible. Paul Gorfinkel Woodmere, N.Y.

Should Israel continue occupying land inhabited by the Palestinians and rooting out terrorist networks? Damned if they do, dead if they don’t. Dalia Tubis Toronto, Canada

G. K. Chesterton wrote that “the true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.” Do Arafat and his suicide bombers love Palestine? They have shown little interest in making the desert bloom or improving education and health care or in economic development of any form. Arafat and his clique are worshipers of violence for its own sake, and negotiations will never succeed until they are replaced with a more enlightened leadership. David F. Foster Potomac, Md.

Israelis have tanks and airplanes. Palestinians have suicide bombers. In war, you fight with what you’ve got. Howard Appel Delano, Calif.

The Rocky Path to Peace

Fareed Zakaria has given two lines to Yasir Arafat’s failure in the Mideast and devotes the balance of his column to a diatribe against Ariel Sharon, the duly elected prime minister of Israel. Let us not forget that Arafat has had five prime ministers to negotiate with. He couldn’t make a deal with anyone. His handshake with the late Yitzhak Rabin on the White House lawn in 1993 looked promising, but didn’t yield any results. Then there was the liberal Shimon Peres. He was voted out of office because while he was negotiating in good faith, Arafat kept up the terrorist bombing. This led to the election of Benjamin Netanyahu, a hard-liner. He was voted out in favor of the liberal Ehud Barak, who placed a “recklessly generous” (the words of your columnist George Will) deal on the table for Arafat to reject. This led, in 2001, to the election of hard-liner Ariel Sharon. The irony is that there have never been two peoples more experienced in living together in peace than the Arabs and the Jews. After the Christian expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492, the Ottoman Empire (presided over by a succession of Muslim sultans and caliphs) welcomed and lived peacefully with them throughout the Mideast for more than 400 years. Ezra Dabbah Brooklyn, N.Y.

‘Fun Is the Point’

No one wants to stifle a free spirit, but Bill Squier is not doing his son, or the other children, any favor by encouraging his individuality in a team sport. There is a very wide space between the free-form approach he espouses and the rigidity that can sap the fun out of any endeavor. Unfortunately, his son is learning nothing of the pride and thrill of accomplishing something as part of a team. Yes, these are children, and fun is the point. But working and performing well together (note: not winning or losing) is what teams (and orchestras and theater troupes and endless other ensembles) are all about. Sadly, Squier’s son is probably engendering nothing but resentment from those kids who are there with more typical goals and attitudes toward sport–and he is at the same time missing out on what a pleasure it can be to be a teammate. Christopher Glenn Lansdowne, Pa.

I would like to thank Bill Squier for writing an upbeat column about the joy of childhood. His son, Levi, is blessed to have such a free and innocent spirit, and even more so to have a parent who appreciates and nurtures it. Stefanie Ruch Tonawanda, N.Y.

It’s a Girl Thing

I really enjoyed reading Anna Quindlen’s April 15 column. As a physician and full-time working mother, I agree with most of the points she makes, especially her mention of my pet peeve: husbands’ “helping” around the house that they live in with their working spouse! (My own husband treats this issue with good humor rather than getting into an argument.) I disagree, however, with Quindlen on the point that Take Our Daughters to Work Day should continue to be reserved for girls, rather than making it a Take Our Children to Work Day. I believe that sons have as much to gain as daughters do from observing their mothers perform in professional, responsible and leadership-oriented roles. As these boys are the other half of the equation leading to “access based on ability and not on gender,” I think this sort of exposure will make a difference in how they will treat their girlfriends, friends who are girls, sisters, future wives, colleagues and daughters. Taking my son to work has always been as important to me as taking my daughter, and it is my hope that this will be one of the experiences that will prepare both of them for a better, more equal-opportunity-oriented future. Daniella David, M.D. Miami, Fla.

Perpetual Pulchritude

Correction

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-27” author: “Joseph Hibbert”

Readers responding to our Dec. 2 cover on the popularity of alternative medicine were starkly divided over this phenomenon. One physician hailed the “marriage between conventional and complementary medicine” and was gratified by the “Herculean attempt to clarify a kaleidoscopically complex medical model.” Another cautioned patients about unproven techniques. “There is no science called alternative medicine, just alternatives to scientific medicine such as guessing and insisting without evidence.” But testimonials speak for themselves. A three-time Hodgkin’s disease survivor who used a combination of alternative medicine–acupuncture, Chinese herbs, homeopathy, guided meditation–along with conventional chemotherapy and radiation now feels “better than ever.” Uncertain as to what’s contributed to her good health, she’s elated “to see what were once considered ‘odd choices’ gaining acceptance alongside traditional Western medicine.”

The Quest to Heal

For the past six years of my 20-year medical career, I have been practicing integrative family medicine that includes acupuncture and the use of herbs (“The Science of Alternative Medicine,” Dec. 2). When appropriate, I refer patients for osteopathic manipulation and homeopathy. Physicians do this because these modalities can help patients in ways our conventional system does not. Sure, we would all like more research done, but we can’t hold back on therapies that we see helping our patients. I encourage my colleagues to take classes in acupuncture or herbal therapies. There are hundreds of us around the country who have not abandoned modern medicine but have augmented it with traditional therapies and new ideas. We question not only the alternatives but also standard medical treatments, some of which are unproved or pushed by pharmaceutical companies to gain huge profits. To all physicians out there, I say: open your minds and look for the multitude of new ways you can help your patients lead a healthier and happier life. You will remember why you decided on your career as a healer. Marie Steinmetz, M.D. Alexandria, Va.

In any discussion of conventional and alternative medicine, let’s not forget a third option: behavior change. Nearly half of all premature deaths are caused by factors that we can control–diet, exercise and smoking. Consumers’ ready embrace of alternative medicine is like their romance with high-tech pharmaceutical and surgical fixes; they remain passive recipients of interventions about whose effectiveness they are uncritical and incurious. There is no particular virtue in engaging in the hard work of losing weight, quitting smoking or exercising every day if you don’t have to. But we do have to. There aren’t miracle cures for risk behaviors. No drugs, supplements or needles can be substitutes for the healthy practices that allow people to work well and play hard–and enjoy themselves while doing both. Jessie C. Gruman President, Center for the Advancement of Health Washington, D.C.

Your cover story presented a well-balanced view of integrative health care and noted the factors that support evidence-based integration of complementary and alternative medicine into mainstream health care. The tools to support such integration are already available, and only a political decision stands in their way. More than 4,200 research, supply-chain-management and electronic-transaction codes are under review by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and are awaiting potential designation as a national standard. When approved, these Alternative Billing Concept codes (ABCcodes) will be used nationally, in conjunction with other health-care code sets, such as the American Medical Association’s Physicians’ Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) codes. ABCcodes are already in use in selected academic and community health-care settings. A favorable decision by HHS will support widespread adoption of this code set for alternative medicine, nursing and other integrative health-care practices. Synthia Laura Molina CEO, Alternative Link Washington, D.C.

Why is western medicine–namely, surgery and drugs–the yardstick in measuring curing? Is it because that is what we have been taught? What if we were taught another way? Proof is in the feeling and getting better. We are not surprised when two aspirin do not have the same healing effect on all those who take them, yet we seek “scientific proof” when acupuncture or St. John’s wort doesn’t work the same for everyone who tries it. As illness is individual, so is healing. Focusing on the side effects of complementary and alternative treatment seems to ignore the cautionary package inserts in the copiously prescribed drugs used in Western medicine. Fred Ehrlich, O.D. Las Vegas, Nev.

Your cover “The Science Of Alternative Medicine” almost made me sick. Science? Talk about an oxymoron! Who would board an “alternative” jetliner? Alternative medicine is promoted by some in the medical establishment because HMOs don’t want to pay for real health care. Mark Van Doren Hilo, Hawaii

Just as the outcome of bypass surgery depends on the skill of the cardiologist, the outcome of an acupuncture treatment relies on the experience of the acupuncturist. Unfortunately, medical science has become enamored of the acupuncturist’s needle and has forgotten the practitioner who determines how the needle will be used. The experts demand that acupuncture undergo the gold standard of research, the double-blind study. They mistakenly wish to remove the needle from the practitioner’s hand and study the needle as they would a medication. Do these same experts demand the same of medical procedures, in particular of surgery? Mackay Rippey BodyActive Acupuncture Utica, N.Y.

Thank you very much for your excellent, comprehensive cover story on alternative medicine. I would also have liked to see a section on how spirituality can help a person cope with pain, illness and suffering. This is my life’s work, and I have seen how it has helped people experience the challenges in their lives differently, both with one another and with God. As healers, we can explore whatever works for patients rather than limit ourselves to those treatments that can be measured empirically. Rabbi Levi Meier Chaplain, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Los Angeles, Calif.

“Holistic” clinics of the future may struggle to provide good looks, sexual fulfillment, serenity and spiritual insight to every patient who holds the right kind of insurance card. Who’ll pick up the tab for this new adventure in American health care? Robert Francis Murphy Falmouth, Mass.

No Girls Allowed, Still

It is correct that Tiger Woods is not obliged “by his vocation, certainly not by his race” to publicly or privately speak out against Augusta National’s membership policy (“The Sand Trap of Inequality,” The Last Word, Dec. 2). But Anna Quindlen implies that it is the right thing to do, and turns the issue into one of civil rights. Augusta National is a private-and privately funded-organization. It has the right to set and enforce policies, limited by law. Its membership policy, therefore, is simply no one else’s business. Disagreement with those policies is fine, but to do so through an organized protest is wrong and borders on slander and restraint of trade. Tim Jordan Eureka, Mo.

In the privacy of my home, I have the right to choose with whom I will or will not associate. If I am uncomfortable with or offended by a certain group of people, I am not obliged to invite them in. At work, the theater, the shopping mall or any other public place, I do not enjoy that luxury. As soon as I post a notice for a club meeting on the school bulletin board, I have taken the club public because I have used a public forum to promote a private enterprise. This is what Augusta National has done: used the public airwaves to promote its boys’ club. This is where it has crossed the line of impropriety. If it wants to enjoy the benefits of being a private club, it should be completely private. Hal Toomer San Diego, Calif.

In Anna Quindlen’s opinion, Tiger Woods is under no obligation to speak up about the prejudice against women at Augusta National. She makes some valid arguments, and I would agree except for one important fact she does not mention. Tiger Woods chose to become a spokesman for the black community the minute he did a commercial for Nike about the plight of black golfers in America. He made a conscious choice to put himself on TV and address the issue of racial inequality. Now that another form of discrimination is taking place, why should he assume that America expects him to remain silent? Is he against discrimination only when it affects him directly? Laurie Glass Brick, N.J.

Anna Quindlen says that Tiger Woods is “a big deal” in the Augusta National debate because “he’s black.” But Woods is not black, nor does he consider himself to be. He is only one-eighth black and is mostly Asian, with some Native American and Caucasian thrown in. He is also a great golfer, and it’s a relief to see someone of his stature refuse to be drawn into the victim game. Bill Berry El Cajon, Calif.

There is a point that everyone seems to be missing in regard to the admissions policy of Augusta National. If the club does admit a woman, she will likely be just like the men in the club: wealthy and privileged. Is this really equivalent to the civil-rights movement and an advancement for gender equality? David P. McCann Honolulu, Hawaii

Anna Quindlen is right when she says that Tiger Woods isn’t “obliged” to use his celebrity for good causes, but to do so would mean the difference between going down in history as a great golfer or as a great man. Patricia Cook Indianapolis, Ind.

Augusta National should admit women just as, say, Wellesley College should admit men. Until both of these things are on the table, though, cries of discrimination ring a bit hollow. Either gender discrimination is acceptable or it’s not. Michael Geier Los Angeles, Calif.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-09” author: “Indira Hurley”

The Skinny on Cholesterol

Your July 14 cover story shows again that we have created an overmedicated society (“You Want Statins With That?”). Until we wake up to the understanding that the majority of cardiovascular-related deaths are preventable, we will continue to sanction a “pill for every ill” mentality. As you state, someone with perfectly normal blood cholesterol can still be at risk for type 2 diabetes. We must stop encouraging unbalanced solutions. Highlighting separate inventions (drugs and special therapies) without emphasizing prevention as the best way to tackle today’s health crisis makes great headlines but ensures fulfillment of the saying “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Bernard E. Bulwer, M.D. Lown Cardiovascular Center Brookline, Mass.

I try to educate my patients and my children on the necessity of wellness care, diet, exercise and mind-body medicine. But you seem to promote the idea that overweight Americans can eat like there’s no tomorrow because there is a pill that can lower cholesterol. We may reduce heart disease, the No. 1 killer of Americans, but it will only be replaced by diabetes and a host of other weight-related diseases. Denise Chranowski, M.D. Langhorne, Pa.

Many of us cannot take statins because of the harmful side effects. Rhabdomyolysis, which causes muscle pain, is one such effect. Bayer took its statin drug, Baycol, off the market because of deaths resulting from its use. One drug doesn’t fit all. Michael R. Greenwood Corea, Maine

That statins can help slow down Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis and osteoporosis is wonderful news. For me, however, statins caused so many side effects that I had to stop taking them. I have found something better to lower my very high cholesterol: I stopped loading up on carbohydrates. No one seems to advertise the fact that cutting out a lot of sugar and flour products can lower cholesterol count. Mine dropped 60 points, and I’m not the only one to whom this has happened. I did the Atkins diet in order to lose weight, but I also discovered that it lowered my cholesterol level. What a wonderful side effect. Mary Lou Bjornaas Prescott, Ariz.

I’m sure your cover photo of a slice of juicy steak was meant to evoke the medical horrors of cholesterol, but I’ll bet it had the opposite effect on many of your readers. It did for me. I ran straight out to the supermarket to buy a thick, juicy sirloin. If eating steak is wrong, I don’t want to be right. Stacey Oziel San Francisco, Calif.

I am 60 years old, have a less than ideal lipid profile and a family history of heart disease. It is disconcerting that you didn’t mention the use of niacin, a much cheaper and, in some ways, more effective way to control lipid levels than either statin drugs or strict diets. Statins lower cholesterol by lowering LDL (the “bad” cholesterol), but they do not raise HDL (the “good” cholesterol). Niacin will raise HDL. And let’s not forget the huge profits large pharmaceutical companies stand to make. Caroline Bliss-Kandel, R.N., M.S.N. Englewood, Colo.

I am a 53-year-old Asian male, 5 feet 8 inches tall and 160 pounds. I have never smoked, drank or used drugs. I run, lift weights seven days a week and am also a vegetarian. Yet I suffer from both high blood pressure and high cholesterol. I’m on four different medications to keep the numbers down. Even though you try your hardest to stay healthy, sometimes you just can’t win. Ryoichi Morita Coarsegold, Calif.

A front-page ad for costly statins and no mention of inexpensive vitamins that can reduce heart disease. No wonder Americans are relying more on pricey pharmaceuticals–and creating a health-care crisis. For example, only last year, doctors at the University of California, San Diego, found that inexpensive supplements of folic acid and vitamins B6 and B12 can work wonders against heart disease. Gina Pea San Mateo, Calif.

Statins are a class of drugs that have a huge impact now, and even greater potential. Physicians are continually finding new types of patients who benefit from this cholesterol-lowering therapy, as was shown in the various individuals you featured (most of them Mayo Clinic patients). Preliminary research by Dr. Maurice Sarano, a Mayo Clinic cardiologist, suggests that statins could be a new treatment for aortic-valve disease. Dr. Sarano is now planning a larger, double-blinded trial to confirm his findings, which could lead to using statins to eliminate the need for valve-replacement surgery in many patients. Lee Aase, Communications Consultant Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minn.

Should the Elderly Drive?

I congratulate Ruth Nedbor for coming to terms with her limitations (“Those Hand Gestures Didn’t Mean ‘Hello’,” My Turn, July 14). My husband and I are both over 70, and we have discussed what we will do when it is time to give up our driving privileges. It will be difficult to give up our freedom on the road, but it would be even more difficult if we were the cause of some terrible accident. Regardless of age, a complete eye exam by a doctor should be required in order to renew a driver’s license. Meryl Singer Lititz, Pa.

Ruth Nedbor was fortunate that she caused no accidents. The 80-year-old driver who killed our daughter had to live with that fact for years. Testing older drivers is only part of the story. Friends and family must take responsibility for getting elders off the road when their driving capabilities diminish, and communities must provide adequate transportation so that seniors are not trapped in their homes. Robert Armstrong Prescott, Ariz.

Ruth Nedbor deserves credit for bravely and selflessly giving up her car keys and a huge part of her independence. But careless driving habits are not exclusive to the elderly. I see people of all ages driving carelessly and without consideration for other drivers. Nedbor has impaired vision. What’s everyone else’s excuse? Lisa Concepcion Giassa Bogota, N.J.

As chief of low-vision programs at Lighthouse International, a leading resource in overcoming the challenges of visual impairment, I would like to offer some advice to older drivers. Be sure to see your ophthalmologist or optometrist at least once a year, and if you notice any changes in vision, see your eye doctor immediately. Talk to your doctor about special prescription lenses that may make you a safer driver. These include absorptive lenses (tinted lenses) that often eliminate disabling glare and enhance contrast, as well as telescopic spectacle lenses (also known as bioptic telescopes, but not permitted in all states). Bruce Rosenthal, O.D. Lighthouse International New York, N.Y.

Worrisome Work Conditions

Robert J. Samuelson’s concern about “expos[ing] Nike and other companies to expensive trials and huge economic risks” seems misplaced (“The Tax on Free Speech,” July 14). The real issue is not about free speech or trial lawyers, but about the American consumers’ right to know the truth about what working conditions they are supporting when they buy sneakers or clothing manufactured by the “600,000 workers in 910 factories in 51 countries” contracted by Nike. Nike and other corporations ought to be prepared to “face a daunting standard of proof” regarding their statements to the public. If a corporation is telling the truth, it should have nothing to fear from having to prove it. Lara Haight Campton, N.H.

Supreme Court Conservatism

It was refreshing to see the Supreme Court stand up for personal freedom and privacy in Lawrence et al. v. Texas. Anna Quindlen was correct in her assessment and commentary on Justice Antonin Scalia’s minority opinion (“Justice Rip Van Winkle,” The Last Word, July 14). It’s amazing that conservatives shout about the need for smaller government except in those areas where they wish to control the personal lives of the citizenry. Steve Maul Alpharetta, Ga.

Anna Quindlen’s article proves that white men are the only remaining group about whom it is still politically correct to openly express bigotry. Quindlen complains that the federal judiciary has “way too many white guys to be truly representative.” Imagine the reaction had she said that Harvard Law School has too many Jews. The recent Supreme Court ruling shows that the “white guys” on the court repre-sent the full range of American opinion–from Justice Stephen Breyer on the left to Justice Antonin Scalia on the right. Gerald Zuriff Cambridge, Mass.

Snapshot From a Tragic Time

In the July 14 article “the sweetest Revenge,” about the resurgence of Jewish life in Germany, there is a small black- and-white photograph whose caption reads “In 1933: Flight of a German Jewish family.” This picture was actually taken in June 1943 in Amsterdam; the family is not in flight, they have been arrested. Presumably they are walking from their apartment to a registration station; from there they would have been processed and then sent on eventually to the death camps in Poland. I know of this picture because I teach a class that focuses on the Holocaust as it was perpetrated in the Netherlands. In addition, the Jews in Germany did not have to wear the Star of David until September 1941. Anthony E. Anderson University of Southern California Los Angeles, Calif.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-30” author: “Rita Stclair”

Staying Ever Vigilant

Your June 23 cover story, “Al Qaeda in America,” was informative, interesting– and disturbing. While we have been successful in finding and arresting some members of Al Qaeda, we don’t know how many other terrorists may still be in America and when or where they might strike again. Unfortunately, our security agencies do not have full control over new arrivals, and many often disappear from sight. You suggest the possibility that Qaeda members may have lost their “jihad spirit” and simply assimilated into the daily life of American society. But that Hollywood-style ending seems unlikely because of the growing number of Muslim clerics in the country who incite attacks on so-called infidels. David Shichor Fullerton, Calif.

Thank you for your article on al Qaeda. Over a seven-page spread you relate what many of us already know: that Immigration and Naturalization Service deportations targeting certain religious, ethnic or national groups will not stop Al Qaeda from doing its work. While some Americans may think that such discriminatory policies are justified, the rest of us know that these policies serve only to create fear, mistrust and a false sense of security. Patt Kameya Chicago, Ill.

After reading your chilling article on Al Qaeda, I am more convinced than ever that the unsung hero of our war on terror is Attorney General John Ashcroft. Despite an attempt by the left to demonize him, Ashcroft has done what is necessary to prevent another 9-11, whether it be locking up suspects or investigating mosques and Muslim charities. Some may call this an infringement of civil rights, but I will gladly forgo some of these rights if it will keep the bad guys out of our country or in jail. Sarah Rachelles New Brunswick, N.J.

In your article describing Al Qaeda’s activities in America, you mention no fewer than 35 Qaeda operatives, including the 9-11 hijackers who, tragically, had operated freely in the United States for years. This is followed with a description of two terrorists who formally resided in Canada, and concludes with “Canada seems to be a haven for these folk” and that “American authorities fret that the Canadians allow sleepers to walk the streets until they are compelled to take legal action.” Perhaps I am not following NEWSWEEK’s logic, but it sounds to me like the Canadians are behind by 33. Andrew Hill Cambridge, Mass.

I was disappointed by the photo you chose for your cover. The image of a dark-skinned male peering through a hole ripped in the American flag implies that dark-skinned males in general are potential terrorists or are threats to America’s security. The photo is a stab in the back to the local and national efforts being made to counter discrimination and negative stereotypes against dark-skinned people. Aileen Humphreys Lancaster, Pa.

Your article on Al Qaeda in America was based on hearsay evidence from a prisoner under duress–which may or may not be valid–and continues the vilification of Arabs and Muslims. Turn the clock back 50 years, and this would be similar to our treatment of our Japanese-American citizens. Our greatest threat comes not from Al Qaeda or America’s Muslims, but possibly from our Justice Department, which is protecting us right out of our freedoms. Bruce Gordon Georgetown, Ky.

Your article says that Khalid Shaikh Mohammed “held the key to unlock the biggest mystery of the war on terror: is Al Qaeda operating inside America?” Who do you think flew those planes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon? They were Qaeda operatives who slipped into our nation unnoticed and were trained to fly by our citizens. No one doubts they were answering to Al Qaeda. The only help Mohammed can give now is to confirm how many more operatives exist in our country and where they are located. Richard Lein Brownstown, Mich.

Doctors and Nurses Speak Up

As a family-practice physician with experience as a National Health Service Corps provider, I am familiar with the frustrations described by Dr. Stephen L. Cohen (“Fighting the Battle of the Bulging Ear-drums,” my turn, June 23). While I agree that nurses and medical assistants should be held accountable for job performance, these “staff mutineers” are only a symptom of a greater problem. Management that is more interested in quantity than quality, and other doctors past and present who settled for lower standards of care, set the stage for Cohen’s level of patient care being viewed as unnecessary and just too much of a bother. Mostly to blame is a health-care system that creates an underclass of uninsured or poorly insured patients who have no choice but to accept the care that is offered at offices like the one Cohen describes. Name Withheld Grand Rapids, Mich.

While I don’t doubt that any new physician (or nurse, for that matter) has good ideas that meet resistance, it’s ridiculous for Stephen L. Cohen to blame his lack of success in providing adequate care on –the nurses. As a nurse in a busy community health-care clinic, I can assure you there are very few nurses who do not jump to help the provider give whatever care is necessary. As a matter of fact, most clinics use medical assistants to do the work Cohen described. The few nurses available in a low-cost clinic are busy triaging the patients by phone, following up on labs and instructing patients on the care the physician ordered. Leslie Weiss, R.N. Petaluma, Calif.

It brings me great joy to read Stephen L. Cohen’s essay. I am a registered nurse and have worked in health care for 20 years. The bottom line is, it takes great courage and self-sacrifice to do what is “right” when those around you are not. Linda Davis, R.N. Laurel, Md.

Stephen L. Cohen’s medical school and residency not only failed to teach him how to handle “staff mutineers,” but apparently how to use the parent or caretaker in helping to examine a child. Seated on a parent’s lap, a child is less apt to become anxious, and, for the occasional resistance to examination, the parent can comfortably and effectively restrain the child. Certain parts of the child can be examined only when the child is on the examination table, but these are the exception rather than the rule. Robert Burdick, M.D. Geneva, N.Y.

Diversity at Universities

George Will’s eloquent argument against preferences for minority admissions to “elite” schools illustrates an attitude that makes it difficult for minorities to break the patronizing cycle of settling for an education at “less selective institutions” (“Race-norming in Michigan,” the last word, June 23). A vital function of a university is to accommodate and reflect social change. How can it do this in an atmosphere of racial homogeneity? Do opponents of minority preferences think that negating racial preferences will create some utopian democratic playing field whereby students will magically transform themselves into a diverse society? The world is changing, but the pernicious fallout of racism still has a profound effect on minority educational achievement and opportunity. Harry Suekawa Ogden, Utah

George Will prefers that students be judged primarily on academic merit. Yet institutions across the country have traditionally given applicants preference points for being military veterans, athletes or children of alumni. Should we assume Will is equally opposed to these practices, or are minorities the only people he believes shouldn’t be treated with preference? Steven Torres Utica, N.Y.

The current University of Michigan admissions policy grants an extra 20 points to African-American, Hispanic and Native American applicants. My children are one-quarter African-American. Would this garner them five points? But they are also one-quarter Japanese, and Asians don’t get extra points, and they are half Caucasian–does this cancel their points altogether? Terry J. Covington Vancouver, Wash.

Taking a High School to Court

Blair Hornstine, who sued her school district in lieu of sharing the high-school valedictorian spot, isn’t mature enough to realize that in a few short years she will be judged on her professional accomplishments, not her high-school record (“She’s the Girl They Love to Hate,” June 23). Nineteen years ago I, too, shared the valedictorian spot with a fellow classmate. Based on both of our post-high-school experiences, I can predict with the utmost confidence that sharing this honor will in no way harm Hornstine’s life or ruin her future. Jancie Hatcher Duluth, Ga.

As a senior in a competitive high school, I have seen countless classmates drive themselves to near nervous breakdowns striving to reach the top of the class. Many of these students attend school not so much to learn as to compile a transcript of perfect achievement–in my opinion, a status of educational superficiality. These tales of competition rather than cooperation in the classroom confirm my relief in losing my chance for valedictorian during my first semester of freshman year in biology class. Patrice Hutton Wichita, Kans.

Correction

In our June 23 Perspectives page, we misspelled the last name of New York teenager Daniel Newman. NEWSWEEK regrets the error.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-21” author: “Irene Randall”

We received a favorable prognosis for men’s health from readers of our June 16 cover package. A cancer survivor wrote: “It’s time we took better care of ourselves than we do of our cars.” Chimed another: “Older doesn’t have to mean sicker.” A third added that “many illnesses are the result of how we live.”

The State of Men’s Health

I was really pleased to see your June 16 cover story on men’s health (“Men’s Minds, Men’s Bodies”). For years women have made a steadfast and passionate effort to bring forth many of the health issues that directly affect them. However, we men have been less than fervent in addressing the health issues that affect us. Our lack of momentum on these issues could be attributed to our male ego–our reluctance to show that we’re as vulnerable as anyone else when it comes to illness and disease. Nonetheless, I’m happy to see that you’ve brought the issue to the fore. Kevin Einbinder Chicago, Illinois

Your otherwise fine articles give a fatalistic “social biology is destiny” interpretation of men’s health-related behavior. I submit that men and women are heavily influenced by the gender-related messages they receive in childhood. If we begin to raise our sons to understand, as our daughters do, that it is OK to admit to pain (to their doctor) and to seek help (from a professional) in a crisis, and that we need not (and cannot) solve every problem ourselves, the sex difference in longevity will begin to shrink. Eugene E. McDowell Psychology Department Western Carolina University Cullowhee, North Carolina

As a man approaching 30, I picked up your June 16 issue with a keen interest in my health. However, after reading it, I think a more fitting title would be “Treatments for Death.” I do not consider cardiovascular disease, abdominal aortic aneurysms, prostate cancer, one-upmanship, depression or hair loss representative of my understanding of health. Throughout all your articles, you reported on men’s potential health problems rather than men’s healthy-living possibilities. Each article seemed calculated to persuade men to fix their ailing health. Jack Du Mez Troy, New York

It’s true that in western culture we take for granted the idea of competition, survival of the fittest, winning/losing and domination/submission, and we believe that we can impose this on everything we do, even in our practice of yoga postures. But the cultures from which yoga developed (ancient India and China) honored the view that what happens in our bodies and in the world is not based on survival of the fittest and competition, but rather on a profound and dynamic matrix of cooperation. Kevin Kortan Yoga therapist and teacher New York, New York

Your article “Prostate Cancer’s Difficult Choices” should be handed to patients diagnosed with this disease. Treatment decisions are often made when men and their partners are equipped only with convoluted information, unfamiliar terminology and uncharted courses to personal survival. The knowledge and guidance provided in your article will help alleviate the fears and frustrations felt by people new to this intimidating disease. I applaud your magazine for sharing real-life stories and the reasons behind the men’s choices. I implore your readers to be aggressive in their routine prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screenings. I believe this simple blood test may have saved my 48-year-old husband’s life. Susie Kasinski Drummond Racine, Wisconsin

Since my prostate surgery, I’ve heard of many men who have never had a PSA test. I learned that men are hiding their heads in the sand just like women who refuse to have a mammogram. Today mammograms are making a significant dent in detecting early tumor growth. Had it not been for a yearly PSA test, cancer could have spread throughout my body. Lack of knowledge in these matters is not an excuse, it is ignorance–and it puts one’s life at stake. Joe Smiga Manchester, New Hampshire

In a well-written piece on prostate-cancer treatment options, you overlooked a safe, simple and effective choice: cryoablation, or immediate cancer-cell death by lethal ice. Thousands of men have turned to cryo, a minimally invasive procedure, as an alternative to radical surgery and/or radiation for localized prostate cancer. The benefits of cryo include rapid recovery, almost no risk of permanent, severe urinary incontinence, and new techniques that better preserve sexual function. One study of seven- and eight-year-old data shows cryo to be 92 percent effective in low-risk cases, and 87 to 89 percent effective in moderate- to high-risk tumors. Men can make an informed treatment choice only when they’ve been informed of all options. Karen Barrie Director, CryocarePCA (Prostate Cancer Advocates) Wilmette, Illinois

One issue neglected in your otherwise excellent articles about men’s health is the drastic situation facing men of color, who are less healthy than any other group and more likely to suffer from chronic conditions. They have reduced access to care and are thus more severely affected by the underlying causes of disease. Regardless of insurance status, men of color are less likely to receive timely preventive services, and more likely to suffer the consequences of delayed attention, such as limb amputations and radical cancer surgery. It is time for policymakers and journalists to recognize the role of race and, for that matter, income in developing ways to improve the nation’s health overall. Barbara Krimgold Washington, D.C.

Your June 16 issue is truly a keeper. I don’t know when my subscription ends, but I’ll renew it right away to be sure I don’t miss any gems like this issue. As an aspiring novelist at 72, I find the topic of men’s health especially poignant in regard to the male psyche. Thanks for a job well done. Robert L. Jacober Miami, Florida

As good as your articles on men’s health are, you may not realize how differently men and women can interpret them. Just your first article, “The Biggest Prize of All,” got my husband and me in a heated debate. He perceives the statement “your cholesterol is hereditary” to mean that there’s nothing he can do about it, so he can eat and do whatever he likes. I, on the other hand, take it to mean that I must work harder to keep my cholesterol at a healthy level. Most men I know won’t ever admit that they don’t eat right or exercise enough, since that would mean having to succumb to a lifestyle change. Men have to stop being in denial. Karen Datko Easley, South Carolina

Any parents considering circumcision for their son should first ask themselves if they would have an equivalent procedure done to their daughter if the benefits were found to be the same or greater (“The Right Choice”). If parents cannot justify the removal of normal, healthy tissue from their daughter’s genitals in the name of marginal health benefits, then how can they allow it for their son? Robert Blissitt Dallas, Texas

The problem with infant male circumcision is that it is an elective procedure, and elective procedures generally require the consent of the patient. Performing elective surgery on someone too young to give consent is inconsistent with the basic principles of medical ethics. Dennis Harrison Vancouver, Canada

We can now go to our doctor for expensive medical tests to determine our CRP, small LDL and HDL2B, and further escalate our skyrocketing health-care costs. We will then be told to stop smoking, get active, and eat more vegetables and less fat. Why don’t we just do what we know will help us avoid not only heart disease but cancer and diabetes, too? If people are not taking positive health action with the information we already have, what makes us think that the results of more medical tests will change behavior and save lives? We need to make eating better and being active easier and more fun. Carol M. Meerschaert New Gloucester, Maine

Depression, poor physical condition and midlife crises occur because many men are duped by society into believing that their self-worth is defined by their breadwinning abilities and their standing in the economic hierarchy. This limited perspective on life is established by others who may not grant these men the status they seek. By thinking outside the box and escaping from this trap, men could enrich their minds and bodies in ways more creative than merely earning a paycheck. Peter H. McCusker Medford, Oregon

Where in your articles were the farmers, tradesmen, service workers, disadvantaged new immigrants and retail employees? These men, who have little status or economic power and struggle to earn a living for their families, carry the burden of pain and disease, die too soon and suffer too much–invisible to a society in which they have no political clout and are unlikely to be able to afford adequate health insurance or membership at fitness clubs. They are our sons and fathers, lovers and friends, whose stories need to be told. Joe Zoske Loudonville, New York

As a psychologist who has worked with cardiac patients for the past 10 years, I was surprised by your omission of one of the biggest risks for a heart attack: chronic anger. Abundant research exists that shows this is a more critical factor than smoking, family history, lack of exercise or diet. The medical field, however, is often reluctant to acknowledge the impact of attitude and behavior on disease, because it challenges the traditional medical model. But the physical reactions that take place when anger rears its ugly head are clearly documented. Gregory H. Moore, Psy.D. Princeton Junction, New Jersey

An Unethical Connection

It’s ironic that an administration that campaigned on morals is now plagued by questions of ethics (“Cha-Ching Cheney,” April 7). From allegations concerning its connections to Halliburton and the subsequent awarding of profitable contracts to it, to allowing contributors like Enron a front seat at the policymaking table, to a lack of transparency in dealing with corporate malfeasance at the Securities and Exchange Commission, there is a continuing trend of unethical behavior. When light is shed on such issues, this administration quickly attacks those who question its motives. Ian Keough Toronto, Canada

Judging Silvio

Your article about Italian prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and the trials he is facing presents a realistic picture of the situation in my country (“Feeling the Heat,” May 19). It is astonishing that Berlusconi remains so popular after all the accusations and trials against him. Judging Berlusconi shouldn’t be a political issue but a legal and moral one. I appreciate the impartial way your article described “sinking” Italy, even though this opinion probably won’t be shared by most of the prime minister’s supporters. Maybe NEWSWEEK will now be labeled as a “communist” magazine on Berlusconi’s blacklist. Fabrizio Ferro Savona, Italy

I’m a U.S. citizen living in Italy, and I find that Berlusconi is a true leader, a courageous man. It’s sad that you attack the only honest politician in Italy, one who’s not afraid to speak his mind, one who has started reforms that are inspiring and innovative. This is a country where communists and former communists still control most of the government and the justice system. Corruption has become a tool for survival. Berlusconi is the first Italian politician who has said no to corruption, and he is paying the political price for changing the way Italy has worked for the past 50 years. Richard Gardini Nice, France

Of Moguls and Pornographers

Did Rob Long have to frame his joke about Hollywood sex fun as a welcome break from news of the war (“Ready for the Real Scoop?” April 21)? First, call it what it was–a brutal invasion, not a war. Second, will Long’s tale of kinky pornsters amuse the thousands of Iraqi moms whose kids were butchered by the U.S. military as much as it might your readers? Dwight Peck Bassins, Switzerland

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-05” author: “Earl Haupt”

A New Day Dawning

Congratulations on your July 7 cover story, “Is Gay Marriage Next?” We shudder to think of the venom-filled letters you will get, and are dismayed that our fellow Christians use their religion to justify hate and judgmental attitudes. We sit in the pews, too, and are the proud parents of a committed lesbian daughter and daughter-in-law, eagerly awaiting the birth of their first child so they can begin their family. There are millions of parents like us who love their gay and lesbian children and celebrate that they have found people to spend their lives with. Isn’t this every parent’s dream? Nikki and Harold Babbit Shaker Heights, Ohio

I don’t know whether to laugh or cry whenever I hear the term gay agenda. My partner and I, God willing, will celebrate 24 years together this November. At the age of 50, my “gay agenda” includes such radical activities as teeth implants, a colonoscopy and trying to make the payments on my new car. Would we benefit from a civil union of sorts? Of course. But I’ve given up trying to make those who believe I’ll burn in hell change their minds. It just isn’t going to happen in my lifetime. Richard Bryan Crystal Baltimore, Md.

I don’t want to see a celebration of the gay lifestyle and pictures of gays embracing on your cover any more than I want to see a celebration of adulterers or any other sexual sin. The Supreme Court decision was about privacy for individuals. It was not necessarily vocal support for or advocacy of a particular kind of sexual behavior. Kathryn Pendergrass Memphis, Tenn.

I was appalled to receive your July 7 issue. I have young children and would prefer that they didn’t see the articles about homosexuals. There are still a few people in this country who hold some moral values. This type of reporting glorifies the agenda of a very vocal minority. If we continue this trend, this great nation will be handed over to folks who do not have the moral capacity to keep it strong. Daniel Peters Hattiesburg, Miss.

As the father of a gay son, I want the world to know that I love him, support his choices and wish him only happiness all the days of his life, just as I do for his straight sister. I know that I cannot expect the rest of the world to love my son–they do not know him. But I also do not expect the rest of the world to hate him simply because he is gay. My one wish is that my children be able to live with the dignity and respect to which they are both entitled. Randy Givens Jefferson, Ga.

The Rev. Lou Sheldon, president of the Traditional Values Coalition, says in your article that “[p]eople of faith are not going to lie down and allow their faith to be trampled” by the Supreme Court’s Lawrenceetal. v. Texas decision. But the “Judeo-Christian standard” Sheldon seeks to impose is in many ways fundamentally inconsistent with the basic protections the Constitution provides. If the Bible were the law, the plaintiffs in Lawrence wouldn’t simply have been arrested, they would have been killed (Lev. 20:13). So would rebellious children (Deut. 21:18, 21), adulterers (Lev. 20:10) and people who work on Sunday (Exod. 31:14). Would Sheldon expect the police and courts to permit the slaughter the Bible apparently requires? If not, why should conservative Christians’ Biblically sanctioned bias against homosexuality receive special respect under the Constitution? Eric B. Gallon Columbus, Ohio

Having lived in New York City, Georgia, Alabama, Texas and California, I noticed something about this country. There are large and vocal homosexual communities in New York and San Francisco, but there is a whole lot of country in between. And a whole lot of people agree with Justice Antonin Scalia and condemn homosexuality as immoral. If you ask me, many Americans would disapprove of their kids’ one day sitting next to Dominic Pisciotta and Andrew Berg’s twins in their classroom. Kirsten E. Kennedy via internet

I am a public defender working in juvenile-delinquency court. As clients stagger through the legal maze, accused of a variety of crimes, one factor is consistent: absent, ineffective or abusive parents. How conservatives choose to define “family” excludes the most vital aspects of what makes a healthy family–love and commitment. Good parents are those who love their children and are committed to teaching respect for self and respect for others. Parents, single, married or “partnered,” who teach their children to be moral and compassionate raise children that I will welcome into society. Julia Knox Ciketic Los Angeles, Calif.

I have been married to the same man for 30 years and it is because I hold marriage sacred that I wish to see it available to gay people. The right to stand up in public and make binding promises to one’s beloved is absolutely core to equality. Pam Siegfried Anchorage, Alaska

Justice Scalia’s angry rebuttal to the Lawrence decision is based on the “ick factor” emotions of a divisive political –strategy, not on a fair administration of the law as it is supposed to be applied equally to all citizens. Gays and lesbians pay the same taxes–taxes that pay for schools, health care, the police, the military, etc. Our “agenda” is simply the same access to the systems we support. If there are special laws to exclude us then we should have tax exemptions. Why pay for membership you can’t use? Les Perkins Glendale, Calif.

Marriage is one woman, one man. Our sexual desires are for the privilege of having children and expressing our love for our mate. Our Supreme Court continues to make decisions that weaken the laws our forefathers made. “Eat, drink and be merry” seems to be the motto of our country. Ernest Robertson Taunton, Mass.

My partner of 20 years and I have attended each of my brother’s three weddings. During each one, he has openly wished that the sanctity of marriage that he enjoys could extend to us, while we have hoped that our understanding of the principles of marriage would finally be learned by him. Brian Judge Washington, D.C.

With all the war, disease, hunger and poverty in the world right now, the last thing anyone should be worrying about is two people who love each other! Protesters against gay marriage would be more useful volunteering in a soup kitchen. Megan R. Wobus Rochester, N.Y.

As a lifelong christian and a dedicated servant of my church, I have tried to lead a morally upright and ethical life. I did not ask to be gay. The only thing I chose is to be honest about who I am and strive to be the best human being I can be. I have been fortunate to find a loving partner to whom I have been exclusively committed for nearly 10 years. Yet the tyranny of the majority has seen to it that we are denied the same rights everyone else takes for granted. People who are not gay presume to know what being gay is all about and to know what is best for us. No less a person than Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia feels no compunction about labeling my behavior “immoral” without knowing anything about me, my life or my struggles. He doesn’t know how much my life changed for the better once I was able to accept who I am. William R. Stewart North Arlington, Va.

Am I the only one who is weary of seeing pictures of two men kissing and hugging, and having to explain these actions to my grandchildren? Enough already with your splashy cover pictures and articles on homosexuals. Until two men alone or two women alone can produce a child, there should be no legal gay marriages. Carole Nikla Sarasota, Fla.

I was pleased to see the U.S. Supreme Court recognize what Canada did back in 1969: the government has no place legislating the private activities of consenting adults. But social conservatives shouldn’t worry–it took Canada 34 years to progress from that point to its recent recognition of gay marriage. If the United States remains on schedule, gay marriage won’t become legal until 2037. I am a member of a traditional nuclear family: a heterosexual male with a wife, two kids, a dog and a four-door sedan. Conservatives approve of me today, but 30 years ago, they would have cast me out in the cold along with the gays, because my wife and I do not share the same skin color. Perhaps someday social conservatives will realize that they don’t need to destroy other people’s families in order to protect their own. Michael Wong Toronto, Ontario

From Ground Zero to Iraq

September 11 widow Christy Fererwrites about taking a piece of metal from Ground Zero with her to Iraq and adds that she was “completely unprepared to see the World Trade Center memorabilia… some of the soldiers carried with them” (“Back From Iraq and Prouder Than Ever,” my turn, July 7). Ferer and others who lost loved ones on 9-11 suffered an incalculable sorrow, and Saddam Hussein was a cruel, murderous despot whose regime has mercifully come to an end. Nevertheless, there has been no evidence that the Iraqi dictator was connected to the 9-11 tragedies. This persistent belief is the result of a marketing ploy used by the Bush administration to win support for its foreign policy by associating it with an unrelated national tragedy. Bill Prady Encino, Calif.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-06” author: “James Rogers”

So Long to a Sitcom

Thanks so much for your Oct. 6 cover story on “Friends” and especially for the sneak peek that Joey and Rachel won’t make it–that relationship just wasn’t working. I disagree, however, with your assessment that “Friends” isn’t in the same league as “All in the Family,” “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” or “I Love Lucy.” I think “Friends,” along with “Cheers” and “Everybody Loves Raymond,” all belong there. Why? One word: flashbacks. We’ve gotten to know these characters through background details in the scripts and flashbacks. We care about them because we know where they came from and how far they’ve come. We saw Lucy as Lucille Mac-Gillicuddy trying to break into show business; Mary Richards as a former cheerleader and high-school queen, and Sam Malone as the relief pitcher who fought alcoholism all through reminiscences in the scripts or, as with “Friends,” through actual flashbacks showing an overweight Monica and pre-nose-job Rachel. These are real people to us. Today’s sitcom writers would do well to note the secret of these great shows and add some endearing background facts to their flat, one-dimensional characters. Marcy Lorfing San Jose, Calif.

I’ve been a regular viewer of “Friends” over the years and I’m more than ready to see this group of overpaid, self-indulgent people disappear from the screen. Perhaps the lack of innovation on this, NBC’s No. 1 show, is what makes the future so unpretty for other TV sitcoms. It could also be that even the best compensated of our society find it hard to justify the outrageous amounts these actors are paid per episode. Are we really supposed to feel sorry for this group “weeping in their lattes”? Bill Casper San Diego, Calif.

The glowing, flattering tone of your cover story on “Friends” failed to recognize that there are many who think the show has overstayed its welcome by about three seasons. The cast, a group of attractive, talented comedic actors, cannot overcome inferior scripts. The sophomoric humor relies way too heavily on the recurring theme of casual sex. The story line involving Ross and Rachel’s on-again, off-again relationship and their dating exploits with other partners, despite the birth of their baby, is offensive. There is not now, nor was there ever, believable chemistry between Monica and Chandler. (Who in her right mind would choose Chandler Bing over any character portrayed by Tom Selleck?) Whiny Monica, ditzy Phoebe and self-centered Rachel have become tired, annoying cliches, and the guys are basically clueless buffoons. I used to love watching the show. Now I’d just love to see it go away. Katherine Robbins Baltimore, Md.

I look forward to each issue of NEWSWEEK for its weekly snapshot of our country’s cultural health. For example, in your Oct. 6 issue you gave the cover story, “Losing ‘Friends’,” eight pages, while “The Unbuilding of Iraq” got only four. I imagine if I had lost a loved one in Iraq I would be sickened by our culture of vanity. Fortunately, I am only amused. Warner Blake Snohomish, Wash.

How disturbing that foul language was considered relevant to the article on the final season of “Friends.” I work with sixth graders and can assure you that for some there is already a lot of foul language going into their heads and out of their mouths. By writing articles that will likely be read by teens, you assume a measure of stewardship over them. Marlies Buchmueller via internet

If the networks are so desperate for a sitcom that Americans will watch, then they should give us a chance to submit ideas. Hollywood shows are created by folks living in an artificial world, and the door is closed to anyone outside it and without representation. The freshest ideas exist out in the real world, where we viewers live. I’m a real person who has created a show about love that has demographic appeal crossing age, gender and racial divides –and it’s damn funny, too. Producers, your next big hit is sitting on my desk. Elizabeth Berke Brookline, Mass.

As the daughter of a screenwriter (“Pride of the Marines,” “Separate Tables,” “Sweet Smell of Success”) and the mother of a television writer (“Friends,” “Now and Again,” “Sex and the City,” “The West Wing”), I am used to having the writer overlooked and omitted. In your current article about the last season of “Friends” you mention the word “writer” only once. About the final episode you say, “OK, the truth is, we don’t know exactly, because the writers haven’t written it.” Sure, the actors are attractive and out in front, but who do you think writes the words that make us laugh and care about them? Maxine Borowsky Junge Clinton, Wash.

You write about “Friends” with such praise and awe. Yet for the past few years everyone I have spoken to agrees that, though the show was once very good, it lost its touch and should have ended some time ago. In the earlier seasons viewers could relate to the characters. But not since the show turned into a poorly written soap opera. One of the smartest decisions made by the “Seinfeld” cast was to end the show after its ninth season, leaving viewers wanting more. That’s why I stick to watching “Seinfeld” reruns: the networks haven’t produced any other quality sitcoms and I’m all “Friends”-ed out! Erin Green Cambridge, Mass.

The loss of “Friends” is a sad one, but not a devastating one. Bigger and better sitcoms (such as “Seinfeld” and “Cheers”) have come and gone, and we have gotten along just fine without them. Though “Friends” has shaped the way my generation has viewed sitcom TV, there will be other shows. The “Friends” characters themselves, however, are some of the finest ever invented. Forgetting Chandler or Joey or the rest of the gang would be a crime among “Friends” devotees. I wish the “Friends” actors and actresses all the best for gracing the screens of America’s living rooms for nine wonderful years. Erin Sucher via internet

With the ills of the world pressing on Americans like a severe case of pleurisy, it is unfortunate that NEWSWEEK put the cast of “Friends” on its cover. With the war in Iraq and domestic issues such as unemployment and health care at the forefront of American minds, who cares about Monica, Chandler, Ross and the rest? Many Americans, out of work and out of luck, can’t relate to actors who receive more than $1 million per episode for “working” in television. Barry J. Palm Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

Oh dear, what is America going to do now that we’re running out of good sitcoms? In the past nine years I’ve watched perhaps five of the 223 episodes of “Friends” and I could never figure out what it was that drew the audience back every week. Yet somehow my life is filled with joy and wonder. Maybe once all the “good” sitcoms have gone away, millions of Americans will discover what I’ve known for years: a good book beats a great sitcom any night of the week. Susan Docksey Gunnin Breckenridge, Colo.

The “Friends” recipe for success seems to be three socially stunted men, two self-absorbed neurotic control-freak women and Phoebe. Blend in tasteless sexual and bathroom humor, marinate for 30 minutes and repeat weekly for 10 seasons. You say the future of the TV sitcom isn’t pretty. And this was? Wendy Dackson East Aurora, N.Y.

As I entered my home on the day I expected my Oct. 6 issue of NEWSWEEK, I spied the magazine and the picture of young people on its cover caught my eye. It was unclear who they were, and I wondered, would it be another important article like the one on the current research of autism affecting children and adults? Would it be a heart-wrenching cover story similar to the one on American families devastated by the continuing unrest in Iraq? Much to my chagrin and disgust it was a picture of the pampered, egotistical actors on a show that has yet to convince me why it has merited such hype all these years. Of all the possible news stories, I cannot imagine why NEWSWEEK, to which I have subscribed for many more years than “Friends” has been on TV, would waste so much paper on this sitcom. Surely the cover of such a respected news magazine deserves something of greater consequence. Tim Cartwright St. Cloud, Fla.

Hallelujah! Finally the end of one of the most dimwitted, shallow sitcoms in TV history. This show has contributed to our national dumbing down by spawning a deluge of nitwit imitators (“Coupling” is the worst). “Friends” is one of the reasons that laughter is so scarce and sitcoms are in intensive care on life support. Dan O’Neill Los Angeles, Calif.

The New Teflon President?

Was the irony intentional? Anna Quindlen’s “Free Pass for the President” (Last Word, Oct. 6) highlights the mainstream media’s sidelining of revealing, critical news items such as Bush’s admission that no links have been found between Saddam Hussein and 9/11. How ironic then that Quindlen’s piece is on the last page of your magazine that features the cast of “Friends” on the cover–along with an eight-page article on the popular TV show. This is the feature story in what is supposed to be a news magazine? There were a few news stories this week worthy of cover status. It’s no wonder that many Americans are misinformed about current affairs when a major news magazine elevates pop culture above world events. Nancy Rosenlund Oakland, Calif.

Anna Quindlen does well to focus attention on the fact that the president and his administration have been spectacularly successful at convincing Americans of the fiction that Saddam Hussein and 9/11 were connected. She points out how “the major parties are pinatas, bright and empty.” But there is another side to this. How did the “American people” allow themselves to believe in such a fiction? Even today a majority of Americans support the president and his unnecessary war on Iraq. Which source of righteousness impels Americans to dismiss world opinion and believe it to be their destiny to attack another country fiercely and decide which form of self-governance it should have? Is there any accountability on the part of the American people? T. N. Narasimhan Danville, Calif.

George W. Bush stated that the war on terror would be unlike any war we have fought, and that it would be costly and long. I’m proud that we have a president who will stand up and remove the terror that threatens our way of life. We need to support whichever American we have in office who will stand up and remove the evil in the world to make our lives secure in the greatest land on earth. It’s not about being a Democrat or a Republican, it’s about being an American. Sean Hurr Tampa, Fla.

Anna Quindlen wants to demand more from Republicans and Democrats, but I think she should demand more from herself and her fellow journalists. It’s up to the TV newscasters to keep politicians focused on the issues, and the inside-the-Beltway pundits need to stop traveling the Georgetown cocktail circuit and do some real reporting. The media are too close and too friendly with the politicians they cover. They’re part and parcel of a process that keeps we the people on the sidelines while they and the politicians do their symbiotic two-step dance. This is one voter who says enough already! We have separation of church and state. Now we need a separation of politics from the fourth estate. Mark Mocarski New York, N.Y.

Corporations Should Pay

Your article on underfunded pensions lets corporations off the hook too easily (“Business’s Killer I.O.U.,” Oct. 6). The underfunding is not only because of “irrational exuberance” and overinvesting in stocks, but also because corporations deliberately took money out of pension funds to puff up corporate profits. Some years the stock market rises more than average and some years it falls. Well-managed pension funds keep any “extra” money they earn in good years to cover losses in bad years. However, during the good years of the late 1990s, when stocks rose faster than average, corporations pulled money out of their pension funds and used it to magnify profits and inflate management’s pay. The shortages in pension funds now are no accident; they are the result of a deliberate effort to take money away from workers and give it to management, leaving the workers and the government holding the bag. Mark Gilkey Mountain View, Calif.

In “Business’s Killer I.O.U.,” Bethlehem Steel CEO Steve Miller is quoted as replying to someone who complained about his decision to terminate retirees’ health and pension plans, “What part of broke don’t you understand?” One part I don’t understand is how a “broke” company can afford to continue to give him and his cohorts lavish salaries and other perquisites. What part of the anger of a retiree–who almost certainly never made anywhere near the salary of Miller–about being genuinely broke because a company did not fulfill a promise to its retiree for its executives’ convenience does Miller not understand? Norvell Wisdom Longview, Texas

In “Business’s Killer I.O.U.” a retired US Airways pilot complains that his pension has been cut to only $23,000 a year and that he now has to live paycheck to paycheck. I wonder if anyone has told this man that, according to the federal government, you aren’t living in poverty unless you make less than $18,000 a year. If corporate America is having trouble funding pension plans, it needs to either lower the amount it inputs and push the workers toward actually saving for themselves, require employees to work more years before retiring or a combination thereof. The answer is not to have the federal Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation bail out failed pensions, but to force the corporations themselves to repair what they break. There is absolutely no way you can justify a CEO for any company’s making in excess of nine figures, while his work force may end up having to work until they are 80 because the corporation has frivolously spent the pension funds. Daniel Martinez Fort Carson, Colo.

Teens Take the Rocky Road

As an adventure treks alumna myself, I believe in the lasting impact adventure trips have on teenagers (“Travels With Brittany,” next frontiers, Oct. 6). I backpacked, hiked, whitewater-rafted and mountain-biked in the Canadian Rockies for two weeks. The trip built my self-confidence, taught me respect for the environment and developed my abilities to work with a team and live in a community. I use the lessons I learned from Adventure Treks every day and continue to hike and kayak whenever I can. A showerless two weeks is a humbling experience that teaches any teen more about who she is and what really matters in life than a tennis camp on Long Island could ever achieve. Katie Saggiotes Wayne, Pa.

Score One for the Soccer Dad

As the parent of an 11-year-old who plays on a U-12 select soccer team, I couldn’t agree more with Mark Starr’s article about soccer dads (“Don’t Dis the Soccer Daddies,” Periscope, Oct. 6). My daughter plays in a division-one league and travels all over Maryland and northern Virginia for games and tournaments. While my husband doesn’t participate in many of the family chores, he has no problem stepping in and driving to a Saturday-afternoon game two hours away. He supports our daughter’s team 100 percent, always looks for ways to help out and is even the team liaison. While many of his weekends and holidays are spent on the soccer field, he never complains, and I believe my daughter is a better person for it. Linda Tierney Lusby, Md.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-25” author: “Tori Womble”

The SARS Epidemic

Your recent packages about severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) were both excellent (“The Mystery of SARS,” May 5, and “Waiting for Disaster,” May 12). I believe it’s especially important to recognize the dangers of living with animals. Many diseases affecting humans come from them. It’s also time to evaluate our foods and their sources. Silvio Sandro Cornelio Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

SARS has shown all nations just how vulnerable and fragile we are to such threats in this global village. No nation is safe if we do not share information openly and pool resources to stop and combat such outbreaks in the near future. Rich nations ought to fight the battle against poverty and disease to safeguard their own future, because we are all in it for better or for worse. Syed Rashid Ali Shah Vroomshoop, Netherlands

While it is true that emergent infections (primarily HIV) have increased mortality rates in the developed world over the past three decades, we should remember that preventable and/or treatable infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and many others still kill millions of people every year. This is primarily due to the slower rate of delivery of vaccination programs and antibiotic therapy in many parts of the developing world. While progress may make us sick, lack of progress is much more likely to kill us. David Ingram Tucson, Arizona

SARS appears to be the latest example of a virus leaping from animals to people and wreaking havoc. Other diseases that have come from animals–usually because we confine, kill and/or eat them–include the virus that causes AIDS, the new variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, better known as mad-cow disease, and the influenzas that annually kill more than 15,000 people in the United States alone. We may be setting the course for our own destruction with our cavalier use and manipulation of other animals. We should stop eating animals, but at the very least, we must stop imprisoning them in the filthy virus reservoirs that describe some farms and live markets. Jason Baker People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Norfolk, Virginia

The medical community would do well to take a closer look at the field of psychoneuroimmunology in its analysis of the spread of SARS. The power of the mind and its influence on the body’s immune system cannot be easily dismissed. Images of people with masks on their faces projected through the media give unnecessary power to a disease that may or may not be as powerful as reported. The verdicts that doctors deliver, “You have SARS!!” may result in more deaths from SARS than would otherwise occur. Voodoo works because it recognizes the power of fear and the mind. Paul E. Lemal Former Director, American Integrated Healthcare Association Atlanta, Georgia

Your May 12 article on SARS in China was most interesting. The WHO has said that Beijing’s SARS data is still seriously flawed: that China does not show how half the country has caught the SARS illness, while the other half–including Shanghai–seems not to have any cases. How is China shielding Shanghai? For months, it did not even acknowledge the problem, and there were no preventive measures such as travel restrictions within the country. Italy and Russia have wisely decided to check everybody coming from China for SARS. It is necessary for the United States, Britain and other countries to actively prevent SARS from affecting the global economy. Vipul Thakore London, England

China’s initial attempt to cover up the SARS outbreak to “preserve stability” (as one official put it) is just another reminder of how truth and transparency take a backseat in that country to the image of the Communist Party. It is disgusting how they put SARS victims in ambulances to be driven around the city just so they won’t be noticed by WHO officials. How can anyone be sure that by the time the 2008 Olympics come around, there won’t be victims of some other deadly disease being moved around Beijing just to escape detection? In 2008, there will be not hundreds, but hundreds of thousands of visitors to China. Melchor Vergara Antipolo, Philippines

The emergence of SARS serves to remind us of how powerless we humans are against nature. SARS and viruses like HIV and Ebola are formidable adversaries. If we are to vanquish them, we must learn to help each other. Our survival as a species may depend on cooperation and unity. Genie Hermoso Cebu, Philippines

Genocide in Gujarat

All investigations into the Godhra train tragedy indicate that the fire was started from inside the train, not from outside by Muslims (“Modi’s Moment,” March 3). Yet from the outset, an organized pogrom of Gujarati Muslims was started, causing the death of over 2,000 innocent men, women and children. The Gujarat government participated in this genocide, so chief minister Narendra Modi must be held accountable for it. Indians who have been lecturing us on democracy and secularism should hide their heads in shame. As long as the Gujarat culprits are free to be reelected, India’s claim to being a secular democracy remains a farce. Munaf Billoo Karachi, Pakistan

A War for Hearts and Minds?

NEWSWEEK, you crossed over to liberalism in your April 7 issue. Almost every article and every column in that issue was anti-George W. Bush. First, periscope makes the anti-Bush administration/big-business connection once again. Then the rest of the magazine gives us stories about the huge cost of the war, the Army’s not being up to the task, a pro-Tony Blair/anti-Bush piece and a pro-Iraqi Army piece. All this is anti-Bush. What is happening? Surely you know that at least half the population of the United States identify themselves as conservatives? Tim Pesola Atlanta, Georgia

Your April 7 issue left me very disappointed. There was hardly a single article that seemed to give an unbiased, objective perspective of the war in Iraq. Indeed, it seemed as though your perspective was totally American throughout. This became particularly obvious in reading the article “The Other Air Battle,” in which the Al-Jazeera satellite channel was criticized for portraying comments from U.S. administration officials as “claims.” It is evident to me that any responsible journalist would add the words “so-called” before “war on terror,” as this is a term coined, and almost exclusively used, by the current American administration–a term that most people outside the United States dismiss as nothing but propaganda. Heikki Uusitalo Helsinki, Finland

Thanks for a surprisingly objective and balanced view of the war on Iraq that made up for some of the unfortunate predictions in the weeks leading up to the actual fighting. However, I still find it amazing that a serious news magazine like yours can refer to the Hollywood portrayal of a book written by a man who was not even there in order to illustrate its views (“Low-flying helicopters are vulnerable to RPGs, as ‘Black Hawk Down’ vividly demonstrated”). What’s next? Quoting “Saving Private Ryan” when you refer to World War II? War is not as Hollywood shows it. David Blacker Boppard, Germany

The Bush administration has accomplished the unthinkable in a record two years: it has turned the most admired, dreamed-of and envied country into a most hated nation, and it transformed a $300 billion surplus into a $300 billion debt. Is this a result of “Bush’s conviction that he’s doing God’s will”? Let us wake up to the reality: if you elect a provincial, single-focus man who found refuge in religion to overcome his weakness, and award him with executive power where nuance and the deep understanding of world cultures are a must, this is what you get. Turgay M. Ergene Majorca, Spain

In “A Plan Under Attack,” you report that the spy who provided information to the American military concerning Saddam Hussein’s whereabouts “has since been ‘compromised,’ meaning that he is probably dead.” Could this possibly be a direct result of your March 31 article (“The War Room”), in which you provided substantial detailed information about this spy and his contributions on the first night of the war? You gave everything but his name. Some information needs to be withheld for the sake of national security. You know, Saddam Hussein reads NEWSWEEK, too. Mark Humphries Paris, France

A photograph that ran under the heading “The Horrors of Urban War” (April 7) shows a 4-year-old girl hit by “cross-fire.” The photo of that seriously injured child is only one of hundreds seen on international television screens showing a glimpse of the human toll of this war. Thousands of innocent Iraqi civilians, young and old alike, were injured or killed under the rubble of their homes and markets. They were leveled to the ground by cruise and Tomahawk missiles and other “smart” bombs fired by the planes, carriers, heavy tanks and artillery of U.S. and British forces. As long as there are double standards in human rights, there will be no peace. Ahmed El-Hajj Beirut, Lebanon

Controlling Iraq’s Oil

Your piece “What Big Oil Wants” (March 24) provided a surprisingly candid analysis of the reasons behind the current power play for control of Iraqi oil. Unfortunately, you failed to mention that the Bush cabinet is composed almost entirely of former executives of the very companies that stand to gain the most from this attempt to gain direct control over the planet’s second largest oil reserves. When will Americans wake up to the fact that their country has been hijacked by terrorists? Even Fareed Zakaria seems to have second thoughts about the wisdom of current U.S. military and diplomatic doctrine. It’s time the public realized that the consequences of allowing the Bush junta to pursue its disastrous policies at home and abroad will mean the end of the land they love. Steve Baker Schneverdingen, Germany

Don’t forget, we were the ones who sold Saddam the chemicals he used on the Halabjah Kurds. We were certainly not screaming for democracy then. As for Bush’s plan to use “Iraqi oil for the Iraqi people,” Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has been attempting to wrestle his country’s oil out of the hands of the oil oligarchy for five years, and the United States has repeatedly done everything in its power to thwart those moves. If you really believe Bush, then I’ve got an oil well in Paris I can sell you! Eamon Ore-Giron San Francisco, California

Revisiting Zakaria

I was shocked to read “The Arrogant Empire” (March 24). Fareed Zakaria says that the war with Iraq “would seem… a justifiable use of military force.” If so, where do the regimes of Israel and North Korea fit into the equation? While blaming the French (for helping Saddam Hussein build a nuclear reactor) and Russians (for their own agenda), Zakaria seems impervious to the fact that the chemical weapons Saddam used in Halabjah were provided by America and the hawkish Donald Rumsfeld. It was America that supported Saddam against Khomeni’s Iran. The reason people around the world have misgivings about America is because of the sheer hypocrisy shown by its governments. If the States would adopt the same policy with Ariel Sharon as it did with Saddam, there’s no reason why it would not get support from the whole world. Ammad Farooq, M.D. Bangor, Wales

As an American living abroad, I’ll tell you why the world hates us. It’s not America that the world hates, it’s Bush and his two-bit gangsters who masquerade as an administration. The most right-wing U.S. government in 80 years has made ours the most hated nation. “Let them hate, as long as they fear,” seems to be the mantra that Bush adheres to. God help us all if they treat North Korea the way they’ve treated Iraq. Doug Cates London, England

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-08” author: “John Slaugh”

The State of Men’s Health

I was really pleased to see your June 16 cover story on men’s health (“Men’s Minds, Men’s Bodies”). For years women have made a steadfast and passionate effort to bring forth many of the health issues that directly affect them. However, we men have been less than fervent in addressing the health issues that affect us. Our lack of momentum on these issues could be attributed to our male ego–our reluctance to show that we’re as vulnerable as anyone else when it comes to illness and disease. Nonetheless, I’m happy to see that you’ve brought the issue to the fore. Kevin Einbinder Chicago, Ill.

Your otherwise fine articles give a fatalistic “social biology is destiny” interpretation of men’s health-related behavior. I submit that men and women are heavily influenced by the gender-related messages they receive in childhood. If we begin to raise our sons to understand, as our daughters do, that it is OK to admit pain (to their doctors) and to seek help (from a professional) in a crisis, and that we need not (and cannot) solve every problem ourselves, the sex difference in longevity will begin to shrink. Eugene E. McDowell Psychology Department, Western Carolina University Cullowhee, N.C.

As a man approaching 30, I picked up your June 16 issue with a keen interest in my health. However, after reading it, I think a more fitting title would be “Treatments for Preventing Death.” I do not consider cardiovascular disease, abdominal aortic aneurysm, prostate cancer, one-upmanship, depression or hair loss representative of my understanding of health. Throughout almost all your articles, you reported on men’s potential health problems rather than men’s healthy living possibilities. With the exception of “Real Men Do Yoga,” each article seemed calculated to persuade men to fix their ailing health. Jack Du Mez Troy, N.Y.

It’s true that in our culture we take for granted the idea of competition, survival of the fittest, winning/losing and domination/submission, and we believe that we can impose this on most everything we do, including our practice of yoga postures (“Real Men Do Yoga”). But we should ask, why do these postures work? The cultures from which yoga developed (ancient India and China) honored the view that what happens in our bodies and in the world is not based on survival of the fittest and competition, but rather a profound and dynamic matrix of cooperation. Kevin Kortan Yoga therapist and teacher Evolutionary Yoga New York, N.Y.

Your article “Prostate Cancer’s Difficult Choices” should be read by all patients diagnosed with this disease. Treatment decisions often are made when men and their partners are equipped with convoluted information, unfamiliar terminology and uncharted courses to personal survival. The knowledge and guidance provided in your article will help alleviate the fears and frustrations felt by people new to this intimidating disease. I applaud your magazine for sharing real-life stories and the reasons behind men’s choices. I implore your readers to be aggressive in their routine prostate specific antigen (PSA) screenings. This simple blood test may have saved my 48-year-old husband’s life. Susie Kasinski Drummond Racine, Wis.

Since my prostate surgery, I have heard of many men who have never had a PSA test. I learned that men are hiding their heads in the sand just like women who refuse to have a mammogram. Today, mammograms are making a significant dent in detecting early tumor growth. Had it not been for a yearly PSA test, cancer could have spread throughout my body. Lack of knowledge in these matters is not an excuse, it is ignorance–and it puts one’s life at stake. Joe Smiga Manchester, N.H.

In their piece on prostate-cancer treatment options, Karen Springen and Jerry Adler overlooked a safe, simple and effective choice: cryoablation, or immediate cancer-cell death by lethal ice. Thousands of men have turned to cryo, a minimally invasive procedure, as an alternative to radical surgery and/or radiation for localized prostate cancer. The benefits of cryo include rapid recovery, almost no risk of permanent, severe urinary incontinence and new techniques that better preserve sexual function. One recently published study of seven- and eight-year-old data shows cryo to be 92 percent effective in low-risk cases, and 87 percent to 89 percent effective in moderate- to high-risk tumors. Men can make an informed treatment choice only when they’ve been informed of all options. Karen Barrie, Director CryocarePCA (Prostate Cancer Advocates) Wilmette, Ill.

One issue neglected in your other-wise excellent articles about men’s health is the drastic situation facing men of color, who are less healthy than any other group and more likely to suffer from chronic conditions. They have reduced access to care and are thus more severely affected by the underlying causes of disease. Regardless of insurance status, men of color are less likely to receive timely preventive services, and –more likely to suffer the consequences of delayed attention, such as limb amputations and radical cancer surgery. It is time for policymakers and journalists to recognize the role of race and, for that matter, income in developing ways to improve the nation’s health overall. Barbara Krimgold, Senior Advisor Kellogg Men’s Health Initiative Center for the Advancement of Health Washington, D.C.

Your June 16 issue is truly a keeper. I don’t have a clue when my subscription ends, but I will renew it right away to be sure I don’t miss any gems like this issue. As an aspiring novelist at 72, I find this topic especially poignant regarding the male psyche. Thanks for a job well done. Robert L. Jacober Miami, Fla.

As good as your articles on men’s health are, you may not realize how differently men and women can interpret them. For example, my husband thinks that if a condition like, say, high cholesterol, is hereditary, then there’s nothing he can do about it, so he can eat and do whatever he likes. I, on the other hand, take that to mean that I must work harder at keeping my cholesterol at a healthy level. Most men I know won’t ever admit that they don’t eat right or exercise enough since that would mean having to succumb to a lifestyle change. Men have to stop being in denial. Karen Datko Easley, S.C.

Any parent considering circumcision for their son should first ask themselves if they would have an equivalent procedure done to their daughter if the benefits were found to be the same or greater (“Controversies and Clear Thinking”). If a parent cannot justify the removal of normal, healthy tissue from a daughter’s genitals in the name of marginal health benefits, then how can they allow it for a son? Robert Blissitt Dallas, Texas

The problem with infant male circumcision is that it is an elective procedure, and elective procedures generally require the consent of the patient. Performing elective surgery on someone too young to give consent is inconsistent with the basic principles of medical ethics. Dennis Harrison Vancouver, B.C.

We can now go to our doctor for expensive medical tests to determine our CRP, small LDL and HDL2B, and further escalate our skyrocketing health-care costs. We will then be told to stop smoking, get active and eat more vegetables and less fat. Why don’t we just do what we know will help us avoid disease? If people are not taking positive health action with the information we already have, what makes us think that the results of more medical tests will change behavior and save lives? We need to make eating better and being active easier and more fun. Carol M. Meerschaert, R.D., L.D.N. New Gloucester, Maine

Depression, poor physical condition and midlife crises occur because many men are duped by society into believing that their self-worth is defined by their breadwinning abilities and their standing in the economic hierarchy. This limited perspective on life is established by others, who may not grant these men the status they seek. By thinking outside the box and escaping from this trap, men could enrich their minds and bodies in ways more creative than merely earning a paycheck. Peter H. McCusker Medford, Ore.

Where in your article were the farmers, tradesmen, service workers, disadvantaged new immigrants and retail employees? These men, who have little status or economic power and struggle to earn a living for their families, carry the burden of pain and disease, die too soon and suffer too much–invisible to a society in which they have no political clout and are unlikely to be able to afford adequate health insurance or membership at fitness clubs. They are our sons and fathers, lovers and friends, whose stories need to be told. Joe Zoske, M.S., M.S.W. Administrative Coordinator, Social Work Program Siena College Loudonville, N.Y.

As a psychologist who has worked with cardiac patients for the past 10 years, I was surprised by your omission of one of the biggest risks for a heart attack: chronic anger. Abundant research exists that shows this is a more critical factor than smoking, family history, lack of exercise or diet. The medical field, however, is often reluctant to acknowledge the impact of attitude and behavior on disease because it challenges the traditional medical model. But the physical reactions that take place when anger rears its ugly head are clearly documented. Gregory H. Moore, Psy.D. Princeton Junction, N.J.

A Daughter’s Homage

I want to thank Patti Davis for her June 16 My Turn article, “I’m Ready to Follow My Father’s Lead.” She has put into words the very feelings I have had for my own father. After years of resistance–and, as she put it, “bloody battles” to break away–I’ve finally come to realize that my father’s footsteps truly do mark the pathway home and that that’s all he ever intended. Davis’s words are truly a gift–I included a copy of her article in this year’s Father’s Day card. And I’m now perfectly fine being the acorn that found her way back to the tree. Sharon Brunot La Grange Park, Ill.

What a wonderful tribute Davis has paid to her father. I was quite moved by her sincerity in describing the kind of father President Reagan was to her during her formative years. We all remember Davis’s defiance and rebellious nature toward him years ago. How nice that she now recognizes the indelible footprint a loving father leaves–one that has brought her back home in such a rewarding fashion. Tim Lillard Anaheim Hills, Calif.

I must congratulate Davis on one of the most powerful pieces I have ever come across in your magazine. As I read it, I pondered my own father’s footsteps; he died when I was just 13 years old. Over the years I, too, have wondered if I had followed where he would have led me, and sometimes I think I failed. But I have always tried to do what I thought he would have wanted me to do. I wonder how many others have thought about what they have done in the same light? Robert W. Carver Azusa, Calif.

What Makes Hillary Tick?

Thank you, NEWSWEEK, for publishing a balanced portrayal of Hillary Rodham Clinton in Anna Quindlen’s article (“Say Goodbye to the Virago,” The Last Word, June 16). Pundits should stop making Clinton’s book sound like a lengthy version of some bad tabloid confession. The parts of her book that surprised me the most were not about Monica Lewinsky, but about Clinton’s genuine desire to work to improve our legal and political system, her integrity and her love of antique furniture. It’s time for pundits–and the rest of the media–to let Hillary be her own woman. Rachel Potucek Manhattan, Kans.

When public servants promote their public images as glibly as Hollywood personalities do, the public has every reason to question their motives. Hillary Rodham Clinton has a right to do what she’s doing, but her timing and “tell all” posture suggest that her book has more to do with political self-promotion than with historical accuracy. It is a smoke screen to turn this into a feminist issue, as Anna Quindlen tries to do. Clinton is not just another First Lady writing her memoirs. She is a potential presidential contender, and the public can see it. David F. Smith Shirley, Mass.

Had Hillary Clinton been born male, it is likely that no one would question her motives or look down on her for the choices she’s made, both personally and politically. With all the advances in the women’s movement, one would think that Senator Clinton and women as a whole would not have to face this double standard. Thanks to Anna Quindlen for an excellent piece on increasing awareness about an issue experienced by many of today’s women. Rebecca J. Alperin Toledo, Ohio

Jonathan Alter continues the drumroll against Hillary Clinton (“Oh What Webs We Weave,” June 16). Wives who love their husbands tend to believe them regarding sexual matters. Call this deceiving oneself, if you must, but for Alter to extrapolate this into a weakness for leadership would eliminate a good many of Americans from ever running for office. Barbara Burrell Southern Pines, N.C.

Just who does Hillary think believes her story that she didn’t know about Bill and Monica? Her husband has had many affairs–only a fool would believe him when he said he wasn’t having one. Even my friends who are liberals don’t believe her. Perhaps Clinton realizes the country knows she’s lying and she just doesn’t care. Chuck Arnold Elora, Tenn.

Written in Stone

There is a misstatement of fact in your June 16 issue about Mark Moskowitz’s documentary, “The Stone Reader” (“A One-Book Wonder,” Periscope). The American Booksellers Association did not, could not or would not “blackball” anything at BookExpo America (BEA). The fact is, even after we learned that Barnes & Noble would be publishing “The Stones of Summer,” the book that inspired Moskowitz’s documentary, we repeatedly told Moskowitz that we remained willing to publicize a screening of his film at BEA if it was scheduled. This is exactly what we told him before the announcement was made about Barnes & Noble’s involvement. I personally put Moskowitz in touch with the show’s manager to facilitate the arrangements. Moskowitz dropped the ball–we didn’t. It’s true that many booksellers were disappointed by the decision to have Barnes & Noble publish the book, and our enthusiasm to be a sponsor of the film certainly waned, but we never told Moskowitz that he could not show “The Stone Reader” at BEA. Oren J. Teicher Chief Operating Officer American Booksellers Association Tarrytown, N.Y.

Clarification

In our June 9 article “The War Over Fetal Rights” (June 9) a caption accompanying the photo of a 13-week-old fetus stated that from that point on, states could restrict a woman’s right to an abortion. We should have said that states can impose restrictions like waiting periods and parental-notification laws before 13 weeks. States may not actually ban abortions until viability, about 24 weeks.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-25” author: “Elida Cummings”

When Does Life Begin?

Your June 9 cover story “Should a Fetus Have Rights?” was intriguing and informative. I am an obstetrician and an embryologist, but I can no more tell when life begins in the human fetus with my microscope than an astronomer can tell if heaven exists with a telescope. Our beliefs about when life begins are driven by our faith, not science, and sincere people have different opinions about life before birth. It is the essence of American religious tolerance to respect these differences, just as we respect the different teachings of other religions about life after death. Malcolm Potts, M.D. Berkeley, Calif.

My 12-year-old son was born five weeks premature with various complications. Twenty years ago, he likely would have died at birth. Thanks to remarkable advances in medicine and technology, a fetus’s “time of viability” is constantly changing. Today, it means 20 to 22 weeks. A dec-ade from now, it could be 16 to 18 weeks; 50 years, in 8 to 10 weeks. Eventually the fetus may even be able to live outside the womb from the moment of conception. We cannot afford to go down the slippery slope of trying to guess the time of viability in order to determine whether a fetus is “alive.” We must therefore assume that life begins at conception and treat every fetus as a human being. Mark Moring Elburn, Ill.

I was comfortable taking a pro-choice stand during the first four months of my child’s fetal development. Then I saw a sonogram of her at 12 weeks and two days. She was a perfect small person who moved and reacted to the pressure of the ultrasound probe. I now feel guilt for what I once supported. In most states, at 12 weeks, it is legal to destroy what is clearly a new human being. That sickens me. Ken Hoffman Issaquah, Wash.

In November of 2001, our son Ethan was diagnosed at 20 weeks’ gestation with a diaphragmatic hernia. After evaluation, it was concluded that Ethan’s hernia was not severe enough to make him a candidate for fetal surgery. Today, thanks to many prayers and the doctors and nurses at the Children’s Hospital of Orange County, our son is thriving. However, as your article stated, the emotional and physical tolls have been enormous. I know that we made the right choice for Ethan and for us–but it was a decision so intimate, and with such serious repercussions, that I am grateful we were allowed to make it for ourselves. Shannon Conklin-Miller San Juan Capistrano, Calif.

For years after my abortion I longed to talk with someone who would legitimize the pain I felt. I was filled with guilt and shame and deeply mourned the baby I lost in silence. Our society does not speak about abortion unless it is in the context of political debate. I wish Planned Parenthood president Gloria Feldt and NARAL Pro-Choice America president Kate Michelman were also vocal about women who are left sterile, or with a perforated uterus or damaged colon after their abortions. I wish we would hear their voices when doctors botch abortions and then abandon the patient, as recently happened in Georgia. Those in favor of “choice” want to silence our voices while at the same time screaming about women’s rights. Theresa Bonopartis Harrison, N.Y.

An ultrasound of a fetus doesn’t make me as emotional as pictures of children dying from hunger or abuse. I’m against policy made by people who love a fetus until it’s born and then forget about it after. The hardest job in the world is to raise a child–the easiest job must be to tell someone else to raise one. You choose your greater evil and I’ll choose mine. Pat Waterman Denver, Colo.

No, a fetus does not have rights, nor should it. A fetus is part of a woman’s body from the moment of fertilization until birth. The mother has control over this unique body part, not the state. Upon birth, this part of a woman becomes a person with all the rights and responsibilities of a person. Ben Tenn Los Angeles, Calif.

How can we call the killing of a fetus “choice” when we want it to be acceptable and then call it “murder” when we want it to be punishable? Activists must face the fact that if they want to consider an unborn baby a nonperson in order to allow for abortions, then they lose the ability to grant that baby the status of a person in order to punish murderers. Raina Horner Dallas, Texas

Was it an editorial message or poor editing that led to the statement that Laci Peterson’s “unborn son, Connor, [was] nearly 9 months old” when his mother was murdered? Since when did we start counting our age from the moment of our conception? The loss of Connor’s potential for life is a tragedy, as is his mother’s, but to refer to him as “9 months old” is unscientific and misleading. Leslie Melman Bala Cynwyd, Pa.

As a staunch liberal, I have never understood the position of my progressive comrades on the rights of not-yet-born human beings. For me, being a liberal means –defending those who are powerless and unable to defend themselves. The conundrum that the emerging fetal-rights legislation creates is the natural consequence of today’s version of the Dred Scott decision (Roe v. Wade), which relegates an entire class of human beings to subhuman legal status. Coincidentally, as I was writing this, my 4-year-old daughter came to me, observed the cover of NEWSWEEK and said, “Look at the baby!” The insight we sometimes receive from children is amazing. Robert Bristow-Johnson Burlington, Vt.

There would be no abortions if there were no unwanted pregnancies. We should treat the problem, not the symptom. Edward B. Grothus Los Alamos, N.M.

Your cover story on fetuses did not explore the broader range of legal and financial implications of granting rights to fetuses. If a fetus has rights similar to those of a child, then some questions should be asked: Will insurance companies be obligated to treat fetuses the same as a child? Will parents be allowed to purchase life insurance for a fetus? Would a woman be allowed to claim the fetus as a dependant on her tax return? Has anyone calculated the cost of such a change? These questions may sound cold and mercenary, but they are logical consequences of changing the law. Patricia Richmond Los Angeles, Calif.

NEWSWEEK has shown courage by describing the different stages of fetal development. I became pregnant when I was 18 years old and a freshman honors student in college. A counselor at my university’s health center talked me into having an abortion because, as she put it, I had no right to bring a child into the world I couldn’t provide for. Adoption was never mentioned. I was on the operating table, feet in the stirrups, when I changed my mind. I have never regretted my decision. My child is now a wife, mother and college honors student herself. Since my own experience with an unplanned pregnancy, I have volunteered at pregnancy crisis centers and testified before the California State Assembly. I’m appalled by the pro-choice movement’s arguments that focus solely on whether a fetus is wanted, as if that makes someone more human. Cynthia Villanueva Los Gatos, Calif.

As a practicing Roman Catholic for whom abortion isn’t a personal option, and as the mother of a child with Rett syndrome, I was interviewed for your story on fetal rights and stem-cell research. The article suggested that I believe the only hope for a cure for my daughter lies with stem-cell research, but this is an inaccurate rendering of my statement. We do not know enough about the neurobiology of Rett syndrome to determine whether stem cells will be the therapeutic intervention of choice. I remain optimistic about all therapeutic avenues, including pharmacological intervention and gene therapy. I strongly support stem-cell research and hope this important avenue of research will remain open. Monica Coenraads Trumbull, Conn.

How can anyone look at photos of a fetus and say it’s not human? It has a body, arms, legs, hands, feet, internal organs. What more does one need? Each of us was at those stages of development at one time and we were allowed to live. We should do the same for today’s unborn children. Ginny Schofield Springfield, Ill.

If the experiences of Tracy Marciniak and Monica Coenraads illustrate one thing about fetal rights, it is that attitudes toward reproductive rights are infinitely malleable and that people often shape their beliefs to fit personal experiences. Every woman must have the right to control her body, a right that necessarily includes access to safe, legal abortions. Her personal beliefs can dictate whether she employs these services. Taylor A. Price Overland Park, Kans.

Sweet Inner-City Music

African-American cellist Leo Harris is an inspiration to me, as he should be to all Americans (“Music This Beautiful Is Something to Share,” my turn, June 9). Though he may not realize it, imparting his love for classical music to those of the next generation is contributing to the breakdown of racial barriers. It is often said that music is a universal language. BrookLyn Heany Denver, Colo.

Leo Harris’s pursuit of mastering the cello and rearing a family of musicians is testimony to what is possible if only the –encouragement is there. It is unfortunate there isn’t some meaningful import placed on classical music in the public-school system. Serious music is itself an education. Dave Johnson Toms River, N.J.

At a time when popular culture seems ever more coarse, and it’s conceivable that a person’s entire exposure to musical art might begin and end with Snoop Dogg, Leo Harris’s essay made my decade. Rex Barron Albuquerque, N.M.

What if Michael Jordan, or the projected NBA top draft pick LeBron James, became a classical-music philanthropist? Jordan could, for example, begin with Leo Harris’s South Side Family Chamber Orchestra. I play viola in community orchestras–including one whose only African-American member is our concertmaster. I can imagine the potential outreach if Jordan and James brought classical performers into schools, housing projects and inner-city community centers. How about midnight basketball and Beethoven? Lee Rucker Keiser Bethesda, Md.

Why Did We Wage War?

“(Over)Selling the World on War” (June 9) is an understatement. By not finding weapons of mass destruction in Iraq– an “imminent threat” to the United States–the Bush administration waged the war under false pretense. And with a badly flawed postwar plan, it completely underestimated (and oversold) the length of time it would take to secure and rebuild Iraq. At home, the deficit soars to historic levels with tax cuts for the wealthy and unabated spending. Even if Congress doesn’t hold this administration accountable, the American people should. But where’s the outrage? Bush still has a 62 percent approval rating even after feeding us misinformation and running up the deficit. Dick Meis Murrieta, Calif.

The claim that the Bush administration overstated the threat posed by Iraq provides liberals with a fail-safe opportunity to resume their criticism of President Bush with little risk of embarrassment in the end. First, it allows them to keep hammering at an uncertainty with the hopes of damaging the president’s credibility on other fronts. And second, it will be an easy argument to abandon if they are proved wrong, since they can argue that their motives were more inquisitive than condemnatory (as was the case when they predicted a gloom-and-doom scenario for the war in Iraq). If they happen to be wrong again, it should not stop them from finding more to complain about and issuing other faulty prophetic announcements. Miguel A. Guanipa Whitinsville, Mass.

While we may never know the extent of Iraq’s WMD program and capabilities, your article makes one thing clear: from its narrow interpretation of intelligence to its shameless spinning of the facts, the administration underestimated the intelligence and integrity of the American people. I hope this is not a preview of the upcoming re-election campaign strategy. Andrew Anagnos Santa Monica, Calif.

Enough already: the postwar evidence is clear. Saddam himself was a weapon of mass destruction, and his primary target was his own people. Robert G. Quayle Asheville, N.C.

A few years ago, we had a president who lied to us about his sexual adventures. It was an amusing incident, but not very serious. Still, he was impeached for his lies. Today we have a president who appears to have lied to us about the reason more than 200 American and British troops and thousands of Iraqis had to die. This is not amusing and is deadly serious. I am waiting for Congress to do its duty. Joel D. Welty Blanchard, Mich.

Bill’s Wishful Thinking

The idea that Bill Clinton could again serve as president, despite the 22d Amendment restriction, shouldn’t be taken seriously (“Clinton: Want Me Back?” periscope, June 9). The suggestion that Clinton could, as vice president, become president if his running mate resigns isn’t possible, because as a former president, Clinton is not eligible to be vice president. The 12th Amendment of the Constitution states: “[N]o person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice President of the United States.” Martin D. Tullai Lutherville, Md.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-27” author: “Mark Millwood”

The Blair Affair

Your cover story on the Jayson Blair scandal was worth the cost of my renewed subscription (“The Times Bomb,” May 26). Thanks for giving a concise, full picture of how it all came about. I just hope people don’t use this to justify halting their nascent diversity-recruitment programs. Paige Gold Los Angeles, Calif.

How could you put such an obviously self-satisfied, self-admitted, smirking plagiarist on your cover? It demeans and insults every honest writer and journalist. My 11-year-old son, who struggles mightily with writing in school and has never met an adjective or adverb he likes, deserves the honor more than Jayson Blair. Candace L. Taylor Seattle, Wash.

How can the New York Times regain its readers’ trust? The way its own editorials advise errant companies to regain the public trust: get rid of those who let Jayson Blair go on for so long without noticing his constant lies. The Times should practice what it preaches. Helder Gil Washington, D.C.

Jayson Blair’s fall from grace is not a failure of affirmative action but points to a lack of moral character. Martin Luther King Jr. said it eloquently in his 1963 speech. “I have a dream that my four little children will one day… not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” Blair blatantly betrayed affirmative action, his profession, his race and, above all, himself. Rick Schreiner Pasadena, Calif.

That Jayson Blair could get away with what he did at “the paper of record” is a story so hard to believe that it sounds, well, made-up. Peter A. Riesen Ithaca, N.Y.

Entranced by Reality TV

I started watching “American Idol” as a diversion to the Iraq war coverage (" ‘Idol’ Worship," May 26). There I was, a 52-year-old grandmother, actually planning my social calendar around “American Idol’s” air time. If Simon Cowell, my favorite judge, leaves the show, I may not tune in in the future–unless, of course, it turns out the United States decides to invade another country. Lorie McMullen Terre Haute, Ind.

Get a grip, NEWSWEEK! Nearly a tenth of your recent issue was devoted to the mindlessness of “reality TV.” You state that “30 million people can’t stand the suspense” involved in the choice of an “American Idol,” yet you seem to forget that a quarter billion of us choose to ignore the absurdity of it all. Robert R. Davis Jr. Lima, Ohio

Help Prevent Student Suicides

Inez Okrent’s remembrance of her son and the circumstances of his suicide at Harvard highlight a problem that has solutions which are long overdue (“David’s Death Doesn’t Have to Be in Vain,” my turn, May 26). I, too, lost my son, Jed, a student at the University of Arizona, in a similar suicide in 1998. Since then, my family and others have created the Jed Foundation (jedfoundation.org), whose mission is to reduce suicide on college campuses and strengthen the safety net for students at risk. We’ve been joined by professionals at colleges across the country. Students can self-screen or use the site to identify friends or peers in need of help. Donna Satow, Founder The Jed Foundation New York, N.Y.

I’m glad you let Inez Okrent have her turn. As a single parent trying to guide my college-age son through depressive bouts, I learned valuable information from this brave mother. I also have something tangible to show my son–that he is not the only one going through this and should not feel ashamed for feeling sad. Janice A. Mancuso Carlsbad, Calif.

As a college professor, I agree that those of us who interact with young people must respond appropriately when a student appears to be at risk. However, I was deeply concerned by Inez Okrent’s statement that David “masked [his depression] all too well.” As many high-school and college students approach final exams, I encourage students to please not hesitate to reach out to someone you trust. You’re not alone, and those who care about you (they’re out there!) want only to help, not to judge or dismiss you. But you have to let us know that you’re hurting. Mary Beth Culp Palos Verdes, Calif.

Clarification

The May 19 graphic “Pathways to Pain” described migraine pain as caused by swollen blood vessels that rub against nerves in the brain. Scientists say the key problem is not friction but the inflammation that occurs when swollen vessels release proteins into surrounding tissues.

Correction

In “The News Not Fit To Print” (May 26), we said that Ruth Shalit, a former writer for The New Republic, “admitted to plagiarizing passages and fabricating facts.” In fact, Shalit (who later rejoined The New Republic for two years) never admitted to any fabrication. NEWSWEEK regrets the error.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-11” author: “Edmond Cone”

Inside Saddam’s Iraq

I would like to comment on your special report “The Saddam Files” (April 28). The caption accompanying the photos of looted palace fixtures reads, “The post-Saddam looting binge was an inevitable result of the corruption his police state fostered.” I think the looting, which was a direct result of poor U.S. security arrangements for the protection of important places like Iraq’s National Museum, could have been prevented. The looting of the museum was carefully planned. Precious artifacts were targeted by thieves who, it seems, were sent specifically to collect well-known items. U.S. forces are to blame for this debacle–it’s a disgrace that they did not know that this would happen. Some of the looted treasures have now turned up in the States. Could U.S. collectors be involved? In the periscope piece “Plundering the Precious,” Philippe de Montebello of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, says, “There is no market [for such stolen works].” Isn’t he aware of the collector-driven market of wealthy private collectors worldwide who care more for their own collections than for the sources of such items? If there weren’t a market, nobody would have gone into the museum. Karl A. Aiken Kingston, Jamaica

When we were in Baghdad in 1997, we were told that there was not much to see in the Iraqi National Museum, that Saddam had moved its countless treasures to “secure” locations during the first gulf war. We went anyway but found no exhibits–there was nothing in the museum. Dare we hope that the treasures that were once there are still safely stored in some underground vault and may perhaps be found someday? Friedrich Wepner Linz, Austria

You report on the killing fields and torture chambers as exclusive “revelations”? Saddam’s brutality was common knowledge among journalists for years. Your revelation should be that journalists widely color their stories–not for truth or the public’s right to know, but for access. Bob Rosenschein Jerusalem, Israel

Your April 21 article, “The Secret War,” had an uncanny resemblance to a videogame walk-through. It was completely devoid of the human element and lacked sensitivity. The graphic description of all the cluster bombs, tank-buster bombs and bunker-buster bombs fails to bring out the fact that real people were being bombed. Is an Iraqi life cheaper than an American one? Why does only the death of American soldiers evoke the feeling of the uselessness of war among Americans? Why can’t we feel the same way for Iraqi soldiers and civilians? It seems as though America will keep on trampling down weaker states till it finds some resistance. It will stop only when some of its own are killed. Why do we have to wait for that? It’s time we start thinking about pre-emptive peace. Amanzeb Khan Islamabad, Pakistan

Protesting the War

Jonathan Alter gives a poor description of people who opposed the war in Iraq (“Smugness Is Our Greatest Enemy,” April 28). Using a “you’re either with us or against us” mentality, he says liberals “yawn at the revelations of mass graves in Iraq” and are “blinded by their loathing of George W. Bush.” The fact is, many of the people who opposed the war supported regime change; they were horrified at the brutality of the regime and were scared that a U.S. president was acting as though he was doing God’s work. Recently, at the United Nations, we witnessed the inadequacies of our modern democracy. Discussion and collective decision-making are shunned, votes are bargained for and “winners” punish dissenters. Michael Lancaster Matsudo, Japan

Alter is right: Democrats used the wrong vocabulary in protesting the war. Saying that human-rights interests were not served by this invasion and that there are no chemical weapons in Iraq are not ways to protest the war. Everyone recognizes that this was all about economics: Iraq will now be a supplier of cheap oil to the United States. To successfully debate foreign policy, Democrats must recognize that countries think in terms of power. Human rights is a great issue to rally public support with but not a consideration for countries in making their decisions. Contrary to popular opinion, even President Chirac is not concerned with human-rights issues: it is in his national interest to contain American “imperialism.” The most effective way for Democrats to campaign successfully against President Bush is to show that he is alienating America from the rest of the world, and that a reduced oil price will not hurt nearly as much as a world unified against America. David Zeitzoff Austin, Texas

Americans may wonder why the Iraqi people are not appreciating their “liberation.” But the American message is confusing. Proclaiming Iraq’s liberation while watching its hospitals and museums being looted (even as the oilfields were perfectly protected) does not confirm the claim of “liberation.” Moreover, the implicit message–“we know better what is good for you”–does little to gain Iraq’s trust. This lack of respect, along with the widespread American belief in the universality of its culture and values, can be a dangerous mix. In a country where the majority population is Shiite Muslims, with a neighbor that boasts the world’s only theocracy, U.S. arrogance and its cultural threat could well make Iraqi people turn back to their religion. Mazyar Mokfi North Shields, England

A ‘Bellum Americanum’ Order?

With their World View column “is This the New World Order?” Stryker McGuire and Michael Meyer gave me back some hope regarding American journalists’ capabilities and courage (March 17). If Bellum Americanum is supposed to be the new world order, McGuire and Meyer are right to stress the first casualties on Bush’s list: the Western Alliance, the EU, NATO and the United Nations. I am afraid the United Nations will be less “irrelevant” once it has to clean up all sorts of “collateral damage” (which still appears to happen even though there are “precision weapons” now and wars are waged “clinically”) and take care of hundreds of thousands of refugees from Iraq. Bush, however, does not seem to care, and neither did it matter to anyone in Bush’s Coalition that the vast majority of people all over Europe objected to this war. What kind of democracy is this? Sabine Grobbink-Winkler Alzenau, Germany

Now that President Bush has demonstrated his willingness to invade another country for the specific purpose of regime change, ostensibly triggered by Iraq’s lack of democracy, its buildup of weapons, the suffering of its citizens and other such noble reasons, will the American Constitution be amended to give this power of intervention to future U.S. presidents? This would enable the United States to clean up the many countries that are not democratic and install democratic governments there. And the United States can then act not only as the Policeman to the World but also as the Enforcer of Democracy. S. Mohanakrishnan Auckland, New Zealand

Terrorism in Europe

In your interview " ‘It Will Be A War For The Iraqi People’," (March 24), Paul Wolfowitz claims that many countries–he singles out France and Germany for specific mention–are not directly threatened by terrorism. “They didn’t experience September 11,” he says. But he is misinformed in implying that only the United States knows what it is like to be hit by terrorists. He should know that terrorism has been known in Europe for decades–in Germany, Italy, Spain, England and in France, even as late as 1995, with bombings of the Paris Metro. Knut Erik Hougen Bergerac, France

The European Equation

Fareed Zakaria just doesn’t get it (“A Dangerous Trust Deficit,” Feb. 10). He asks how France and Germany want to position themselves in a world dominated by the United States–as partners or competitors. The message is, you better go along with America or you will be punished. I urge Zakaria to be more gracious when dealing with the feelings of Europeans. The years of having to listen to American politicians telling the world the average American lives the best life of all has frayed our nerve ends. Only a fool doesn’t know that average-income Western Europeans have enjoyed a much better quality of life than their American brothers. Europeans have lived through the worst of times. They came out of a devastating war and built egalitarian societies that have recognized the need for social responsibility–something Americans have yet to learn. Erik H. Thoreson Skotselv, Norway

It’s well known that anti-Americanism has spread through the world, particularly in European and Muslim countries. I think that Europe is too wise and pragmatic to search for a competitive relationship with the United States superpower, but an opin-ion like that of the Swiss schoolchildren who thought the World Trade Center bombing was a CIA operation is significant. The Unit-ed States has to do more to improve its image de marque and regain the trust of international public opinion. Kambale Mastaki Ancona, Italy

The trust deficit builds up hugely in America, as Fareed Zakaria rightly points out. But is it really unjust that America becomes more and more politically isolated in the world? Can’t America accept that Europe makes its own foreign policy, slowly but surely? As Zakaria points out, Europe’s leaders and its people face a test. But the question is not “Do we believe in America?” The true questions are: “Do we believe in the values of democracy and justice, the pillars that Europe is built on, and do we want to behave accordingly?” or “Do we remember our past, when war, misery and death filled the bomb shelters and the battlefields of Europe?” I’m sorry to see America’s voice lose its authority in the world. But authority is built on integrity and justice and not on white-collar crime, repression and guns. It cannot be regained with television commercials, and it needs serious commitment not only by the government but by the people it represents. Marcel Fischer Winterthur, Switzerland

I was quite shocked by Fareed Zakaria’s article in which he compared Europe with the Middle East. He has often revealed his staunch support for the Bush administration, but now he has gone one step too far. What kind of “peaceful world order” is he talking about? Should Europe agree to everything the United States proposes without any kind of debate? There is no simple black-and-white picture of the Iraq crisis, and just stressing the “good intentions” of the Bush administration was naive. It is dangerous to state that because some European leaders did not blindly support the cries for war against an already completely impoverished nation, Europe will go down the drain and become another Middle East. I never expected to read such propaganda in a magazine like NEWSWEEK. Robert-Jan Bartunek Bath, England

Fareed Zakaria claimed that the United States does not have an arsenal of chemical and biological weapons, because it is the “oldest constitutional democracy in the world.” But it is obvious that this technology is known to U.S. scientists. And everybody also knows that the principal aim of the war on Iraq was not simply to strip Saddam of power but take control of the oil. Zakaria also notes that some Swiss students thought the CIA destroyed the World Trade Center. The CIA was not responsible for that; however, we do all know that, in the last century, the CIA had planned and managed the military coups in Latin America that killed thousands of people. You know whose power I think needs to be limited? George W. Bush’s! Renan Paes Felix Paraiba, Brazil

Avoiding a Pandemic

Thanks for the article “Solving the Mystery of SARS” (April 14). It was very informative. Here in Brazil, the real possibility of rapid virus spread is alarming people. Will it become a pandemic that spreads throughout the entire world? It seems to be heading in that direction. We have been watching this situation with great concern as we wait for an efficient vaccine to save people’s lives. Tarlei Lemos Pereira Sao Paulo, Brazil

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-02” author: “Kathleen Boswell”

Readers responding to our May 19 cover package appreciated our extensive reporting on the reality of pain and available treatments. “I am so tired of people frowning on my recurring migraines. Maybe now they’ll understand,” said one. Many shared stories of struggle and recovery. A teenager wrote of battling her doctor about her debilitating reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome: “I’m not willing to stop fighting. Telling someone that they should accept not getting their life back is not right.” A retired professor of psychiatry noted that believing emotional pain is imaginary can limit access to appropriate treatment: “The blush from embarrassment is just as red as the flush from fever, and the tears of grief are just as salty as the tears of an eye infection.” He continued, “The genetic, organic, psychological and cultural components [of pain] can help us understand the imbalances of chemicals and hormones that result in the real phenomena of pain.”

Feeling Their Pain

One week before reading Claudia Kalb’s cover article, “Taking a New Look at Pain” (May 19), I underwent major surgery. To my great fortune, my anesthesiologist is also a licensed acupuncturist. Immediately prior to my surgery, he showed me the four needles he would apply during the operation to pain points near my thumbs and wrists. This was my first experience with acupuncture, and I was amazed by its results. It is almost unbelievable, but my recovery has been pain-free. This was the third surgery I had this year, and my post-op condition this time, compared with the other two, is truly remarkable. Coincidentally, the day before I read Kalb’s article, in which the first sentence reads, “There are moments in medical history when science morphs into magic,” I had penned a note to my anesthesiologist calling him a “magician” for the extraordinary success of his excellent care. Blanche L. Gelber Morrill, Maine

Clearly, health-care professionals are making advances in recognizing and treating chronic pain. But physicians and patients also must make strides in recognizing–and initiating treatment for–mental illnesses that masquerade under and alongside physical complaints. What’s more, pain and depression are often two sides of the same coin. It is common for people to seek help from their doctors for various problems when clinical depression or anxiety disorders are an underlying problem. But typically, mental illness is not diagnosed and goes unresolved. For older patients especially, undiagnosed mental illness can diminish horizons and limit activity. Laurie Young Executive Director, Older Women’s League Washington, D.C.

Your issue on treating pain read like one long advertisement for the drug industry. And interspersed between the articles were–what else?–advertisements for the drug industry! Amy Chapman Los Angeles, Calif.

As a family-practice physician in a small community, I enjoyed your articles about new advances in pain management. But I’d like to comment on your article on fibromyalgia (“Fibromyalgia: Not All in Your Head”). The American College of Rheumatology approved diagnostic criteria for fibromyalgia in 1990, but I believe that was a mistake. The condition is not associated with any objective pathology, and diagnoses based solely on symptoms are prone to error and abuse. What bothers us physicians is that by labeling fibromyalgia a disease, we encourage people to claim disability. Most of us don’t want our taxes supporting someone who is not truly disabled. Tracy M. Baker, M.D. Augusta, Kans.

I have suffered from muscle pain since I was a small child (I’m 74 now). It has been a relief to be diagnosed with fibromyalgia and know that my pain is not due to mental illness. It’s so easy for people to say, “It’s all in your head.” Many medicines do little to relieve pain, and some even have damaging side effects. I have found a good measure of relief from chiropractic and alternative exercise therapies such as Pilates (to strengthen and stretch the body and heal injuries) and muscle-activation technique, which, by using a hands-on method, energizes muscles that have been dormant. The therapies have enabled me to walk with a better gait and much less pain. Helen S. Katzman Van Nuys, Calif.

Thousands of years ago a Greek physician discovered that electricity emitted from an eel near wet sand could calm pain. Today tens of thousands of individuals suffering from chronic pain have benefited from transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, which relieves chronic pain without drugs or serious side effects. Although approved by the FDA and covered by most insurance, TENS therapy was not mentioned in your article as a solution for those suffering from chronic pain. A. Degon Kenlan Director, Project Health Oceanside, Calif.

That’s What Friends Are For

Thank you for Rachel Harris’s article, “I’m Not Married, But I’m Far From Alone” (My Turn, May 19). At 53 I found myself widowed. My circumstances were different from Harris’s, but her experience was so familiar. When my husband was diagnosed with cancer, my best friend became distant and unsupportive. Eventually she stopped calling and I was forced to seek support elsewhere. As a result, I made new and better friends who helped me clean my house, called just to say hello, came to the hospital and helped me move to a new home after my husband died. Even after two years, these same friends are there to help me. There are no words to describe my gratitude for their support. I believe that I am a more considerate person because of this experience. I also value true friendship more and work harder at being a good friend. Gail Brown Benton, Ark.

Rachel Harris’s observation that she “never thought [her] social stock would fall so precipitously” really touched a nerve. I am an attractive, youthful 51-year-old Englishwoman who happens never to have married–a fact that in some ways seems to carry more of a social stigma than having been divorced or widowed. Recently I was in a severe car accident and hospitalized. I never felt so alone or so scared as when I was discharged and the nurse asked, “Is there anyone who can take you home?” Most of my family lives overseas, and the few friends I have were not at home or live too far away. But over the next few weeks those friends returned and helped me get my belongings from my wrecked car and hired me an attorney. Other friends and family often called and e-mailed. I fear being in the position that Harris describes–alone and housebound or incapacitated. But from my own recent skirmish I hope that if that time does come, I’ll be able to “get by with a little help from my friends.” Janet Segal Tarzana, Calif.

Hazing Gone Out of Control

As disturbing as the savage “teen ritual” committed by students of Glenbrook North High School is the seeming lack of moral outrage by the adults in their community (“Girl Fight: Savagery in the Chicago Suburbs,” May 19). School officials excuse themselves since this ritual wasn’t conducted on school grounds; the Northbrook village president says the incident was just “a group of kids who made bad judgments,” and the parents of one student fear to speak in public. This is a community in denial. Why didn’t parents and community leaders put a stop to this cruel and ridiculous tradition long ago? Brita Skarbrevik Plantation, Fla.

Mark Damisch, the village president of Northbrook, Ill., calls the students who committed the hazing acts “goofs” and says the incident is “not a morality tale for all of Western civilization.” This is precisely a morality tale. When a high-school senior takes a baseball bat to a junior’s bucketed head, another student endures a broken ankle and people are afraid to speak out about it, we can’t laugh this off as “goofy.” At the least it is a cautionary tale of where Western society is headed by pretending that hazing brutalities shouldn’t be accorded much weight. Laura Strite Cocoa, Fla.

As a student at Glenbrook North High School, I would like to speak on behalf of the 1,900 or so students who had no part in this. The hazing is not a reflection of the general population of GBN. Most of the students at our school are bright people with promising futures, and they are upset to see that hazing is going to be the first thing that comes to people’s minds when Glenbrook North is mentioned. GBN has been a part of many great things: we donated a car to a school employee who faced hardships earlier in the school year, we are currently raising funds for a student in need of financial help, our basketball team is third in the state and our debate team is in the country’s top 10, among many other achievements. Before coming to quick judgments about GBN, people should consider the fact that most students were not involved in this. I, for one, am personally disappointed in the people who took part in the hazing. Katie Valleau Northbrook, Ill.

If this type of “game” were being played by kids in the ghetto, Glenbrook North High School parents would be “shocked and appalled.” Then they’d point their fingers at the kids’ lack of positive role models and adult supervision, and absentee parents. What’s their excuse now? Maureen Larson Rockville, Md.

War Isn’t Always This Easy

It is apparent from your hagiography of Tommy Franks that Donald Rumsfeld and his inner circle are in danger of falling prey to the “victor’s disease”: we’ve had an easy victory, so we assume that all future battles will be just as easy (“The Education of Tommy Franks,” May 19). General Franks accomplished his assigned mission, which is all you can ask of a soldier. But the Iraqi military was poorly led, poorly trained, poorly equipped, poorly motivated, weakened by a decade of sanctions, devoid of air assets and unwilling or unable to use chemical or nuclear weapons. Change any two or three of those parameters, and the result would have been much less pleasant. The war in Iraq was not “a whole new way of war.” It was a battle against an opponent whose incompetence allowed us to get away with a strategy that would have backfired elsewhere. Steve Wallin Phoenix, Ariz.

Correction

We misstated a word in the title of Paul Elie’s book “The Life You Save May Be Your Own” (“A Tale of Four Catholics: Their Lives, Work and Sin,” May 19). NEWSWEEK regrets the error.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-14” author: “Charles Estrada”

Winning Classrooms

I applaud the achievements of the students in the high schools cited in your cover story “America’s Best High Schools” (June 2). I have served 10 years on a regional board of education, and both high schools in our district made your list. But I take exception to calling these schools “the best.” What makes a school great is its ability to address the needs of all students of all ability levels, and to prepare all of them for higher education, employment and a quality life. The overemphasis on the most elite programs and highest-achieving students ignores the fact that public schools serve the entire community and that resources should be equally distributed over programs for all students. Lynn A. Thornton Hamilton, N.J.

As a senior at the 255th-ranked high school, I believe there is no question that schools offering Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses help advance the level of education they afford their students. However, deeming a group of schools to be “The 100 Best High Schools in America” based solely on how many AP or IB tests taken divided by the number of graduating seniors is ludicrous. How does that possibly create a valid inventory of the best schools in this country? Surely myriad other factors should come into play when creating such a list. Meredith McCrea Lynchburg, Va.

The list of “best” schools does a disservice to the thousands of schools in which devoted teachers bust their chops daily to provide a challenging and appropriate education for millions of young people who, for many valid reasons, will never see the inside of an AP or IB classroom. Ted Hipple, Professor of Teacher Education University of Tennessee Knoxville, Tenn.

I am a senior at Jericho high School, ranked fifth according to NEWSWEEK’s AP ratio. Unfortunately the AP system is not always all it is cracked up to be. Jericho’s policy is one of “open enrollment.” Under this system, anyone who wishes to take an AP class can do so if he has passed another course in that AP subject. As a result, students driven primarily by a desire to get into top colleges flock to these classes, and are rarely advised against such an endeavor. AP classes, although intended for upper-level instruction, cannot and are not taught at a collegiate level because of the caliber and volume of students enrolled. The current formula used to determine rank creates a false sense of achievement. Anyone can sign up for a class and sit in for a test. A school should not be ranked by the number of tests taken, but rather by its performance on these exams. Matthew Bergman Jericho, N.Y.

As a special educator, I was disappointed with “The 100 Best High Schools in America.” Since when did the number of AP tests administered to students become a marker of successful high schools? In addition to educating honors students, I’d like to know how these schools are serving the other end of the spectrum: disabled students, students of color or those from low-income families. Although some of my students with disabilities will never pass an AP test, they are receiving a quality education alongside their nondisabled peers. Many of the schools on your list are claiming to hit a home run when the students they educate were born on third base. Jenna Mancini, Inclusion Facilitator Newton Public Schools Cambridge, Mass.

While the rest of my town erupted in euphoria over our school district’s placing 191st in the ranking of best high schools, I had a sinking feeling in my stomach. When are we going to stop pushing children beyond what is reasonable for their age? When are we going to start rewarding them for being well-adjusted kids despite what their report card or course load may say? Let’s allow our children to enjoy their youth instead of becoming burned out as adults when the pressure is really on. Cynthia Conway Manchester, Mass.

Of the top 100 high schools, 31 are in New York state, which should be a source of pride for New Yorkers. Of those 31, all but a few were located in the wealthiest districts in the nation. Politicians have long pointed their fingers at poor urban and rural districts, expecting them to make do with far less while still meeting higher and higher standards. But the fact remains that funding is one of the primary across-the-board factors in district wide student success. Your article highlights the social and economic divide in states like New York and how far we are from providing an equitable, quality education for all children. Michael E. Parks, Professor of Art Education Buffalo State College Buffalo, N.Y.

Helping students succeed on high-stakes tests like the SAT and the AP is laudable. But rather than seeking a balance between appropriate testing and instruction, this NEWSWEEK article can only sustain the testing craze. Eric J. Cooper, President National Urban Alliance for Effective Education Lake Success, N.Y.

Don’t you think it would have been more telling to calculate the number of AP tests passed instead of the number taken by high-school students? It doesn’t take much for a student to take an AP test, but it does require good teaching, hard work and some degree of intelligence for students to pass them. Eric West Fairfax, Va.

Never Too Young to Protest

As a 17-year-old with a fairly solid grasp of world affairs, I was appalled to read comments made by the father of student Anthony Fantano (“A Generation Finds Its Voice,” June 2). I am a conservative who supported Bush and the war in Iraq. However, to hear an adult say that we “don’t have a full understanding of much at 17,” and that his son is “spending too much energy and… emotion on something that, no matter how hard he tries, he can’t change” is insulting. If each person who attended that antiwar march in Manhattan thought that they were too insignificant to make a difference, there would have never been a march. And who did Anthony’s father believe was fighting this war? Many of the men and women who fought in Iraq were not much older than his son. Anthony’s father is a glaring example that age doesn’t determine whether one has a grasp on issues. Frank Simser Binghamton, N.Y.

I watched with some amusement and some disgust as local students took to the streets to protest war in Iraq. Not one of them attends a school on your list of the top 100 high schools (cover story), and the teachers and administrators who so willingly unleashed them should have been held accountable for the vandalism, violence and property damage they left in their wake. After my brief career as an 18-year-old know-it-all and my 17 years of teaching, I’m convinced that this generation, like others before it, will find its “voice” when it has kids of its own, a mortgage, a tax bracket and real responsibilities. Daniel Davis Arcadia, Calif.

Much Ado About Jayson Blair

Anna Quindlen is right on with her explanation of the situation regarding Jayson Blair (“A Correction: Not a Crisis,” June 2). There seems to be much ado about keeping this case in the news. Let’s just get over it and get on with reporting the news. Joseph Matthews Greensboro, N.C.

Here’s where I think the New York Times has served the reader. I have seen a great increase in cheating and plagiarism during my 13 years of teaching. But what concerns me most as a teacher, and as a member of a society that needs a basic amount of trust to function, is the prevalence, acceptance and tolerance of such behaviors. The Times could have handled the situation behind closed doors, but I was glad the story gained the attention it did, if only to show my students that there are consequences for such actions not only in high school, but in the “real world.” Tamara Natoli New Paltz, N.Y.

Jayson Blair lied not just once, not twice, but many times. There are plenty of people who believe the Blair case is just the tip of the iceberg in “The Business.” Anna Quindlen says “The Business” should serve the reader. But “serve” should mean the reporting of both sides of an issue, with editorializing limited to the editorial page. Readers want just the facts, not personal agendas. If this kind of reporting could resume, the Fourth Estate could once again assume its vital role. Rosemary Elliott Montgomery, Texas

If Anna Quindlen had described The New York Times as “that flagrantly left-wing newspaper,” I would be willing to accept her characterization of Fox News as the “flagrantly right-wing network.” Calvin Hulstein South Windsor, Conn.

In the purest sense, it is possible to agree with Anna Quindlen: “If you take the time, it is easier to be well-informed in this country than at any time in history.” But people don’t take the time. Most people read little, and then haphazardly. The great majority are content with information they catch on television news sound bites. What they end up with is mental flotsam and jetsam. The Jayson Blair fuss may have further alienated people from serious news reading, making the situation worse. John Merton Marrs Bainbridge Island, Wash.

I don’t agree with Anna Quindlen that there has been an “overreaction” to the Jayson Blair situation. “The greatest paper in America” needs the “overreaction” to regain public confidence and trust. Whether Blair’s reporting covered international summits or local trash collections is hardly the point. A New York Times less self-critical wouldn’t meet the litmus test of “best serving the reader.” Jody Magee Marblehead, Mass.

Guilt by Association?

After reading Zuza Glowacka’s excellent essay (“I’m Only Guilty of Being a Good Friend,” my turn, June 2) about her friendship with Jayson Blair, which resulted in her losing her job, I thought immediately of Sen. Joseph McCarthy and his communist witch hunt: guilt by association. It is unfair and un-American. How could this happen? Patricia Harper Auburn, Calif.

Zuza Glowacka should learn the wisdom of the adage “You are known by the company you keep.” Apparently she hasn’t, since she still sees Jayson Blair as a gifted, kindhearted person. Zuza is just another of Blair’s victims, and she doesn’t have a clue. John D. Sens Eden Prairie, Minn.

Christian Zionist Zeal

Your article “a very mixed marriage” (June 2) pessimistically begins with the statement that “evangelical Christians lining up to fight for Israel may be an unmovable obstacle to Bush’s ‘Roadmap’.” But you missed a larger point. Bush’s pressuring Ariel Sharon into making peace with the Palestinians is like Nixon going to China. After 9-11, and after his largely world-defying invasion of Iraq, Bush has such strong antiterrorist and pro-Israel credentials that he just may actually succeed where so many presidents before him have failed. No one can accuse him of being soft on terrorism, or compromising on security. Nils Mungan Ridgeland, Miss.

I was disturbed by your recent article about the position some evangelical Christians are taking on the “Roadmap to peace” in Israel. As you say, many of them denounce the document as the “Roadmap to hell,” and Gary Bauer calls “any attempt to be ’evenhanded’… ‘morally reprehensible’.” But it’s the cycle of violence in Israel that is morally reprehensible, and any attempt to thwart the peace process is a violent act. The peace process must be supported by all sides in order for it to succeed, and the inflammatory position taken by the evangelical Christians does nothing to help foster peace. Do we let history repeat itself, again, and perpetuate violence in the name of God? Let’s remember “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” Christine Hamilton Oxnard, Calif.

Both sides are playing each other for fools. Right-wing Jews happily accept support from evangelicals because they don’t take the apocalyptic fantasy seriously, while Christians are delighted to use Jews to bring about their perfect world. Evangelicals may want to soft-pedal their anti-Judaism for now, but if Israel ever stops dancing to the Christian tune, the love affair will end really fast. When did the Jewish state turn into a vehicle to fulfill Christian prophecy? Shoshana Keller Department of History, Hamilton College Clinton, N.Y.

Howard Fineman chose to use a partial quote in a manner that distorts both what I said and the position of my organization. While it is true that some Jews question “getting into bed” with the religious right, the point I made to Fineman in a lengthy conversation was significantly different: namely that the ADL does not see a contradiction between appreciation of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay’s strong support for Israel and our willingness to openly differ with him on a range of social and church-state-separation issues. Jess N. Hordes Director, Government and National Affairs Anti-Defamation League Washington, D.C.

The Truth Is Out There

Michael Isikoff’s June 2 periscope article makes me wonder exactly what the White House is trying to hide (“Censoring the Report About 9-11?”). The Bush administration’s redacting and reclassifying the congressional report about September 11 reminds me of the tactics of the former Soviet Union, using “national security” as a catchall phrase to keep embarrassing information from getting to the public. Thanks go to Isikoff for not following the lead of others in the media. Many in this country hope that our media and Congress will wake up from their stupor and force this administration to fess up to the truth on this issue. John H. Bohn York, Pa.

Classy Is Cool

As an artist, I may be a bit more funky than many people, but I object to your calling Coach’s traditional bags “stodgy,” “dowdy” and “doomed to style obsolescence” (“Put Me in Coach, I’m Ready to Pay,” June 2). The briefcase I tote to school is a Coach bag. I bought it for its simple, classic lines, its practicality and its ability to last despite the abuse it takes when I cram papers into it every day. Coach’s bottom line may improve with its recent whimsical, non leather trendy items, but in doing so, Coach has abandoned the very customers who kept coming back in the past. I used to rely on it for top-quality leather goods. Now I find its merchandise to be just another copy of all those “name” producers. Bette Ann Kelly Justice, Ill.

Jay Garner and Iraq

Your statement that Jay Garner and other officials were fired from their positions in Iraq is simply false (“Giving Peace a Real Chance,” June 2). At Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld’s request, Garner began in January to assemble a team from across the government and the private sector that would be ready to deploy to Iraq after the conflict, address immediate reconstruction and humanitarian needs and lay the groundwork for a longer-term Coalition authority. At that time, Garner indicated to the secretary that his goal was to deploy for about 90 days, and to be prepared to turn the operation over to a senior civilian administrator. Garner deployed in mid-March, and we expect he will return by mid-June. Ambassador Jerry Bremer is now building upon the solid foundation Jay Garner laid for him. Victoria Clarke Asst. Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs Department of Defense Washington, D.C.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-24” author: “Craig Butler”

When Mom Brings Home the Bacon

As a stay-at-home father who left the work force voluntarily, I was disappointed that your May 12 cover story, “She Works, He Doesn’t,” focused mostly on fathers who did not work because of failed business opportunities or were laid off from their jobs. Like many stay-at-home fathers whom I know, I chose to stay at home after my wife and I talked through what would be the best situation for our family. I guess a cover story about successful couples who are able to thoroughly discuss their problems is not newsworthy. Peter Steinberg Founder, DC MetroDads Springfield, Va.

So she works and he doesn’t? Is this really all that new? My parents had this arrangement long before it was “hip” to be a stay-at-home dad. While my mom worked, my dad went on field trips, fixed dinner and did the laundry. He was good at it and still is. At 23, I have a much closer relationship with him because he was home every day and we spent quality time together. I also have a much greater appreciation of my mother’s sacrifice and see her as a strong, independent and loving woman. My father is also strong, independent and nurturing. So the question seems to be, why has this arrangement taken so long to catch on? Elizabeth Kean Wentzville, Mo.

I deeply object to the way that the issue of family breadwinning has been framed. From an egalitarian and feminist perspective, the focus should not be on “why 30 percent of working women earn more than their husbands.” It should look at why that number isn’t 50 percent. Kathryn Moody Anchorage, Alaska

All the men in your story are smiling–through their tears. It’s impossible to be a real man and rely on your wife to support your family. At some point, you will act out or she will throw you out when a good provider comes along. Dan Rachelson New York, N.Y.

I’m sure I speak for every person who has run a household (cared for the kids, done the laundry, cleaned, cooked the meals, done the shopping, run the carpool routes, been a class parent, etc.) when I say that I resent your cover headline, “She Works, He Doesn’t.” You imply that “work” means getting paid. If the “houseperson” charged the wage earner for work performed, you would have to retitle your cover “She Works and So Does He.” Marilyn G. Schwartz Delray Beach, Fla.

You mean to tell me that dads who care for their children and are in charge of the house don’t work? As the mother of four adult children, I want to know how they manage to pull that off. Theresa Lorbiecki Milwaukee, Wis.

So what is the mantra for a kid-tormented stay-at-home father? “Just wait until your mother gets home!” Rick Wagner Flying Hills, Pa.

As a stay-at-home dad by choice–not by default, like most of the men you profiled–I was very disappointed at the way you portrayed the at-home-dad lifestyle. This lifestyle was around long before the increase in women outearning men. If anything, the current economic state has brought more attention to the many married couples who see dads’ staying home –not day care–as the optimum choice. Given the barrage of articles on deadbeat dads and how dads need to become more involved in their children’s lives, one would think that society would embrace the stay-at-home dad and the fact that he puts his family before his career. But instead we are met with skepticism and criticism. Hogan Hilling Irvine, Calif.

So Laura Doyle believes she was emasculating her husband by attempting to control him (“Our Marriage Barely Survived,” May 12)? What she was doing, in fact, was dehumanizing him, and the same happens when men try to control their stay-at-home wives. Healthy women would rather eat sand than be dominated, too. Either way, it’s not a healthy relationship. Susanna M. Harter Huntington Beach, calif.

For Laura Doyle to take her problems with her self-admitted bossiness and transform them into a manifesto of conduct for the working woman is absurd. Because a female wrote this article does not make it any less sexist. Instead it perpetuates the weary stereotype that power (i.e., a career) and money turn women into monsters. Doyle finds it necessary to add guilt to a working woman’s already heavy load. “She Works, He Doesn’t” positively acknowledges the changing roles for women on the economic front. Unfortunately, Laura Doyle’s article recants any progressive notions made elsewhere in your magazine. Christine Chitambar Minneapolis, Minn.

Gambling From on High

William Bennett is another example of the religious right’s making a mockery of religion and values (“Bennett: Virtue Is as Virtue Does?” periscope, May 12). The man who has earned millions by promoting virtue and condemning people for a list of sins and vices has conveniently left gambling off that list. Despite gambling’s being implicitly condemned in the Bible and being –known for causing societal problems, Bennett has decided that it is not a moral issue. Perhaps he has made so much money from “The Book of Virtues” that he can afford to drop a few million in casinos, but couldn’t that money have been put to better use? Mark Slattery Raleigh, N.C.

It may seem hypocritical for Bill Bennett to write books encouraging children to be virtuous even though he gambles, but his holier-than-thou denouncers may be missing the point. Having purchased and read Bennett’s books for my children, I can attest to their importance in any child’s library. By showing children the many faces of courage, decency and compassion, Bennett allows them to see the value of living a virtuous life. Adults may not always embody the values they admire, but by knowing what the adults value, children begin to create their own moral compass. We are all imperfect human beings, but it is in our striving for the virtuous life that we sometimes transcend our imperfections. Elizabeth Napp Mt. Kisco, N.Y.

For someone to throw away $500,000 gambling in the span of two days, especially in times like these, is nothing short of obscene. I don’t have to walk more than three blocks from my apartment to find good, honest working families in severe need. If Bill Bennett doesn’t understand how immoral it is to waste money on slot machines when children are going to bed hungry, he has no business teaching morality to the rest of us. Jean Martin Pittsburgh, Pa.

Unions and Fiscal Accountability

I can’t believe I’m in complete agreement with George F. Will, and not because of baseball! I agree with few of his opinions, but he is absolutely right about the “purity of the hypocrisy” displayed by union leaders in not disclosing financial information to their members (“The Stiletto’s Sharp Idea,” the last word, May 12). Unions see the obvious need for transparency rules for business, yet resist these rules for themselves. Labor does a huge disservice to itself and its members by fighting these rules and playing right into the hands of antilabor forces. Transparency and disclosure rules are the only means to effectively discourage and ferret out corruption and waste. Labor Secretary Elaine Chao is pushing a sensible and necessary proposal and one that is actually pro-labor, pro-union and pro-“little guy.” Isn’t a union’s basic mission to stand up for the little guy? George M. Calger St. Paul, minn.

George will praises secretary of Labor Elaine Chao’s proposal that would require unions to report what their salaried employees do and how their time is allocated. This is an interesting idea. Might it also be extended to politicians and civil servants? Just as union dues pay union employees’ salaries, taxes pay politicians’ and civil-service employees’ salaries. Many Republicans engage in union-bashing, but unions represent a balance of power to management. Unions should avoid making excessive demands, and management should avoid activities that benefit only themselves. Both sides have to work for the good of the company. Jackie Russell Southbridge, Mass.

As a proud rank-and-file union member, I take exception to George Will’s one-sided antiunion diatribe. Being involved with my local CAP (Community Action Program) Council, I am painfully aware of the hoops unions have to jump through to comply with the many reporting requirements already burdening them. I am also aware of how my union dues are spent; it is spelled out in our UAW constitution, and I receive budget and expenditure info. Will compares union transparency rules to campaign-finance laws as a reason the rules should exist, but other organizations, such as nonprofits with church affiliations, regularly do such lobbying and campaigning with impunity. These organizations also use state and federal funds to hire antiunion consultants and lawyers, whom they use to keep workers from joining unions and gaining a voice in the workplace. I’m sure many stockholders would like to know how much of what could be dividends is spent by business to influence our political system. Will seems concerned about these kind of requirements only when they involve unions, which are traditionally liberal. Unions are pro-worker, pro-family and truly inclusive. It’s unfortunate that our administration is the most antiunion of the past century. Ronald Rene Patenaude UAW Local 2322 Blandford, Mass.

You’re Calling From Where?

According to “help from far away,” (enterprise, May 12) the Republican Party now outsources phone-based work to India. How ironic, coming from the folks who justify tax cuts for the rich as a way to increase jobs for Americans! Judy Nollet St. Paul, Minn.

It’s amazing that with this country’s high unemployment rate American businesses are creating jobs overseas instead of here in America. Judging by the low salary they pay Indian workers, this is clearly a win for big business. You just have to love it–and if I seem cynical, it’s because I am an unemployed technical worker. Kenneth Wood Dublin, Ohio

So companies are saving money by shipping jobs to India. As far as I’m concerned, the U.S. government should seize every penny saved in this fashion to pay unemployment benefits to Americans. Boris A. Chernick Greensboro, N.C.

That Was Some Landing

I am proud that president Bush flew out to the USS Abraham Lincoln and delivered the thanks of a grateful nation to its crew (“Top Gun–Or Top Op?” 1000 words, May 12). Despite your comment that Bush “spent Vietnam in the skies of the American South,” the fact remains that Bush did honorable service. He also completed USAF Flight School, Lead-In Fighter training and qualification training for flying F-102s. These are rigorous courses that no one, not even someone with a famous father, could complete without the requisite skills and abilities. He earned the right to wear that flight suit. Nick Daffern, Lt. Col. ANG (ret.) Bellevue, Wash.

Abraham Lincoln did not give the Gettysburg Address in the uniform of the –69th Irish Regiment, and Harry Truman didn’t stroll across the deck of the battleship Missouri and announce the end of World War II in the uniform of the U.S. Marine Corps. They knew the dignity of having a civilian leader separate from the military. George W. Bush gave up the dignity of that separation when he set foot on the deck of that carrier with commander in chief on his name tag. Dave Cool Charleston, Ill.

Singapore, SARS and the CDC

Melissa Hinebauch’s account of her recent time in Singapore does not tally with reality (“Breathing Easy–Until We Go Home Again,” my turn, May 12). In Singapore, SARS has remained largely localized. Singaporeans go about their business normally, and buses and trains are as full as usual. At the onset of the SARS outbreak, the government did close schools and day-care centers, as Hinebauch points out, for health precautions and to reassure parents. But it did not close any universities, nor did it “discourage… shopping trips or visits to the zoo.” And the government quarantined people so that it could contain the outbreak–we were dealing with a new disease and were taking no chances. These measures are working, which is why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has downgraded Singapore from its travel-advisory list to its travel-alert list. Balaji Sadasivan, Minister of State Ministry of Health Singapore

For the Record

Jonathan Alter’s April 28 column claims that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld “apparently” rejected a proposal to have additional U.S. military police in Europe sent to Iraq because it would have “reinforced the criticism that Rumsfeld hadn’t sent enough troops” (“Smugness Is Our Greatest Enemy”). This is wrong on two counts. First, no such proposal was ever presented to the secretary, and the Central Command, European Command, Army Staff and the Joint Staff have no recollection of such a proposal. Second, Alter implies that Secretary Rumsfeld would make an important decision of national defense based upon a desire to avoid criticism. This is an offense to all of us who know him. Bryan Whitman Deputy Asst. Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs Washington, D.C.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-13” author: “Ruth Bell”

The U.N. Under Attack

I was disappointed to see NEWSWEEK descend to tabloid journalism with Mauro Suttora’s “The Last Thing Iraqis Need” (April 21)–a farrago of gossip, unsubstantiated assertions and outright falsehoods masquerading as reportage. Allow me to rebut the most egregious of his misstatements. He says, “Today there is no sign that the United Nations will leave Bosnia,” but we have already left. The U.N. troops have been gone since 1996, and we closed down our civilian mission last year. The U.N.’s role in East Timor changed with that country’s independence in 2002; we are now there only at the government’s request, to assist the authorities, not supplant them. The U.N. has 9,600 employees, not 65,000; even counting every international organization in the U.N. system–including the World Health Organization and the International Labor Organization–Suttora’s calculation is excessive. U.N. staff do not fly first class; only the secretary-general does. Suttora twists facts to substantiate his prejudices: he even criticizes the establishment of a tough audit mechanism, the Office of Internal Oversight Services, whose effectiveness is acknowledged by the U.N.’s major contributors. The U.N. may not be perfect, but its record needs to be examined with more accuracy and integrity than in this article that is unworthy of your magazine. Shashi Tharoor Under Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information United Nations New York, N.Y.

It was a pleasure reading Mauro Suttora’s article on the United Nations. The fact that the U.N. is inefficient, inadequate and ineffective is, of course, not a closely guarded secret, but it is important for those who fund it, or perceive it to be a sort of savior, to be aware of this and of some of the reasons behind the U.N.’s blatant ineffectiveness. Morris Kaner Givatyim, Israel

What a great article! It’s time someone spoke out against the United Nations with a few home truths. Anyone who follows international affairs knows that the U.N. has proved weak and useless in most cases. You can’t blame America and England for not paying their U.N. dues when they are the ones invariably forced to do the work the U.N. is incapable of completing, thanks to its incompetence. The last vestige of respect was gone when the U.N. backed down, under pressure from Israel, from sending a committee to investigate the atrocities and damage caused by the Israeli invasion of refugee camps in the Palestinian territories. There may be many dedicated, well-meaning workers in the U.N., but the organization has lost its credibility as an effective operation. If Iraq is to get on its feet again, don’t let it fall into the hands of the U.N. Kaye Krieg Inzlingen, Germany

As a Vietnamese refugee, I personally experienced the incompetence of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Coming to Britain, I’ve seen the corrupt nepotism and cronyism of charity/voluntary organizations. There are too many bosses, no one can assert authority and there’s no competition for them whatsoever. The U.N. needs to be rehabilitated. Thong V. Lam Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England

As a U.N. official with a 25-year career in many refugee-crisis situations in the world, I’m shocked by Suttora’s vicious article. He singles out some shortcomings of the U.N. and blows them out of proportion. This is a body that can be only as good as the individual entities that constitute it. Not only have I never flown first class, but my colleagues and I often work under unbearable conditions–lacking both basic amenities and physical safety. U.N. salaries are comfortable but not competitive with those in the private sector or some foreign services. “Staff assessment,” equivalent to our nations’ income tax, is deducted from our gross salary. We take pride in our humanitarian work and serve without political bias in accordance with the U.N. Charter. We help innocent civilians who have suffered persecution or violence to rebuild their lives. Those of us who work in the field often have to live without electricity, running water or heating. Many U.N. workers have been taken hostage, sustained injuries, even lost their lives while performing their duty. As for the UNHCR, the yearly budget cited by Suttora would hardly cover the support we offer to 21 million refugees and other similarly displaced people. The UNHCR has twice won the Nobel Peace Prize; we’re proud to have repatriated millions of people, enabling them to live normal lives. Yes, there are shortcomings in the U.N. system. But the last thing the world needs is the denigration of the one international humanitarian body that gives states a forum where differences can be reconciled. What the United Nations needs is for all–individuals, states and the media–to help us best fulfill our humanitarian task. If we fail, there is no substitute. Marion Hoffmann Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Albania Tirana, Albania

The United Nations’ presence in Iraq is an issue that cannot be dealt with in an ironic, one-sided op-ed piece like Mauro Suttora’s. It is true that the U.N. system is not run efficiently and that its peacekeeping operations have rarely managed to facilitate peace. What Europeans want is not U.N. “rule” in Iraq, as Suttora says, but its “role” in international legality. This opens up important issues that transcend the functioning of the United Nations and go to the very core of the debate on American imperialism. It’s reductive to rule them out with the sarcastic comments of an Italian tabloid journalist. Fabrizio Tassinari Copenhagen, Denmark

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-23” author: “Dick Buss”

What Happens Next?

Fareed Zakaria amazes me with his in-depth knowledge of both the Middle East and the world (“How to Win the Peace,” April 21). He provides a reasoned, objective view of the geopolitical stability of a very important region. I, like many Americans, am in a quandary about what happens now that the war is over. In light of the muddled scenario that will take place over the next few months (or years), this article should be required reading for those in power. Jim Lyerla Eugene, Ore.

I am impressed by Fareed Zakaria’s intelligent insight into the democratic process. His suggestion that “the United Nations bless” the creation of a new government in Iraq, that Europe and Japan “help fund and administer it” and that the Coalition forces “be involved as peacekeepers” seems a wise one that is based on historical precedents. A successful model in Iraq could indeed convince surrounding regimes that it is in their best interests to break with the past and enter into mature relationships as a modern society. Sandra Pressman Weissfisch Ridgewood, N.J.

Fareed Zakaria’s prescription for building a civil society in Iraq after the termination of hostilities is quite interesting, but his analysis leaves out one factor that led to the conflict and that might play a crucial role in shaping the future of Iraq: the motive(s) of the United States in initiating this war. Zakaria would have us think that the United States would send its troops thousands of miles away–against most world opinion, at a cost of billions of dollars and at the risk of jeopardizing soldiers’ lives–all to introduce democracy to Iraq? So far, the weapons of mass destruction in Iraq have been a case of weapons of mass disappearance. Such country-neutral analysis by Zakaria means a similar war could be initiated against a country like, say, Burma, which is ruled by a military dictatorship perhaps as oppressive as Saddam Hussein’s. And I have not heard anyone clamoring for a regime change in Burma. S. Muralidharan Baltimore, Md.

A quick war meant fewer casualties, but simply because it was “easy” doesn’t mean it was wise. Whether or not this war was correct cannot be judged today. It will take decades for the ripple effects to play themselves out. But one thing is for certain: it is time for the peacekeepers to step up to the plate and leave the warriors at the bar to celebrate. Brad Farwell Seattle, Wash.

I was appalled by the boastful and insensitive attitudes of the American forces toward the Iraqis as shown in your article “The Secret War.” And by highlighting the Special Forces comments, such as “We’re not softening [the Republican Guard] up, we’re killing them,” NEWSWEEK seems to glorify such attitudes. No matter how heinous the actions of Saddam’s regime, the loss of human life should never be taken lightly, and to liken the killing of Iraqi soldiers to “quail hunting,” a rich man’s sport, is crude and heartless. I can only hope (probably with some naivete) that these quotes do not reflect the true attitudes of the majority of our troops in Iraq. I feel ashamed to be from the same country as men who regarded this war as a target shoot and who carried it out with puerile enthusiasm. If our commanders are showing such little reverence for life, then what makes us better than the terrorists and suicide bombers we crusade against? Kerry McIntosh Bennington, Vt.

It is sad to see NEWSWEEK participating in the military techno-fetishism that marks modern warfare (“The Secret War”). The questions I have about the war have little to do with the “giant plasma screens” in the Central Command’s Joint Operations Center. I’d rather read about how many Iraqi soldiers, on average, are in each tank that we destroy with “heat-seeking bomblets.” Or about how many Iraqi soldiers are killed when a “mega 8,500-pound bomb” is dropped on a division. These soldiers, as your reporting in the same issue shows, are often conscripts forced to fight and are not extensions of the simplistic “evil” that the administration uses to dehumanize its enemies. These soldiers had families, children and friends, and were human beings. Chris Hecker Oakland, Calif.

You describe “celebrations” and tell how Americans are “welcomed by ecstatic Baghdad residents” in your photo essay “The Fall of Baghdad.” Why is everyone so overwhelmed and inspired by scenes of Iraqis dancing in the streets while heavily armed U.S. soldiers stand nearby–but no one was impressed a month ago when the same throngs danced in the streets with pictures of Saddam Hussein, while his heavily armed soldiers stood nearby? Are the Iraqis really that happy to greet the conquering invaders, or have they been conditioned to dance for who-ever holds the guns? Douglas Dunn Oceanside, Calif.

In “The Secret War,” Evan Thomas and Martha Brant write, “Operation Iraqi Freedom drew one major lesson from the war in Afghanistan. Air power can now substitute for artillery.” As an Army engineer officer with a husband who is an infantry officer, I followed the progress of my fellow soldiers during the war in Afghanistan in 2001. One of the largest lessons that the ground forces learned was that they should have deployed with artillery. The Air Force cannot substitute for artillery. The artillery is able to provide better support for the ground troops because it is always there, it won’t leave until the job is done and it is usually safer for friendly forces in close fighting. Everyone has his or her role on the battlefield. The Air Force will never be a substitute for the field artillery because problems arise when one group tries to take on a mission it is not well equipped for. Jen Kennedy Erie, Pa.

Your cover photo of April 21 seems to have crossed the line into cheerleading for the war. This country doesn’t need any more encouragement to “feel good” about the war in Iraq. The photo, wonderful as it may be, sends the message that this conflict is just like another sporting event where delirious fans embrace their champions after a hard-earned victory. In reality, this is war. Thousands of combatants and innocent people are dead or wounded. Showing the injured will not help the American people feel good about the war, but why should we feel good about it? Ted Nixon Pittsford, N.Y.

Despite the jubilation so obvious in the picture of the liberated Iraqi and the American serviceman on your cover, I cannot help but wonder how long it will be until we see a picture of the same Iraqi in a crowd chanting “Death to America!” and throwing stones at a group of American troops that could include the one he once embraced in gratitude. David Bray Sonoma, Calif.

Protesting the Protesters

Anna Quindlen’s “The Sounds of Silence” was well written and right on the money (The Last Word, April 21). Since this war began to evolve, I’ve dealt personally with the accusations that are hurled at someone who dares to question the president. I’ve been called “unpatriotic” and “un-American,” even by those I care about. As the war winds down and the United States emerges victorious, I’ve wondered how I was going to explain away the fact that I didn’t support this war. Quindlen has made it clear that I don’t have to and shouldn’t have to; there are many questions that remain unanswered. Thanks to Quindlen for making the case for the kind of patriotism that causes people to ask a country to live up to its ideals, rather than blindly support its government’s every decision. Franchesca Nestor Grafton, W.Va.

“The Sounds Of Silence” was alarmist, if not paranoid. There are no signs that there will soon be Senate hearings of antiwar celebrities, and as we have all seen, vocal dissent is alive and well. Contesting and criticizing that dissent is also an expression of free speech, even to the extreme of boycotting celebrities with whom you disagree, whether it’s Susan Sarandon or Charlton Heston. We should all heed Dwight Eisenhower’s warning to “never confuse honest dissent with disloyal subversion,” but we should also never confuse public criticism of dissent with McCarthyism. James Smallacombe Doylestown, Pa.

Ostracizing Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins for their antiwar opinions is inexcusable, but the same can be said for the “honest dissenters” who protest at rallies by no less partisan groups. But antiwar folks who wouldn’t have been antiwar if the United Nations had stood with the United States wouldn’t truly be antiwar, would they? And were they all antiwar when President Clinton bombed the Balkans to help its citizens? It seems these antiwar protesters are just anti-Bush. And trying to hide that under a peace banner is about as dishonest as you can be. Lynn Andrews Freeburg, Ill.

We support our men and women in uniform, but at times it seems as if our beloved country has gone insane. The cable news stations have cheerfully repeated the administration’s latest excuse for war and have run patriotic clips that amount to little more than Republican campaign spots. Meanwhile, all sensible dissent is not only ridiculed and vilified but suppressed in advance whenever a so-called leftist has a chance to speak at a public appearance. God bless America and the reasoned and gentle voice of Anna Quindlen. Harry and Wendy Shannon Studio City, Calif.

Anna Quindlen is right. Our soldiers are risking their lives and futures to give Iraqis the very rights many of us wish to deny people like Sarandon and Robbins. Any attempt to throttle dissenting opinion is the real expression of disrespect to our armed forces. Is what they’re buying in blood in Iraq not worth having here at home? Margaret McCullaugh Stillwater, Okla.

Anna Quindlen criticizes those who label dissenters of the Iraqi war as “unpatriotic.” But any criticism of this nature must acknowledge and confront the role played by people like the Columbia University assistant professor who publicly wished for “a million Mogadishus” for our servicemen and women. Reasonable people can disagree about the geopolitical issues at stake, but the antiwar movement has been tainted by those who lump together the Iraqi war with blatant anti-Americanism. Max Garfield New York, N.Y.

Just because the national baseball Hall of Fame and the United Way have distanced themselves from outspoken antiwar celebrities, it doesn’t mean that free speech in the United States is eroding. Free speech does not mean “consequence-free.” Sen. Trent Lott found this out the hard way. Or has “free” speech become so sacred that it is immune to all criticism, including a counterpoint? Josh Malmberg Powell, Wyo.

Life After the Holocaust

I read with interest Helen Schary Motro’s reflection on her mother’s experience in America (“Bound Together by an Unspeakable Past,” My Turn, April 21). While most accounts of the Holocaust end when the war ends, thousands of survivors –had to go on and try to live normal lives in spite of the memories, the experiences and the losses that the rest of us can only imagine. It was perhaps easier for Ola Schary to make a new start in America, where she could be farther away from her bad memories and safe from painful daily sights and sounds. But starting over in a new land after such experiences, and without the safety net of family, took enormous bravery and determination. The word “hero” has become a staple of our vocabulary since 9-11. The real story that we’ve missed over the years is the heroic way that so many of these survivors carried on after the Holocaust with a capacity to love and laugh, while never forgetting. Thanks to Motro for bringing a new dimension to an aging story. Charles T. Ganjamie Boulder, Colo.

Compensating Tragedy

As the surviving spouse of a 9-11 victim, I feel compelled to respond to the comment made by war widow Kelly Gibbons that the families of 9-11 are “getting millions” (“Now Families Face the Cost of War,” Periscope, April 21). Many Americans seem to believe that the families of 9-11 victims all become instant millionaires through the Victim Compensation Fund. My husband was a “typical” victim of the attacks. He worked in corporate America, and many of his co-workers also died. No one that I know, and no one that I have heard of, has received even close to $1 million. There are certainly some people who have received that much, but there are very few I know who can retire on the “windfall” that we reportedly obtained. I am sure I speak for many of the victims’ 3,000 families when I say that we would gladly come up with $1 million and hand it over if it meant getting our loved ones back. September 11 was a tragedy of unspeakable evil. Please don’t imply that we victims’ families are somehow more fortunate than others. I would gladly change places with anyone. Lucinda Comer Northport, N.Y.

In addition to the benefits available to the families of deceased servicemen or women, the deceased’s children will receive Social Security benefits until they are 18 or until they complete high school, just as most children do when a parent dies. Similarly, the widow or widower receives benefits until his or her youngest child turns 16 or until the surviving spouse earns a substantial amount of money or remarries. These benefits are not insignificant and probably equal or exceed the Dependency and Indemnity Compensation payments. Often, Social Security survivor benefits are overlooked in writing about the program. In many families they make a huge difference in the stability of the home. The Social Security Administration makes every effort to see that these claims are processed promptly and payments begin as soon as possible. Their availability and importance should not be underestimated. Elaine Beard Julesburg, Colo.

Misplaced Priorities

I was jarred by the juxtaposition of the article calling for donations to feed the one in four Iraqi children who is malnourished (“Postwar Charity”) with the article announcing that dog lovers can now order a plate of $24 steak tartare for their pet at a Miami hotel (“A ‘Ruff’ Crowd,” Tip Sheet, April 21). If NEWSWEEK intended to encourage donations, it worked. I just donated the equivalent of two plates of steak tartare to buy meals for hungry children. Damaris Peters Pike Hiram, Ohio

God Bless Irving Berlin If your readers take your advice in “All-American Vacations” (Tip Sheet, April 21) and visit the Library of Congress to see “George Gershwin’s handwritten lyrics for ‘God Bless America’,” I advise they ask instead for Irving Berlin’s–since it was Berlin, not Gershwin, who composed that song. Al Chiscon West Lafayette, Ind.

Ah, the Good Old Days

How nice to see Monica Lewinsky return to the pages of NEWSWEEK (“Lewinsky Is for Lovers,” April 21). I’ll take her escapades over the current headlines any day. Donna S. Whitlon Deerfield, Ill.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-09” author: “Barbara Granger”

The Futility of War?

The Iraq war seems to have ended (“Operation Baghdad,” April 14). A few hundred Iraqi people are jubilant at their “freedom.” A few thousand others are mourning their dead or those crippled by “smart” bombs. Millions more are still numbed by the shock of war, an effect that will last for years. And all this for one man, Saddam Hussein, who managed to disappear. Just like the Afghan war–all that bombing and killing of thousands of civilians for one man who managed to disappear. Americans ought to ask their leaders–who seem to use their military might whenever and wherever they want, to crush whomever they choose–to stop their crusades awhile to think. These last two wars have dragged America’s place in history from the champion of democracy and human rights to that of a ruthless, bloodthirsty warmonger. Perhaps the Statue of Liberty should be replaced by one of Al Capone, guns in both hands. Ali Hasan Jakarta, Indonesia

An unfounded rant is repeated daily: “Permanent occupation, domination, imperial ambitions…What are the real intentions of the United States in Iraq?” If history is any indicator, Iraq risks the same fate as postwar West Germany and Japan: prosperity, independence and democracy–and the horror of some (locally staffed and operated) fast-food franchises. Clifford R. Gantos Nagaoka, Japan

This war was fought not out of blood lust or a desire to conquer new lands, nor even to divert people from their economic woes and from the unfinished war on terrorism. This war, we’re told, was fought out of a moral obligation to disarm a madcap dictator of his weapons of mass destruction that he could have used against America. The nagging question is, where are these mythical weapons? If Saddam had these weapons and he so hated Americans, why did he not use them in a war that everyone knew was going to end his regime? Was he not as crazy, dangerous and impulsive as we thought he was, or did he just not have these weapons? I know that once the allies search Baghdad, they will find the weapons that the U.N. inspectors did not find. Was Saddam saving them to be used at a more opportune time than this one? For the sake of the innocent soldiers and the Iraqis who lost their lives in this war, I hope they are able to justify this bloodshed and destruction by finding those weapons. If not, this conflict will go down in history as the one launched by the United States and Britain on one man’s whim and the fancy of his government. K. Kamakshi Berkeley, California

America seems to have appropriated history once more. Just as films like “Saving Private Ryan” give the impression that the United States alone won WWII, so, too, does the photo of graves accompanying “The Great Divide” (Feb. 24), with its inept caption about being “forgetful of U.S. sacrifice.” Let’s not forget that WWII was fought with the far greater sacrifice of Russian troops, and the considerable resources and sufferings of British and Commonwealth troops, including Canadian, Anzac and South African troops. As for the gravestones shown in your photo, they belong to one of those countries and conform to the specifications laid out in 1917: uniform in size, they show the individuals’ regimental crests. American graves in France usually have crosses or stars of David. Ironic that, on the eve of this war, you could not correctly identify the troops who made the supreme sacrifice in an earlier conflict. This reminds me again of the futility of war, the brevity of both memory and gratitude for the men and women who fight it. Gregory Strong Tokyo, Japan

Your writers’ cheesy invocation of memories of Normandy would be a little easier to swallow had they also pointed out that more than 100,000 French soldiers lost their lives trying to stop Hitler in 1940–and for the 18 months after that horrendous defeat, the United States continued to have cordial diplomatic relations with the Nazis. Also seemingly lost in all this anti-French hysteria is the Marquis de Lafayette, and the French government’s role in creating America, an increasingly ungrateful and forgetful country. Lafayette was a Frenchman who, besides serving brilliantly under George Washington as an unpaid major general in the Continental Army, spent $200,000 of his own money to pay for clothing, weapons and equipment at a time when the U.S. economy was on the verge of collapse. He was also instrumental in his government’s signing of the French Alliance (in 1778), which led to the arrival of thousands of French troops, Marines, battleships and supplies here–it was an incredibly critical moment in our fledgling nation’s history. Without this timely help, Washington would have lost the War for Independence. So, while providing coverage of painfully ignorant housewives and their pointless boycotts of French imports, you should mention that were it not for the French, there wouldn’t even be a United States today. Ian Bruce Laguna, California

On 9-11 the world sympathized with America, wholeheartedly joined it in the effort to fight terrorism and followed Bush to Afghanistan. Then came Bush’s “Axis of Evil.” He set the stage for unilateralism on all fronts and arrogance with declarations such as “You are either with us or against us” and “Sharon is a man of peace.” Finally, a futile “pre-emptive strike.” Who will be next? Bush demolished the United Nations and managed to change good will and sympathy for Americans into hate, blood and tears. Any country that does not accept Bush’s ways is now an enemy of America. Clement Campeau Bahrain

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-25” author: “Jacquelyn Edwards”

Strategy and Surprise

It seems inconceivable to me that anyone could name a bombing attack “Shock and Awe” (“Images of ‘Shock and Awe’,” March 31). This surely indicates the insensitivity of George W. Bush and his cohorts. Somehow they must feel that giving the impression that bombs going off are similar to a fireworks display would lessen the impact of the tragedy that this campaign would cause. Television news programs should show the real damage of war and the suffering that results from it. Frank Kielian San Francisco, California

“Shock and Awe” indeed! Were we shocked and awed? Some of us have figured out that the eagerness of George W. Bush to fight this war is to test the latest American military technology. Sabita Imam Abuja, Nigeria

“Shock and Awe”? I would call it “barbarism and shame.” Lazar Ferenc Szeged, Hungary

The world is in “shock and awe” at the sheer arrogance of George W. Bush. He has single handedly replaced the United Nations as the world’s mediator with his “Coalition of the Willing” responding to his beck and call. Not since the most power- crazed emperors of Rome has the world seen the exercise of brute aggression on such a scale. He may be remembered–if there is anyone left to remember him–as the author of our destruction. To defy the United Nations’ (admittedly) limited environmental initiative in the name of saving American jobs and to monopolize the world’s energy supplies on the pretext of “nation-rebuilding” are the measures of a man who fears to negotiate. To use Western media as his mouthpiece and a one-way-only, like-it-or-die-type diplomacy is no diplomacy at all. What gives him the right to judge which tyrant to destroy and which one to use? David John Wood Fukuoka, Japan

Your article “The 12-Year Itch” (March 31) left me dissatisfied. I thought this piece would explain why the Bush administration wanted a war on Iraq so badly. I believe that the resistance to the U.S. action could have been diminished if we “Old Europeans” (and, practically speaking, 75 percent of the world) had understood the reason for this war. Unfortunately, the article did not give a satisfactory answer. You end up with a president who sees things simplistically as black or white, a vice president with a pessimistic outlook on man-kind and a few far-right (and pro-Israel) aides who profit from the lack of a foreign policy to “implant” their own strongly biased views. So, yes, maybe the war is more than a question of Bush Jr.’s wanting to achieve something his father didn’t. Or maybe he was led down this track by Paul Wolfowitz. But it does not seem sufficient to justify a war. It is understandable that Americans want to defend themselves. However, nobody saw Iraq as a threat to U.S. security–except the Bush administration, which sold this idea to the majority of Americans without any proof. Knut Erik Hougen Bergerac, France

Strategists of the White House, Pentagon and State Department did not consider the fact that, although many Iraqis detest Saddam Hussein and his regime, most–including the inhabitants of Basra–are nationalists first of all. They do not want their country to be occupied and ruled by foreign troops. Twelve years of embargo have made the Iraqis angry at the United States. They believe they are the victims of a major injustice. For the Arab masses, the invasion of Iraq may even turn Saddam Hussein into a hero. Jean-Michel Baryla Puteaux, France

First it was Vietnam, then Panama, Nicaragua, Palestine and now Iraq. What’s next? The United States supports Israel, which does not obey U.N. resolutions and builds homes on foreign soil unquestioningly. This war was wrong, inhuman, illegal and unnecessary, and Bush did it all in the name of God. Urs Christen Pfffikon, Switzerland

Americans Muse on Arrogance Fareed Zakaria’s intelligent article “The Arrogant Empire” (March 24) put into words exactly what I’ve been feeling. America, while flawed in many ways, enjoys a power and wealth that is incomparable. But we seem to forget that with this power comes great responsibility, and that while we may have the power to do whatever we want to, a nation with no friends will be alone. This article should be required reading for those who are making the decisions that will affect this country for years. Mary Alexander Wilmette, Illinois

Your March 24 issue may just be the most important one you have published recently. Zakaria did a spectacular job of detailing just how much damage this administration has done to our country in a short time. As a moderate who voted for Bush, I’m stunned and regretful. But most of all, I worry how long it will take the United States to dig out of the hole this administration’s astonishingly shortsighted foreign policy has dug us into–or if it’s even possible now. James Cirile Los Angeles, California

I read with great interest your March 24 Special Report, “The Arrogant Empire.” It really upset me to read the statement that the United States scares the world, when year after year we seek to protect freedom and democracy. Why else would thousands of people come to America each year, as I did in 1960 to escape communism? When other countries don’t have the courage to do so, we are ready to prevent tyrants from destroying the world. Have we forgotten Hitler and WWII so quickly? Gen. George S. Patton once said, “I would rather have a German division in front of me than a French division behind me.” Personally, I would rather have a president who protects my freedom than one who hides in the Oval Office. Alfonso A. Cardenas Cushing, Oklahoma

I am an ex-marine with a purple Heart from Vietnam, and the America I see today is not the America I bled for, killed for and would have given my life for. It’s not the beloved country I told my kids about. This America is a rogue government, an arrogant aggressor, invading anther sovereign nation in defiance of the United Nations and international law. This America is doing the same things I went to war to prevent other nations from doing. Peter V. Fossel Goodlettsville, Tennessee

We may be perceived as an arrogant empire, but who else in the world is going to do what needs to be done? Since we’re the world’s only superpower, it is up to us to provide the leadership and example of a free nation that so many others do not have. I don’t see any other democratic country stepping up to enforce human rights or helping to rid the world of villains. We are also the world’s biggest provider of humanitarian and foreign aid. This may be self-serving in some ways, but when was the last time anyone asked us if we needed $6 billion in aid? Kirk Hutchinson Fredonia, New York

Other countries are afraid of us? It’s about time. Any country that does not do everything possible to rid the world of terrorists, stop future terrorism and alert those who are potential targets of terrorists had better be afraid of us. I don’t have a problem with that at all, and anyone who does has already forgotten September 11. Mitchel A. Woltersdorf Wichita, Kansas

As a veteran, I resent the implication by some of your writers and readers that supporting the troops and being against this war are mutually exclusive. It seems to me that if one truly wishes to have all the soldiers return home alive, one would not wish to use them as imperialist aggressors in a personal vendetta between two arrogant and self-righteous leaders. Richard Fochtmann Leeds, Maine

Fareed Zakaria hits the nail on the head with his characterization of U.S. missteps in this current “turning point” of the global order. As the world grapples with the fundamental issues of global warming, ending impunity for war crimes, rebuilding failing states and fighting terrorism, America has dictated from its soapbox rather than leading in the trenches of multilateral diplomacy. Heather B. Hamilton Washington, D.C.

America should be setting an ex-ample of how to behave as a thoughtful member of the world community rather than arrogantly ignoring majority opinion. Strength often manifests itself best through discourse rather than discord. Melanie Klaput Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Fareed Zakaria’s analysis makes complete sense, given the facts he presented, but I think he missed something. He expressed surprise that the rest of the world hasn’t developed the “balances of power” to counter U.S. power, bucking a clear trend in history. All five members of the Security Council, irrespective of the size of their military budgets, have the nuclear capacity to unleash hell on any other member, and therein lies a natural power balance not likely to go away any time soon. Todd Philipp Honolulu, Hawaii

The imbalance of power favoring America is precisely what the peace-loving quarters of the world take comfort in, though many won’t or can’t admit it. A recent survey by the Pew Global Attitudes Project found that a majority of people do not want the world to have more than one superpower. That’s why September 11 was not only disturbing to Americans but shook even the world’s anti-American trendoids to the core. Your cover should have read “Why America Scares the Arab World,” in which case Fareed Zakaria and NEWSWEEK can guess that we’re probably doing something right. Julia Gorin New York, New York

Apart from Colin Powell, those on the Bush team have consistently demonstrated that they think of themselves as standing above history, able to manipulate world events but not subject to the world community. The sooner our administration, or the voters, recognize the political and economic need to respect other nations in our global network, the sooner we can begin to repair our global relationships. Barbara Hardie Sylva, North Carolina

As a former history teacher, I applaud Fareed Zakaria for his insightful essay “The Arrogant Empire.” If only it could be required reading for today’s high-school students. Rosemary Miner Pelkey Wevertown, New York

I read with interest Fareed Zakaria’s analysis of the apparent hatred of America and Americans that stems from overseas. Were it not for 9-11, I would agree with much of what was written. However, there seems to be a growing divide here and abroad–between those who understand that our world changed dramatically and irreparably after 9-11 and those who still try to compare our post-9-11 policy with historical precedents. Dave Angelo Murrysville, Pennsylvania

Maybe it is time to garner billions of dollars for homeland security to protect ourselves by dropping economic aid to those countries who seem to pledge allegiance to our money, but run and hide when a politically dangerous line gets drawn in the sand. Frances Stoll Leesburg, Virginia

We went into this war with Iraq with blinders on, rather than seeing the broader picture. America has won the war, but will we win the peace? It is unfortunate that the Bush administration is following a pattern of ignoring international law, treaties and the opinions of other countries, putting our country at greater risk in the future. Kent J. Minor Columbus, Ohio

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-08” author: “Jose Edward”

Entering the Hornet’s Nest

In your April 28 cover story, “Saddam’s Secret Files,” you write about the atrocities attributed to Saddam’s regime as if it’s news to us. History has proved that the longevity of a successful despotic regime is proportional to its brutality. And it doesn’t hurt to have a seat in the United Nations. Dictators in the Middle East and the rest of the world who criticized U.S. intervention in Iraq and are demanding that the United States exit from the region commit similar brutalities against their own people. These dictatorial regimes, which have seats in the United Nations (and some that, like France and Russia, have veto power), helped Saddam stay in power. How is it that the United Nations represents the world’s opinion when some of its members are delegates of regimes that do not truly represent their own people? The way Saddam ruled Iraq is not the sole reason for his longevity as Iraq’s butcher. He and others like him get U.N. help. Jahn R. Torres Providence, R.I.

I hope all those who refuse to use the word “evil” and who would rather protest war than see freedom will read “Saddam’s Secret Files.” James Turner Chatsworth, Ga.

It appears we have had the devil incarnate in full rampage for about 30 years. I come away with Edmund Burke’s thought that “the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” Saddam Hussein’s regime is reminiscent of Hitler’s Germany. That regime also needed to be stopped, but people didn’t want to enter a war then, either. Thank you for this coverage. We needed to know about this, even if it does turn our stomachs. Beverly A. Reinertson Ravenna, Neb.

I may be a simple-minded person who doesn’t understand the main objective of the war in Iraq, but after reading “Saddam’s Secret Files,” I am embarrassed for the leaders of those countries that abhorred American efforts to get rid of the evilness of Saddam Hussein. So what if there are no weapons of mass destruction or that Iraq was not an imminent threat to the United States? Is it wrong to save the Iraqi people from repressive idiocy? Your article proved that the end justifies the means. Ferdie Aberin Jamaica, N.Y.

Accompanying your article about Saddam’s secret files is a picture of a teapot and cups decorated with a crown and two red flags. For your information, that is the old seal of Kuwait. The two red flags bear the Arabic word for Kuwait. These items were made before 1961 for the guesthouse of the government. They and others like them were stolen from Kuwait in 1990. M. Fraih Kuwait City, Kuwait

Looting Ancient Artifacts

NEWSWEEK aptly describes the plundering of the National Museum of Iraq as a cultural catastrophe (“Treasure Hunt,” April 28). This destruction of one of the great repositories of ancient artifacts in the world took place under the eyes of American forces in Baghdad. One American tank managed to disperse the looters, but when it left, they returned. Our armed forces could not spare one tank? During World War II, the Allies refrained from destroying the cultural sites of Germany and Japan. What photographer Ansel Adams once said of the Reagan administration can now apply to the neoconservatives in charge of the Bush administration: they know the price of everything but the value of nothing. Paul Paige Phoenix, Ariz.

As the War Turned

Kudos to Jonathan Alter for pointing out what should be obvious: people are rarely 100 percent right or 100 percent wrong (“Smugness Is Our Greatest Enemy,” April 28). The doves’ and hawks’ seemingly endless streams of “I told you so’s” seem to lack any acknowledgment that the other side may have had a point. Yes, the United States’ unilateral approach to the Iraq war may have been dangerous and unwise, yet few of us can ignore the jubilation and sense of relief seen on the faces of Iraqi citizens who have spent decades wary of sneezing at the wrong moment for fear that it would be interpreted as a sign of Baath Party disloyalty. The architects of this war and those who opposed it can take a lesson from the doctors and scientists worldwide who put smugness and ego aside and were able to map the genetic code of SARS in just seven weeks. Perhaps our world leaders can employ the same technique in postwar Iraq. Bob August Nashville, Tenn.

I am one of those liberals whom Jonathan Alter described in his column, but I am not ashamed of it. I never understood how the war on Iraq helped us in our effort to smash Al Qaeda or bring Osama bin Laden to justice. Nor do I understand how the war morphed into a humanitarian effort to free the Iraqi people. I do know that President Bush promised to get bin Laden “dead or alive,” but that he has not yet done so. I also know that Bush proclaimed that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction so massive they presented an imminent threat to the United States, but that so far these weapons have not been found. I do not think it is smug to expect the administration to follow through on its promises or prove its claims about Iraq’s threat to our security. Michael J. Esposito Hawthorne, N.Y.

I hope our leaders read Jonathan Alter’s column. We need to be much more aware of the image we present to the world. As a nation, we can be proud of the way we conducted ourselves after the second world war. Let’s hope that after winning the Iraq war, we don’t lose the peace. We need to worry less about who was right about this war and worry more about doing the right thing for a peaceful future. Suzanne Bond North Wales, Pa.

Jonathan Alter did a brilliant job of poking holes in just about everyone’s argument regarding Iraq. The past few months have polarized my family (and surely many others) until we could hardly tell the hawks from the doves. Alter articulated the various stances as if he had been reading and analyzing our intrafamily e-mail. We all have to realize that no one person or side or argument is all right or all wrong, particularly in the context of the current debate over Iraq. Tana Reiff Lancaster, Pa.

Jonathan Alter continues the mantra that we Americans should be embarrassed and defensive about the fact that we are the most powerful country in the world. He probably thinks that we should take advice from the United Nations and the Arab League and make overtures to the French and Germans. Why? They are not our friends and don’t share our values and interests. It’s better to be honest and tell the rest of the world to kiss off. Abe Krieger Philadelphia, Pa.

Freedom for the French

NEWSWEEK did a great service in printing Sebastien Taveau’s point of view (“Whatever Happened to Vive la Difference?” My Turn, April 28). He expressed what many of us of French heritage have felt for months. It cheapens the perception of America the world over when people say that if it weren’t for the Americans, the French would be speaking German now. But if it weren’t for the French helping us during the American Revolution, there might not be a United States of America. Portia Miles-Smith Parsonsfield, Maine

Sebastien Taveau has lived in the United States for seven years. He still identifies French as his nationality and France as his country. He calls himself “a good Frenchman.” I, for one, am disgusted with the haughty self-importance of a former colonial power with an economy propped up by arms sales to Third World dictators. We Americans despise the two-faced posturing of France and others in the international community. David Bray Sonoma, Calif.

Sebastien Taveau attributes French pusillanimity during World War II to the fact that 1.4 million French soldiers were slaughtered during World War I. Does he imagine that the corresponding British generation was any less devastated? Yet the British stood valiantly and alone for a year against the Nazi onslaught, long after the French military collapsed and all too many of its countrymen had settled down to the shameful business of collaboration with the enemy. As the French invoke Lafayette, they also need to remember this history, and perhaps they will understand some of the contemptuous barbs directed against them by the Anglo-American allies. Kathryn L. Paintin New Orleans, La.

Sebastien Taveau’s experiences should be a wake-up call for all of us. U.S. citizens who feel justified in denouncing everything French must remember that, as Taveau mentioned, politics are in the hands of politicians–so French neighbors and co-workers, and that little French restaurant down the street, are not to blame. Additionally, I find the whole “freedom fries/freedom dressing” affair a rather amusing reversion to the World War I era (when sauerkraut became “liberty cabbage” and hamburgers became “liberty sandwiches”). The foolishness continues! Kelly Tsou Rolling Hills Estates, Calif.

Sebastien Taveau correctly points out how naive, narrow-minded and nasty some Americans can be. This nation has much to be proud of, but it does not have a monopoly on ridding the world of dictators (in fact, it has historically sided with quite a few of them). Our citizens should keep this in mind before trashing all things French. Fortunately, one of this country’s greatest strengths, the First Amendment, will outlast the impact of the misguided actions of some Americans. Taveau deserves a star-spangled salute for exercising this freedom and encouraging his fellow citizens to look inward rather than abroad. James Devitt Larchmont, N.Y.

Bush Eyes the Economy

I was dismayed that someone like Karl Rove, who has no official position (“senior adviser,” in this case, is little more than a longtime friend of George W. Bush’s), would be allowed to “chew out” Sen. Bill Frist for not stopping the opposition to the president’s tax cut (“Dubya’s Next Shot,” April 28). To think that Senator Frist, who was first elected by his state and then majority leader by his party, would have to listen to a person who is, at best, part of the presidential entourage, is disturbing. I am no fan of Republicans, but I am less a fan of those who would meddle in the political business of Congress. Ann McDonald Joliet, Ill.

As a skeptic of the Iraqi invasion and as someone who was worried about a long, drawn-out conflict, I have to admit I’m a little surprised at the speed with which President Bush seemed to wrap up the fighting. I’m encouraged by his concern about the economy and the jobs issue, and sincerely hope he tackles these head-on. In my job as a credit counselor, I talk daily with people newly unemployed and scared stiff about paying the bills, buying food, paying for prescriptions, filing for bankruptcy and many other worries. A comprehensive plan to reduce unemployment and improve job security will be a major issue in November 2004 for those who vote their pocketbooks. The quick war victory will have faded from memory by then. Larry A. Wagner Toledo, Ohio

Politics of Air and Water

George Will decries the clean air Act, wetlands protection and other environmental measures (“The Politics of Vengeance,” the last word, April 28). He then notes that over the past three decades our air and water have become cleaner. It is precisely because of these environmental protections that this is so. Will is right to suggest that environmental protections must be weighed against their costs, but it costs less to operate a safe oil tanker than it does to clean up an oil spill. It also costs less to protect wetlands in the first place than it does to restore them once they have been damaged, and it costs less to maintain strict standards for air quality than it does to treat the rising incidence of asthma. In the long run, it may be the environmentalists who are more fiscally responsible. Eric Schoeniger Lower Gwynedd, Pa.

George Will tells us that Sen. James Inhofe wants revenge and thinks environmentalists decide “what America should look like in their eyes and then invent the science to justify it.” Well, we do like the way the world will look with-out global climate change, but more important, we don’t like the way it will look with it. For Inhofe to say there is no science supporting the theory of global warming suggests that he has not listened to the thousands of high-ranking scientists who have warned us of the causes and effects of climate change. For his own reasons, Inhofe chooses to listen to the few who cast doubt. Asking for absolutes is simply a way of dodging the issue. Clearly that is what Inhofe wants to do. Does not having the absolute science of the causes and cures for cancer mean we should stop treating it? L. B. Sandy Rock, M.D. President, Interpretive Consultations, Inc. Bellevue, Wash.

The Next, Next Frontier?

I enjoyed your April 28 next frontiers section for its insightful scoop into the technology that the business world is taking advantage of. I would urge you to do a similar section on a different frontier: education. Technology benefits the business world, but it is also an exciting enhancement for the classroom. With conflicts abroad and the worldwide spread of SARS, it is imperative not to lose focus of our traditional striving for progress. Let’s not forget that it is the youth of today who will fight the wars of tomorrow. Kyle Brewer Louisville, Colo.

Better Left Unsaid

C’mon, NEWSWEEK. Your quote from an unnamed source imagining Tobey Maguire’s actor buddies (on Maguire’s relatively low earnings for “Spider-Man”) telling him, “Don’t be such a fag,” was uncalled for (“Weaving a Tangled Web,” newsmakers, April 28). Why perpetuate and foster homophobia by printing denigrating remarks like the one your source made? It doesn’t further the story or serve your readers well. Jodi Bromberg

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-25” author: “Maryann Hubble”

Battling a Virulent Adversary

While it is true that emergent infections have increased mortality rates in the developed world over the last three decades, we should remember that preventable and/or treatable infectious diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis and others still kill millions of people annually the world over (“The Mystery of SARS,” May 5). This is primarily due to the slower rate of effective delivery of vaccination programs and antibiotics in many parts of the developing world. While progress may make us sick, lack of progress is much more likely to kill us. David Ingram Tucson, Ariz.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) appears to be the latest example of a virus leaping from animals to people and wreaking havoc. Other diseases that have come from animals–usually because we confine, kill and/or eat them–include the virus that causes AIDS, the new variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, known as mad-cow disease, and the influenzas that annually kill more than 15,000 people in the United States. We may be setting the course for our own destruction with our cavalier use and manipulation of other animals. We should stop eating animals, but at the very least we must stop imprisoning them in the filthy virus reservoirs that describe some farms and live markets. Jason Baker, Asia Representative People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Norfolk, Va.

The medical community would do well to take a closer look at the field of psychoneuroimmunology in its analysis of the spread of SARS. The power of the mind and its influence on the body’s immune system shouldn’t be dismissed. Images of people wearing masks seen in the media give unnecessary power to a disease that may or may not be as powerful as reported. The sentence that doctors give when they announce “You have SARS!” may result in more deaths from SARS than it would ordinarily have. Voodoo works because it recognizes the power of fear and the mind. Paul E. Lemal, Former Director American Integrated Healthcare Association Atlanta, Ga.

The emergence of SARS serves to remind us of how powerless we humans are against nature. It also shows how insignificant our wars are. SARS and other viruses such as HIV and Ebola prove to be a more formidable enemy. If we are to vanquish these scourges, we must learn to help each other. What the world needs now is cooperation and unity. Our survival as a species may depend on it. Genie Hermoso Cebu City, Philippines

How ironic your opening and closing pages are in this issue. The cover pictures a woman terrified of SARS. Your chart on pages 30 and 31 shows that 290 people died worldwide (none in the United States) in the first four months of this year. On the other hand, the end page features Anna Quindlen’s eloquent plea regarding gun legislation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s figures for 2000 (the last year available) indicate that an average of 9,554 people died in the United States during a comparable period due to firearms. What should the American people really be scared about? Kathleen Snow Herndon, Va.

Poetry, Alive and Well

Much like the miners’ canary, if art dies, the civilization that generated it may soon follow (“Poetry Is Dead. Does Anybody Really Care?” My Turn, May 5). Let’s hope Bruce Wexler is wrong, and poetry is not dead. Art slows time and provides a break from capitalistic competition and technological overkill–a break in which we can ponder our lives, adjust our hearts and pursue a more meaningful existence. Thomas Holder Westminster, MD.

By Bruce Wexler’s own jaded and begrudging admission, poetry is not only very much alive, but impossible to kill off. As he suggests with unintended irony, it’s the culture that refuses to do the work to read poetry which is in fact dead from the neck up. If your idea of art is a bouquet of bourgeois sentiments, then stick to the sensationalism of contemporary movies and music that are purged of all genius, emotion and thought. But if you want to break open the frozen sea within you, as Kafka put it, then immerse yourself in a poem. Patrick Pritchett Longmont, Colo.

Though I have never attended a poetry slam, their growing popularity suggests that people still long to be moved by poetry. If reading poetry is really a chore, then I suggest that Bruce Wexler listen to the lyrics of hip-hop artists such as Mos Def and Talib Kweli or songwriters like Bob Dylan and Paul Simon. Though they package their work differently, I would argue that it is still poetic genius. Besides, some of our oldest songs started out as poems. Abby Nance Alice, Texas

As soon as I retired some years ago, I joined a modern-poetry group. Now we’re down to a dedicated teacher, two people in wheelchairs, two in good shape and me, at 92, with a walker. Is poetry dead? Not to us. Elsie Baylus Baltimore, MD.

I am afraid that I must agree with the premise of Bruce Wexler’s essay “Poetry Is Dead. Does Anybody Really Care?” However, I doubt that anyone could have written a more eloquent explanation of why we should care. As someone who has never read a serious poem in his adult life, I was moved to obtain copies of all three poems that Wexler named in his penultimate paragraph. And it took just minutes to obtain those copies, even here in Russia–via the Internet. Chris Moore Moscow, Russia

New Palestinian Prime Minister

It will take more than a Palestinian in a suit to keep the Palestinians and the Israelis on the “road map” to peace (“Now, the ‘Un-Arafat’,” May 5). It will require the bravery and resolve of newly elected Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas to hold back Palestinian terrorists as well as that of Israeli and American politicians who will, no doubt, pressure Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to withdraw from occupied territories. Supported by the bravery and resolve of American soldiers, President George W. Bush removed Taliban terrorists from Afghanistan and a murderous tyrant from Iraq. Let’s see whether the politicians can measure up to those soldiers. Frank Pastirchak Yonkers, N.Y.

You ask whether it will be easy for Mahmoud Abbas, the new Palestinian prime minister, to “contain Hamas, end violence and get Israel to withdraw.” Israel has already traveled down this road, using a similar map called the Oslo peace process. It yielded countless Israeli concessions, including the turnover of 98 percent of the Palestinian population centers to Palestinian control. Yet this led to the surreptitious Palestinian buildup of illegal arms, ongoing acts of terror and the development of a school curriculum that teaches hate-filled anti-Western venom and the virtues of martyrdom. The road map is just more of the same. The reality is that more than 60 percent of the Palestinians today, by their own recent polls, still approve of suicide bombings, and many reject a two-state solution in favor of “all of Palestine.” Harry J. Reidler Englewood, N.J.

People vs. the Gun Lobby

Thanks go to Anna Quindlen for her May 5 column, though I fear that her opinion, like the majority of Americans’ when it comes to guns, holds no water with our elected representatives (“Tort Reform at Gunpoint,” The Last Word). The NRA’s 4 million members have trumped the safety of the remaining 276 million American citizens. Their success demonstrates just how comfortable legislators have become with ignoring their constituents in favor of special interests with large checkbooks. As an idealist, I fantasize about emptying Congress of every official who would vote in favor of this heinous assault on the American justice system. As a realist, I know better. Many Americans simply don’t care enough to exercise their right and duty to vote–let alone pay attention to what our elected representatives are doing on their oblivious behalf. I guess millions in campaign dollars are more valuable to our officials than the lives of the nearly 30,000 Americans killed each year by guns. Lori A. O’Neill Chagrin Falls, Ohio

Anna Quindlen makes a strong argument against the NRA, but the argument is inherently flawed. Quindlen compares an improperly inspected car to an improperly “safe” firearm. It is not the duty of the automotive industry to ensure that all of its products are used only legally. It should also not be the duty of the gun industry to ensure that all of its products are used only legally. If this is not true, then perhaps the medical industry can be sued by those who abuse drugs. To hold a company, much less an entire sector, responsible for how free citizens use their products is ridiculous. The ramifications of such a precedent would mean that any company could be deemed an accomplice to a crime and be held liable. Samuel Miller Mercersburg, Pa.

As always, Anna Quindlen has it right. As a retired U.S. circuit judge, I find it ironic that legislation has been proposed immunizing the gun industry–whose products kill people–from liability, while no similar efforts have been made to immunize industries that are engaged in developing medicines to save lives and cure disease. Of all the products manufactured in this country, why would any legislator single out gun manufacturers for protection? H. Lee Sarokin Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.

The NRA is no better or worse than NARAL Pro-Choice America, the Sierra Club, trade unions or any one of the hundreds of special-interest groups. Any hint of compromise is a sign of weakness, a chink in the armor to be exploited by their opponents. To paraphrase Anna Quindlen, the message is clear: the Washington lawyers and lobbyists own the country. The rest of us just live in it. Bob Wolf Mont Vernon, N.H.

I think Anna Quindlen’s column reflects the idea that an individual should not be responsible for his or her actions. If Quindlen was hit in the head with a brick, she wouldn’t sue the brick manufacturer, she would sue the thrower. The only person who should be held responsible in a shooting death or injury is the person who fired the gun. Firearms manufacturers are simply asking for relief from illogical and emotional lawsuits by cities and families who want them held liable for the way their products were used. Guns are made to be fired. If they are truly defective, then the manufacturer should be held responsible. If they’re not, only the shooter should be held responsible for their misuse. Milan J. Kralik Jr. Spinnerstown, Pa.

Those Blasted Tax Cuts

As Allan Sloan points out, the Bush tax cuts made two years ago, when times were good, haven’t done much to improve our economy, and now, in bad times, Bush proposes yet more tax cuts (“The Tax Cut: Whose Is Bigger?” May 5). The real outrage is that while he is piling up billions in debt, the Republicans in the House refuse to allow to the floor a bill that would close the loopholes allowing corporations to avoid paying billions in taxes by moving their box numbers to the Bahamas. Thus, more and more of the money used to pay for our nation’s bills (such as libraries and schools, now closing for lack of funding) is coming from middle classes and lower classes by cutting programs they need. The remainder is piled up in debt. What a great financial program for the rich in this country. Evelyn Krueger Forest Park, Ill.

Even the always-thoughtful Allan Sloan stops short of asking the essential tax-cut question. It’s not just about the deficits anymore: what ever happened to the national debt? In 1980, our national debt was less than $1 trillion. By 1990, it was $3.2 trillion. Today our debt is nearly $6.5 trillion–more than $22,000 for every American woman, man and child. Each time we accept a deficit budget, it adds to the debt. Even in a balanced-budget year, the national debt grows, as the United States must borrow just to pay the interest on what we owe. Try that with your bank or credit-card company. I teach U.S. history to college undergraduates, and every semester I explain the history of the federal budget and the national debt to them. The legacy of supply-side economic theory is a huge tab waiting for someone to pick it up. My students get it right away. Why doesn’t our president? Alan J. Bliss Gainesville, Fla.

Allan Sloan seems to think that the so-called double taxation of dividends is unfair, but he and President Bush are wrong about that. Investors who buy shares of stocks whose dividends are taxable surely considered that when they figured the investment was a good one. It would be unfair for everyone else if these people were exempt from taxation. Why don’t financial wizards publicize this simple fact? The proposal is a poorly concealed scheme to tax working people’s wages while exempting unearned income. If that is class warfare, the president has fired the first shot. Victor J. Reilly Aiken, S.C.

Vermont’s Healthy Approach

In his article about Rep. Richard Gephardt’s proposed health-care plan, Jonathan Alter mentions Democratic presidential hopeful Howard Dean’s approach to health care (“A Genuinely Healthy Debate,” May 5). My mother lives in Missouri and is one of Gephardt’s constituents. Last month she lost her job and her health benefits. She cannot afford Cobra nor the “gap insurance” that would cost her at least $300 a month. Meanwhile, in Dean’s Vermont, more than 92 percent of adults are eligible for health care, and that health care is subsidized for uninsured low-income adults–and this is in a state, some would argue, with a balanced budget. Alter calls Dean’s plan a “nonstarter,” but guess in which state I wish my mother lived right now? Heather Ash Sherman Oaks, Calif.

Hip-hop in Black and White

Have the oh-so-sensitive cultural historians forgotten that hip-hop wouldn’t be satirized at all if it weren’t popular (“Minstrels in Baggy Jeans?” May 5)? I don’t recall their wailing about the white buffoonery of “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.” Next time they want a black version of “The Hours,” find the actual story and identify an audience that wants to see that as much as it does “Booty Call.” John Simpson Charlotte, N.C.

It simply amazes me that, even now, we African-Americans are summed up by this hip-hop thing. It is no wonder that Hollywood makes movies that show the same thing. Director John Singleton and Snoop Dogg seem to think that making ridiculous hip-hop movies is a worthwhile way that black people can get work and get noticed. Maybe they should look at who’s on Capitol Hill these days or check out the issue of Fortune magazine that profiles the 50 top black CEOs–men and women. African-Americans need to stop tying themselves to the hip-hop tree, so that people like actor Jamie Kennedy wouldn’t feel the need to emulate the negative side of our culture. This only holds us back. And yes, I saw the stupid movie. Henry Benison Maumelle, Ark.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-19” author: “Karen Mapp”

A War for Hearts and Minds?

NEWSWEEK, you crossed over to liberalism with your April 7 issue. Almost every article, editorial and story in that issue was anti-George W. Bush. First, periscope makes the anti-Bush administration/big-business connection once again. Then the rest of the magazine gives us stories about the huge cost of war, the Army’s not being up to the task, a pro-Tony Blair/anti-Bush piece and a pro-Iraqi Army piece. All of this is anti-Bush. What is happening? Surely, you know that at least half the population of the United States identify themselves as “conservatives”? Tim Pesola Atlanta, Georgia

Your April 7 issue left me very disappointed. There was hardly a single article that seemed to give an unbiased, objective perspective of the war in Iraq. Indeed, it seemed as though your perspective was totally American throughout. This became particularly obvious in reading the article “The Other Air Battle,” in which the Al-Jazeera satellite channel was criticized for portraying comments from U.S. adminstration officials as “claims.” It is evident to me that any responsible journalist would add the words “so-called” before “war on terror,” as this is a term coined, and almost exclusively used, by the current American administration–a term that most people outside the United States dismiss as nothing but propaganda. Heikki Uusitalo Helsinki, Finland

Thank you, NEWSWEEK, for a surprisingly objective and balanced view of the war on Iraq that made up for some of the unfortunate predictions in the weeks leading up to the actual fighting. However, I still find it amazing that a serious news magazine like yours can refer to the Hollywood portrayal of a book written by a man who was not even there in order to illustrate its views (“Low-flying helicopters are vulnerable to RPGs, as ‘Black Hawk Down’ vividly demonstrated”). What is next? Quoting “Saving Private Ryan” when you refer to WWII? War is not like Hollywood shows it. David Blacker Boppard, Germany

The Bush administration has accomplished the unthinkable in a record two years: it has turned the most admired, dreamed of and envied country into a most hated nation; and it transformed a $300 billion surplus into a $300 billion debt! Is this a result of “Bush’s conviction that he’s doing God’s will”? Let us wake up to the reality: If you elect a provincial, single-focus man who found refuge in religion to overcome his weakness, and award him with executive power where nuance and the deep understanding of world cultures are a must, this is what you get. Turgay M. Ergene Majorca, Spain

In “A Plan Under Attack,” you report that the spy who provided information to the American military concerning Saddam Hussein’s whereabouts “has since been ‘compromised,’ meaning that he is probably dead.” Could this possibly be a direct result of your March 31 article (“The War Room”) in which you provided substantial detailed information about this spy and his contributions on the first night of the war? You gave everything but his name. Some information needs to be withheld for the sake of national security. You know, Saddam Hussein reads NEWSWEEK, too. Mark Humphries Paris, France

A photograph that ran under the heading “The Horrors of Urban War” (April 7) shows a 4-year-old girl hit by “cross-fire.” The photo of that seriously injured child is only one of hundreds seen on international television screens showing a glimpse of the human toll of this war. Thousands of innocent Iraqi civilians, young and old alike, were injured and killed under the rubble of their homes and markets. They were leveled to the ground by cruise and Tomahawk missiles and other “smart” bombs fired by the planes, carriers, heavy tanks and artillery of U.S. and British forces. As long as there are double standards in human rights, there will be no peace. Ahmed El-Hajj Beirut, Lebanon

Controlling Iraq’s Oil

Your piece “What Big Oil Wants” (March 24) provided a surprisingly candid analysis of the reasons behind the current power play for control of Iraqi oil. Unfortunately, you failed to mention that the Bush cabinet is composed almost entirely of former executives of the very companies that stand to gain the most from this attempt to gain direct control over the planet’s second largest oil reserves. When will Americans wake up to the fact that their country has been hijacked by terrorists? Even Fareed Zakaria seems to have second thoughts about the wisdom of current U.S. military and diplomatic doctrine. It’s time the public realized that the consequences of allowing the Bush junta to pursue its disastrous policies at home and abroad will mean the end of the land they love. Steve Baker Schneverdingen, Germany

Don’t forget, we were the ones who sold Saddam the chemicals he used on the Halabjah Kurds. We were certainly not screaming for democracy then. As for Bush’s plan to use “Iraqi oil for the Iraqi people,” Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has been attempting to wrestle his country’s oil out of the hands of the oil oligarchy for five years and the United States has repeatedly done everything in its power to thwart those moves. If you really believe Bush, then I’ve got an oil well in Paris I can sell ya! Eamon Ore-Giron San Francisco, California

Revisiting Zakaria

I was shocked to read “The Arrogant Empire” (March 24). Fareed Zakaria says that the war with Iraq “would seem… a justifiable use of military force.” If so, where do the regimes of Israel and North Korea fit into the equation? While blaming the French (for helping Saddam Hussein build a nuclear reactor) and Russians (for their own agenda), Zakaria seems impervious to the fact that the chemical weapons Saddam used in Halabjah were provided by America and the hawkish Donald Rumsfeld. It was America that supported Saddam against Khomeni’s Iran. The reason people around the world have “misgivings” about America is because of the sheer hypocrisy shown by its governments. If the States would adopt the same policy with Ariel Sharon as it did with Saddam, there’s no reason why it would not get support from the whole world. Ammad Farooq, M.D. Bangor, Wales

Fareed Zakaria regularly takes an “I’m grateful to now be a U.S. citizen, and I’d like to pretend I don’t originate from the most volatile region in the world” attitude in his columns. His “Arrogant Empire” piece missed the point completely. As an American living in Britain, I’ll cut to the chase as to why the world hates us. It’s not America that the world hates, it’s George W. Bush and his two-bit gangsters who masquerade as an administration. It is the most right-wing U.S. government in 80 years that has made our country the most-hated nation. “Let them hate, as long as they fear,” seems to be the mantra that Bush, Rumsfeld, Cheney and Wolfowitz et al. adhere to. God help us all if they try to treat North Korea the way they’ve treated Iraq. But there’s no chance of that happening–after all, North Korea has WMD, doesn’t it? Doug Cates London, England

Zakaria is right: the population of Pakistan is very likely to vote anti-American. After all, an entire generation of Pakistanis have grown up in a dictatorship, thanks to Western governments. The execution of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, an educated and democratic leader, is well remembered. This generation of Pakistanis has had to survive in an Islamic dictatorship. They deserve better. As the United States gets on the political high ground and removes an oppressive dictator in Iraq, it should consider how a democratically elected leader was removed in a country that was an American ally. Only when the political damage to the population of Pakistan is undone can the United States count on a pro-American vote. Yasmin Laher London, England

As an American living overseas, I’m interested in how the United States is perceived in other countries. Turning on “Euronews” this morning (broadcast in seven languages to European countries), I saw a clip of President Bush speaking to U.S. military personnel at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, as the camera panned to a poster showing a U.S. Air Force F-16 with the slogan “Nobody Else Comes Close.” I respect the men and women who serve our country, I don’t doubt that the U.S. Air Force has superiority in the skies where it does battle and I know that military personnel must be motivated. Yet, I found the poster disturbing. Couldn’t it have said “Defending the Nation” or “Defending Freedom”? Even an elitist slogan like “The World’s Finest” would not have been the worst choice. But “Nobody Else Comes Close” belittles the rest of the world–allies and enemies alike. It is not the first time that statements from some of our leaders have caused me to wince in embarrassment. Self-confidence, pride and humility are traits that can earn America respect in the world. Our arrogance offends even friends. Instead of disparaging others, let’s show some class. Michael Cordy Moscow, Russia

Let me clue you in to the reason for the worldwide hatred of the country that has adopted Fareed Zakaria: your president. Let’s face it, the United States has always sailed close to the wind with things–and the rest of the world has always turned a blind eye when other administrations have done so–but we cannot stomach this man as the head of the most inept, right-wing cabinet in the history of the country. As to the “Coalition of the Willing,” why not give it its proper name: “the Coalition of the blackmailed, the bribed, the railroaded, the threatened,” mixed in with the “Coalition of some countries most people couldn’t point to on a map if our lives depended on it”? But most damning of all are the reports of how Bush whooped with delight and said, “I feel good!” just seconds before he was due on air to report to the American people that war had begun–the most serious moment of his privileged, cosseted life. Clive Dredger

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-18” author: “Carlos Tilley”

Many readers were moved by our Sept. 15 portraits of those who have died in the war on terror. “Thank you for allowing the space to honor all those heroes and victims lost,” said one. “Yes, all those who have courageously fallen really do have names, faces and loved ones who grieve their untimely deaths.” Another wrote: “To see the faces and family members [of the fallen] reminds us as a nation of the true toll. It breaks my heart.” Some regretted that we did not acknowledge other victims of the Iraqi war. “You failed to mention the thousands of innocent civilians killed, maimed or made homeless by this war,” scolded a male reader. Others criticized us for including Iraqi-war casualties among the “victims” of the war on terror. Those killed in Iraq, said one, “were not killed fighting terrorism. [They] died needlessly in a senseless war against a sovereign nation that posed no substantial threat to the United States.”

Praising the Fallen

Thank you, NEWSWEEK, for naming the people who lost their lives in defense of our country (“A War’s Rising Toll,” Sept. 15). Since the war in Iraq started, the deceased GIs have been given no names. News programs tell of the latest number of soldier deaths, and then let us know what J. Lo and Ben have been doing. It is disturbing to see it took five pages of small print to list the names of the dead. As a retired 26-year Air Force veteran and current volunteer firefighter, I have served my country my entire adult life. I have the credentials to tell you that few, if any of us, feel we are heroes, but we do have names. Richard M. Smiley, U.S. Air Force (Ret.) D’Iberville, Miss.

I have followed the war in Iraq since its beginning. But I did not fully appreciate or comprehend its reality and our enormous loss until I turned the pages of “A War’s Rising Toll” and saw the list of soldiers killed in the ongoing battles in Iraq and the forgotten war in Afghanistan. I felt the same emotions reading the article that I did when I stood at the Vietnam Memorial Wall and viewed the staggering number of names that grew from year to year. It’s time to bring the United Nations into Iraq so that we will not repeat the mistakes of the past. Phil Frankland Nashua, N.H.

Your Sept. 15 cover refers to the “New Heroes” and “New Victims” in the “War on Terror.” Indeed, the 433 Americans (at the time of publication) who have died in the war were heroic in their efforts toward a peaceful world, but they are also victims of the failed foreign policy of their leaders. And they are not just American–they are Iraqi, Israeli and Palestinian. They are victims of militants who send 19-year-old soldiers to their deaths and of their leaders who reside in the palaces of Baghdad, Jerusalem and Washington. Jonathan Bringewatt Denver, Colo.

I am saddened by all the brave soldiers who have died since September 11 and for the families they left behind. But these soldiers knew the risks and took them to protect all of us. Contrast that with all the civilians who were viciously killed on September 11 while going about their daily lives. They also did not deserve to die. If our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan were not there, it would send out a message that the United States is spineless and will not protect itself. We have to show the world that we will not take terrorism lying down. I firmly believe that there have been no more September 11s because of our show of American might. We owe our soldiers a huge debt. U. Rosenfeld Yardley, Pa.

I was surprised to see NEWSWEEK describe American military fatalities in Iraq as victims of the war on terror. Certainly their deaths are tragic, as are the deaths of Iraqi military members and the many civilian casualties. But there has been no credible evidence linking Iraq with the terrorist attacks of 9/11. To many, it appears that the American and British administrations played loose with the truth to justify a military expedition. While no link may have existed before America and Britain invaded, this military foray could easily establish Iraq as a new breeding ground for those who hate America and wish to destroy it. It seems to me the result of the Iraq invasion is that we are more likely to be at risk for terrorism, not less. Don Buegel Moorhead, Minn.

The anthrax-attacks perpetrator may indeed fit the definition of “terrorist,” but there has never been any connection made between his actions and the Qaeda operations. The same goes for listing Sandy Alan Booker, who died during the Chechen separatist hostage taking in Moscow. What do the Chechens have to do with Al Qaeda and Saddam Hussein? Chechens have been fighting Russian occupation for years. Their struggle, however violent and nationalistic, is about independence from their perceived oppressor. Lumping in these deaths with the deaths of those killed in the Middle East military operations contributes to our already heightened sense of paranoia. Justine Gardner Brooklyn, N.Y.

While one must understand the grief suffered by the families of those killed, we must look at the bigger picture and know that there are sacrifices to be made for the greater good of the country. We also must focus on finishing the job rather than politicizing and seeking public opinion before acting. The reason that we were so successful in our defeat of Japan and Nazi Germany is that we were totally committed as a nation to the final goal, rather than to the nitpicking and dissent that is currently so prevalent. David Sikorsky Savannah, Ga.

Your inclusion of American citizens killed in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in your article “A War’s Rising Toll” was inappropriate and misleading. The Israeli government has, since September 11, 2001, tried to link its war on the Palestinians with our war on terror. However, they are clearly two different wars with different causes. The Americans who were killed in Israel were not killed because they were Americans, nor were they in any way serving America in a war on terror. If you are going to include Americans killed by Palestinians, then, in fairness, you must include the American peace activist Rachel Corrie, who was crushed by an Israeli Army bulldozer. Anne Bordonaro Waitsfield, Vt.

I agree that it is tragic that the toll of 3,016 American lives lost on September 11 has been increased by 433 as a result of our decision to invade Iraq. But there was no mention of the close to 7,000 Iraqi citizens who have been killed in this assault who had nothing to do with the 9/11 attacks. Why do we ignore the value of the lives of people of other nations? Paul Steiger Charlotte, N.C.

I lost my husband, Sgt. J. Lindsey, to combat death in the gulf war in 1991. It is really difficult to articulate all the thoughts and emotions that the articles in your Sept. 15 edition unearthed in me. But one thing stands out. In the first few years after my husband’s death, I could not comprehend how a nation could so quickly forget its fallen. Looking back, I can see that it was my extreme distress that prevented me from understanding how much others really cared. The topic of death is fraught with difficulties. No one wants to unintentionally add more pain to one who is suffering, so much goes unsaid. But I am grateful to those who are kind. In these last few months, a doctor became aware of my situation. The orthodontic work he does for my children is now his gift of thanks for my husband’s sacrifice. All this, nearly 13 years later. The fallen have fought the good fight for the cause of freedom and deserve our remembrance always. May the rest of us reach out so that those left behind do not feel alone and forgotten. D. Lindsey Springdale, Ark.

I am appalled at the comparisons of the financial compensations by the war widows and the victims of 9/11. It’s incredibly distasteful. Is more money going to make them feel better? Will a cool million dollars bring their loved one back? Soldiers are supposed to risk their lives. No one who worked in the World Trade Center had “combat” on his list of job duties. We really need to bond together in times of loss, rather than point fingers and complain about other grieving families’ receiving “more money.” It only cheapens the lives of lost loved ones. Lisa Sanford South Pasadena, Calif.

I know all too well about “the lives left behind.” Each time I hear of someone killed in the war, I think of him or her not as a number, but as someone whose death caused a family great heartache. I lost my 19-year-old brother in World War II. I can still hear my mother’s scream when the man from the Western Union office came to the door to tell her. Those who start unprovoked wars should experience this loss. Our leaders know not what they do. Marilyn Munkachy Tempe, Ariz.

Your cover article made me think, do we really need to be in Iraq? As the mother of a U.S. Marine, I have thought long and hard about the almost daily loss of life in the war in Iraq. On average, one soldier has been killed every two days since the president declared the end of military operations on May 1. But at that rate, it will take nearly a decade to lose as many lives as we lost in a few hours on 9/11. Like all Americans, I grieve for our fallen soldiers. But I also grieve for the noncombatants murdered on that fateful day. I am proud of our men and women in uniform. They are what stands between us and another 9/11. Catherine Blaffer Taylor Dallas, Texas

What Is a Patriot?

Thanks to Jonathan Alter for reminding America that patriotism is not narrow-minded nationalism (“Packaging Patriotism,” Sept. 15). The true patriot loves the good of his nation and feels obligated to speak out when it errs. The true patriot reluctantly makes war on another nation only after all reasonable efforts at negotiation have failed, but he is constantly at war with those who hypocritically salute the flag while whittling away at the flagpole. John J. Mollick Fayetteville, Pa.

Jonathan Alter’s critique of blind patriotism is dead on. Deciding to uniformly “trust the president in every decision he makes,” as you quote Britney Spears, is the antithesis of patriotism. True patriots took to the streets before the war with Iraq, asking questions, demanding to see proof of this imminent threat and pushing our leaders to seek a multilateral solution–lest the blood of our truest patriots, the men and women in uniform, be spilled unnecessarily in a poorly planned war of choice. Ben Elgin San Francisco, Calif.

As Jonathan Alter shows, patriotism can be scary, narrow and colorblind. In times of fear and conflict the so-called patriot accepts a leader’s every decision and denounces anyone who speaks out against national policy. Such actions are so contrary to what it means to be American, democratic and informed. Gary Barnes Portland, Ore.

Jonathan Alter, luxuriating in almost a year’s hindsight, points to the decisive actions of others as failures: actions by others who, thank God, had the initiative and will to make difficult decisions based on available information. These decisions have produced positive results for our national security and moved the boundaries of freedom to embrace the millions of Iraqis who had never in their lifetime experienced it. Alter’s definition of patriotism rings hollow in the face of our achievements. Bill Stephens San Antonio, Texas

Jonathan Alter’s article brought another Mark Twain quote to mind: “Patriotism means being loyal to your country all the time and to its government when it deserves it.” Jonathan Beiler Haddonfield, N.J.

A Plea for AmeriCorps

Bravo to Sen. John McCain for finally shedding light on President George W. Bush’s abandonment of AmeriCorps and other programs he once promised to expand (“Do the Nation a Service,” Sept. 15). As a former Teach for America corps member who has seen firsthand the potency of national-service programs, I am deeply saddened that many of our nation’s neediest citizens will go without essential services because of the Bush administration’s lack of support. And I am disgusted by what appears to be its bald-faced hypocrisy of promising one thing but doing another. Michael Fee Oakland, Calif.

It does not require the peace Corps, AmeriCorps or any overfed government agency for someone to serve his or her nation. John McCain writes as if good deeds cannot be done by the individual unless the government first spends millions of taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars. This country needs fewer bureaucracies and taxes –and wiser leaders. America is not in its sorry financial shape because of the government’s reluctance to spend money. Aren’t we already deep in debt? Aaron R. Triplett Portsmouth, Ohio

We applaud Sen. John McCain ’s commitment to national and community service, but disagree with his claim that very little effort has been made by this administration to expand opportunities for national service. In 2002 the president pledged, among other things, to double the size of the Peace Corps, create a new Citizen Corps, grow Senior Corps by 100,000 volunteers and to strengthen and expand AmeriCorps by 25,000 members. Last year the Peace Corps received the highest level of funding in its 40-year history. Today more than 750 communities in 50 states and territories have established Citizen Corps Councils and continue to coordinate volunteer efforts for all Americans to help protect our homeland and better prepare for emergencies of all kinds. In 2003, the president requested the largest funding increase in AmeriCorps history. And we are asking Congress to fully support the president’s fiscal year 2004 request to expand AmeriCorps to 75,000 members. Finally, the USA Freedom Corps has provided new resources to serve potential volunteers; built new networks for nonprofits looking to recruit volunteers; has engaged our schools, business community and the nonprofit sector in supporting the mission of promoting volunteer service, and created a “civic index” to annually measure how we are doing in mobilizing volunteers. We are strengthening America’s longstanding culture of service and trying to do it in a manner that will last for decades. John Bridgeland Assistant to the President and Director, USA Freedom Corps Washington, D.C.

Home Is Where You Can Afford

Having just read Jane Bryant Quinn’s Sept. 15 article about needing two incomes to afford a larger house for the family and budget guidelines (“Escaping the Trap,” Sept. 15), I am unable to escape the irony of the last boldfaced recommendation: “Don’t have kids”! Now that’s throwing the baby out with the bathwater! What a great money-saving tip. Douglas Dalke Lincoln, Neb.

In his Sept. 15 article, “Housebound,” Daniel McGinn could have also acknowledged the two biggest differences in families today as opposed to 25 years ago: then, most people worked their whole lives to buy the home of their dreams and most started their families early in life, as opposed to establishing a “lifestyle” and then griping about having to give it up. Our parents and grandparents acknowledged that you can have it all, just not all at once. We need to let go this need for instant gratification and acknowledge that most of our financial problems are a result of our choices. Sara Hamill Nashville, Tenn.

N.Y.C. Air Quality, Post 9/11

Your Sept. 8 Periscope item " ‘We Were Not Told to Lie’ About 9/11 and Health," was inaccurate. As you noted in a correction on Sept. 22, I did not work for the asbestos industry. You did not mention, however, that I in fact started my career working with plaintiffs’ lawyers who represented victims of asbestos. My work with those victims has given me a clear understanding and deep, personal sensitivity to the risks of exposure to asbestos. In the days immediately following the 9/11 attacks, the Environmental Protection Agency and Council on Environmental Quality, working with OSHA and New York officials, worked to report on New York’s air and water quality swiftly, objectively and accurately. We used the best information available, applied seasoned professional judgment and provided it to the public. As noted in an evaluation by the EPA’s inspector general on the air quality of lower Manhattan, the inspector general “spoke to a number of experts in the field of environmental monitoring, including physicians, industrial hygienists, and research-ers. These experts generally agreed that the levels of airborne asbestos detected in the air outside the perimeter of Ground Zero… did not present a significant increase in long-term risk to the public.” With respect to the workers at Ground Zero who faced significant safety and environmental hazards, we consistently advised them to wear respirators and take extra precautions based on available data. To this day, we are continuing our monitoring, support and long-term research operations. The safety and well-being of the people of New York were always, and remain, our highest priority. James L. Connaughton Chairman, Council on Environmental Quality Washington, D.C.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-06” author: “Ronald Rhoades”

Our Aug. 11 cover story on obesity around the world sparked letters of concern. One reader offered health tips with optimism: “Obesity can be fought.” Another worried that the countries have developed a new competition, “a rat race of appetites.”

The World’s Waistlines

Your Aug. 11 cover story, “Fat World,” was really shocking. It completely changed my stereotypical thinking that obesity is a problem only in developed and rich countries. As you point out, the problem is now spreading to developing regions like Africa and India. It seems as though having too much can be as dangerous as having too little, as both overeating and starvation can kill a person. Unless we take prompt global measures, the world population, especially younger generations, will be in for a catastrophe. Takahito Miyazawa Odawara, Japan

Your cover story presents obesity as a global epidemic no longer limited to wealthy countries. But I found this article indecent, and the mention of weight-loss clinics in Africa irrelevant. The rapid progression of obesity does not change the sad disproportion between the populations of rich and poor countries. Hunger and malnutrition still remain a problem in a vast majority of the world, especially in Africa. Let’s think beyond the borders of Texas or Utah. There are a number of health issues that should be presented at the global level. How about discussing AIDS, hunger or malaria? These are serious global epidemics, and I find it regrettable that the world’s diverse and complex reality was presented with such a narrow mind-set. Moise Leye Nairobi, Kenya

Your inside graphic for the cover story wrongly identified Mozambique as Malawi. People in the West already know little enough about Africa, and the situation is not helped when respected magazines provide inaccurate information. Rebecca Lewis Oxford, England

I was impressed by your cover photo. The image of the globe as the stomach of a severely obese man gave me the impression that obesity is definitely the world’s newest epidemic. This problem should not be taken lightly, and if we want to conquer it, each and every individual must take responsibility for his lifestyle. Eating healthy, exercising three times a week and increasing our water intake would help. Now is the time to take our health seriously no matter how busy life can be. Slowly but surely, obesity can be fought. Lee Poh Lin Seremban, Malaysia

Globalization has brought us cheap and unhealthy ways of living. Yet somehow we’ve accepted these ideas instead of good nutrition habits from our ancestors. Now we’ve got a rat race of appetites. Etsuko Takagi Tokyo, Japan

Expressing Esperanto

Congratulations for giving an objective picture of Esperanto and those of us who use it (“Speaking Up for Esperanto,” Aug. 11). While traveling, I’ve found the language to be the most pleasant way of communicating in depth with local people. Using Esperanto, we talk on a broader range of subjects than English allows. While English is OK for travel arrangements and shopping in tourist centers, Esperanto is better for discussing complex social, political and personal matters. The language is also cost-effective: I was more fluent in Esperanto after six months than I was in English after six years. Claude Piron Gland, Switzerland

It would be advisable for the European Union to accept Esperanto as one of its official languages. Using it could save lots of money and create better relationships between representatives of the different nations. Thank you, NEWSWEEK, for your complete, accurate and meaningful article on Esperanto. Marcelo Casartelli Cordoba, Argentina

The Momentum of Dr. Dean

Howard Dean is the man to deliver the United States from President George W. Bush and the Democratic Party from itself (“The Left’s Mr. Right,” Aug. 11). He is not a radical, as some believe, unless it is radical to believe that the United States belongs to its citizens, not to wealthy special interests and hidebound political clubs. The Bush camp and Washington-insider Democrats aren’t afraid of Dean so much as the burgeoning movement behind his success. In other words, they’re scared of us ordinary Americans. Scott Powell Brooklyn, New York

If Karl Rove & Co. really saw Dean as the dream opponent, they sure as heck wouldn’t be letting on. Their antics suggest they agree with a growing number of Democrats that Howard Dean is increasingly in the best position to beat President Bush in 2004. Check the record. He steered a centrist, fiscally conservative course as governor of Vermont, he gets an A rating from the National Rifle Association and he’s igniting the Democratic base. No wonder Rove is waving his arms. He sees a steamroller coming right at him. Marshall Helmberger Tower, Minnesota

Jonathan Alter fails to explain why Howard Dean was not inducted into the military during the Vietnam era. Dean failed his medical exam because of an unfused vertebra, but Alter leaves the impression that Dean wiggled out from under by pulling strings or by faking a malady. Bush, on the other hand, did pull strings to get into the Air National Guard by jumping ahead of others on the list. Later, he spent the last year of his service AWOL in Alabama. Mary L. Wentworth Amherst, Massachusetts

As a 19-year-old college student who’s enthusiastically joined the Dean team, I know that Dean’s presence allays fears of an outrageously growing national debt, a tongue-tied president and a deceptive administration that says of the poor and middle class, “Let them eat yellowcake.” The only unfortunate thing is that the sleeve-rolled, plain-speaking Howard Dean wasn’t around any earlier to provide a creative, exciting grass-roots image the Democratic Party has been starved of. Joe Sabia Milford, Connecticut

Your recent article on Howard Dean, my former governor, states that he “expanded health-care coverage to include all children and most adults.” Dean claims success in improving access to health insurance in Vermont. But in fact, in his quest to improve the scope of coverage for hardworking, low-income Vermonters, he forgot about the hardworking, self-employed middle class. So many mandates were put on insurance companies that most left the state. Vermont is a small market that needs insurance companies more than they need it. This has left virtually no choice for individual health-insurance policies in the state. Marlene Price Williston, Vermont

J-Phone Clarification

I would like to point out an error in your Sept. 8 “Back to School Guide” (Tip Sheet). Your article states that our mobile handset, the J-SA06 by Sanyo, is capable of video streaming and that it is likely to be available outside Japan soon. Two other models by Sanyo, the V-SA701 and the V801SA, are video-capable; however, the J-SA06 is not, and is available to Japanese consumers only. Kazuyuki Hagiwara Media Relations Manager J-Phone Co., Ltd. Tokyo, Japan

Being Jewish in Germany

It is obscene that a generous package of incentives to lure Russian Jews from one of Europe’s most down-and-out economies to its richest (“Return of the Jews,” July 14) can be seen as a form of “second chance” atonement for the Holocaust. Nothing material can ever atone for that. And it is bizarre that Russian Jews, not the great-grandchildren of German Jews, are flocking to Germany to “rebuild” Jewish life there. Perhaps they have the historical amnesia that the move requires. It is also unfair that non-Jewish Russians and East Europeans are totally excluded from this German largesse for immigrants, based on the outrages of World War II. It is infuriating that Germans of Turkish descent, born and raised in Ger-many, or Gastarbeiter working there for decades, are generally denied German citizenship. Whom is Berlin trying to fool? Zeev Templer Vientiane, Laos

It is difficult to understand how Jews can immigrate to a country like Germany, which caused them such great suffering not so long ago. They must have a very short memory. Let us just hope that history will not repeat itself and that the 60 newly built synagogues will not be vandalized or burned, as happened recently in France and Belgium. Ozias Bortman Haifa, Israel

Paying the Price

In Stefan Theil’s portrayal of the pension situation in Germany (“A Heavy Burden,” June 30/July 7), language such as “entitlements,” “generational fraud” and “coddled” suggests that the typical pensioner enjoys a selfishly high standard of living. Nowhere does Theil tell us what a real pension might be for Germans who have worked in nonprofessional jobs or how that compares to the cost of living. Nor does he mention the impact on the pension system brought about by reunification, the widening compensation gap, the high levels of unemployment overall and the special difficulty unemployed people over 50 have in re-entering the labor market. Many retirees today, after long years of working in low-paying jobs, must practice old-fashioned thrift to subsist on their pensions. They are the ones–not the minority of the highly compensated who have had the means to save and invest–who will bear the brunt of the reform. Barbara Pines Munich, Germany

Germans under the age of 50 have been coddled since birth. My husband retired at 63, after working for 47 years, a work rate that won’t be met by our younger generation, who think they’re being taken advantage of. This generation goes to university free of charge (to them, not to their parents), may change their major many times and take their time to graduate, so they are close to 30 prior to entering a profession. If they retire in their early 60s, they will be in the work force for about 30 years. So who’s taking advantage of whom? The young threaten action against reforms that may reduce their own entitlements. For example, considering a free education a “right,” they refuse to pay even a portion of their university costs. Why can’t they complete their education in four years to enter the work force earlier? Sharon M. Lochocki Westergellersen, Germany

Sons of Saddam

It took up to 200 crack army troops–with helicopter gunships, Humvees, TOW missiles and heavy machine guns–nearly four hours to take out two playboys, a bodyguard and a teenage boy (“Their Final Days,” Aug 11). Any thought that the troops were going carefully in order to take Uday and Qusay Hussein alive was dispelled by the four dead bodies at the end of the battle. This old Korean War Marine is underwhelmed. Jim Hall Phoenix, Arizona

With the recent deaths of Uday and Qusay Hussein, and Saddam’s death or capture sure to follow, wouldn’t logic imply that if Saddam had weapons of mass destruction, he would have used them by now? America should face the fact that there were no weapons of mass destruction and no Qaeda ties, and that we’ve been had. Jim Hellem Alpharetta, Georgia

Troops’ Kin Seek Answers

Thank you for your article concerning the length of deployment of our troops (“Families Ask Why,” Aug. 4). My husband is a Navy reservist stationed at Camp Mitchell in Rota, Spain, and has been away since March 31. In June about 200 troops were sent home from Camp Mitchell, while 200 others remained. During the time the 400 troops were together, the reserve center kept in contact with us via e-mail, but now the Navy has lost interest in us and our spouses. We call the reserve center for help with different things–grass mowing, plumbing problems, etc.–but get no response to our calls or are told that someone will call back, which never happens. Yes, our spouses chose to defend their country, but they were also told that things would be taken care of here at home so that they could concentrate on doing the job they were sent to do. I believe that because my husband was not sent to Iraq, the Navy feels that his needs and those of his family are unimportant. Shouldn’t “supporting our troops” include the families left behind? Suzy Lowe Milford, Ohio

Every American is concerned about mounting casualties and long deployments, but families of military personnel know better than most that there are casualties in war. And exactly what is considered a long deployment? We have been engaged in active combat in Iraq for several months now, and from all ac-counts it has been a long, grueling fight on behalf of freedom. But let’s remember that our World War II vets spent considerably longer in active combat; and my friends were deployed in Vietnam for two-year stints. We felt for them, were concerned for them, loved them and prayed for their safe return. Wars don’t end in a few days or weeks, or in a couple of months. War is hell, and we honor and thank those who serve to ensure that the right to life, liberty and freedom prevails (and, I suppose, the right to whine as well). Kathleen A. Wright Rochester, New York

Redefining ‘Family’ Culture

In the Aug. 4 article “9/11’s hidden Toll,” Dr. Nora Alarifi Pharaon, a psychologist at the New York-based Arab-American Family Center, says that the Arab/Muslim culture “puts a premium on the family unit.” She then describes a Muslim wife who has been repeatedly beaten, has her money controlled and is not even allowed to retain the family’s mailbox key. That is not my idea of a family culture. That is a slave culture that permits men to do anything they want whenever they want, at the expense of the entire family. Diana Parker-Williams Sarasota, Florida

In Defense of Rwanda

“Wars Without End” (July 14) is revealing by what it omits to examine: Rwanda’s balance sheet since the genocide that wiped out nearly 1 million people in 1994. Rwanda has made steady progress in laying the foundation for unity and reconciliation, including decentralization that gives a voice to the people in the decision-making process. Rwanda’s economy has been growing for nine years, even though its socioeconomic infrastructure was destroyed during the genocide. And Rwanda has a new Constitution that reflects the aspirations and interests of the Rwandan people, 93 percent of whom voted for it in the referendum last May. It also had the first-ever multiparty elections for president on Aug. 25 and will have them again for Parliament in late September. Those who have been to Rwanda will tell you that this country is an oasis of security and stability. But Rwandans are the first to recognize that durable peace and development can be fully realized only when the whole region is free from the insecurity that claims innocent lives and makes development difficult to achieve. Dr. Theogene Rudasingwa Chief of Staff, Office of the President of Rwanda Kigali, Rwanda

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-20” author: “Nicolas Mitchell”

Our Aug. 4 cover story brought out ire and cheers. Some readers fretted over the morals of a “compassionate nation” killing Uday and Qusay Hussein. Others thought that “nobody should shed a tear.”

Showdown in Mosul

The totally over-the-top, gung-ho method of killing Uday and Qusay Hussein is a case in point of how the moral standards of the United States have deteriorated since the Nuremberg trials, where far worse criminals against humanity were given a fair trial (“See How They Ran,” Aug. 4). Would it not have been a much more respectable sight to have the brothers walk out with handcuffs after a successful siege and later placed on trial by the Iraqis themselves? And I wonder if the important issue of weapons of mass destruction was completely forgotten. These two would have been rather important sources of information. If the United States wants to lead, then it should lead by example. The current methods tell the world that the country, once a beacon of free society and democracy, has lost the plot, blinded by a debased desire to build a Pax Americana. Dirk Simonsz Malaga, Spain

The Bush administration finally found weapons of mass destruction: Uday and Qusay Hussein. Joyce Marleau Seattle, Washington

The Hussein brothers might have been evil, but to splash their bodies in NEWSWEEK’s pages is deplorable. When Al-Jazeera televised dead American soldiers, the backlash followed it all the way to Wall Street. And Americans were appalled when a dead Marine was paraded in the streets of Mogadishu. Yet, when Uday and Qusay are killed, they are dead and mangled victims of the mighty American military. Nelson Kamau Nairobi, Kenya

I had to stop reading your article about Uday and Qusay Hussein after reading about how Qusay would feed prisoners headfirst into a wood chipper when he got bored. I’ve long been convinced that the Husseins were bad seeds and the world is undoubtedly a better place without them, but I really didn’t need the details of the horrors they perpetrated to persuade me further. Maybe articles with such graphic descriptions should come with warning labels. Joyce S. Rubenstein Houston, Texas

I celebrated the assassinations of Uday and Qusay Hussein. These two hideously sinister guys deserved to be ripped to shreds by high-caliber machine guns and Hellfire missiles, courtesy of the American troops in Iraq. Nobody should shed a tear over the deaths of such despicable human beings. Brian J. Bancroft San Clemente, California

In ancient times, the decapitated and bloody heads of the enemy were posted at the city gates for all to see. This was considered barbaric then. Today, the bloated and decomposing heads of the enemy are shown around the world by the media. Since American officials were “deeply gratified to have bagged Saddam’s two sons,” I guess this is not considered barbaric anymore. Ximena Tagle Oceano, California

I read with great interest your article “See How They Ran,” describing the lives and deaths of Uday and Qusay Hussein. But once I finished, I could not help concluding that if three men and a boy could hold off 200 elite U.S. troops, grenades and numerous helicopter missiles for four hours, with a briefcase contain-ing Viagra and a single condom, then American forces in Iraq are undoubtedly in for a long ride. Steve Bent Beirut, Lebanon

Crossing Borders in the EU

The headline “Chicken Little Europe” is a good definition of the state of the European Union (Aug. 4). Europe may have a common currency, but it’s decades, if not centuries, away from a common work force. Most of its member countries show no real intention to harmonize labor laws, social security or health care. On the contrary, they protect their national incompetencies with suffocating bureaucracy instead of boosting their best practices. No wonder in the EU unemployment is high and the economy is in recession. The European Union starts to resemble the Soviet Union. Torsti Holvikivi Cascais, Portugal

As one of the very few EU citizens who, according to your report, is living outside his country of birth, I am surprised by the tone of your headline and the sentence “Don’t look for the stereotypical eagerness of the U.S. worker to crisscross the country for jobs.” As you point out, intra-EU migration is hindered by linguistic and bureaucratic issues. It is, however, wholly unrealistic to expect the same level of mobility between a union of 15 (semi) sovereign states with 11 languages and a centuries-old federation with a common language and recent history. Comparison with the greater ambition of the average U.S. worker is futile, as the situations are not analogous. If the aim is to show that a truly flexible EU work force is a long way off, most of us Europeans knew that already. Neil Smith Copenhagen, Denmark

Hoping for Humanity

Despite the continuous spilling of blood, so far no country is willing to intervene and save the situation in Liberia, where innocent people are killed mercilessly (“Crying Out for America,” Aug. 4). Even with former Liberian president Charles Taylor stepping down, there is no guarantee that peace will prevail. The troops he leaves behind will not be able to maintain peace, as they must fight for their own survival. Where is the heroism of compassion from the rest of Africa, the G8 or any superpower? Why is it taking so long for someone to extend a gesture of humanity to save Liberians from genocide? Kokil K. Shah Mombasa, Kenya

Harry Potter’s Wizarding Wares

Thank you for your Aug. 4 story “Caution: Wizard at Work.” Those who enjoyed Alfonso Cuaron’s refreshingly raw study of adolescence in “Y Tu Mama Tambien” should agree that Warner Brothers was spot on in choosing him to direct the next Harry Potter film, whose young cast is now full of budding teenagers. If we are lucky this talented director will also enrich the film with nuances of our culture’s overflowing esoteric awareness, making J. K. Rowling’s magical world that much more palpable. His decision to use a display of Mexican skulls at the Hogsmeade tuck shop is one example and will delight red-blooded Mexicans who see the film. I can’t wait until next June. Jerome Lacor Valle de Bravo, Mexico

You write that actor Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) will “be riding the Nimbus 2000 in the fourth movie.” Actually, Harry’s Nimbus 2000 was destroyed during a Quidditch match in book three. The broomstick he uses is a Firebolt. Jennifer Peterson (11 years old) North Andover, Massachusetts

Abbas and the Future of Israel

In the interview with Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas (" ‘We Want Our Own State’," Aug. 4), Lally Weymouth’s first question gave the Palestinian leader a wonderful opportunity to advance toward peace. The query whether “Israel [would] retain its Jewish character” under Abbas’s peace plan demands a one-word answer: yes or no. By retreating to double-speak, Abbas continues the sad history of his predecessors by failing to reply with a straightforward, unambiguous answer. Unless, and until, Arab leaders and citizens can reconcile themselves to accepting Israel as a Jewish state, there obviously cannot be true peace. As Weymouth points out in her last question, “the Palestinians never miss an opportunity to ‘miss an oppor-tunity’.” Unfortunately, Abbas proved her right again. Bernard White Dallas, Texas

A Surge in Domestic Violence

The Aug. 4 article “9/11’s hidden Toll” shed light on the ever-present problem of spousal abuse. However, this article’s underlying pretext of blaming 9/11 does a disservice to Muslim-American families who have long been silent victims of domestic violence, and to the vast majority of Muslim men who would never harm their spouses. Studies show that all abusers make excuses for their actions, be they alcohol, employment troubles or even the trials of a post-9/11 society. I doubt anyone would sympathize with or write an article about a wife-beating, chauvinistic, white male who blames his actions on the government but still claims he’s a Christian. These justifications should not be accepted. It is clear that these men would still beat their wives no matter which faith they claim to believe in. Marc Andrew Phoenix, Arizona

In NEWSWEEK’s story, you noted the scarcity of resources to support victims of domestic violence in Muslim-American communities. Linda Osmund-son, executive director of Community Action Stops Abuses, states that religious leaders have been trying to combat the problem, “but the shelters are still full.” Tragically, shelters for battered women across the United States are forced to turn away families because they are consistently full and lack funding to expand services. Due to state budget crises, cuts in federal programs and a sharp increase in victim-compensation claims after 9/11, domestic-violence programs have faced massive budget cuts. Some have had to close their doors completely. The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and the Victims of Crime Act Fund (VOCA) provide federal funding for shelters, crisis centers and other desperately needed services. To end domestic violence, Con-gress must fully fund VAWA and raise the VOCA cap to $675 million. Juley Fulcher, Public Policy Director National Coalition Against Domestic Violence Washington, D.C.

Correction

In our Aug. 4 article “back to basics,” we incorrectly stated that Mickey Drexler founded the Gap clothing store. In fact, Donald and Doris Fisher started the company in 1969. Drexler became CEO in 1983. NEWSWEEK regrets the error.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-06” author: “Taylor Pettis”

The Mess in Mexico

Your June 23 article “Has Fox Flopped?” is both accurate and well documented. Mexico’s President Fox has many drawbacks. However, if the 2000 elections were to be held today with the same candidates, Fox would be elected again, according to your figure–a 64 percent approval rating–which coincides with the general feeling here. There is no one in the political arena who can outperform him, even in the 2006 elections. With the Congress viciously opposing every presidential program, the media digging out inconsequential events of his personal life and making headlines out of them, and the opposition parties sponsoring mobs to overrun the streets every day with unwarranted demands, any president could flop. We Mexicans have yet to discover that democracy does not mean anarchy. President Fox has been fulfilling our expectations since Dec. 1, 2000, when he ended 71 years of corruption. Manuel Valdes Palmas, Mexico

Your article on president Fox was ill timed to say the least. It looked like an attempt to discredit a man who had the courage and integrity to stand up to an enormous amount of pressure to join the United States’ Iraq adventure–which, as it is now turning out, is the real flop. Juan Carlos Calderon La Paz, Bolivia

President Fox is facing a critical point in his administration. The key to achieving successful reforms is to learn to play politics. To achieve that, Fox will be obliged to deal with legislators and win their trust and approval. The people who elected both Fox and the Congress will play a major role in that process. A useless opposition will only push the brakes on Mexico’s development. Roberto Oleiro Soares Pelotas, Brazil

As a longtime NEWSWEEK subscriber, I enjoy your magazine and I particularly appreciated your brilliant story on Vicente Fox by Joseph Contreras and Malcolm Beith. But I must say your writers do not know the Latin language. They write,“Some analysts believe that a quid pro quo could then be reached with the PRI.” But you never reach a quid pro quo. At best, you may reach a modus vivendi or a modus operandi. Paul Audrain Port Navalo, France

Twenty-First-Century Travel

As I’m planning a round-the-world vacation, I found your feature “Travelers of Tomorrow” both timely and informative (May 26/June 2). But perhaps you could advise me on what to pack. As well as my SARS mask and my bulletproof vest, should I take along a gas mask (it fits in the carry-on luggage) or a full bioterrorism suit (very bulky; it takes up a lot of space)? Also, how much attention should I pay to terrorist-threat forecasts? They never seem to get it right. Ian Gregory Kuta, Bali

Your cover story “Travelers of Tomorrow” is balanced and highlights in graphic relief cutting-edge trends in the fields of tourism and travel. The section titled “Only the Boldest” reminded me of the crushing and refreshing silence that I experienced as I knelt on the beach near Cervantes, Western Australia, in 1999 and saw deep alabaster-blue skies that seemed to go on forever and the shimmering emerald-green Indian Ocean that stretched as far as the eye could see. Dave Norse Yokohama, Japan

As head of a French family of four, I agree with your article on changing vacation habits for safer trips (“Going Nowhere,” May 26/June 2). My family is used to living abroad and spending our vacations in foreign countries. Every three years or so we travel to the United States because we enjoy that country, its wildlife and its wonderful landscapes, spending each time between $10,000 and $15,000 during our three- to four-week summer trip. This year, however, we do not want to risk any unfriendly welcome and bring back unpleasant memories. I believe that some Americans could follow the words of the Bush government and try to punish France and the French, even if the large majority will just forget about it. That is why this year we plan to vacation in Italy and Greece, where people are friendly and governments do not pass on hostile messages to their citizens. Olivier Roy The Hague, Netherlands

Re-Examining Jihad

Islamic militancy and terrorism can only be eliminated when the genesis of this scourge is identified and tackled, as Fareed Zakaria suggests (“Now, Saudis See the Enemy,” May 26/June 2). Mosques and madrasas nurse jihadi terror in youngsters who become gun-wielding automatons to join the “army of God.” Hatred against “the enemies of Islam” is instilled by fundamentalist mullahs who preach that those who sacrifice their lives in killing non-Muslims and Westerners will be rewarded with heaven. Islamic terrorist groups draw ideological and financial sustenance from Saudi Arabia, which now plans to re-examine the concept of jihad. It would do well to enlarge Islam’s scope to redefine it in relation to other religions, and purge it of violence in the interests of global peace and harmony. Sharad C. Misra Mumbai, India

Correction

In “Border Brotherhood” (Periscope, June 16), we wrote that 2 million illegal Mexican immigrants are currently working in the United States. In fact, there are nearer to 4 million. NEWSWEEK regrets the error.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-24” author: “Andrea Mccarter”

Many readers of our cover story on the legacy of Saddam Hussein were plainly moved by the pages of photos of U.S. and British casualties. “I really tried to focus on the articles, but I give up. The photos just keep pulling my eyes away from the words,” one woman said. Another added, “We need to see these faces, imagine the grief of the families and what their lives may have been.” Lamenting the high cost in lives and mindful of the $1 billion-a-week price tag of the ongoing guerrilla war, one man mused, “Don’t get me wrong, I have supported the war and will always support our troops. But a postwar game plan in this case is just as imperative as the strategy of war itself. Perhaps our high-fives were slightly premature.”

The Greatest Cost of All

Your July 21 article “Still Fighting Saddam” provides much-needed information about the war in Iraq–information that many people, including me, don’t know about–and gives an idea of the harsh and dangerous conditions that our troops face daily. You also discuss the costs of war, including the biggest cost of all: the lives of the soldiers we have lost. Seeing the pictures of these brave soldiers, the “Casualties of Peace,” hit me hard, because I was engaged to one of them, Pvt. Robert L. Frantz. My heart goes out to anyone who was affected by these casualties. Thank you for putting faces to the names of these honorable people. Ana Perez San Antonio, Texas

The cardinal error in our Iraqi planning was to equate regime change with overthrowing Saddam Hussein. Overlooked was the Baath Party, consisting of an estimated 2 million Iraqis. Could there have been any doubt that from this large pool of potential adversaries, a guerrilla army would be organized? In retrospect, doesn’t it seem plausible that the rapid disintegration of organized resistance against Coalition forces was achieved not only through brilliant military execution but through an Iraqi plan to hole up, only to reappear and fight a war it thought it had a chance of winning? Larry Kaufman Los Angeles, Calif.

A headline on your cover got it wrong. Instead of reading $1 billion a week: the cost of peace, it should have read $1 billion a week: the cost of folly. Harry Caicedo Miami, Fla.

The failure of the United States to properly plan the rebuilding of Iraq is as shocking as the decision to invade (“The Best-Laid Plans”). The United States apparently didn’t have contingency plans for anything but a best-case scenario. Any business-school graduate should know that failing to plan properly is planning to fail. Frank Manning Santa Fe, N.M.

How can one tally up the costs of war with Iraq with no mention of the scores of innocent Iraqi civilians who were killed? Do we really think that an Iraqi life is not as precious as an American one? This war appears to have been based on deception and half-truths and has taken more than U.S. credibility, more than billions of dollars and more than the lives of our and Britain’s young soldiers. It has taken the lives of at least as many Iraqis as those civilians who were lost to us here on 9/11. But it appears that few Americans care. Ann Everds Accord, N.Y.

The sobering 11-page banner of photos of postwar casualties deserved better than your Orwellian title, “Casualties of Peace.” Try “Casualties of Military Occupation.” Our soldiers were sent into Iraq armed, trained and ready to kill. That is what makes them targets. If our government invested in peacemaking a small percentage of what it sinks into war-making, we would soon realize how much more cost-effective it would be, in both lives and dollars. Rich Meyer Millersburg, Ind.

Thank you for including the “Casualties of Peace” segment in your July 21 articles. It is far too easy to get caught up in the political squabbling and finger-pointing surrounding the conflict with Iraq and to forget that individuals beloved by their families and friends are dying every day. The photographs you have published speak more eloquently to the reality of the ongoing hostilities than any reporting I have seen. Jill H. Davis Providence, R.I.

A Woman With Enduring Vision

It was great to see the July 14 My Turn article, “Those Hand Gestures Didn’t Mean ‘Hello’,” by my mother, Ruth Nedbor. Many people responded directly to her, and applauded her for being so honest about her declining vision and how it made her a dangerous driver. My ophthalmologist read it and immediately had it enlarged so her patients could read it as well. Unfortunately, my mother passed away on July 14 due to complications from open-heart surgery. The doctors in the hospital posted a copy of the article over her bed and sent copies to their friends and family. Thankfully, she was able to see her article in your magazine before she died. Her family and friends are grateful to NEWSWEEK for giving her a great thrill before she left us. Gail Nedbor-Gross Glen Cove, N.Y.

More Than Warm and Fuzzy

Animal lovers have known that animals feel and understand much more than researchers have given them credit for (“Animal Emotions,” July 21). To a great extent “new evidence” of animal intelligence and emotion opens a large and difficult question on the ethics of exploiting animals, given the false notion that animals are incapable of emotion and pain. One hopes the medical validation of what animal people have known all along will open an intelligent dialogue about how to address this complicated moral question. Angela Hamby San Francisco, Calif.

If anyone doubts that animals love and understand more than people give them credit for, then he has never seen therapy animals at work. I can’t begin to count the times sick children or people with Alzheimer’s disease have held my therapy cat, Laser, hugged him tightly while he snuggles in close or gives them a hug in return, and have said, “Look, he loves me!” I’m certainly not going to argue with them. Nancy Kucik Pelham, Ala.

When I take the time to notice, I realize my yellow tabby spends most of his day with me basking in the heat of my home-office lamp, leaping from flower beds as I garden and growling softly when strangers come to the front door. If he is using me for food and shelter, he is no more manipulative than my husband or kids. Kay Rodriguez Seattle, Wash.

See Howard Dean Run

Thanks for your insightful article on presidential hopeful Howard Dean (“Feeling Dean’s Pain,” July 21). The qualities Howard Fineman describes–hard-charging, emotional and to-the-point– make Dean human and bring a freshness and honesty to national politics that I have not seen in years. Dean’s message of fiscal responsibility and multilateral foreign policy are a big part of his allure. I look forward to an article at the end of 2004 titled “Feeling Bush’s Pain,” chronicling our current president’s departure from office. Christopher J. Curtis Montpelier, Vt.

My wife and I recently moved from Vermont because it is reeling from a major financial scandal at its largest hospital that will significantly increase health-care costs for its citizens. We witnessed the exodus of many young and middle-aged parents looking for better-paying jobs, and suffered through high property and income taxes. The state also promotes a de facto monopoly for home health-care services, resulting in a lack of competition to serve disabled people living at home. We know what makes Howard Dean tick, but we still don’t know why many Vermonters continue to suffer the pain from his policies as governor. Torin Togut Lawrenceville, Ga.

Correction

In our July 21 article “Feeling Dean’s Pain,” Howard Dean was misquoted as saying he has two teenage sons. In fact, he has a son and a daughter, both teenagers.

Clarification

NEWSWEEK’s July 28 issue featured a secondary cover line, “Stupid CIA Tricks,” that did not accurately reflect the story inside the magazine on Iraq intelligence failures (“Follow the Yellowcake Road”). We regret the choice of words.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-04” author: “Eloise Curry”

Responses to our Jan. 13 cover package confirmed that Americans remain divided over the handling of the dual crises in Iraq and North Korea. While some questioned what one reader called America’s “selective vendetta against Saddam,” others focused on North Korea’s enigmatic leader. Kim Jong Il’s resumption of Korea’s nuclear program and military buildup “show his true colors,” wrote a frustrated letter writer, who, like others, insisted on the diplomatic route. Another, pointing to Kim’s erratic personality and Korea’s isolationist policy, suggested Kim “practice his philosophy of self-reliance instead of playing hardball for more free handouts.” Concerned with whether Bush was handling both situations with equal seriousness, a worried reader wondered if “invading Iraq and sparing Korea will have the perverse effect of encouraging countries to develop weapons of mass destruction to guarantee respect for their sovereignty.”

Whither North Korea?

In your cover package on North Korea, Ambassador to South Korea James Lilley is absolutely correct in stating that Kim Jong Il will not accept reform because it will “bring down his regime” (“Women, Wine and Weapons,” Jan. 13). Unfortunately, the majority of young South Koreans and Americans do not understand this simple fact. Nor do most young Koreans realize that it is the United States, its people, its government and its many benevolent organizations that give the most food aid to the starving people of North Korea. Korea’s 5,000-year history is rich with wars and conflict, and, on our seeing the ignorance among today’s generation of Koreans, it’s no surprise that the Korean Peninsula and its misguided people are once again headed down that familiar road. Jung Hee Park Northbrook, Ill.

Kim Jong Il may be a wacky and eccentric despot, but dubbing him “Dr. Evil” on the cover of your national magazine (possibly the only exposure our woefully uneducated populace has to him) makes him seem like some cartoon villain and ignores the very real threat he represents. In the Austin Powers movies, Dr. Evil is a coldblooded, would-be dictator and a bumbling idiot. That may describe Kim as well, but he also possesses the weapons and the will to cause great harm–a fact your pop-culture reference obscures. Marshall Fine Ossining, N.Y.

In response to your question on which poses the greater threat, Iraq or North Korea, I would say “neither of the above.” The correct response would be the Bush administration. After September 11, many Iranians took to the streets in sympathy for the American lives lost. Then came George W. Bush’s infamous speech in which he categorized Iran, North Korea and Iraq as “evil” nations, making the aim of the emerging moderate movement in Iran much more difficult. Now we learn that North Korea has gone back to developing its nuclear-weapons program. And why not? Don’t the North Koreans have reason to be fearful after Bush’s speech and his handling of Iraq? The president is creating enemies where there were none. This new role of the United States as global destabilizer is hardly a becoming one. William W. Bruzzo Santa Ana, Calif.

By withdrawing from the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Kim Jong Il is giving President Bush a taste of his own medicine. Somebody has finally had enough of the playground bully and has decided to punch back. Whether Bush learns his lesson remains to be seen. Craig TenBroeck Los Angeles, Calif.

It is true that both Saddam Hussein and Kim Jong Il are of paramount danger to the interests of the United States and to human rights, but there are obvious reasons for conducting a war against Saddam before doing so against Kim. The diplomatic process with Saddam has been just about exhausted, but it is just beginning for Kim. Robert W. Koditek South Orange, N.J.

In his excellent article “Women, Wine and Weapons,” Evan Thomas depicts Kim Jong Il as a “strange movie buff who loves the gory ‘Friday the 13th’ teen-slasher flicks.” Movies about serial killers appeal to Kim for a reason. The killers in these movies seem to get away with anything. In the global sense, Kim is an enthusiastic wanna-be who wants to emulate them. Evan Dale Santos Adelanto, Calif.

As a 29-year-old Korean-American born and raised in Philadelphia, I am dismayed by the widespread hostility that a growing majority of young Koreans seemingly have toward the United States and its troops stationed along the DMZ (“Angry at the Yanks”). My parents lived through the Korean War and have always reminded me that their survival was due to the U.S. military and Gen. Douglas Mac-Arthur. While I recognize that the accidental killing of two Korean schoolgirls by two GIs during military maneuvers galvanized public sentiment against American troops, I am appalled that many Koreans now view the United States as the enemy. I do not understand why they want to make peace with a manipulative, ruthless, egomaniacal communist dictator. Are they that naive and ignorant? Jennifer Oh Exton, Pa.

Some Positive Press, Please

Wes Carter’s My Turn column, “The Newspapers Tell Only Half of the Story” (Jan. 13), is sure to strike a familiar chord in many Americans’ hearts. The memory of his teacher Miss Daily, who treated her three black students like all the other students, mirrors my own experience, though somewhat in reverse. As a white child in rural Louisiana, I had my first black teacher, Mrs. Irene Jackson, when she came to our white school in the 1960s to teach fifth graders. Mrs. Jackson was one of the kindest, toughest and most thoroughly dedicated teachers I have ever had. The impression she made on me shaped my life, and I’m certain that she is why the first feeling I have when I read about or witness racism is utter bewilderment. Lisa S. Bowen Alexandria, Va.

I wish every American could take a minute to digest the words of Wes Carter. Yes, there are still some racial problems in this country. Yes, the situation is improving. And, yes, people are, for the most part, good. Sometimes all this can be overshadowed by the emotional leverage the media are tempted to exploit by amplifying the racial content of news stories. Todd Adelmann Boise, Idaho

The People v. Bedroom Behavior

Anna Quindlen does a marvelous job of casting sex laws in the harsh light of rational judgment (“Getting Rid of the Sex Police,” The Last Word, Jan. 13). It is truly heinous for a society to attempt to punish its citizens for acts committed in the privacy of one’s own home solely with willing others. The question remains to be answered: what gives us the right to punish our fellow citizens over acts they commit purely on themselves with other consenting adults? Until we can answer this very simple question, there is no legitimacy in our claim to being a nation where equality reigns. Brian C. Bennett Barboursville, Va.

Anna Quindlen is correct that bedroom behavior should stay private and the laws of any state should reflect that right. By comparing antisodomy laws to Jim Crow laws, however, Quindlen misses by a mile. Jim Crow laws discriminated against people merely because of their skin color. Sodomy laws, by contrast, discriminate against individuals’ behavior, not their inherent genetic code. While some may argue that homosexuality is genetically based, there is no comparable evidence to show that sexual preferences are inevitable like the color of someone’s skin. A more apt comparison would be to Prohibition-type laws that attempted to regulate private behavior. Comparing apples to oranges only does a disservice to both. Evan Haglund Chicago, Ill.

I agree with Anna Quindlen’s assessment that certain laws act as “a flimsy cover for punishing the unpopular.” But I cringe at the suggestion that homosexuals somehow make up a unique class of human beings. God created all human beings equally. Regretfully, throughout history, laws have segregated certain individuals into perceived classes, and economically we have a thriving class structure. To include homosexuality as a class of its own not only negates the sought-after equality gays and lesbians have long desired, but also attempts to validate homosexual behavior instead of seeing it for what it is: a sin. Greg Frohna Arlington, Texas

Upfront on Implants

In the Jan. 13 article “New Year, New Breasts?” (Tip Sheet) NEWSWEEK should have focused more on the breast implants’ potentially serious health problems. For example, a study published in 2001 by the National Cancer Institute raised important questions about whether women with implants are more likely to die from brain cancer or respiratory diseases. The truth is we still have a lot to learn about the long-term risks of breast implants. Diana Zuckerman, President National Center for Policy Research for Women & Families Washington, D.C.

Any woman who is hoping to attract a man should first try adding a few inches to her hair length instead of her bust line. When I teach my “How to Meet Your Mate in 90 Days or Less” class, I tell women that every inch they grow their hair is like “extra credit.” Most men love longer hair on women and it’s certainly safer, easier and cheaper than implants. It worked for me! Susan Pepperdine Fairway, Kans.

A Free Rideau?

I read your article “The Killer Inside Me” (Jan. 13) on inmate Wilbert Rideau. Then I reread it, eliminating all references to race, the justice system, literary achievements and testimonials. What was left was this: Rideau without doubt brutally murdered one person in cold blood, tried his best to murder a second, is unrepentant, and the only victim he sees is himself. What justification is there to say this man should go free? James Kearns Newbury Park, Calif.

Yes, Louisiana prisoner Wilbert Rideau’s serious crime affected many lives. But I share the view of editors, lawyers, university professors and several pardon boards advocating his release. Rideau has apparently repaid society for his crime. Let’s show some humanity. Ivan Sawchyn Cleveland, Ohio

Big Bucks for Cadillac Luxe

Outrageous and irresponsible are words that aptly describe the Cadillac Sixteen. General Motors is putting $4 billion into an “edgy new look” (“The Fast and the Luxurious,” Jan. 13). Bob Lutz is flying around in his helicopter and putting silk rugs, 16 cylinders and a bed between voluptuous fenders. When will American auto-makers put their design and engineering skills into vehicles that are safe, beautiful, superefficient, readily recyclable and non-polluting? Surely $4 billion could do that. Brian Kent Litchfield, Maine

Your story on Bob Lutz and his “ultimate” Cadillac suggests that “the project is fraught with risk” because a “back-to-the-future Caddy with an enormous engine may seem out of step with the post-9-11 urge to sip, not guzzle, gas.” Out of step? At a time when the United States is about to go to war over oil, I’d call it irresponsible. It is a clear declaration that domestic carmakers don’t care how many Americans have to die to maintain their fantasy of unlimited resources. Tony Adler Evanston, Ill.

Cadillac’s proposed new super-luxury vehicle looks very impressive, if not excessive. But ultimately consumers will say, “So what?” What would really impress me is if everyday Cadillacs were as well designed, built and trouble-free as, say, my girlfriend’s Toyota Camry. Until that happens, Lexus and Mercedes will remain America’s luxury standard, not Cadillac. Edward Rowland Midland, Texas

Cadillacs are the only cars in America with any cachet at all. This, despite the fact that GM has spent the last 30 years trying its best to destroy that magic. There is a simple litmus test as to whether the car is worthy of the brand: would Elvis drive one? Bob Lutz seems to know this. James Martin Denver, Colo.

Clone Circus

I am amazed that anyone would waste ink and pulp on the Raelians (“Spaced Out,” Jan. 13). Their outre sexual and theological habits make them excellent fodder for the tabloids, of course. However, I suggest in the future you label this and similar stories as satire. Stan Hernandez South Bend, Ind.

While it’s true that our company plans to offer pet cloning services, we won’t do so for “people who want to perpetuate their pets.” Although we’re sympathetic to the wish that a beloved pet be immortalized or resurrected, it’s a myth that cloning can fulfill such a wish. We can, however, enable the owners of exceptional dogs and cats to obtain new pets that possess the same genetic endowment. Ben Carlson, VP Genetic Savings & Clone, Inc. Sausalito, Calif.

Correction

We reported that novelists Gish Jen and Claire Messud received awards from the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (“Q&A, Gish Jen,” Newsmakers, Jan. 13). In fact, it was the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-14” author: “Helen Stuber”

Fans of “The Matrix” were pleased with our Jan. 6 cover story’s in-depth and exclusive look at the movie’s two sequels, both slated for a 2003 release. Many added to our list of ideas influencing “The Matrix,” expounding on the movie’s underlying religious and philosophical themes or pointing out similar movies that were its precursors. One reader compared it to 1998’s “Dark City,” “a masterful sci-fi film noir that conveyed a brooding Matrix-like universe.” A good number, however, were disappointed that the movie thriller was the focus of our year-end double issue. “With so much that has transpired over the last year and so much more over the horizon, is this really considered cover material?” asked a reader. “Not all of us are fans of mindless computer-rendered violence,” commented another. Several took issue with the movie itself. One reader said, “Take out the special effects in ‘The Matrix,’ and you have no movie.”

Mad About ‘The Matrix’

As a sci-fi fan in general and a “Matrix” fan in particular, I was very pleased with your Dec. 30/Jan. 6 cover story (“The Matrix Makers”). I’m anxiously awaiting the “Matrix” sequels, and your timely preview story whetted my appetite for the upcoming movie and videogames. Doc Leeson Mililani, Hawaii

In his summary of religious ideas influencing “The Matrix,” Devin Gordon misses the most obvious one: gnosticism. Gnostics taught that we are souls trapped in a prisonlike material world by an evil divinity, kept unaware of our plight by its carnal seductiveness. Only those with the occult knowledge (gnosis) of the true state of affairs can transcend this prison and enter a higher reality. The good divinity dwelling above this evil realm aids the lost souls by sending a messenger of truth to reveal the deception. Replace archons with agents and magic with machine guns, and “The Matrix” is a virtual (get it?) point-for-point retelling of the gnostic myth. Rabbi Geoffrey Dennis Flower Mound, Texas

There were brilliant cartoons and photographs in your year-end double issue. However, you had a great opportunity to do something different or unusual with your cover, but instead it was a preview of movie sequels digitally saturated with special effects, which bellowed ordinariness. A very impressive issue–but a better cover would have made it truly special. Tim Moony Cary, Ill.

The classic 1934 movie “The Thin Man” was filmed in two weeks. It takes the geniuses behind the “Matrix” sequels 27 days to film a fight scene. Does anyone seriously think that any of the “Matrix” films will ever grace a great-movie list–unless the criterion is a ridiculous who-cares story line coupled with mindless special effects? The lengthy car chase that Devin Gordon gushes over sounds like moviegoing hell to me. You say 2003 is the “Year of the Matrix”? How depressing. Merle Balke Kentwood, Mich.

To cite only popular culture as influences renders “The Matrix” as merely a pop-culture phenomenon when it is so much more. Comic books and cyberspace were contributing elements to the looks and feel of the film, but the underlying philosophical principles are Marxist. A world of representation? A matrix that subjugates? The last film in the trilogy even includes the word “revolution” in its title. Another critical theorist who is actually quoted in the movie is Jacques Lacan, who coined the term “welcome to the desert of the real” (Morpheus says this to Neo when he wakes up to his new reality). “The Matrix” is more than cool secret-service agents and a weak reference to Buddha. Albert de Plazaola Washington, D.C.

Women to Reckon With

It was great that NEWSWEEK pro-filed Michigan’s new governor, Jennifer Granholm (“Brainy, Blond and Ready to Rumble,” Who’s Next, Dec. 30/Jan. 6). Eleanor Clift correctly and expertly synopsized Granholm’s appeal to not only Democrats, but to all voters who care about candidates who are themselves caring and competent. My union, the United Food and Commercial Workers (the largest private-sector union in the United States), was not the first labor union to endorse Granholm. The UFCW recognized Granholm’s dedication to all people in her stellar work as Michigan’s attorney general, especially her strong enforcement of consumer laws. The media have recognized Granholm for her outstanding qualifications, and the 2002 election showed that voters look beyond gender and recognize that both women and men can provide effective leadership. Jack Finn, Legislative Representative UFCW Local 876 Grand Ledge, Mich.

You wrote a great article on Deborah Lynch, president of the Chicago Teachers Union (“Reformer in the Ranks,” Who’s Next). I hope she can effect long-overdue changes in a system that places little value on its employees and even less on its students. My retirement plans will be postponed if Lynch can turn the system around, especially in the area of special education. Kathleen Cleary-Powers Chicago, Ill.

In the portrait of the Teachers Union’s Lynch, you note that half the union’s members “have more than 10 years of experience, yet the average salary is only about $50,000.” “Yet”? “Only”? Believe it or not, there are plenty of people in the private sector who wouldn’t consider that so bad, especially if it were topped by the generous benefits the Chicago teachers receive, the two months off in the summer and the virtually absolute protection against being fired. Terrance Stanton Oak Park, Ill.

Saudi Reality Check

Thank you for Michael Isikoff’s “It’s All a Matter of Bias” (Periscope, Dec. 30/ Jan. 6). It is sheer pretense for American officials to refer to the Saudis as our friends, given that they fund the madrasas that breed fanatical Islamist terrorists, provide financial rewards for Hamas’s homicide bombers and produce slanderous, hateful propaganda such as Prince Alwaleed bin Talal’s bizarre “Jewish lobby/Zionist conspiracy” rantings. The Saudi Minister of Interior Prince Nayef recently claimed in a Kuwaiti newspaper that Zionists were behind the September 11 attacks, not Saudis and Egyptians, and Saudi schools indoctrinate children with hate-filled textbooks that describe Jews as “apes” and “pigs.” The Saudi regime’s repression of women, intolerance for religious minorities and disdain for democracy should also give us pause. Stephen A. Silver Concord, Calif.

Some ID, Please

A national identity card is not the mark of the beast, as ultraconservative groups may portray it, nor is it government’s infringing on our rights (“The Biggest Hole in the Net,” Dec. 30/Jan. 6). It’s a very real need in a time when our country and the world have changed irreversibly. I am a 60-year-old political conservative who believes that less government intervention is better, but there comes a time when some things simply must change. We no longer live in a world where irrational fundamentalist extremists can be isolated to distant lands, or where there is no need to have some sort of system to know the identity of each person. The alternative to a national ID card is to hang on to our narrow individual rights and risk the broader rights that all have to safety and security within our border. I, for one, am not willing to risk that. Ross M. Jackson Clarksville, Tenn.

Steven Brill’s notion that a national ID card might be better implemented by a private company is naive. Instead of Big Brother’s watching over all our personal information, we would instead have it sold to the highest-bidding telemarketer. Joe Holt San Francisco, Calif.

People with felony convictions are no more likely to be Homeland Security risks than anyone else, so making them stand in a longer line doesn’t make me feel safer. It sounds like Americans who oppose national ID cards on principle and working-class people who can’t afford the card would end up standing in the same second-class line. ID cards are just a big distraction. What ever happened to Osama bin Laden? D. Thompson Sacramento, Calif.

Feed the Homeless–Or Don’t

Patricia O’Hara’s essay “Charity Means You Don’t Pick and Choose” (My Turn, Dec. 23) acknowledges what is so difficult for us to admit to ourselves when confronted with a homeless person. “Person” is the key word. Even when we give something, we try to do it in a hurry, fearing the looks of passersby who may accuse us of coddling the beggar, enabling the addict or supporting the lazy. But what we fear most is making a personal connection. In truth, by recognizing this beggar as a person, we will have given him back a part of his dignity, taken away in our hurried giving. Bea De Foe Grants Pass, Ore.

I appreciate tourists’ visiting my hometown, Washington, D.C., but not their feel-good acts of charity to street beggars. Such acts of charity are easy on the giver–just a pause in an afternoon stroll. To us, panhandlers are not novelty items but rather disruptive obstacles, some cheerfully posted on the same corner every day. D.C. taxpayers make sacrifices daily by funding a social safety net, imperfect as it is, because we know that handouts do little more than encourage panhandling dependency. Ed Oseroff Washington, D.C.

Women at Stanford

In its Dec. 16 issue, NEWSWEEK reported that the tenure rate for women faculty members at Stanford University declined during provost Condoleezza Rice’s term (“The Quiet Power of Condi Rice”). Our statistics show that the proportion of women coming up for tenure during her term as provost who received tenure was higher than the proportion during the 12 previous years. These proportions are, essentially, the same as the proportions of men who received tenure at Stanford. John Etchemendy, Provost Stanford University Palo Alto, Calif.

Corrections

A photo caption accompanying the article “Do-It-Yourself DNA” (Tip Sheet, Dec. 23) misidentified the Web site for checking DNA genealogy. It is familytreedna.com.

In our year-end double issue, we mistakenly credited the photo of Gen. Tommy Franks (“Bulking Up for Baghdad”) as “Photograph by Karen Ballard for NEWSWEEK.” The credit instead should have read “Photograph by Karen Ballard, courtesy of Warner Bros. Television.” NEWSWEEK regrets the error.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-14” author: “Christian Kowalski”

The Heart of a Senator

When I first heard of Trent Lott’s now infamous birthday remarks, I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt. Was he misquoted, or the words taken out of context? Surely, one of the leaders of the Republican Party wouldn’t say such a thing. Reading your Dec. 23 cover story, “A Man Out of Time,” has helped pull the wool away from many naive eyes. Yes, racism is still alive in the new millennium. Thankfully Lott has chosen to step down from leadership. Noting how quickly information came out on his ties to the Council of Conservative Citizens, his view of the Civil War (aggression of the North) and other comments of the not-so-distant past, I wonder about one thing. Not why he still holds these beliefs, but rather how he ever got to the top ranks of the Republican Party, when so many people knew his little secret. Therein lies a much bigger question! Kyle Bailey Roseburg, Ore.

Apart from the fact that in 1948 Strom Thurmond was a segregationist, Senator Lott’s comments are especially incomprehensible when comparing Thurmond to the man who was elected president that year. Would Thurmond, like Harry Truman, have had the fore-sight to develop the Marshall Plan, form NATO, oversee the Berlin airlift and act on the dismal treatment of minorities in the United States? Peter Morello Kansas City, Mo.

Thank you for the hatchet job on Trent Lott and the Republican Party. Now let’s see the same attention and zeal directed at the history of the Democratic Party and its senators and representatives who have made racist comments or for that matter voted against the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Keith A. Mackie via internet

Rather than dwelling on Senator Lott’s backwardness, let’s celebrate how far we’ve come in America since our segregationist days. Adam Kaplan New York, N.Y.

Trent Lott’s mistake was in apologizing in the first place. Much of the groundwork for the civil-rights movement came into place following WWII. My uncle, piloting a bomber run over Vienna, was escorted safely back to base by a Tuskegee airman, as were many other pilots and crews. The Southerners among those helped would have known that blacks were no different from any of them. The point is, who knows but that an adept politician like Strom Thurmond might well have led that society from segregation to integration with less of the turmoil that occurred later, and with the support of post-WWII Southerners given the national mood at the time. Lyndon B. Johnson, a Southerner, did later provide much leadership for civil rights. Let’s not condemn Trent Lott for having been a Southerner under segregation and for honoring another senator with roots in the same time and place. Gary Anderson Soquel, Calif.

Leave Lott alone. He was just trying to make a poor 100-year-old man feel good, and in the process got smeared immediately by the Democrats and the press. Herbert Wiesinger Glen Allen, Va.

As a southerner and 1986 graduate of Ole Miss, I am deeply saddened by Trent Lott’s disgraceful comments that have had a far-reaching impact not only for Mississippi, but an entire region of the country. This is indeed another age for many Southerners who do not share Lott’s evident views on race, but are forced to defend ourselves against his anachronistic behavior. The modern South has become far more acclimated on the issue of race than any other part of the country. Thus it is unfortunate that we are yet again saddled with the stereotype of a bigoted, backward society clinging to hoop skirts and antebellum attitudes that simply do not reflect the reality of the hearts and minds of Southern people. Suzette Brewer Denver, Colo.

I wonder where Condoleezza Rice and Colin Powell would be now if Strom Thurmond had been elected president in 1948. Did Trent Lott think of that? Daniel Decher Fleetwood, Pa.

Maybe, as David Brooks claims, “We Don’t Talk This Way,” but apparently a few conservatives do. When Trent Lott made his infamous statement he was speaking to his audience–and he knew his audience. Lott’s comments were not met by stunned silence or gasps of horror, but by a cheerful and approving response. And judging by the people who were around Lott at the time, the audience probably consisted of Republican Party VIPs, some of whom later tried to distance themselves from Lott. Harvey Schindler Fair Lawn, N.J.

If Senator Lott were truly a racist, don’t you suppose somebody in Mississippi would have found out by now and exposed him during his various election campaigns? Madelaine Miller Palm Harbor, Fla.

David Brooks is right. Many democrats are still living as though they were in the racial climate of 1963. But if Republicans and conservatives don’t think “this way,” who elected Trent Lott and Strom Thurmond into office? Susan Kalter Normal, Ill.

Ellis Cose asks why Trent Lott, “a man so willfully ignorant of history,” is in the Senate at all (“Lessons of the Trent Lott Mess”). The answer must be voter apathy given the usual low turnout of less than 50 percent. No term limits, good ole boy networks and massive sums of money keep otherwise qualified persons from running. Jonathan L. Mix North Branford, Conn.

How ironic that NEWSWEEK followed a cover story on Condoleezza Rice (“The Real Condi Rice,” Dec. 16) with one on Trent Lott. Both say they owe where they are today to where they come from: the same era and region–albeit on opposite sides of the color divide. Aliza Rudner Ottawa, Ontario

O Mother, Where Art Thou?

It’s interesting that after so many years Daylle Deanna Schwartz still seeks public approval for her decision to leave her child (“I’m a Better Mother Since I Left My Child,” my turn, Dec 16). Clearly her need to find out who she really was led to a selfish solution and difficult situation, and she is still feeling the guilt. She should. The developmental years of her daughter’s life were brief. What a shame she could not postpone self-discovery. Thankfully her ex-husband was a responsible, caring adult. Carole A. Boyd Lexington, Ky.

The only thing more sickening than an abandoning parent is one who says the freedom of total self-absorption was worth the pain it caused her daughter. We grow by making mature sacrifices for others, not by shrinking from our responsibilities. Daylle Deanna Schwartz should realize that her child’s apparent forgiveness is a way of saying that even a selfish, rejecting mother is better than none at all. Lyneil Chase Tualatin, Ore.

I applaud Daylle Deanna Schwartz’s courage for making a decision that was in the best interest of herself and her daughter’s welfare, even though it is considered taboo in our society. Like her, my mother relinquished custodial rights to my father. Because of her decision, my brother and I were better off. Schwartz and my mother are women of integrity: they did what was right despite what others thought. Jiaihdi Turner Nebraska City, Neb.

The Search Is On

I’m a private investigator, and your Dec. 16 article “The World According to Google” may have cost me the hundreds of dollars I had been raking in by running Google searches for my uninformed clients. Skipp Porteous New York, N.Y.

Your article “The World According to Google” mentions Merlin Santana, calling him an “obscure stuntman.” He was known to many television viewers for his roles in “The Steve Harvey Show” and “The Cosby Show.” Google could easily have provided that information. Robert Joseph Taylor Ann Arbor, Mich.

Video Possibilities

Brad Stone’s article “Couch Potato Heaven” (Dec. 23) certainly helped explain the video-on-demand power play in the entertainment industry, but left out an important and exciting potential of this new medium. VOD could be a gigantic boon for independent filmmakers, especially if the operators are smart enough to reserve and promote a special section of what’s available for those smaller-budget independent films most fans never have the opportunity to see unless they go to film festivals. Such a special section would be a win-win for all involved: the VOD services; independent filmmakers who would gain a larger audience while enjoying some revenue stream that leads to their next effort, and, most of all, the public, who would be able to discover interesting new talents. Gary Allison Los Angeles, Calif.

Correction

In the Dec. 16 issue (“The Quiet Power of Condi Rice”) NEWSWEEK reported that during Rice’s time as provost of Stanford University (1993-1999) the number of African-Americans on the faculty declined. According to Stanford, the number of African-Americans on the faculty increased from 36 to 44. NEWSWEEK regrets the error.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-20” author: “Dennis Wren”

Readers expressed their own “Shock and Awe” at the start of the war in Iraq, the focus of our March 31 issue. “Shouldn’t it be ‘Shock and Awful’?” asked one. Another compared the bombing of Baghdad to a different war: “I haven’t seen anything like it since I was a child and watched newsreels of the Nazi blitzkrieg of Eastern Europe,” he said. Some thought our coverage was too “jingoistic.” “Story after story mindlessly celebrates U.S. military power and our unprovoked invasion of another country,” a reader complained. Another derided us for “acting as cheerleaders for an unjustified war.” Still others were tired of the incessant war coverage altogether. “How are we supposed to be kept informed of other news if all our news outlets are concentrating on just one issue?” one wanted to know. Another grumbled, “I’d already had enough of this war before it even started.”

The War Begins

Kudos on your March 31 issue (" ‘Shock and Awe’ “) for its breadth of information, spectacular photos and detailed maps. I will archive this issue so that future generations can understand the background for what’s to come. Margaret W. Ostrom Media, Pa.

Seeing “Shock and Awe” over Baghdad has been like watching reruns of 9-11–this time caused by America. I am shocked by the Bush administration’s aggressive actions, and I am awed by the bravery and determination our troops have shown while facing immense hostility and uncertainty. I am shocked that some Iraqi citizens have greeted our troops with fists and guns instead of music and flowers. I will be awed if America is somehow able to repair its damaged reputation as a peace-loving nation from the ashes of a war we created. Bruce Cowan Pacific Grove, Calif.

According to pentagon briefings and the American media, triumph in Iraq is ensured, even though the shock-and-awe strategy hasn’t led to a massive Iraqi surrender. But what are the potential costs of victory? What if Saddam Hussein becomes a hero or, worse still, a martyr for many Arab people? Will terrorist recruitment flourish? And what if large supplies of weapons of mass destruction are not found? Will U.S. credibility, diminished by George W. Bush’s diplomatic failures, quickly evaporate? Dick Meis Murrieta, Calif.

I am reminded that when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941, they were said to have made the grave mistake of awakening the “sleeping giant.” Apparently, on 9-11 a different giant was disturbed on the North American continent. This one appears to have been roused from slumber and is now antagonizing both friend and foe, striking out on impulse and sweeping aside discerning questions after rushing into pre-emptive war. Thomas Phillips Carson City, Mich.

Thank you for the wonderfully human and very witty report by Melinda Liu (“Live From Baghdad”). How can one retain such a sharp sense of humor while bombs are dropping and your life may be in peril? Liu threatened to quit when she learned she was being called home because of the danger. Give her a raise or give her a medal. But don’t let her quit! Dick Bennett Leawood, Kans.

Jonathan Alter insists that there hasn’t been enough antiwar coverage (“Listen for the Human Voice”). What newspapers or periodicals has he been reading? Personally, I’m dog tired of the antiwar publicity. When are the protesters going to realize that the war is going to continue with or without their support? If Alter wants to see more antiwar press, I’d be happy to send him my local newspapers. Ken Handfield Jr. Whately, Mass.

My family is a military family. My father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle and brother were all Navy men. I am a mother who lost my only son (a seaman) when he was 24. Losing a child is beyond words. I support our troops and their families in my heart and prayers. I also support the protest against the war, along with other members of my family and, as Jonathan Alter says, the largest number of protesters “in the history of the world.” We Americans who oppose this insane offensive are supporting our troops. Those responsible for staging the war have put them in danger. And now, what is to stop others from doing unto us as we have done–from coming here to rid us of our own terrible weapons? What an example we have set. Shirley Ann Lutzky Oakland, Calif.

Given the horrors the men and women of the armed forces are facing today, I am surprised to read Melinda Liu’s self-serving account of the opening days of war in Baghdad. Without question, those covering the war in Iraq put themselves at significant risk, but that should not compel Liu to wear her “courage” on her sleeve. Scott Boma Gibson City, Ill.

As a British reader of NEWSWEEK, I am amazed that you showed photos of the four American soldiers killed in a helicopter crash but made no reference to the eight British soldiers who died in that same accident. I understand that NEWSWEEK is an American magazine that must appeal to its American readers, but to ignore eight people who died for the same cause erases the memory of those eight from history. Emil Petrie London, England

Thank you for the pullout maps in the March 31 issue. Our grandson Kyle Grosskopf is in the Navy aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt. We follow the war with great interest, and your maps make it easier. Jennie Gitter Appleton, Wis.

I’m afraid that the Bush Administration may be somewhat optimistic in its plan to use “de-Baathized” Iraqi soldiers and bureaucracy for reconstruction purposes (“Bombs, Then Building”). Virtually all of these men and women have spent their entire lives under the current regime, and it seems unlikely that the attitudes, opinions and fears they have had embedded for 30 years will vanish overnight. Knut Erik Hougen Bergerac, France

Jonathan Alter’s “listen to the Human Voice” brings to light a message that should force us to remember the totality of this conflict. This war is not a game, and many families will mourn the loss of a father, mother, son or daughter before the war is over. Most people under the age of 30 have not experienced this type of pain. They see antiseptic news accounts and graphic images on television and think nothing of them. Maybe hours of TV violence have so dulled them that they are unable to distinguish reality from fiction. Randy Langston Memphis, Tenn.

If Dick Cheney thinks that history will compare him to Winston Churchill and William T. Sherman (“The 12 Year Itch”), he must be oblivious to the fact that the leadership of these two men was rooted in personal experience of battle. They came away from that experience with the recognition that war is hell and demands blood, sweat and tears. Cheney, who had “other priorities” when given the chance to fight for his country in Vietnam, seems to think that war is a John Wayne Western. Jonas Bjork Indianapolis, Ind.

I was shocked by Scott Johnson’s account of his narrow escape in Iraq–not because of how close he came to death but because of how he put American troops in danger because of his selfishness ( " ‘I Was Sure I Was Dead’”). By not embedding with a military unit, and instead racing across Iraq, dodging in and out of military convoys and disobeying military orders, he behaved irresponsibly. Does he really think he’s doing us all a favor by foolishly risking not only his life but the lives of the soldiers, simply to get a story? Johnson admits that independent reporters like him are considered “a distraction and potential problem” to the troops. He shouldn’t have behaved that way, then. His story is not as important as the life of one soldier. Erika Miller Grand Forks, N.D.

Scott Johnson tells a story of bravery and hubris while cutting in and out of a U.S. military convoy. If he really wants to be a hero, he should put on a uniform and fight. Marian R. Miller Sugar Land, Texas

I read with great interest Scott Johnson’s account of his close encounter with hostile Iraqi soldiers outside An Nasiriya. I’m glad he survived to tell the tale, but the episode was completely preventable. Freedom of the press is a bedrock principle of this country, and the hundreds of journalists currently embedded with U.S. forces seem to be doing more than an adequate job of covering the war. My brother is an infantry officer with the 101st Airborne, and while I know he wouldn’t grumble about having to save an unarmed journalist from enemy fire, my guess is he’d probably prefer to stay focused on the mission at hand. Reporters choosing to go it alone should remember one thing about freedom of the press: it’s recognized only on our side of the battle lines. Lt. (J.G.) Will Moynahan U.S. Navy San Diego, Calif.

A Vet Remembers

George Will’s “The Hour of Air Power” (The Last Word, March 31) uses as an example of poor bombing an ineffectual B-29 raid on June 15, 1944. I flew as a B-29 crew member on that raid, and though the facts Will provides are true, they are used out of context and therefore lose meaning. This bombing was one of the first of mainland Japan in World War II. The B-29 was new, untried and full of design bugs that killed a lot of air crews. We were operating out of primitive air bases in western China, with all our supplies delivered by a tenuous airlift over the Himalayas from India. The errant bombs were dropped in the middle of the night, guided by primitive radar techniques. The China bases were soon abandoned in favor of new air bases on Guam. A year later, fleets of B-29s were routinely performing low-level saturation firebombing of Japanese cities, rapidly rendering their industrial power impotent. The raids were so successful that many thought these attacks alone would force Japan to capitulate, without use of the atomic bomb. Capt. Thomas Friedman U.S. Army Air Force (Ret.) San Luis Obispo, Calif.

The Rough World of Sports

Robert O’Connor’s March 24 My Turn, “Has Basketball Become Hockey on Hardwood?” could be the story of my sons’ experience with youth and high-school sports, but instead entitled “Has American Soccer Become Football Without Helmets and Pads?” I have watched my two sons and daughter play soccer for years, at the town, club, state, regional and national levels. Soccer is a game of speed, stamina, skill and tactical ability, and its international appeal has given my children the opportunity to meet players from around the world. Soccer keeps me involved in their lives. But I am a reluctant soccer mom. Why? Because each time one of them steps onto the field, protected only by shin pads, I hold my breath. I have watched them be intentionally tripped, knocked down, kicked and taken down from behind, resulting in a broken arm, torn ligament, broken ankle, concussion and various sprains. Parents rely on fair play and good sportsmanship on the part of coaches, players and other parents. We really rely on competency and an overriding “keep the kids safe” philosophy on the part of soccer referees. Both my sons will probably play college soccer. The players will be bigger, stronger, faster. I will continue to hold my breath. Joy Hughes Peabody, Mass.

Many of life’s important lessons have been learned on a court–hard work, good sportsmanship, grace in victory and defeat and, most important, teamwork. Athletes are taught to work together to learn from the agonies of losing and the pride of victory, and develop a drive to succeed. Robert O’Connor says, “I tell [my son] that there are thousands of former athletes sitting in bars all over the country, talking about the glory days–real or imagined–and about what was and what might have been.” There are hundreds of thousands of former athletes who are successful in all facets of their lives, and the lessons learned –through athletics are the driving force in their success. I wouldn’t give up a second of the victories, losses, camaraderie, disappointment, injuries, competition, friendship and excitement that I experienced when I played sports. Those times I cherish and look back on with great pride. There is violence in sports as there is in our society, but athletics are much more than violence and reducing them to something else cheapens the experience for all participants. Matt Monahan Hoboken, N.J.

As Robert O’Connor points out, amateur basketball has become rougher and more dangerous than hockey or football. You don’t expect to be bulldozed, rolled over or undercut during a basketball game, all of which I’ve seen this year. The rough play finds players, some as young as 8, careering off each other as they head down the court, while finesse players are left strewn on the floor, often left there by much larger opponents. No fouls are called, and nothing is ever said to these players about their rough play. As a result they never learn that there is an acceptable way to play defense that does not involve mauling your opponent. If this is allowed to continue, it will just be a matter of time before a child is seriously injured. Bob Cavanaugh Wheaton, Ill.

There are alternative, superior sports available for kids to play. High-school wrestling teams allow anyone who is willing to work hard to join the team. Also, anyone can have his or her chance at glory, as opposed to basketball, where many kids are, as Robert O’Connor states, rejected. Wrestling is also a much safer sport than many people think. It has, in fact, proved to be safer than cheerleading. Wrestling requires that you treat your opponent with courtesy, and if a referee even suspects that a move is dangerous, he can stop the match. Larry Guttman Deerfield, Ill.

Spring Break for the Worried

As a mother about to take our 19-year-old daughter to the airport for her spring-break trip to Mexico, I must say that Anna Quindlen has, as usual, spoken for many of us (“Some Strange Spring Break,” March 24). I read her great article and literally laughed and cried at the same time. In reference to one of her quotes–“God, remember how easy this all used to be?” –one can only hope that by next spring break it will be easy again. Liza Rost Seattle, Wash.

I read Anna Quindlen’s column in this week’s issue with, at first, utter disbelief, then anger and, last, heartsickness. There are hundreds of thousands of parents who have no need to fret over where their kids spend spring break–their children are already spending it in the Middle East, and are already in harm’s way. To flaunt the privilege and insensitivity of those college students for whom military service is utterly inconceivable, as they pick and choose risk-free vacation spots, is both appalling and disgraceful. Any able-bodied 18-year-old to twentysomething should be putting all his or her effort into relieving the misery that this war will create; any parent of an able-bodied 18-year—old to twentysomething should insist on it. No parent should be so cavalier about sending his or her kids off on a lark, when other parents are sending their children to the battlefront. Bobbie Forman Huntingdon Valley, Pa.

Improving Failing Schools

The recent article about the Kipp schools was enlightening (“At the Top of the Class,” March 24). Imagine: insisting that kids do serious work in school, requiring stricter discipline and paying teachers a higher salary! It sounds great, but is it really a new idea? Our country’s educational system is in dismal shape if this approach is considered revolutionary. Jason Catanzariti Woodridge, N.Y.

It’s tempting to conclude, on the basis of their performance to date, that Kipp academies provide the long-hoped-for template to improve failing schools serving poor and minority students. But before doing so, educators need more evidence than mere improvement on standardized-test scores, no matter how dramatic they may be. Standardized tests measure only basic skills in a decontextualized format. While these skills are important, the tests fail to assess critical thinking and problem-solving ability, the widely accepted hallmarks of educational quality. Walt Gardner Los Angeles, Calif.

Correction

In “Iraq’s Most Wanted,” a photo of one of the “Dirty Nine” was incorrectly identified as Hani al-Latif Tulfah (March 31). The photo is that of Abid Hammoud al-Tikriti, another of the “Dirty Nine.”

Editors’ Note

In “Fanning the Flames: Cheney’s Halliburton Ties” (Periscope, April 7), NEWSWEEK implied that Vice President Dick Cheney may have used his influence to award government contracts to his former employer, Halliburton, and its subsidiary Kellogg, Brown & Root. NEWSWEEK has no independent evidence to support this implication, and we regret making it. We also reported that Cheney “hasn’t entirely severed his financial ties” to Halliburton. As a Cheney spokesperson noted in the item, the vice president receives deferred compensation but has no financial stake in the future of the company.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-14” author: “Mercedes Sturm”

Scaring the World With Swagger

Congratulations on the well-balanced and insightful reporting in your March 24 cover story, “The Arrogant Empire.” The issue of what the world perceives as America’s hegemony and arrogance deserves serious attention. It is not unrelated to America’s history of supporting not-so-democratic regimes, something that belies the current U.S. claim to ownership of “Democracy 101.” I hope that this special report also reached your U.S. readers. Leif G. Romell Alderley Edge, England

I was glad to see Fareed Zakaria’s article on the lack of diplomatic style and expertise of the Bush administration. He rightly points out that his country’s opting to withdraw from the protocol to combat global warming, the ABM treaty and the Test Ban Treaty, and rejecting the creation of the International Criminal Court are the reasons that global opinion has turned against America. But the most substantial, No. 1 issue that turned millions against the Bush administration to start with was its unconditional, hypocritical and consistent siding with Israel. Turgay M. Ergene Palma de Mallorca, Spain

Thanks for this sagacious criticism of the Bush administration’s arrogant and aggressive policies. Bush’s “either you’re with us or against us” way of dealing with terrorism won’t make the world a safer and better place to live in for either America or other nations. The mighty power of the United States should be used not to rebuild a modern version of the Roman Empire, but to eliminate inequality and poverty all around the world. That would be the most effective way to end terrorism. Eyup Yasar Kurum Istanbul, Turkey

Fareed Zakaria’s story on the grave diplomatic mistakes of the Bush administration was excellent. President Bush should understand that the world is not against him for the reasons he thinks but because of the mistakes he made in the international scene in the first year of his administration. His government withdrew from five international treaties designed to consolidate the principles of democracy in the world. America has all it takes to lead the world but it cannot do it alone. The war on terror cannot be fought unilaterally. David Nwokoro via internet

Terrorists fly jets into skyscrapers, Middle Eastern parents strap explosives to their children and direct them to kill as many of the “enemy” as possible, North Korea is ruled by a cartoon character who’d be funny if it weren’t for that unfortunate nuclear business, and we now live in a world in which one fanatic with a thermos full of microbes is a walking apocalypse. Yet Newsweek tries to explain to Americans why we scare the world. That’s a good one. Paul Alexander San Antonio, Texas

It’s hard to imagine a country so full of wonderful, bright people, approving the Bush administration’s foreign policy. Anti-Americanism is a spreading disease that can be eradicated only if this administration takes heed of sensible reports like yours. Baudouin Clery-Melin Pornic, France

I’m a journalist, and I think your cover story might well be the greatest piece of journalism produced this year, worldwide. As one who is pro-America but antiwar, I found it to be an evenhanded, intelligent and deep analysis of the situation. My friend (also a journalist), who is pro-war but somewhat anti-American, found the piece equally brilliant. I can’t think of a better way to give credit to truth and objectivity. Bjorn Gustavsson Stockholm, Sweden

As a consultant who trains people to work with other nationalities, I constantly have to deal with American insularity. One reason that so many Americans encounter hostility in their relationship with other nationalities is their difficulty in imagining or accepting other ways of thinking and social norms other than their own. In this respect, the Bush administration is a real caricature. I hope that Fareed Zakaria’s courageous stance will be understood in the best interest of Americans in their relationship with other people of the world. Hubert Meffre Paris, France

How good it is to realize that there are at least a few really professional journalists in America–like Fareed Zakaria–who are using discernment and humility to look at the contempt with which their country is treating the rest of the world. It is sad to see a fundamental lack of healthy criticism in the U.S. media. For millions of people around the world, it is scary to see that the current U.S. administration is headed by people who are not sensitive to other people’s points of view. Pierre Belanger, S.J. Montreal, Canada

Nobody disputes the tyrannical nature of the Iraqi regime, but a hegemonic war–undertaken without international consensus–is a failure for a great democracy. Would an intelligent, internationally experienced leader have started this war? Dr. Fritz von Weizsacker Freiburg, Germany

Heartfelt thanks for your brave and balanced Special Report. I hope your coverage will allow Americans to step back and start to examine whether the image of themselves that they want to project to the world is that of its most powerful bully. Kevin Barrett Paris, France

Your cover story, “An Arrogant Empire,” was absolutely wonderful. It was so on target that every American should read it. Zakaria knows what he’s talking about–the American people need to confront the issues he raised. Thank you for putting truth and reality out there in a country whose people seem to think that what is important is who’s dating whom and what’s on TV next. Sairah Kimmel Grapeview, Washington

The United States might win the war, but it’s a fair bet to say it’s bound to lose the peace, and that will be just another failure of U.S. foreign policy. Democracy in the Middle East will fail if it’s enforced at gunpoint and without solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israeli colonialism threatens world peace and stability and must be dealt with. In my opinion, U.S. imperialism and Zionism are two sides of the same coin: both allies choose confrontation, flout international law and the world community and humiliate Muslim countries. Should this illegal war with Iraq deliver geostrategic control of the Middle East to the United States–obviously a hidden but long-planned agenda–I fear all hell will be let loose. Terrorism may gain acceptance as a justification to counteract the overwhelming power of what is perceived by many as American and Israeli “state terrorism.” Alex Miro Essen, Germany

I’m a fifth-grade student in Sierra Leone writing in response to your cover story to protest against the war in Iraq. President Bush had no reason to be scared of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction: if they exist at all, Saddam Hussein didn’t have the capacity to get these weapons to the United States. I believe George W. Bush attacked Iraq to avenge his father’s failure to unseat Saddam Hussein. But this is not a game. Bush cannot push the “undo” button if he leaves Iraq in ruins. Besides, honest and good people live in Iraq, too, not just villains. Would you support war if it was you getting cruise-missiled and stealth-bombed–even if your country had weapons of mass destruction? I’m an American citizen, but it is very hard to be proud of that when you think of all the people who will die because of this war. Especially when it’s all for revenge. Roger Curley via internet

Your special report on the Iraq war, though quite exhaustive, stops short of pointedly focusing on the postwar problems America has to face. While destruction of Saddam’s regime was a foregone conclusion, the question now looming is, who should bear the cost of reconstruction and development of war-ravaged Iraq? The United Nations has estimated that it will cost nearly $30 billion. It is justifiably argued that the cost should be borne only by the United States and Britain, which started the war despite vigorous opposition from the EU, Russia, China and many other countries. Further, it would be outright looting if Iraq’s oil resources are treated as spoils of war to be shared between America and Britain by appointing their respective multinationals for prospecting, drilling, refining and marketing it. Also, it would be grossly unfair to the Iraqi people to first destroy their assets (buildings, power plants, etc.) and then to reconstruct them using their own oil revenue. This would also lead to a reduction in the availability (and hence an increase in the price) of oil. America can win the support of oil-importing countries and help in their development if it dismantles the OPEC cartel to ensure that the spot price of crude oil drops to about $10 a barrel. Sharad C. Misra Mumbai, India

It’s About Bush, Not America

The antiwar demonstrations in France and Germany were not “against the United States,” as Fareed Zakaria reported (world view, Feb. 24). They were against the dubious politics of President Bush. Holger Jakobs Bergisch Gladbach, Germany

High-Tech Toy Therapy?

Thank you for finally opening my eyes! I was opposed to the war against Iraq because I thought it was just a case of the Christian Kid’s avenging his father. But now, thanks to the graphic spread accompanying your Feb. 17 Special Report with all those snazzy color pictures (“Fighting a ‘Smart’ War”), I see it for what it is: therapy. Imagine the trauma and repression the American military must suffer to have all those toys and not be able to use them. Frank Watson Uppsala, Sweden

An Ailing Economy

It would seem that Robert J. Samuelson would have preferred Germans to behave the way they did before and during World War II: selfish, cruel and totally inhumane (“The [New] Sick Man of Europe,” Nov. 18). Why can’t he understand that this generation of German politicians has chosen to share the country’s wealth with east Germans, so as not to divide Germans into two kinds–human and subhuman? Annick Christiaens-Dana Massy, France

I’m with Robert J. Samuelson when he says, “But suppose the United States had to integrate with Mexico and raise its income to U.S. levels in five years. It would be a stretch.” He’s right–to weld the country together quickly was overambitious. Besides, millions of immigrants will have to be integrated into the European Union in 2004, when the EU is extended to eastern countries (which are less developed than Mexico)–not in five years but at once. It will also have to raise these immigrants’ incomes to a higher level. That overstretch might end in chaos. Peter C. Vogl Salzburg, Austria

Having lived and worked in Germany, I can vouch for the country’s damaging restrictive practices. Take the retail trade. As an independent trader, I had to register that I wanted to open a shop. Sales and price reductions are strictly regulated: seasonal sales can take place only for two weeks at specific times. Anniversary sales–celebrating 10 or 20 years in business–are also regulated: the allowable price discount depends on the number of years in business. Noncompliance is liable to a hefty fine. Outside these set times, sales are not allowed. Closing-down sales may last 24 days, but the owner can’t go into that line of work again for two years. Sales must be registered two weeks before they start with a fee of up to ¤250. A list of the reduced goods must be made. Certain goods can never be reduced in price. Finally, thanks to lack of competition, prices are at least 20 percent higher than they need be. Less regulation, more business initiatives and imagination would make all the difference to this very sick man of Europe. Dermot McKinney Wangen Im Allgau, Germany

The changes that Samuelson suggests won’t have an impact on the German economy. Nor will overhauling the labor laws help, because about half the salary of a normal working person goes to the state as taxes. Only a combination of changes to the labor laws and tax cuts can really revive the economy. Christian Kurz Ludwigshafen, Germany

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-14” author: “Carol Edwards”

Readers appreciated the in-depth reporting of our April 14 cover package. “You neither glorified nor minimized the reality of war, and your opinion pages show all sides of the arguments that swirl around this action,” a teacher wrote. “I will be sharing this issue with my students.” Many applauded the liberation of Jessica Lynch. “What courage,” one reader said, “from a 19-year-old American soldier, the Iraqi who risked his life to save her and the military team that lifted her to safety.” Another cheered, “If Lynch fulfills her desire to become a kindergarten teacher, she will captivate her class with the greatest story ever told–complete with a happy ending.” But several thought all the focus on Lynch was too much. “In spite of my sympathy for her,” one letter writer lamented, “I feel a greater sense of compassion for all those overlooked.” Another reader wrote: “All soldiers who fight in defense of this country are heroes.”

Heroes of War

The moment I saw Jessica Lynch on the cover of your April 14 issue, I thought, “Yes, this is absolutely where she belongs!” (“Saving Private Lynch”). She is a wonderful symbol for the United States. And what a role model for today’s children. Forget the movie stars–we have Jessica Lynch. Bruce Gustafson Marquette, Mich.

Thank you, NEWSWEEK, for putting Jessica Lynch on your cover. I hope you will now place on your cover all the men and women who died fighting in Iraq. By the time the war is over, Lynch will probably have amassed more coverage than all the dead soldiers combined. These soldiers died with honor and duty serving their country. They are my heroes regardless of whether their story is marketed to me. Michael Dukes Toronto, Ohio

The Iraqi lawyer Mohammed, who risked his life and that of his family to help an “infidel” like Jessica Lynch, deserves not only front-page coverage but a medal from our government recognizing his courage. Elizabeth Roach Eliasville, Texas

As a 68-year-old noncombat army vet, I take visceral pride in Jessica Lynch’s noncombat supply-clerk status in Iraq. The story of her rescue as a severely wounded POW from an Iraqi hospital by a group of Special Ops is simply amazing. Tears well in my eyes from this young woman’s remark to her rescuers: “I’m an American soldier, too.” This has got to be the quote of the year, if not the decade. Richard G. Newcomer Rio Rancho, N.M.

The media’s transformation of Jessica Lynch into America’s newest sweetheart succeeds in putting a big smiley face on the war in Iraq. This image, however, is easily eclipsed by the roll call of dead young soldiers, grieving Iraqi citizens and the widespread destruction of Baghdad. Those are the brutal realities of war, and the American public seems loath to acknowledge and face them. Equally deserving of your cover was the face of Pfc. Lori Piestewa, the 23-year-old mother of two and the first woman killed in the war. I was certainly glad, along with the rest of America, to hear of the rescue of Jessica Lynch, but let’s pray for the two small children who will scarcely remember their mother and ask ourselves if that’s really a price we want to pay. M. Steven Bortner Palmyra, Pa.

I enjoyed your coverage on the rescue of Jessica Lynch and I salute those who risked their lives to save her. However, I find your graphic “The Face of Our Forces: A Demographic Profile” in your article “The Grunts’ War” to be incomplete. You show the statistics of the armed forces serving our country–the Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps are all covered thoroughly. But what about the Coast Guard? My husband, Boatswain’s Mate 3/c William (Jason) Dyer, is a member of the U.S. Coast Guard Reserves and was called to active duty in January. He is assisting in our nation’s Homeland Security operations in Port Arthur, Texas. Although he is not overseas, there are several hundred members of the Coast Guard who are serving in the Persian Gulf. Melissa S. Dyer Crossville, Tenn.

Tom Masland and Christopher Dickey’s article conveys the Arab-Muslim rage over the American-led war (“The Rage Next Time”). There is no doubt that “100 bin Ladens” will be formed as a result of this war. But I am fed up with one-way finger-pointing. Why did moderate Arab and Muslim nations remain silent throughout the years Saddam Hussein brutalized, raped and tortured his people? When will the Muslim world accept its own complicity in the creation of zealots who wish to kill the rest of us simply because we are not like them? To the anguished Jordanian official you quote as saying, “You’ve f—ed another generation of Arabs,” I would say, equally bluntly, “Have you and the rest of the Muslim world not f—ed yourselves?” David Pitre Baltimore, Md.

While we Americans are waving our flags and supporting our troops, we are indeed helping to create the next Osama bin Laden many times over (“The Rage Next Time”). This administration has blissfully opened the doors to hell. Even if George W. Bush has the best intentions, he pays no attention to the people who have actually been to the Arab world and who warn that payback will occur. As your article points out, we are grooming a new generation of hatred. Sara E. Bowden Bucksport, Maine

“The Rage Next Time” seems to insinuate that American troops were responsible for the death of Iraqi civilians, including children. But it is the Iraqi government and soldiers who purposefully put some of these innocents in harm’s way. Now that the Iraqis have been liberated, let us hope that the truth about what transpired during the war will be known by Arabs and Muslims throughout the region. Mark Naughton Chicago, Ill.

A Family’s Conflict

Marykate Morse’s “My Turn” hit close to my heart (“We Won’t Let This War Pull Us Apart,” April 14). My husband and I were of the World War II era, and our six children grew up during the Vietnam War. Our kids were totally against that war. One of our sons was a Quaker. Instead of picketing the draft board and marching in demonstrations, he took the stand of opposing a government that would hold a draft during an undeclared war. He tore up his draft card and was sent to prison for 13 months. That affected his younger brother, who didn’t want to go to Vietnam, but didn’t want to go to prison either. His anguish was so bad that he eventually had to be hospitalized. We went to family therapy for more than three years, and it was beneficial as we all began to listen to each other. Morse says about her family, “The more we stretch the stronger we are.” The fact that the Morses’ children feel free to express themselves and follow their own dreams speaks remarkably well for a loving, sensitive and accepting family. Alice C. Keith Clarkdale, Ariz.

Marykate Morse lives in a country that supports her right to free speech, with a government that provides her with protection to exercise that right. In her cocoon of safety and stability it is easy for her to stand up for peace. As a minister, Morse should remember in her prayers the truly brave, who left their families and the comforts of home to uphold the very freedom that allows her and her children to “actively live in a way that reflects their values.” Christopher J. Grenier Webster, Mass.

I’m glad there are people like Marykate Morse, who prove that you can be antiwar while not being against our troops. I am a college student and Dixie Chicks fan living in Texas, by far not a state that embraces anyone who is antiwar. I don’t put a peace sign on my car or voice my opinion about this war without feeling that someone will label me anti-American. Everyone here who is pro-war talks about how we need to defend our freedom, yet they are the same who lash out at their fellow citizens for having an opposing view. Is this really a free country, or is it free only if you support George W. Bush? Shirin Farahani Houston, Texas

Marykate Morse expresses pride in her son, Jesse, who enlisted in the Air Force and is training as a navigator. The Air Force is training Jesse to direct a plane toward a target where his colleagues will release a payload intended to kill people on the ground below. While the Air Force officially deplores the unintended death of civilians, it couches these deaths as “collateral damage” and continues to train young recruits. Morse’s love for her son is obvious and laudable; her pride in him is misplaced. John S. Rigney San Francisco, Calif.

Two Statesmen, Two Battles

George Will links President Lincoln’s changing rhetoric in the Civil War to President Bush’s shifting justifications for our current war (“Measured Audacity,” The Last Word, April 14). But while Lincoln shifted the focus of his rhetoric to highlight an ancillary aim of his conflict, Bush has repeatedly changed his position on our war in Iraq: it was first an extension of the war on terrorism, then it was a war to remove weapons of mass destruction, then it was a war to liberate the Iraqi people. Will attempts to position this as a statesmanlike extension of purpose, but it actually reflects a failure to make a case for prior justifications. As our war in Iraq turns into our occupation of Iraq, the radical reconstruction of the South will become an increasingly relevant historical episode. The North’s attempt at nation-building in the South resulted in lingering regional resentments and racial tensions, a lesson that is worth learning as we try to reach some sort of rapprochement with the Arab world. Bruce Watson Blacksburg, Va.

I don’t think many people doubted that the United States would crush Saddam Hussein’s much weaker forces. Gen. Tommy Franks has done as good a job as anyone could have, given the complexities involved. The ultimate victory in this war, however, will involve a diplomatic ability equal to the military might our country possesses. Aaron Frail Charleston, W. Va.

Strange World, Indeed

Rock groups like the Dixie Chicks get slammed simply for exercising their right to free speech, but pop star R. Kelly is blessed with booming record sales after his indictment for child pornography (“The Teflon Pop Star,” April 14). What a strange world this has become. Patrice E. Webb Georgetown, Calif.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-06” author: “Kelly Carver”

Readers had strong reactions to our April 7 cover story “How Bloody?” One woman found the issue so “deeply thought provoking” that she missed her “regular stop on the Bay Area transit on the way to work.” But the majority of letter writers found the coverage decidedly unpatriotic and unsupportive of our forces. “Glancing through NEWSWEEK, you would think we’d been at war for a year and we were losing badly,” wrote a couple from Hawaii. “Casualties on both sides were emphasized and not triumphs.” Another added: “I’m not asking you to ‘paint a pretty picture’–just to seek out some of the good things that are happening.” In reference to our line “It was supposed to be easier than this,” one asked, “How much easier could it have been?” With the nation at war, a man from Texas struck an important note: “I just want to tell our military leaders and soldiers in harm’s way how proud they make me to be an American.”

The Tempest of War

I could swear we were losing the war after reading your April 7 issue (“How Bloody?”). Never have I seen so much gloom and doom, naysaying and speculation as I did in your analyses: the planning was horrible, we had to stop because our supply lines were overextended and we were running out of missiles. Which war were you covering? Donald M. Snider Fair Oaks, Calif.

You take the attitude that our goals in Iraq should be accomplished without any killing. I can remember four wars, and it was never said that there wouldn’t be any wounded or dead in those wars, including, unfortunately, civilians. Saddam Hussein is a maniacal killer, and 12 years of diplomacy have not softened his murderous regime one bit. God bless our soldiers. They are America’s finest and they know why they’re fighting. We owe them and our commander in chief 100 percent support. Helen M. Hartman Beaver Dam, Wis.

I’m glad to know that NEWSWEEK dares to criticize the government. It reminds me that freedom of the press still exists. Alex Dalzochio Dallas, Texas

As I read your article profiling the missing and dead soldiers (" ‘I Had a Terrible Feeling’ “), my recurring thought was, “How can I effectively thank these heroes for providing me, my family and my country yet another day of freedom?” Sadly, I can’t. Words fail me, but my emotion is overwhelming. May God bless the families of those brave individuals. Vincent C. Menti Cleveland, Ohio

Yes, war is inherently brutal. But before criticizing America’s war strategy, let’s remember that our armed forces to date have accomplished more with fewer casualties than they did during the gulf war in 1991. Terry Stone Sumter, S.C.

I am a preschool teacher, and the picture of the bleeding little girl in your photo spread (“Looking War in the Face”) made me bawl at my breakfast table. That little girl could be any child at my school or in my family. Thank you for showing us the true side of war. Aida Torres Charlotte, N.C.

You have surely gotten complaints for showing the photo of the Iraqi child who was injured in the cross-fire, but I think publishing the picture is important. Not only does it show what happens when you support military action instead of diplomacy, but it shows the type of photo that the Arab world sees in its news media every day. The perception that Americans are indifferent to the rest of the world’s concerns and suffering only increases the world’s fear and hatred of us. David L. Scott Littleton, Colo.

I really think NEWSWEEK crossed the line by printing a full-page shot of a screaming child bleeding from her wounded eye. As a mother and a human being I found publishing this image to be beyond wrenching and well into the realm of egregiousness and irresponsibility. Christine Toole Winston-Salem, N.C.

In Marine Parlance

As a World War II and Korean veteran who served in the First Marine Division in both wars, I feel I must correct something in your article “Grunt 101: A Peri Primer” (Periscope, April 7). You misidentified the unit patch of the First Marine Division of Guadalcanal fame as belonging to the First Marine Expeditionary Force. Also, in correct military parlance, the latter should be identified as I Marine Expeditionary Force. Benis M. Frank Bowie, Md.

Making a Difference, Peacefully

I know just how M. Elizabeth Dick feels (“If I Want Peace, Why Aren’t I Doing More?” My Turn, April 7). Twelve years ago, during the gulf war, I was very involved in the peace movement. Today I’m still an activist, but I find myself doing paperwork and circulating e-mails instead of marching and carrying banners. The difference is that this time around I feel capable of changing the world without disrupting the world immediately around me. Peace activism doesn’t have to take the shape of huge demonstrations blocking city streets and a united call of “No blood for oil” –peace activism can be, well, peaceful. Rev. Emilie J. Conroy Philadelphia, Pa.

M. Elizabeth dick says she opposes the current war because it is not sanctioned by the United Nations. Does this mean she would have supported this war if it had been sanctioned by the United Nations? If that’s the case, she is not against the war but feels our military should be under the control of the United Nations. This is just old, tired rhetoric. Lucy Ondo Seattle, Wash.

M. Elizabeth dick shouldn’t fret about giving up the thrill of yesterday’s activism for the quieter passion of today. What do histrionic protesters do to improve the world? They can gloat in their righteousness and have drama for a day, annoying, harassing, alienating and making themselves the center of attention. I’ve done it myself in the past. But what good does it do? Real change comes from those who make the effort every day, right where they live, with no glory and little attention. We contribute by raising our children to be thoughtful citizens, speaking to neighbors, participating in civic life, finding peace within. Dramatic protesters may get their picture on TV, but it will be the quiet and steady efforts that change the big picture. Nancy Badet Gambier, Ohio

Sexual Assault at the Academy

In “not so safe back home,” Anna Quindlen writes that if “the [Air Force] Academy is a place where being sexually assaulted is taken for granted, women of intelligence and ambition will look elsewhere” (the last word, April 7). I fervently hope that this nation’s young men of intelligence and ambition will also look elsewhere, rather than choose to participate in a military system in which their female friends and loved ones are regarded as sexual fodder. I would not wish either my daughter or my son to attend a military academy with such an atmosphere. Whatever happened to serving your country honorably? Kendall Farnum Battle Creek, Mich.

I can say from firsthand experience that the Navy is aggressively proactive in addressing the problem of sexual assault within its community. As a trained advocate for sexual-assault victims, I act as a representative for the chain of command, available 24 hours a day to assist victims in any way possible, ranging from counseling and court appointments to intervening in the workplace if the offender is a shipmate. The Sexual Assault Victim Intervention (SAVI) program is mandated by the chief of naval operations, and all commands must have a trained, certified representative onboard. While we in the military are taught, and believe, that we are held to a higher standard, it is undeniable that we are also a reflection of the American population, and unfortunately some rapists wear uniforms, too. Female sailors often never even consider the possibility that they might be raped by someone to whom they are supposed to entrust their lives. The SAVI program can be critical in taking the first steps toward healing the most devastating wound of all, the destruction of her trust. Misty Trent, Petty Officer First Class U.S. Navy Chesapeake, Va.

As the mother of a cadet at the air Force Academy, I can attest to the extremely high morals and honorable code of conduct that most cadets live by. Of course, there are exceptions, and it is my hope that any cadet found guilty of rape would be immediately dismissed and court-martialed. However, to suggest that rape is as common as midterm exams is an untrue, irresponsible and vindictive statement. Patty Couch Inola, Okla.

Moynihan’s Cause

I read Robert Samuelson’s reasoned and direct article about the fact that what we spend on this war will result in giving up other critical needs. Then I read Jonathan Alter’s tender eulogy about Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan (“A Man of Ideas in the Arena,” April 7). Alter alluded to Moynihan’s devotion to the budgets and concerns of the teaching hospitals in our country. It is the teaching hospitals that are suffering enormously and unfairly in these budget- crunching times, and our next generation of physicians will be fewer in number and less trained. This really points out the insanity of war and the failure of our leaders to be able to resolve issues another way. Helene G. Brown UCLA Jonsson Cancer Center Los Angeles, Calif.

Correction

In a brief bio, Marine First Lt. Frederick E. Pokorney Jr. was misidentified as second lieutenant (” ‘I Had a Terrible Feeling’," April 7). He earned that rank just days before he died. Also, it was erroneously reported to us that his mother was deceased. NEWSWEEK regrets the errors.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-24” author: “Clayton Cernota”

Readers were divided over the merits and esthetics of pure design and how these objects shape our daily lives, the feature of our Oct. 27 cover story. One interior-design professional proclaimed that “design impacts, uplifts and has the power to change culture as much as signify it… and is equal parts art, science and business.” Clearly, sleek modern lines are not everyone’s cup of tea. One groused about “ugly and uncomfortable chairs and cute little tape dispensers not exactly changing my life.” Another thumbed her nose at design purists. “When it comes right down to it, most of us are funky creatures, deriving pleasure and satisfaction from our teapots and trinkets.” But for this connoisseur a certain curvilinear object definitively proves the height of good taste. “Yes, today’s designers are wonderful, but I wonder what they’d think of my idea of perfect design–the Hershey’s Kiss?”

Designs You Can Live With

As a professional graphic designer, I was very excited to receive the first of what I hope will be occasional issues of NEWSWEEK dedicated to how design can better people’s lives (“Design Gets Real,” Oct. 27). Often, when people ask me what I do for a living, I’ll delve into the problem-solving aspects of design and explain how something they wear, read or drive was created with purpose and usability in mind. Many businesses struggle with whether a true return on investment can be attached to an innovative approach to a company’s identity, products, office spaces and environmental impact. The selections you chose to highlight illustrate conceptual excellence and attention to detail on both national and global levels and in home and business environments. These timeless icons will outlast their creators and hopefully nudge our culture in the direction of greater design awareness. Elliot Strunk Winston-Salem, N.C.

As a recently retired purveyor of good taste to 3,500 stores–and having sold items from such functional designers as Timo Sarpaneva to such imaginative ones as Versace–I can state that designers of household objects are generally peculiar and offbeat. There is also a strong sense of unnecessary elitism (and insecurity), probably stemming from the fact that they must sell their $200 chair (or china, lamp or wine stems) for $10,000 while they pray for the next insecure status-seeking customer to materialize. Robert Ganshorn Boynton Beach, Fla.

Reading about design in everyday use, I noticed the giant Mac keyboard pictured in back of Apple’s Steve Jobs. If he is such a design fanatic, why not design a keyboard that follows the natural curve of a hand and curves down? This change could be just as artful, and perhaps help millions with hand and wrist problems use a keyboard with less pain or fewer injuries. Timothy Hornseth Rochester, Minn.

Like many architecture critics, Cathleen McGuigan bemoans the low level of interest in the “modernist house.” Is it really a surprise that most people choosing a home prefer elegant, naturalistic forms over cold industrial boxes made of simple, tough materials? Architecture, particularly residential, is not the same as art. We all must live with the consequences. Architecture should not be a political statement. It need not challenge us. It should not be an acquired taste fed to us by the self-appointed cognoscenti. If this leads to a dumbing down of buildings, so be it. Martin Sklar Ardsley, N.Y.

The fancy toothbrush you feature may be “a thing of beauty,” but it still won’t fit in the toothbrush holder. Chris Patterson Eatontown, N.J.

Thank you for addressing the painfully prevalent bad design found in most new homes. There is no doubt that great design contributes to quality of life. Could we be experiencing the dawning of a renaissance of design in America? Who could have predicted that Target would be leading the charge? James Gabbert Edina, Minn.

I looked at this article and learned that I am not attracted to much here. They’re just more examples of fads that will be different next year–so that we buy replacements. Emil J. Posavac Skokie, Ill.

Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago was delighted to be included in NEWSWEEK’s cover story. Our dynamic, new Rem Koolhaas-designed Campus Center and Helmut Jahn-designed residence hall bring new vitality to our historic Mies van der Rohe main campus and offer inspiration for the next generation of architects. However, someone at NEWSWEEK decided to incorrectly “redesign” our acronym in the process! We would appreciate your setting the record straight: Illinois Institute of Technology is IIT. Phil Rozen, Director of Media Relations Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago, Ill.

To Have and to Hold No More

I was overwhelmingly touched by Harry Bernstein’s My Turn (“How Do I Move On Without My Soulmate?” Oct. 27). I lost my father last year, three months shy of my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary. My mother has had a very tough time moving on and has endured a process similar to Bernstein’s, including attending bereavement groups. Each morning is a challenge for her to get out of bed, eat three meals a day and prepare for life after my father. I am going to send her this article and I plan to use a remark similar to the one that Bernstein’s daughter made to him: Mom, you lost a husband, but we lost a father and you are the only one left. We need you. Jesse Edelman San Antonio, Texas

I was so touched by Bernstein’s story. I lost my partner, soulmate, best friend and love of my life on July 2, 2002. I could not bear to let go of anything that was a part of him. Then, in 2003, my home of 31 years and everything I had was lost to a fire. My home, my keepsakes, everything I had clung to was burnt to the ground. I am still homeless, but most of all, I miss my love. And, like Bernstein, I would not have made it without my children and grandchildren. If Harry Bernstein can cope, so can I. Cheryl White Clarkston, Mich.

Tears welled up as I read Bernstein’s article, and I had an overwhelming desire to tell this dear, grieving man that whatever brought him and his wife together was a gift. The only consolation I can give Bernstein is to let him know that there are many souls out there still searching and wishing for the love and joy he shared with Ruby. L. Lohsen Baltimore, Md.

Harry Bernstein’s My Turn took me back three years to my wife’s death. We were both 50 at the time. She was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and a month later she died. It was a very difficult time for me and our children but we learned to work through our grief and keep on living. We had many wonderful resources in doctors, family and friends who helped us. It struck me at the time that our fast-paced society has completely lost the ability to allow people to respect grief and the time it takes to go through it. Frequently we find ourselves saying, “Gee, it’s been three months; you’d think they’d be over it.” Well, three months doesn’t compare with 29 years (in my case). Now our sorrow has turned to cherished memories that will always stay with us. I have remarried and my kids are crazy about my wife and have bonded beautifully with her children. Grief is bearable if you decide to confront it, experience it, even embrace it, instead of trying to avoid it. Cole Carley Fargo, N.D.

Understanding What They Say

After I read “Lost in Translation” (Oct. 27), about the lack of qualified Arabic translators, two thoughts came to mind. One was, where is the FBI recruiting? I–like many other Americans–am of Middle Eastern descent, and more than 70 percent of us are Christian. Why aren’t Americans of Mideast descent like former senators James Abourezk and James Abdnor and current Sen. John Sununu being used to recruit in the Arab-American community? Why doesn’t the government contact our church leaders, such as the bishops of the Maronite, Chaldean, Syriac, Melkite, Antiochian Orthodox and Assyrian churches and see about working with them to find translators? My second thought concerns gays in the military. If the Army can let go of six trained Arabic translators because they are gay, then the message we send is that we can afford to waste resources in this war on terror. And if allies such as the British and Israelis can have functioning militaries with gays in them, how can we not? Shawn A. Dorisian Detroit, Mich.

“Lost in Translation” is on target, but just the tip of the iceberg. Not only is our security in jeopardy due to inadequate language skills, but equally important is our failure to understand the culture of other nations. Our country has never had much regard for the languages and cultures of other nations. Unfortunately, our educational system does little to encourage foreign-language proficiency. During the cold war, fewer than 25,000 high-school students were enrolled in the study of Russian. In 1991 I was appointed by former president Bush to the National Security Education Board, which was created and funded within the intelligence unit of the Department of Defense to encourage young people in the study of the languages and cultures of lesser-known nations. It was a great idea, but we never had our first meeting. Bill Pattis Rancho Mirage, Calif.

As a foreign-language teacher in the American public-school system, I find your article “Lost in Translation” very interesting. During my 39-year career, it has been an uphill battle trying to prove to everyone the importance of the study of foreign languages. We foreign-language teachers have heard all the arguments against our program, which often is at the bottom of school priority lists: it is not a core subject, it cannot be fit into the schedule, there is no money available, colleges require only two years of high-school foreign language, etc. Now, as you state and as has been observed throughout world history, we realize that we need to know the enemy and the language they speak. It’s about time that the public changes its attitude about the study of foreign languages. Joseph M. Sanger Lebanon, Pa.

Perhaps the recruiting efforts of the FBI and other agencies searching for Arabic and other Middle Eastern linguists should be more thoroughly examined. As a former Arabic linguist in the military, I was amazed that no federal agency actively recruited linguists who left the military after fulfilling their duty. For the former military linguists who sought employment with the FBI and other federal agencies, the application process was long and tedious (often taking more than a year), even though these people had been cleared previously for sensitive positions by the government. Admittedly, military linguists often do not have all of the language skills that the FBI and others are seeking, but many did, and many (myself included) are now no longer using the valuable language skills taught to us and paid for by the federal government. Kirk Hamilton Friendswood, Texas

Reflections on Barbara Bush

I loved reading about Barbara Bush (“Barbara Swings Away,” Oct. 27), who was kind enough to write to me several years ago. I had seen Bush and Raisa Gorbachev on TV giving a joint address to the graduating class at Wellesley College. I was so impressed with her gracious, down-to-earth nature that I grabbed my best stationery and wrote her a letter of appreciation. Imagine my surprise when several weeks later I came home to see a plain manila envelope on my step with the return address of the White House. In the letter, Bush described her enjoyment at spending the day at the college with Gorbachev. She ended the letter with: “It was dear of you to write.” My life was a real struggle at the time, and Bush gave me such an emotional boost. I have wanted to thank her for years. Lynne Morgan Spreen Palm Desert, Calif.

We were surprised and disappointed to read the negative comments attributed to Barbara Bush in connection to her recent visit to the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital in Portland, Maine. She comments sarcastically on some nurses smoking outside, complains that the book she was given to read to the children lacked educational value and criticizes hospital administrators for thanking her too much and being obsequious. Having had a son in the Barbara Bush Hospital, we know firsthand that it is a superb facility with wonderful doctors, nurses and staff. We are grateful it is here. It’s too bad the comments Bush had about her visit weren’t more positive. Michael and Beth Quinlan Portland, Maine

Bechtel’s Strides in Iraq

Your Nov. 3 article “The $87 Billion Money Pit” was clearly a story in search of failures, rather than the truth about the efforts to reconstruct Iraq. For example, the treatment of Baghdad’s Daura power plant as a “window into problems” ignores the fact that Daura is producing the same amount of power it generated before the conflict. Similarly, the story discounts the repair of 1,300 Iraqi schools by describing problems at five schools in a Baghdad neighborhood, only one of which Bechtel worked on. That work there was indeed incomplete, and Bechtel is withholding final payments until subcontractors make proper repairs. Overall, the school rehabilitation program is an overwhelming success; it employed more than 30,000 Iraqi workers and allowed more than a million Iraqi students to return to safe and secure schools on Oct. 1. Finally, the claim that Bechtel stopped its work at the port of Umm Qasr is wrong. Bechtel completed its dredging and rehabilitation work and the port is now fully operational, handling thousands of tons of humanitarian assistance, as well as commercial and passenger traffic. Cliff Mumm, Program Manager Bechtel National, Inc. Iraq Infrastructure Reconstruction Program Baghdad, Iraq

For the Record

In your Sept. 29 article “Dark Days in Bethlehem,” it is suggested that I am a “Christian militant.” Please note that I am a former Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine leader and introduced myself to your writer as a political analyst. I have no knowledge of the presence of Christian militants in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Your writer also cited information from different sources and previous incidents (e.g., “Retaliatory shelling by Israel damaged dozens of houses…”) that implied that I had given him this information, but this does not relate to the facts. Khader Abu Abbara Beit Jala, Israel

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-15” author: “Maria Reed”

Was Dick Cheney fooled by bad intelligence on Iraq, or did he manipulate it to his liking? Readers responding to our Nov. 17 cover story debated that question. “Dick Cheney is too smart to have been misled,” argued a reader from Virginia. “Intelligence sources told him what he wanted to hear.” Some questioned the veep’s motives for waging war, noting his ties to companies doing postwar reconstruction. “Cheney’s specific policy direction might be summed up in two words: self-interest,” one said. But many supported the vice president and his objectives. “Cheney should be applauded for going on the offensive against terrorism,” remarked one. Another contended that “Cheney believes that a peaceful, somewhat democratic, free-trading Iraq will transform the Middle East.” Several criticized not Cheney but a naive public. As one wrote, “The real problem lies not in what one individual tells us, but in what we are willing to believe.”

Your cover asks why Dick Cheney “fell for bad intelligence.” The vice president doesn’t “fall” for anything (“Cheney’s Long Path to War,” Nov. 17). To the contrary, he ably and successfully represents the interests of the energy industry, as evidenced by his disdain for the democratic process, including his secret energy policies, contempt for any kind of energy conservation and continued exploitation of the 9/11 tragedy. And your article neglected to mention his involvement with the neoconservative Project for the New American Century and the fact that Cheney, who is promoted as genuinely concerned about national security, managed to secure five deferments from service in Vietnam. Judith A. Byrnes Newport, R.I.

Thank you so much for exposing Vice President Cheney for just who he is: an intelligent, engaged public servant who realizes how dangerous it is to underestimate the threat to America that weapons of mass destruction pose in the hands of terrorists. After 9/11 we need leaders who will dare to change this world for the better, and I, for one, will support them through the thick and thin of it. Ron Vanden Brink Molt, Mont.

It is hard to believe that a man who wanted this war and thought the Americans would be greeted as liberators should be considered a “wise man.” Dick Cheney is a man who asks “a lot of hard questions” but does not listen to the answers he does not like–a man who pushed a terrible war because he believed in half-baked ideas that fit his narrow world view. And he still refuses to acknowledge that Baghdad had nothing to do with 9/11. A wise man? Terribly naive is one way to describe him. Brigitte Wyatt Berryville, Va.

NEWSWEEK does not seem to understand that the National Intelligence Estimate presented to the president is most often just that–an estimate. Let’s say the odds were calculable that Saddam Hussein’s regime possessed WMD and that he or any of the apparently sizable contingents of extremists who operated on the regime’s fringes had plans to use them against targets inside the United States, and that those odds were one in 100. Are those odds acceptable? Dick Cheney was right on: it would have been extremely irresponsible to sit back and play such roulette with thousands of American lives. Russ Wilson San Diego, Calif.

After reading “Cheney’s Long Path to War,” I was left with a greater respect for the man than the headlines on your cover implied. Despite Cheney’s gloom-and-doom outlook, I, for one, am grateful that our vice president is easily alarmed by and suspicious of any and all intelligence received. In this age of terrorism, being overly cautious needs to take precedence over paranoia. As a key player in this administration, Cheney has the nation’s best interests at heart. Lorna M. Davi East Rochester, N.Y.

Dick Cheney is much too bright and experienced in the ways of government to “fall” for bad intelligence. Rather, he ignored the intelligence that did not further his case for war and presented his preferred intelligence as truth, even though it was refuted by the intelligence community. There is a word for the deeds pursued by this U.S. representative, and that word is fraud. Ann Sinclair Long Beach, Calif.

After reading your article on Dick Cheney, I experienced a deep sense of reassurance in the leadership of our country. I cannot imagine Cheney’s predecessor with the capacity or foresight, much less the political courage, to understand or appreciate the grave dangers that terrorists pose for the future of our country. We have a strong and decisive team in office whose top priority is the welfare of this nation. Jim Williams Hurst, Texas

Contrary to your article’s assertion, nothing about Dick Cheney’s character or background makes him like Cassandra, the mythological seer whose prophecies went unheeded. Cassandra was right in predicting the harm that was coming to her city, and nothing was done about it. Troy was destroyed, and she paid the price for it. Cheney made the wrong assumption about Saddam Hussein’s WMD, had the power to convert his mistaken views into action and has paid no price for it. Abel Hauri Hinsdale, Ill.

Let’s give Dick Cheney the benefit of the doubt and say he is genuinely concerned and feels a responsibility for protecting the American people from terrorism. Let’s say he had no ulterior motives, and his energy commission’s report spotlighting “suitors” for Iraqi oil had nothing to do with his outlook. Still, the evidence indicates that Iraq posed no imminent danger to the United States. Cheney had the means to know how dangerous and immediate the situation was and act accordingly. If there was no imminent danger, we could have taken the time to build a U.N.-sanctioned coalition similar to the one during the gulf war. We could have saved hundreds of American lives, thousands of Iraqi lives and billions of dollars. We could have planned a realistic, cooperative strategy for rebuilding the country after the war. We could have avoided some countries’ perception that war with Iraq was part of an anti-Muslim crusade and avoided any perception that the war was all about oil. We could have reserves for addressing other hot spots, such as North Korea, Pakistan and Israel. Is our stated goal–freedom from terrorism–any closer because Cheney “sold” the war? I think not. Lee Black Plano, Texas

For most of my life I was told that if anything bad happened in the world, the communists were behind it. Now Dick Cheney tells me that if something bad happens, Al Qaeda is behind it. The world is so simple when seen from Washington. Michael T. Field Gambier, Ohio

Regarding the so-called bad intelligence pitched to and by the vice president, I fail to comprehend the “good” intelligence that led to a policy of allowing an inhuman, dictatorial monster to remain in power. Even without covert operations and CIA briefings, many should have been aware of the systematic mass murder and barbarity that came to characterize Iraq. I am proud that my country has stepped in to put a stop to the daily horrors ignored by other nations. We are giving a people of proud, ancient history the opportunity to create a bright future. Rev. William J. Keane Branford, Conn.

Perhaps if Dick Cheney’s “other priorities” during Vietnam had been sidetracked by his being drafted like those of us who served, he would know it was not the intelligence community that failed us; it was the politicians. M. Hennessy Tustin, Calif.

On the Line With the 1-124th

Please thank your team in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, for their fine and accurate coverage of the Florida National Guard 1-124’s efforts (“With the Ghost Squad,” Nov. 17). My son is one of those young men. It was very good to become informed, from your firsthand reporting, about some of what is going on. People back home need to know! Meg Dobbins Tallahassee, Fla.

Read with fascination your article on the Florida National Guard and the harrowing encounters they’re experiencing in Iraq. Robenson Jean, described as the “Last Haitian Hero” by his Ghost Squad peers, was a senior student in my British-literature class. In a multicultural high school with a flourishing Haitian population, Robenson distinguished himself as a tireless worker within the classroom and on the gridiron, while displaying a chivalric gallantry that impressed all those who came into contact with him. The uplifting letters Robenson has sent me from Iraq have described his dreams and aspirations, which are being fulfilled through defending our country’s values and beliefs. Christopher R. Wotton Atlantic Community High School Delray Beach, Fla.

At the Top of His Class

“Falling Through the Cracks” (Nov. 17) cites the experience of Daniel Spangenburger–exceptionally bright, but from a poor background–who has been ignored by recruiters at “top” colleges. I, too, had great test scores and high grades from a rural high school and was ignored by top colleges. I went to a small college in Idaho, worked hard, got a great education, went on to Harvard Medical School and proceeded to a successful career. You state that Spangenburger can get a full-tuition scholarship to the state university in Morgantown, W.Va. Students like him need to be told to go to college where it makes sense (for family and financial reasons) and work hard. A great education can be had at any average college or university in the United States. If he’s as bright as it appears (and I do not doubt it), he can be a great success. The top schools repeatedly mentioned have absolutely no monopoly on success. M. D. Hughes via internet

Because of your article, Daniel Spangenburger may now get the attention of his desired schools, Carnegie Mellon and Cornell, but there are many more like him who will not. Deena Flinchum Blacksburg, Va.

You did not mention that often, really bright but poor kids join the military not only to serve their country but to pay for college by way of the GI Bill. Name Withheld Morgantown, W.Va.

Schism in the Church

My husband, an Episcopal priest, comes home every day saddened by yet another of his colleagues who is thinking of leaving the Episcopal Church because of the election of Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire (“Souls Divided,” Nov. 17). It has always been important to my husband to be a part of the Episcopal Church, U.S.A., and it would never occur to him to split off. What also had not occurred to him, and what seems clear to me, is that the Episcopal Church, U.S.A., is now an orphan, since the worldwide Anglican Church appears to have embraced those clergy and parishes that are threatening to splinter. Much the way the early settlers split from England, the Episcopal Church may split from the Anglicans, and it is for many of the same reasons. Our nation was founded on the issue of human rights, an unpopular practice in much of the world. We don’t offer these rights to one segment of the population, but to all humans. If we Americans are split off from the mother church because of this, so be it. Linda Fine Zeman Watertown, Conn.

We welcome NEWSWEEK’s coverage of the Episcopal Church and the fallout over the consecration of its first gay bishop. However, in your diligence in gathering a complete story, we believe the photo choice of the people holding vulgar signs in protest is unfortunate and may lead readers to believe that these protesters are from the conservative group mentioned in the article (the American Anglican Council). We could well understand the photo’s significance if the group pictured were mentioned in your article, but it was not. In fact, both legitimate camps in this debate agree that the group in that photo (known to many) is so outlandish and hateful as to be irrelevant to anyone except police departments. We are saddened at the prospect that all orthodox Episcopalians might be painted with the broad antigay brush that this photo depicts. The orthodox believers in our church have been very outspoken against the new bishop of New Hampshire, but our protest has never included vulgar signs, marches or any type of hateful activity. We have been careful to express our dissatisfaction in a respectful, pastoral manner that is aimed at the behavior, not the person. Jill Kinsella Dir. of Communications, Christ Church-Episcopal Plano, Texas

I am a middle-aged, liberal, female heterosexual, as well as a lifelong Episcopalian. I love the traditional roots the Episcopal Church, U.S.A., shares with other Anglicans around the world. However, I don’t value those roots and an institution–the church–more than I value human rights. The day Gene Robinson was installed as bishop of New Hampshire was the day I was most proud to be an Episcopalian. Anne Seed Benicia, Calif.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-07” author: “Roberta Miller”

Women in Front

Your March 3 cover photo featuring three black women is absolutely perfect (“The Black Gender Gap”). As February ended, we bid farewell to Black History Month. Nevertheless, as March begins, we say greetings to Women’s History Month. As one chapter closes, a new one begins. NEWSWEEK has perfect timing. JoAnn Lee Frank Clearwater, Fla.

As a single, professional, successful and college-educated African-American male, I grow weary of hearing the tired story about how black women are leaving black men behind in the social, intellectual and economic spheres. The truth of the matter is this (as many African-American women will admit behind closed doors): there are plenty of single, professional and educated black men in the United States. But these men aren’t the stereotypical black-male success story; these are brothers who are writers, teachers, scholars and other kinds of intellectuals, not rappers, athletes or professional comedians. Large numbers of these women seem to be attracted to the wrong kinds of black men. Unfortunately, much of black American culture is defined by material excess instead of intellectual celebration, and this easily spills over to the dating world. Francis Jameson New York, N.Y.

Thank you for writing a story that served two purposes. It assured me that I’m not the only college-educated black female without a man, and it gave me something to hand out to all the people who can’t understand why a successful, smart, drama-free, funny female is still single and barely dating at 27. Now, if you could only send a personalized copy to my mother. Renee Samuels

I greatly appreciated the round-table discussion “Time to Tell It Like It Is.” Although the primary focus was on men, the exchange touched on myriad issues not generally exposed in the mainstream media–you didn’t edit out the real stuff! I was pleasantly shocked and amazed. If you do this again (and I hope that you do), you should include on your panel an African-American woman who has been happily married for more than 15 years (like me) or like my mother, who has been married 47 years. Happily married notables such as Ruby Dee, Camille Cosby and Debbie Allen could have contributed a great deal to this issue. We can confidently tell you there are a lot of great African-American men out there–you just have to know where to look. Hey, there’s a thought: how about an issue about successful black women and their successful marriages? Tracey Simmons-Fisher Woodbridge, Va.

If black men were “rising” from schools to jobs faster than black women, would there even be a discussion about what that would mean for work, family and race relations? Or would that be the way it is supposed to happen, therefore no comment or cover story is required? Tina Hamilton Princeton, N.J.

I was thrilled to see you feature and even have a cover story on black women and their (or shall I say “our”) progress. I’m currently in college, and this article gave me more determination, focus and self-confidence. Although this is great news for black women, we can’t forget our black men. It is important to find out what’s keeping them from progressing and what we can and must do to change this. We women should continue to rise and pull our men up. LaShonn Foster Tampa, Fla.

Rhode Island’s Sorrow

How many times have we all gone somewhere and not given a second thought to our personal safety (“The Night the Music Died,” March 3)? We’ve been to concerts at small clubs, and the thought of looking for fire exits never crossed our minds. All we cared about was having a good time. The victims in the awful Rhode Island fire probably never gave it a second thought either. Ultimately, investigators will decide who is to blame, but aren’t both parties responsible? The club had apparently allowed pyro shows to appear before, and it appears that the band, Great White, had used them before without permission. And who was in charge of taking tickets or counting heads as they entered the club? Was that extra $10 to $12 a person worth it? Did they even care if there were too many people inside? It’s a shame that it has taken two terrible accidents and many lives to shed light on this problem. The disaster at the Epitome in Chicago could possibly have been avoided if someone had double-checked to make sure that the owner wasn’t operating the club against court orders to shut down. Who is in charge of making sure these orders are followed and codes enforced? We can’t begin to imagine the pain that is being endured by all the families involved in this tragedy. Our prayers are with them. Claire and Temesia Jones Salisbury, N.C.

Judging Estrada

Miguel Estrada’s federal-judgeship nomination is being blocked for reasons other than his perceived “conservative” partisan views (“One Judge’s Conservatism,” The Last Word, March 3). Among other reasons, he has no academic or teaching experience, he has never sat on a judicial bench and he has not been totally forthcoming about his philosophy, approaches and methodologies regarding American jurisprudence. He has remained behind the curtain on these issues by his reticence in answering questions or producing writings that could allay the inherent mistrust we humans have for those who appear to be hiding something. Verdad? Roger D. Steed Dayton, Ohio

Surgery Gone Awry

It is true that Jesica Santillan’s death is a horrid tragedy due to human error ("‘A Tragic Error’," March 3). But I take issue with your statement that the tragedy was “touched off by one careless moment in the life of an exemplary surgeon.” As a nurse, I know that simply giving a unit of blood to a patient requires several signatures by personnel checking and rechecking the type and cross-match information before the blood can be given. Dr. James Jaggers was part of a large team, all of whom had the responsibility of checking the blood types. In addition, the New England Organ Bank and the Carolina Donor Services program also had the responsibility of qualifying the match. That Dr. Jaggers took full responsibility for the entire team and everyone involved speaks of his integrity. Kathy Christ St. Louis, Mo.

Let me get this straight. A family of illegal aliens sneaks into the United States, has their daughter’s transplant operation paid for with the help of America’s social-services system, gets her bumped to the head of a national organ-donation wait list ahead of Americans so that she can get a second heart-lung donation and $1 million operation, then asks to keep her on life support (at thousands of dollars a day), and no doubt will benefit handsomely from the lawsuit the “family lawyer” invariably files on their behalf? Am I outraged? As an organ donor, you bet your life I am! Allena Hansen Caliente, Calif.

Correction

In our March 3 tip sheet item “What’s the Service Fee, Kenneth?” we incorrectly reported that XM Satellite Radio is commercial-free. In fact, only the music channels are without commercials. NEWSWEEK regrets the error.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-03” author: “Lucille Ricciardi”

Readers of our Jan. 27 story on Tony Blair’s stand on Iraq praised our reportage but were critical of both Blair and President Bush. “Excellent!” cheered one, “there is no justification for war.” Another worried, “It will turn a billion Muslims into enemies.” A third summed up: “Nobody trusts Bush.”

The Blair-Bush Connection

Your report “Man in the Middle: Can Tony Blair Make America Listen to the World?” (Jan. 27) was excellent. Why this showy American armada in the Gulf while Saddam Hussein seems to be cooperating with U.N. inspectors? President Bush would better let the United Nations fulfill its mandate. There is no justification for war. Is George W. Bush concerned more about finishing a job that his father failed to complete 12 years ago? If he blindly launches military action alone against Iraq he does not have the backing of international law nor the support of the majority of countries. If Bush insists on bombing Iraq instead of opting for wise and peaceful ways to disarm Saddam, there will not only be thousands of civilians killed, but he will also expose the world to more terrorist attacks. In any case, if weapons of mass destruction are a real threat to the security of the world today, who is to blame? America armed the Iraqi president when he used chemical weapons against the Kurds. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was in Baghdad in 1983 when chemical weapons were being sold. It was Bush and his ilk who contributed to the making of that villain of Baghdad. Dan Chellumben Amboise, France

As a psychologist, I see signs of mania in Tony Blair. He seems to lack contact with reality and perhaps he even experiences a sense of absolute power and a feeling of invincibility. Blair’s grandiose ambitions for war show no awareness of the inevitable widening of the division it will cause. The terrible consequence of an unjustified pre-emptive attack will turn a billion Muslims into enemies when we might have lived in peace. It will be a step toward Armageddon. Dermot Ryan London, England

It seems as though President Bush does not care about poor, ordinary people (“Hope of the World,” Jan. 27). He has already shown how little he cared for the innocent people of Afghanistan; he certainly cares even less about the civilians in the Middle East. America’s web of imperialism only spreads farther when Bush meddles with international affairs, and when people believe him. Karen G. Reyes Makati City, Philippines

I firmly believe that just being right is not enough: the fact is that nobody trusts George W. Bush. Europe and the world would certainly be more willing to listen to America if the president of the United States was someone like Bill Clinton, whom so many in America vilified for too long. Pierre Cantin Angers, France

Your obvious hope that Blair will try to inhibit Bush’s effort to destroy Saddam’s weapons of mass destruction is ill founded. Unlike many of his party, Blair has proved to be not a quisling in this campaign (like certain Brits and Americans and many Europeans) but a staunch ally in that effort. B. K. Ngabwe Weybridge, England

It is not so easy to decide whether Tony Blair’s current change of tune is a result of genuine conviction or, if like his German counterpart, Chancellor Gerhard Schroder–who turned pacifist just weeks before his re-election–it is triggered by opportunism. Never before have members of his own Labour Party come out decisively against war in such massive numbers, and the protest movement on the streets is making itself increasingly heard and seen. No other Western leader has had so much of President Bush’s ear since he came to power, and since a majority of Americans do not want war with Iraq without their closest allies on their side, a heavy burden of responsibility lies on Blair’s shoulders. How he uses his leverage could finally make or break him as one of his country’s greatest statesmen. Werner Radtke Paderborn, Germany

Let us say that this war against Iraq is all about oil. Let us even say, for the sake of argument, that Tony Blair is President Bush’s marionette. Even further, let’s absurdly exaggerate and say that this President Bush has a personal vendetta to complete what his father began. So what? Don’t the Iraqi people deserve freedom? A chance at prosperity? A choice as to who shall govern them? A shot at normal life? Regardless of the different personal agendas that some self-righteous, ever-passive Europeans attribute to Bush and Blair, there is nothing to justify the rendering of Iraqis, or for that matter any other citizens of a country oppressed by a dictator, to a fate of the doomed. Boaz Peled Ra’anana, Israel

Coping With a Third Culture

I want to congratulate you for your Jan. 27 article “Always Home,” (Society & the Arts). I am a 22-year-old “TCK” [third-culture kid] myself, half American, half Spaniard. The article covered very well what it means to be brought up like I was: spending most of the year in Europe and the summers in the United States, and the virtues and faults of this sort of upbringing. My only criticism is that you didn’t take into account the incredible stress that we TCKs are under as Americans in a hostile anti-American world. We feel connected to, and part of the culture of, the country where we live; to have to defend one of our identities against the other is heartbreaking and frustrating. Lucia Fraile-McCord Tenerife, Spain

We have not moved frequently, but our family resided in Asia for seven years. I believe, as stated in your article, that our children greatly benefit from immersion in a foreign environment and a chance to form friendships with a wide assortment of “passport holders.” In fact, much of what is described as the third culture finds a close echo in my own feelings. I certainly know where I was born and where I reside, but, truly, I can no longer say where home is. I’d say that many TCKs are being raised by TCPs [third-culture parents]. Lynda MacPhail Hong Kong

I am a TCK living in Sri Lanka and I really appreciated the article recognizing expat kids around the world not as spoiled, privileged children, but as cultured people. It felt reassuring that most kids like me also feel this lack of patriotic sympathy to their “passport” countries, which a lot of my TCK friends and I feel guilty about. Mehreen Khaskheli Colombo, Sri Lanka

Frankenfood, Anyone?

What concerns many people about genetically modified foods primarily is their long-term effect on people’s health and environment. What also concerns some people is the dependence (for seeds) that their popularity creates on monopolistic firms like the biotech company Monsanto. While Fred Guterl’s article “Fear of Food” in your Jan. 27 issue presents a wealth of information on the economic and political aspects of GM foods, he left out some vital information. The World Health Organization’s assurance that GM foods already on the market are “unlikely” to present a problem to people’s health could also mean that they are just as likely to, and that we do not have enough information or experience with their long-term use. Europe’s officials admit that the health risks are “minute.” But what are those minute risks? I believe countries like India were right to be suspicious about allowing new U.S. shipments of corn-soy flour. The likes of the StarLink strain of corn, which was engineered in the States to contain a foreign protein, should have been used only for the animal feed for which it was approved. In the 1980s a sustained-action, subcutaneously implanted contraceptive, whose use had earlier been banned in the United States, was tested in Bangladesh by a well-known international research organization.

Such acts give rise to the feeling that developing countries are used as guinea pigs by advanced countries As regards commercial crops like cotton, seed-production technology must be transferred to developing countries to make them available to farmers at low cost. G.V.S. Nagabhushana Rao, M.D. Hyderabad, India

You highlighted the apparent opposition to agriculture biotechnology in many countries, but you failed to note that the opposition comes mainly from people who have hardly anything to do with agriculture. The fact is, those who are directly involved with farming and feeding the people have been very interested in adopting new technologies. The prime concern of farmers is to improve productivity and lower the costs of farming. And increased productivity is the only way to reduce the environmental impact of agriculture. In 2001, cotton farmers in the western Indian state of Gujarat voted with their pockets and planted an unauthorized variety of genetically modified cotton. Following the success of that crop in withstanding attacks by the bollworm, it was discovered by the authorities that the crop was “illegal.” The government decided to destroy the 10,000 hectares of the GM cotton. The farmers refused and protested. You should know that the farmers in developing countries have their lives at stake every time they sow a crop. Understandably, they will try to defend their crops as best they can. It is time we let the people who are most affected, the farmers, decide on the future of biotechnology, rather than armchair activists and government officials who have nothing at stake but, ironically, still have the most say. It is really surprising that your report missed this very significant farmers’ re-volt, a protest demanding technology, and against the Luddites who want to stop them from gaining access to the technology. The real Frankensteins are these modern-day technophobes. Barun Mitra New Delhi, India

Genetically modified plants, animals, bacteria, viruses, fungi or any other form of genetically modified life do not fit into the complex natural wheelwork, which has been understood neither by scientists nor by politicians. Eckhardt Kiwitt Freising, Germany

Your article was egregiously unbalanced. It pandered to the various opponents of the tremendously promising technology of genetic modification of crops to enable less use of (truly) toxic pesticides and fertilizers, which can contaminate rivers and drinking water. Any benefit in increased yields to feed the growing billions around the world? You never even tried to present an adequate explanation regarding these and other potential benefits of GM, leaving the reader to think that the only motives were some kind of obscene profit motive on the part of makers and farmer-users, and as “just a weapon for dominance of American corporations.” Even then, you presented no evidence of actual harm or toxicity of any products developed to date but mere xenophobic, protectionist, head-in-the-sand quotes and innuendo. Too bad that rich, elite folks like President Mwanawasa of Zambia can buy and eat anything they desire, so they can get away with saying “I’d rather die…” while others really do starve to death. Lawrence Stiver Tokyo, Japan

A Bellicose Bunch

I read with sadness Fareed Zakaria’s column about world opinion turning against America (“It’s Time to Talk to the World,” Jan. 27). “This is not a problem produced by George W. Bush. It is one produced by American power,” he writes, referring to the world’s perception of America as a bully. How can you look at the bellicose, cantankerous and condescending verbiage from administration hawks like Bush, Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney without being offended? This is the most reckless administration that America has had in the last 50 years. They’ve provoked the world into grave instability by their lack of diplomacy, common sense and sensitivity. It is a shame that the media have become cheerleaders for an administration so devoid of vision. Eyina Dokiwari Coraopolis, Pennsylvania

The Quest for an Ideal Diet

There may be some dispute over what is “The Perfect Diet” (Jan. 20), but there can be no doubt that plant-based diets are best for the health of our planet. Richard H. Schwartz Staten Island, New York

The perfect diet is absurdly simple: “When hungry, have sex.” Michael Feeny London, England

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-31” author: “Nella Powers”

Responding to our Feb. 17 Special Report, “The War Plan,” readers said they were unconvinced by the evidence presented to the United Nations by Secretary of State Colin Powell. “Do not confuse the messenger with the message,” one declared. “Powell is eloquent, but his presence should not be misinterpreted as ’the case,’ which must actually be made before such a horrific undertaking as war is pursued.” Others worried about the damage the battle plan could inflict. One asked, “Just how does a rain of some 3,000 precision-guided bombs and missiles differ from a weapon of mass destruction?” But a few were more concerned that our articles detailing impending war plans gave away too much. One said, “I think our American forces have enough to reckon with without your magazine publishing a summary of the weapons we have and the attack strategy we would use. The Iraqis could just use NEWSWEEK as this week’s military briefing.”

The Uncertainty of War

Even if everything Colin Powell said is true, he did not demonstrate that Iraq poses an imminent threat to the United States or its allies (“Judging the Case,” Feb. 17). Therefore, he did not make the case for war. As for enforcing Resolution 1441, the U.N. Charter clearly states that U.N. resolutions cannot be enforced militarily without the explicit authorization of the Security Council. Without that authorization, an invasion of Iraq by the United States and its “coalition of the willing” could be a violation of international law. Kenneth R. Slaughter Manchester, Conn.

The United States complains that the United Nations needs to stand for something. That seems to translate into do what the United States says in the case of Iraq. Yet the United States seems to have no problem letting the United Nations deal with North Korea. The Bush administration has an agenda for Iraq and wants the world to approve it. Then the Bush administration is angry when other nations, including some of our allies, don’t go along. Maybe France, Germany, Russia and China are right when they insist that the United States provide some hard evidence–as Secretary of State Powell’s U.N. presentation, in my opinion, failed to do. Why must we invade Iraq now? Galen Gruman San Francisco, Calif.

The only flaw in an otherwise excellent article is that your reporters give far too much credit to our allies. Islamic militants threaten violence against all who side with Israel or the United States. Is it any wonder those allies prefer to maintain a safe distance whether or not they believe war against Iraq is merited? The more certain Europe is that the United States will do the dirty business on its own, the more vehemently Europe will shake its head in disapproval. Surely the Americans will forget this betrayal after a few election cycles, right? Eric Fleischauer Minor Hill, Tenn.

“Judging the Case” was most intriguing. The evidence Colin Powell presented–the evidence we need to see–does not lie. I wonder why we are not at war already. Ben Moran Battle Creek, Mich.

George Bush, Colin Powell and Donald Rumsfeld do not have the right to decide that the death of Iraqi citizens is a worthy price for their freedom. It’s up to Iraqis to choose whether or not they want to die for that cause. Let them decide for themselves. Daniel M. Dupuis Providence, R.I.

Maybe it’s the paranoia of these times or the fact that I spent six years on missile submarines where secrecy was the watchword, but NEWSWEEK’s detailed battle-plan discussion frightens me (“Boots, Bytes and Bombs”). If such sensitive information would have been published during the second world war or Vietnam, there would have been arrests for aiding the enemy. Publishing advance information on D-Day would have gotten a lot of GIs killed. The Feb. 17 issue details how we are going to wage war against Saddam. What’s the point in publishing all this information? Owen O’Connor Lake st. Louis, Mo.

You presented a well-researched article about the danger of going to war. How about an equally well-done examination about the danger of doing nothing? Joe B. Jones Phoenix, Ariz.

Must We Go to Battle?

For several weeks I have tolerated the hawkish opinions of Fareed Zakaria if only for his worldly perspectives on the Iraq conflict. However, “Don’t Open a Credibility Gap” (Feb. 17) draws the wrong conclusions from history. To suggest that we ought to go to war with Iraq to maintain our credibility with world powers, friendly and unfriendly, is sheer madness. Like Zakaria, I have traveled in Europe, and in my experience America’s real “credibility gap” is its practice of utilizing the United Nations for collective actions favorable to our agenda and regarding the United Nations as irrelevant when we don’t like the outcome. This undermines our role as a world citizen and distances us from both allies and enemies. Clearly far more is at stake than America’s appearance of global pre-eminence. Stephen H. Gorski Eagle, Wis.

Fareed Zakaria put into words my discomfort about the impending war, even thought I trust and support my president. “To disarm or face ‘serious consequences’ " cannot mean sending in a few dozen more inspectors. In September, President Bush made his case to the United Nations, as did Colin Powell with his persuasive evidence. To back down now and look like we were only bluffing will lead much of the world to the conclusion that our resolve is dissolvable by the few who do not agree with us: the few who are greatly indebted to the United States of America for much of their freedom and prosperity. Regina Hoffmann Wapakoneta, Ohio

If a warrior draws his sword without just cause, it takes courage and wisdom to return it to its sheath. Fareed Zakaria has set up a false dichotomy: sheathing the sword, or at least refraining from using it, does not mean turning one’s back on the problem. There is a middle path between the two false choices of “cutting and running” and cutting bodies simply because the sword is revealed. Harry Vayo Oakland, Maine

Fareed Zakaria, worrying about U.S. credibility, asks: if it turns out the president is bluffing about " ‘serious consequences’… what would happen the next time the United States makes threats?” His question suggests that the only thing bad about U.S. threats might be their lack of credibility–as though the threats themselves don’t violate international law. I suggest he reread the U.N. Charter Article 2.4, which requires all members to refrain from “the threat or use of force.” Ray Perkins Plymouth, N.H.

Rebuilding on Ground Zero

I agree with Kai Thompson that the two final World Trade Center designs are a glorification of the architects and aren’t symbolic of what that spot was (“The Best Design Is One We Haven’t Seen,” My Turn, Feb. 17). I spent a month in those buildings training with Morgan Stanley and was constantly amazed by the vibrancy of the commerce in that area. The row of trees is a wonderful idea. Like the Vietnam wall, it would be simple, understated and a continued affirmation of life on a spot where the lives of so many people were stopped so abruptly. David F. Hughes Plano, Texas

As I read the article by Kai Thompson, a simple but powerful idea of what to do with Ground Zero occurred to me: find the original plans of the World Trade Center and rebuild it exactly the same way. It would be difficult to find a better way to honor those who died and to mock those who sought to destroy. Ellis Ameiss Clayton, Mo.

Let’s keep it simple. The rebuilding of Ground Zero is not so we can try to comprehend the output of giant egos from Architectural Appreciation 101. We have enough work comprehending the loss of nearly 3,000 defenseless souls. Ground Zero should be a place that imbues us with the tranquility of nature. Our need is one of peaceful remembrance. Franz Euler III Hingham, Mass.

Helping ‘In Some Small Way’

Your article “Falling to Earth” (Feb. 17) hit home for me and my husband. In the days following the Columbia tragedy, we could not erase the thought of going to east Texas to help search for our fallen heroes. So we went to Hemphill to help in any way we could. In the wee hours of the morning we arrived feeling very lost and believing we would be the only civilian volunteers among the hundreds of law-enforcement and forestry-service volunteers. Much to our shock and delight, hundreds of average citizens had come to help. We spent four and a half1/2hours going over and under barbed-wire fences and walking, crawling and climbing through knee-deep mud, water and briars so thick you couldn’t see people immediately next to you. When our FBI leader informed us at 3:30 that we had to stop for the day, the group was devastated. We wanted to continue. I have never felt more proud to be an American than I did that rainy, cold day. Our group consisted of people who were white, black, Hispanic, old and young–Americans trying to serve our country in some small way. Yvette McLeod Plano, Texas

Oenophile Speaks Out

People buy the “Two-buck Chuck” wines because of the price, not necessarily because of its quality or taste (“Wine: Cheap Swills,” tip sheet, Feb. 17). As a retired wine merchant and importer, it is my observation that ignorance prevails in more than 80 percent of wine purchases. Taste, color, aroma and bouquet–and reading back labels–is very important. Fine wines grown, produced and bottled by the grower should be the first choice when looking to purchase, followed by those wines that are produced and bottled by a vineyard with a bottling plant. Wine should be swirled in the palate to discern taste and tannins. Robert Wagner South Pasadena, Calif.

Correction

In “We Need More Than Duct Tape” (Feb. 24) the name of California Rep. Jane Harman was inadvertently misspelled.

We listed the web site for the United States Kerry Blue Terrier Club incorrectly (“Call It Puppy Love, Tip Sheet, Feb. 24). It is uskbtc.com. NEWSWEEK regrets the errors.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-31” author: “Terrance Johnson”

America on the Battlefield

With growing anxiety I read your March 17 article “Saddam’s War.” As our nation enters the turbulent waters of war, I can’t help but wonder what kind of world the war will leave in its wake. Whether Saddam’s “apocalyptic plan” comes to fruition or he is successfully removed, he will have left a different world. I appreciate Newsweek’s coverage of such monumental events, but can’t help wondering how the history books will remember this era. Will the United States be dubbed the world’s savior or the nation that jumped the gun? Kevin Gonzales Louisville, Colo.

“Saddam’s war” speaks of Saddam’s white-uniformed fedayeen and potentially thousands of other Iraqi soldiers wearing U.S. and British uniforms. Saddam may likely find himself in the situation of a certain unfortunate monarch who faced the same prospect from one of Napoleon’s armies. His advisers suggested changing his soldiers’ uniforms to give them more confidence. The monarch replied that it didn’t make any difference what color uniform his soldiers were wearing–they would run just as fast in any color. Roger E. Haugo Sioux Falls, S.D.

In “Can Iraq Hit America?” a photo shows Pentagon employees trying out “escape hoods” in preparation for a chemical or biological attack. The hoods would prevent the inhalation of nerve and blistering gases, which Saddam Hussein is reported to have, but would not protect them in any manner from the contact of these agents with their skin. Blistering gases cause extensive burns on contact, and street clothes afford little protection. The nerve gas VX, in particular, is absorbed rapidly through the skin and can cause a quick death. Ralph C. Ballard Sedona, Ariz.

You report that in 1995 the FBI had the opportunity to arrest terrorist mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammed but that “Clinton administration officials… worried about an anti-U.S. backlash, or worse, a disaster similar to the 1993 ‘Black Hawk Down’ debacle in Somalia” (“Hunting in the Barren Hills”). Today the world has the opportunity to stop Saddam Hussein, whose terrorist actions against his people and neighbors are universally acknowledged. But the proposal is roundly vilified by those who worry increasingly about an anti-U.S. backlash or, worse, another terrorist disaster. When will the spineless catch on? The only real way to stop terror is to stand up to it. Libba Mills Tuscaloosa, Ala.

With Parents on the Front Lines

Thank you for exposing the plight of single parents involved in the military buildup in the Gulf (“Home Alone,” March 17). I am appalled at the disregard with which Lt. Col. Cynthia Colin, a spokesperson for the Pentagon, discusses the plight of this group of military personnel. " ‘We have a lot of different people in different situations.’… Providing more assistance for single parents being sent to the Gulf ‘is really not feasible. It would just be way too much work’.” It sure does prove how safe distance is for those in command. Marian Cole Sunnyvale, Calif.

While it is unfortunate that children of military personnel must be displaced, an explanation is in order. By the late 1970s, the demographics of the military were changing rapidly as more women entered the service. This led to marriages where both spouses were serving. The services also began to experience more single-parent-member situations. Single parents and military couples used to receive some leeway in assignments and deployments. Consequently, many of those service members received deferments at the expense of childless single service personnel or those with more traditional family situations (such as a stay-at-home wife). The unfairness became apparent to those who were forced to take their turn more often. The Air Force thus modified its rules and required single parents and military couples to assume more of the “fair share” of deployment. At the same time, all services required single parents and military couples with children to make child-care arrangements in the event of deployment. To date, these arrangements must be provided in writing to commanders and reaffirmed periodically. Charles E. Knaub Jr. Chief Master Sergeant, USAF (Ret.) Fairborn, Ohio

I sympathize with parents in the armed services but disagree with the implications discussed in the article, namely, that somehow the military should provide for the care of their children. The military already has a network of subsidized full-time child-care centers, which I consider to be excessive and an encouragement for parents to outsource the raising of their children. The mission of the military is to train and deploy soldiers, not to act as a nanny 24/7. Society would be better served if the federal government encouraged families to raise their own children with tax breaks and other incentives. Jennifer Wolff Bowie, Md.

Pioneers of Flight

Debbi Gardiner is right that her great-great-uncle Richard Pearse is virtually ignored by aviation historians (“A Moment of Genius, Years of Obscurity,” my turn, March 17). But Pearse’s March 31, 1903, flight was really an extended–powered downhill glide that never regained the height from which it began. And while “The History of New Zealand Aviation” acknowledges Pearse’s many contributions to early flight there, it quotes him as saying that the Wrights “were the first to actually make successful flights in a motor driven aeroplane.” George W. Earley Mt. Hood, Ore.

Debbi Gardiner, don’t despair! There are many in the United States who recognize the worldwide contributions of early pioneers in the development of aviation. The free spirit of Richard Pearse can still be found in thousands of sport aviators tinkering with their creations in garages and out in cow pastures. We salute all of the early inventors who kept dragging pieces of wreckage off the pasture back to the barn, wondering what to salvage and what to improve upon. Usually, they were nursing a bump, bruise or broken bone on the trip back too. Those of us who dream of nothing other than flying understand, and remember. William Shaw Experimental Aircraft Association Zanesville, Ohio

With all due respect to Debbi Gardiner’s ancestor, the act of building a machine that makes a single vertical leap of several feet doesn’t compare to the act of creating a machine capable of sustained, controlled flight. The Wright brothers, through continuous theorizing, study and experimentation, did just that. Few people appreciate the enormous intellectual effort that went into rejecting the conventional wisdom of the day and conceiving of the precise balance of instability, controllability, weight, power and structure to demonstrate sustained, controlled flight. Historians have it correct: the Wrights deserve the credit. Jim Duppstadt Arlington, Texas

All About Grapefruit

If the Florida citrus department is able to overcome grapefruit’s image problem (“The Citrus Solution?” Periscope, March 17), it will be even more important that consumers be made aware that grapefruit can cause potentially dangerous interactions with a substantial number of prescription drugs. While grapefruit does have many health benefits, as little as eight ounces of grapefruit juice can inhibit the metabolism (breakdown) of many drugs, including some used to lower cholesterol, treat AIDS, relieve anxiety and insomnia, support organ transplants and treat cardiac irregularities. Blood levels of these drugs can increase considerably and expose patients to possible side effects and toxicity. Anyone taking prescription medications would be wise to get the green light from a physician or pharmacist before consuming grapefruit products. James W. Jefferson, M.D. Madison, Wis.

Crime and Doing Time

In his comments on the Supreme Court’s defense of California’s “three strikes” law, George Will tries to find some good in a prosecutor’s “discretion” of imposing sentencing guidelines under three strikes (“Three Strikes and You’re In,” The Last Word, March 17). I thought that’s what judges are for–to decide sentencing. Maybe the cash-strapped California Legislature should follow Will’s logic to its conclusion and eliminate judgeships entirely. We could use the savings to pay for more prisons. Tom Dill Oakland, Calif.

It is only fitting that the Supreme Court recently struck down the decision of the Ninth Circuit regarding the “unconstitutionality” of two three-strikes-law convictions. It is preposterous to believe that the two felons cited would be exonerated from consequences of which they had full knowledge before each committed his third felony. George Will gets directly to the heart of one of the mind-sets that ravage our society today. There is no need to blame zealous defense attorneys for the gambits used to attempt to circumvent the law. After all, these attorneys are only doing their job. Kudos to those high-court justices who, via their decisions, are saying “enough is enough.” We are responsible for the consequences of our actions. If it is common knowledge what the third strike will bring, then don’t strike out! Marc A. Satalof Lafayette Hill, Pa.

Correction

Our Jan. 20 graphic “Redesigning the Food Pyramid” indicated that the daily average American diet includes 4.9 servings from the meat, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts and dry beans group. In fact, it is about two servings. NEWSWEEK regrets the error.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-30” author: “Nichole Roberts”

Bring On ‘The Rings’

I greatly enjoyed your Dec. 1 cover story, “Hail to the Rings,” particularly the discussion on the chances that the finale, “The Return of the King,” has of winning the Oscar for best picture. While the final two installments of “The Matrix” were gut-wrenchingly awful and insulting, “The Lord of the Rings” movies leave their viewers in states of awe. The trailer for the third movie is already the best three minutes of film in 2003. It is time the Academy truly recognized a fantasy film for more than just technical awards. “Rings” is a masterful achievement in every aspect of filmmaking, from the superb acting to Peter Jackson’s directing to Howard Shore’s moving and thrilling score. It should not be penalized because of its popularity or supposedly light subject matter. It contains an immense amount of philosophical depth and religious insight. In January you predicted that 2003 would be the “Year of ‘The Matrix’.” I’m sorry, but it is the year of “The Lord of the Rings.” Yoni Glatt Hillcrest, N.Y.

I’m glad the overpraised “Lord of the Rings” films are finally coming to an end. The world of these films is dreary and depressing, the “epic” battle scenes look like a bunch of computer pixels fighting one another and the story is, for lack of a better word, boring. I much prefer the other sci-fi/fantasy series of today, like the “Harry Potter” films, the “X-Men” franchise or the much-maligned but vastly superior “Matrix” films. Russell Krone Decatur, Ga.

The “gaffes” sidebar about “the Lord of the Rings” contains an ironic error: the pictured orc, described as an Uruk-hai, is not an Uruk-hai. He’s just a typical, weaker orc. Kevin MacDermott New York, N.Y.

Thanks to Jeff Giles for his wonderful report on “The Return of the King.” I’ve been greatly anticipating the film and had read the book many times in my youth. The movie conclusion of this incredible trilogy has been my fantasy come true. After Ralph Bakshi’s horrible animated interpretation in 1978, I despaired that any reasonable rendition–let alone an astounding one–could be achieved. Giles’s report captures how I imagined the characters, the landscape, everything. However, does he mean to imply that Merry has no part in the downing of the Chief of the Ringwraiths? It was Merry’s blow that toppled the Ringwraith and Eowyn’s sword that killed him. He had a major part to play and is in all three movies, yet you made no mention of him in your article. Joy Williams Scotts Valley, Calif.

Thank you for your cover story on “The Lord of the Rings.” It was interesting to read about what goes on behind the scenes. I’m amazed by how well these movies have done at the box office. Fantasy movies have gotten a poor reputation over the years, but I think “The Lord of the Rings” will change that. Caran Allum Ephraim, Utah

I enjoyed reading about peter Jackson’s blunders on “The Return of the King.” With an epic film like this, there are bound to be mistakes. But these blunders will fade to the back of audiences’ memories. We will remember J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic story told with flawless beauty and artistic mastery. I salute Peter Jackson for his superb accomplishment. Paul Dale Roberts Elk Grove, Calif.

Making Ends Meet

Thank you, Anna Quindlen, for pointing out what those of us who live on the brink of poverty have known for some time (“A New Kind of Poverty,” The Last Word, Dec. 1). We are not thriving, just surviving. I am a college-educated high-school teacher and my husband owns a small business, yet every month is a game of who will get paid when, in order not to lose the cars or our small condominium, and pay for gas or food and the ever-increasing credit-card debt we cannot seem to get out from under. I live in one of the wealthiest counties in the nation, but because of my husband’s business and because I carry the health insurance for the family it is impossible for us to relocate, but almost as impossible for us to stay. We will probably never be able to afford a home in our area. Saving for our two sons’ college education is a constant worry even though we are middle class. Everyone I know is in the same predicament that we are. I wonder if those in Washington are even aware of us. Tonya Clark Norwalk, Conn.

Anna Quindlen’s essay on the plight of the working poor is long on hand-wringing and short on solutions. Presumably, Quindlen would address the problem with the usual liberal prescriptions: adopting universal health care, raising the minimum wage and increasing federally subsidized low-income housing. She would likely reject actions that could actually make a difference for the working poor: vigorously enforcing our immigration laws to decrease the nation’s abundance of low-wage laborers and enacting meaningful reforms of public education so Americans have the ability to pull themselves up by the bootstraps. Indeed, she doesn’t dwell on the notion of individuals’ improving their standard of living through their own efforts. Quindlen fails to even acknowledge that the working poor bear some responsibility to adjust their family aspirations to what they can support. Even songbirds build nests before they lay their eggs. Steve Fillerup Elk Ridge, Utah

How Many Cars Do We Need?

“Three For the Road” (Dec. 1) was right up my alley–or should I say driveway. I decided not to replace my 125,000-mile “mom taxi minivan” with a new one, because soccer cleats, food, soda, etc., from my four kids would probably make the new one feel old quickly. A side benefit is that there will be a lot less tension when a soda is spilled in the old van rather than a new one. The solution is to keep the old minivan, with its memorable dirt and stains, for the family and purchase a midlife-crisis Volkswagen Cabrio convertible, as I did. It’s a lot more fun than a minivan! Stacey J. Freling Avon, Conn.

I suggest reading Anna Quindlen’s essay on the working poor before reading “Three for the Road.” So the American household now needs a $35,000 third automobile as a “spare” and a three-car garage to keep it in, but we cannot sacrifice a tiny bit in order to spend a little more on health care, housing, education, the poor or our children’s future? The automobile is such a good example of our greed. Even our children feel they must have a car to drive to a school that provides students with free bus rides–and not just a car, but a cool (read expensive) car. Previous generations, who worked hard and sacrificed so much to get us to this place, would be sad to observe the behavior of their rich, spoiled and shortsighted descendants. Kenneth G. Wilson Dripping Springs, Texas

As a financial adviser to retirees, I find your article “Three for the Road” disturbing. I would bet plenty of baby boomers are spending foolishly on cars and big toys and not saving for retirement. To whom are they going to leave the burden of Social Security and retirement funding? To their lone child who will one day pay outrageous taxes? Your article is a small example of how we, as a nation, will awake soon to a retirement nightmare. We have not connected the fact that children are our posterity and future prosperity, and that they need other children, not cars, cars, cars. Frank Netti Auburn, N.Y.

One motivation for having a third car is that it’s a great investment that brings enjoyment to the family as well as possibly a better return than a 401(k). I would venture to say that more than 50 percent of those extra cars you describe fit in this category, even though they are driven sparingly, contributing greatly to our country’s sense of history. Mark Davidson El Dorado Hills, Calif.

In “Three For The Road” you ask, “What’s next?” for families with three cars and only two drivers. I hope it’s an insurance company that recognizes that you can’t–as in our case of having two drivers and four vehicles–have more than two vehicles in motion at a time. With New York state insurance rates, any company that would discount its rates based on this fact would probably entice me to switch. I certainly hope that’s what’s next. Robert W. Cornell Seneca Falls, N.Y.

The Meaning of Marriage

Can we set the record straight on gay marriage (" ‘My Mommies Can Marry’," Dec. 1)? If you read the Bible, you find that for most of human history, marriage has been one man and several women simultaneously. It is the rare married man in the Bible who does not have multiple wives or concubines. For the first half of this country’s history, slaves couldn’t marry anyone–not even each other–because they were property. Interracial marriage was still illegal in some states until 1967, and that included all races, not just black and white. Marriage has changed radically and, praise God, will continue to do so. Lawrence Ingalls Ladera Ranch, Calif.

The right is worried about the “sacred institution” of marriage? Would that be like the marriages of Michael Jackson? Or the millions that end in divorce, or the ones where the wife or children are beaten? I’d rather see a committed couple who love each other and try to do the best they can for each other and their children, no matter what the makeup of that couple. If any religion wants to believe that a marriage should consist only of one male and one female, that is its choice, but there is still a separation of church and state in this country, and some of us want it to stay that way. Suzanne B. Libson Minneapolis, Minn.

Who would benefit from banning gay marriages? Would it strengthen relationships? No. Would it increase heterosexual marriages? No. Would it reduce promiscuity? No. The sole effect of such legislation would be to put a legal stamp of approval on discrimination and homophobia. Marriage is more than a piece of paper. It is mutual respect, commitment, trust and love between two people. Gays and lesbians will continue to get married despite efforts to stop them. Let’s hope that someday we will elect legislators who believe in the principle of equality for all people. Alan Light Iowa City, Iowa

In their story about the Massachusetts court decision concerning gay and lesbian couples, Howard Fineman and T. Trent Gegax say that “the Massachusetts court did away with” the distinction between civil-union law and the legal institution called marriage. In fact, the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts did not decree that same-sex couples were entitled to marry. It said that they were entitled to “the protections, benefits and obligations of civil marriage.” This means that the state legislature should find a way for them to have these “protections, benefits and obligations,” not necessarily that it should allow them to get married. Bruce Meyers Hayward, Wis.

Feeling Betrayed by AARP

I am one of millions of Americans who have had to go without certain medications because of cost. The new Medicare-reform bill the AARP endorsed appears to protect drug companies from competition and forbids importing prescription drugs from other countries, Canada in particular. Many of us will actually be worse off now that this bill has passed. I have to question whether the tens of millions of dollars the AARP will make from the passage of this bill influenced its judgment, or if its ruling council is no longer capable of representing our best interests. John J. McGinty Detroit, Mich.

Taking the words “retired persons” out of the title AARP is one thing. Stabbing the organization’s older members in the back is another. There was a time when AARP opposed elder abuse. This 64-year-old member is outraged and out! Thomas D. Corrigan West Hartford, Conn.

I’m a retired senior on a limited, fixed income. Robert J. Samuelson’s column “Medicare as Pork Barrel” (Dec. 1) actually got me feeling guilty about the cost of the new Medicare drug coverage, a cost that will be paid for by the young “who aren’t paying attention, and so they’re ignored.” Then I read “Three for the Road,” about the “American everyman” who now feels it’s necessary to have an extra “date car” in his garage. Well, thanks, NEWSWEEK, for getting me off my guilt trip. Paula Berg Mission Viejo, Calif.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-11” author: “Richard Ager”

Cheney’s Role in Going to War

Your cover asks why Dick Cheney “fell for bad intelligence.” The vice president doesn’t “fall” for anything (“Cheney’s Long Path to War,” Nov. 17). To the contrary, he ably and successfully represents the interests of the energy industry, as evidenced by his disdain for the democratic process–including his secret energy policies, contempt for any kind of energy conservation and continued exploitation of the 9/11 tragedy. Also, you did not mention his involvement with the neoconservative Project for the New American Century and the fact that Cheney, who is promoted as genuinely concerned about national security, managed to secure five deferments from service in Vietnam. Judith A. Byrnes Newport, Rhode Island

Thank you so much for exposing Cheney for just who he is: an intelligent, engaged public servant who realizes how dangerous it is to underestimate the threat to America that weapons of mass destruction pose in the hands of terrorists. After 9/11, we need leaders who will dare to change this world for the better and I, for one, will support them through the thick and thin of it. Ron Vanden Brink Molt, Montana

It is hard to believe that a man who wanted this war and thought the Americans would be greeted as liberators should be considered a “wise man.” Dick Cheney is a man who asks “a lot of hard questions” but does not listen to the answers he does not like–a man who pushed a terrible war because he believed in half-baked ideas that fit his narrow world view. And he still refuses to acknowledge that Baghdad had nothing to do with 9/11. A wise man? Or terribly naive? Brigitte Wyatt Berryville, Virginia

NEWSWEEK does not seem to understand that the National Intelligence Estimate presented to the president is often just that–an estimate. Let’s say the odds were calculable that Saddam Hussein’s regime possessed WMD and that he or any of the apparently sizable contingents of extremists who operated on the regime’s fringes had plans to use them against targets inside the United States, and that those odds were one in 100. Are those odds acceptable? Dick Cheney was right on: it would have been irresponsible to sit back and play such roulette with thousands of American lives. Russ Wilson San Diego, California

Your article on vice president dick Cheney gave me a deep sense of reassurance in the leadership of our country. I cannot imagine Cheney’s predecessor with the capacity or foresight, much less the political courage, to understand or appreciate the grave dangers that terrorists pose for the future of our country. America has a strong and decisive team in office whose top priority is the welfare of this nation.

Jim Williams Hurst, Texas

Despite Cheney’s gloom-and-doom outlook, I’m grateful that he’s easily alarmed by and suspicious of intelligence received. In this age of terrorism, being overly cautious takes precedence over paranoia. As a key player in this administration, Cheney has the nation’s best interests at heart. Lorna M. Davi East Rochester, New York

Dick Cheney is much too bright and experienced in the ways of government to “fall” for bad intelligence. Rather, he ignored the intelligence that did not further his case for war and presented his preferred intelligence as truth, even though it was refuted by the intelligence community. There is a word for the deeds pursued by this U.S. representative, and that word is fraud. Ann Sinclair Long Beach, California

Contrary to your assertion, nothing about Cheney’s character or background makes him like Cassandra, the mythological seer whose prophecies went unheeded. She predicted the harm that was coming to her city, but nothing was done about it. Troy was destroyed; she paid the price for it. Cheney made the wrong assumption about Iraq’s WMD, had the power to convert his mistaken views into action and paid no price for it. Abel Hauri Hinsdale, Illinois

Let’s say Cheney had no ulterior motives, and his energy commission’s report spotlighting “suitors” for Iraqi oil had nothing to do with his outlook. Still, the evidence indicates that Iraq posed no imminent danger to the United States. Cheney had the means to know how dangerous and immediate the situation was and act accordingly. If there were no imminent danger, we could have taken the time to build a U.N.-sanctioned coalition similar to the one during the gulf war. We could have saved hundreds of American lives, thousands of Iraqi lives and billions of dollars. We could have planned a realistic, cooperative strategy for rebuilding the country after the war. We could have avoided some countries’ perception that war with Iraq was part of an anti-Muslim crusade and avoided any perception that the war was all about oil. We could have reserves for addressing other hot spots, such as North Korea, Pakistan and Israel. Is our stated goal–freedom from terrorism–any closer because Cheney “sold” the war? I think not. Lee Black Plano, Texas

For most of my life I was told that if anything bad happened in the world, the communists were behind it. Now Dick Cheney tells me that if something bad happens, Al Qaeda is behind it. The world is so simple when seen from Washington. Michael T. Field Gambier, Ohio

Regarding the so-called bad intelligence pitched to and by the vice president, I fail to comprehend the “good” intelligence that led to a policy of allowing an inhuman, dictatorial monster to remain in power. Even without covert operations and CIA briefings, many should have been aware of the systematic mass murder and barbarity that came to characterize Iraq. I am proud that my country has stepped in to put a stop to the daily horrors ignored by other nations. We are giving a people of proud, ancient history the opportunity to create a bright future. Rev. William J. Keane Branford, Connecticut

Perhaps if Dick Cheney’s “other priorities” during Vietnam had been sidetracked by his being drafted like those of us who served, he would know it was not the intelligence community that failed us; it was the politicians. M. Hennessy Tustin, California

North Korea’s Nukes How can your writers be so sure that North Korea’s “Great Leader” would lose his life if he dared to use a nuclear bomb against America or any of his neighbors in the region (“How Pyongyang Built the Bomb,” Oct. 27)? As far as we know, America’s other two sworn archenemies, Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein, are still on the lam and in the land of the living despite repeated assurances that Americans are close on their heels. Also, isn’t the Bush administration partly to blame for this impasse because the United States’ own pseudo- democratically elected “Great Leader” has created an “Axis of Evil” containing North Korea? How many more fronts are those neocons, who appear to have the president’s ear, willing to take on without having settled either Afghanistan or Iraq with so much as a semblance of resolution? Werner Radtke Paderborn, Germany

Space Invaders

China’s great leap forward into outer space inspired me and my countrymen (“In Outer Space We Trust,” Oct. 27). With rapid-growing economic power, China has the capability and dynamism to exploit the heavens and break into an elite club–the United States and Russia. Though the live launch was canceled for various reasons, tremendous progress has been made in certain fields. From full coverage on the part of state media to exact figures given by officials, China has shown the willingness to change and reform. Give it time. The Middle Kingdom can break its bureaucratic traditions and be a savvy performer both in outer space and down to earth. China got skyrocketed, and we’re proud of it. He Jun Beijing, China

I resented the snide tone in your Oct. 20 story “Great Leap to Space.” All five Shenzhou flights succeeded without a hitch. Entering the frontier of space is a ground-breaking event that the whole world should rejoice in. And China’s “naive” vision is perfectly realistic. After the first American went up in space, a communication satellite was launched–less than two years later. Why, then, is China’s wanting to launch a probe in three years unrealistic? Nicholas Wong Hong Kong

Slow Food’s Robin Hood You gave Jose Bove a good white-wash with questions that allowed him to come across as some sort of Robin Hood (“From Prisoner To Superstar,” Sept. 15). If only he were. Sadly, Bove’s agenda is that of an opportunist looking out for Bove–and only Bove. He has no policy other than “attack and destroy,” which feeds the media machine with headlines. Meanwhile, others have to pick up the tab for repairs, lost income and inconvenience. I didn’t find much “popular outrage” to have him released from prison. Peter Armstrong Riedisheim, France

Bove is not a “superstar”; he’s an outlaw looking for status. He started with fights against malbouffe (bad food), destroying others’ property, escaping responsibility and hiding behind union activism. You know, in France unions are above the law. Even judges dare not condemn union figures, because they could generate heavy strikes. Soon after his first arrest, Bove was released by a judge’s decision. When he saw the media interest in the WTO fight, he picked up the flag. Then, realizing that the French media are mostly pro-Palestinian, he went visiting Yasir Arafat. This outlaw speaks well to defend whatever position attracts attention. But unlike many politicians, he has no political vision, no constructive proposals. He is simply starving for publicity. Gerard Lafont Paris, France

New Patriotism or Old Apathy?

Jonathan Alter’s Sept. 15 article “Time for a New Patriotism?” defines not a new patriotism but rather an old-fashioned apathy. Millions of Americans will look the other way in regard to the Bush administration’s problems abroad. Pop and movie stars will continue to buy imported cars and expensive homes. It will be the plumber’s daughter or the insurance agent’s son who will make the sacrifices for the United States. Patriotism begins with involvement. Harry Hobson Taipei, Taiwan

Blair’s Articulate Arguments

“Turning American”? your Sept. 15 cover line should have read “Turning Anti-American,” a subject quite different from “what the world is learning from American universities.” Anti-Americanism in the world is growing apace because of Iraq and Bush’s threats to other countries–selected ones, of course–with WMD. As a U.S. citizen, I was finally persuaded of the need to invade Iraq not by the Wild West language of Bush but by the articulate and convincing arguments of Tony Blair. Now, with no sign of WMD and the loss of many servicemen in our mired effort in Iraq, I feel deep regret. R. C. Feierbach La Paz, Bolivia

Agelessly Enthralling

Your Oct. 27 cover story on design was absolutely enthralling. Even for those, like me, who are quite clueless about design, it was clear that the items you included were things of great beauty and form. Obviously, good design is timeless and beyond mere fashion. So explain to me your fixation with the ages of the designers; what was the relevance of that mote of information? Gordon G. Beveridge Wick Caithness, Scotland

The Weeping Boy of Najaf

Many pictures in your Sept. 8 issue could have evoked tears; one in particular caught my eye and I’ve not been the same since. In the story about the explosion in Najaf that killed Shiite leader Mohamad Baqir al Hakim (" ‘The Danger Is Very Close’ “), there was a picture of a young boy crying. Had the boy been in the mosque that was bombed? Did he lose his parents? What brought him to this state of helplessness? There are so many more boys like him, but this one has a face. It haunts me. Bill Bowling Pine Mountain, Georgia

In London, to See the Queen

George W. Bush is in Britain and Brits are not happy about it (“God Save the President,” Nov. 17). Personally, I’m glad, because travel can broaden the mind–and that’s something George W could do with. While he’s wined and dined by the increasingly unpopular Tony Blair and the royal family, thousands of ordinary Britons will be demonstrating against his cynical use of the Iraq issue to further his friends’ wealth and global influence, his destructive attitude to the environment and his bullying stance toward other countries and cultures. These things shame America and many of us are shamed by Tony Blair’s tame cooperation. Peter Grech Brighton, England

As Bush winded up his “victory lap” trip to Britain, I was struck by the bizarre spectacle of the president of the United States, the leader of the free world, needing 14,000 police to protect him in London. But this isn’t Iraq, it’s London, a vacation spot for millions of Americans each year. Stunning, too, are reports that the queen personally refused Bush’s request to have U.S. fighter jets and Black Hawk attack helicopters, armed with surface-to-ground missiles and high-powered machine guns, hover over Buckingham Palace to protect the president–from British protesters! Bush’s host and partner in the Iraq war, Tony Blair, scheduled him to be the first U.S. president to speak at a full session of Parliament; but, faced with the prospect of being heckled by the members, Bush canceled. His visit was further marred by the tragic terrorist attacks in the most secure area of Baghdad. How does one fight a donkey-cart attack with million-dollar precision-guided missiles and 2,000-pound bombs dropped by billion-dollar jets? It’s obvious that something is not right in Iraq with Bush’s “war on terror.” William Ellerman Silver Spring, Maryland

Sorry about that, CIA. This is England and we do not shut off parts of our capital just because you have done too little, too late, and are now becoming paranoid. On the other hand, those of us who grew up with war in Britain have lived with terrorism since the 19th century and, compared to you in America, we have managed really rather well, thank you very much. Alan Ingram London, England

As president Bush dined in the sumptuous royal splendor of Buckingham Palace, I wonder if he reflected on the daily death toll of American soldiers dying in his discretionary war. He should devote more attention to bringing our troops home safe, and less time to fund-raising and dinner with the queen. Bill Collins Davis, California

Now that the Bush circus has returned to its home base, the return flight from Britain was the best one your president ever made. Now, things can get back to normal again. I wonder, what did he see in this visit? A pity that he and Tony Blair would not go out to Iraq and stay there and sort out the awful mess they have made, instead of getting others to do the job for them. Kenneth Keane

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-26” author: “Alexandra Crowe”

Readers of our Nov. 10 report on the new global ideal of beauty hated the concept. Advised one, “Help those who need health care instead of boosting bosoms.” Another protested “the loss of cultural identity.” A third railed against “the risk of having–along with gorgeous bodies–empty minds.”

Perfection or Homogeneity?

I was both interested in and repulsed by your Nov. 10 cover story on plastic surgery (“The Perfect Face”). It is sad that so many people are so self-conscious that they would risk injury and spend their life savings on trying to alter their natural appearance. It does not surprise me, however, that many of the people getting this needless surgery are Asian. I’ve read that the first breast implants were performed in Japan after World War II when barrels of industrial silicon were stolen from Japanese docks. This same silicon ended up in hundreds of Japanese prostitutes working the newly arrived invading forces. Of course, Westerners get their share of plastic surgery, too, but I think they have less of a cultural-identity problem. What I can’t understand is why a person would want to look like everyone else. I, for one, find Asian characteristics both beautiful and unique. In Western cultures, we stress individuality, but in many Asian nations, group conformity is the focus. Maybe body modification is a way for Asians to distinguish themselves. Although I don’t expect there will be a change in this trend any time soon, we should all remember that there are people who lack basic health care all over the world: we should be using our money to help them instead of boosting our bosoms. Robert Delaney Sano, Japan

Women all over the world have one thing in common: vanity! Most of us aren’t content with our God-given gifts. With the proliferation of affordable cosmetic surgery, anyone could now look like someone else. However, after such attempts at “perfection,” in which virtually all Asians prefer to look like Westerners, how much cultural identity will we have left? Ditas A. Fernandez Pangasinan, Philippines

I’m concerned that your article on the evolutionary psychology of beauty did not include a section on the influence that society and media have on what is generally considered beautiful. For while biology and the evolution of the species contribute to our original idea of beauty, those standards change with age and experience. When children are bombarded with magazines that portray Jennifer Lopez as sexy and beautiful, they adopt and internalize these standards and compare themselves–usually unfavorably–with that image. This is harmful to a child’s psyche. So I hope you consider research that has shown the power of environmental influences as well as these genetic or evolutionary influences. Beauty is not fixed, as you imply; as a concept, it is flexible, and our creativity as a species allows the idea of beauty to be emotional and intellectual as well as physical. Ashley Karlin Madison, Wisconsin

As a society, we must distinguish between who really needs surgery and who needs a psychologist. The worldwide cult of beauty has been changing some basic human values such as respecting natural limits. With the makeovers you describe, we run the risk of having, along with our graceful bodies, empty minds. Silvio Sandro Cornelio Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

In a few years, we will be wondering why so many “beautiful” women are giving birth to “ugly” children with button noses, full cheeks and crooked teeth. Their round faces will be based on the “pi ratio” of 3.142 to 1 rather than the Golden Ratio of 1.618 to 1. Just like me, really. Glenn Ford Voegtlinshoffen, France

Although your story was troubling, I did some homework on your cover girl, Saira Mohan, a.k.a. the girl with “the perfect face.” Reading her Web site, I find, she also seems to have a perfect sense of self, a perfect outlook on life, a tone and a sense of humility to match, not to mention a perfect sense of how to appeal to fans. So much so, she comes across as the perfect friend. Mohan, we’re told, even answers her own fan mail from fellow South Asians. South Asians have long been looking for a woman like Saira–the perfect cultural ambassador for our young. C. Cevanvia Via Internet

Are you promoting the cosmetics industry by propagating the news that Western “beauty” standards are the best for young girls the world over? Asian women and young girls have been brainwashed to disfigure themselves by undergoing Frankenstein surgery to meet these unreal Western standards of perfect beauty. I guess these young females have been poisoned by watching too many Hollywood movies and reading too many Western trash magazines; they follow these beauty standards blindly. There is no standard gauge or device to measure perfect beauty internationally. The mystic beauty of Mona Lisa’s smile lies in the eye of the beholder. Syed Rashid Ali Shah Vroomshoop, Netherlands

I’m a Japanese girl who envied those with typical Asian features when I was younger because I have a kind of Western face. But the more globalized (i.e., Americanized) the Japanese media became, the more other Asians start envying me for my face. This change surprised me. Our media and advertising have so altered our perception of beauty that our pride and our Japanese values have been compromised, and sadly, our biological features can never keep up with this fast-growing sense of global beauty. Let us treasure the beauty that is unique to each race. On the positive side, I wonder if this trend of racially mixed beauty could help us fight racial discrimination? Fumi Wo Los Angeles, California

A Made-in-U.S.A. Democracy

I just read Fareed Zakaria’s Nov. 10 world view (“Iraqification: A Losing Strategy”). The problem is that the United States, with its arrogance, has painted itself into a corner and it is unlikely to come out clean. Invading a country with such a different culture, with ethnic and religious conflicts that date back several centuries, and expect it to turn into a Western- (that is to say, American-) style democracy by way of a constitution and elections, is no less than daydreaming. Societies can’t be changed by mandate–they evolve on their own. They can be helped to evolve but they can’t be forced to change overnight. I believe “Iraqification” is more a political tactic for re-election than anything else. I doubt that this administration is too concerned about what happened with the Iraqi people despite all the rhetoric. Alex Horochowski Cordoba, Argentina

The united states is mired neck deep in Iraq and they can blame only themselves. The administration lied its way into Iraq to stuff down its throat made-in-the-U.S.A. democratic, social and mercantilist obsessions but, like all imperialists, it forgot that evolution is species- and environment-specific. Iraq should be left to evolve on its own, under the aegis of the United Nations. As Fareed Zakaria points out in his Nov. 10 column, Bush missed the chance to be a hero when the lust for mineral resources prevented him from handing over Iraq to the United Nations after Saddam was booted. The resistance campaign against the occupation in Iraq is supported passively by all and actively by a few–none wave the American flag. The imposition on the long-suffering Iraqis of a puppet government of unelected “exiles” will surely turn Iraqification into disintegration. Handing Iraq over to Kofi Annan and his staff is both the remedy for Iraq and a glorious exit for the beleaguered Bush. Igbo Ene Budapest, Hungary

Musing on the Mess That Is Iraq Your Nov. 3 headline “What Will Iraq Cost Bush?” is misleading. What it’s going to cost Bush is of little consequence; what it’s going to cost us all is where it’s going to hurt. Jean Laurentie Vinon, France

With each successive issue of NEWSWEEK that I read, I can see the situation in Iraq is just getting worse and worse. All rather depressing. But still, looking on the bright side, at least the Iraqi resistance does not seem to have any weapons of mass destruction. Imagine if they did. Mark MacCallum Wellington, New Zealand

Good for you, NEWSWEEK. Thanks for exposing this mess. This is the first mainstream American media piece that has told the real truth of this. Wayne Lowe Cape Town, South Africa

I am interested as to what the proposed new Iraqi constitution might look like. Will it, for example, include the “right to bear arms,” a belief considered by many Americans to be a cornerstone of freedom and democracy? Richard Warburton Hong Kong

Iraq was not a military power in any sense at all. However, George W. Bush and Tony Blair sought to hype things up and Iraq became a scapegoat. It was convenient to send in the B-1 bombers, B-52s and cruise missiles for some “target practice.” Iraq was, in reality, a country crippled by sanctions. It had no fighting power whatsoever. No WMD either. Now that we know the WMD are nonexistent in Iraq, let’s see Bush and Blair come clean. If they are so concerned about WMD, why don’t they set an example and get rid of their own massive quantities of WMD? Think of the billions they would save their taxpayers. Let’s see leaders for a change instead of misleaders. Peter Nagels Northcote, New Zealand

The way that American companies seem to be making money in Iraq, huge amounts of money, while the Iraqi people still cannot live properly–or, at least with the same modern conveniences that they had before the war–does not make for American popularity in the world. What would make George W. Bush and his cronies change their mind? American voters have the power–so, just use it. If Iraq is a failure, our world will change. But not in the way we expect. Jean-Francois Le Marec Angers, France

“Waste, Chaos and Cronyism” riddle virtually every federal spending endeavor. True, the U.S. government can be quite clumsy when spending money. But history will not lose sight of the big picture: American strength, integrity and unyielding resolve resulting in hope and freedom in the thorniest part of the globe. Future generations will not regard this chapter as “Bush’s Mess” but rather as a stellar display of his leadership. Benjamin Friedman New York, New York

In “what Will Iraq Cost Bush?” you quote a National Security Council official as saying, “If we don’t get Iraq right in time, we could lose the election.” This comment speaks volumes about the shortsightedness and narrow focus of the administration and its minions. If we don’t get Iraq right in time, we could lose a hell of a lot more than an election. R. L. McKee New York, New York

Doesn’t anyone at NEWSWEEK realize that it’s not that easy to rebuild a country after a war and that problems are inevitable? Where are your full-page spreads about the Iraqi military graduation, the re-opening of schools and hospitals and the improved infrastructure? How about pictures of Iraqi children enjoying their now safe country? Stephen R. Collins Oceanport, New Jersey

As an American who worked for the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (a nation-building mission similar to what the United States is attempting to do in Iraq), I knew from my experience that Bush, by invading Iraq, was leading the United States into a big mess. Nation-building in East Timor required tremendous effort from professional and experienced individuals from around the globe. Both East Timor and Iraq are countries with strong and deep cultures, traditions, religions and vastly different ways of thinking and doing things. What arrogance to assume we can march into Iraq and instill an American brand of democracy. Instead we have managed to destabilize the Middle East, create more terrorism, spend billions of dollars increasing the national deficit and alienate almost every other country in the world. I am angry and hold the Bush administration responsible for the (continuing) death of countless Iraqi people, American troops, aid workers and my former U.N. colleagues, including my former boss Sergio Vieira de Mello. Dana Trump Tijeras, New Mexico

Assessing American Education

In “Higher Education: The Global View,” the sidebar to your Sept. 15 cover story on “Turning American,” you tell us which university Bill Clinton sends his daughter to, which one Tony Blair sends his son to and which one Helmut Kohl’s son goes to, but what I would like to know is what are the criteria for admission to an American university other than the money and the fair faces of the applicants’ parents. Is there any nationwide (or worldwide) competition to be admitted into an American university? Briefly you mention the Sorbonne and it seems you believe that it is the pinnacle of French scholarship. This is wrong: the top French educational institutions are the Grandes Ecoles (not to be translated as “High Schools”). A French young person has one chance out of 2,000 to attend the Ecole Polytechnique (the top school for an engineer). To get into the Ecole Normale Superieure is even more difficult. Are the selection rates for Harvard, Yale, Stanford or Columbia as competitive? Your readers might be interested to know the three grades of French Grandes Ecoles: at the highest schools, the students are paid by the state to study; the second-level schools are free, and at the third-tier schools, students must pay to study. For example, at the HEC, the top management-studies school, the fee is about $6,500 a year. Charles Quere Dijon, France

“Learning the Hard Way”? I’d say it’s learning the wrong way. Let’s hope that universities around the world don’t learn some things from U.S. universities such as hiring five part-time faculty for every one full time, changing earned grades for students who want their own personalized grading scales and sacrificing standards for public relations, quality for quantity. Tim Nixon Wuhan, China

Islam in the New Millennium

I was interested to read your article “Hillary Clinton, Stand Back,” in the Nov. 10 issue. But I must tell you, Islam has never been antithetical to democracy or women’s rights. Concepts like haqq (rights) and adl (justice) have been fundamental precepts since the founding of Islam in the seventh century. What we are seeing today is the claim by Muslim women to their rights to God and the true Islamic tradition. The modernization of Islam and the Arab world can come only through a rereading of our faith and a re-appropriation of all that has structured Islamic civilization within the context of the 21st century. Feisal Abdul Rahman Singapore

Kudos to Christopher Dickey and Carla Power for their balanced special report “Rethinking Islam” (Sept. 15). But there is one salient point that should be added. At its core, the practice of every true religion should include comfort of the estranged and aggrieved, healing of the brokenhearted, binding up of the wounded, empowerment of the indigent, bold commendation of its beliefs to those willing to listen without coercion and the active tolerance of adherents of other faiths to practice their creeds in a like manner. Dave Morse Yokohama, Japan

Modern Music, Anyone?

Tara Pepper’s excellent article about the state of uninspired and esoteric modern classical music was definitely on the mark (“Mostly Not Mozart,” Aug. 18). The slow death of classical music is being brought about by composers like James Macmillan, who audaciously insist classical composers should not pay more mind to their audience and what they want. The only modern composers who consistently appear in symphony programs are those like Barber, Copland, Stravinsky, Holst, Respighi and Rachmaninoff. And for good reason. These 20th-century composers and some select others are the only ones whose music can be enjoyed and understood without having a degree in music theory. The last great romanticist composer may have been Leonard Bernstein, whose works in musicals and films were a harbinger of the only remaining realm in which quality classical music would survive–Hollywood. Robert Mardock Sebes, Romania

Regarding your article “Mostly Not Mozart,” few are willing to face the idea that so-called classical music is dead. It died about 1918. The idealism and grandeur of bygone centuries reflected the values and technology of those times. If today someone invents a new type of horse saddle, does anyone really give a hoot? The car’s where it’s at. The (commercial) music of our time has been dumbed down to the lowest common denominator: largely machine-made noise reflecting sex, drugs and violence like so many other aspects of today’s culture. Did Brahms write to make money? If we took today’s misled university music departments away, so-called contemporary classical music would disappear in jig time. John Lennon was our recent Beethoven, like him or not. Tempus fugit. Rei mutant. Mell C. Carey Rzeszow, Poland

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-21” author: “John George”

Thank you for the excellent Dec. 8 cover story on women of the Bible. I cringed, though, when I read the word “revisionist” at the beginning of the article (“The Bible’s Lost Stories”). That word is too often interpreted as “made up or twisted for a political purpose.” In fact, you report nothing but good textual and historical work based on the original manuscripts. Even a cursory reading of the canonical Gospels shows a very positive view of women and faith. Mary Magdalene is the pinnacle of that view as she becomes the one trusted as the first witness of the Resurrection (the credential for being an “Apostle”). I am a little skeptical about the Gnostic Gospels, but there is a gold mine of very positive stories about women in the canonical Hebrew and Christian Scriptures in plain view. Rev. William W. DeHass Chambersburg, Pa.

As a 32-year-old Southern Baptist minister’s wife and women’s Bible teacher, I applaud without reservation “The Bible’s Lost Stories.” Over the past two years, the ladies in my church and I have dedicated ourselves to the study of every woman in Scripture. We have examined their lives and learned that these women were just like women today–some selfish, some powerful, some vengeful, some unassuming, some outspoken, some who were mothers, wives, daughters, employers and so on. While some conservatives cower behind “traditional women’s roles” based on an inaccurate understanding of Scripture and history, I am proud to stand firm on the Word of God, which clearly shows that God is the originator of using the best person for the job and placing value on the person, not the gender. Thank you, NEWSWEEK, for publishing such a wonderful piece. Teri Underwood Brunswick, Ga.

The popularity of Dan Brown’s “The Da Vinci Code” is due in part to the degree of alienation women have been made to feel from their churches. You can accept it as fact or fiction, but the beauty and the brilliance of the book are that it’s got us all talking about things that need to be discussed. Mary E. Carpenter Richmond, Va.

The Bible is an important part of the religious framework used by millions of people in pursuit of truth and happiness. Kenneth L. Woodward’s essay “God’s Woman Trouble” points out the danger of approaching the Bible with a political agenda. In seeking credibility, some feminist revisionists may obscure what the real human search is all about for both men and women. Woodward puts things in perspective. Perhaps it was not a coincidence that his article appeared in the issue dated Dec. 8, the feast day of the Immaculate Conception–a day when millions ask for help and comfort on their long journey by directing their requests to a woman. Walter A. Reed Jr. Houston, Texas

According to Prof. Renita weems, the Madonna is a figure that “we have no relationship with, that we can’t touch and understand because she’s so different from us.” A “relationship” with Mary as practiced by billions of Roman Catholics throughout history is available to all. At any given Catholic church or shrine, people are touching, hugging, rubbing and kissing Mary and decking her out with beads and garlands. They most certainly have a relationship with her–that of a child to its mother–precisely because they consider her “one of us.” Gabrielle LeBlanc Plavecky Stvrtok, Slovakia

The one jarring sentence in “the Bible’s Lost Stories” was the assertion that a “number of scholars have gone back to the original Hebrew texts for a clearer understanding of Eve.” But millions of Jews the world over go “back to the original Hebrew” every week at Sabbath and at weekday services in order to understand the importance of the Bible. In fact, basing any exegesis on translated–i.e., reworked–versions of Scripture is about as fruitful as studying Shakespeare’s “Othello” based on the Italian libretto of Verdi’s “Otello.” Ole J. Thienhaus Las Vegas, Nev.

John Dominic Crossan of DePaul University cautions against reducing the importance of Mary Magdalene to “a sexual connection with Jesus,” if she was indeed married to him. But Crossan seems to be the one denigrating her importance as Jesus’ possible wife. Marriage is supposed to be a partnership. If Mary Magdalene was Jesus’ wife, doesn’t that imply a role and importance in his life above that of the Apostles? Angela Bliss Chicago, Ill.

From the Office of the VP

Of late, NEWSWEEK has resembled the dime-store pulp fiction of a bygone era, replete with wacky conspiracy theories. The latest periscope “exclusive” by Mark Hosenball and Michael Isikoff states unequivocally–and without citing a source–that Vice President Dick Cheney’s “staffers later pushed INC [Iraqi National Congress] info–including defectors’ claims about WMD and terror ties–to bolster the case that Saddam’s government posed a direct threat to America” (“Cheney and the ‘Raw’ Intelligence,” Dec. 15). This charge is unsubstantiated and false. By stating it as unequivocal fact, however, Hosenball and Isikoff “raise new questions”–to borrow their phrase–about their commitment to accuracy and fairness. The truth is that, like other senior administration officials, Vice President Cheney and his staff receive information on intelligence matters in daily briefings provided by the CIA, not from Iraqi expatriates. The office of the vice president did not receive intelligence briefings on weapons of mass destruction or Baghdad’s terror ties from the INC. That unsubstantiated charge was preceded by others in NEWSWEEK’s Nov. 17 cover story, “How Dick Cheney Sold the War.” There NEWSWEEK not only published a headline on its cover that was unsupported by its own article, but also asserted that the vice president had “created a parallel government” and “some kind of private pipe-line for half-baked or fraudulent intelligence.” In a single breathtaking sentence, NEWSWEEK employs the following words: “dupe,” “cabal,” “mysteriously,” “patsy” and even “full-mooners.” That kind of writing speaks for itself and reveals much more about the mind-set of its authors and editors than about its subject. Such language does a disservice to NEWSWEEK’s readers, as well as to the vice president, I. Lewis (Scooter) Libby, John Hannah and others. One paragraph I won’t quarrel with reads, “For years, Cheney had feared–and warned against–a terrorist attack on an American city… [September 11] confirmed his suspicions…” The crucial October 2002 National Intelligence Estimate, containing the consensus of the intelligence community, stated: “We judge that Iraq has continued its weapons of mass destruction program, in defiance of UN resolutions and restrictions. Baghdad has chemical and biological weapons, as well as missiles with ranges in excess of UN restrictions. If left unchecked, it probably will have a nuclear weapon during this decade.” With this in mind, Vice President Cheney concluded in July of this year that “those charged with the security of this nation could not read such an assessment and pretend that it did not exist.” That’s a subject worthy of the considerable talents of Hosenball and Isikoff. Kevin Kellems, Office of the Vice President The White House Washington, D.C.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-25” author: “Brent Green”

The Terminator Triumphs

Congratulations are in order for a striking cover page and photograph. Newsweek’s Oct. 20 cover not only reflects the gubernatorial election in California but also the hopes and dreams of America’s friends abroad. The excellent photograph represents a new wave of bipartisanship, which is an example not only to California but to the rest of the world. E. F. Sonnekus Pretoria, South Africa

I have subscribed to your magazine for eight years and was taken aback by your extensive coverage of the election of an actor as governor of one state of one country in the world (“Arnold’s Earthquake,” Oct. 20). While your magazine dedicated many pages to a self-confessed groper of women turned politician, the selection of a Muslim woman for the Nobel Peace Prize received no more attention, and provided no more information, than a simple and unrevealing interview (“Democracy and Islam,” Oct. 20). With so few female role models who excel at the international level, Shirin Ebadi and her work deserved more. I wish you would give a second thought to your international readers’ interests and the messages you’re sending. Fabiana Travieso Montevideo, Uruguay

The election of Arnold Schwarzenegger confirms it. The United States is a Mickey Mouse society, a joke. Randy Newman’s wonderful song “Follow the Flag” sums it up: voters not thinking, voters ill-informed. Conned by those with too much money. NEWSWEEK, you could start a move to get U.S. citizens to watch public TV and listen to public radio. You could even push for more funding for public TV. Frank O’Brien Melbourne, Australia

I’m astounded by the election in California. I just cannot believe that Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected. He is the image of violence. I mourn for my fellow citizens whom he calls “Brownies.” And this guy is not even American-born. Imagine having as governor a man who confesses to being an admirer of Adolf Hitler. Are you so feeble-minded as to have forgotten the horrors of concentration camps? To have a man who has been denounced for sexual harassment by 17 women? Did Californians buy his image of justice through violence like his “Terminator” movies? Who needs more violence? As J. Krishnamurti said, “Our world is on fire and we don’t do anything about it.” They say, “People choose the government they deserve.” I hope this is not true. Carmen Pouliot Mexico City, Mexico

I can’t help but think of the treatment of Clarence Thomas years ago. If only he’d been a rich, white movie star married to a Kennedy, he could have laughed off accusations of sexual harassment like Schwarzenegger did. But, unlike the latter, Thomas is a real conservative, which is why the media tried to lynch him. Scott Petersen Longjumeau, France

Are the waves of immigrants who are flooding to California a huge liability? If it is such a tsunami-size negative, consider what shape the state would be in if these immigrants did not cross the border into the States. Make them instantly legal and immediately subject to taxation. That way, you’d give them–and California–a fair deal. Michael G. Driver Ichihara City, Japan

Ronald Reagan, an American-born mediocre actor, made it to the top because he had a vision and he used the tools he acquired through his job to impress his audience. Arnold Schwarzenegger, an immigrant, won the headlines because though he may not have a particular and personal vision to propose, he embodies the willingness and the energy to invent the solutions for the hard challenges that we will surely have to face in the years to come. As they say, “For the times, they are a-changin’.” Sergio Cigliuti Eilat, Israel

Schwarzenegger’s victory is a proof of democracy, for though Schwarzenegger is not an unknown, he is an immigrant and a self-made man. I hope that those countries where democracy still does not prevail, or those where only dynasties can rule, will follow the example of California’s electorate. Rishy Bukoree Curepipe, Mauritius

Schwarzenegger was in the right place at the right time with the best recipe for a political career: fame, determination, brilliant directors and his Kennedy connection. I hope he can transform California into what Californians have been yearning for, and that he will prevail the way he does in most of his movies. Ditas A. Fernandez Dagupan City, Philippines

Schwarzenegger seems to be a decent enough guy, and anybody, experienced or otherwise, has the right to run for governor. The issue here is a voting public that made Schwarzenegger an instant favorite in an election to lead America’s biggest state based only on knowing of his body-building exploits and Hollywood movies. The ignorance and irresponsibility of the voting public never ceases to astound me. Jonathan I. Klein Huntington Beach, California

Justifying the Iraq War

I was sad to read Fareed Zakaria’s Oct. 20 column, “Why the War Was Right.” If policemen started killing criminals in the streets they might get rid of a problem. But they also create insecurity, fear and lawlessness. Vigilantism is forbidden everywhere except in U.S. international relations. Saddam Hussein’s fall was good, but how it was achieved is as important. Saddam was wrong, and so was the “war.” Ends do not justify the means. President George W. Bush has done more damage than Saddam. International rogue cops aren’t my idea of “right.” Jose Guilherme Soares

If Zakaria had ever participated in a war, he would never have used the word “right,” as war is never right for those who suffer through it or die for it. Furthermore, he accuses the French of being “perfidious,” which is almost equivalent to being treacherous. This is not appropriate because the French merely said plainly what millions of people felt–that war is never right. T. Stanek Chatellerault, France

Those who demonstrated against the American-led invasion of Iraq reminded me of the many who had opposed Britain and the United States when they took a military stand against Hitler. Chamberlain’s appeasement had been their way. We will never know for sure how much more evil would have been perpetrated by Saddam had he kept his grip on power; in the case of Hitler, we know. Esa Aittokallio Piikkio, Finland

So, you “persiste et signe”–“persist and sign”–as we perfidious French used to say. Were you right in saying that the war “would create a new Middle East where Israel could survive in security, where borders would open, trade would flourish, the road to peace between Israelis and Palestinians would go though Baghdad… as the city would become an example of prosperity, tolerance and coexistence”? Every reliable journalist knows what happened in Iraq. One question: what’s the meaning of that war when the obvious victor does not prepare for peace? Therese Remlinger-Toure Paris, France

America has never acted in the interest of other nations and their peoples, whether they be Iraqis or Afghans. It always acts in its own interests. We are living in a global village where everyone knows what is happening. The arrogance in Zakaria’s article indicates how little he understands–or cares about–world sentiment. If America still does not know why the world resents its foreign policy, it never will. Zakaria’s column is all about “we, we, we.” Will it take another World Trade Center tragedy for America to finally realize how arrogant it looks on the world stage? Who selected America as savior of the world? It wouldn’t dare try “saving” Tibet or Chechnya: or getting in the face of Russia or China. But Afghanistan and Iraq are not protected by strong allies and the Arab world is not united. It’s time now for the old refrain “Yankee, go home.” John Sampson Windhoek, Namibia

Calling Saddam a threat is ridiculous. That might have been true 10 or more years ago, but after so many years of sanctions, Saddam had nothing left but old-fashioned tanks, no Air Force and an Army that would not fight. The real threats are North Korea and America’s friends Pakistan and Israel, all of them possessing nuclear weapons or nuclear-weapon technology. But then, you do not have the guts to write about Israel’s crimes against humanity. Paul Spreuwenberg Landgraaf, Netherlands

Zakaria’s attempt at maintaining that the invasion of Iraq was right only serves to highlight the reasons that that invasion was wrong. He concedes that all the reasons invoked by the United States and Britain for war were false or unjustified, and yet he says he has no regrets about supporting the invasion. His only argument for this boils down to a need to “transform the Arab world.” It is precisely this idea that the world needs to be shaped to the will of the United States that makes this invasion all the more an unjustifiable act of pure arrogance. Miguel Prudencio Leiden, Netherlands

The United States has no right to exercise its will on other countries; nobody has given it the right to demolish regimes that are not to its liking. It is up to the people of a country to dispossess the tyrannical regime without outside interference. America needs to mind its own business. The country that has committed the worst crime against humanity by dropping atom bombs on Japan has no moral right to preach good behavior to other countries. Let America destroy its own weapons of mass destruction before pointing fingers at others. It won the war with Iraq but lost the good will of people worldwide. If it continues in this fashion, it will become friendless in the future. Anantharamiah Srikantaiah Bangalore, India

With ‘Friends’ Like These…

With the ills of the world pressing on Americans like a severe case of pleurisy, it is unfortunate that NEWSWEEK chose to focus on the sitcom “Friends.” With the war in Iraq and domestic issues such as unemployment and health care at the forefront of American minds, who cares about Monica, Chandler, Ross and the rest? Many Americans, out of work and out of luck, can’t relate to actors who receive more than $1 million per episode for “working” in television. Barry J. Palm Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

The “Friends” recipe for success seems to be three socially stunted men, two self-absorbed neurotic control-freak women. Blend in tasteless sexual and bathroom humor, marinate for 30 minutes and repeat weekly for 10 seasons. You say the future of the TV sitcom isn’t pretty. And this was? Wendy Dackson East Aurora, New York

After your excellent coverage of the current research of autism affecting children and adults and the heart-wrenching report on American families devastated by the continuing unrest in Iraq, I was disgusted by your story on the pampered, egotistical actors on a show that has yet to convince me why it has merited so much hype all these years. Of all the possible news stories, I cannot imagine why NEWSWEEK, to which I have subscribed for many more years than this program has been on television, would waste so much paper on this sitcom. Tim Cartwright St. Cloud, Florida

Hallelujah! Finally the end of one of the most dimwitted, shallow sitcoms in TV history. This show has contributed to our national dumbing down by spawning a deluge of nitwit imitators (“Coupling” is the worst). “Friends” is one of the reasons laughter is so scarce and sitcoms are in intensive care on life support. Dan O’Neill Los Angeles, California

How disturbing that foul language was considered relevant to the article on the final season of “Friends.” I work with sixth graders and can assure you that for some there is already a lot of foul language going into their heads and out of their mouths. By writing articles that will likely be read by teens, you assume a measure of stewardship over them. Marlies Buchmueller via internet

The glowing, flattering tone of your story on “Friends” failed to recognize that there are many who think the show has overstayed its welcome by about three seasons. The cast, a group of attractive, talented comedic actors, cannot overcome inferior scripts. The sophomoric humor relies way too heavily on the recurring theme of casual sex. The story line involving Ross and Rachel’s on-again-off-again relationship and their dating exploits with other partners, despite the birth of their baby, is offensive. There is not now, nor was there ever, believable chemistry between Monica and Chandler. (Who in her right mind would choose Chandler Bing over any character portrayed by Tom Selleck?) Whiny Monica, ditzy Phoebe and self-centered Rachel have become tired, annoying cliches, and the guys are basically clueless buffoons. I used to love watching the show. Now I’d just love to see it go away. Katherine Robbins Baltimore, Maryland

If the networks are so desperate for a sitcom that Americans will watch, then they should give us a chance to submit ideas. Hollywood shows are created by folks living in an artificial world, and the door is closed to anyone outside it and without representation. The freshest ideas exist out in the real world, where we viewers live. I’m a real person who has created a show about love that has demographic appeal crossing age, gender and racial divides–and it’s damn funny, too. Producers, your next big hit is sitting on my desk. Elizabeth Berke Brookline, Massachusetts

You write about “Friends” with such praise and awe. Yet everyone I know agrees that, though the show was once very good, it lost its touch and should have ended some time ago. In the earlier seasons viewers could relate to the characters, but not since the show turned into a poorly written soap opera. One of the smartest decisions made by the “Seinfeld” cast was to end the show after its ninth season, leaving viewers wanting more. That’s why I stick to watching “Seinfeld” reruns: the networks haven’t produced any other quality sitcoms, and I’m all “Friends”-ed out! Erin Green Cambridge, Massachusetts

The loss of “Friends” is very sad, but it is not devastating. Bigger and better sitcoms (for instance, “Seinfeld” and “Cheers”) have come and gone, and we have gotten along just fine without them. Though “Friends” has shaped the way my generation has viewed sitcoms, there will be other shows. The “Friends” characters themselves, however, are some of the finest ever invented. Forgetting Chandler or Joey or the rest of the gang would be a crime among “Friends” devotees. I wish the “Friends” actors and actresses all the very best for gracing the screens of America’s living rooms for nine wonderful years. Erin Sucher via internet

Oh, dear, what is America going to do now that we’re running out of good sitcoms? In the past nine years I’ve watched perhaps five of the 223 episodes of “Friends,” and I could never figure out what it was that drew the audience back every week. Yet somehow my life is filled with joy and wonder. Maybe once all the “good” sitcoms have gone away, millions of Americans will discover what I’ve known for years: a good book beats a great sitcom any night of the week. Susan Docksey Gunnin Breckenridge, Colorado

A Dangerous Leak

The scandal over a White House leak resulted in the loss of a valuable undercover agent and endangered those with whom she worked. These people make the decisions for my country? Leeza Holguin-McBride San Antonio, Texas

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-19” author: “Sharon Larry”

To Catch a Tyrant

The apprehension of Saddam Hussein by the Coalition forces (“How We Got Saddam,” Dec. 22) is a victory for the Bush administration and the long-oppressed Iraqi people. More significantly, it is a victory for the forces of reason and morality. The message conveyed to other homicidal maniacs still at large, notably Osama bin Laden and Liberia’s Charles Taylor, is that they may run and hide but inevitably, they will be brought to justice. To Robert Mugabe and his ilk, the capture of Saddam redefines the dynamism of political power and the rule of law, emphasizing that criminal abuse of authority will not go unchallenged or unpunished in this modern era. Considering the whole basis of Saddam’s tyranny was the dehumanization of his fellow men, the appropriate punishment would be to humiliate him rather than execute him. Ludovick Simon Mwijage Copenhagen, Denmark

As a happy reader of NEWSWEEK for 25 years, I was distressed to read your account of the capture of Saddam Hussein. President Bush–who, as governor of Texas, approved 152 death sentences (many for extremely dubious reasons) and whose respect for international law is nonexistent–claims that as a POW, Saddam will be protected by the Geneva Convention. I’m not surprised that this administration is unaware of the convention’s ban on degrading treatment of prisoners of war, but I’m shocked and disgusted that NEWSWEEK–in line with less dignified tabloids and TV stations–succumbed to the temptation of serving as their helpers. Funny captions like “Open Wide and Say ‘Ah’,” accompanied by pictures of an oral exam of the captive, are degrading and thus banned by any standard of protection of POWs. As a member of Amnesty International, I have campaigned against this prisoner and his horrible deeds for 20 years. We knew he was a butcher in the days when the U.S. government supported his war campaign in Iran. We knew he was a torturer all along, but no one cared as long as he was useful. As a nurse working with his wartime refugees back in the ’80s, I have seen enough of what Saddam and his henchmen could do to innocent people. I welcome his capture with all my heart, but please show him and his followers that our way of doing things is superior to his. Lars Petersson London, England

Decades of horror, decades of cruelty against Iraqis, and not a word of compassion from other countries. Is it because the ones who suffered under Saddam were just poor people? It is ironic that now, when Saddam is held prisoner, Amnesty International solemnly announces his right to a fair and just trial. Ernesto Ricou Lausanne, Switzerland

Congratulations on the capture of Saddam. I’m happy to learn that he was picked up from an undefended miserable rat hole. Now justice can take its course. In light of the European cackle, America has again demonstrated its will, determination and capability to act against evil. How pitiful it is to listen to the French and German rhetoric that only underlines the fact that America is the one trustworthy leader of the free world. Erik G. Jacobsen Graasten, Denmark

Leaders from countries that had opposed the war are now congratulating President Bush. They want to have their part in rebuilding Iraq. What hypocrisy! Antonio Sinigaglia Tencarola, Italy

“How We Got Saddam”? Really! Was NEWSWEEK also looking for Saddam? Please don’t forget that, like all other media outlets covering the war, you are supposed to be neutral. Nelson Kamau Nairobi, Kenya

It’s a relief that the former Iraqi dictator has finally been caught by U.S. forces. The crimes he committed in the two decades of his brutal rule are too horrific to be condoned. If proved guilty, Saddam should be given the death penalty so that those whom he oppressed can see justice being done. Now that the Devil is detained, awaiting trial, his long-suffering people can relax and start rebuilding their country into a peaceful, stable and prosperous state. Jim Victa Hipolito Kawit, Philippines

We should applaud George W. Bush for capturing a debilitated former tyrant hidden in a hole. Everyone should be proud of Bush for the prowess of his high-tech Army involved, for months, in the hunt of a lonely man. We should consider this great military victory as an endorsement of Bush’s Iraq policy despite the fact that no WMDs have been found, despite the continuing damage to the Iraqi spirit and despite the lack of Iraqis’ confidence in the good will of the occupying Army. As Fareed Zakaria said, “The ‘Republic of Fear’ is dead” (Dec. 22). But the ‘Republic of a National Reconciliation’ is still far from alive. Thanks, President Bush. Pierre Tran St-Antonin-Noble-Val, France

No matter what one thinks of the crimes of Saddam Hussein, he did promote basic education and health services, he improved the condition of women, he preserved religious freedom, he respected the poor and he remained a faithful friend of the Palestinian people. For these reasons, many of us–in Iraq and elsewhere–will miss him. Although the message is not politically correct for the U.S. and British governments, the facts remain: you know whom you lose, but you do not know whom you will get. J. Michel Baryla Puteaux, France

Your article used seven adjectives to describe the tyrant. Speaking for the millions who opposed the war, I say one word is enough to describe your president–greedy. For me, the $25 million question isn’t who leaked the information about Saddam’s hideout. Frankly, I don’t even care what happens to him. The real question is, “Where are the weapons of mass destruction?” As far as I can see, the only reason the United States attacked Iraq is for its vast oilfields. If it were all about weapons of mass destruction, North Korea has repeatedly said it has nuclear weapons. Are you listening, Mr. Bush? If you’re as interested in world peace as you preach, let your actions speak louder than your words. K. C. Prasanna Katmandu, Nepal

You talk tough, President Bush. But if I may paraphrase, I find it interesting that when the heat was on, you hid from the Viet Cong in the Air National Guard. Stephen Burns Los Angeles, California

Evan Thomas and Rod Nordland describe Saddam as a tyrant, terrorist and murderer. But what about President Bush? Who invited him to attack Iraq? If Saddam was an oppressor of people’s rights and a murderer, it was up to the people of Iraq to deal with him. The United States had no business interfering in the internal affairs of a sovereign nation. The war waged by George W. Bush and Tony Blair was an unauthorized, illegitimate and unwarranted war. It was fought on the illusion that Saddam possessed WMD. But up to now, no such weapons have been found. For waging an uncalled for war, Bush and Blair should face trial. It was not Bush’s business to punish Saddam, it was for the Iraqis to decide. Even the credit for catching Saddam does not belong to the United States: one of Saddam’s relatives, attracted by the millions of dollars offered as a prize for information about his whereabouts, led to his capture. Anantharamaiah Srikantaiah Bangalore, India

So Saddam Hussein–murderer and possessor of WMD–is finally caught like a rat, hiding in a “spider hole” in a farm near his hometown, not far from one of the palaces he had built for himself. And everyone is raising a high-five and slapping each other’s back in the misguided belief that they have begun to see the light at the end of the tunnel. But they should not begin to celebrate the end of terrorism, weapons of mass destruction and mass graves yet. The political, economic, social, religious and environmental problems–the causes of terrorism–bedeviling the world are still present. There has been no conscious effort to address them. We are fighting the effect instead of the cause; the symptom, not the disease. Arthur Zulu via internet

I don’t like the idea of any nation’s possessing the power to eradicate all life on earth. This includes the almighty United States, however civilized and just it claims to be. I do not understand the mentality that seems to prevail in the States–a mentality that seems to say, “It’s all right for us to have WMD, but God help the others who try to cross that threshold.” Nor do I understand the idea that “We are always right” or, even worse, “President Bush is always right.” Matias Korhonen Gaborone, Botswana

Lord, Not the President’s Men

After enduring George W. Bush and all those adherents on his staff that you chose to put on your covers and featured as topics of your cover stories and Special Reports far too often in 2002 and 2003, I found it absolutely delightful to enjoy something so completely different as “Hail to the Rings” on your Dec. 1 cover. Thanks for a behind-the-scenes report about what I also consider a masterly achievement in filmmaking, based on the fine piece of literature that J.R.R.Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” is. Cornelia Baschek Marl, Germany

Choosing the Right Statin

Apropos your Nov. 24 Tip Sheet item, “Superstatins to the Rescue,” I’d like to point out that the choice of a brand of statin should not be dictated by chance or faith in the pharmaceutical industry’s marketing. Doctor choice and patient demand should converge on statins that have been shown to be efficient and effective in reducing total and/or cardiovascular mortality. Taking a statin that reduces LDL levels more actively doesn’t mean that one can reduce his or her mortality rate. Hence, in secondary prevention (statin use starts after the occurrence of a cardiovascular event) up to now, only pravastatin and simvastatin have been shown to reduce cardiovascular mortality, independently of basal LDL levels for simvastatin. Thus the ability of a statin to reduce LDL level shouldn’t influence doctors. If you’re a patient, ask your doctor for the statin that effectively reduces mortality rate; don’t worry about the LDL or care about brands. Atul Pathak, M.D. Assistant Professor in Pharmacology University Hospital of Toulouse Toulouse, France

Smoke Gets in Europe’s Eyes

Thanks for your article “Smoke-less Europe” (Nov. 3). We have just returned from a six-week visit to Europe and found the smoking in restaurants and similar public places totally unacceptable. Europe smells just like one big ashtray and seriously affected our health on this trip. Although we do enjoy European scenery, we have no intention of returning there until this problem is resolved. Graeme and Sybil Walker West End, Australia

I was appalled to see once again that there is no one to speak for smokers in your article about smoking in Europe. As smokers, we have been bombarded with messages for years, and now we are officially discriminated against by the health fascists. Bans and odious nonsmoking signs appear in Europe following the illustrious example of active intolerance and humiliation in America–so much for that country’s much-vaunted freedom! All the press is against us, and it seems that whoever dares express an opinion that goes against the trend is silenced. Who said that Puritanism is dead? Of course, they forget one thing: the forbidden is always the most sought after. George Koumparellis London, England

Your article about the anti-smoking policies implemented in certain European countries correctly indicated that the situation in Europe is entirely different from that in the United States, in particular in the legal arena. However, we noted some information that was either inaccurate or incomplete. First of all, the French state has never filed a lawsuit against tobacco manufacturers. The lawsuit you mention in the article resulted from the claim filed by the Saint-Nazaire Health Insurance Office (CPAM.) It was a local initiative taken solely by the board of directors of the Saint-Nazaire CPAM, which is an independent corporation that manages a social-security service. The claim was in fact ruled inadmissible by the Tribunal de Grande Instance (regional court) last September on the ground that a CPAM may not institute legal proceedings against third parties due to illness contracted by its insured parties. Furthermore, in contrast to what the article states, the Altadis Group has not lost any lawsuit to date. On the contrary, it has won 12 tobacco-related lawsuits in Spain, France and Poland. In particular, Altadis has won the two appeals filed against it in Spain, as well as the Gourlain case in France, which was also appealed. The eight other legal actions mentioned in the article are still awaiting decisions. Isabelle Ockrent Vice President, Corporate Communications Altadis Paris, France

Your story on the so-called war on big tobacco sounds too good to be true. It suggests rationality is finally having its way. Since smoking in the presence of non-smokers can clearly be seen as an act of physical injury, it could easily be legally prohibited. However, even the slightest idea of measures to protect nonsmokers causes an uproar of protests. As long as democratically elected politicians are dependent on the votes of an addicted majority, smokers can relax, and nonsmokers are bound to suffer. There will just be, at times, an argument about taxes or advertising rights. One number highlights the dilemma: the EU subsidizes its tobacco industry with 1 billion a year! As for Germany, the recent tax hike was not related to health–it was pure fiscal policy. An originally planned steeper increase in the tobacco tax was canceled because the government feared declining consumption. Does one need to say anything more? Werner Breitenstein Stutensee, Germany

NAFTA’s Ill Effects?

Your Nov. 24 article “Lula’s Balancing Act” seems to ignore NAFTA’s ill effects on Mexico. This leads me to believe that the perilous “balancing act” is for all Latin American countries that would follow the Mexican government’s treaty with Canada and the United States. Basilio Rojas Martinez Ciudad Satelite, Mexico

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-19” author: “William Brown”

Did Our Intelligence Fail?

Before the Iraq war, I argued with people repeatedly over its necessity and justification. I supported the war for reasons beyond just the WMD, but part of my argument included WMD and the threat Iraq posed to the world. When the “major hostilities” ended, I thought that while we might not find tons of biological- or chemical-weapon stockpiles, they existed and would eventually be found, as the Bush administration assured us. Now after reading your Feb. 9 cover story, " ‘We Were All Wrong,’ " and the news reports about David Kay’s findings, I am embarrassed, and must admit to those with whom I argued that I was wrong. The United States lost its credibility and more than 500 lives for what President Bush repeatedly said were irrefutable facts about Iraq’s WMD and their threat to us and the rest of the world. David Goldberg New York, N.Y.

The decades-long humanitarian abuse by Saddam Hussein and his regime was enough to justify the war in Iraq. I’m appalled at the news media’s attempts to exaggerate President Bush and his administration’s “failure” to come up with WMD. Our brave and respected servicemen and -women have captured a sick and evil man who no longer poses a threat to the rest of the world. In the end, even if we never find the WMD, we are all in a better place. Bryn Inman Zionsville, Ind.

Your Feb. 9 cover examining the Iraq intelligence mess asks, “Will Anyone Pay?” Scores of U.S. servicemen and -women and Iraqi civilians already have. C. Garvey Rochester, Minn.

If we focus on the politics of bad intelligence rather than the lessons that can and must be learned, then we will surely be “condemned to repeat it.” When, for example, a bridge collapses, the salient issue is how to prevent future collapses, not whom to blame and how to profit. Carl A. Singer Passaic, N. J.

“What Went Wrong?” is an excellent piece of journalism that deserves commendation for presenting a candid and coherent chronology of facts. The report also raises many questions that need forthright answers. In the absence of WMD, Bush’s list of other justifications for war seems immaterial when compared to the carnage and chaos we reaped and our loss of credibility in the world. Who will respond the next time we cry wolf? Sandra H. Mitchell Warrenton, Va.

Bill Clinton, Madeleine Albright, Tom Daschle, John Kerry, Nancy Pelosi and Ted Kennedy, among other Democrats, have stated in the past that without doubt Saddam Hussein was developing weapons of mass destruction. John Kerry voted to go to war because of this and had said that President Bush was doing the right thing. The president tried for a year to get help to rid the world of Saddam Hussein and was finally given the go-ahead vote–by Republicans and many Democrats–to invade. Richard Gibbens Robichaux Thibodaux, La.

In the unlikely case that our leadership got it so wrong, they should be rejected at the polls for incompetence. More likely, if they knew all along they were wrong and lied to us, they should be impeached. Prior to going to war in Iraq, the administration claimed to have proof–let’s see it and settle this question once and for all. Ian Reynolds San Antonio, Texas

Hallelujah, I’m a Liberal

I was thrilled to see Kathleen Fox’s article about being a “born-again liberal” (“Praise the Lord! [And Howard Dean, Too],” My Turn, Feb. 9). On any given day, I find myself defending Christianity to my Democratic friends or my being a Democrat to my Christian friends. I grew up in an Irish-Catholic American home, and all my relatives were Democrats and pro-life. In today’s world, we may seem an anomaly, but there are a lot of us out here. Barbara McWilliams Petaluma, Calif.

Perhaps nothing is so frightening in America as the belief by many “Christian” fundamentalists that Republicans are the “party of God,” since they oppose abortion and homosexuality, two issues that, ironically, Jesus said nothing about. What he did condemn explicitly and frequently was the evil of wealth. (Remember the camel passing through the eye of a needle?) The Republicans have steadfastly enacted policies that give more money to the wealthiest Americans and deprive the poor of programs that help them. Jesus, and the Democrats, are for the working people and the poor. Kerry Miller Ft. Wayne, Ind.

The First Wives’ Club

I agree with Anna Quindlen that the behavior, personality or character of a candidate’s wife (or husband) is sometimes immaterial, but sometimes it isn’t (“Slogan, Signs, Flag, Spouse,” Feb. 9). Candidate Bill Clinton made a point of reminding us that if we elected him, we were getting two for the price of one. And indeed we did. Depending on one’s point of view, that was either a triumph of a bright spouse making a contribution, or an unelected opportunist making decisions for a powerless electorate. Rand L. Werbitt Ridgefield, Conn.

Anna Quindlen addresses the role of wives in politics and concludes that they are essentially powerless and analogous to a political prop. I must respectfully disagree. Political wives–especially the First Lady–carry a great amount of clout and are effective policymakers when their husbands are in office. Hillary Clinton was integral to the formation of education policy during her husband’s term and was arguably the other half of that presidency. This is not a recent trend, however. Abigail Adams was a large part of John Adams’s life and more than likely a policymaker (or at least a strong influence) through her husband. Quindlen gives the role of the political wife too little power or credit for her influence. David Orinski Bethlehem, Pa.

For Rich and For Poor

Self-described college conservative Ryan Gorsche complains that John Kerry “rants against the economy of privilege” even though Kerry himself is privileged and wealthy (“The Real Kerry,” Feb. 9). In reality, the beauty of Kerry and his candidacy lies specifically in that combination: he enjoys immense privilege, but he is not so myopic and arrogant that he forgets the millions of people in lesser circumstances. Let’s face it: whoever is president enjoys a bounty of power and privilege, otherwise he or she would not likely have made it to the presidency. The important thing is that this person recognize that there are common folk out there and that what’s good for them is also important for the common good. George W. Bush runs a “let them eat cake” presidency. John Kerry may live in a world of yachts and heiresses, but he is one who would say, “Let them eat what we eat, for we all eat together.” Stacey Freedenthal St. Louis, Mo.

Ryan Gorsche calls John Kerry “obviously disingenuous,” aghast that this Brahmin could claim to care for everyday Americans. Gorsche apparently feels one can represent only the interests of one’s peers, natural enough for a young Republican reared on Bush’s representation of only his fellow rich and privileged. But Franklin D. Roosevelt, a paradigm of the elite, did more for the common man than any president in our history. There is nothing illogical about Kerry’s faithfully representing these everyday Americans. We would all benefit from a better knowledge of history, particularly those who spread unsupported opinions like Gorsche’s. Andrew Martin Chicago, Ill.

A New Global Consensus

In “The One-Note Superpower” (Feb. 2), Fareed Zakaria incorrectly observes that the United States is focused exclusively on the war on terrorism and is missing “the long view.” The Bush administration is deeply engaged with the world community in reducing poverty, accelerating economic growth, fighting disease and hunger, eliminating corruption and enhancing environmental stewardship. We’ve forged a new consensus on development in order to lift people out of poverty. And it provides unprecedented new resources. Last year President Bush committed the United States to a $5 billion increase over three years in our development assistance to poor countries. The president is on track to meet his $15 billion, five-year commitment to fight the global pandemics of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. The president’s commitment to helping our global neighbors break free from the shackles of poverty, crippling disease, despair and environmental degradation is essential to fostering a safer, more secure and hopeful world. John F. Turner, Asst. Secretary, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, State Dept. Washington, D.C.

Better Left Unsaid

Some friends and I have an expression we call “oversharing,” which occurs when someone moves beyond titillating secrets into the realm of just-this-side-of-tasteless. While I applaud NEWSWEEK’s commitment to presenting varied content, your Jan. 19 periscope item, “Brazilians for Boys,” contained a perfect example of oversharing by discussing the new trend of hair removal from men’s private parts. I’ll fight to the death for my right to know, but I don’t believe I’ll sleep any better having learned that heterosexual men are following their gay counterparts by having the hair (painfully) waxed from their testicles! Nancy Johnson Eureka, Mo.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-29” author: “Teri Robinson”

Technology and Babymaking

How timely! We just celebrated the first birthday of our twin girls, born using pre implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) techniques, but not because we were selfish enough to want to select the gender of our offspring (“Brave New Babies,” Jan. 26). We had struggled not only through the difficulties of infertility but also through multiple miscarriages, including the loss of a singleton and a set of triplets. It was determined that we had a propensity for developing genetically nonviable embryos, and PGD was our hope not only for a healthy family but for any family at all. Shame on those women who believe they have a right to choose gender for gender’s sake. With the increasing numbers of women (and men) who suffer through the burdens of infertility, the women you featured should be grateful to have a child at all. Judith C. McCaffrey, M.D. Tampa, Fla.

As the mother of two wonderful young boys and the younger sister of three brothers, I read with deep understanding the stories of those who wished to welcome a daughter into their families. My husband and I share that desire, and after much research, detailed applications, depleted savings, family loans and patience, our daughter was born–to a young, unmarried woman in South Korea. When my husband and I spoke of our desire to parent a girl, we considered using science to guarantee that my next pregnancy would result in a daughter. But we realized that the desire was ultimately about us, not about the general well-being and balance of our family. In many countries social and political reasons make girls available for adoption. Why use resources meant for couples with fertility issues for your own desires to parent a child of a specific gender when so many girls are in need of loving families? Mollye Readinger-Scott Ardmore, Pa.

As a feminist who grew up being told that girls can’t compete in math contests, I can’t help but feel a vengeful elation that someday countries like my husband’s homeland of India, which abort female fetuses, will feel the sting of a lopsided population and learn to appreciate what girls offer society by seeing what life is like without them (“No Girls, Please”). Americans’ selecting a child of one gender (when no health issues are involved) is equivalent to paying thousands of dollars to make sure you do not have a child of the opposite gender. That’s a frightening dislike for your own genetic offspring who isn’t the “desired sex.” When implanted babies turn out to be of the “wrong” gender, do their parents look at them as a waste of money? Lucinda Famous New York, N.Y.

We not only chose the sex of our child, we chose the age! How? We adopted, returning home from Russia last summer with our new daughter. With millions of children in the world who need homes, I was glad to see that at least one of the families NEWSWEEK profiled considered adoption prior to bringing another person into this world. Valerie Beeman Portola Valley, Calif.

Your article about how some countries sanction the abortion of fetuses known to be female (“No Girls, Please”) reminds me of the saying we’ve all repeated, “Where would we be without our mothers?” It’s the most terrible of ironies, if you think about it. Weren’t our mothers once babies? How does a society perpetuate itself under such a hideous policy? John Kanelis Amarillo, Texas

Couples using the various methods such as MicroSort, PGD or Ericsson may get the right genitals, but there is no guarantee that their child’s gender identity will be congruent. A certain small percentage of all children born are innately transgender or transsexual. What will parents do when they discover their “chosen” child is the gender they did not want? I was glad to see your reporter, Claudia Kalb, talk about the ethics and morals of this process, and I must agree with the European countries that ban it, and suggest the United States do the same–and quickly. Moonhawk River Stone Schenectady, N.Y.

I spent many years trying to conceive a child, finally succeeding through IVF/ICSI. My husband and I would have given our right arms to have a baby, any baby, regardless of sex. I’m saddened and not a little outraged that those who have no trouble conceiving a baby and carrying it to term would place such emphasis on having a child of a particular sex. It strikes me as petty and ungrateful, and I have no sympathy for parents who are unhappy that they didn’t have a son or a daughter. These parents won the lottery when they conceived their other children in the privacy of their own homes. Susan Eaton Nashua, N.H.

As an adopted child, I can think of nothing more insulting to women who are unable to conceive than women who can, but aren’t satisfied unless their unborn child’s gender is determined in advance. This issue speaks volumes to the self-centered, spoiled and juvenile mind-set that has permeated our culture. To all women capable of conceiving: count your blessings and go raise your children to be hardworking and compassionate members of our society. Jeff Kramer North Royalton, Ohio

I found your article about PGD disturbing. I support those who use PGD to ensure a healthy baby, but spending $18,000 to try to achieve “family balance” or get the girl you’ve “always wanted” seems frivolous in light of the medically uninsured or underinsured, and of all the children in the world waiting to be adopted. I was horrified to read about the four MicroSort pregnancies that were terminated because of “nondesired gender,” and the dai in India who will render a living female baby stillborn if paid the fee of 80 cents. There are many infertile couples (whose medical treatment is rarely covered by insurance) who long for a child of any gender. Erica Richardson canton, Ohio

Gender technology may answer prayers for some, but it also raises some troubling questions. Not only are these questions of a moral and ethical nature; they touch on the social relations and mental health of the children so produced. How will the preferred ones relate to their parents and siblings knowing they were specially chosen by the parents? What happens to these children? How they feel is of secondary concern as long as their parents get the “total joy” they wanted. Vukani Nyirenda Inglewood, Calif.

You didn’t mention that replacement birthrate (two children per couple) is highly desirable from an environmental standpoint (“One, Two, Three or More?”). It seems exceedingly selfish to pursue offspring because “that moment in the delivery room… ‘really is Christmas morning’.” That moment in any industrialized nation, especially the United States, results in massive consumption of resources and concomitant debris, which has an impact on the quality of life all over the globe. I marvel at how large families are often equated with goodness and selflessness. I see quite the opposite: an egocentrism that says we deserve to be replicated ad infinitum, while pursuing a reckless lack of consideration for others. Mary B. King Lincoln, Neb.

I realized when I was pregnant with my second son that gender bias begins in the womb. When we found out that we were having another boy, I was totally unprepared for the reactions from people, friends and strangers alike. Responses to what I felt was great news ranged from the disappointed “Oh, that’s OK” to the ridiculous “Well, you can still try for a girl, right?” Since when is an ideal family defined as having one (or more) of each? We should be grateful for what we have, and also not assume that a mother of boys is longing for a daughter or a father with girls is pining for a son. Stephanie Dunlap Leesburg, Va.

I am the proud mother of a precious 2-year-old girl named Madison who just happens to have Down syndrome. I read the article referring to MicroSort, the technology used to sort sperm according to gender. While I am not against this practice, I’m appalled that someone would describe my child as a “major malformation” just because she happens to have Down syndrome. Penny Foster via internet

Editor’s Note: “Major malformation” is a medical term still used by some health practitioners to characterize Down syndrome. However, the preferred description for the birth defect, used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is “chromosomal abnormality.” We did not intend to offend any readers.

For the Books

The Jan. 26 Tip Sheet item “The Word on Books” says that Random House “marks first editions with the number two.” This is inaccurate on a couple of levels. The Random House division of Random House, Inc., used to mark first editions with a printing line (number line) concluding with a 2 (as in 98765432) and the words “First Edition.” When we went to a second printing, the words “First Edition” were eliminated from the copyright page, leaving the number 2 as an indication that the book was, in fact, a second printing. However, complaints from confused book collectors inspired us with-in the last 12 months to start following the system used by most other publishers, and our first editions are now indicated by the words “First Edition” and with the digit 1. As both someone who helps make books and someone who collects them, I thought the article was otherwise very helpful. Benjamin Dreyer, Managing Editor/Copy Chief The Random House Publishing Group New York, N.Y.

On Both Sides of the Barrel

As a longtime NRA member and holder of a state-issued handgun carry permit, I thought I’d be dismayed by the anti-gun views expressed by Alice H.G. Phillips (“Living in Different States of Mind,” My Turn, Jan. 26). Instead I was encouraged by her account of her relationship with her boyfriend, a gun dealer who, judging by her story, is deeply involved in promoting gun ownership, shooting sports and activities relating thereof. While gun-rights and anti-gun organizations put forth their agendas with equally strident rhetoric, Phillips’s essay is a poignant metaphor demonstrating the principle that it is possible–and laudable–for people on opposite sides of the issue to live in harmony and work toward a life that is of mutual benefit to all. That is what the America I love is all about. V. R. Gleason Missouri City, Texas

Alice H.G. Phillips’s article re-establishes the elitist ideas that motivate those who want to edit the Bill of Rights. Not only does a patronizing attitude toward Southerners dominate her piece, but the prevailing idea is that “social liberalism” ultimately makes a better, more accepted person. One of the best things about America is that people have different ideas. We have our rights, plain and simple, and teaching others to minimize or be ashamed of these rights is to undo the very principles that helped create this country. Kelley McNabb Chattanooga, Tenn.

How would Alice H.G. Phillips characterize my affection for shooting sports? I have owned firearms for more than 40 years, have a license from the state to carry and buy weapons, have been employed as a high-school teacher for 34 years, have two college degrees, am active in my church and am a member of my town’s Conservation Commission. Do I fit into her stereotype of the gun owner? There are millions of gun owners in the United States who don’t cause anyone any problem, but are constantly misrepresented in the media for doing something that is legal and heavily regulated by state and federal laws. We play by the rules because we don’t wish to break one of the many laws that control our passion, nor do we wish to make an error that could cost someone his or her life. Peter Jezierny Seymour, Conn.

If Alice H.G. Phillips wants her sons to mature into gentle and loving young men, she needs to lead by example and kick her redneck, gun-soliciting boyfriend to the curb. As an educated 38-year-old woman, I have some dating wisdom for Phillips: if he brought an M-16 on your first date, run! Jane E. Donadio Andover, N.J.

Yarns for All Ages

Thank you for giving those of us who love to stitch and bitch our due credit (“Rock-and-Roll Knitters,” Jan. 26). I loved the article, and it validates the craze that is sweeping the nation. Knit or crochet, worsted weight or angora: I’m in love with the craft. It is relaxing, productive and downright fun. Thank you for doing away with the “old granny” stigma of knitting. Andrea Langenderfer Sylvania, Ohio

We are happy to hear that the younger generation is catching up to us. Here in our retirement community on the Oregon coast we have a Stitch ‘N Bitch club that has met weekly since the early 1980s. We are now in our 70s and 80s, and more of us Bitch than Stitch. Kay Pitt Florence, Ore.

Very clever of those trendy New York gals to take up knitting and call their group Stitch ‘N Bitch. My Stitch ‘N Bitch group of seven forty-somethings has been meeting for 17 years. If crafting is indeed the “new rock and roll,” as the article says, then we’ve been rockin’ way longer and harder than those big-city girls. Sara Martens Papillion, Neb.

Aiming for Bush’s ‘Waterloo’

Thanks to Anna Quindlen’s Jan. 26 article, “The Ghosts of Elections Past,” I now know that I am an ABBA (Anyone But Bush Again). As Quindlen says, it would be nice if our Democratic candidates could run positive campaigns, but I don’t believe they have that luxury: these are dangerous times. “When All Is Said and Done,” any candidate saying “Take a Chance on Me” has to focus on removing a president who continues to throw “Money, Money, Money” at any large campaign donor who says “Gimme, Gimme, Gimme.” “The Name of the Game” is “The Winner Takes It All,” and a candidate that wastes time on a “Knowing Me, Knowing You” campaign instead of sending an urgent “SOS” aimed at removing Bush risks four more years of a president who will never be “One of Us,” but who will spell disaster for generations to come. “Mamma Mia!” Catherine Kozlowski Sterling Heights, Mich.

Heard This on the Radio?

I enjoyed your Jan. 26 article “Greetings, Earthlings,” about satellite radio stations. Radio broadcasters may be starting to fight back, but they will not win the war for music lovers unless they radically change their programming. Commercial radio stations need to stop playing the same set of songs every few hours and give their DJs the freedom to play the songs they want and that are requested by listeners. Millions of well-written songs are ignored by commercial broadcasters. Rarities, live cuts and B-sides deserve airplay, too. If music companies want to sell more CDs, they should allow stations to play more than one song from a new album. If the other songs are good, people will buy the CD instead of downloading it from the Internet–and they might think twice about getting satellite-radio subscriptions. Laurie Mills Mesa, Ariz.

Your article on satellite radio misses a big point. My wife and I do not own a car, but we subscribed early and enthusiastically to XM Radio because it finally gave us the chance to enjoy–in our home–music formats we aren’t being offered by the bottom-line-driven, woefully underdiversified New York City broadcast market. And what are we listening to for the first time in years, here in the largest city in the nation? Country music. And we don’t have to sit in a car to enjoy it! Mark Dunn New York, N.Y.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-31” author: “Patricia Vahle”

We agree with Dr. Walter C. willett and Patrick J. Skerrett that Americans needn’t go on an extremely low-carbohydrate diet to manage their weight (“Going Beyond Atkins,” Jan. 19). However, people don’t need to go to the extreme of choosing carbohydrates based on their “glycemic index” to slim their waists, either. Overweight Americans need to do what registered dietitians have been advocating for decades: adhere to weight-reduction diets that are designed to meet their individual, unique medical needs and health goals; control calorie intake, and eat adequate amounts of a wide variety of foods rich in both carbs and satiety-producing fiber such as vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Unfortunately, according to the latest data from the USDA, the American public hasn’t been following this advice. Its daily caloric intake has increased by approximately 300 on average since the mid-1980s, which is theoretically equal to a weight gain of more than 25 pounds annually. Joan Salge Blake, Clinical Asst. Prof. Roberta Durschlag, Clinical Asst. Prof. Boston University Boston, Mass.

I strictly believe that everything should be eaten in moderation and that no food group should be restricted from one’s daily diet. I have followed this regimen all my life. You can have your white rice and cornflakes if it is balanced with other types of food and exercise. Eating in moderation and exercising is the solution to living healthy. If everyone followed this regimen, the Atkins diet would be unnecessary. Raha Moussavi Canton, Mass.

Your cover story rightly criticizes Atkins for his “bad idea” of eating unlimited beef, sausage, butter and cheese. But in heralding the difference between “good carbs” and “bad carbs,” it fails to give credit to the Pritikin Program, which has been saying exactly that for years. It drives me nuts to see friends endangering their health with the Atkins monomania, when Pritikin offers a safe and sane alternative: whole foods, not refined; fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish rich in omega-3, limited low-fat meats, limited salt and sugar, no saturated and trans fats–and exercise. The program addresses not only weight but such issues as blood pressure, diabetes, cancer prevention and longevity. After hearing lecturers deliver this gospel during 10 years of annual visits to the Pritikin Longevity Center, in December 2002 I finally decided to sincerely try it. In the last year I lost 67 pounds on Pritikin. Nathan Pritikin and those who carry on his work are the true heroes of modern nutritional theory. Roger Ebert Film critic, Chicago Sun-Times Chicago, Ill.

The Florida citrus growers would like to clarify that the glycemic loads (GL) of 100 percent orange juice (GL 13) and grapefruit juice (GL 11) do fit within the glycemic-load range–low teens and below–recommended to low-carb dieters. Your chart “Separating the Good Carbs From the Bad” is misleading in implying that grapefruit juice is a “bad” carb, while “good” carbs include foods with glycemic loads of up to 18. Whole fruits may carry lighter glycemic loads than juices, but orange and grapefruit juices are perhaps the healthiest, most nutrient-dense natural beverages available. They provide numerous vitamins, antioxidants and phytochemicals–many of which are documented in scientific research to help prevent serious diseases. Citrus juices are perfectly suited for any diet. Bob Crawford, Executive Director Florida Department of Citrus Lakeland, Fla.

You write that your article “You Will Start to Feel Very Sleepy…” was based on an article published by Harvard Medical School. How ironic (and unfortunate) that medical doctors force their interns and residents to do without sleep on a regular basis. Research shows sleep is essential for mental ability, yet those performing the most vital tasks are often too sleep-deprived to do their best. Lisa M. Gotkin Skokie, Ill.

In a state of semi-starvation, people close down physically, mentally and spiritually (“Starve Your Way to Health”). We know this from studying starving populations, eating-disorder patients and the classic Minnesota Starvation Study of 1944-45. It’s a survival factor, a way of “banking the fires” to defend life until conditions improve. Physically, starvation effects include dizziness, depression, slowed heart rate and risk of sudden death. Emotional and spiritual effects can be equally distressing. There’s no evidence that semi-starved people live longer; on the contrary, observations are of high death rates. But even if some do, what is the value in humans’ existing like this, whether for 90 or 140 years? Frances M. Berg, Adjunct Prof. Univ. of North Dakota School of Medicine Hettinger, N.D.

As the adult child of late-life parents, I was interested in your article “A New Generation Gap.” I was born when my mother was 41 and my father 49. Both were professionals with master’s degrees who intended to provide me with all of life’s advantages. Unfortunately, when I was 18 months old, my father died of cardiovascular disease. I do not remember a time when I did not feel different from, and inadequate to, my peers. It is difficult to describe how weird it felt to have a mother who was a contemporary of my peers’ grandparents. Moreover, it provided my classmates with possibilities for bullying. I was different and therefore inferior. Even teachers and administrators participated in stigmatizing me. By the time I reached high school, I was alienated and suicidal. Today I am in my early 40s, with a good job and husband, but I feel that my parents, while well intentioned and intelligent, used poor judgment in deciding to have a child at such a late stage in life. It is my wish that older couples considering parenthood think about how it will affect the child in question. Elizabeth Mannering Madison, Wis.

My entire life I’ve experienced the shocked faces I get when I tell people how old my father is. Or their response: “You mean grandfather?” I’m 17, my mother is 54 and my father is 87. I never found my father’s age nor my parents’ age gap to be anything out of the ordinary until I started going to school. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. My relationship with my father makes me feel unique in a world where sometimes that can be hard, especially if you’re a teenager. People you love can be gone in an instant, and my father’s age makes that chance much greater. Keeping that in mind, I try to live each day with him like it’s the last. He doesn’t look or act his age and he’s in good health, and I thank God for that. And like 78-year-old Jack Metcalf, the older dad whom you profile, my father’s wish is to walk me down the aisle when I get married. Thank you for printing this article. It’s nice to know that others have the privilege of having older parents. I strongly believe it shapes one into a unique kind of person who lives each day to the fullest. Jenn Lupo Hartford, Conn.

I agree wholeheartedly with Peg Tyre’s article “In a Race Against Time.” At 60, I still play 5-on-5, full-court basketball. My newest thrill is working out two or three hours per week with a former NBA player, learning the game as the pros play it. The exhilaration and sense of well-being from these exhausting workouts stay with me throughout the week. And it’s great fun. I encourage readers to find a coach and a workout regime tailored to them. Then let them learn new skills and find strengths they didn’t know they have. Christopher Turner Dallas, Texas

Left, Right and Active

As a Harvard junior, a writer for The Harvard Crimson and a Democratic activist, I thought that Beccah Golubock Watson’s article mischaracterized Harvard undergraduates’ interest in the presidential race (“At Harvard, Skeptics Rule,” Jan. 19). I am personally working on the John Kerry campaign, but I’ve paid attention to my fellow students’ views and have had plenty of conversations with them about the 2004 race. Countless numbers of students, representing nearly all the Democratic candidates, have been traveling since early fall to New Hampshire to canvass voters. I know people who went to Iowa for the caucuses, and the College Democrats are sending an entire busload to South Carolina to spend our post-exam break campaigning before the Feb. 3 primary. Students who aren’t involved in the campaign ask me about it constantly. I’m disappointed that Watson’s piece reflects so negatively on Harvard’s students. I attended events that John Edwards, Kerry, Al Sharpton and Wesley Clark did exclusively for undergraduates and I can assure her that I never saw anyone yawn. Nick Smyth Cambridge, Mass.

As a Harvard undergraduate, I disagree with Beccah Golubock Watson’s claim that our campus lacks political passion. Today’s Harvard students may not storm administrative buildings as regularly as in years past, but that’s not because we fear voicing our opinions. We’ve simply learned that the radicalism prized by Watson and her fellow liberals is not the only way to draw attention to our views. Plenty of moderate and conservative students aspire to change the world through political action. Few groups on campus are as vocal as the Harvard Republican Club or Harvard Right to Life, a pro-life organization that generates some of the school’s most controversial debates. Liberals like Watson ignore conservative messages at Harvard and lament the lack of activism on campus. Apparently, political passion counts in their book only when it comes from the left. Allison Rone Cambridge, Mass.

Does Iowa Matter?

Jonathan Alter objects to the attention given to the Iowa caucuses because they don’t predict who will be nominated (“Who Cares About Iowa?” Jan. 19). The United States suffers from an excess of democracy. Voters decide issues without spending the time and effort to understand them. For example, the California budget debacle arose from direct democracy as ballot propositions require expenditures but limit the taxes to pay for them. Caucus goers are far better informed about issues and candidates than the average voter. Caucus results give strong direction to delegates in subsequent conventions. The solution to the “problem” of the caucuses is for more states to hold them instead of primaries. Tom Hess Lafayette, Ind.

Jonathan Alter calls the Iowa caucuses “heartwarming examples of local democracy… but dumb as a guide to who should be the next president.” He mentions the Hawkeye State’s “dismal” role in predicting future presidents or even the eventual nominee. Other critics would say Iowa is too white and too old, and its caucus rules too ridiculous. Iowa may not rubber-stamp the favorite candidate, but do we really want the presumed nominee to cruise through the early political competitions untested? Don’t we want the first true national test to come from a state that encourages its voters to meet the candidates face to face, look them in the eye, ask questions, debate the issues with its neighbors and possibly offer platform ideas and thoughts? Iowans are asked to not only vote but to participate in the very grass-roots level of government. Heartwarming? Yes. Dumb? Hardly. Brett Dolan Tucson, Ariz.

Fighting Against the Odds

I read with interest Nick Kurzon’s courageous article about dealing with cancer and how he used his knowledge of poker to overcome his fear of dying (“A Poker Player’s Guide to Beating Cancer,” my turn, Jan. 19). As a physician, I am obligated to inform my patients of the possible complications and consequences of their diagnoses and treatments. But medicine, like all things in life, is a game of numbers. Like Kurzon, I encourage patients to focus on the chance that things will go right rather than the (usually) much smaller chance that they will not. Paul Carbonaro Voorhees, N.J.

Nick Kurzon’s sensitive essay brought tears to my eyes. My wife was given two and a half months to live after her first brain-tumor operation. She lived 26 months. Although her death has left a gaping hole in my life, I am grateful for the extra time we had together. I am also grateful that her neuro-oncologist, who, unlike Kurzon’s, was a woman of great compassion and wisdom, provided my wife with comfort and good medicine. I wish Kurzon a long and healthy life, and I thank him for sharing his experience. Leon M. Salter Los Angeles, Calif.

Cancer survivor Nick Kurzon says, “Oncologists, by design, are almost impossible to read. They have to be.” Why do they have to be? If Kurzon is comfortable with a bland mechanic at his side, that’s up to him. But how about a doctor who connects with the patient–smiling, explaining, encouraging? Recently a cardiologist told me he didn’t have time for my questions and that I would have to make another appointment to get them answered. I do not appreciate being turned over to some unknown doctor when I am at my sickest and hospitalized. We need to quit accepting offhand or chilly medical care, no matter how good the eventual outcome. Star Lawrence Chandler, Ariz.

Martha Isn’t the Criminal

Martha Stewart is not a threat to society nor to the sanctity of the New York Stock Exchange (“Martha’s Makeover,” Jan. 19). The New York federal prosecutors, on the other hand, are. They will waste millions of taxpayers’ dollars on this trial, and their actions have already driven down the value of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia stock, costing ordinary investors much of their savings. They have acted like bulls in the proverbial china shop and caused irreparable damage. I hope that Martha is exonerated and the federal prosecutors are reassigned. Kenneth Lee Raytown, Mo.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-21” author: “Angie Twombly”

The Dems’ New Man?

I support John Kerry’s campaign for president (“Back to the Front,” Feb. 2). His 20-year record in the Senate, including 18 years’ service on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, puts him above the other candidates in terms of experience, wisdom and temperance needed to craft policy and respond to threats in a multifaceted world. He is knowledgeable about many issues, including health care, education, the environment, the economy and foreign policy (as contrasted with the incumbent, who can’t be bothered with the details). His experience in Vietnam and upon his return as a leader in the antiwar movement demonstrates true strength, dignity and grace under pressure. He does not need to try on a flight suit and land on an aircraft carrier to legitimize his standing with regard to military affairs. Each Democratic candidate offers valuable assets, but in the end it is Kerry who synthesizes these traits and presents the clearest, most intelligent choice for our future. Joanne Mainella Dover, N.H.

If John Kerry gets the democratic nomination, he will be trounced by Bush in November. Kerry is perhaps the most un-electable candidate since Michael Dukakis. He says that he can go toe-to-toe with Bush, but that’s only because he’s been dancing to Bush’s lead. Kerry voted for the Iraq war and for the disastrous No Child Left Behind Act. Kerry had his chance to stand up to Bush. He failed. Instead this country needs a courageous, honest leader with proven results. Howard Dean delivered health care, balanced budgets and cut taxes while he was governor of Vermont. He also raised the minimum wage. There’s still time to right this ship. Jared Barrett Murfreesboro, Tenn.

Howard Fineman characterizes John Kerry as one who “can seem aloof, condescending and soporific.” When I met Kerry in 1997 my opinion could not have been more different. I was a summer intern for Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois and ran into Kerry on the “subway” that connects the Capitol building to the various congressional office buildings. Seated across from me in the subway car, Kerry greeted me with a genuine smile, asked my name, who I was working for and how I was enjoying my summer in Washington. Then he thanked me for giving my time to work in the Senate. He was on his way to the Senate floor, had a ton of papers in his hand and obviously did not need to take the time to make an intern feel appreciated, but he did. And I was very impressed by that. Many of the other senators on Capitol Hill treated interns with more of a “get out of my way” attitude. They were condescending and aloof. Mostly they just ignored us. But some were friendly and warm, and seemed genuinely appreciative of the time we donated. John Kerry was one of them. Tara K. Dix Chicago, Ill.

In the midst of the democratic primaries, it’s nice to see the humble and family side of John Kerry ("‘I’m a Good Closer’”). I was glad to see him open up and toss aside his aloof image. Since this will be the first election I’ll vote in, I find it helpful to see all sides of the candidates. We should look at all the candidates’ values and ideas when making our choice for president. Mary Menocci Summit, Ill.

The fact that John Kerry and John Edwards supported our march into Iraq seems to be forgotten by much of the country, including the heretofore antiwar crowd. I opposed the war from the start and will not forget. My memory will be abetted by e-mails from my son in the 82d Airborne, who was deployed to Iraq in January, five months after his return from Afghanistan. Your article “Blood & Honor,” about the First Battalion of the Eighth Infantry and the ever-present dangers to young Americans in Iraq, is a somber reminder that the war is far from over. The articles about Kerry and Edwards help us remember that it was Democrats such as these who helped put young Americans in harm’s way. Amy Keith Charlotte, N.C.

Second in Command

In response to the question George Will poses to readers in his Feb. 2 column, no, I have never voted for, nor has anyone told me he had voted for, a presidential candidate because of his running mate (“The Parties’ Temptations”). But I did once vote against a candidate because of the second person on the ticket. In 1988 I felt that George H.W. Bush was more qualified than Michael Dukakis, but I voted for Dukakis because I thought the possibility of Dan Quayle’s ascending to the presidency highly unsettling. Mindful of the fact that nine presidents have not completed their terms, I had to view Quayle’s rise to the world’s most powerful position as more than a distant possibility. I agree with Will that the political potency of a vice presidential candidate is minuscule, but a perceived lack of sufficient leadership qualities may not be. Tom Evans Maryland Heights, Mo.

To answer George Will’s challenge to name another time besides the 1960 election of John F. Kennedy when the selection of a vice presidential candidate mattered, we should look back to the election of 1800. At that time, Thomas Jefferson selected Aaron Burr as his running mate because Burr controlled the New York Legislature, which selected its presidential electors. Burr delivered the crucial New York votes, and the Jefferson-Burr ticket eventually prevailed. If New York had gone the other way, John Adams would have been re-elected. Remember, too, that in 1864 Abraham Lincoln dumped his vice president, Hannibal Hamlin, because Maine, where Hamlin had been a senator, was safely in his corner, and instead selected Andrew Johnson of Tennessee to run with him to garner votes in the border states. They, too, won. Harold Faber Salisbury, Conn.

Overwhelmed in the ER

I read Paul Duke’s Feb. 2 My Turn with great interest (“If ER Nurses Crash, Will Patients Follow?”). As an emergency-room nurse in a trauma center, I, too, feel the pressures of providing safe and compassionate care to my many patients. The increase in volume of patients and decrease in staffing is one of the most frustrating parts of this profession. There is no greater feeling of helplessness than to have to prioritize by who might die first, rather than being able to provide quality care to all patients. That said, I think the public has a responsibility to educate itself as health-care recipients. Coming to the ER because of a sore throat that has been going on for 15 minutes (which I had to deal with), a low-grade fever for two hours or other non- emergent complaints is frustrating for nurses and costs millions of dollars each year in ER supplies and resources. By misusing health care, we are taking away from the sickest people–and that could have deadly consequences. S. Nelson Virginia Beach, Va.

As a medical resident in a New York City teaching hospital, I experience firsthand the understaffing that Paul Duke describes. But Duke, who seems compassionate and dedicated, is not the typical face of the nursing shortage that I see. Instead of working harder, the nurses I observe often take advantage of the situation, using staffing shortages as an excuse to not perform basic responsibilities like drawing blood, recording vital signs or administering pain medication, no matter how many patients they are taking care of. I have seen nurses sit around complaining about working too hard, or filling out “protest of assignment” forms while patient call lights go ignored. It is easy for nurses to shrug and claim they are too busy to perform a task because they know they have job protection due to the nursing shortage and that there is a resident physician who will have no choice but to do it for them. For the doctors, there is no such thing as a protest of assignment, and certainly there is no overtime pay. Picking up the slack for these nurses subtracts from time that could be spent on educational activities, and detracts from already limited patient-doctor interactions. Name Withheld New York, N.Y.

Monet in Vegas

In “Show Me The Monet” (Jan. 26), your writers were a little too generous in describing the potential influence of our Monet exhibition at the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art in Las Vegas when they said it would be “jacking up the demand for the other Monets that PaceWildenstein has for sale.” It demonstrates a poor understanding of the art market for one to suggest that this exhibition could “jack up” the demand for Monet beyond its already record-breaking levels. I’m afraid your magazine is giving the art itself far too little credit. As for L.A. Times art critic Christopher Knight, quoted in the article, his elitism has never been more apparent. Our Las Vegas venue so offends his sensibilities that he is wagging his finger at the venerable Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Unlike Mr. Knight, the museum’s director, Malcolm Rogers, doesn’t have the luxury to ignore the fact that his institution must fulfill its mission to millions of visitors and tens of thousands of works of art with less than 1 percent of funding from the city, state and federal governments. For the past 44 years we at PaceWildenstein, as well as art dealers at dozens of other commercial art galleries, have worked tirelessly to make our businesses successful while at the same time dedicating ourselves to the art, artists and exhibitions we represent. It is only in the ivory tower where these pursuits are maligned as incompatible. In the real world, ethics must be interpreted and applied in the light of real benefits and losses, not the knee-jerk reaction of pundits who prefer sound-bite oversimplification to honest inquiry. Marc Glimcher and Andrea Bundonis PaceWildenstein New York, N.Y.

Correction

Our Feb. 2 cover photo of John Kerry should have been credited to Charles Krupa (AP), not David Hume Kennerly (Getty Images-Pool).

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-07” author: “Patricia Smith”

The nation watched Nancy Reagan mourn her beloved Ronnie, while his death helped reignite the stem-cell debate, much of it inspired by the former First Lady herself. “Thank God Mrs. Reagan has found the ennobling strength to speak for many who can no longer speak at all,” said one proponent of stem-cell research. Others, however, disagreed with the contention that Ronald Reagan would have supported the research. “Reagan would never have approved of using the preborn to save the life of another–even if it meant a cure for his own disease,” said one. But most hoped to see the current laws change. One woman with a family history of Alzheimer’s said, “Stem-cell research? Bring it on.” And the anguished mother of a 5-year-old left paraplegic by a spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma said, “Each day that our government is not funding stem-cell research is another day I must wait to watch my daughter walk again.”

Nancy Reagan’s Next Chapter

Thank you for your excellent coverage of Nancy Reagan’s caring for her husband (“As the Shadows Fell,” June 21). My wife is in the last stages of Alzheimer’s, and I can relate to everything Mrs. Reagan has gone through as a caregiver. You are right to point out that one’s survival as a caregiver depends on getting help (“The Keys to Caregiving”). I am the facilitator of a support group and see the benefits of the bonding that takes place among members when they share the story of their journey. The connection that slowly erodes between caregiver and loved one can never be replaced, but the support one receives from others is also irreplaceable. John Homrig Ft. Wayne, Ind.

I admire Nancy Reagan for standing by her husband’s side during his descent into Alzheimer’s and I don’t want to negate her pain, but in many ways she didn’t bear the burden that many other families do. I am going through the same experience as Mrs. Reagan. I was lucky I could take early retirement to be with my husband, but money is tight. When I had to have surgery, I scheduled it so a friend could be with my husband so he wouldn’t get lost in the hospital. I don’t have the luxury of maids so I can’t give my husband all the attention I’d like to at home or, if it becomes necessary, in a nursing home. If it gets to the point where he needs more than I can give him, I will be faced with having to go back to work so I can afford to give him what he needs. Mrs. Reagan had some hard choices to make, but she was always able to be by her husband’s side. I hope I can do the same. Juanita G. Irvin Vidalia, La.

I was never a fan of the Reagans or Reaganomics, but as a compassionate human being I feel for Mrs. Reagan and the loss of her husband to Alzheimer’s. I am a 47-year-old man who 20 years ago experienced the onslaught of an equally horrific disease, AIDS. Thousands of beautiful, productive, spiritual Americans were dying “a long goodbye” as the Reagan White House turned its back on AIDS, refusing to speak out, let alone appropriate funding for it. Although my loved ones never received worldwide coverage of their plight, I too witnessed grieving wives, husbands, family members and friends caressing and kissing coffins. I pray that time and history will afford Mrs. Reagan and her supporters of stem-cell research a better-informed and more caring administration for this cause than millions had more than 20 years ago. John Patten Pittsburgh, Pa.

If Ronald Reagan’s death opens the door to accelerated stem-cell research (“Nancy’s Next Campaign”), it will be a more meaningful legacy than all of the highways, schools and airports that the Republican Party wants to rename after its idol. Thank God for Nancy Reagan’s courage in quietly urging her reluctant party and president to set aside stiff-necked ideology long enough to do the compassionate thing for the men, women and children suffering from the many afflictions that this research could help cure. Don Bedwell Madeira, Ohio

As the parent of an 11-year-old suffering from juvenile diabetes, I see firsthand the terrible impact that diseases of this type have, and I dream of the benefits that stem-cell research may be able to provide to my daughter and millions of others. When a loved one dies and the decision is made to donate organs to save other lives, it is seen as an act of hope that from one family’s tragedy other lives can be saved. This is the same for embryonic-stem-cell research–but the impact can be even greater. It is not a question of destroying embryos that would otherwise grow to be healthy babies. Every year thousands of embryos are destroyed at fertility clinics as the byproducts of in vitro procedures. Supporters of stem-cell research ask that parents be given the right to donate their unused embryos to medical research instead of destroying them. While donating organs may save many lives, donating unused embryos has the potential to save millions of lives. Jess Rosenthal Belle Mead, N.J.

While I sympathize with the desire of those suffering debilitating illnesses like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s to find a cure, taking a life to extend another’s seems like a dangerous path to continue on. We had the privilege of donating our last child’s umbilical-cord blood to science for research and use. We were told that it also contained viable stem cells. Rather than focus on the taking of an embryo’s life, I’d like to see more publicity and encouragement for other parents to donate their baby’s cord blood. It cost us nothing and the doctors said it provided little inconvenience. Cord blood is a potentially huge resource that is currently treated as medical waste. Vonda Schiebout Milaca, Minn.

Anna Quindlen totally misses the point on the outpouring of love and affection for President Reagan (“Personality, Not Policy”). When a person dies, we celebrate that person’s life, not his or her political positions. Despite what anyone thinks of his policies, his life was the epitome of the American Dream. By all accounts (from friends and foes alike), Reagan was a thoroughly decent man–and that is worth admiring and celebrating. Frank Perez Ft. Worth, Texas

On Behalf of Eliot Spitzer

The facts were misstated in a recent NEWSWEEK article about New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer’s fund-raising practices (“Friends of Eliot [Sort of],” June 21). The anecdote that formed the basis of the article–a conversation between Spitzer and a contributor–was misleading. It falsely implied that there was a connection between Spitzer’s official duties and his fund-raising, and it conflicts with Spitzer’s recollection of the discussion. Spitzer–unlike other politicians–does not accept contributions from anyone with a pending business matter before his office. His policy in this regard goes well beyond the requirements of state law. The article unfairly asserts that Spitzer may have done something wrong by not adhering to the novel and unworkable standard of refusing contributions from anyone in an industry where his office might theoretically bring a case. Since the attorney general’s office enforces laws governing the conduct of all businesses, following such a policy would mean that Spitzer could never accept a contribution from anyone in the business world. Finally, the article implied that Spitzer’s law-enforcement decisions might somehow be influenced by political contributions. In this regard, the suggestion that the attorney general’s office is soft on enforcement is simply not borne out by the record of the last several years, when Spitzer has led efforts to improve the accountability of the business sector. All elected officials should be cognizant of possible conflicts of interest in fund-raising. Eliot Spitzer is one politician who makes every effort to do just that. Darren Dopp, Asst. to the Attorney General State of New York Albany, N.Y.

Debating ‘Fahrenheit 9/11’

In “Under The Hot Lights” (June 28), Michael Isikoff attacks Michael Moore’s “Fahrenheit 9/11” by asserting that “Craig Unger appears, claiming that bin Laden family members were never interviewed by the FBI.” The article then goes on to say that this assertion is false. Unfortunately for Isikoff, I make no such statement in the movie. I do report–accurately–that the bin Ladens and other Saudis were whisked out of the country without being subjected to a serious investigation. But that sequence ends with Moore’s summing up my account of the bin Laden evacuation. “So a little interview, check the passport, what else?” he asks. “Nothing,” I respond. It would be one thing if Isikoff had simply made an honest error, but clearly that is not the case. When Isikoff called me for his article, I specifically told him that the evacuation process involved brief interviews of the bin Ladens which fell far short of the kind of intense criminal investigation that should have gotten underway after the murder of nearly 3,000 people. The worst crime in American history had just taken place two days earlier, and the FBI did not even bother to check the terror watch lists! Isikoff omitted all that. Instead, he attributes claims to me that are simply not in the movie. Isikoff also wrongly asserts that the Saudi “flights didn’t begin until Sept. 14–after airspace reopened.” In fact, as I report in my book, “House of Bush, House of Saud,” the first flight took place on Sept. 13, when restrictions on private planes were still in place. According to the St. Petersburg Times, that flight has since been corroborated by authorities at Tampa International Airport. Craig Unger New York, N.Y.

Editors’ note: NEWSWEEK regrets that we did not include Michael Moore’s reference to “little interviews” in our report. But we stand by our account that Unger’s claims about the Saudi flights, as portrayed in “Fahrenheit 9/11,” are contradicted by the findings of the 9-11 Commission. The commission’s interim report states that of the Saudis interviewed by the FBI, “many were asked detailed questions.” The commission wrote that the FBI took other steps to screen the departing Saudis–including running their names through federal databases–and that “nobody of interest to the FBI with regard to the 9-11 investigation was allowed to leave the country.” On the questioning of timing, the commission states that the flights taking Saudis out of the country began on Sept. 14. The Tampa flight in question was a domestic flight to Lexington, Ky., that took off late on Sept. 13 after restrictions on flying had already been lifted and Tampa International Airport had reopened for business.

Correction

In the June 21 Tip Sheet item “The Fine Print: A Primer,” about printer technology, we wrote that the Xerox 8400B was the first solid-ink printer and described this device as an ink-jet printer. In fact, the 8400B is the second printer from Xerox to use this technology, an alternative to laserjets. NEWSWEEK regrets the error.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-13” author: “Amanda Holton”

Readers responding to our May 31 cover story spread the blame around. One said, “Chalabi discredited: what a relief we finally got rid of the Pentagon’s choice to be the Shah of Iraq.” Another wrote, “If our incursion into Iraq proves anything, it’s that Chalabi was smarter than Rummy, Cheney, Condi and, of course, Bush–combined. Not only did he persuade them to overthrow his nemesis, Saddam, he actually got our government to pay him millions for the privilege of doing his dirty work.” One insisted, “Chalabi only gave ideologues like Paul Wolfowitz and Richard Perle the excuse they were seeking to invade Iraq.” But another said, “Your cover story can be summarized, ‘Neocons got us into the Iraq war.’ What about Congress, the administration, the military? Are they all puppets of these two men?” At the end of the day, one pointed out, the buck stops at the top. “‘Our Con Man in Iraq’? George Bush’s! Not ours!”

Are we supposed to be surprised by the fact that Ahmad Chalabi and his Iraqi National Congress may be a bunch of con men (“Bush’s Mr. Wrong,” May 31)? Please. The bio of this man should have been the first and only clue. His scandal-fraught banking career and his conviction in Jordan in absentia, the cozying up to both the Clinton and Bush administrations, his instant arrival into Baghdad like some triumphant exiled leader, talking out of both sides of his mouth–need I go on? My blind grandmother could have seen the real Ahmad Chalabi from miles away. This is another prime example of how inept the current administration is. Tourfa Alaama La Habra Heights, Calif.

I found your cover story on Ahmad Chalabi engaging and informative. Although Chalabi may be a rogue, I must agree with his opposition to the United Nations’ selecting an interim government for Iraq. If I were a patriotic Iraqi who experienced a U.N. embargo that had deprived and impoverished my people for years, would I now allow this same cabal to impose a government on my nation? Fil Munas Pittsburg, Ill.

“Clinton had no intention of going to war with Iraq. Bush might not have either, but for 9/11.” What a whopper! Ever heard of Paul O’Neill? Richard Clarke? Those insiders and other respected sources have publicly verified what many suspected: the Bush administration was intent on invading Iraq long before 9/11. Gary Myrick Ft. Worth, Texas

This Memorial Day was the saddest I’ve experienced. In other years this day signified remembrance of those who gave their lives, and gratitude to them for helping make this country the one I was lucky enough to be born in. I believed that their sacrifice made the world a better place. This year, while still highly aware of the sacrifice of those in the military, past and present, I feel an underlying sense of dread that our country has gone off in the wrong direction. With more than 800 Americans dead in Iraq, I would like to believe that those deaths were not in vain. Your cover story about how Ahmad Chalabi manipulated Paul Wolfowitz, Richard Perle and others, who in turn influenced Cheney and Bush, should make anyone question how we got into this war in the first place, and why. Annie Bryant San Jose, Calif.

Do people somehow lose their right to make a mistake when they assume public office? If the accusations regarding Ahmad Chalabi are true, this would be a very troubling situation–one that could have become much worse if left undetected. However, is it fair to criticize and even ridicule the Bush administration for another man’s deception? If so, would Evan Thomas and Mark Hosenball criticize FDR and Churchill for thinking that Joseph Stalin was a man to be trusted and a good ally? Are references such as “neocons” and “Bushies” really necessary in reporting the news? Use of words such as “spooks,” “henchmen” and “crony” are better suited to spy novels. Why disregard the 90 percent-plus positive that is being done by our troops in Iraq to focus strictly on the 10 percent that is negative? And then we actually wonder why some troops have low morale and that public opinion for this effort is slipping. Brian Marchand Front Royal, Va.

Your reporters make note of some of the Republican hard-liners drawn to Chalabi’s ideas: “Several [neoconservatives], like Wolfowitz and Doug Feith… began talking about a speech Chalabi gave to the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs in June 1997.” Have they read the 1993 letter in which the then Vice President Al Gore wrote, “I, and Secretary of State [Warren] Christopher, and National Security Adviser [Anthony] Lake, were very impressed with your leadership, and we give you solid assurances that the United States will do whatever it can to assist you, to overthrow Saddam and establish democracy in Iraq”? Carol Follett Bassett, Va.

The report on Ahmad Chalabi was very enlightening but not surprising, considering his history. However, your cover title and picture were totally incorrect. It should have read “Our Con Men in Washington,” and the photo should have been of Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld. Jim Knittel Cincinnati, Ohio

Your report “Our Con Man In Iraq” points in the same direction as the rest of what we are now learning: our current disaster is the result not of an intelligence failure but of a failure of intelligence. Howard Suber Los Angeles, Calif.

Hail, Homecoming Soldiers

Anthony Swofford has managed to put into words those inner feelings that are understood only by a combat veteran, and are beyond the understanding of his family and friends who did not share his experiences (“The Homecoming, and Then the Hard Part,” My Turn, May 31). It should be required reading for every family member or friend welcoming home a returning son, daughter or school chum. They are not, nor ever will be, the same people you knew before their entry into the service. They have had experiences that are beyond the range of the average person’s comprehension. Edward L. Berg Roundup, Mont.

Anthony Swofford’s “The Homecoming, and Then the Hard Part” struck me deeply. As the daughter of a veteran of three conflicts, I know very well the terrain he is traversing. It occupied our home, every discussion of world politics and each social gathering. My father was a dedicated, courageous and loyal soldier. He was also irrevocably altered by his wartime experiences and silent about them with his family–except in the company of a few select veteran friends and after a few drinks, when I eavesdropped on recollections of those days of fire, those lost comrades, those awful mistakes. When I marched to oppose this misadventure in Iraq, one motivation was the toll it would take on women and men like Swofford, what they would bring home with them and how it would affect their lives and their families. I was also aware of those of my generation whose Vietnam experiences overwhelmed them and who populate our streets and shelters. I salute and honor the Iraq veterans for their service to our country. I also mourn this bitter fruit of handing the reins of government to men and women who have never known combat and its aftermath, and who have felt free to engage in policy experiments at the cost of human lives. Diane Gifford-Gonzalez San Anselmo, Calif.

I await my brother’s arrival from Baghdad. He has said he will have a hard time without his gun, and we don’t understand. We know he will never be the same, yet we can’t comprehend. Name Withheld Mound City, Mo.

Anthony Swofford’s article was on target, a direct hit. It was truthful, accurate and informative for those who have not served in a combat zone. I carefully read each paragraph and sentence, pausing to reflect on my own experience. Coming home can be more difficult than going over. I served two tours in Afghanistan, but the article is applicable to veterans of all wars–only the names of the soldiers, countries and conflicts change over time. All else is the same. G. P. Black Tyler, Texas

As someone who served in the military in the late ’90s, I consider myself fortunate enough to have never experienced what our brothers and sisters who are stationed in the Middle East and Afghanistan are dealing with right now. It makes me ill to think that our government sweeps its wartime veterans under an ever-growing rug when it is obvious there is a need for psychological help or some kind of deprogramming for soldiers. Our government can’t expect its soldiers to return to everyday life shortly after they arrive home. Soldiers should be given psychological evaluations before they enter the military and before they leave. Bryan LeBoeuf Phoenix, Ariz.

Having grown up with parents who are both veterans of WWII has always made me sensitive to veterans’ issues. Hence, Swofford’s article on adjusting to being a veteran caught my attention, especially the part about sleeping with his gun. My dad served in the Army during WWII, primarily in the jungles of the Pacific. A few years ago, at 89, while coming to after cancer surgery and feeling disoriented and “threatened,” he instinctively reached under his bed for his Army-issue rifle–which, of course, had not been there for almost 60 years. He is a real survivor. You can take the man out of the service, but can you take the service out of the man? Gaila Hagg Olsen Black Earth, Wis.

Lessons in Wartime Leadership

Thank you for the eloquently written Special Report “D-Day’s Real Lessons” (May 31). I pray that our country has not yet sunk so far into the depths of elitism and cronyism that we cannot someday elect a man who values intellect, patience, humility and humanity the way both Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt did. College taught me, above all else, to continue to question and debate, to sift and winnow. It is unfortunate that Bush was too busy with extracurricular activities to attend class and learn these most important lessons. Ears, eyes and an open mind have been absent from President Bush’s war room from the very beginning. Melissa Hogg Madison, Wis.

In addition to asking, what can Bush learn from Churchill and FDR about his own fight, you rightly ask, what can all of us learn from D-Day? War is hell. Many people die. We don’t need an exit strategy until after we win. Robert J. Tanenbaum Highland Park, N.J.

It is regrettable that Jon Meacham chose to mar an otherwise thoughtful essay about FDR, Churchill and President Bush with the remarkable generalization that “theology overlooks or suppresses facts that do not fit its particular world view.” Christian theology involves a disciplined attempt to describe the real world truthfully, although it does so in a context broader than that employed by secular historians. The same can be said about the intellectual traditions of other religions. Individual theologians, to be sure, can be ignorant, narrow-minded or unwisely dismissive of others’ viewpoints. Meacham’s comment suggests that the same can be true of individual journalists. H. Jefferson Powell Professor of Law and Professor of Divinity Duke University Durham, N.C.

I believe that George W. Bush has been very Churchillian in his struggle to lead this country and the world to meet the challenge posed by global terrorists. He has been forthright in his speeches, telling the American people that this will be a long struggle, and he, our valiant soldiers and our law-enforcement personnel have been generally successful in containing terrorism to date. History will show that Bush’s leadership has been great. For now, we will just have to persevere through the constant negative spin of power-hungry Democrats and their friends in the media. They can’t allow President Bush to be successful as a leader in this critical war, the consequences for America be damned. Tim Costello Guilford, Conn.

Taking Longer to Graduate

I’m not sure what makes the fact that students are taking five or more years to graduate from college such a “problem” (“More Kids Major in Going Slow,” May 31). I went to college for six years before graduating; my husband spent five years at a private college. Yes, we–and most of our friends–may have been a little older and a little more in debt when we graduated than the generation before us, but in exchange we left with richer experiences in life and work. Students these days take longer to finish because they are doing so much more when they’re there. People we know have studied overseas, taken double and triple majors, worked full time for up to six months in their major fields, gotten married and bought houses while in college. Of course it takes more than four years. College used to be a four-year stop on the road of life; now it’s a four-lane highway. Amy Harding Quincy, Mass.

I’m uncomfortable with the implication that “slow” students are a problem for schools. Perhaps schools are efficiently scheduling teachers to reduce costs, or perhaps they are trying to force more semesters from each student to generate more revenue. I would characterize schools as the problem for the students since the schools set the class schedules, which in turn make it harder for students to complete their requirements in four years. Tim Brown Quakertown, Pa.

Schism Between Pulpit and Pew

While I believe Anna Quindlen’s use of the clergy-abuse scandals to discredit the entire clergy’s authority to minister is unfair (“Casting the First Stone,” May 31), I do find her overall message salient. Regardless of any pro-choice leanings, no individual politician I support can overturn Roe v. Wade, but he or she can create policies that uphold the Roman Catholic social teachings of charity, justice and mercy. I don’t see the sin in that. As a devout Catholic and a Catholic educator, I aid my students in developing informed consciences, that they might rely on them to make their own decisions. Our school’s mission is to foster “the competence to see and the courage to act for the Kingdom of God” in all our students, even if those actions ultimately bring about reform in the Catholic Church. I only hope the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops will have the vision and courage to allow its faithful to consult their own consciences in matters of politics. Frank O’Linn St. Edward High School Lakewood, Ohio

What a great article by Anna Quindlen, reminding us of the Catholic Church’s commitment to religious liberty in spite of the resistance of some wrong-headed bishops and clergy. Quindlen got it just right. Are bishops who frown on pro-choice politicians who take communion also discouraging politicians who favored the United States’ invasion of Iraq from doing the same? The pope himself, after all, as well as many bishops and other clergy, condemned that as well. Timothy Leonard Cincinnati, Ohio

Anna Quindlen lambastes Catholic bishops for reprimanding Sen. John Kerry and New Jersey Gov. James McGreevey, both Catholics, about promoting anti-Catholic views. Catholic politicians have the right to whatever opinions they choose, but when they publicly and persistently advocate views that contradict the church’s teachings, while presenting themselves as Catholics, bishops have the right to intervene. In her tirade against the bishops, Quindlen chooses to ignore the fact that by promoting tax-funded abortions and embryonic-stem-cell research, neither Kerry nor McGreevey respects the conscience of pro-lifers, whom they wish to force into paying for pro-choicers’ abortions and experimentation. Leda Muth Pitman, N.J.

I want to thank Anna Quindlen for succinctly putting into words my feelings concerning politics and the Catholic hierarchy. As a practicing Catholic, I am tired of being belittled as a “cafeteria Catholic” who is pro-choice, not pro-abortion. I am against abortion, but punishing women who abort will not stop abortion. I am a Democrat because of my Christian beliefs. I am for helping and educating the poor, striving for peace and not war, protecting minority views, allowing workers to demand livable wages and health care, stopping world hunger and ending the death penalty. These beliefs are central to the Democratic philosophy, and they are central to Christ’s message. I am a proud liberal who will take holy communion on Sunday, filling myself with Christ’s love and praying that I will live his message of love and tolerance. Bob Tomaszewski Venus, Pa.

I fully sympathize with Anna Quindlen’s column against hypocrisy in the church. Yet in asking for their political silence, she seems to misunderstand how seriously many Christians view abortion. Would she have called on the Catholic Church to stay silent in the face of slavery or the Holocaust? In both cases, a particular society labeled millions of people as subhuman and thus fit for abuse and slaughter. The Catholic Church should not have remained silent in either of those situations. Nor should it do so in the face of millions of abortions worldwide each year. Timothy Hagen Chicago, Ill.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-29” author: “Janet Hawkins”

One’s Gain Is Another’s Drain

Your March 8 special report, “Brain Gain,” says, “South Africa boasts one of the world’s most active diaspora networks.” True, but I think it is not fair to ignore the fact that South Africa also has one of the highest HIV rates in the world. Coming from New Zealand as I do, I could perhaps be excused for thinking that South Africa has 42 million white medical professionals. I traveled there last year and saw the truth. When I spent four months in an HIV orphanage, it became obvious that these people in the “diaspora” are desperately needed in their own countries, where people are starved of resources and professionals–resources and professionals that are fleeing the country. “For many countries, diaspora talent is the key to their success,” you say. Possibly. And for the individual South African doctor welcomed in a safer, more profitable country, it is a personal success story, but I would not like to explain that “success” to any of the 5 million South African individuals suffering from HIV. Andrew Johnston Chilanga, Zambia

Faced with rising crime in the 1980s, the U.S. Congress enacted legislation (such as the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 and the 1997 implementation of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act) to make it easier to deport immigrants. This resulted in a great increase in deportations to Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean. Many deportees are convicted criminals; some have been given early release from prison with the agreement that they will be deported. This policy has seen a decrease in murder rates in almost all U.S. cities–down to the lowest they have been in the past 20 years. By contrast, in many other countries in the region there has been an increase in violent crime, and murder rates began to increase at about the same time the deportations started in 1994. In the meantime, the United States, Canada and Britain are actively recruiting our most educated people–university graduates, nurses and teachers. While the “brain gain” may be good for these rich countries, it is destabilizing our region, leading to more illegal immigration. These rich countries must keep and rehabilitate their criminals and at least help our universities in the training of our educated elite that they plan to entice. Horace Fletcher Kingston, Jamaica

Migration is such a mixed issue: prosperous nations need immigrants yet often view them as a threat. Nonprosperous nations cause people to leave on what is often a lonely and melancholy mission of seeking a better life, while benefiting from the money those emigrants send back to their native lands. The driving engine of this phenomenon is a free-market economy that, unfortunately, does not provide for equality in the spread of prosperity. Francis Chizoba Orajiuka Brescia, Italy

The Essentials of Tea

I can’t believe that your two-page article “The Art of Tea” (March 8) did not mention that tea has to be made with boiling water. Such a missed opportunity! P. Reiff London, England

Surveillance Unlimited

Your March 8 article “Big Brother is Watching” was interesting. In Holland, a small country indicative of the Europe you describe, intelligence laws have nearly unbridled powers and immunity. They enable easy access to all citizens and make cooperation compulsory. In a country with maybe 1.5 potential terrorists (and 1,500 international criminals) this is deemed necessary. I work for a semi-academic research institute, and when we log on to our computers, we must agree to our every PC action’s being observed and recorded. We use the photocopier with a personal number-name code that is connected to the same computer network. No one protests these employer-enforced stipulations–not required by law. Because I’ve got onto some blacklist–perhaps due to an easily explainable bank transaction with an Iraqi-born U.S. citizen marked “suspect” by the bank–I’m being subjected to excess tagging and bugging. I’m now aware of how important a free press is as our only real security against unholy alliances between science and government. Name Withheld Amsterdam, Netherlands

Jeffrey Rosen’s argument (“Nothing to Hide, Nothing to Fear,” March 8) that Europeans and the British are more accepting of camera surveillance and “less suspicious of centralized government authority than Americans are” ignores some basic points. First, European governments are democratically elected and, consequently, their decisions are the public’s majority decision. The same cannot be said of the States after George W. Bush’s election by the Supreme Court and the country’s inherently undemocratic Electoral College system. Second, we have a genuinely open, balanced debate about these issues in the media, not via Fox TV and other McCarthyite lapdogs. Third, Europeans recognize that unfettered freedom is not necessarily the road to happiness, which is why our per capita murder rate is significantly below America’s. Keith Conlon London, England

How can the war on terror justify the invasion of Iraq or the Patriot Act or this Big Brother thinking that seems to be taking over America and European countries like mine? The totalitarian Bush regime is the biggest threat to democracy and freedom since the Nazis. We must get rid of the extremists running the White House. Kristjan Edilon Magnusson Reykjavik, Iceland

Optimistic About the Olympics

I disagree with your negative view about Athens’s Summer Olympics (“Olympic Insecurity,” March 8). Everything’s not ready yet, but wait and see. Don’t compare Atlanta with Athens. I see the amount of work that’s been done here, and I’m hopeful that the rest will be done. Chrysavgi Triantafyllidou Athens, Greece

Your fear of international terrorism is understandable and justified. Greece is surrounded by nations that train terrorists. But we’re a member of the EU, which has diplomatic relations with the Middle East and Arabic states. Also, Greece did not interfere in the Iraq war. Terrorism is a universal threat; confronting it must be conducted at a universal, not national, level. Elpida Kamitsi Patras, Greece

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-15” author: “Donald Stevens”

Readers of our Jan. 12 cover story didn’t mince words in describing their unwavering support for Democratic presidential contender Howard Dean. “Dean’s ‘shoot-from-the-hip style’ is the reason he leads all other Democratic candidates,” one wrote. “[He] speaks his mind and doesn’t stick to scripted conformity.” On the subject of Dean’s blunt, combative persona, this supporter said, “If Dean’s fervor makes him sound as if he is angry, well, we need more folks to be angry.” Another added, “By attempting to be honest and straightforward, Dean puts himself in the cross hairs of some of the most clever and capable character assassins–political pundits.” And a Vermonter neatly summed up what makes his former governor tick. “He’s smart, he learns, he’s human rather than a politically correct empty suit, and he can’t be bought by any corporation, PAC or ideological group. He’s supported by us little folk.”

Dean Fans Stand by Their Man

I was happy to see NEWSWEEK’s Jan. 12 cover story, “Doubts About Dean.” I am just as angry a citizen as any Dean supporter is, but I really don’t think he can win the election in November. In his debates and interviews he comes off as an angry white man. He is no match against President Bush, who, though I don’t like to admit it, has mastered the ability to appear compassionate and leaderlike when necessary. Dean’s angry campaign against Bush is not going to compel the moderate voters sitting on the fence to vote for him. A candidate must have the right balance of compassion and hope–and a little bit of anger–to win the election. Mark Nakamura Poolville, N.Y.

Does Howard Fineman really think that Howard Dean became the front runner by being angry and sticking his foot in his mouth all the time? Fineman misses the fact that Dean is an inspiring leader with the most sensible approach to running a country. He’s being attacked because he is different from what we are used to seeing in politicians. Molly Kurland Santa Rosa, Calif.

It is unfortunate that the articles on Howard Dean and Wesley Clark (“The General’s New Stripes”) focused almost exclusively on the shortcomings (perceived or real) of two of the front-running Democratic candidates. The real issue in the upcoming presidential election is whether we as a nation would be better off with President Bush and company or with someone else. If all you want to examine are gaffes and misspeaks, George W can match any contender, word for mispronounced word. Philip Kollas Hillsboro, Ore.

The Democrats running for president need to give us reasons why they should be president instead of why Howard Dean should not be. I don’t want to hear why Dean is wrong, I want to hear why they think they are right. Elaine Hendrie Bellport, N.Y.

What Dean “dilemma”? To Howard Dean’s growing number of supporters, there is no dilemma. It’s simply this: he’s a straight-talking, anti-Iraq war, liberal guy that they like, a candidate who speaks for millions of Americans. He hasn’t been bought, prepped and packaged by slick spin doctors, backed by big money and marketed to a fearful, insecure public as George Bush has been the last few years. Kathy Saville Sacramento, Calif.

I appreciate Howard Fineman’s account of Howard Dean’s inconsistencies, but must draw attention to an important gaffe. Fineman writes, “on the war on Iraq, [Dean] was opposed from the start and has wavered very little.” In September 2002 Dean told “Face the Nation” that Saddam Hussein was a threat that needed to be dealt with. In December 2003 he claimed he “never said Saddam was a danger to the United States, ever.” He also told Salon in February 2003 that the United States should give Saddam 30 to 60 days to disarm if the U.N. didn’t enforce its own resolutions. This nuanced argument is remarkably similar to the one raised by another Democratic candidate, Sen. John Kerry, in defending his vote for the Iraq resolution. Yet the media has eviscerated Kerry for this statesmanlike moderation. Heather Pegas Oakland, Calif.

The interview question asked of Howard Dean–“Do you see Jesus Christ as the son of God?”–is inappropriate and divisive (" ‘I’m Feeling Like Job’ “). What place does that question have in our government? Since when is there a religious litmus test in America? Seth Marcus Prospect Heights, Ill.

The Ole Miss Way

While Laura Houston and her friends are tailgating in their cocktail dresses and linen blazers, young men and women of less affluence are, as another article in the Jan. 12 NEWSWEEK sadly points out, “Stressed Out at the Front,” dealing with death, gruesome injuries and extended combat tours in a dubious war far from the roar of a Saturday football game (“The Old-Fashioned Way,” Jan. 12). It is not surprising that Houston and her college peers will drive around with bumper stickers supporting George Bush in 2004. After all, Bush also partied on campus while the less affluent and less connected of his generation were equally “stressed out” at the front in Vietnam. Bruce Johnson Seattle, Wash.

Laura Houston’s attempt to convince readers that not all of America’s youth back Howard Dean uses the University of Mississippi as an example. Houston proudly mentions the 17 percent of students who are nonwhite in a state where nearly 40 percent of the population falls into that category. She mentions the Lexus-driving students living in a state where the average household income is $33,330. Finally, she boasts of a school so partisan that it doesn’t have more than one active political party in its club ranks. Houston seems to think her classmates speak for many young Americans in their rejection of Dean. But the students at Ole Miss don’t represent America any more than the state they call home. Ben Kappelman Missoula, Mont.

Paying Tribute to Fallen Soldiers

Army Ranger Kristofor Stonesifer deserves to be honored in death and his mother is right to be concerned over how war deaths are portrayed in the media (“What’s Really Behind the Fight Over Dover?” My Turn, Jan. 12). As a Navy veteran and a journalist, I am torn between my respect for those in uniform and my respect for our fragile system of government. Cameras record painful wartime images. For families whose loved ones die in battle, some of those images must hold unbearable pain. But we send our young men and women to fight these wars, and sometimes the images of their ultimate sacrifice is what we should behold when we consider the necessity and the cost of such conflict. Randy Pribble Perryville, Mo.

Thank you for the eloquent My Turn essay by Ruth Voshell Stonesifer. She expresses the feelings of many military families. We are proud of our loved ones, but fearful of tragedy, and every death and injury feels like our own. I hope Stonesifer knows that there are hundreds of thousands of military families who honor her son and her family without needing to see details on the evening news. We will focus on the positive events her son worked for. Kathy Hodges Puyallup, Wash.

No Longer a Full House

Anna Quindlen’s description of what it is like when our children fly the coop was like a glass of cold water in the face (“Flown Away, Left Behind,” Jan. 12). There will be no more complaints from me about chauffeuring four kids to and from football, lacrosse, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, sleepovers and parties, or about my involvement in bake sales or volunteering ad nauseum. I will enjoy every moment of stress and frustration, because tomorrow I will wake up and it will all be over. My PDA will finally have blank time slots. I won’t have to be in three places at the same time. Dinner will be for just two. I won’t be depended on by so many for so much. Somehow that doesn’t sound as enticing as it once did. Fran Elmes Hopewell Junction, N.Y.

I found Anna Quindlen’s Jan. 12 column touching. Both of my daughters are now in high school and the prospect of an empty nest isn’t far from my mind. But Quindlen’s feelings are not unique to mothers. Our generation has also professionalized fatherhood. Dads in the ’80s were part of a birthing team–present for Lamaze training and in the delivery room. We changed diapers and bonded with our infants. Most of us took our kids to lessons, helped with homework and religiously attended teacher conferences. We fathers will also find ourselves disoriented and seeking purpose once our nests are empty. We will struggle to resume social lives, rekindle relationships with our spouses and generally fill the voids once occupied by raising these children who are children no more. Larry Reed Corte Madera, Calif.

A message for Anna Quindlen: try to enjoy your empty-nest years by throwing yourself into your work. They won’t last long–and before you know it, if you’re lucky, you won’t be able to plan on writing between 9 and 3 (or plan on anything) because you’ll never know when you’ll be called on to drive the 3-year-old to preschool because the baby is sick. Your real name–the best in the world–will be Grandma, and you’ll be faced with a problem even harder than trying to have it all: letting your children raise your grandchildren. Sue Cohen Denver, Colo.

A few months after the last of my seven chicks flew the coop, I got a dog. I also realized that even though my children aren’t under my feet every day, I am still their mother. They routinely contact me for recipes, help with bank accounts or health advice. “Mom” is my real name, and the great thing is that you get additional names such as Mother-in-Law and Grandma. Kathleen Harker Regina, Saskatchewan

Flex-Spending Account Info

Your Dec. 22 Tip Sheet item, “Using it Wisely,” states that people enrolled in a Flex Spending Account have until Dec. 31 to have their medical claims reimbursed or they lose their funds. But not all employers have their benefit plans running on a January-December plan year. Some employers, such as the one I coordinate benefits for, run their plan year from April 1 to March 31. If people are uncertain about the deadline for incurring their claims, they should check with their employer. Christina Stecky Benefits Coordinator, Patient First Corp. Richmond, Va.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-23” author: “Edna Kowal”

A Comedian With the Smarts

I received NEWSWEEK’s Special Double Edition a few days late because of the holidays, but the wait was worth it. It was a kick to see Jon Stewart on the cover (“Seriously Funny,” Dec. 29/Jan. 5). My husband and I first caught “The Daily Show” a year ago while staying in a hotel. We don’t have cable at home, so watching it in hotels is a treat. While surfing channels at 9 in the morning we came across “The Daily Show’s” in-depth “report” on the Battleball controversy in schools. I’ve never laughed so hard so early in the morning. The show was like nothing we had ever seen, and we became hooked. We now have to rely on a friend to feed our “Daily Show” habit by supplying us with taped shows. The writing is so good that even if we see the shows several weeks after their airing, the news is still fresh. Combine Jon Stewart with your perspectives section and this has to be one of your best issues. What a great way to end the year. Lisa Cunningham Newton, Iowa

How happy I was to see Jon Stewart’s picture on the cover of NEWSWEEK. I have been watching his show for the last two years and have gotten my 82-year-old mother and 45-year-old son watching it as well. We all love what Stewart and his crew do. His news is more meaningful than a lot of drivel on the network news shows. I laughed when Sen. John McCain was on the show because McCain joined in on the fun himself. When former U.N. weapons inspector Scott Ritter was on, discussing his search for WMD in Iraq, I believed him and started pulling articles by Ritter off the Internet. After giving my son a subscription to NEWSWEEK, I got a call from him thanking me and saying how appropriate it was that the first issue he received had a cover story on our favorite news correspondent. Vicki Madrid Morgan Hill, Calif.

Do you mean to tell me that your editorial staff couldn’t come up with anyone better to adorn the front cover of your Special Double Edition than Jon Stewart? With all the important events of 2003, NEWSWEEK made a poor choice. I read NEWSWEEK for its in-depth reporting on critical issues and don’t classify Jon Stewart in that category. John H. Clark Fairbanks, Alaska

For those of us in our 30s who no longer wear our political leanings on our T shirts, asking “Do you watch Jon Stewart?” has become the new “Are you cool?” question. It does not ask if you are left or right, but if you have enough common sense to realize that both sides are ridiculous and deserve our scrutiny. I wish your article had mentioned Stewart’s 9/11 show. He showed true depth and compassion without the hyperbole that was so prevalent on the major networks. Fake news show or not, “The Daily Show” is the real thing. Rebecca Fortuine Tucson, Ariz.

As often as I’ve watched Jon Stewart’s satire, I was left speculating on what makes a politician electable after reading his quote on Dennis Kucinich. Is Kucinich a joke because he’s not from a wealthy family, does not want to conquer the world, stays out of your bedroom and is passionate about health care? His fights against power lobbyists in Congress prove that he’s a man of integrity and conscience. Is a politician who would fight for all Americans really just a joke? Mary Robertson Basalt, Colo.

If “Bill O’Reilly can only dream of pounding the wind out of a political blowhard as quickly as Stewart can with a quip and an eye-roll,” then why does O’Reilly get more viewers than Stewart can only dream of? Perhaps NEWSWEEK prefers Stewart’s punditry to what most people like: Bill O’Reilly’s common sense. Bernardo Bidiro Edmonds, Wash.

They would probably cringe to hear this, but Jon Stewart, Lewis Black, Stephen Colbert and all the creative minds responsible for “The Daily Show” are indeed worthy heirs to the tradition of Voltaire, Alexander Pope and Jonathan Swift. As a teacher of college composition and literature, I have used clips from “The Daily Show” to illustrate the enduring power of satire to reveal that most emperors, whether their empires be political, corporate or social, are naked under their ermine. Mary Beth Culp Palos Verdes Peninsula, Calif.

People to Watch

Thank you for the “Who’s Next (2004)” profiles in your year-end issue. I was pleased to read about New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer (“Keeping a Close Eye on Wall Street,” Dec. 29/Jan. 5). He’s that rare politician who is actually looking out for the average voters and catching the bad guys at the same time. Spitzer would be a great vice presidential choice in 2004 or a great U.S. attorney general. He gets results, he takes chances. He’s not the typical politician. Paul Feiner Greenburgh, N.Y.

Your idea that Gavin Newsom is “The Arnold Antidote” is a little off. In order to beat his Green Party opponent in the San Francisco mayoral race he had to raise nearly $4 million to be able to outspend his opponent by 10 to 1 and bring in every well-known Democrat he could (such as Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Jesse Jackson and Nancy Pelosi) to campaign for him. This helped him win by a slim 5 percent margin. More troubling for Newsom and the Democrats is that 50 percent of San Francisco’s registered Democrats voted for the more progressive Green Party candidate, Matt Gonzalez. Newsom won because he had the support of the city’s Republicans, who saw him as the lesser of two evils. If Newsom is the Democrats’ rising star, then the Democrats have a lot to worry about. Gregg Cevallos San Francisco, Calif.

I applaud Mary Sue Coleman, president of the University of Michigan, for her crusade for diversity in the student body (“A New Campus Crusader”). She says research “shows that all students benefit from having different points of view in a classroom.” In my observation, those views that differ from the faculty’s are dismissed, and success in a class can be achieved only by parroting the views of the professor. I wish that Coleman would also start a major crusade to develop an equally diverse faculty in all areas, including politically. Robert Furney Pacific Grove, Calif.

The president of the University of Michigan, Mary Sue Coleman, is steering her educational institution away from what should be the main acceptance criteria for colleges and universities in this nation: intelligence, good grades and high test scores. Focusing too much on creating a “diverse” student body reduces the importance of intellect as a core attribute for who should merit acceptance into our nation’s colleges and universities. I encourage all students who meet Coleman’s idea of “diversity” to apply to Michigan. With luck they’ll all be accepted there. If that happens, the rest of the schools in this country will have more openings for those “nondiverse” and boring applicants who only have good grades and high test scores. Elecia A. Lee Colorado Springs, Colo.

I grew up in Park Ridge, Ill., and attended Mary Seat of Wisdom Church. In the early 1970s Deacon Wilton Gregory ministered in our parish (“Shepherd to a Flock in Pain”). I imagine at the time that bringing a young black deacon to a white, middle-class suburb was quite cutting edge. I certainly took notice. Three decades later Gregory has had a profound effect on me. I left the Roman Catholic Church years ago, fed up with scandal, but with hindsight, I see that this decision was mainly because of my own ignorance and lack of information. Reverend Gregory’s comment that “Christ’s church… [is] wounded. It’s sinful. It’s humiliated. But it’s Christ’s church” made me cry at my lack of forgiveness. If there is nothing that God won’t forgive, how can I not forgive my church? To Father Gregory, I say thank you for bringing me back into your flock. You continue to inspire this lapsed Catholic in so many ways. Maria Colandrea McLeese West Des Moines, Iowa

A Fitting Tribute to Reagan

Nancy Reagan rightly rejected the idea of Ronald Reagan’s displacing Franklin Delano Roosevelt on the dime, which was intended to recognize FDR’s founding of the March of Dimes and its successful fight against polio (“Why We’ve Deified the Gipper,” periscope, Dec. 29/Jan. 5). A better honor for Reagan that would parallel that done for FDR is to put his portrait on a fund-raising 45-cent semipostal stamp that would generate millions for Alzheimer’s research. This would create a legacy for Reagan that even his worst enemies would praise. Ronald P. Bowers Timonium, Md.

Defending Dean on Iraq

Fareed Zakaria accuses Howard Dean of inconsistency because Dean says that although the invasion of Iraq was a huge blunder, the United States must see it through (“The Democrats’ Own Quagmire,” Dec. 29/Jan. 5). We have to see it through because we’ve taken on the responsibility for the security of the Iraqi people, because to pull out now would create worse instability in an already unstable region and because doing so would give the terrorists a comfortable base from which to operate against countries like Turkey and Israel. Fred M. Collier Eugene, Ore.

By claiming that Dean’s view on Iraq–that while the invasion was a “terrible blunder” the United States should stay until a stable, democratic government is in place–“makes no sense,” Fareed Zakaria clearly doesn’t get it. Dean’s view makes perfect sense: having needlessly invaded Iraq and sacrificed hundreds of American and thousands of Iraqi lives, the United States has an obligation to leave the country with a stable leadership and at least a reasonable hope of freedom for all Iraqis. That has nothing to do with the initial error of invasion but is a recognition of the reality. Dean’s message is clear and consistent. Thomas R. Koch Towson, Md.

Black, White and Family

As Jon Meacham notes in his article about Strom Thurmond’s daughter with a black woman, until recently “black men could be imprisoned and lynched for having relations with white women” (“Southern Family Values,” Periscope, Dec. 29/Jan. 5). If she had been born to a white woman and a black father, Essie Mae Washington-Williams’s world would have been a very different one. No doubt her mother would have spent her pregnancy hiding in a maternity home and would have been coerced into relinquishing her infant to spare the family from scandal. Essie would have been placed in a “colored” orphanage and perhaps adopted by a white couple willing to take a “mulatto” child. As an adult, sealed-records laws could have barred Essie from learning her identity. Even if she obtained her birth certificate, her father’s name might not have been on it, only the notation “negro.” Essie Mae Washington-Williams’s story speaks volumes not only about racism but about sexism as well. Jane Edwards Portland, Ore.

Strom Thurmond’s oldest son’s decision to meet with and create family bonds with his black half sister ushers in a new era of racial harmony in the South. I commend him for rectifying the errors of his father. Obviously, the sin of the father was not passed down to the son. Kenneth L. Zimmerman Huntington Beach, Calif.

Taking On the Artists I hope to see more of the “Review – Rebuttal” segment like the one between your critic Peter Plagens and artist John Currin (“Brilliance or Bust,” Dec. 22). What a refreshing idea! A journalist, with a real knowledge of the subject, asking questions that probe the subject and not going for cheap shots and sensational responses. This kind of intellectual exchange gave me substantial insight into the artist and his work. If only journalists existed who were up to the likes of a Russell Crowe, perhaps then we could get a glimpse into the genius of such artists. Teri Noble Portland, Ore.

You Are What You Wear Four cheers for women like Janet Lee, who dare to defy the anti-culture in current fashion (“Leave Your Hat On, But Lose the Jeans,” My Turn, Dec. 15). In some corners of my corporate work environment, casual Friday has become a 24/7 plague. For years I’ve hoped to find a woman of classic taste like Lee to share the good times with. Sometimes I fear the only way to find such well-dressed folks is to start attending more funerals. Mark Lewis Cedar Hills, Ore.

I agree with Janet Lee wholeheartedly. I regularly attend a small church in the small town where I retired. People dress for church the same way they do to do their yardwork. Most Sundays I am the only man in the congregation wearing a shirt, tie and sport coat. When I attended college more than 50 years ago we dressed in sport coats, ties and slacks even when we attended college football or basketball games. If the good Lord provides nice clothes I think he would certainly expect at least to see them worn in church. Leo G. Tate Union City, Okla.

Obviously Janet Lee is not a full-time mother. I have two children–one in the throes of early toddlerhood–and I’m lucky if I manage to shower every day, much less worry about whether the T shirt and jeans I threw on even match. In the chaotic morning hours, I am much too busy averting tantrums, preparing school lunch and getting everyone to the car on time to be concerned about whether I am making a proper clothing selection. On the weekends when I can sleep in until 7 a.m., I usually throw on the most comfortable thing I can find, and if that happens to be a clean pair of sweats, then so be it. It’s not that I don’t care about fine clothes or looking my best; it’s simply that I have more important priorities in my life. Nice clothes do not allow me to roll around on the floor with my children in the middle of the day or finger-paint with my toddler in the kitchen. To some of us, it is more important which kind of person someone is, how she chooses to live her life and how she chooses to raise her children–not about which outfit she puts on in the morning. Pascale Wowak Ben Lomond, Calif.

In an ideal world, people would be judged by their behavior, not the way they dress. In most instances, clothes are merely costumes, uncomfortable and impractical. Were I to wear the shoes Janet Lee is photographed in, my back would surely ache at the end of the day. I have slipped on wet leaves when wearing dress shoes, tripped on the end of my skirt while climbing stairs and broken out in a rash from wearing pantyhose in the summer. While I appreciate fine dress, it won’t be at the expense of my self-esteem or health. Ruth Percey Oshkosh, Wis.

Janet Lee’s article on formalwear really spoke to me. I’m a 16-year-old high- school student, and you can imagine the looks I receive from my peers when I go to school dressed in a shirt, tie and slacks, looking as if I were going for a job interview. Like Lee, I, too, am disgusted at the disdain our society has for formal attire and at the rising popularity of the very loose, shabby clothing that sells at such high prices. Though I am liberal and open-minded in many aspects, clothing is one thing I’m glad to be conservative about. Thanks to Newsweek for publishing Lee’s article. It lets me know that at least I am not alone. Miguel Casiano New York, N.Y.

Cheers to Janet Lee and her frustrations with the current trend toward a totally casual life, both in business and in leisure. She sounds like someone I would be proud to have with me at a Saturday-night dance. Steve Molla Fairborn, Ohio

Correction

In the Dec. 29/Jan. 5 interview with a second lieutenant on duty in Iraq (“Fast Chat,” Periscope), we incorrectly identified the interviewee. He is Matthew (Matt) Barger, not Mark.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-04” author: “Katherine Stanwick”

Where Does the Buck Stop?

Isn’t it sad that a commission formed at taxpayers’ expense to help our government find a way to prevent another 9/11 has deteriorated into a blame game with political finger-pointing of the meanest kind (“The Insider,” April 5)? The 9/11 commission will be unsuccessful if its mission is to find a person, government agency, administration or political party guilty of some wrongdoing or oversight. No one could have prevented this horrific event. Let’s start behaving maturely and positively and try to find better ways to keep Americans safe. Carol Thurston Cherry Hill, N.J.

What did the Clinton Administration do to fight terrorism? It stopped attacks on the Lincoln and Holland tunnels, the U.N. building, the FBI’s New York office, a plot to kill the pope and Bush the elder, and the plot to blow up Los Angeles International Airport at the millennium. Perhaps most important, those who bombed the World Trade Center in 1993 were caught, tried and convicted the old-fashioned way, with lawyers, trials and evidence. Clinton didn’t need the Patriot Act to do that. Sue Doerr Vancouver, Wash.

I question Richard Clarke’s motives in speaking out about 9/11. Could it be sour grapes and an election year that prompt him to speak now? Or is it because he wants to sell his book? Clarke is an opportunist who is politicizing 9/11, yet turns around and accuses the Bush administration of doing the same. What a slap in the face it must be to those who lost their loved ones on that sad day. I will be voting for President Bush in November because he, his administration and our brave and selfless servicemen and -women want to make sure this tragedy does not happen again. Anyone who wants to keep my young daughters safe has my vote. Kim Rinker Castro Valley, Calif.

Watching the administration’s reaction to Richard Clarke’s testimony before the 9/11 commission leaves me in complete despair. Who in their right mind would now come forth with any information critical of the administration? We have seen what’s happened to Clarke and know that anybody can be viciously trashed and made a pariah. In addition, we as a nation have lost the future services of one of our most experienced antiterrorist experts. Richard Clarke is now so highly toxic that he probably cannot work again for the government in any direct or indirect capacity. How tragic and disgusting. Alan Fleishman San Carlos, Calif.

NEWSWEEK should be replete with regret for assisting in the Bush administration’s character assassination of Richard Clarke. Editorial remarks such as “Clarke’s social skills have always been limited” are gratuitous and inane. Let us not forget that Clarke had the “social skills” to apologize to the families of the 9/11 victims. Dan Wick Woodland, Calif.

Through eight long years of the Clinton administration and eight short months of the Bush administration, the United States failed to invade Afghanistan, a country that was harboring terrorists who might have committed terrorist acts. And for failing to invade Afghanistan so that 9/11 might have been prevented, we accuse President Bush and his administration of acting irresponsibly. Two years later the U.S. launches an invasion against a country with a history of attacking its neighbors, using chemical weapons, violating 16 U.N. Security Council resolutions, circumventing sanctions to acquire billions of dollars to fund its illegal activities and that appeared to be building or obtaining weapons of mass destruction. And for invading Iraq before something devastating happens we accuse the Bush administration of acting irresponsibly. What have I missed? Can the president be equally irresponsible both for not invading Afghanistan based on limited information (primarily obtained and not acted upon by the previous administration) and for invading Iraq based on more extensive information? Allen Markham Caldwell, N.J.

Whereas 9/11 can be chalked up to complacency by both the Clinton and the Bush administrations, the ramp-up to the war with Iraq cannot. Americans are entitled to an accounting of the decisions and events that resulted in this seemingly needless war that has undercut our position around the world and done little, if anything, to weaken the terrorist network. The reluctance of the administration to speak openly about these issues, combined with the very credible and specific testimony by Richard Clarke, leaves one with little choice but to conclude that invading Iraq was a mistake of monumental proportions that will continue to kill our young and plunge us further into an already record national debt, with little to show for all this sacrifice. Paul W. Rosenberger Manhattan Beach, Calif.

In “Party of One” and “Bonds of Steel” (April 5), reference is made to the publication strategy for Richard Clarke’s book, “Against All Enemies: Inside America’s War on Terror.” Neither account is correct. No one from NEWSWEEK contacted me or anyone else at Free Press to ask about our publication plans. I would like to set the record straight. We contracted with Clarke for his book in July 2003, and were eager to publish it as soon as we could. Our original plan was to publish in November 2003–an unusually fast schedule. As Clarke indicated on “Meet the Press,” it took him longer than expected to complete his manuscript, and he did not do so until October 2003. We then scheduled publication for March 2004, aware that he was obliged to submit the book to the White House for security clearance. As of January 2004, the book had still not been given final clearance. It was at that point–with no idea of when the manuscript would be cleared–that we set an April 27 publication date, as reported in Publishers Weekly. The manuscript received final approval from the White House on Feb. 4. We immediately put the book into production and set a new publication date of March 29. It was not until March 11–when Clarke told us he had been subpoenaed–that we became aware that the 9/11 commission hearings were public and would be broadcast. Only then did we accelerate our release date by one week–not to coincide with the hearings, but rather to preserve the newsworthiness of Clarke’s book and protect our publication strategy. NEWSWEEK also did not mention that it made an offer to run an excerpt from Clarke’s book that would have appeared on the stands the day after his appearance on “60 Minutes.” We declined the offer. Martha K. Levin Executive VP & Publisher, Free Press New York, N.Y.

Double Standards on Race

In “Black Like Whom? Justin loses Cred” (April 5), Allison Samuels writes that Justin Timberlake’s credibility among the black community has been damaged due to his dishonorable treatment of Janet Jackson at the Super Bowl. She quotes a friend of Jackson’s: “He rolled in both worlds, living it up. But as soon as something went wrong, we got a chance to see how white he really was.” This suggests that it is a characteristic of white people to either betray the trust of their friends or betray the trust of only their black friends. I think that the way Timberlake handled the scandal was dishonest and cowardly, but what does that have to do with the color of his skin? Kfir Alfia Austin, Texas

You Go, Girl

As a female engineer, I am familiar with Carolyn Turk’s story (“A Woman Can Learn Anything a Man Can,” My Turn, April 5). Her message that women should not limit themselves to widely accepted roles is inspiring, but she does not mention what I think ranks right up there in importance with a girl’s belief in herself: her parents’ belief in her. Parents of young girls, take note: you can’t control the level of interest that your daughter’s teachers will have in her, but your influence on your daughter is within your control and can be the more powerful force in her world. Tell your daughter often that she can be whatever she wants to be, and believe it. My parents’ belief in me is a gift that will last my whole career and my whole life. Anna Ching Los Angeles, Calif.

My eldest daughter is a metallurgical engineer. My second daughter and my son are mechanical engineers. I am still amazed that in one generation the transition could have been made from what I was (a traditional stay-at-home mother who quailed at the thought of algebra) to what my daughters are: competent, confident professionals succeeding in all-male worlds (the steel and nuclear-submarine-building industries). Perhaps even more surprising to me is the balance all three of my children have maintained. They love their work but will not be consumed by it, choosing instead to walk away at the end of the workday and give full attention to home, kids, friends, neighbors and pets. This is what I call progress! Ginny Cunningham Pittsburgh, Pa.

Medication Not the Only Way

Your article “Helping Depressed Kids” (Tip Sheet, April 5) usefully points out that some antidepressants may contribute to suicidal inclinations in children. However, it fails to mention the most pervasive problem with the pediatric use of these medications: the promotion of the illusion that providing medication constitutes treatment and that it is not necessary to help children address the difficult, real, emotional problems that are troubling them. Medication can be important, but by itself it is rarely sufficient. Lawrence D. Blum, M.D. Psychoanalytic Center of Philadelphia Philadelphia, Pa.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-25” author: “Elizabeth Blevins”

The Revival of the Shiites

Dividing the world on the basis of religion might ensure short-term peace but in the long run encourages fundamentalism (“Shiite Rising,” March 1). The worst way to achieve long-term success in Iraq and the Middle East is to act on a “divide and rule” principle. Unfortunately, our inconsiderate leaders are heading toward that and paving the way to what will surely become a bloody separation between Shiite and Sunni. The recent massacres of Shiites in Iraq and Pakistan show us how dreadful the divide-and-rule strategy is. I hope that NEWSWEEK will facilitate long-term world peace through a unifying strategy, rather than offering a map of the Middle East based on Shiite and Sunni regions, as was done in this article. Let us build a common world for our future generations. Muhammad Mizanur Rahaman Helsinki, Finland

The intro to your article “Shiite Rising,” in which you call Shiites a potential “ally,” is naive at best and must clearly have been written before the outcome of Iran’s elections were known to you. Teunis de Vries Keerbergen, Belgium

The art of distinguishing between America’s incurable foes and its potential friends or partners in the Arab world is an extremely intriguing and sophisticat-ed one. The Bush administration didn’t bother to take notice of this fact before it launched the war in Iraq a year ago. Neither Shiites nor Sunnis represent Satan or guarantee democracy for a very long time to come. A leader who is so remote and withdrawn from that part of the world is bound to fail, not for lack of will but because learning is a laborious and painful pursuit, and George W. Bush’s history of taking on these kinds of pursuits is very poor. Another man must be entrusted with these tasks. There is more to foreign policy than fighting a war on terror. Werner Radtke Paderborn, Germany

A New Anti-Semitism?

Jonathan Sachs, Britain’s chief rabbi, says, “Jews must not be left alone to fight anti-Semitism. The victims can’t cure the wound” (“The Return of Hate,” March 1). That is true. And how strange if viewed from another, European angle: We in Europe lived for some 40 years with a wall and know what it means. We have also had to learn to fight anti-Semitism for hundreds of years and are not at all proud about what happened to the Jews on our soil during those centuries. But now the Jews in Israel are making the same mistakes we did. And we in Europe are horrified, because history has taught us what the outcome will be. Hatred is a seed that grows well when there is no hope. Now the “victims” are going against another group of victims. One group has sophisticated methods, walls and arms; the other has simple and often (fortunately) ineffective bombs. And then NEWSWEEK calls its article “The Return of Hate” and points its finger at Europe. You don’t have to be anti-Semitic or pro-Palestinian to realize that it becomes more difficult by the day to understand Israel’s actions or to understand the deafening silence of the Jews living in Europe and elsewhere when it comes to taking a stand against Israel. The Jews themselves are thus, unfortunately, not very helpful at fighting anti-Semitism or “curing wounds,” whether in Europe or elsewhere. Hannes Deetlefs Lutisburg, Switzerland

In “The Return of Hate,” Marie Valla and Christopher Dickey mystify readers by stating that “a majority of Europeans rated Israel as the biggest threat to world peace.” One might not make a connection between the opinions Europeans hold about a nation that is in violation of dozens of U.N. resolutions and the idea that hostility is increasing toward Jewish people living in Europe. But the connection is made for us by introducing it as an “especially disconcerting poll.” Valla and Dickey go on to further obfuscate the issue by citing statistics regarding racist acts within the same paragraph. In the minds of Valla and Dickey, it seems, those who believe that the current policies of Israel threaten peace are not substantially different from those who actually perpetrate violent acts against Jewish people (never mind that nine out of 10 Europeans agreed that attacks on synagogues are “scandalous”). Valla and Dickey’s underwhelming “evidence” is less impressive than work done by other publications, which paint a nuanced and less alarming picture. J. Nichols Massy, France

The implication in your article is that Jews are being persecuted on an ever-increasing scale and expect the rest of us to solve their problems for them. There are countless Jews who live peacefully and safely in their societies. Those who have assimilated have done so not through fear but because they want to get on with their lives. Until we hear more about them, rather than the “my parents were persecuted 60 years ago and you must atone for it” Jews, there will always be resentment. Naturally, we must not forget the Jewish Holocaust, but neither should we forget the holocausts in Ethiopia, Rwanda and other places that never get the same publicity. The constant flow of woe from “professional” Jews and the media should be tempered with the reminder that there are other people in the world with problems who have an equally important need to be heard. I am not anti-Jewish, I am anti-Israel, and that is not to be equated with anti-Semitism. Unfortunately, there are people who deliberately misconstrue those distinctions for their own agenda. When Israel can be discussed objectively without the “Jewish” component, Middle East peace will stand a better chance of coming about. Peter Armstrong Riedisheim, France

Redefining Marriage

I read “The New Face of Marriage” (March 1) with sadness. Unmarried couples with children, single parents–they are unnatural and against the law of God. These “arrangements” are some of the reasons that there is so much trouble in the world with HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases. The repercussions of what the people of Sodom and Gomorrah experienced will be child’s play if we don’t abandon this craziness and move nearer to God. Tayo J. Bogunjoko Lagos, Nigeria

I find it very unjust that homosexual couples are being deprived of their right to marry in most countries. I think the reason for this bigotry is the fact that some people are very unhappy with their own lives. They just can’t tolerate the thought that other people with a different way of life can actually be happier than they are. Personally, I don’t think marriage is always necessary. If two people, gay or straight, feel happy with their relationship and truly love each other, it doesn’t matter whether they’re married or not. It is better for children to have unmarried parents who have a mutually beneficial and healthy relationship than married parents who are constantly arguing and have a lack of respect for each other. Thalia Logotheti Thessaloniki, Greece

What part of “Separation of Church and State” is so hard for the religious right to understand? Trying to deny an adult citizen of the United States any civil rights or liberties because you don’t personally like his or her way of life is unconstitutional and un-Christian. People should do as they wish in their place of worship, but the law must be equal for all. We need only to look to the Middle East to see what happens when religion and politics are allowed to mix. Working to deny civil rights, or forcing your religious beliefs on others, is about as un-American as you can get. Lynne Park Pollock Pines, California

President Bush is not the only one who is troubled by the same-sex marriages in San Francisco. I, for one, think they are totally wrong. What is all this publicity teaching children? The truth is that same-sex marriage is unacceptable and should not be tolerated. Somebody, perhaps California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, should do something about this ridiculous outrage, which is a horrible influence on our children. This affects the United States as a whole, in many ways, small and large. Dan Seegmiller Richfield, Utah

There are 200 million-plus divorced heterosexuals in the United States, and the only people hitting the streets to sing the praises of marriage are gays and lesbians–and President Bush says the answer is to put gays back in the closet. The whole thing reminds me of Germany, 1935. “Non-Aryans” were made ineligible for military service after the Aryans lost a war and put the country into a nose dive. Here, 70 years later, heterosexuals have put marriage on the rocks, and we’re told the answer is to make gay comedian Ellen DeGeneres ineligible. Ralph R. Reiland Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-30” author: “Elizabeth Setser”

Googling for Answers

Two years ago my mother suffered a grade 4 subarachnoid hemorrhage. Google that and you find it’s a cerebral aneurysm. Through her survival and long recovery, family and friends nourished my soul. But Google nourished my brain (“The New Age of Google,” March 29). I Googled at home, where I was able to grasp the enormity of the situation outside the stranger-packed ICU waiting room. Over the course of 11 months, I found so many resources on the Internet that my family and I could fire doctors because we knew they were providing substandard care; we researched state-governed sites to see ratings of nursing-home facilities (fortunately, it never came to that); we located support groups, and everything from one- handed soap dispensers to physical-therapy tips and techniques. I would find myself thinking, “Thank God for the Internet.” Google allowed me to take this terrible and tragic bull by the horns, educate myself and others and start the healing process. Catherine Frost Falmouth, Maine

Great article about Google. However, some additional features make Google the real leader of the pack. Yes, its simple interface that accomplishes complex tasks is superior. But for the aficionado, what really sets Google apart are many other simple or complex features. Start with the toolbar (toolbar.google.com). It changes the way the user experiences the Internet, stops pop-up ads, is a dictionary, a spell-checker, a phone directory (reverse phone directory, too); locates packages shipped via UPS and FedEx, inserts commonly used information (credit card, name, address), is a calculator (and conversion calculator) and so much more. While Google is truly incredible, its only downside is that it doesn’t tell the user everything it does–for that, I recommend going to soople.com. And one business suggestion for Google: create a Web browser. Ken Leebow Marietta, Ga.

In their quest to topple Google, Microsoft’s best and brightest want to create a search engine “that figures out what you might want to ask for, depending on what you’re doing.” Sounds like their paper- clip guy, who butts in and says “Looks like you’re trying to write a letter,” when I was precisely not trying to write a letter. What’s the deal with Microsoft, anyway–why does it have to be in control of everything? It’s as if General Motors also wanted to own all of the gas stations, the roads you could drive on and the radio stations you might listen to on your trip. I hope Google’s watching its rearview mirror. Kelly Bucheger Kenmore, N.Y.

I don’t know which is better, Yahoo or Google. It’s a tough choice. When I typed “baseball” into the query box of Yahoo, I received 39.6 million responses in about 1 second. Typing the same thing into Google netted me 23.5 million, but I did receive those in only 0.2 seconds. I’m a pretty impatient person, but I don’t mind waiting the extra 0.8 seconds if it nets me an extra 16 million articles to read. Actually, I should read all the links first before deciding which is best. I’ll get back to you and let you know which I prefer when I’ve finished all the articles from both sites. Be patient. Art Lacher North Hollywood, Calif.

The Future of Voting

Electronic voting has many advantages, but we shouldn’t have to give up something as important as verifying the results. Your March 29 article “Ballot Boxes Go High Tech” describes several complicated methods of verification from “digital frog” memory cards to encrypted bar codes. As a computer programmer, I find these solutions more disturbing than reassuring. What we need is a simple paper trail. Electronic voting machines can provide all the new conveniences, including instant results, but they should also print out each voter’s ballot like an ATM receipt to be hand-counted for the official result. Electronic voting without verification is a major threat to our democracy. Linda McLennan Carmel, Calif.

The highest-tech equipment voters have to use in my small town is pencil and paper. As for verification, each ballot is put into an oak and brass ballot box, a bell rings, the ballot is marked with a rubber roller and stamped TOWN OF BRIMFIELD. The ballot box cost $70 in 1932. It has never malfunctioned, although the roller has run out of ink and sometimes the bell rings twice. We rely on pencil and paper for the tally, too (a computer spreadsheet is used for the final vote counts). Not every precinct can do it this way, but it is laughable that the electronic “solutions” can’t provide a more reliable and secure method without a paper trail. And, when we had a power failure, we broke out some candles and kept on voting. Pamela E. Beall, Town Clerk Brimfield, Mass.

Exercising the right to vote will become so involved and convoluted as to disenfranchise the poor, and the elderly such as myself, who may have limited tech savvy, or none at all, to be able to understand the system. Hackers are my real concern. I am happy with punch cards (which I now inspect for chads). When machines invade my precinct, my plan is to opt for an absentee (paper) ballot! Jean Warriner Carmel, Calif.

Pledging Our Allegiance

I admire Michael Newdow’s efforts to stand up for what he believes, but he is completely ignoring the Bill of Rights as he attempts to make a case for removing “under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance (“A Family and a Flag,” March 29). The First Amendment clearly says, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” With language this clear, it is inconceivable to me how the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals found in favor of Newdow’s position, which essentially promotes establishing atheism as the religion of the state and prohibiting the expression of contrary beliefs. If he is uncomfortable with his daughter’s reciting the pledge as it was written, he should simply instruct her to be respectfully silent during its recitation rather than teaching her how to abridge the rights of others. John A. Lucich Indianapolis, Ind.

Rather than expunging the phrase “under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance, why not replace it with “under the Constitution”? It seems to me that this more accurately identifies the real source of America’s uniqueness and greatness–not as a country “under God,” since presumably this applies to much of the world, but as a country that guarantees a place for everyone, regardless of religious beliefs. All Americans, whether atheist, agnostic, born again or religiously confused, could proudly and unhesitatingly recite the words “one nation, under the Constitution, with liberty and justice for all.” To do so would help reaffirm what binds us all together. Fred M. Donner Chicago, Ill.

I am outraged that someone like Michael Newdow, whose view is clearly in the minority, can limit the freedoms and convictions of the vast majority. I also fail to see how his civil rights are violated by his daughter’s “witnessing” the Pledge of Allegiance every morning. There is no official version of God sanctioned in the pledge, nor any requirement to worship or practice any religion. Apparently Newdow’s daughter doesn’t feel that her rights are violated, and neither does the daughter’s mother, who shares custodial rights and legally should also have a say about what her child witnesses. Newdow insists his quest is not motivated by his disputes with his child’s mother, but I am convinced that it must be. I would not drag my children into a heated public dispute or lodge my inflammatory complaint in the name of my child if he or she wanted no part of it. I also wouldn’t teach them that, in a contest between God and nothing, we stand for nothing, and this cause is worth fighting for. Perhaps Newdow sees himself as someone who knows what is best for all of us. This is amazingly godlike behavior from someone who denies God’s existence. Steve Shaw Thibodaux, La.

Having had religion forced down my throat as a child by the Pledge of Allegiance, it is wonderful to know that Michael Newdow is helping to finally break the religious grip on this country. To finish the job, we must also remove in god we trust from our money. Separation of church and state is for the protection of both religion and those who are not religious. Tom Schneider Frederick, Md.

Endangering the Unborn

All parties in the fetal-rights debate are wrong (“A New Controversy in the Fetal-Rights Wars,” Periscope, March 29). This is not an issue of fetal rights or women’s rights, it is an issue of patients’ rights. According to the patient’s bill of rights, patients have the right to refuse care, even those methods of treatment recommended by a physician. In Melissa Ann Rowland’s case, she refused a cesarean section in preference of vaginal childbirth. Furthermore, there is much research indicating that many cesareans are medically unnecessary. If Rowland is guilty of child endangerment, what of all those parents who, for reasons of their own, choose not to have their children vaccinated against childhood illnesses? Shimiah Arner Lima, N.Y.

I am staunchly pro-life and believe abortion is the cessation of life. That being said, I am extremely wary of the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, which recently passed in the Senate. I have to wonder at what point do a mother’s actions (or inactions) become murderous? If I am pregnant, and of a religion which will not allow outside blood products, but my doctor feels it is in my best interest to have them, can he force me to? If I decide to have a natural pregnancy and childbirth, can I be detained for not following standard medical practices in the prenatal care of my child? It seems to me that before the slide down the slippery slope begins, both sides should be able to define who and what they are really protecting. To have two laws on the books–one which defines the not-yet-born as a viable human at any stage of development, the other which states that the mother’s rights supersede those of the tissue mass she is carrying–is a logical nightmare. Fetal-homicide laws were set into place for those mothers-to-be, or the not-yet-born, who were harmed maliciously. I support a woman’s right to carry her child safely to full term. I also understand that until Roe v. Wade is overturned legally, abortion is a right. Just as I fight to see that no legal freedom–be it of speech, the press or religion–is chipped away through backdoor legislation, I must stand up for the right of abortion, no matter how vile I think it is. Shalene Shimer Sandusky, Ohio

In your clearly biased report on Melissa Ann Rowland you didn’t mention that cocaine and alcohol were found in the surviving twin’s system. You also failed to mention that Rowland has a history of criminal disregard for children and was convicted of child endangerment in 2000. Didn’t NEWSWEEK and the National Organization for Women know this? Don Taylor Alameda, Calif.

The Atlantic Monthly Responds

Peg Tyre’s April 5 Periscope item “Lots of Mea, Little Culpa,” on Howell Raines’s Atlantic Monthly cover story about The New York Times does an injustice to a serious essay about an important national institution. Whether you agree or disagree, in whole or in part, with Raines’s unusually candid appraisal of the paper’s culture, it is hard to deny that he raises many legitimate issues. Tyre also misrepresents what I said about the editing of the article to suggest that I thought the piece was “mean.” That was her word, not mine. What I said was that, in bringing the piece down from 30,000 to 21,000 words, we had worked hard to get the tone right without diluting its strong opinions. I’m afraid your reporter could not even get right the spelling of my last name (which is not Vanes).

Robert Vare, Senior Editor The Atlantic Monthly Boston, Mass.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-22” author: “Kenneth Kirkpatrick”

A Failure of Intelligence?

Before the Iraq war, I argued with people repeatedly over its necessity and justification. I supported the war for reasons beyond just the WMD, but part of my argument included WMD and the threat Iraq posed to the world. When the “major hostilities” ended, I thought that while we might not find tons of biological- or chemical-weapon stockpiles, they existed and would eventually be found, as the Bush administration assured us. Now after reading your Feb. 9 cover story,” ‘We Were All Wrong,’ " and the news reports about David Kay’s findings, I am embarrassed, and must admit to those with whom I argued that I was wrong. The United States lost its credibility and more than 500 lives for what President Bush repeatedly said were irrefutable facts about Iraq’s WMD and their threat to us and the rest of the world. David Goldberg New York, N.Y.

It was no intelligence failure–it was a lie. The president of the United States of America lied. Jay Berner via internet

“What Went Wrong” is an excellent piece of journalism that deserves commendation for presenting a candid and coherent chronology of facts. The report also raises many questions that need forthright answers. In the absence of WMD, Bush’s list of other justifications for war seems immaterial when compared with the carnage and chaos America reaped and its loss of credibility in the world. Who will respond the next time we cry wolf? Sandra H. Mitchell Warrenton, Virginia

Neither WMD nor Saddam were ever the issue. Long before 9/11, the present U.S. administration hoped for a valid reason to secure Iraq’s oil reserves, as the world’s thirst for oil will increase by 20 percent over the next 20 years, and probably substantially more in China. Saudi Arabia is a shaky bedfellow; Latin America is politically unstable. Russia, currently the second largest exporter of oil and gas, is not necessarily a business partner that the United States considers as a reliable, long-term supplier. Bush and his crew were selected and sponsored by the U.S. energy giants to represent their interests. Hannes Lanz Hong Kong

The best proof that the United States did the right thing in Iraq is the new attitude of Libya, Iran and Syria toward the West. Victor Klapholz Ramat Hasharon, Israel

Your Feb. 9 cover examining the Iraq intelligence mess asks, “Will Anyone Pay?” Scores of U.S. servicemen and -women and Iraqi civilians already have. C. Garvey Rochester, Minnesota

Nations like Iran and Libya, which had earlier adopted an intransigent attitude by refusing to acknowledge that they were pursuing a nuclear agenda, have begun to sing a different tune and have gone out of their way to extend their cooperation to organizations like the International Atomic Energy Agency. Further, it is now absolutely clear that Libya and Iran acquired their nuclear know-how from the disgraced head of the Pakistan atomic agency, Abdul Qadeer Khan, whose hands were in the till in the sale of nuclear technology to these countries, a fact that he has sheepishly admitted. It is imperative that North Korea’s march to becoming the world’s most dangerous nuclear state is arrested before it assumes alarming proportions and threatens world peace. Arvinder Walia Kolkata, India

In the unlikely case that American leadership got it so wrong, they should be rejected at the polls for incompetence. More likely, if they knew all along they were wrong and lied to us, they should be impeached. Prior to going to war in Iraq, the administration claimed to have proof–let’s see it and settle this question once and for all. Ian Reynolds San Antonio, Texas

I find it absolutely shocking that after leading their respective countries to war solely on the basis of faith, not facts, effectively slaughtering thousands of Iraqi civilians by their bombs, George W. Bush and Tony Blair remain in office. What’s more, far from being apologetic, these equivocating leaders have the cheek to justify their crimes with blatant lies, saying that the world is now a lot safer. Claiming they were misinformed is no excuse when dealing with such serious matters. Neither seems to consider resignation; they are even less worried about criminal prosecution. That unlawful attitude should be punished by the voters in the next election. Julienne Happich Barcelona, Spain

Did the United States have to bomb a country, killing thousands of civilians, in order to capture one man? It was President George W. Bush and his ilk who contributed to the making of that villain of Baghdad. Isn’t Bush also a sort of dictator in daring to order an air attack against Iraq without the backing of international law or the support of most other countries of the world? Dan Chellumben Amboise, France

“We were all wrong”? So France was right! Jacques Spalart Avon, France

Your Feb. 9 article “What Went Wrong” says that “even the French and Germans believed that Saddam had WMD.” This is simply not true. From thousands of citizens demonstrating against the war because they were not convinced that the Bush administration’s “proof” of WMD was real, to the German government led by Chancellor Schroder, who insisted on longer and more intensive inspections, it can be seen that Germans weren’t sure about Saddam’s weapons. Neither were the French. Donald Rumsfeld called Germany and France the “old Europe” for refusing to go to war. Most Germans considered Bush’s Iraq policy a dangerous mix of suspicion, arrogance and pure warmongering. I agree that Saddam was an evil tyrant and the world is better off without him, but this was not the right way to go. Violence provokes counterviolence and President Bush aimed to fight terror–not to produce new terror. Peter Jehle Niederrieden, Germany

New Europe, Old Russia

In his article on European Union-Russia relations (“Eastern Exposure,” Dec. 29/Jan. 5 ), Stefan Theil suggests that many people perceive the Russian threat not to apply the free-trade agreement with the EU toward the new Eastern European members as a sort of punishment for joining the Union. The true reason behind the Russian threat is the European Commission’s continued reluctance to adopt procedures necessary for the new members to join the agreement. On the negotiations with Russia, the European Commission claims that the signature of “acquis communautaire” by the new members will automatically mean joining the agreement with Russia. This contradicts the Vienna Convention on International Treaties. It is striking that, while the agreements signed with other states (such as the Cotonou agreement signed with African, Caribbean and Pacific countries) have all the necessary provisions on EU enlargement–giving the partner states the opportunity to express their concerns, receive a quick response and sometimes adopt temporary measures if enlargements threaten their interests–Russia, basically, has no voice in the EU-enlargement process. Artemy Izmestiev Moscow, Russia

In my opinion, the main reason for the divide between Old and New Europe is not fear of an increasingly resurgent Russian expansionism targeting former satellites of the old Soviet Union, as pointed out by Stefan Theil. Rather, it is a sense of gratitude to the Americans for helping facilitate their liberation from communism. One should also bear in mind that the “split” exists mostly in the minds of the countries’ leaders and not so much between ordinary citizens, as became patently clear in the controversy over the war in Iraq. Last but not least, there is this perception of arrogance and overbearing concerning France’s and Germany’s about-face over the issue of voting rights in the EU, which they had agreed upon in Nice more than three years before. The scrapping of the stability pact to boost the euro wasn’t much help either. Were Poland’s governing politicians to take a less bellicose stance toward the French and the Germans, they would likely strengthen the hands of ultranationalist Europhobes like Jean-Marie Le Pen, and that would be in nobody’s interest except Le Pen’s. Werner Radtke Paderborn, Germany

The King of Hell

A book review by Tara Pepper entitled “Sinful Reading” (Dec. 29/Jan. 5) states, to my utter amazement, that “in Dante’s epic poem, ‘The Divine Comedy,’ Satan insists: ‘Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven’.” The words are, in fact, taken from John Milton’s “Paradise Lost,” (Book 1: 263). The context is a discussion between Satan and the other fallen angels concerning their new lot in Hell. Dante’s “Inferno,” in contrast, published three centuries earlier, recounts Dante’s voyage through hell, with Virgil as his guide, until they emerge on the island of Purgatory. In this work, Satan is depicted as a three-headed machine devouring the three worst of the damned in the frozen center of the underworld and does not speak to the visitors at all. Michael S. Carter Paris, France

An American Model for the EU?

There is something I don’t like about the article on the European Convention (“The ‘Awkward Squad’,” Dec. 22). It said that the power of Spain and Poland in the EU is out of proportion to their wealth and population. If we want to have a real United States of Europe, many countries have to have power out of proportion. If you look at the United States of America, the state of Wyoming with 500,000 inhabitants has the right to send two senators to the Senate, exactly as California does with 35 million inhabitants. The problem of Europe is the way the countries are trying to build the EU. Changes in the voting system will not change anything. What Europe needs is a bicameral Parliament, transnational parties and a president elected directly by the people, exactly like the United States. The European Constitution, in fact, is just another treaty like the ones before but with another name. About France I would say that its right of veto in the U.N. Security Council is out of proportion to its population. If France is so European, will it leave its place in the Security Council to the wealthy and populated EU? Juan Carlos Galocha Morales Belgrade, Serbia

In “The ‘Awkward Squad’,” you suggest that Poland and Spain acted as “spoilers” at the recent Brussels summit. However, it seems to me that they should be congratulated for having prevented the European Union from being controlled by a minority–the richest and most populated nations. Otherwise, instead of continuing to operated democratically, the Union would degenerate into an old-fashioned aristocracy. Stanislaw Laskowski Gdansk, Poland

Spanish and Polish attitudes toward the draft of the new European Constitution do not mean preservation of the European status quo. Their position aims to preserve the provisions of the Nice Treaty, adopted by present members of the EU. Poland is not one of them, Germany and France were and are. I cannot understand why you state that the present status quo of the EU is “cumbersome, slow” and later estimate it as “more effective than Washington seems to realize.” You seem to apply different standards to the EU according to the issue raised: differently with regard to the Spanish and Polish negotiating position and differently to the EU as opposed to the United States. It is impossible to transform the EU into a single and democratic entity as long as its citizens do not all enjoy the same and equal rights. Polish farmers will receive 25 percent of subsidies that are and will be received by “the same” French and German farmers from the EU budget. So, stop using the equality argument. Bartosz Kostecki Chorzow, Poland

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-26” author: “Chris Kruchten”

Immigrant Contributions

Congratulations on highlighting the contribution that migrants are making to both their home and their adopted economies (“The Migration Economy,” Jan. 19). While some governments recognize this contribution, most prefer to ignore it. How many governments have offered their emigres a vote in national elections at home? How many governments have signed the International Convention on the Rights of All Migrants and Members of Their Families? The European Union still displays the worst aspects of a colonial mentality by its failure to put in place a common immigration policy. The rush to have a common currency should be matched by the development of a common immigration policy. Bobby Gilmore via internet

Migrant workers are indeed transforming the entire globe by infusing their culture into Western economies, thereby enlightening people the world over. The number of migrant workers from Asia is increasing not only in the United States but also in other regions such as Europe. President Bush’s new policy that enables a migrant worker to continue working in the United States will definitely give a boost to the U.S. economy, primarily because migrant workers happily–and more efficiently–do the work that most Americans don’t want to do. Akshay Mor Mumbai, India

The hypocritical policy that the EU holds regarding illegal immigrant workers is one that sustains poverty. In Spain and France, for example, slave-like working conditions and subminimum wages enable the agricultural industry to maintain competitive prices while regulations bar produce from Africa. If the EU had fewer protectionist regulations, these young workers would be able to provide for their families and nations by working closer to home, and their produce could be exported for fair pay. Hedvig Aminoff Linkoping, Sweden

Your comment–“for the political leaders of developing countries, [the migrant] is a modern-day ‘hero’ who sends home a hefty portion of his paycheck to help support his family members and keep his old community afloat”–is misleading. Political leaders and those with power and influence simply misuse the money sent home by these workers. Since local currencies have no value, the misappropriators use this money to import luxuries, send their kids abroad for education, et cetera, without investing the money for long-term development. Also, the social cost paid by the poor (especially by women who go abroad to work as domestic servants) is enormous. It is obnoxious that the privileged in these countries depend on that money to further their own selfish goals. Senerath Palamakumbura via internet

Your article about immigration, “The Migration Economy,” was interesting as were your data about the financial drawbacks of immigration for developing countries. One can imagine that the money earned by their employers is significantly more than that paid to the immigrant workers. Nevertheless, you forgot a negative effect of illegal migration. With people ready to take any job for any wage, deplorable working conditions won’t disappear from the developed countries. Bernard Ferrand Nantes, France

The O’Neill Bombshell

The facts that emerged in connection with former U.S. Treasury secretary Paul O’Neill’s “60 Minutes” interview and the book “The Price of Loyalty,” for which O’Neill was the primary source, prove what opponents of the war have been saying all along: Iraq was never a threat to world peace (“Why Bush Is Over the Moon,” Jan. 19). President Bush’s pre-emptive war agenda sounded bad enough to informed citizens throughout the world, including its many critics in the United States. It sounds significantly worse today as we learn that Bush pushed for war knowing that his administration had not enough evidence of the presence of WMD. The fact that all facilities in Iraq were opened to the inspectors who again and again found nothing was not enough to change Bush’s mind; the decision to go to war had already been set in stone long before. This should convince skeptics of the rightness of Gerhard Schroder’s and Joschka Fischer’s foreign policy: Germany took the morally right stand at the time. Jonas Ecke Potsdam, Germany

The Un-German Headscarf

Stefan Theil’s analysis of the “headscarf problem” (“Tolerating Intolerance,” Jan. 19) couldn’t have been more interesting and informative. Nevertheless, in my opinion, just because immigrants are in great demand right now and must be welcomed in shrinking Western Europe does not mean that they don’t need to respect the secular laws of their host countries. The latter are usually pretty tolerant democracies, while their own homelands are often intolerant and repressive theocracies. I think it’s perfectly legitimate to be asked not to display one’s religious belief in public schools, as in France, or to accept the primacy of Judeo-Christian culture, as in Germany. Besides, it’s true that the Muslim headscarf has become not only a symbol of fundamentalism and extremism but also a symbol of an aggressive antiwoman, anti-Western ideology. So, it doesn’t seem to me that it’s “ultimately hopeless and self-defeating” to stand up for secular democracy and Western civilization. Alain Cerri Annecy, France

Apropos of Stefan Theil’s Jan. 19 article on the decision of German legislators to ban the headscarf from schools, the strongest defenders of that ban, who are now insisting on the importance of our Christian roots, had declared themselves to be not religious at all before the discussion started. So I am stunned to find such zest in these so-called atheists’ arguments. This just goes to show how opportunistically religion is often misused to hide but one thing: racism. And Germany has a long way to go before the country may declare itself free of it. Fortunately, President Johannes Rau is a man of courage. He said what had to be said in spite of the outrage that was bound to come. S. B. Degardin Hamburg, Germany

Has the German government not learned anything from its history? Labeling a scarf “a symbol of fundamentalism and extremism” sounds exactly like fundamentalism and extremism. I would have thought that any Muslim who has chosen Germany as home must be escaping a very repressive regime in his or her native land to put up with that sort of persecution. Telling people they can’t wear headscarves as a religious symbol is exactly the same as telling them they have to. What I found most ironic in the article was the statement that “our children have to learn the roots of the Christian religion.” The roots of Christianity are Middle Eastern, not European: Christ was a Jew. How would he have been treated by this and previous German regimes? I think Christ, like all other divine incarnations, was smart enough to have chosen not to take birth in Europe. Chris Patmore London, England

Why did some young Muslim women start wearing headscarves just recently in European countries? Why did they (or, rather, their fathers) begin asking that teaching be interrupted at prayer times? Why do they refuse to attend physical-education classes with other students in public schools? Such problems have never arisen with kippah or cross-wearing pupils. Why is it “politically incorrect” to ask Muslims to adapt to the laws and customs of the countries where they live? Thousands of them may refuse, but 10 times more are willingly abiding by the laws and customs of Europe. Jacques Aghion Liege, Belgium

The headscarf debate is not just a symbol of the vilification of Muslims, but rather a small part of the larger wave of protest against “overforeignization.” If France has had a history of strict secular laws that have helped to bind various religious minorities, then why the false pretence about homogeneity? Placing religion in the private sphere, away from affairs of the government, is not a simple task. But when the public itself demands state protection of its churches, then the task becomes impossible to perform. Maybe it is time for France and Germany to rethink their approach to foreigners and remold their policies, and time for the conservatives to reconsider their stance in light of changing immigration policies in other developed nations. After all, immigrants are pillars of today’s globalized economy. Ankur Gupta Bhopal, India

So, Baden-Wurttemberg’s justice minister wants children in Germany to learn the roots of the Christian religion. If they do so, they will come across the following verses of the Bible: Gen. 24:64-65 says, “When Rebekah raised her eyes, she caught sight of Isaac and she swung herself down from off the camel. Then she said to the servant, ‘Who is that walking in the field to meet us?’ and the servant said, ‘It is my master.’ And she proceeded to take a head cloth and to cover herself.” And 1 Cor. 11: 5-6 reads, “But every woman that prays or prophesies with her head uncovered shames her head for it is one and the same as if she were with a shaved head. For if a woman does not cover herself let her also be shorn, but if it is disgraceful for women to be shorn or shaved, let her be covered.” The above verses show that Muslim women with their veils and scarves are already closer to Christian roots than today’s Christians. Luckily, the Qur’an advises them not only to wear the veil but also says, “There should be no compulsion in religion” (Qur’an 2: 257). Consequently German and French women need not worry that any Muslim will force them to either wear the veil or shave their heads. Rafiq A. Tschannen Amman, Jordan

The German government should delegate such trivial matters to local schools or other public or private bodies. It has far more important things to think of. Until the headscarf (or any other symbol) becomes as dangerous as the Nazi swastika, and promotes hatred and violence (i.e., public disorder), neither the public nor the government should take any notice of it. John S. Hanson Smethwick, England

A Misidentified Photograph

We want to register our protest against a photograph that accompanied your Jan. 26 article about the 23d Congress of the Japanese Communist Party (“The Life of the Party”). The people in that photo have nothing whatsoever to do with the JCP. In fact, they are members of a violent, pseudo-leftist group clamoring for the destruction of the JCP. Your caption reads as if they belong to the same school as the JCP. Presenting this anti-JCP group as the JCP is wrong. As a political party pursuing activities at home and abroad, backed by the people’s support, we feel we must protest. Ueki Toshio Press Service Department, Central Committee Japanese Communist Party Tokyo, Japan

Lee on Queen Bees

I never miss Fareed Zakaria’s World View column. In “We Need to Get the Queen Bees” (Dec. 1), he interviewed Lee Kuan Yew, who claims he knows how to deal with terror. But look at Israel: for every “queen bee” killed, we get replacements who are usually more primitive, more brutal. The mistake of commentators is to look for the cause of terror–all terror needs is an opportunity. Using logic to understand terror means losing the battle before it starts. Berman Moshe Ramat Hasharon, Israel

Zakaria’s article shows that many people still don’t understand the nature of terrorism. Terrorism is a consequence of social problems. People like Abu Bakar Bashir aren’t the roots of a new global Qaeda-style terror. To fight terror you must wipe out its roots, its raison d’etre: poverty, ignorance and a medieval education. Roland Schneider Vienna, Austria

Blaming deviant preachers is only partially correct, because most Muslims will identify the Palestinian problem and oppression as the root causes. The situation is more complex than one cares to concede. In my opinion, even when the Palestinian issue is resolved, terrorism will not end. There will be Kashmir; Chechnya; the killing of Shiite Muslims, Christians, Ahmadis or some other minority in some Muslim countries–indicating that this is not just about the revolt of the dispossessed or the oppressed. Chris C. C. Yong Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

Imagine: a statesman who’s managed to put his finger on the root cause of Islamic terrorism without any mention of Israel, Jewish cabals, “illegal settlements,” the Balfour Declaration and all the claptrap that the Chiracs of this world offer in place of the truth. Lee Kuan Yew is one smart dude! And Zakaria ain’t half bad himself. Sol Spiegler Tel Aviv, Israel

Zakaria has written the most insightful article on the “extremist” problem, pointing out the need for a united front from the European countries, and for NATO allies to “present a solid block.” Sadly, the masses with their poor understanding of world issues and a lack of knowledge of Eastern extremists, rise up in fear, creating a hotbed of disunity that helps the terrorists to continue their destruction. C. Lea Johannesburg, South Africa

According to Lee Kuan Yew, men like Bashir are the real force behind terrorrism. This is only half the truth. The solution lies in curing the disease rather than treating the symptoms. The United States needs to re-examine its foreign policy. In order to fight religious extremism, you need to get to the root causes of the problem. The hard-liners in the Bush administration are making the whole world a dangerous place to live in. If the Israelis are made to agree to the Palestinians’ demands for a free homeland and the return of refugees, most of the problems will be solved amicably. Aftab Hilal via internet

It’s not Europeans’ “underestimating” of “Qaeda-style terrorism” that we should be worried about. It’s U.S.-style terrorism that needs to be confronted. America’s stance on global peace is praiseworthy, but what about the integrity and sovereignty of independent nations? Threats of terrorism ought to be dealt with by the affected country itself and not by American-style pacifism that leads to inevitable meddling in local affairs. Jan Daryl C. Almodiel Surigao City, Philippines

High-Tech Food for the Hungry?

Once again, we assume technology can provide easy solutions to human problems. In “What Green Revolution?” (Sept. 15) you seem to convey the idea that genetically modified food is the answer to the famines in Africa. But the roots of the problem of hunger still lie with political corruption and international selfishness. GM food is not about feeding the hungry, it’s about profit. I’m disappointed that you gave such a narrow analysis of Africa’s hunger problem. Rita Chan Hong Kong

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-22” author: “Steven Baer”

Stroke survivors, loved ones of those affected and others who vowed to improve their lifestyles responded to our March 8 coverage of new research offering hope to millions of stroke victims. Readers recounted their experiences, described the therapies that worked for them–running the gamut from children’s aspirin to yoga–and, above all, stressed the need for perseverance. After six weeks of hospital treatment and 40 sessions of physical therapy, one survivor claimed to have come “very close to my normal self.” She advised against despair: Push yourself. “Your recovery stops when you stop.” In the interest of prevention, one woman asked for a poster-size blowup of our illustration of a fat-clogged artery to “display prominently above the TV so it will be right in my husband’s face. I want him to have more birthdays and see exactly why he won’t if he continues corrupting his arteries with poor eating habits.”

Striking Out of the Blue

Thank you for the informative March 8 cover story, “The New Science of Strokes.” Your article is helpful to the public at large and enormously useful for stroke victims. About a month ago, at the age of 29, I had a stroke. I have low cholesterol and low blood pressure, work out regularly, don’t smoke and have no history of strokes in my family. While spending the better part of a week at the hospital in the stroke unit undergoing a series of tests to determine the cause, I didn’t get nearly enough of this useful information to better assist me in understanding the causes, effects and treatment of strokes. That’s all the more reason to stress that it is the responsibility of the individual to take an active role in his or her personal health and take advantage of the comprehensive coverage on prevention and care in publications like NEWSWEEK. Faye Rogaski New York, N.Y.

I am a stroke victim twice over. My first stroke gave me aphasia, the inability to either speak or write. The next one was less severe, and I recovered from its effects within a few days. I am pleased to hear that physicians now believe that continued recovery happens even many months after a stroke. Doctors, family and friends attest to my continued slow but gradual recovery since the first stroke several years ago. Proper medicine, sometimes surgery and other medical skills are invaluable, but the patient also has a major role to play. The often long and difficult road to recovery involves long hours of exercises of various kinds. My advice to fellow stroke victims is, don’t lose hope. Your body and your doctors are working to achieve recovery. You must work as well. Keep at it! Beverly J. Walker Gresham, Ore.

Your cover story failed to mention that 90 percent of strokes are preventable. Since 1996 the medical data have shown that most of the 770,000 strokes annually and the resulting 160,000 deaths need not occur. The effect on the victims and families and the enormous cost to our health-care system could be largely avoided with simple, non-invasive, low-cost testing and early intervention. The recommendation that all patients be screened at the age of 50 and above has been largely ignored by the medical community, as it was in this article. By identifying the people at urgent risk for stroke, we could save 395 of the 440 people who will die every day from this disease. The new science of stroke treatment is commendable, but if we could bring the medical world and the public to focus on prevention, as we have with breast cancer or colon cancer, we will save many more lives at very little cost. I am a cardiovascular surgeon with a special interest in stroke prevention. Surprisingly few physicians, despite the data and the recommendations of the American Heart Association, avail their patients of this program, or send them for testing before the stroke has occurred. Morris M. Eisen, D.O. Cherry Hill, N.J.

Fortunately, the treatment of strokes has improved dramatically. However, you report that stroke-related expenses in the United States are expected to reach $54 billion this year. One big way to reduce costs would be by following Japan’s lead in reducing high blood pressure. A couple of decades ago the government campaigned for a reduction of sodium (salt) in food products. This had a huge impact on the blood pressure of the Japanese. It was one of the key reasons that stroke rates plummeted and life expectancy increased over the last several years. In this country salt must be reduced not just in processed foods but also in food sold in restaurants and bakeries. Renie Helfgott, R.N. (Ret.) Bay Shore, N.Y.

Thanks to NEWSWEEK for devoting a cover story to problems and progress in stroke. One of the sentences in your story hit the problem squarely: “He asked his wife to help him finish dressing so he could go to work. She ran for the phone instead.” Those of us in stroke care know that too many patients choose to wait it out, not recognizing the potentially catastrophic nature of their symptoms. This May, the entire state of Wisconsin is being mobilized on a single day–May 12–to learn to understand the symptoms of stroke and when to promptly call 911. With new drugs and techniques under development, we have never been in a better position to prevent thousands of people from lifelong disability. On May 12, people and organizations across Wisconsin will saturate the state with the message “Don’t Stall–Make the Call” when confronting the symptoms of stroke. NEWSWEEK just made our job easier! George Newman, M.D.; Howard Rowley, M.D.; Christine Wilson, R.N. Comprehensive Stroke Program University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics Madison, Wis.

Having seen hundreds of heart attacks in my career as a cardiovascular nurse, I was concerned by the way you differentiate between stroke and heart-attack victims in an otherwise excellent article. The author writes that “Unlike a heart attack, whose pain generally sends people to the hospital immediately, strokes can be subtle.” Unfortunately, the vast majority of patients who experience heart attacks also delay long past the one hour that is optimal for treatment. Most heart attacks are not accompanied by the sudden onset of excruciating chest pain. For women, the only symptoms may be shortness of breath and fatigue, not pain. For men the pain may not be pain at all, but rather a dull heaviness across the chest that comes and goes. Since the success of treatment (and ultimately survival) depends on getting to the emergency room quickly, it is important that the public know the symptoms and call 911 immediately if a heart attack is suspected. Kathleen Dracup, R.N., Dean University of California, San Francisco School of Nursing San Francisco, Calif.

The Legacy of Agent Orange

John Kerry is right in wishing his biographer had written more concerning Agent Orange exposure as part of the American experience in Vietnam (“Kerry & Agent Orange,” March 8). Thirty-plus years later, Agent Orange still continues to cause problems for veterans, their children and for the Vietnamese living in contaminated areas. It took years before the Pentagon and the Veterans Administration could admit that Agent Orange might have been the cause of health problems occurring in veterans and therefore could be considered service-related problems. The government still needs to take the next step and find out why the exposures were damaging to health. European research over the last 20 years has clearly identified immune-system effects due to Agent Orange’s poisoning of transthyretin, the protein that moves thyroid and vitamin A hormones around the body and controls modulation of the immune system. Neither the Clinton administration nor those of Bush 1 and Bush 2 has seen fit to deal realistically with this problem. Maybe the election of a Vietnam vet could provide the impetus for resolving this sorry state of affairs. F. W. Plapp Jr. Colorado Springs, Colo.

I read with great personal interest the article concerning Agent Orange. It should be noted that the list of diseases presumed to have been caused by Agent Orange has recently been updated by the Department of Veterans Affairs to include chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). This was decidedly good news for the hundreds of thousands of veterans, myself included, who have been affected by this disease. Unfortunately, we have been receiving less than equal benefits since the Agent Orange Act of 1991, which Senator Kerry sponsored, expired in September 2002. Whereas all the other listed diseases were awarded benefits retroactive to the date veterans entered their claims, victims of CLL, many of whom had entered claims years ago, were awarded benefits effective only from October 2003 regardless of their claim date. This is unfair, to say the least. John W. Datz Veterans Benefits Counselor Northport, N.Y.

Your story about agent orange was informative and long overdue. However, you left off one of the most common effects of Agent Orange, diabetes, which is fully compensable by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Also available are various treatments, medical care, doctor’s visits and diabetic supplies for little or no charge. Every Vietnam veteran who has diabetes should go to a Disabled American Veterans office or VA Hospital and file a claim for treatment and compensation. Don Hamilton Phoenix, Ariz.

Well Within Bounds

I played high-school basketball during its infancy in the early ’70s. Girls’ sports were just getting started in Michigan at that time (“Out of Bounds,” March 8). Although grateful to play, we were generally underfunded, ill equipped and assigned unqualified coaches. Never did I dream that in my lifetime I would be reading about a woman refereeing in the NBA. Violet Palmer is my hero, and reading about her life’s work has helped me get over the anger I still feel about being so discriminated against so long ago. Kathleen L. Higgins Yorkville, Ill.

It’s refreshing to see Violet Palmer outlast the sexist, closed-minded world of male-oriented sports by establishing herself magnificently both on and off the court, and without having to use sex appeal as a tool to get there. Palmer is a great role model for all women, someone who fended off both her critics and her own self-doubts to flourish in a profession in which other women may have caved. She is living proof that women belong in the world of sports and can succeed in that world without exposing themselves in front of a camera (witness Anna Kournikova). Maybe someone should send this article to the University of Colorado for Gary Barnett to read. Leo Rommel Hillsborough, N.J.

Religion and Liberalism

Thanks to Anna Quindlen for expressing so well the position of many of us who believe firmly in both God (with a capital G) and in left-wing policies (“At the Left Hand of God,” March 8). Like Quindlen, I believe in following Christ’s teachings to feed the poor, clothe the naked, tend to the sick and not wait for relief to “trickle down” from the wealthy. Jesus knew a thing or two about greed and self-gratification when he warned that it was as hard for a camel to pass through a needle’s eye as for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And I ask the religious conservatives who supported the war in Iraq, Whatever happened to “Thou shalt not kill”? Where was these leaders’ religion when they decided we had to strike first and not turn the other cheek? As a liberal, a Democrat and a practicing Roman Catholic, I am grateful for the American system that allows us the freedom to worship as we see fit. I resent being accused of being nonreligious or unpatriotic because I believe religious freedom means keeping religion out of politics. Let’s show our religion through our actions instead. Barbara Dowling Fredericksburg, Va.

I enjoyed cradle Catholic Anna Quindlen’s recent column on faulty assumptions about religiosity until I reached the penultimate paragraph where she gashed Mel Gibson for “trading on God for personal gain. The modern version of 30 pieces of silver.” Even as a heretical product of the Jesuits, I recall the scriptural caution to “Judge not, lest ye be judged.” Critique the movie as you will, but, absent solid evidence, let’s give Gibson the benefit of the doubt as to his motivation. Steve McGreal Chicago, Ill.

I believe the reason so many Americans think “only conservatives [know] God” is that whenever our news organizations need a minister to represent the Christian viewpoint, they give us people like Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson or Billy Graham. I’m a Bible-reading Jesus-lover and a political liberal who is married to an ordained minister (also liberal), and I know for a fact that there are many ministers of mainstream Protestant denominations in this country who are political liberals. Why aren’t those men and women included in the conversation? The media give the impression that right-wing televangelists represent all devout Christians, and the truth is, there are many of us for whom those men could never speak. Darcie D. Watson Falls Church, Va.

Sending the Wrong Message

As the father of a young girl, I am appalled to see the picture that appeared with the story on boy-band singer J. C. Chasez (“Sexy, Solo and Out of Sync,” March 8). It’s one thing to write about the raciness of Chasez’s first solo CD. It’s quite another to promote his album with a picture of him on a bed with a bottle of booze and two young women, one with her pants wide open. Such a pose may draw a few more readers to the story, but it sends an awful message to many others already concerned about the way girls and women are treated and portrayed in the media. That’s a very poor trade-off. Alan Breznick Raleigh, N.C.

Corrections

In “A ‘Shocking’ Stumble” (Periscope, March 15), we reported that the Bush-Cheney campaign had used paid actors to portray firefighters in its first election ads, which drew heavily on images from 9/11. We relied on information supplied by a member of the campaign’s media team. After publication, the official told us that he had been mistaken. The Bush-Cheney campaign has provided NEWSWEEK with documents that indicate the people in the ads were authentic volunteer firefighters, not actors. NEWSWEEK regrets the error.

In “Kerry & Agent Orange” (March 8) a caption accompanying a photo incorrectly identified a boat patrolling the Mekong Delta. The vessel is an assault-support patrol boat, not a Swift Boat. Also, in “A Poison’s Legacy,” a sidebar within the same article, we stated that Agent Orange is a “variation of” dioxin. In fact, dioxin is an unintended byproduct of two chemicals used to make the herbicide.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-06” author: “Vaughn Perna”

In his May 8 column, “Osama Needs More Mud Huts,” Fareed Zakaria raises interesting points about Islamic terrorism and related issues. But he is mistaken when writing about “mindless and virulent anti-Americanism … " Anti-Americanism is widespread and virulent throughout the world but it is not at all “mindless.” It is, instead, a logical and powerful reaction to unilateral enforcement of the U.S. foreign-policy agenda, regardless of international law and the rights of others. The bloody toppling of regimes distasteful to America (Mossadegh, Allende) and the unjustified invasion of countries such as Panama, Grenada, Afghanistan and Iraq have been fueling such anti-U.S. sentiment for decades, and it will not abate as long as America keeps acting with such self-serving attitudes in the international arena.

Juan Arturo Brennan

Mexico City, Mexico

Fareed Zakaria painted the highly intelligent Osama bin Laden as a desperate and seriously weakened man, rambling and crazed. But he is only speculating about this by using phrases such as “that suggests,” “it appears” and “it seems” to imply that bin Laden must now resort to launching appeals on “a crackling audiotape for a little money to build a few huts in Waziristan.” If he wanted, bin Laden could purchase better equipment to tell the world he is to be taken seriously. With a man of his talent and capacity for shocking, appearances can be more than deceptive.

Benjamin Horler

Wroclaw, Poland

Muslims are human beings who pursue happiness, prosperity and a better life for their children just like everyone else. Religion occupies a central role in the lives of many Muslims, and their lifestyles may be shaped by their religion. But this does not make them “radicals.” In fact, except for a tiny minority who have bet their fortunes on conflict, the rest of us are basically just like you.

Ahmet Ozgunes

Brussels, Belgium

I doubt that Osama or Al Qaeda are on the decline: bin Laden’s leadership is a projection of Western management or administrative principles, and Al Qaeda seems similar to the cell structure of the European terrorists of the ’70s–a community that transforms itself, reintegrates and catalyzes as needed. So it’s misleading to believe the whole movement is motivated by religion. It could be a group of angry, intelligent young people mostly from privileged communities with a superb command of Western technologies and culture, using focal points like the Palestinian territories to show their leadership abilities. We’ll see recurrent tides of violence as we state that the problems of the world are mainly caused by others–“oppressive regimes, reactionary social views, illiberal political parties, mindless and virulent anti-Americanism.” The mud-hut appeal may be globally much more sustainable than we think it is.

Karl-Ulrich Voss

Burscheid, Germany

Your May 8 cover story, “Why Women Can’t Sleep,” was really interesting, but I was quite disappointed that in describing the treatments, you used only American brand names (Ambien, Lunesta, Rozerem, etc.). As an international news magazine, you (like the Harvard Medical School) might want to consider using only the active substance in these medications in order to avoid confusion.

Andreas Konnerth, M.D.

Paderborn, Germany

I was surprised that in the “Quest for Rest,” no reference was made to the value and efficacy of natural remedies. Meditation, yoga and other relaxation methods are extremely effective sleep inducers with none of the potential risky side effects of drugs.

Vivien K. Harris

Geneva, Switzerland

Your May 1 photo essay, “Chernobyl, My Home,” was incorrectly identified under the section heading “Russia.” When the reactor explosion occurred in 1986, Chernobyl was indeed located in the U.S.S.R. However, in 1991, the Soviet Union was dissolved and Ukraine became an independent state. Thus, Chernobyl is now actually located well within the confines of Ukraine. We found your heading misleading and detrimental to Ukraine’s continued efforts to distance itself from Russia.

Stefanie Tubbs and Kristen Schaefer

via internet

We write with respect to your recent article (“Balancing Act,” June 19) on President Putin’s drive to stamp out corruption in Russia. Motorola has never protested to the U.S. government about Russia’s accession to the WTO. In fact, we are encouraged by meetings and ongoing dialogue with senior Rus-sian government officials, who have expressed their willingness to resolve the issue of the recently seized Motorola phones. Motorola is enthusiastic about the prospects for increasing our business in the Russian market.

Michael D. Kennedy

Jhumpa Lahiri’s article (“My Two Lives,” March 6) so eloquently and realistically described the inner and outer struggle of a child trying to bond with and/or separate two very different cultures. Furthermore, it brought the struggle full circle by expressing the closure and completeness many Indian-Americans feel once they reach adulthood and realize what a wonderful gift they have been given to be able to live such a rich life by participating in both cultures. Finally it gives credit where credit is due, recognizing that this completeness would never have been achieved without the determination of the immigrant parents to immerse their children in whatever Indian culture they could find in the United States, and teach them along the way. I am a thirtysomething Indian-American who could relate to every word of Lahiri’s article. I, too, feel blessed to be able to be an American and an Indian, and to share my rich culture proudly with all my American friends. I only hope I can find a way to give the same blessing to my children.

Priya Agarwal

Rockville, Maryland

I have had a completely different immigrant experience from that of Jhumpa Lahiri. I grew up in India, and after moving to southern California in my 20s in the late 1980s, I did not feel at all out of place, having grown up with Hollywood movies, American literature and rock and roll. India and the United States have more in common than is apparent on the surface, both being secular democracies with thriving independent media. My children who are growing up here seem to easily balance their Indian origins with their American life, quickly transitioning between interacting with their Indian cousins and their American friends. Immigration is not a journey of “departure and deprivation,” but rather a journey of hope and fulfillment.

Soumitra Sarkar

Arcadia, California

I loved your article on “The New India” but I must add that I don’t feel that Jhumpa Lahiri’s thoughts accurately reflect her generation. I am of a similar age, also grew up in the States and am currently raising my daughter here. However, my memories of my childhood are not of a bifurcated life, one lived in shadow, the other in uncertain sunlight, as she portrays it. I grew up with parents who were fiercely proud and intensely connected to their culture and heritage. They also were very influential in creating a society of Indians around them that shared in this feeling and together they built a community whose roots survive to this day. Did I experience problems in bridging the two cultures? Of course. Were there yawning generation gaps, painful misunderstood communications, stark differences of opinion? Yes. Most families have these. But to portray the Indian-American experience as a bleak journey, constantly shuttling between cultures that are like oil and water, is a gross misrepresentation and a sad one. The sense of pride and connection to my Indian culture that my parents gave me was their greatest gift to me. It provided me with an anchor, a touchstone that became a part of myself and helped guide me through my life. I have always felt proud to be an Indian and have always felt privileged to be an American.

Latha S. Sarathy

Princeton, New Jersey

Jhumpa Lahiri’s article took me back to my early years in the United States. Unlike Lahiri, I came to the States when I was 27. I thought I was well versed in Western ways and spoke fluent English. Alas, I found that the first time I boarded a bus in Chicago, I did not know how to pay for the fare; I did not even know what a “transfer” meant. It was the beginning of several disappointments. I had to learn new ways that seemed a little demeaning, and I missed my friends who were back home. Then, I met the man I married. I experienced another change, and began to adjust to and enjoy American middle-class life. I began moving away from my Indian roots. I stayed in touch with my parents but I didn’t believe it was necessary for my personal growth. My father passed away five years after immigrating, and my mother spent the next 20 years living either with me or one of my two siblings. After her death, I felt that loss that Lahiri refers to. To help me feel close to my mother, I started performing some of her religious rituals. I began to contact some of my relatives more often than in the past. This is how I try to console myself, and preserve my roots. I hope, before it is too late, I can take my mother’s memory back to our homeland and share it with her surviving family members.

Neelima June

Lake Zurich, Illinois

Christopher Dickey’s column “France’s Militants of the Status Quo” (April 10/April 17) was good, but he covered only half the argument when he stated that the French people, not its government, are attached to the status quo. In reality, both are. The relationship between the French government and its people is like that of a parent and a child. The parent tells the child what he wants him to do, and if the child does not wish to do it, he throws a tantrum until the parent caves in. The child wins and the parent is at an impasse. This is the same with the French and their government. The social benefits French people enjoy today will soon cease to exist. Change must occur, no matter what. The French government needs to change the way it communicates with its people, while the French people, like it or not, need to change their way of thinking. If both parties do not make adjustments, there is no way that France can step into the future.

Roselaine Pennino

Paris, France

Your April 10/April 17 cover asks, “Is Russia a Rogue State?” I would answer, Absolutely! It is a rogue state. And so are most of those of the Commonwealth of Independent States. They are rampant with corruption and human-rights abuses and are led by tyrants. The governments of the CIS seek inclusion in the international community not just for its aid and investment but to retool and rebuild their economies that failed under communism. They have had no change of heart. Economically, they are capitalists out of necessity for survival; but morally, they are still all communists. They have absolutely no intention of relinquishing power, or of honoring the freedoms and human rights of their average citizens. If Russia wishes to be a legitimate player in the international community, it must subscribe to the values of human rights and democracy, which have made the United States and the West economically prosperous. Democracy and human rights are the prerequisites of sustained economic development. These values will result only in the economic vitality of Russia, and create greater global stability, both economically and politically.

Kevin White

Almaty, Kazakhstan

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-08” author: “Dale Sosa”

The crisis in Nepal is the result of King Gyanendra’s inability to heed the grievances of his people in a systematic and conscious manner (“Nepal Is Burning,” May 1). Worse, the onslaughts of the Maoist rebels comprehensively nullified the return of better days for the Nepalese. This was bound to lead to violent protests. Had the Indian government been more aggressive in its approach, things would not have come to such a pathetic state of affairs. The only way to let things fall into place would be to create room for democratic setups in Nepal, allowing them to gain strength with time. People can’t be prevented from participating in shaping the destiny of their nation. Since the role of king cannot be altogether wiped out from our hierarchy, it’s better if he is treated as the ceremonial head of Nepal. And yes, let those depending heavily on faulty means for their survival, the Maoists, be reduced to nothingness in a refined democratic setup.

Arvind K. Pandey

Allahabad, India

America’s, India’s and Europe’s fears of the communist ghost in Nepal are ridiculous. The outcry that Maoists would take over the government is evidence of sheer ignorance of the on-the-ground realities there. Maoists already won their political battle once their agenda of a constituent assembly became the national agenda–and they have promised to hand over their arms under U.N. supervision. The makeup of Nepali society is such that no other system of governance can function there except inclusive parliamentary democracy. The parties must fight for a noble cause rather than committing suicide. How can civilized people ask the parties to compromise with the king who fired bullets on peaceful demonstrators? If you really care, persuade the king to surrender.

Divas Sharma

Katmandu, Nepal

Your may 1 article “the truth about Sugar” claims that sugar for fuel will not extend beyond Brazil. I disagree. The production of biofuel is important to reduce pollution. Many nations (Japan, for example) are already using Brazilian ethanol as a substitute for the lead-based anti-knocking additives used in gasoline. Brazil has proved the economic viability of sugar-cane-produced ethanol and has the land and environmental conditions to produce enough for much of the world’s needs. Most cars built here run on ethanol or gasoline or a mixture. Ethanol delivers more horsepower and is a cheaper, cleaner, renewable source of energy that will help preserve the world’s limited resources of fossil energy from being simply burned up.

Peter Deutsch

Americana, Brazil

The truth about sugar is not that complicated. It is that developed nations, by subsidizing their sugar for export, undercut its price in the global market. Many developing countries incurred heavy losses because of their inability to compete with these subsidized sugar exporters. It is great that the World Trade Organization has put an end to the subsidies. Even if some European companies collapse as a result, this will help poor farmers in the developing world.

Rangaswamy N. Muniappan

Yona, Guam

What a pity that the only nation to put a man on the moon cannot lead the rest of us in the use of clean energy and the development of safe nuclear power (“A Defiant U.S. Economy Drives On,” May 8). Instead, the United States is now leading the world in using up the resources of the planet at a rate that cannot be sustained. If the United States wants cheaper oil, it should use less, not more, thereby creating a glut. The bloody intervention in Iraq has pushed up America’s debt to the highest ever and the price of oil to record levels. Make no mistake, the United States will have to restructure its economy in the next few years, and the adjustment will be every bit as painful as Russia’s break with communism 15 years ago.

Hamish Gilbert

London, England

You ask, “How long are u.s. forces planning to stay in Iraq?” (“Stuck in the Hot Zone,” May 1). I’d say, “Indefinitely–or longer than they would have wanted to.” U.S. forces are not just stuck in the hot zone, they’re already in bottomless quicksand, sinking gradually but inevitably. How else can one describe the quandary they have been facing for the past three years? Can anyone imagine building an embassy the size of Vatican City, the largest in the world? What is the gigantic edifice for? A city within the capital city? The U.S. is making excuses to stay on with a permanent base in the Middle East, exploiting Baghdad as its military nucleus, to ensure the stability of Iraq and the continuous flow of oil, but also to contain Iran and other rogue regimes in the region.

Venn Tzu

Penang, Malaysia

I grow increasingly concerned with the emotive rhetoric employed by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in her attempts to drum up support locally and within the international community to oppose the efforts by Iran to develop its nuclear energy program (“New Pressure Points,” May 1). Having listened to Rice’s comments in Sofia, Bulgaria, I wonder if your readers have noticed some scary parallels with events of not too long ago. For example, “The Security Council is the primary and most important institution for the maintenance of peace and stability and security, and it cannot have its word and its will simply ignored by a member state.” But that is exactly what the United States did. A few years ago, the then Secretary of State Colin Powell presented to that same U.N. Security Council irrefutable proof of Iraq’s possession of weapons of mass destruction. It is now clear that those arguments consisted of a combination of lies and poor intelligence, guided entirely by a political agenda. At that time, the Security Council refused to accept the conclusions of the U.S. administration and did not condone military intervention. The Security Council was right. But that did not stop the United States from subsequently invading Iraq, bringing death and destruction to countless Americans and Iraqis, and it has now left Iraq in a civil war. America must accept its responsibility to provide concrete proof, not wild speculation as before, if its contention that Iran is attempting to develop nuclear weapons is to be credible. Failing that, the United States, under its nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty obligations, should support Iran’s quest to develop its nuclear energy program.

Rory E. Morty

Giessen, Germany

As a true European–Austrian-born, British citizen, living in France–I found your May 1 story on German Chancellor Angela Merkel both fascinating and of great concern. For Germany, of all countries, to feel comfortable with doing nothing to better its lamentable political, social and economic situation is turning history on its head. Your accompanying stories on Italy’s new government ( plus ça change … ) and Bulgaria’s and Romania’s chances to become members of the European Union just prove that Europe’s endemic illness has its origin in Brussels, which still believes in “safety in numbers.” Merkel and her Italian counterpart, Romano Prodi, had better implement the necessary national reforms with an enthusiasm comparable to their countries’ commitments to the artificial monster that the European Union has become. The EU’s proposed constitution has been rejected, denying it any credible legitimacy, and yet the steamroller continues as if nothing had happened. This is no longer a honeymoon, it’s a nightmare.

Karl H. Pagac

Villeneuve-Loubet, France

I am incensed that the U.S. government is demanding that Japan pay a whopping sum of about $27 billion to cover part of the costs of relocating U.S. troops in Japan (“A Delicate Balance,” May 1). I am dead set against having Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi and his gang of neoconservatives use any of our tax money for the American military, which started a war of aggression against Iraq and laid that country to waste. Koizumi is only making Japan a target of terrorism rather than making friends by being a running dog of Washington. It is time for him to sober up and say goodbye to what you might call “the axis of idiots,” and make Japan, once again, a peace-loving nation that the whole world would respect.

Tadashi Emori

Negoya, Japan

Fareed Zakaria’s article “Adrift in a Turbulent World” (April 24) dissected the United States’ attitude toward the rise of China. His disclosures that Americans are “fearful and increasingly combative” and that Donald Rumsfeld “has made more suspicious and belligerent statements about China” and has indicated that “the United States cannot tolerate China’s growing military power” show a high degree of historical amnesia. After all, historical forces are not static but dynamic. Spain and Portugal once reigned and enjoyed the Papal Bull of Demarcation. Today their powers have waned. The Dutch, the British and the French were once great powers with their empires too. Those have also waned. The United States and the Soviet Union later took the political center stage until 1989, when historical forces wrote the obituary for the U.S.S.R., leaving the United States as the only superpower. What the Americans and the international community should accept is that nations succeed each other as men do. The same historical forces that swept Russia aside are propelling China in. It is an impersonal historical force that simply does not care whose ox is gored.

Augustine C. Ohanwe

Vantaa, Finland

Thanks for Fareed Zakaria’s excellent and accurate portrayal of India–it couldn’t have been more interesting and down to earth (“India Rising,” March 6). While India’s rapid strides in technology and economic growth are laudable, I strongly feel that there is still a lot to be accomplished as far as poverty and health are concerned. While multinationals and local industrial giants seem to be benefiting the most, there is still a significant, if not unrealized, responsibility of the government in addressing issues such as urban and rural poverty, corruption in the bureaucracy and the rapidly spreading epidemic of AIDS. Living in the United States for the last decade, I have always had this “balanced” view of my home country.

Madhukar Kaloji

Virginia Beach, Virginia

Most of Fareed Zakaria’s articles hit the nail on the head. But with this one he missed the nail and hit my thumb. The subsequent flurry of stories aired on news broadcasts have emphasized the same glowing theme regarding India’s wondrous transformation via the outsourcing of jobs from America. The cameras have focused on the new buildings, the new Indian middle class and the personal stories of individuals who have benefited from this remarkable change in that country. The real effects on American workers have been relegated to a statistic. Myself and millions of other American workers have had their livelihoods turned upside down by this outsourcing, and the financial hardship, job uncertainty, forced career changes and incredible family stresses that we have endured as a direct result are trivialized with a statistic. No cameras and microphones are pointed to these American workers to hear that not-so-rosy story. What a terrible disservice to the field of journalism and the American public.

John Corson

Via internet

Your article was an eye-opener. The core of India’s economic boom is the large, educated, disciplined and motivated young population. Having grown up in India, I’d attribute this to families that emphasize education. Until similar priorities are set by our society here in the United States, it would be hard for us to compete globally.

Milroy Codipilly

Coram, New York

After reading about India’s economic growth, I was once again reminded of Indian youth’s obsession with consumerism and Western values. I grew up in an Indian-American household, spending several years grappling with my “dual identity,” finally finding myself having to recover Indian values and customs that I had denied through my teenage years. Now, when I visit India, I see teenagers idolizing American pop culture, commercialism and glitz. “American style” restaurants are popping up everywhere, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to find a Bollywood soundtrack that does not sound like an American pop-song rip-off. While Indian culture and values are still deeply ingrained in the youth, I hope that the beautiful culture it took me two decades to appreciate–a culture of simplicity, modesty, hard work and unique music–will not be co-opted to another, more glamorous alternative. It saddens me how we so often fail to appreciate the beauty in ourselves and in who we already are.

Nirag Kadakia

Pennsauken, New Jersey

Your articles on India were a breath of fresh air to people like myself, who have lived in the United States for years and are still trying to break away from the stereotypes. Parents expect us to be doctors, engineers or computer scientists; others expect us to speak with an accent; still others expect us to behave the way Indians on television do. The India of yesterday is still there, but it now coexists with the India of the future, of groundbreaking economic growth and prosperity. Investing in Indian companies and improving the relationship between the two countries is beneficial for both. As for Indian-Americans, I can point to myself. I started as a pre-med student to fulfill my family’s expectations. Then I changed my major to English, found myself the only non-Caucasian in class and after graduation now work in the public-affairs department of the Boston Red Sox. Indians in the United States are now a part of everything, from the traditional medical and scientific fields to the most American of all things: baseball.

Marty Ray

Boston, Massachusetts

As a manager responsible for the India offshore operations of a major U.S. bank, your feature on India reminded me why I have a love/hate relationship with this amazing country. I love the work ethic, commitment to excellence, intelligence, and friendliness that my colleagues in India demonstrate every day. It is amazing, though, that such a smart country can have such poor infrastructure, poverty, pollution and bureaucratic ineptitude. It can be frustrating at times dealing with these challenges but interacting with the people of India has been the most rewarding experience of my career. I wonder if my colleagues who deal with China can share that same joy.

Bob Halpern

Kennett Square, Pennsylvania

Fareed Zakaria is intrigued by how a country of 1.2 billion people, with seventeen languages, 2,200 dialects and many religions can exist in relative peace and harmony. Another factor that adds to this intrigue is that the three top leaders of this nation belong to three different religions. The prime minister is a Sikh, the opposition leader is a Hindu and the president is a Muslim. I believe that Hinduism, the major religion of this country, has a lot to do with the mystery and mystique of India. It does not proselytize or polarize, dominate or conquer, but just encourages its members to follow their dharma , or duty. Hinduism has some valuable lessons for a divisive world.

Paul Veliyathil

Coral Springs, Florida

I am proud to be an Indian-American. However, the India of my dreams–still a pipe dream–will have the basic necessities of food, shelter, and clean drinking water for all her citizens. All children will be valued and cherished, not just the males, and every child will have the same educational opportunities; every Indian will be able to get birth certificates and similar documents without being given the runaround by bureaucrats. Dare I dream of halfway-decent public restrooms too?

Valsa George

Port Charlotte, Florida

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-24” author: “Walter Mccuen”

Even amid his humiliation, disgraced House page-chaser Mark Foley proves himself to be a skilled manipulator (“A Secret Life,” Oct. 16). Caught red-handed pursuing online sex with boys, he’s now saying all the right things to pave the way for a return to civilized society: claiming to be an alcoholic, to have suffered from behavior problems (obviously) and to have been molested by a cleric as a teen. Voilà: he’s transformed himself from a child predator to a sympathetic figure. We should avoid any impulse to show sympathy to a man who knew he was doing something wrong and who has cast yet another black eye on Congress.

Oren M. Spiegler

Upper Saint Clair, Pa.

So it took a sexual predator to make us question our leadership? Lies about WMD and thousands of U.S. and Iraqi deaths were not enough. Nor was Abu Ghraib, a multibillion-dollar no-bid Halliburton contract, the denial of glob-al warming, tax breaks for the wealthy, 47 million uninsured citizens, Katrina’s aftermath, the outing of a CIA agent, nor a declaration from 16 U.S. intelligence agencies that the Iraq war has increased terrorism. These weren’t enough to call into question the party of morality? Mark Foley and House Speaker Dennis Hastert deserve what’s coming to them, yet must the word “sex” be factored into the transgression before we are shamed to outrage?

Steve Kronen

Winter Park, Fla.

Your cover story both condemns Mark Foley as a predator and insinuates it is his fault Republicans are in jeopardy of losing control of the House. Despite the fact that buried in your article you admit that sexual orientation has nothing to do with sexual predation, the majority of your story is consumed with the lurid details about a homosexual Roman Catholic altar boy and less on the facts known to date. I am not defending Foley, but it is irresponsible to label him as a predator before the facts are fully known. And to lay the troubles of the Republican Party at this one man’s feet is ridiculous–they all deserve the blame for that!

Adam F. Brennan

Wellsboro, Pa.

You would think that congress would have more to do than assign blame in the Mark Foley incident. This is not the first time a congressman has disgraced himself. Congressmen of both parties have been guilty of improper relationships in the past. Maybe working on the budget, trade deficits and our dependence on foreign oil would better occupy their time. On second thought, these are the people who actually spent time debating naming french fries “freedom fries.” Productive work may be beyond their capabilities.

James Caskey

St. Marys, Ga.

The misleading cover photo of a psychotic, demon-eyed Mark Foley with a cutout of a pouting George Bush walking away could lead readers to believe there was an approving nod from the executive branch condoning, or at least not stopping, Foley’s actions. To reinforce the connection, the story’s lead picture also showed the two together. Isn’t this scandal about a sexual predator and the lack of internal congressional oversight? NEWSWEEK can hammer Bush for all his other failings–because there are many–but you created a disconnect between the story and the pictures.

Randall W. Hoyle

Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

Mark Foley’s inappropriate e-mails are just now coming to our attention, but what have the Republican leaders been doing ever since they became aware of his behavior? They obviously hedged their bets hoping to squash this disgusting story until after the elections. But let’s not lose sight of the fact that Foley preyed on teenage boys who were away from home and their parents, all while he was chair of the House Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children. They were there to learn and do a job, not to be ogled and flirted with by a perverted old man. The fact that Republicans covered up the story is reprehensible, and this from the party that champions moral values?

Connie Purdy

Owings Mills, Md.

Sixteen-year-old boys may be “boys.” But they also tend to be sexual beings who act with agency. Was Mark Foley incredibly stupid? Absolutely. Did he take advantage of a position of power? No question. But is he a sexual predator? Who knows? Calling him a sexual predator based on current evidence misses the mark. One minute a 16-year-old who commits a violent crime is thought to be old enough to know better and is incarcerated for decades. Then he’s an innocent, taken in by an older man who wanted to get his jollies instant-messaging about masturbation. While Foley may have been a complete fool, to call him a predator does a disservice both to the young men involved and to those who work to prevent the sexual abuse of children by adults. Call him stupid. Call him arrogant. The evidence, in my opinion, supports those conclusions. But a sexual predator? Save that for the other guys.

Melissa S. Embser-Herbert

St. Paul, Minn.

As an openly gay man, I am appalled at Mark Foley’s now becoming a “gay” victim just like Gov. Jim McGreevey of New Jersey and Mayor James West of Spokane, Wash. They are a disgrace not because they are gay, but because they are immoral people who did something wrong. These three men have done more harm to the gay community in this country than all the Jerry Falwells and Pat Robertsons could ever do. I hope Americans see them for what they are and don’t think that their illegal and immoral behaviors are because they are gay. That is so very far from the truth.

Richard Moccia

New York, N.Y.

In the midst of war, spiteful election ads and the boldfaced cover-up of child endangerment, the shining example of the Amish people stands out like an oasis in the driest desert (“Tragedy in Amish Country,” Oct. 16). The story of how they patiently forgave their children’s cold-blooded killer and offered comfort to his family was the most uplifting news item I have ever heard. The Amish truly are what the religious right pretends to be.

Juliet Nace

Camp Hill, Pa.

The Amish may be out of step with the world when it comes to using modern technology, but they are far ahead in what is more important–the ability to forgive those who wrong or even kill them. What an example of Christlike love! Overcoming evil with good is foreign to most individuals and nations. Forgiveness is a bold peacemaking initiative that is rarely used. Revenge, which begets more violence, is currently the world’s standard operating procedure. Blessed are the Amish peacemakers; they are truly God’s children.

Paul L. Whiteley Sr.

Louisville, Ky.

As a registered nurse, I’ve served on many committees dealing with quality of nursing and medical care. I appreciated reading about how doctors and other medical personnel are looking for solutions to decrease errors and improve quality of care, communication and collaboration so that patients have as good a hospital experience as possible (“Fixing America’s Hospitals,” Oct. 16). Yes, hospitals have many problems, and in this age of technology, errors are bound to occur. But many health-care professionals are working hard every day to address these problems, elevate standards of care and cut down on errors of all kinds.

Emily Hall, R.N.

West Springfield, Mass.

As a surgical specialist with more than 30 years’ experience in community practice, I find that in addition to improving care and striving to eliminate errors, we need to provide universal, affordable access to this care. As the number of uninsured and underinsured grows, we are losing more than 18,000 lives annually as well as driving up the costs as people seek care late in their diseases. Access to care is as fundamental as quality of care.

Jerry Frankel, M.D.

Plano, Texas

I still have fresh, painful memoories of a mistake I made in my internship in the ’80s. After asking for med-dose clarification and being chastised for doubting it by my senior resident, I gave a critically ill patient the seizure-causing dose. When I wanted to apologize to the family, I was reprimanded by both senior resident and attending, who told me to “get over it” because it had not caused permanent damage. As a mother, I was horrified that a doctor did that to a child, and to this day I question any medication given to my family. Thank you for your article. I love being a doctor and being allowed into the very secret and often painful parts of my patients’ lives. I only hope we can improve our care without increasing documentation, paperwork and liability.

Susan Cary, M.D.

Wilbraham, Mass.

I am one of Sacha Baron Cohen’s many victims (“Behind the Schemes,” Oct. 16). Because his handlers told me he was Borat Sagdiyev, “a TV journalist from Kazakhstan,” I booked him for a live studio interview on our morning news show in Jackson, Miss., thinking he was a legitimate reporter doing a documentary to be shown in his home country. I checked out his public-relations company’s Web site and even met one of the publicists in person. They seemed genuine. But once the camera was on him, this man destroyed our credibility in very short order. Because of him, my boss lost faith in my abilities and second-guessed everything I did thereafter. I spiraled into depression, and before I could recover I was released from my contract early. It took me three months to find another job and now I’m thousands of dollars in debt and struggling to keep my house out of foreclosure. How upsetting that a man who leaves so much harm in his path is lauded as a comedic genius. Think of all the other people who’ve probably been fired because of his antics.

D. A. Arthur

Panama City, Fla.

The best thing about your interview with Amy Berg about her documentary on abusive priest Oliver O’Grady was its brevity, since the more she talks, the more she distorts the facts (“Priest and Predator,” Periscope, Oct. 9). Take, for example, the assertion that her production company offered the church a private screening of her film. The truth: CNN asked Berg to let me review the piece so I could provide a comment for the cable channel’s review. Berg gave the nod–as long as I agreed to go to her attorney’s office to view it. There certainly was no invitation made to church officials to screen her film. Berg’s editorial bias is revealed in her parting cheap shot at Cardinal Roger Mahony, in which she pushes aside evidence and facts in her haste to call for his resignation. Preposterous.

Tod M. Tamberg , Dir. of Media RelationsArchdiocese of Los Angeles

Los Angeles, Calif.

The cover credits for the Sept. 25 issue, “The Next Generation, Women and Leadership,” were inadvertently omitted: María Celeste’s makeup and hair by Luis Alejandro Ortiz, styling by Sarah Maher–Oliver Piro, dress by Elie Tahari; Queen Latifah’s makeup by Roxanna Floyd–Illusions at Click Model Management, hair by Iasia Merriweather-Dusk to Dawn, styling by Susan Moses–Get Dressed Inc.; Marissa Mayer’s makeup and hair by Patrycja-Igroup, hair assistant Josie Torres–Atomic Assistants, styling by Sarah Maher–Oliver Piro, suit by Boss-Hugo Boss and shirt by Stella McCartney. NEWSWEEK regrets the omission.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-17” author: “Catherine Demateo”

I am astonished that you featured Hewlett-Packard’s chairman Patricia Dunn and the words “leaks and lies” on your cover instead of board member George Keyworth’s picture with those same words (“Suspicions and Spies in Silicon Valley,” Sept. 18). Who deserves more blame, a perhaps overly conscientious executive or a betrayer of the company and its stockholders who admits leaking board information for publication? Keyworth acknowledged unethical behavior and didn’t even have the courage or character to apologize or resign.

Mary Phleger

Marlton, N.J.

What a snake pit the Sand Hill Road good ole boys have created at Hewlett-Packard. Is it an accident that the two extraordinarily capable executives this crew has chewed up are both Silicon Valley outsiders and female? Former board member Tom Perkins, by dint of his former service to Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard as well as his MIT and Harvard credentials, screams childish resentment by zooming a radio-controlled device over chairman Patricia Dunn’s head. And the other Ivy League slumgullion, George Keyworth, accepted a board salary and the responsibility to husband HP’s assets while simultaneously telling company secrets to reporters. The California attorney general wants to investigate Dunn? She should be lionized while the derelicts on her board are indicted for breach of fiduciary duty.

Marla Harkness

Long Beach, Calif.

If you take a noun like “pretext” (defined as a false motive or cover-up) and spin it into the verb “pretexting,” it sounds like a legitimate, high-tech procedure used by those in the know. Does this legitimize the action? It’s still a false motive or cover-up.

Dorothy Barton

Wolcott, N.Y.

Perhaps the next time a self-proclaimed zillionaire like former board member Tom Perkins is bored enough to buzz a toy helicopter around the head of HP chairman Patricia Dunn, he should spend some time and a little of his money serving in a soup kitchen or buying school supplies for poor children. That should alleviate his boredom and also show him there is more to life than being bored silly. Then maybe next time he is bored, eight pages in NEWSWEEK can be dedicated to photos of poor kids he has helped and not the whining and crying that is currently being written about.

Lori J. Barber

Cincinnati, Ohio

While discussing the use of pre-texting, which chairman Patricia Dunn probably didn’t know about until after the fact, you almost totally glossed over the real offense–a board member’s disclosing inside information to outside sources in clear violation of company rules. It’s interesting that while the media have made this controversy a front-page story, Hewlett-Packard’s stock was setting new highs and sales of its products are at record levels.

James Meyer

Rydal, Pa.

David Kaplan’s article about the Hewlett-Packard saga was excellent. Companies have no business spying on employees’ personal phone or e-mail records and should be heavily fined for doing so. If a company has to resort to espionage, shouldn’t it signal that management needs an overhaul?

Ron A. Lines

Summerville, S.C.

I saw nothing “playful” in the message strung out in “nautical-speak” for the launch of former HP board member Tom Perkins’s 287-foot sailboat, the largest, and, at $100 million, the most expensive private sailboat ever built. When I read, “Rarely does one have the privilege to witness vulgar ostentation displayed on such a scale,” I nearly puked.

Peter Kushkowski

Portland, Conn.

Oh the irony! A cover of a boss spying on board members while the president is spying on any and everyone. How can this double standard be allowed?

Alta Gray

Carmichael, Calif.

Gated communities are not about anything as sinister as discrimination or exclusion (“Membership Has Its Benefits … Doesn’t It?” My Turn, Sept. 18). It’s much simpler. They’re about the almighty dollar. Homes are the biggest financial investment most people make in their lifetimes. Gated communities are about maintaining property values. The only exclusion is financial, as it is in purchasing a home anywhere. If you can afford the home and agree to abide by the covenants, you’re in, regardless of race, sex, religion or any other criteria.

Katherine I. Bandujo

Boerne, Texas

We don’t create safer, stronger communities by hiding behind brick walls and iron gates. True community renewal comes through people of all races and income levels who unite in an effort to make all neighborhoods safe havens of friendship and support. Some of the most caring people I know live in simple frame houses the likes of which we will never see in a gated community. But they are hidden treasures, and our world would be an empty place with-out them.

David Westerfield

Shreveport, La.

Anna Quindlen speaks eloquently of our worries regarding the happiness we wish for our children and grandchildren (“Frightening and Fantastic,” Sept. 18). As a first-grade teacher with two college-age sons, I have long been concerned that a child’s years of feeling completely safe and invulnerable have dwindled to the pre-speaking years. My parents always tried to teach us to assume people’s motives were pure and their actions honorable until proved otherwise. Perhaps that would be a foolish way to live in today’s world, as Quindlen carefully points out. But I am still a firm believer that people will usually rise to the occasion when you make it clear you expect them to. Goodness begets more goodness. Quindlen’s cautions are particularly meaningful for young parents as they strike a delicate balance between preparing children for life’s bumps and instilling in them that joie de vivre !

Nancylee Schlegel

Wyomissing, Pa.

Thank you for your much needed reminder that not all in our world is doom and gloom (in spite of what the politicians would have us believe). The older I get the more I realize there is much kindness, beauty and love around us if we just look. I’m afraid our young people are growing up too wary to find any joy in life. There will always be things to make us smile: a new baby, a beautiful sunset, new snow on a winter morning and the face of someone we love. Please keep reminding us of this.

Lorna C. Knapp

Reading, Mass.

“Healing War’s Wounds” (Sept. 11) deeply touched my heart. The men featured in the article are so driven to overcome their hardships and injuries–amputations, surgeries, brain trauma–yet they retain dignity and a commitment to life. Too many of us claim our lives are not complete because of minor setbacks, financial insecurity, misunderstood childhood experiences, etc. And then there are those who have sacrificed, lost and persevered in the face of major obstacles. They are more than sports stars or movie stars or even war heroes. They exemplify the spirit of survival that life is about treasuring every second no matter how it’s wrapped. That is something we should all aspire to.

Kathryn Johnson

Lancaster, Pa.

In looking at the photos of severely injured veterans engaging in extreme sports–part of the Pentagon’s new approach to mending soldiers’ lives–we are led to believe that our government is taking care of the thousands coming back from war with lifelong disabilities. It is ironic that an administration eager to send young men and women into situations where death or permanent injury are likely to occur is currently just as eager to drastically cut government funding of programs and organizations that provide services to people with disabilities. It is time for us to respect those who’ve given so much by guaranteeing that their needs will be met for the rest of their lives.

Diane Rovai

San Francisco, Calif.

Thank you for showing that it’s not just teens and unemployed adults who play World of Warcraft (“Living a Virtual Life,” Sept. 18). This game is a microcosm of the world we live in. Motivations for the behavior of the “evil” Horde are as valid as those of the “good” Alliance. Both are composed of what we recognize as very human foibles. Consider the Middle East and the United States. Both sides have mutual goals but different ways of attaining them and varying perspectives and lifestyles. The richness of Warcraft encapsulates the essence of this quite well.

Stacey L. Jones

Birmingham, Ala.

As a former Warcraft player, I don’t think your article did enough to examine the addictive qualities of the game. Maybe most players are not adversely affecting their futures, but those who are tend to be in high school or college and just starting to find their way in the real world. Many experience a precipitous fall in their academic standing. Games like Warcraft are designed to never end. Any accomplishment of today is simply replaced with a new goal when the “expansion” comes out. The effects of games like this on today’s youth will surely be felt for years to come.

Nadir Dalal

Rochester, N.Y.

The Sept. 18 article “Straight to the Heart” went straight to my heart. Bring back the unpopular draft and have the burden of creating democracy in Iraq shared by many Americans, not just the few, repeatedly. It’s shameful that so many lives are being disrupted with damage that could take years to heal. Let’s get more troops to spread the burden and limit the time served to one mission. If fighting terrorism is a national priority, then let’s start treating it as such. Our national leaders should send their own children to the war zone since they vote for these actions. Then we’ll know they are putting themselves in the forefront for the sake of democracy and not having someone else’s children do the job they give lip service to.

Linda L. Rapkin

Rochester, N.Y.

I was quite moved by Michael Hastings’s article telling of the travail and woe being experienced by our armed forces families. But I was more saddened thinking of the thousands of Iraqi families experiencing even more sadness with their lives being disrupted by five years of occupancy by a foreign power.

Vincent A. Maggio

Houston, Texas

I would like to offer my sincere gratitude to Kitty Dukakis for her courageous and honest account of struggling with depression and finding success with electroconvulsive therapy (” ‘I Feel Good, I Feel Alive’," Sept. 18). It is heart-wrenching for a therapist to treat patients with this type of depression–one that experts call treatment-resistant. I’ve spent countless sessions educating my patients about the pros and cons of ECT. For those where medications and therapy fail, ECT holds mostly pros and saves lives. Most of my patients refuse ECT due to fear and stigma (who can forget that horrifying scene in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”?). I plan on sharing Dukakis’s article and book with them. Thanks to her, my job of helping patients get the appropriate care just got a bit easier.

Donna Principato Sawyer, A.P.R.N., B.C.

Canton, Mass.

So much of what Jonathan Alter writes rings true. But nothing has moved me as much as his Sept. 18 essay, “An Alternate 9/11 History.” The opportunities and good will the United States has squandered overwhelm me. There has been such an immense waste of resources–soldiers, civilians, money and infrastructure. Ever an optimist, I still struggle to see any good coming out of the intolerance and hatred I see on the news every day here and abroad. I hope that the interim elections and the next administration can make progress toward regaining our national and international balance. It won’t be easy.

Katharine B. Harris

Clifton Park, N.Y.

I almost cried when I read Jonathan Alter’s essay at what could have been, at what should have been and at what our country’s leaders actually did.

Jonathan Coopersmith

College Station, Texas

I cannot convey to you the depth of my depression after reading Jonathan Alter’s essay. It brought to mind the words of John Greenleaf Whittier’s poem “Maud Muller.” “For of all sad words of tongue or pen, The saddest are these: ‘It might have been!’ " Sadly, judging by recent events in Afghanistan and Iraq, George Bush and the neocons still do not get it. For the first time in my 73 years, I can no longer say with pride, “I am an American.”

John Connelly

Naperville, Ill.

Jonathan Alter trivializes the serious criticisms of President Bush’s approach to foreign policy in the years since 9/11 by pretending that a different choice here or there would have led to an ongoing bipartisan consensus about how to fight terror. Challenging issues require very difficult and divisive choices, and the bipartisanship that culminated in the singing of “God Bless America” on the steps of Congress was doomed from the start. Bush has surely erred in some of his decisions, but it does no good to suggest that there even exists a choice that would have been met with widespread approval. Not only is there fundamental disagreement on how to fight terror, but the unpredictability of foreign policy means that some plans do not turn out as intended. Alter is free to live in his own imagination, but the president and Congress must live in the real world, filled with uncertainty, strategic enemies and, yes, partisanship.

William Cunion

Canton, Ohio

Maybe Jonathan Alter doesn’t realize that hindsight is always 20/20. Second-guessing the actions of our president is for historians. Alter’s piece is nothing more than a hypothetical mental exercise designed to promote his political agenda. Without perspective, something we have for Lincoln and FDR, all of his “alternative” decisions are out of context and unrealistically simplified. Speaking of perspective, I would like to see Alter write an alternate 1990s history in which the then President Bill Clinton did not waste time and money bombing Serbia, did not halfheartedly commit to Somalia, did not miss his own opportunity to take out Osama bin Laden and did not waste our time and attention entangled with an intern in the Oval office.

Nick Stepanovich

Phoenix, Ariz.

Allan Sloan’s article criticizing the federal budget deficit was right on the mark (“D.C.’s Deficit Math Doesn’t Add Up,” The Cruncher, Sept. 18). America was made strong by many hardworking generations who sacrificed so their children could have a better life. We seem to have abandoned that philosophy and replaced it with government deficit spending based on greed. By living vastly beyond our means, we condemn our children to some hard choices. They can raise taxes to confiscatory rates, create ruinous inflation in order to “pay back” the debt with worthless dollars or repudiate the debt and be faced with years of economic chaos and lack of creditor confidence. Most likely they’ll be saddled with all these factors as they struggle to deal with the crushing debt our greed has created for them. This is child abuse pure and simple.

Iver Mindel

Cockeysville, Md.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-13” author: “Arthur Messer”

Thanks for the chilling excerpt from Bob Woodward’s new book, “State of Denial” ( " ‘Denial’ and Disaster,” Oct. 9). Supporters of the Iraq war vigorously deny the validity of parallels between Vietnam and the current conflict, but I remember how many Americans and innocent civilians were lost to a failed Vietnamization policy. Unless a nation like Iraq rises to claim democracy, that prize will never be fairly gained. People with no tradition of democratic values can’t merely be coached to tolerance and inclusion–not with civil war in their hearts. How many innocent Americans and Iraqis need be maimed or killed before we admit this painful truth?

James Shumaker

Dublin, Ohio

If the bush administration were held to the same standards of efficacy and propriety as the leadership of a major American corporation, heads would have rolled by now. Investors would be outraged at the malfeasance, misstatements and misadventures, the mounting debt and the irreparable damage to the company’s image. In the end, the executive team would be found incompetent at best, criminally negligent at worst, and promptly replaced. As shareholders in America, we should insist on similar accountability at the highest levels of our government, with similar consequences when our interests and trust are violated.

Robert J. Inlow

Charlottesville, Va.

A serious “state of denial” resides with America’s voting public. Evidence of the Bush administration’s incompetence was out there for everyone to see before the 2004 election, yet Bush was returned to office. This gave him and his minions reason to think “we, the people” endorsed the job they were doing. Bob Woodward places blame where it surely belongs, but those who failed to exercise the responsibility of self-government also deserve blame.

Bernard Freydberg

Slippery Rock, Pa.

You paint a picture of President Bush as a failed politician. As I see it, he’s a good leader who has tried to do what’s best for the country. He couldn’t foresee what unfolded in Iraq, but he’s working with the existing situation. Your type of thinking, so influential in shaping the ideas of Americans, undermines our ability to prevail in Iraq. We are at war. As commander in chief, Bush deserves our respect and support. Our soldiers are demoralized by the liberal-media bias and our enemy is emboldened. Do you want us to lose the war? Is that the outcome you seek?

Karen Limkeman

Gainesville, Fla.

As a Vietnam veteran, I saw firsthand what happens when civilian leadership fails to listen to the advice of military commanders. If victory in Iraq required a recommended 450,000 troops, George Bush and Donald Rumsfeld proceeded with a much smaller force at the nation’s peril–and they should be held accountable. Our soldiers still don’t have a real plan for victory. What we have is Rumsfeld as the new Robert McNamara, and Bush as the new Lyndon Johnson. Our only hope is for a change of power in Congress to place some checks and balances on an administration soft on victory in Iraq.

Maj. Robert Tormey

Escondido, Calif.

While Sen. Ted Stevens touts a Verizon-funded poll on Net neutrality, he ignores massive public support for Internet freedom (“Celebrating a Web That’s Free–For Now,” the technologist, Oct. 9). More than a million people have signed petitions and rallied in opposition to the big telcos and cable companies. And World Wide Web inventor Tim Berners-Lee says the neutrality of the Internet is “essential for democracy.” Hoping to avoid Internet freedom proposals surrounding federal debates, Verizon is now pushing state cable franchising legislation. It’s already succeeded in New Jersey, California and Texas, but consumer groups are fighting back in Pennsylvania. We can’t allow critical policies to be decided by corporations that profit from controlling access to information. There’s too much at stake.

Beth A. McConnell, Director

Philadelphia, Pa.

Mike McCurry and Christopher Wolf

Washington, D.C.

Our story “Blood, Guts and Money” (Oct. 9) contained an outdated domestic-revenue figure for WWE’s 2006 WrestleMania event. The correct figure is $31.8 million. NEWSWEEK regrets the error.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-31” author: “Jamie Beegle”

I was blown away by your tribute to “The Next Generation, Women & Leadership” (Sept. 25). You chose strong, intelligent women from various professions–a nice change from focusing on sports and Hollywood figures. And I loved how Anna Quindlen’s last word, “Everyday Equality,” beautifully summed up this package. She gave tribute to the past and present and, I hope, will continue to be a voice for the future. As a working mom who is always trying to balance work, home and carpools, I found it nice to see there are other women who struggle and succeed at “doing it all.”

Lisa Goldstein

Rockville, Md.

As a mother of two and an engineer working in the field of science education, I read “Science and the Gender Gap” knowing there is still work to do. I believe the best way to close the gap is to reach girls earlier with the right messages about science. For 16 years, I’ve participated in the Expanding Your Horizons in Math and Science Conference. The questions girls pose, such as, “Can you be a scientist and have a family?” or “Did you date much in college?” are disheartening. They have many misconceptions about science careers and their ability to achieve and enjoy them. Businesses, science and academic institutions, educators and parents must work together to instill in young women confidence in their competence to succeed in science. Our future depends on it.

Ann McMahon

St. Louis, Mo.

I worked for two fortune 500 companies for 19 years and have had my own company for the past 17. I never had a woman as a mentor or role model. After reading “Lessons We Have Learned” I realize I missed out on a lot. As women move up and reach down, I would ask them to also mentor and become role models for men in their organizations to help accelerate removing the gender barrier. I have often believed that if women ruled the countries of the world, this would be a much safer and more enjoyable planet.

Tom Poston

Yoruba Linda, Calif.

Among the profiles of 19 extraordinary women who have made a name for themselves by talent or perseverance, you include Mary Cheney, who got her job, as far as I could tell, because of her father. Her stint as “director of vice presidential operations” for her father’s 2004 campaign was colored by controversy as she chose not to discuss her own sexuality and her feelings on gay marriage, an issue her father’s campaign put on ballots nationwide in order to be re-elected. Only after the campaign did she try to address the issue in her book. If you want to include a Republican woman on your list, there are many at the national and state level who have made it on their own without Daddy’s giving it to them.

Jeff Marks

Cincinnati, Ohio

The women you interviewed are not the women whom I know, live near, work with or talk to (“Getting Back on Track”). Those who are famous, wealthy and have M.B.A.’s and Ph.D.’s from Ivy League schools are not facing the same choices as women who must work to put food on the table or even save up for a child’s college education. Trying to figure out where the “on ramp” is to a six-figure career when and if you choose to seek it out is very different from finding a job that pays a living wage, let alone one that supports a family or allows time to earn a degree or care for an ailing parent.

Joni Daniels

Baltimore, Md.

I want to offer a differing viewpoint on the topic of maternity leave. It is essential that companies allow women the chance to get back to work after “off-ramping,” but I firmly believe that if we leave the integration of childbearing and family responsibilities solely to women, we will do a disservice to equality. We risk forcing mothers to be the only ones who make career sacrifices for family. Companies should give maternity leave for a month and then paternity leave for a month. We need to encourage fathers and businesses not to allow the job of balancing work and family to fall only on mothers.

Alissa Jem

Plantation, Fla.

I enjoyed reading your “Women and Leadership” package, but I wish it could have addressed working conditions and leadership in the blue-collar trades where the gender barrier is oh-so-slowly coming down. After bachelor’s and master’s degrees and 15 years as a fiber artist, my daughter enrolled in a fine-furniture-making course and took a job as a cabinetmaker. She faces different challenges than women bucking for vice presidencies, tenure in universities or TV-cohost spots. Next year I’d like to open NEWSWEEK to read about the strategies female plumbers, electricians, welders, painters, carpenters, piano tuners, long-haul truck drivers, etc., need to employ to be successful.

W. Keith Bryant

Ithaca, N.Y.

Jon Meacham pays lip service to all the violence done in the name of Islam while he criticizes Pope Benedict for saying something Muslims find offensive (“The Pope’s ‘Holy War’,” Sept. 25). If the pope should be open to negotiation, why shouldn’t Muslim leaders? We are supposed to be sensitive to Muslim sensibilities while some Muslims are free to say and do what they want no matter how offensive or deadly. First it was the Muhammad cartoons that set off deadly riots, now it’s a comment by the pope. How much of our freedom of expression are we in the West supposed to give up in order to not offend Muslims?

Harry Onickel

Ferndale, Mich.

Pope Benedict has nothing but respect for Muslims, as do all Roman Catholics, since we consider all three monotheistic religions as being connected through Abraham. Shouts of “Convert to Islam or die” and scenes of crowds burning effigies of the pope do not demonstrate fair and balanced treatment of Catholic Christianity but neither do they express the feelings of all Muslims. Rhetoric and politics are manipulating this situation to the detriment of both religions.

John Trigilio Jr., Th.D.

Marysville, Pa.

Sarah Childress’s story on parental alienation syndrome did a grave disservice to the issue of co-parenting and to the children of divorce (“Fighting Over the Kids,” Sept. 25). She misleadingly implies that PAS is merely a spurious strategy used by spousal abusers (usually men) to gain custody. To be sure, some alleged abusers disingenuously use PAS as a ploy to gain custody, just as some ex-spouses gain custody by falsely claiming abuse. Yet, as many divorced spouses of both sexes understand, parental alienation is a very real problem. And PAS is accepted by many family courts throughout the nation, thanks in part to the efforts of Dr. Richard Warshak and others. One of the most vexing problems of custody litigation is that regretfully, custody issues continue to exist in the shadow of gender politics, rather than more properly being focused on the best interests of our children. This problem will continue to plague children of divorce as long as we continue to pretend PAS doesn’t exist.

Robert Ouriel

Los Angeles, Calif.

I am divorced with a shared-parenting arrangement and I think, as a caring and involved father to my two daughters, that there must be others like me. I am not, in my opinion, in the minority. I take offense at your one-sided portrayal of the Genia Shockome case and wish that many other facts had come to light in your article. I also sincerely wish that judges in divorce cases would consider parents as parent one and parent two, no gender, equal under the law. And how about an article on fathers who excel at their job of shared parenting?

David Lezberg

Via internet

I want to congratulate you on your article. Parental alienation syndrome is considered “junk science” by leading experts in the field. I am president of the Leadership Council on Child Abuse and Interpersonal Violence, and we have been trying to bring this issue to the attention of courts and judges for a number of years. Articles like this do a great service to many children and, particularly, their mothers, who have been blamed for any parental alienation, no matter if it occurred or not. I think it is courageous and outstanding that NEWSWEEK helped to expose this national problem.

Paul Jay Fink, M.D.

Bala Cynwyd, Pa.

I hear it everywhere–on playdates, at the park, at school with my children–the sound of mothers denigrating the way their husbands parent. While moms and dads are different, neither is more important than the other. But somehow it seems we feel more comfortable criticizing the fathers. NEWSWEEK sure did with such a one-sided article about parental alienation syndrome. Whenever I read articles like this or hear those mothers at school, I always wonder if they have sons. And if they do, what are they going to think about all this when their boys are on the receiving end of these bitter battles?

Jennifer Levin

Los Angeles, Calif.

The sad reality is that even in a simple, accusation-free divorce, I still had to “win” shared custody. It’s also sad that my children will not be able to go to college because of the way the system drains the wallet. I suppose I could have rolled over and saved us all a bunch of money. The system lacks transparency, judges are not honorable and the attorneys see this as a job. Far too much time is spent on these “extreme” cases. Even on a good day, with simple circumstances, the system fails our children.

David K. Anderson

Sudbury, Mass.

“The Politics of Torture” may prove darker than anyone cares to imagine (Sept. 25). On the one hand, we have President Bush’s word that lives have been saved through methods only he and his supporters refuse to call torture. On the other hand, multiple studies, affirmed by experienced, veteran interrogators, deem torture to be of next to no use in obtaining accurate information. Torture’s most common result, these sources tell us, is false information, either fabrications or false confessions–anything to placate the torturer. We now know that, apart from the misinformation fed to our government by Iraqi expatriates, some of the inaccurate intelligence used by Bush to make his case for invading Iraq was obtained by torture. The real politics of torture may well consist of torture as a purely political tool to gain purely political ends.

Felice Sage

Littleton, Colo.

I’ve been a professional soldier all my working life and am offended when people advocate giving the same rights granted legitimate soldiers under the Geneva Conventions to psychopathic mass murderers such as members of Al Qaeda. People who target innocent civilian women and children are not soldiers. Since the Geneva Conventions refer to military prisoners, not coldblooded murderers and criminals, the argument that torturing members of Al Qaeda is a violation is totally irrelevant. Giving them the same status as soldiers only helps them recruit and brainwash more naive young Muslims.

James Schmidt

Jupiter, Fla.

It is dangerous logic for president Bush to say that torture will protect America. Abu Ghraib and the revelation of ongoing torture and detention programs have already undermined America’s moral reputation in the world. If Bush can’t govern the nation within the rules of war, it is his responsibility to step aside and clear the way for someone who can.

Phyllis Landis

Los Angeles, Calif.

Your Sept. 25 article “The Democratic Entourage” about the party’s political networking force gives me yet another reason to shake my head in despair. The idea that a Hollywood agent and his political brother are what our government has come to is as sad for the country as the fact that money is what truly drives our government officials. The whole article reeks of greed. Greed for power, money and stardom. That is not what I want to be voting for. I may be the last naive American, but I would like to see a candidate win a national election because he or she is interested in doing some good for the country while in office.

Devon D. Fuller

South Hadley, Mass.

Will the democrats never learn? The only people making news should be candidates with policies and ideas for getting us out of the mess the Republicans have put us into. Democrats should realize that no one cares about the “process” of getting elected if you don’t actually win elections. This kind of article just gives Republicans more ammunition about “links to the degradation of Hollywood.” Please wise up, Democrats–the United States can’t take two more years of a Republican majority!

JoAnne McCarthy

Madison, N.J.

We described former Texas governor Ann Richards as having upset incumbent Clayton Williams in the 1990 gubernatorial election (“Transition,” Periscope, Sept 25). In fact, Williams was not the incumbent.

A photo caption in “Beliefwatch: 12/21/12” (Periscope, Sept 25) erroneously identified Machu Picchu as a Mayan site. It was built by the Incas. NEWSWEEK regrets the errors.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-16” author: “Tyler Kraemer”

In general, wars have been localized affairs. But this 2006 Middle East war (“The Wider War,” Aug. 7) could have widespread ramifications on the global scene, particularly because one of the parties is a guerrilla force fighting without any borders to defend. Iran, which was facing a diplomatic onslaught over its nuclear status, with its back to the wall, appears to have pulled off a coup of sorts by entrapping Israel in a bloody war. On the surface, Israel and Hizbullah are fighting it out, but strategically it is a duel between the United States and Iran. This one stroke from Iran has shocked the United States and made its position in Lebanon, where it was slowly establishing a foot-hold, untenable. Iran also appears to have, to an extent, succeeded in not only polarizing Islamic opinion against the United States and its global initiative on terrorism, but also in bridging the gap between various Sunni and Shiite terror groups. Perhaps this war shouldn’t have taken place. Now that it has, the terror-ists should not be let off the hook and a viable diplomatic initiative against the conditions that sustain terrorists and their modus operandi ought to be undertaken. While the terrorists need just one rally-ing point–Israel–the saner rest of the world would have to start afresh the herculean task of bringing to a common platform many divergent viewpoints arrayed against it.

R. K Sudan

Jammu, India

I am highly disturbed by NEWSWEEK’s coverage of the Middle East, which is far more critical of Israel (a Westernized Middle East democracy that is an ally of America’s) than it is of Hizbullah (a band of medieval terrorists and thugs that has killed hundreds of Americans, hijacked Lebanon and attacked America’s ally). I cannot understand the need to be so critical of Israel and the United States in the battle against terror, especially as this recent violence was initiated by Hizbullah. There is no moral equivalency here; sometimes there is a right and a wrong. Your article’s questioning of America’s support for Israel and doubting that the battle against Hizbullah is part of a larger battle against terrorism was the last straw.

Ira Kornbluth

Columbia, Maryland

To make a comparison, France, during WWII, was not a sovereign country because it was occupied by the Germans, who attacked England from French territory. England had the right to respond and eventually landed in Normandy together with America to expel German troops from France. In doing that, England and the Allies held no grudge against France, and the Allies’ military action was not a “conquest,” though they didn’t ask permission. During the disintegration of Yugoslavia, Bosnia had no sovereignty, being occupied by the Serbs, who attacked Croatia from Bosnian territory. Croats had the right to defend themselves, which they did by entering Bosnia and expelling Serbian troops. Lebanon today, unfortunately, is not a sovereign country because it was occupied by Syria for years, and now by Hizbullah, which recently sent missiles into Israel. Why is it so hard for “public opinion” to understand that Israel had the right to defend itself by entering Lebanon to neutralize Hizbullah? Boris Radovan

hrvatska, Croatia

president bush’s backing of israel unconditionally is creating more hatred toward Jews and America. It’s not reasonable to fight terrorism with more and more billions squandered on bombs and military hardware in a world in which there is so much injustice, inequality and violence.

Edward Penchi

Santa Cruz, Bolivia

Your Middle East photojournalism policy is so un-evenhanded, it needs serious review. Your recent issues covering the war in Lebanon (Aug. 7 and Aug. 14) make a simple, unjust distinction. All photos about Israel are of the military while all photos about Lebanon portray civilian hardship, including the special four-page spread (“True Pain,” Aug. 14). Judging by the photos, one would never know that it is Hizbullah (without Lebanese opposition) that was the aggressor in this war, and that only Israeli civilians and homes were deliberately targeted for ceaseless bombing. Surely you aspire to more-balanced journalism, in word and picture.

David Resnick

Jerusalem, Israel

We hear a lot about the rockets hitting Haifa; that they come from Syria and Iran. Strange that no one talks about where the bombs come from that are devastating Lebanon.

Rafiq A. Tschannen

Amman, Jordan

Never before in the history of moviemaking has a human tragedy of this scale been transformed into something so touching (“Natural Born Heroes,” Aug. 7). So powerful is the interpretation of the 9/11 disaster that it speaks volumes about the cinematic skill of Oliver Stone as a director. I’d like to thank him for choosing courage over controversy in “World Trade Center.” Kris Sahay

Manitoba, Canada

Why should hollywood be any different from politicians, oil companies and arms contractors? September 11, 2001, has been used to fuel political campaigns and to justify war, torture and domestic spying. So of course Hollywood sees no problem in making millions off it. Here’s a thought: what if Americans refused to turn America’s national tragedy into a war cry or campaign slogan or record profits or cheap entertainment? What if Americans simply mourned the dead with dignity?

Paul Lemrise Jr.

Cary, Illinois

Oliver Stone’s “World Trade Center” trailer opens with the statement that it has been “approved for all audiences by the Motion Picture Association of America.” I question the MPAA’s authority in determining whether all of America is ready for exposure to this movie preview. As an occupational therapist, I counseled patients for whom life, as they knew it, ended on 9/11. Their stories gave the disaster a sickening reality. Many survivors still grieve deeply and suffer flashbacks of burning flesh, suffocating dust, falling bodies and severed limbs. Those who waited for loved ones are also survivors, and many still struggle with memories of worry, grieving or saying goodbye on cell phones. While the movie’s positive story line and inspirational message will certainly bring closure and hope for many who choose to see it, for others, acceptance and healing can’t be rushed.

Sandra I. Bostwick

Parsippany, New Jersey

The opposite tone of two articles in your Aug. 7 issue shows how little America has learned from 9/11. In the report on Oliver Stone’s “World Trade Center” we get a deeply emotional story of individual suffering and heroism as buildings collapse. In the story on Lebanon (“The Wider War”) we get a callous uninterest in individual suffering and accompanying heroism as buildings collapse on innocent civilians thanks to American bombs delivered by American airplanes, albeit piloted by Israelis. Why is the suffering that matters only our own?

David Allen

Romney, West Virginia

I am not a New York City firefighter or police officer. I didn’t know a single person who was killed in the inferno of 9/11. I am, however, a New Yorker, and my city was attacked on that nightmarish day. When I saw the picture of Oliver Stone standing on the “set” of his latest film, my blood ran cold. I watched those buildings go down less than five years ago. For Stone to take this tragic event and turn it into what amounts to entertainment for profit–while there is still a scar in lower Manhattan–is unconscionable. I understand that the film is memorable and honors the heroes of that day as well as the victims. There will be a time when things settle down and such a film may be appropriate. But now is way too soon.

Jonathan Frisch

Brooklyn, New York

We were pleased to read “How American Myths Are Made” (Aug. 7), which touched on a matter receiving growing attention in psychological research. But stories about 9/11 aren’t told just by filmmakers like Oliver Stone. Every American has a story about that day. As psychologists interested in ways people make meaning of their experiences, we have been studying stories people tell about 9/11. In our nationwide sampling of Americans, collected within two months of the terrorist attacks, we found that individuals who crafted stories of national redemption–a style of storytelling that recent research suggests is particularly American–were psychologically better off than those who storied the events differently. This work reminds us that we all shape national myths, and that the way in which we tell these myths matters for our psychological well-being. Jonathan Adler Northwestern University Evanston, Illinois

Although creating a story linemay be comforting to the people of a nation coping with tragedy, mythologizing America’s history hinders Americans’ ability to analyze current events and respond to them in a wise manner. Mythology glosses over imperfections and leads to feelings of superiority. This perverted sense of America’s role in the world greatly weakens democracy because it allows American leaders to merely evoke myth rather than present hard facts. As painful as it is to take a good look in the mirror, it will make Americans more rational and therefore a stronger country. Julian Kauffmann

Brooklyn, New York

Those who give their lives on the battlefield are rare souls of extraordinary grace (“Probing a Bloodbath,” June 12). When I served in Vietnam as a Red Cross hospital worker in the 1970s, many Americans had forgotten this and stigmatized their own countrymen as “baby killers.” During the Vietnam era, as with Iraq today, the majority of those sending troops into battle never fought in a war. They have no concept of the stress of making life-and-death decisions in seconds. As an investigation is conducted into the alleged massacre of Iraqi civilians by U.S. Marines, it is essential that we do not again make outcasts of all who are so honorably serving this nation because of the action of a few.

Joan M. Maiman

Chicago, Illinois

In “The Big Meltdown” (June 12) Al Gore warns against an “eight-meter sea-level rise” because “glaciers are melting down.” Let’s relate this to the brain teaser of an ice cube floating in a glass of water where the water level does not rise as the ice melts (Archimedes, and the anomalous expansion of water). Clearly Gore’s glaciers are not floating (in which case the sea level will not rise), but are frozen oceans grounded on solid earth.

Jan Maarschalk

Villiersdorp, South Africa

Your global-climate-change article was informative. However, projected sea-level rises will not be due to the melting of polar ice. Climate-change models in fact show that sea-level rises from this effect will be much smaller than those due to the thermal expansion of the ocean waters, which are associated with projected temperature increases of the world’s oceans. In either case, we need to take action to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide.

Bob Bornstein

San Jose, California

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-28” author: “Virginia Gallo”

Lars Straeter

Dortmund, Germany

What is preventing NEWSWEEK from calling the Bush administration’s Middle East policy what it is: an utter failure and a complete disaster? As for the recent conflict in Lebanon, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice may be dealing with the issues, but she certainly isn’t addressing them, let alone tackling them. Because of Washington’s arrogance, flashpoints have lately developed a nasty habit of proliferating, reaching as far away as North Korea. Leaving the infinite chaos in Iraq aside, the most exorbitant error was, and still seems to be, the assumption that so-called global terror is an evil monolith, a conspiracy of certain Muslims out to destroy America and its democracy regardless of whether they be Shiite, Sunni or of another sect. Should Secretary of State Rice, unlike George W. Bush, possess the ability to detect nuances, she has a funny way of showing it. Her sense of loyalty to the president seems to overwhelm or dispel any notion of better judgment. The least desirable job in the world is going to be that of the 44th president of the United States, beginning in January 2009. I doubt if any successor, male or female, can tidy up the current administration’s unparalleled fiascos.

Werner Radtke

Paderborn, Germany

One statement made by George W. Bush to NEWSWEEK’s Richard Wolffe struck me in particular. Speaking of the hostilities in the Middle East, he said, “But you really haven’t addressed the underlying cause of the problem … " Let me do that here. By the historic vote in the United Nations in 1947, we Westerners created the state of Israel and later allowed it to establish itself on land that did not belong to it, in the process chasing hundreds of thousands of people from their homes, lands and villages. The world can no longer ignore the conditions under which these now millions of people are living near and far from their native country with one idea in mind: revenge. In order to find the least unjust solution for the Palestinians, couldn’t we Westerners who are responsible for all this make a concerted effort to establish a buffer zone around the state of Israel that would be surveilled and occupied by properly trained and equipped military forces with a clear U.N. mandate, thus putting U.N. Resolution 242 into practice? If nothing serious is done now, not only the Middle East but the whole world could soon be on fire.

Bendt Messerschmidt

Pouillon, France

The opening lines of your article describe conditions on Air Force One, “where the president can sleep, exercise and lead the free world from 30,000 feet.” I’ve yet to hear any of my fellow South Africans tell me that they had voted for Bush as their leader. If the citizens of any other country have done so, please identify them. America’s belief in the bigger, the brasher, the better, has created enough anti-Americanism to go around. You don’t need to fan the fires even further.

Gavin Armstrong

Malmesbury, South Africa

If George W. Bush is feeling the “weight of the world,” he need only gather Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld and have them look in the mirror. Their failed policies and arrogant attitudes have resulted in devastation in the Middle East. Iraq appears to be a lost cause, and Israel seems to have unequivocal U.S. support to spoil opportunities for lasting peace in the region. These policies have resulted in windfall profits for oil companies, and have caused hardworking Americans to pay $3 per gallon for gasoline and $2.50 for heating oil. The world doesn’t much like America these days (with the possible exception of the oil-producing countries), and we have this “bring it on” president to thank for it. The real disappointment is that Congress has not held Bush and his cronies accountable. History most certainly will.

Ken Cameron

Denmark, Maine

I read your behind-the-scenes article about President Bush at the G8 summit and on Air Force One. Unlike that portrayal, my firsthand experience with the president points to a serious and determined leader. As a chaplain working in New Orleans recovering the bodies of those who perished in Katrina’s wrath, I had a chance encounter with him at the command center in Baton Rouge. I watched as the president comforted those under considerable duress with exchanges of real encouragement and resilient determination, instead of taking a golden opportunity to shift blame elsewhere. Not simply because of his political office, but through his personal integrity, this man rises above so many. In the face of extreme adversity, Bush’s relaxed and reassuring demeanor effectively models how unpretentiously heroic a president can be.

Rev. William J. Keane

Branford, Connecticut

“Weight of the world”? Really? The weight George W. Bush carries is not a concern for the world, but a concern for political victory. It is no accident that his primary adviser is an expert at putting a political spin on every event. Whether it’s pre-emptive war or the use of embryonic stem cells, the priority is always to cater to Bush’s political base. I sincerely wish it were the weight of the world that Bush felt as he flies safe and secure on Air Force One. I wish he really felt the weight of thousands killed in Iraq, of an Africa torn by disease and starvation, and of his own nation forced to prize security over liberty, secrecy and falsehood over honesty and honor.

Joe W. Walker

Gresham, Oregon

The only weight on George W. Bush’s shoulders is the possibility that his personal comfort might be compromised. However well he may have “managed” the crisis in the Middle East, it was obscured by his petulance, impatience and immaturity. As you have reported, he could not find the time or inclination to discuss the situation in full with his fellow leaders. He was also concerned about being well showered and staving off boredom. Furthermore, he did not give the global community the courtesy of a closing statement. The American public is not unreasonable in expecting that its president do the job he was elected to do.

Scott A. Johnson

Seattle, Washington

Fareed Zakaria’s wishful thinking about Iraq (“What We Need to Get It Right,” June 5) appalls me. What America “needs to get it right” is just to get out of the mess it created in the first place with an unjustified, bloody, destructive invasion of Iraq, killing hundreds of thousands of innocent people, destroying homes and public facilities, behaving ruthlessly, creating hate and armed resistance, and placing American soldiers and their families in pain. Just leave Iraqis alone and let them solve their internal problems. If the pull-out results in a Balkanization of Iraq, so be it. Balkan countries are finally achieving some peaceful solutions (see Slovenia, Macedonia, Montenegro, even Croatia and Kosovo) as microstates that will eventually become quiet regions of a broader European Union. America should go after bin Laden and his sponsors, strengthen its internal security and intelligence capacities at home and abroad. It will not be the first country to have got it wrong: Germany got in wrong in the ’40s, France got it wrong in Algeria in the ’50s, the U.S.S.R. got it wrong from the ’50s to the ’ 80s until the Berlin wall collapsed, even America got it wrong in Vietnam. Most of these countries got it right eventually by pulling out. Even if the United States has to accept criticism for its mishandling of the situation (it can blame scapegoats like Paul Wolfowitz & Co., and the CIA), it will have other opportunities in the future to show its military and moral force. There will be plenty of natural disasters and international problems to solve in peaceful, internationally accepted actions to restore the credibility–maybe even love–of America.

Paul Audrain

Port-Navalo, France

Data are scant to nonexistent for Afghanistan, but in other parts of the developing world, for every grade completed past the fourth, a woman’s wages increase by 20 percent, and childhood mortality and birthrate both drop by 10 percent (“A War on Schoolgirls,” June 26). Education is the antidote to hopelessness. Uneducated women remain under the domination of men, dependent on them for their safety, their security, their very lives. Should we be surprised that the Taliban wishes to prevent the education of girls?

Larry Donohue, M.D.

Seattle, Washington

The Greek Cypriot demand that Turkey open its ports to Greek Cypriot traffic (“More Bumps in the Rough Road to Europe,” June 26) is part of the agreement between the EU and Turkey: Turkey must submit to the same requirements as any other country to become an EU member. But Turkey’s usual practice, for at least the last 50 years, is to twist any existing agreements with new demands for further negotiations, with the threat that it will withdraw its original application.

Leo Gabrielidis

Thessalonica, Greece

As a Peruvian, i found “that chavez Thing Is Over” (May 29) an accurate account of what is occurring in Latin American politics today. I was also pleased at the mention of the political turmoil in Lima between Ollanta Humala and former president Alan García. However, there is a misconception of Humala in your coverage. You describe him as García’s “left-wing challenger.” Humala belongs to the Peruvian Nationalist Party, which I believe makes him an extreme-right-wing challenger. Humala is very eloquent on this matter–he constantly refers to “we, the Nationalists … " and his ideals are based on strengthening Peruvian Inca heritage. It is understandable to confuse him with a left-wing political party because he is, just like Chávez, a populist who believes in antidemocratic ideas such as the eradication of homosexuals. Although he claims to relate to the poor and deprived Peruvian class, Humala actually had an upper-middle-class upbringing and sends his children to a very good French school. I believe it is García who is left wing. He has had to gear his propositions toward the center-right in order to appeal to the voters who belong to a higher social and economic echelon.

Carolina Carbone

Lima, Peru

In “This is the new Japan” (Sept. 11), we wrote that 15,000 foreigners had been naturalized as Japanese citizens. That is the number naturalized annually. An estimated 400,000 citizens have been naturalized overall. Also, Marutei Tsurunen is not the only naturalized Japanese citizen in the Diet. Renho, formerly of Taiwanese nationality, and Shinkun Haku, formerly of South Korean nationality, also serve in the body.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-10” author: “Glenn Avila”

Thank you for the cover story on Annie Leibovitz (“My Life in Pictures,” Oct. 2). The photographs and the text were a great preview for what will prove to be a best-selling book. As a librarian in a public library I have to watch my pennies when purchasing art and photography books, but I will be getting this one for my patrons. Leibovitz’s story and her commitment to her family and friends are a great respite from Iraq, politics and other book subjects these days.

Pat Pritchard

Peoria, Ill

Do you honestly believe more Americans are familiar with the name Annie Leibovitz than with the names Ansel Adams, Walker Evans, Edward Weston or Richard Avedon? Leibovitz’s celebrity portraits are entertaining images for which she is paid handsomely. But do we really need to hear what it was like shooting “that elusive Hollywood infant,” Suri Cruise? Why not ask her about more pressing issues like why few employees work with her for more than one year? It comes as no surprise that she has come out with a book of photographs that combines her celebrity portraits with shots of her own family, thereby elevating those close to her to nearly the same status as the famous people she photographs. What a great way to add to her own immortality.

Alan Lemire

Priest River, Idaho

I don’t know which upsets me more–the editing of Annie Leibovitz’s long-term lesbian relationship with Susan Sontag to the status of “the person she was closest to,” or the fact that you assumed the American public was too ignorant or apathetic to deal with the cover story on the Taliban that appeared on the overseas issues. Don’t get me wrong: I think Leibovitz is brilliant and talented, and I sympathize with her pain and loss in a society that does not afford her relationship any legal status. But I am not satisfied when a story about a brilliant photographer is considered the most “newsworthy” for the week even though so many other, more important, stories are in need of press.

Barton A. Shulman San Mateo, Calif.

“A New Homeland for Holy War: The Rise of Jihadistan” (Oct. 2) should refocus attention on the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan. After all, the U.S.-led invasion that overthrew the Taliban was a direct response to the September 11 attacks. Afghanistan is the crossroad where the cold war ended and the global war against Islamic extremism began. There has never been such widespread domestic and international support for such a war since World War II. Although blame for the resurgence of pro-Taliban militias can be shared by Afghan and Pakistani leaders, it is also due to the lack of a U.S. leadership role in the region since the fall of the Taliban in late 2001. Our government spending in Afghanistan was $18 billion in 2001-2002 and is only $20 billion in 2006. The Bush administration should renew its commitment by redeploying a small number of active duty troops from Iraq to Afghanistan to reinforce the currently deployed NATO troops in the short term. A long-term commitment should include funding increases to opium-eradication programs and major economic-assistance programs to the surrounding region of Southwest Asia.

Barry Dwork

Silver Spring, Md.

It was with great sadness that I read about the latest batch of Karl Rove protégés (“In Rove’s Footsteps,” Oct. 2). Political ads are probably the top reason why we elect so many incompetent leaders. In order to make the best and most informed decisions, citizens should ignore all campaign commercials, both positive and negative, and rely mainly on unslanted news coverage, speeches, debates and conversations with others.

Mike Brand

Tallahassee, Fla.

The greatest irony about Karl Rove and his minions is that they are the darlings of the evangelical Christian right. Here are men who put winning ahead of morality and think nothing of slander, lies, mudslinging, influence peddling and total character assassination if those tactics will win elections. Haven’t Rove’s Christian supporters ever heard of the commandment “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor”? That Christians could and still do support these ruthless, immoral men, and their “anything goes” tactics to gain power, goes beyond hypocrisy to utter damnation.

Jonathan Labman

Lumberville, Pa.

I’ll give Karl Rove credit for his political strategies that have seen the Republicans gain control of the media, White House, Supreme Court, House and Senate. He has also seriously damaged the Democratic Party and our two-party system. If I could sit down with Rove, I’d have just one question: “What have you done for the working person?” There’s no universal health care, the minimum wage hasn’t been raised in 10 years, jobs are disappearing and people work two jobs just to survive. I guess for Rove winning is everything. I only hope he wakes up someday and sees the real America he’s created.

John Flanagan

via internet

In “The Benefits Of Busy” (Oct. 2), Daniel McGinn correctly notes that “there’s no disputing that every child is different.” Children flourish when their needs are respected. For some this means more scheduled after-school activities, and for others less. However, I strongly disagree with one mother who was quoted as saying that the alternative to her daughter’s 9i hours per week of scheduled after-school activity is “playing on the computer or watching TV.” The possibilities for children when they are not participating in a scheduled activity are not limited to electronic options. Children can play a game, listen to music, watch the world go by and so on. Children must learn for themselves the fine art of choosing and engaging in meaningful work and play. Let’s provide them with the time and space to accomplish this along with the expanded horizons that come with judiciously chosenafter-school activities.

Linda Creem Paseltiner

Stamford, Conn.

The article “The Benefits Of Busy” misses one of the most important problems of today’s world. We have many more problems and more serious ones from children’s having too little to do than too much. With two working parents or only one parent in more than 65 percent of families, the idle time between when school lets out and when Mom gets home is a breeding ground for trouble. It’s the drug dealer’s gold mine. Better the kids are too busy than not busy enough.

Jeremy Gorman

Wilmington, Vt.

As with the Vietnam veterans in “Battlefield Flashbacks” (Oct. 2), the Iraq war has been a trauma trigger for me. I served in Vietnam in 1966 when we were “winning the war.” As a young battalion surgeon with no Army background, I was not qualified to evaluate the merits of the war or how it was being fought, but they seemed senseless. Several West Point graduates in my unit had similar opinions. I tried my best to stay out of what I viewed as the senseless war in Vietnam, but was unsuccessful. While there I served to the best of my ability, receiving a bronze star for meritorious service and another for valor. One of my jobs was to pronounce dead young men whom I had known. A recurring dream I have after 40 years is that I have new orders to return to Vietnam. We have heard we learned the lessons of the Vietnam War and they would not be repeated. Iraq seems a lot like Vietnam to me. Many privileged men found a way to stay out of Vietnam. It is a shame some of these same men find it necessary to send young Americans to Iraq to be killed and maimed. It would be interesting to survey Vietnam veterans to see how many of them think we should be in Iraq.

Michael Schaen

Mason, Ohio

In his column “Trickle-Up Economics?” (Oct. 2), Robert Samuelson says that “we do not really understand why” productivity gains are going disproportionately to those at the top. It doesn’t take a degree in mathematics to grasp that ordinary workers gain from higher wages, not from higher productivity. Productivity gains lead to higher stock prices, which benefit the owners of companies and result in congratulatory bonuses to upper management–especially CEOs who get credit for them–and not to the workers whose increased efficiency contributes to the gains but whose wages remain unchanged.

Donald Schwartz

Los Angeles, Calif.

Robert Samuelson asserts “living standards aren’t stagnating” and offers the market penetration of consumer products like VCRs as proof. I don’t think VCRs tell us much about living standards, especially changes in standards over time. I think we need to look lower on the hierarchy. In 1973, my father purchased a four-bedroom house on e acre of land about 45 minutes from work for less than his annual income. Today, workers at his 1973 level must pay about six times their income for the same size/distance combination. They’ve experienced a drastic decrease in important living standards–but they all have VCRs.

Tom Quigley

Oakland, Calif.

Robert Samuelson contends that “liberals and others who support lax immigration policies on our Southern border should understand that these policies deepen U.S. inequality.” Please enlighten us with a list of any mainstream liberal groups that actually support lax immigration policies. Conservatives have been in control of the presidency and both houses of Congress since 2000. If immigration policies on our Southern border are lax, why haven’t they been strengthened? Because corporations rely on immigrant labor while they fill the campaign coffers of these conservative politicians to ensure an uninterrupted supply of cheap labor.

Ricardo Sander

Winslow, Ariz.

Beyond George Allen’s is-it-or- isn’t-it racial slur “macaca,” his venomous “Welcome to America” dig at a Fairfax County-born American who just happens not to look like Allen seems to me more offensive and more indicative of his nativist leanings (“Who Is George Allen, Anyway?” Oct. 2). I’m not sure why that zinger of Allen’s hasn’t gotten more media attention. With that one line he has illuminated his view of what America is.

Sean Riley

Los Angeles, Calif.

As an adoptive parent of a 5-month-old son, I was eager to read about 28-year-old Sarah Culbertson, a West Virginia woman who learned her biological father was a member of the ruling family of a tribe in Sierra Leone (“West Virginia Princess,” periscope, Sept. 25). Research has shown that adopted children benefit when they have relationships with both their biological and adoptive families. But to refer several times to her biological father as “her father” and “her dad” rather than as “her birthfather” is a disservice to her adoptive parents who raised her since her infancy. My husband, son and I are part of an open adoption, and I know our birthmother and birthfather would agree the distinction is important.

Kendra L. Williams

West Des Moines, Iowa

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-09” author: “Scott Madsen”

Your June 5 issue, “AIDS at 25,” is one of NEWSWEEK’s most important. I grew up in rural Northern Virginia, where HIV/AIDS was viewed as a distant phenomenon that affects those living in the city or across the ocean. My family never once thought that HIV/AIDS could have anything to do with us. Then, when I was 10, my brother died of AIDS. I speak of this now in my work as a health educator for an AIDS ministry. I run a program that enters schools, church groups and juvenile-detention centers to teach a message of HIV prevention through education. We put a face to this disease by having those living with HIV/AIDS tell their stories so people see that anyone from any walk of life could be infected. Many parents take their children out of our program. Our educational message of safety and the statistics will not reach their ears, so I hope these parents are educating them at home on these important issues. If someone had come to speak to my family about HIV, my brother would still be with us today.

Tara Dwyer

Falls Church, Virginia

Apropos your thought-provoking and well-researched cover story on AIDS, I’d like to point out that India might have more HIV and AIDS cases than any other country in the world. Here, newborns get AIDS at a faster rate than gays or drug users. In Mumbai alone, where some 100,000 to 150,000 prostitutes ply their trade, estimates of those infected by AIDS has jumped from 1 percent in 1987 to 30 percent in 1991, and about 52 percent in 2005. As a developing country we hear about advances in science or technology very late. The time has come when we should move toward a radical transformation of our society by using innovative ways of communication for behavior changes to stop AIDS. Since information and education play a vital role in fighting AIDS, and since sexual intercourse (whether heterosexual or homosexual) is the major route of spreading HIV, the most effective way to prevent the sexual transmission of the virus is to abstain from sexual intercourse and offer sex education in schools.

Vinod C. Dixit

Ahmadabad, India

Geoffrey Cowley’s article on HIV/AIDS (“The Life of a Virus Hunter”) throws up some alarming facts and figures. It is saddening to learn that Asia is now the hub of HIV infections. And the situation will worsen since less than 20 percent of patients get anti-retroviral drugs. In my state of West Bengal, there is general apathy among both the government and the people toward the causes and effects of this menacing disease. No official figures on the number of HIV infected people are available. NGOs have done much to promote the use of contraceptives, but it is simply not enough. We need a Dr. Peter Piot to bring about changes in the mind-set and attitude of our people.

Subhobrata Basu

Kolkata, India

Many states have gone a long way to contain the spread of AIDS by providing proper education. Mauritius has held back the plague through conscious efforts by the National AIDS Committee, led by our prime minister, Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam. Policymakers around the world should work toward establishing a system whereby AIDS patients have easy access to all medical services. Be it in Kolkata, Nairobi or Port Louis, sex workers are uniting to demand safer conditions. Of equal concern to me is the access to anti-retroviral treatment by common people afflicted with AIDS. We need more foundations like Bill and Melinda Gates’s and Bill Clinton’s.

Ashveen Kutowaroo

Belle Vue Maurel, Mauritius

As the developer of America’s first home HIV test, I have been a longtime advocate of HIV testing as a way to reduce the spread of AIDS. The only way you know whether you or your partner has HIV is by taking a test. Yet this logical approach to AIDS prevention has been all but ignored for two decades as politics has skewed AIDS-prevention programs to a choice of abstinence or the “Don’t ask, don’t tell” approach of condoms. It is encouraging that former president Bill Clinton is beginning to provide leadership on this issue and advocates broad scale HIV testing. I have no financial interest in AIDS testing now, but with so many new cases of AIDS each year, it’s time for public-health officials to do more than give lip service to the benefits of testing.

Elliott J. Millenson

Potomac, Maryland

The sheer number of people affected by AIDS makes this worldwide disease a worthy topic for NEWSWEEK. I’d have liked to see in your extensive coverage a piece on sexual abstinence as a prevention method. Sadly, we don’t want to discuss the possibility of teaching our young to exercise self-control and abstain from sexual activity until marriage. Yet if they do–and marry someone who has also abstained and remain sexually faithful in marriage–their chance of contracting AIDS is zero percent. Abstinence is smart, totally effective and cost-efficient, but it requires that we challenge people to be self-controlled. We must change our sexual habits before they destroy coming generations.

James Hansee

Cincinnati, Ohio

Thank you for reminding us that AIDS is still taking a toll on our world. As a forty something woman who was 21 years old when the first AIDS jokes made the rounds at my sorority house at the University of Texas, I lost countless friends (mostly gay men) in the 1980s and 1990s. I can recall far too many “death watches,” and at one time I even had a “spring funeral outfit” and a “summer funeral out-fit.” When my best friend, Chip, died of AIDS-related complications in 1994, it shut me down emotionally. I thought I had put the sorrow and memories behind me until last year, when I began doing crisis counseling for part of my master’s degree. Something awakened inside me and memories of Chip came flooding back, along with brightly tinged memories of happier times. I will never forget Chip, and I hope that people never lose the sense of urgency about AIDS or forget the tragic loss of talent and humanity that the first wave of AIDS brought to our country. I wonder how many other friends and family members are still touched daily, as I am, by their losses.

Lea McLeod Matthews

Nashville, Tennessee

We need to be reminded that we can’t look at diseases on an impersonal level. AIDS and HIV are a reality, but in order to make everyone realize that, we must put faces behind those frightening letters. To bring attention to the epidemic, we must bring attention to how close to home it is. And to accept the truth of the virus is to accept the fact that those who have it are not walking diseases. They are people. They are mothers, fathers and, yes, even children. They need love, trust and everything any other human needs. Having a disease makes you no less than what you already were. Thank you for your articles and for continuing to share the truth.

Gina Blanchard

Santa Cruz, California

It is important for your readers to know that Ken Meeks, whose 1986 photo ran with your story “How AIDS Changed America,” was much more than a tragic picture representing the devastation of AIDS. Ken Meeks was my best friend. My youngest son is named after him. Perhaps Ken’s greatest contribution to AIDS awareness, and action, was his decision to allow “Nightline,” hosted by Ted Koppel, to record the final few months of his life in 1986. This was truly heroic. As Ken’s health deteriorated, he and his partner took a cross-country trip by train (something Ken had always wanted to do). But the trip was cut short in September 1986, as Ken was much too ill to continue. He was admitted to San Francisco General Hospital and died there a short time later. His final interview with Koppel aired a few days before his death. It was powerful and moving. Ken truly believed it was his mission to educate others regarding this terrible disease, about which so little was known. Rest in peace, Ken. Mission accomplished.

Art Winters

Holliston, Massachusetts

As owners of a small retail chain that caters primarily to the 18- to 30-year-old age group, we were happy to provide to our customers (who wanted them) free condoms that we got from a local HIV/AIDS prevention organization. However, the organization relied on federal funding that was cut after the Bush administration came into power. It seems that prevention of the world’s most devastating epidemic, the strain it inflicts on the health-care system and the deaths it causes aren’t as important as a war with no end in sight.

Phil and Sandy Azancot

Texarkana, Texas

Thank you for the cover story on AIDS, the scourge that took my husband, Bill, 12 years ago. In the early 1990s, heroic doctors and social workers from Deaconess Hospital in Boston supported him mightily as his health failed. He was part of a group taking the antiviral drugs experimentally. Bill took each kind separately, before doctors were able to concoct the “cocktail” now keeping AIDS victims alive. Bill’s poor mother and father witnessed, six months after his death, the heralding of a “cure for AIDS.” We rejoiced for those able to take (and afford) AZT but cried bitterly for our own loss. Three lovely daughters missed having their daddy watch them grow up. To all affected by the NEWSWEEK articles, please join us for the AIDS walks all across the United States later this year. Contribute if you can. Let’s find a way to stop this plague from continuing to kill our loved ones.

Linda Lewis

San Diego, California

I applaud Melinda French Gates for acknowledging that women need more HIV-prevention tools, yet prevention still “depend[s] on a man’s cooperation” (“What Women Really Need”). However, this merely addresses the effect of HIV/AIDS, not the cause. The cause is the age-old problem that women lack respect in most religious and political structures and organizations. As a result, while platitudes are tossed like doggy bones, there is little substantial movement allowing women a voice, proper education and economic opportunities, thus consolidating power and control within an elite patriarchal system throughout most of the world. Another horrific effect of this system is the objectification of women through the huge money-making schemes of pornography and prostitution. What will it take to eradicate HIV/ AIDS at its root cause, namely, lack of respect for women?

Dee Warner

Wilmington, Delaware

The first paragraph of your article “Germany: See No Evil, Say No Evil” (June 5) refers to an attack on a “black” immigrant. But in the second paragraph, this attack turns out to have been on an Ethiopian. Your writer needs to get his racial facts straight. Ethiopians have dark skin; they are not “black,” no more than Tamils are. Ethiopians are of Caucasoid stock, which is fairly obvious if you know any.

Dave Smith

Toronto, Canada

Fareed Zakaria’s worry that “president Bush still seems to be persisting in one important error” (“What We Need to Get Right,” June 5) finds a close parallel in “The Arabian Nights.” There, in “The Tale of the Negro Kafur, the Second Sudanese Eunuch,” the latter had only one fault: “He never told more than one lie a year.” But that one whopper was sufficient to create untold havoc!

N. Narayanan

Singapore

Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez called George W. Bush “a genocidal mad man” and “the worst criminal in the human race.” Bravo–at last, a leader who is not afraid to say what most of the planet believes.

Pete Creswell

Ennis Killen, Northern Ireland

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-26” author: “Diane Fennimore”

Abu Mussab Al-Zarqawi was a violent, ruthless, brutal terrorist operative of Al Qaeda (“Death of a Terrorist,” June 19). But with him out of the way, the job of the United States won’t be any easier. It may even be more difficult. Now we have to deal with bona fide Iraqi Sunni insurgents–not an outsider Jordanian terrorist–who have legitimate claims to govern Iraq, as they perceive themselves as nationalists fighting off invading foreign devils. A well-organized and well-equipped force, they will not go away. The United States is eventually going to have to deal with them at the negotiating table and provide them with some role in the new Iraqi government.

Kenneth L. Zimmerman

Huntington Beach, California

“Death of a Terrorist” is the story of a much-hyped criminal who didn’t deserve all the publicity he got. After failing to find any weapons of mass destruction, the Americans were desperate to establish a Qaeda link between Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden. They dubbed this petty criminal, Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi, the head of Al Qaeda in Iraq. And now by killing him, they have once again tried legitimizing all their misadventures in Iraq as efforts toward eliminating Al Qaeda. If masterminds and perpetrators of acts of terror are eliminated, the crime rate in a civil society could be brought down. But fundamentalist forces show little delay in regrouping after one of their leaders goes off the scene. And that is exactly what is happening in Iraq, much to the dismay of the United States.

R. K. Sudan

Jammu, India

Good riddance to Abu Mussab Al-Zarqawi, who killed a lot of innocent people in his relatively limited span of terror. But the number of people who have died in Iraq as “collateral damage” due to the consistent U.S. bombings and coldblooded killings by U.S. soldiers (such as in Haditha) is far greater than what Zarqawi could ever have achieved in his lifetime.

Shehzad Ahmed Mir

Islamabad, Pakistan

The jubilation over the killing of Zarqawi is understandable by those who believe that death is the ultimate punishment for an evil person. To be placed in solitary confinement or to be forced to live with incurable and unrelievable pain, as many nicer people are forced to suffer, is a much worse punishment than what Zarqawi was dealt. Everyone dies at one time or another, and few are allowed to choose when or how. I just hope that when my time comes, I will go out as easily as he did.

Gabe Hausmann

Annapolis, Maryland

Two bombs were used to kill Zarqawi. “Inside, two men, two women and a small girl were dead.” This indiscriminate killing resulted in the death of a child and possibly innocent people. This was not an act of war, but a terrorist attack in itself. We are what we’re fighting against.

Celeste Twamley

Kingston, New Jersey

Looking at the pictures of a dead but intact Zarqawi and the rubble of his bombed-out safe house, I can’t help but wonder if the U.S. government is telling the truth about how it got him. The government’s miscommunication on the first day about accounts of how Iraqi and American soldiers found him dead, then alive and muttering prayers, only makes me wonder more.

Julian Gomez

Grenoble, France

All those who were involved in the manhunt and eventual killing of Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi by precision bombing deserve commendation. However, special kudos to Jordanian King Abdullah II for “giving up” his own countryman for the sake of peace and security in the world. Zarqawi’s killing is a major victory in the war on terror. He never reckoned that his own members of Al Qaeda would jettison their loyalty to him and his beliefs to betray him. Watch out, Osama!

Cosmas Uzoma Odoemena

Sokoto, Nigeria

The realities of war and his own horrible acts aside, does the American national media’s crowing over Zarqawi’s dead face speak well of our ability to promote peace and democracy anywhere?

Jesse Koskey

New York, New York

Your story on the fatal capture of Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi was informative and important, yet I do not believe that headlines reading how they got him and a demon’s heart reflect any better judgment of human life than that which terrorists themselves possess. Zarqawi’s death was necessary and well deserved, but your article reveals a more important issue: are we gradually transforming into a society that is as violent and merciless as the ones we claim to be ridding this planet of?

Luke A. DiIorio

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Zarqawi wouldn’t have been so effective without the substantive support of Islamic governments–primarily Iran’s. Many have been misled into believing that the “success” of Islamic terrorism is due to a few “exceptional individuals” like Zarqawi and Osama bin Laden, and that killing such leaders will defeat terrorism. But in reality the “success” is mostly caused by behind-the-scenes support of dictatorships like those in Iran, Saudi Arabia and Syria. As long as terrorist-sponsoring dictatorships exist, an effective replacement for Zarqawi (and other dead terrorist leaders) will be found. It’s time to realize who our real enemies are before it’s too late.

Glenn Woiceshyn

Calgary, Canada

The story about Zarqawi’s death is a typical example of U.S. journalism. He may have killed many people or had them killed. However, it is certain that George W. Bush and his accomplices, by invading the country, have caused not only the deaths of more people than Zarqawi but also destruction and suffering for survivors.

Willy Van Damme

Dendermonde-grembergen, Belgium

Zarqawi may be dead, but it is premature for Americans to be dancing in jubilation. No one knows if his successor will be better or worse. Since America was responsible for his death, our country may become the focus of a retaliatory attack, or U.S. interests may be targeted in other countries. No doubt, more U.S. troops will lose their lives. How can we fight off this deadly insurgency when new terrorists are being born every minute?

JoAnn Lee Frank

Clearwater, Florida

Thank you for your clear and dispassionate report on why Brazil wins in football (“Hail to the Kings,” June 12). Brazil’s squad this year had all it took to surpass the legendary team of 1970 in the minds and hearts of football lovers everywhere. More important, though, was NEWSWEEK’s impartiality in admitting that this year’s World Cup really “looks like a one-horse race”–unlike another publication, which included Brazil among “the best of the rest.” Accidents can and do happen–and Brazilians should never forget the World Cup finals in 1950 and 1994.

Elezer Puglia

Zug, Switzerland

I’ve been troubled by your persistent anti-World Cup/football rhetoric, which seems only to weaken your stance as a globally progressive, broad-minded periodical. To your apparent dismay, there are those of us Americans who are left cold by the steroid-infused clunkiness of American football and baseball, and feel as the rest of the world does: that soccer is the greatest sport on earth, requiring the finest skill, agility and overall athletic ability. The theme of the World Cup has always been the unification of peoples and nations, which is needed now more than ever. Your voice only fuels a kind of Neanderthal isolationism and arrogance that is both pointless and incongruous. Get with the rest of the world, my friends.

Jay R. Nuzum

Moorpark, California

Arian Campo-Flores seems to want us to feel sorry for all the suffering illegal immigrants endure (“America’s Divide,” April 10/April 17). But they are breaking the law–so excuse me for not supporting their cause. Neither do I support a change in immigration law that allows any kind of amnesty for illegals. My wife came to the United States (legally) from Venezuela and is now a permanent resident. We have spent an incredible amount of time, money and energy to abide by the current U.S. immigration laws just to get this far. To now give a free pass to illegals is a slap in the face of my wife and all other immigrants who are playing by the rules in order to experience the American Dream.

Russell Connelly

Houston, Texas

By switching randomly between “immigration” and “illegal immigration,” the text of your recent article muddied as much as it clarified. These are not interchangeable terms. One is in accordance with our laws, and I and most people support it. The other is in violation of our laws and, if rule of law is to mean anything, must be prevented or prosecuted–or the laws changed. Favoring one and opposing the other does not make me anti-immigration. It makes me someone who respects our laws.

Jim Gustafson

via internet

As a legal immigrant, I am astounded at the naiveté of the native-born. No country south of the border would ever be as absurdly generous as the United States is toward those who break its immigration laws. And I would rather pay $10 for a head of lettuce than have my quality of life as severely affected as it already is here in Los Angeles, where we sometimes have 40 kids to a classroom, choke on our clogged freeways and have our health-care systems completely overwhelmed. Wake up, America! If enough immigrants are allowed to stay, we are going to be saddled with the kinds of societies that brought them here in the first place.

Marcia Del Mar

Calabasas, California

One myth that needs to be laid to rest is that undocumented workers do jobs that Americans don’t want to do. That’s complete bunk. The issue revolves around money. If you are a building contractor, farm owner or restaurant manager with an eye on your bottom line, you can hire an illegal immigrant for a fraction of what you’d have to pay an American citizen, and with no worries about lawsuits for injuries or complaints about job conditions or low pay. Large corporations do it by outsourcing jobs overseas. It’s capitalism, pure and simple: the lowest bidder gets the work.

David Zartman

Seattle, Washington

The value of the illegal immi-grant to our society is his illegality. As long as he retains his illegal status, an immigrant can be paid less, denied health care and dismissed at will. This is what corporations who employ undocumented workers value most. It’s why a guest-worker program will not succeed. When illegals become federally recognized guest workers, the jig will be up, because they will have to be treated like human beings. This will not sit well with employers who thrive on illegals. A guest-worker program will create millions of legitimate workers, and hard-pressed employers will be forced to seek out (and “invite” into our country) another illegal group willing to be paid less, denied health care and dismissed at will.

George Moss

Columbus, Ohio

Cardinal Roger M. Mahony thinks we should help all immigrants to live in America (“A Cardinal’s Campaign”). Will he offer all his archdiocese’s children free education? This would take the burden of educating these children off the state. He could render “unto God the things that are God’s.” He doesn’t have to stand for re-election with taxpayers, so he shouldn’t be weighing in on state policies for which the tax-exempt church does not pay.

Carole McIntyre

Waynesburg, Pennsylvania

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-22” author: “Kenneth Daniel”

North Korea Goes Nuclear Kim Jong Il is a power-hungrydespot suffering from the worst kind of Napoleon complex ("‘We Are a Nuclear Power’,” Oct. 23). Although some reasons North Korea has for wanting to be a global or nuclear power are rooted in political aversion to the United States, it’s simplistic to imagine that Kim’s decisions are in response to President George W. Bush’s calling him a “pygmy” and a “spoiled child.” Kim is trying to prove to the world that his isolated country is not as lamentable as he has created it to be. Any nuclear capability is alarming in the hands of this unstable man who is lusting to prove himself. Alejandra Gutierrez Santa Ana, Calif.

Why doesn’t the Bush Administration talk directly to North Korea? Kofi Annan, American commentators and important Republicans have called for these contacts at the highest level. It is understood that our Asian partners in the moribund Six-Party Talks on North Korea have urged us to use the direct-diplomacy option. Why do we resist this track? Diplomacy doesn’t have to guarantee our winning in advance to be useful, given its chance to resolve or improve situations. Al Edgell Kent, Ohio

You make only a brief mention of the “breakdown of the [Clinton] Agreed Framework in 2002” followed by a statement that the “Bush administration discarded it as a flawed Clinton-era policy.” No details are provided about how and why the naive Agreed Framework failed, nor of the ill-fated trust by the Clinton administration. And the authors of the article seem eager to bash Bush for the flawed Clinton-era policy rather than place the blame where it belongs. Hugh Scott Belvedere, Calif.

Kim Gye Gwan, North Korean Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, is quoted as saying, “We are not boys. We are a nuclear power.” Nuclear power does not earn you respect, and respect is exactly what North Korea seeks. Kim Jong Il is leading his country into a no-win situation. Conor Mayers Norwell, Mass.

Fareed Zakaria’s “Let Them Eat Carrots” (Oct. 23) is a most sensible analysis of the situation in North Korea. I’ve taught university in Korea for 10 years, and I think Zakaria shows that the U.N. sanctions pressed for by the United States are not an end but only a temporary nuisance to North Korea. Britain and the United States will normalize relations with North Korea when it gives up its WMD, but Kim Jong Il will no doubt demand that U.S. troops be removed from the South and that the United States sign a peace treaty. He’ll also ask for as much aid as he can get. The United States is dedicated to a six-party solution and must get the approval of the other four nations involved, but they won’t object to peace on the peninsula or the removal of the U.S. military if they believe the peace is for real. To accomplish that, a formal end to the Korean War must be signed with the United Nations, as must a peace treaty between North and South Korea that is guaranteed by the other four nations. Most important, there must be substantial, verifiable disarmament of both countries. While certainly not easy, this is possible and necessary. Only then can North Korea be a friend to the world. Wilson E. Strand Centerville, S.D.

Gambling With Prohibition I believe George Will missed the point in comparing the recent Internet-gambling ban with the repealed prohibition of alcohol (“Prohibition II: Good Grief,” the last word, Oct. 23). This new bill never had anything to do with the morality of gambling. It does nothing about casino gambling and specifically exempts Internet gambling on horse races and state lotteries. To be analogous, the original prohibition would have had to exempt drinking in bars and restaurants but ban drinking at home. It would also have had to be sneakily tucked into another, “must pass” piece of legislation at the last minute so there could be no debate on the issue. Any time someone like Bill Frist can pass legislation that takes away a right of 12 million Americans with little debate, something is wrong with the system. As a Christian and an American, I find that the way this bill was passed is a greater outrage than gambling itself. Ron Lavery Orland Park, Ill.

George Will’s column would be better titled “Prohibition III.” The second is our nation’s ongoing prohibition of drugs. Just as the prohibition of the 1920s failed to curb alcohol abuse but caused the growth of organized crime, so our ban on drugs has not resulted in a noticeable reduction in drug use but has filled our prisons with low-level dealers, corrupted our police and rendered our urban streets deadly as the drug-financed gangs fight for turf. And, ironically, our uncontrolled demand for heroin is financing the Taliban. We need to decriminalize drug use, except for sales to those under 21, which should be subject to draconian penalties. David C. Harrison Philadelphia, Pa.

I appreciated George Will’s commentary about the recent ban on Internet gambling. However, this is not Prohibition II but Prohibition III. The second is the continuing prohibition on marijuana in the United States. Truly, for more than the first half of U.S. history, marijuana was as American as apple pie. Some of our Founding Fathers grew hemp, and the hemp plant also served as a bedrock of the U.S. economy, was considered legal tender in many states, was subsidized by the federal government and could be used to pay taxes. But unlike that of alcohol, the prohibition of marijuana still hasn’t been repealed. Jonathan Mermis-Cava Davis, Calif.

Tough on the Home Front, Too One of the contrasts between military families now and those during WWII is that we had no e-mail, no telephone messages, no two-week R&R. We didn’t know where our husbands, brothers or fathers were, nor how long their tours would last. We lived with gasoline, meat and sugar rationing. But we were proud–we knew the danger to the world if the enemy was victorious. I know this war is different. I currently have a son and grandson in Afghanistan. My husband was in WWII and Korea. The son who is now in Afghanistan was also in Vietnam. I know what military life is like, and I am troubled by what I see as whining by the families of troops overseas. It certainly doesn’t help morale. Dorothy Dodson Edwardsville, Ill.

Mistakes and a Student’s Murder As the mother of a 2003 University of Vermont graduate, I was troubled by parts of your Oct. 23 article “Remembering Michelle.” You wrote that Michelle Gardner-Quinn’s “only mistake, it seems, was being in the wrong place at the wrong time.” She was doing what thousands of students before her have done and continue to do–socializing with friends. The criminal was the one in the “wrong place at the wrong time,” doing wrong. Let’s put the blame where it belongs, on the criminal, not on the victim. Shirlee L. Smith Hampden, Maine

Your story about the murder of Vermont college student Michelle Gardner-Quinn states that her “only mistake, it seems, was being in the wrong place at the wrong time.” Well, no. She made several mistakes. She was on the street at 2:30 a.m. with an older man she’d probably just met. She used his cell phone. Bad move. Her biggest mistake was being alone and intoxicated in the bar district. It may not be politically correct to remind young women of this, but alcohol impairs your judgment. And there’s also a lesson here for young men. I am sure the two “pals” mentioned in your story regret leaving her at 2 a.m. It isn’t necessary to go back to the days of chivalry or male chauvinism, but friends shouldn’t let friends walk around drunk, either. Bruce S. Schwartz Cherry Hill, N.J.

What Voters Value I want to thank Jonathan Alter for his take on the “values” voter (“The Myth of the ‘Values’ Voter,” Oct. 23). I find it disturbing that the mainstream media have adopted this term to refer to conservative evangelical-Christian voters. The subtext of the term suggests that liberals like me have no values, and definitely have none in common with someone who attends a megachurch and votes Republican. For the record, I value peace, security, minimal interference from government, a thoughtful foreign policy that keeps me safe, a healthy natural environment and the Constitution with the freedoms and protections it grants me. Wow, how out of the mainstream am I? I hope our common American craving for community will reignite a genuine conversation across the political spectrum. Perhaps America needs to go through this era of divisiveness in order to appreciate open dialogue. Carl Coates Chicago, Ill.

After reading Jonathan Alter’s essay, I get the feeling that he would love nothing more than for religious conservatives to sit out the 2006 elections and hand the reins over to secular progressives like him. He states that, with the exception of defeating federal embryonic-stem-cell funding, the “traditional values agenda … remains unfulfilled.” I will concede that it is partially unfulfilled, but under a Nancy Pelosi-led House, it would be totally unfulfilled. Alter also forgets two of the most important advances in the traditional-values agenda–the seating of Supreme Court Justices John Roberts and Samuel Alito. They are inclined to let traditionalists and secularists do political battle on the social agenda (e.g., abortion, marriage policy) where they should–at the ballot box, not the courthouse. Robert J. Kubick Jr. Stow, Ohio

Corrections We erred in “A Secret Life” (Oct. 16) by reporting that a St. Petersburg Times editor said that the newspaper received inappropriate e-mails sent by Mark Foley from a source in Congressman Rodney Alexander’s office. In fact, the newspaper confirmed the e-mails with Alexander’s office, but received the messages from elsewhere.

In “Inside the Hero Factory” (Oct. 23), we said the flag raising at Iwo Jima was conducted by six soldiers, when in fact the flag was hoisted by five Marines and a Navy corpsman. Furthermore, President Bush’s " ‘Mission Accomplished’ strut” was on an aircraft carrier, not a battleship. NEWSWEEK regrets the errors.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-17” author: “Ernest Berg”

My deepest thanks for the wonderful coverage you are giving our men and women in Iraq (“The Road Out of Iraq,” Nov. 6). My son-in-law leaves next week for a tour of duty. From the beginning, I have opposed our country’s policy concerning Iraq, yet I’ve been caught between supporting our troops and opposing the war. How, as the parent and mother-in-law of career soldiers, do I protest the terrible decisions made by civilian leaders and remain loyal to the troops? Anyone who has studied the history of the Middle East should know our country has entered a no-win situation.

Joanne Hill

via internet

Fareed Zakaria’s cover story on the war in Iraq showed the current situation and tragic consequences of an endeavor that was misled, ill informed and a mistake from the beginning. Profiteers, weapons makers and reconstruction companies are the ones that have benefited. The rest of us have sorely lost, to the tune of more than $300 billion and enormous human suffering. Let us hope that there still is indeed a “road out.” A good place to start might be with the unvarnished and unhindered truth.

Rev. David W. Long

West Chester, Pa.

I don’t agree with everything in Fareed Zakaria’s cover story, but I certainly respect his comprehensive, coherent and nonpartisan approach. What a refreshing departure from the bumper-sticker solutions–if you can call them that–offered by the Republican administration (“stay the course”) and the Democratic opposition (“bring the troops home now”). Hard to believe that in a country of 300 million people, this is all that politicians can offer.

David W. Owen

Vienna, Va.

Fareed Zakaria quotes George W. Bush as saying, “The only way we lose in Iraq is if we leave before the job is done.” What job? Bush has yet to define what our objective is in Iraq. He has been trying to sell this war to America under different justifications–WMD, Saddam’s ties to Al Qaeda and 9/11. America isn’t buying any of that. Zakaria would have shown more courage and fairness if he joined most Americans in admitting that the Bush administration got us into this mess needlessly and refuses to get us out. In the meantime, the ones who are financing Bush’s war games are hardworking Americans and our brave troops.

Nabil Haddad

Chandler, Ariz.

To sensationalize your cover with the headline WE’RE LOSING … not only imperils our fine soldiers who are fulfilling a mission, battle by battle and street by street; it compromises their safety, gives increased resolve to their enemies and undermines support of Americans at home.

Michael Richmond

Williamston, Mich.

I was profoundly affected by the two-page photo essay with the picture of a wounded Marine still on an operating table after having both legs amputated (“A Battle for Every Life,” Nov. 6). As a former Army nurse in Vietnam, I found this image stirring up feelings I’ve been trying to resolve for the past 30 years. I wish you would send a copy to President Bush so that the red of the gore and blood might get his attention and maybe motivate him to rethink his “stay the course” strategy.

Mary T. Golden

Richmond, Va.

Pundits and politicians alike must realize democracy cannot be compelled. Millenniums-old civilizations can redefine themselves only from within, and cultural change must be pioneered by domestic forces, not coerced by foreign occupation. Saddam Hussein inflicted the wound and the United States botched the surgery, but the viral infection requires an Iraqi cure. Maybe we should learn a lesson from another quagmire. We achieved little in Vietnam, which deteriorated into a civil-war bloodbath–yet today Vietnam is stable and threatens no one. Despite White House claims to the contrary, and although the number of American lives lost continues to climb, Iraq is not a battleground for the war on terror. When it does end, how many mothers will point to how many names on a war memorial not yet conceived? The long black wall engraved with more than 58,000 names of our dead left in the jungle could provide that answer.

Edward Patrick Morley

Keene, N.H.

What an extraordinary, heartbreaking story (“A Centurion’s E-mails,” Nov. 6)! I could hardly bear to read to the end, knowing what the outcome would be. What a terrible waste of a gallant warrior who followed his orders to ride into the valley of death. How many more troops and how many more devastated families must endure this senseless anguish? What number of deaths will satisfy the architects of this debacle for them to bring our troops home? God bless these warriors and all their families. How can they ever recover from their grief?

Phyllis Lilly

Ridgecrest, Calif.

Capt. Robert secher, my cousin’s son, was so dear to me, and I followed his career step by step. I always admired his spirit, but worried. Your article was as moving as his funeral in Memphis, where 1,200 people said goodbye to one of this country’s most dedicated men. Thank you for giving readers an insight into the war from one who gave his life for it.

Frances Kay Remeny

New York, N.Y.

For months I’ve been searching for words to sum up my frustration and sadness at our involvement in Iraq. George Will’s column “Togetherness in Baghdad” (The Last Word, Nov. 6) was one of the best I have read, and I wish to thank him for it. Frequently his awesome and instructive command of the English language sends me scurrying to the dictionary. Today he gave me, in two words, what I feel about the conflict in Iraq. Short, to the point, no dictionary needed, I quote the final two words of his column. They are “for what?” For what, indeed?

E. C. Dunn

New Braunfels, Texas

I read Officer Kristen Roman’s “the Officer’s Pledge: To Serve and Deflect?” (My Turn, Nov. 6) with great empathy and respect. I’m a professional airline pilot, and though I could never compare the dangers of police work with my work, I have experienced the same feelings Roman expresses. Many times I’ve heard rude comments from total strangers and family friends about my profession. Once a waiter told me in front of my three children that all pilots are alcoholics. Fortunately I am proud of my profession, so I put on my uniform, walk with my head high and remember that 148 passengers are depending on me. This pilot appreciates the sacrifice Roman and her fellow officers make every day.

Ubiratan F. Garcez Jr.

Woodbury, Minn.

Kristen Roman misses the mark when she compares her experience as a police officer to that of doctors or carpenters. They don’t have power and authority over us. They can’t tell us what to do, and they can’t put us in handcuffs. I grew up adoring the police with a little girl’s trusting naiveté. They were there to protect us and catch the bad guys. But soon I learned that for some people, having power over others changes them and blurs their judgment, enticing them to use that power just because they can. Endless stories of ordinary, vulnerable people faced with police officers who turn a moment of confusion into a personal nightmare have driven that lesson home. When there is little recourse other than complaints and comments, we do have reason to focus on police misconduct and to fear officers who abuse power.

Doranna Durgin

Flagstaff, Ariz.

Motown has more problems than just needing new automobile models (“Putting Detroit in the Shop,” Nov. 6). Detroit was too cheap to include a light in the trunk of my dad’s new 1952 Buick Roadmaster. When my mom’s Ford Taurus battery failed after one year, she was told that was about right for battery life. The deal I had from a salesman for a 1963 Chevrolet Nova was changed by the backroom manager. In 1971 I switched from Detroit to Japan and was amazed. For the first time I was treated with respect and honesty. There is no going back for me.

Roger Newell

San Diego, Calif.

After reading that Bob Wiley purchased a Toyota Avalon rather than an American car, I compared his choice against the Ford Fusion I bought earlier this year. My V-6 Fusion, with six-speed automatic, takes about a second longer to travel a quarter of a mile, but its handling and braking are better than the Avalon’s. The trunk is smaller on an Avalon, but it has a quieter ride. As for reliability, I haven’t had to return to the dealer once. The Avalon costs about $7,000 more than my Fusion, but another cost associated with the purchase of a Japanese car is the impact on states like Michigan. Americans need to realize that Detroit is now designing great cars, and the quality gap between American and Japanese cars is just too small to be a consideration.

James McMenamin

West Bloomfield, Mich.

I feel sick and sad after reading about Hell Houses in your Nov. 6 issue (“Visions of Hell”). As a small-town pastor, I cannot fathom why religious people, in the sweet name of Jesus, would drown out the truth of God’s love with visions of blood and violence to frighten the searching and vulnerable into seeing God as persecutor rather than Savior. So often Christ’s message is twisted into an ugly either/or formula based on human terms. Fortunately, God still brings life from death, and our salvation has more to do with his willingness than our worthiness.

Rev. Marie Duquette

Baltimore, Ohio

What if next year’s hell house dramas include a family-values senator beaten to death by five juveniles he enticed on the Internet, a pro-life fanatic sentenced to eternity in hell for murdering an abortion-clinic doctor and a televangelist who contracts syphilis from a male escort in the front seat of his car? It seems a shame to limit victims of the Devil to those the radical right sees as evil, while ignoring worthy candidates from its own ranks.

Philip D. Gross

Sonora, Calif.

Hell houses are nothing new to me. We had six here in Chattanooga just this year, and I wince in shame every time I hear about them. For every soul they might save, surely many more souls react with disgust and annoyance that whatever vague appeal Jesus Christ’s example held has been doused in a “Carrie”-esque bloodbath. I’m left to pray that the one recent example of true Christ-like behavior–the Amish community and its inspirational response to horror and tragedy–is enough to overcome the embarrassments that are Hell Houses.

Billy Faires

Chattanooga, Tenn.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-10” author: “Oscar Morguson”

The cover story of your Sept. 18 Atlantic edition was much too generous to British Prime Minister Tony Blair (“And Now, Adieu”). Politically, Blair is dead. As for his legacy, let alone the longevity of New Labour, the slogan “Long live Blairism!” would be a disastrous death wish for Britain. A phony egomaniac who is all words and no action, with style over substance, Blair has used his three-term prime ministership to destroy his country and change its character beyond recognition. According to the latest IMF report, unemployment in Britain is rising faster than in any other developed country. Public spending has spun out of control with no progress to show for it; the budget deficit has ballooned; the list goes on. Add to this the problems of uncontrolled immigration, an increasingly failing education system, the pension scandal, the lack of law and order, the death of British agriculture and fishing industries and the introduction of “Big Brother” policies by stealth, and you have the destruction of most of the core values for which Britain was once both proud and renowned. Britain’s only hope now is a return of the center-right Conservatives under David Cameron and an exit from the European Union.

Karl H. Pagac

Villeneuve-loubet, France

Although British prime minister Tony Blair’s political days are numbered, he is still trying to hang on to his career. He wants to linger on by telling more lies about his absolute support of the Bush administration in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. But the Israel-Lebanon war turned the tables: President Bush humiliated him in public and paid no heed to Blair’s proposal of an immediate ceasefire and cessation of all hostilities by both parties. Blair has proved his loyalty and obedience to Bush by telling lies about Saddam Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction as a reason for invading Iraq and sending British troops to the Middle East. Blair has been dropped like a hot potato by his own Labour Party members, who are demanding his earlier departure. The young, dynamic leader of the Conservative Party, David Cameron, has challenged Blair’s leadership and ridiculed him many times in the House of Commons. The curtain has already fallen on Blair’s political career. Goodbye, Mr. Blair! Britain will be better off without you.

Syed Rashid Ali Shah

Vroomshoop, Netherlands

I thought your article “and now, Adieu,” was biased and almost free of legitimate criticism in assessing why Tony Blair is now on the way out. As far as the British are concerned, Blair is tainted: his decline started with the war in Iraq, when they realized that he had lied in order to gain parliamentary approval to take Britain into an illegal war. Forget weapons of mass destruction–Bush and his “poodle” decided very early on to invade Iraq. All they had to do was to con the public into believing their reasons for doing so. Blair, with his ego, did this superbly by adopting spin, dodgy dossiers and lies. Add to this Blair’s running of the United Kingdom like an American president, showing his contempt for Parliament and an obsession to agree with Bush on everything–including the latest Lebanon-Israel conflict. The electorate has become sick of him. His “New Labour” policies at home–on health, education, crime, immigration and transport–have failed miserably, and that is after 10 years in government. We Brits are now hated the world over as much as the Americans (especially in the Middle East and other Muslim countries), while Blair is detested for his sleazy dealings, his lying and spinning; his corruption of the Civil Service; his weakening of democracy; his imposing of “Big Brother” laws; his freebie holidays; his greedy wife, Cherie; using his reputation to earn mega-bucks, etc. Most of all, however, Blair is detested in this country for his lack of moral fiber.

G. S. Cotton

Fosdyke, England

Gordon brown dismisses protests against capitalist globalization as “an angry resistance to change–old-style Luddism, in other words” (“We Need to Be More Fair,” Sept. 18). Your readers may be interested to know that the original Luddites were weavers in early-19th-century England who opposed, unsuccessfully, the introduction of new technology that, in the social conditions of the time, deprived them of their livelihood and threw their families into poverty. The propertied classes who put down the Luddites were themselves resistant to social and political changes, such as the extension of the vote to working people, the formation of unions and the reduction of working hours. Today’s workers have good reason to be anxious about how capital moves around the world in search of low-paid, nonunion workers without effective legal rights. Brown’s globalization manifesto says nothing about the need for effective laws to protect workers from overwork and hazard-ous conditions, and for free, independent unions in all countries.

Richard Abernethy

Kidlington, England

Gordon Brown’s article might sound very convincing to those who can rely on a settled life. But it is very far from people’s needs in the former communist countries. What has political freedom brought to Poles and Hungarians? Insecurity, poverty and dwindling chances–even for the young and well educated. At home they are confronted with unemployment, wage dumping and an ever-rising cost of living. If they try their chances in a “vibrant civil society” like Britain, even the highly qualified have to take unskilled menial jobs that allow them to survive at the bottom of society without any chance of finding decent work and housing. Thousands of young people in Hungary and Poland are lured by shady employment agents into coming to Britain, only to find themselves dependent as illegal workers with no opportunity to alter their situations. It seems we are on our way to modern slavery. We have to be more fair, or rather, Europe’s politicians must look at people’s basic needs and give them fair chances.

Helga Leszko

Unterpleichfeld, Germany

It’s nice to know that Fareed Zakaria shows common sense in dealing with Iran (“The Year of Living Fearfully,” Sept. 11). Actually, Iran’s Islamic neighbors are the ones who should live most fearful-ly. Remember Chernobyl? Getting rid of spent nuclear fuel is not an easy task. How does Iran propose to do it? Bury it in the desert or dump it in the Persian Gulf? These questions should cause alarm throughout the Middle East. Besides, Iran threatens to wipe Israel off the map, but if the navigation system on its nuclear weapons is faulty, a misguided weapon could wipe out southern Lebanon, Damascus, even the Palestinian territories. And if a nuclear weapon hits Israel, the radioactive fallout would kill hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, as well as poisoning their water supply. These scenarios should inform the way we contain Iran. However, George W. Bush is on a crusade against “Islamofascism,” and an election is coming up. Odds are that there will be an October surprise–bombing missions against nuclear targets in Iran. What will be the reaction in the Middle East then?

William Joseph Miller

Los Angeles, California

Fareed Zakaria argues that iran in 2006 is not comparable in terms of strength and power to the Germany of 70 years ago, but maybe he should compare today’s Iran to Germany a few years before that. In 1933, France should have said: “The new Reich chancellor is the man who wrote ‘Mein Kampf.’ This man cannot be tolerated in our vicinity. Either he disappears or we march!” But it didn’t do that. France left Germany alone until it was well armed, better than it was, then Germany started the war. And how about learning a lesson from Hitler himself: “The most dangerous period is that of rearmament. Then we shall see whether France has statesmen. If she does, she will not grant us time but will jump on us.” Today’s question is whether the United States has statesmen.

Manuel Stein

Raanana, Israel

Fareed Zakaria makes a persuasive argument when he asks, “What if President Bush publicly offered to open an embassy in Tehran and begin student exchanges?” This is an admirable endeavor. But we shouldn’t hold our collective breath waiting for that to happen. That would require the kind of statesmanship that, if past performance is any indicator of future results, Bush simply doesn’t have. It would be wonderful if we could see that, but for now and for the foreseeable future, one very much doubts that will come to pass.

David Weinberg

Tokyo, Japan

“How to Make Tehran Blink” offers a lot of wisdom, but I doubt it would ever be that simple to get a nuclear-free Iran (Sept. 4). The 2,000-year-old anti-Semitism that has recently been expressed publicly and repeatedly by Iran’s president will not go away just because we make promises. An unalterable hatred seems to be part of the fabric of Iran. Besides, why would a radical Muslim country take any assurances from its stated enemy, the “Great Satan,” seriously? It seems naive to think that any promises made in response to American assurances would be truthful.

Dinn Cosart

via internet

Scott Sagan presupposes that the Iranian regime bases its decisions and objectives on rational ideas. The Iranian government is centered on a religious cornerstone (with a Supreme Leader) around which the window dressings of executive and legislative branches are neatly arranged to give the perception that legitimate systems exist for open discussion of rational thoughts. Comparisons to the former Soviet Union seem completely inappropriate, as the only similarity appears to be the restrictions to personal freedom. The Iranian regime fundamentally hates and distrusts the West at the core level. It will pursue any and all means to rid the Middle East of Israel and Western influence as it builds its Islamic empire. In the end, the degree to which it is successful will depend on how much its propaganda is successful in leading its masses away from rationality toward a seemingly divine cause. To negotiate protections for the current regime is to provide it time to win the hearts and minds of its people and to formulate WMD plans that it will surely continue. This would be a great mistake for the West.

Mark Levine

Via internet

Even though I am not a permanent resident of Japan, I am covered by its national health insurance–coverage that enabled me to have a hip operation at a cost well below what I would have had to pay in my own country, the United States (“This Is the New Japan,” Sept. 11). I plan to remain here because I can look after my health at an affordable price. At 60, I find that an important consideration.

Michael Driver

Ichihara City, Japan

America is obsessed with getting the price of oil down to earlier levels to tackle the unhealthy regimes in Iran, Syria and Venezuela (“Oil’s Dirty Laundry,” Aug. 21/Aug. 28). But let’s be clear, America is not going to win this war by just bringing the price of oil down and relying more on ethanol for its fuel needs. Remember, North Korea, a nation with a repressive regime, is flourishing without the possession of a benefit like the OPEC cartel. This war is going to be won not by lowering the price of oil to $40 a barrel, but by something more strategic–alliances, a term that George W. Bush should get familiar with in the remainder of his second term. In the last six decades, it has never been as costly to be an American ally as today. It is no coincidence that religious fanatics in the Middle East and leftists in Latin America have regained prominence during the era of Bush and his misguided policies. For the West to regain lost ground, it needs to convince the world that it is in everybody’s interest to participate actively in a quest to make the world a better place. So far, the U.S. president has failed in that regard. Perhaps he thought like Tip O’Neill, who once said that “All politics is local.” Unfortunately, in a globalized world, nothing is local.

Vishal Bhargava

Mumbai, India

Your comparison of George W. Bush with Woodrow Wilson is apt (“Why W Should Learn From WW,” July 17). The Wilson administration promoted global implementation of the ideals of the American Revolution. The modern political world, as a result, is largely an American creation. It is infinitely better than the world of empires into which I was born. In the 20th century, America was instrumental in the introduction of democracy to much of Europe and East Asia, self-determination to Africa, India, the Middle East and elsewhere, and free markets throughout the world. Free markets have made it possible for countries like Japan and Germany to flourish without the dominance of natural resources that empire provided. Coincidentally, free markets have delivered the oil-derived wealth that fundamentalists are now abusing in an attempt to re-establish their medieval empire. The Bush administration is right to resist this attempt to plunge the world back into darkness.

Ewald J.H. Wessels

Cape Town, South Africa

Several years ago I heard the Dalai Lama say that the biggest threat Tibet faced was the then proposed Beijing-Lhasa railroad (“Bound to the Tracks,” July 17). I was thus shocked to read your piece on the completion of this railroad, with no mention of the cultural and political devastation this project will bring to the Tibetan people. Instead, your reporter gave a breathless rundown of all the wonderful economic benefits that would ensue from this Han Chinese invasion. Railroads undoubtedly opened up the American West to economic development. But what happened to the Native Americans? Please replace your reporter with someone who is less co-opted by the Chinese authorities.

Kip McKay

Kandy, Sri Lanka

You covered an important event: the opening up of the closed, mystical land of Tibet, and some of its economic implications. The political aspects of such a new connection to a country occupied since 1948, when the Red Army marched in, should not, however, be glossed over. If Soviet satellite countries can be freed after 70 years, why not Tibet too?

Gun Nidhi Dalmia

new Delhi, India

The exodus of eastern Europe’s most talented that William Underhill writes about in his excellent analysis (“Down the Drain,” July 24) seems to bother neither “old” nor “new” Europeans. The first ones judge the brain drain only in terms of profit for their own economies; the latter are missing the confidence and vision of the early 1990s. There is an incredible difference between the welcome that Spain, Portugal and Greece received from Europe in the 1970s, and the cool admission of Eastern Europe to the European Union. This coolness discourages the pro-European forces in the East, giving rise to frustration, nationalism and undemocratic or even operetta-like affairs. An example is the Kaczynski twins, who rule my native Poland. It is not only for economic reasons that Eastern Europe is losing its youth and intellectual elite. There is also less and less to be proud of in the East. Parties that were good in breaking down the old order proved to be lousy in building up the new one. In Poland, they failed to win over the rural population to Europe, leaving them under the sway of reactionary, xenophobic forces that now stand behind the Kaczynskis. Perhaps it was too much to ask. French farmers are far from enthusiastic for Europe as well, although they have been in it much longer. Whatever the reasons for the state of affairs in Eastern Europe today, there is little that is inspiring in the region. Living here and now, young intellectuals and professionals know that they cannot change the “now”–but they can change the “here.” It is indeed a pity that this drains their countries.

Ryszard A. Daniel

Gouda, Netherlands

I regret Jeroen van der Veer’s approach to the future (“Why Oil Will Get Cheaper,” July 17). As a 27-year-old with an economics degree, I am very concerned about the future of oil and the global supply of energy in general. Civilization has been built for decades on oil energy. Now we can see the result of relying on “old energy” in a new millennium: skyrocketing prices for crude, up to $75 per barrel–with some analysts predicting $100 per barrel. This is evidence that oil has become the biggest source of conflicts, wars and economic crises in the world. So why does the CEO of Shell go after “elephant projects” in Russia, China, Nigeria and around the world when the only “reasonable project” would involve turning to a new ecological source for energy? There is so much to gain by using “green oil” and other bio-energies (including avoiding having to deal with dictators). If a significant part of the billions of dollars spent by oil-company research-and-development departments were used to develop alternative energy, the science would progress with giant steps. Biofuels mean a better and safer world for future generations. They are also the best way to avoid deep economic crises. As Harvard University Business School professor Michael E. Porter says, “Innovation is the best way for growth.” Big companies such as Shell, BP and Total have to be agents of change, not just cash machines for greedy shareholders.

Jean-Baptiste Lamouliatte

Bordeaux, France

Christina Aguilera laments that “people take sex far too seriously” (“Red, Hot & Blue,” July 31). I say she and her ilk take it too lightly. Sex has been relegated to a meaningless recreational activity in which selfish pleasure seekers exploit others. Pop culture ignores its serious consequences–heartbreak, regret, depression, STDs, HIV, unwanted pregnancy and abortion. Aguilera is just a self-serving exhibitionist who doesn’t care about her influence on girls and young women.

Carol Saucier

Cockeysville, Maryland

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-14” author: “Lawrence Mcneil”

Moqtada Al-Sadr, the enemy of Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda, is the popular Iraqi nationalist trying to bring Shia and Sunni together (“Sword of the Shia,” Dec. 4). He’s a kingmaker who keeps Iran at a distance and wants a timetable for U.S. withdrawal. We should follow the lead of Gen. James Conway, who set up the Fallujah Brigade. Hold your nose, swallow your ego and support the militia leader who best represents common interests. Sadr is the price we have to pay for going to Iraq.

Jack O’Rourke

Narragansett, R.I.

How was Saddam Hussein, with his Sunni minority, able to control Iraq and its Shiite majority? Murdering opponents and specific communities certainly prevented the kind of terrorism we now see, but this is something we cannot morally do. So, what can be done? If we look back at a similar situation in Yugoslavia, Marshal Tito also ruled with an iron hand, and when he was gone, civil unrest and war resulted. Today there are six nations and relative peace. The only hope we have for Iraq, at a minimum, is to form a confederation by partitioning it into three independent states, with the Kurds in the north, the Shiites in the Baghdad central area and the Sunnis in the south, with all equally sharing the oil revenues.

Roger Shatanof

Coral Gables, Fla.

Your cover casts Moqtada Al-Sadr as the Devil, with its screaming red headline and the menacing look on his face. Sadr is part of the Iraqi government and controls one of the largest blocs in its Parliament. This is the government President Bush is propping up and trying to save. If Sadr withdraws from the ruling Shiite coalition, the government falls. It does not further Americans’ understanding of the conflict to demonize one of the leading figures of Iraq’s U.S.-supported government.

Ileana Collins

Sterling, Va.

If the United States were invaded by a larger and richer country than we could ever dream of being, how would we react if, three years later, our country’s situation were similar to that now in Iraq? Who would our heroes be? I’d like to think they’d be those brave enough to stand and let the people’s voices be heard through their own. To survive independently of other nations, Iraq needs a governing body that represents and understands its people and history. The United States has proved it understands neither, and the current regime we helped install is considered no better for associating with what is almost universally seen as an invading force. “The most dangerous man in Iraq”? From a certain point of view, absolutely. But Sadr is right about one thing: the violence in Iraq will never stop until we remove our military presence. One might replace the “dangerous” of your headline with “charismatic,” “realistic” or, for good or ill, “revolutionary.”

Micah Allen

Brooklyn, N.Y.

I appreciate Fareed Zakaria’s insightful analysis of the situation in Iraq (“The Next Stop? Think Vietnam”). But where is the analysis about what will happen to the Iraqi people when we withdraw our troops? Where are the voices calling us to share some responsibility for helping the millions of Iraqis who are not violent but are potential victims of the violence and destruction the United States has caused? I’d like to see a discussion toward a more global view of U.S. responsibility.

Jean Sammon

Washington, D.C.

As a vegetarian and animal-rights activist, I almost skipped Steve Tuttle’s article “The Elusive Hunter” (Dec. 4), assuming it contained the same rhetoric I’ve heard from other hunters. But my assumptions were wrong. Tuttle generated his thoughtful and rational view of hunting with a nod to Native American virtues of respect and honor. I think the decline in male bonding over hunting reflects the disintegration of traditional families. Only two of my eighth-grade students have a mom and dad who’ve been married only to each other. For my students, killing animals is all about blood, guts, gore and machismo. No one has stepped in to provide balance by adding honor and appreciation for all living things. Just as Tuttle laments hunters as a vanishing breed, the nuclear-family dad–mentor, disciplinarian and purveyor of family traditions and values–is also vanishing. While I’ll never be a hunter and Tuttle probably won’t consider vegetarianism, it was healthy for me to realize that we see similar cultural shifts and have a bit of common ground.

Joann W. Reed

Sidney, Ohio

Like Steve Tuttle, I grew up in rural Virginia and used to accompany my uncle when he went squirrel hunting. I admired his marksmanship, but never felt the urge to shoot an animal myself. He shot squirrels because it was sometimes the only way to put food on the table during the lean war years. Today there are very few people who truly need to hunt in order to survive. It has become nothing more than a ritual, something you do just because your dad did it and your grandpa before him. To me, that’s just not a good enough reason to take an animal’s life.

George Matthews

Norfolk, VA.

My 12-year-old son and I just completed the Kansas Hunter Safety Course. My family is very excited that Mom will be going hunting with them. It’s been a family tradition for my husband, and we both want to keep that tradition going for generations. Whether you are for or against hunting, I suggest attending a hunter-safety course. I learned much about conservation and preservation in addition to firearm/bow safety. I may only walk and observe the first year, but we will all be together as a family.

Julie McKinley

Linn Valley, Kans.

I am delighted that hunting is on the wane in America. The deliberate slaughter of innocent and unarmed animals can in no way be construed as being “part of the road to being a man.” It’s the road to diminished sensitivity and the devastation of animal species and our environment. While hunting is on the wane, bird watching, hiking, mountain biking, nature photography, snorkeling and other nonviolent, nature-appreciating pastimes are increasing. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, wildlife watchers bring nearly twice the revenue to the economy that hunters do. And just a few hunters can spoil the outdoor experience for scores of bird watchers, hikers and nature lovers.

Will Tuttle

Healdsburg, Calif.

While the truth and reconciliation Commission may have done much to heal South Africa, Ellis Cose’s article (“Forgiveness Isn’t Just Another Word,” Dec. 4) misses the point that forgiveness has nothing to do with the offender. It is a gift victims give themselves. By passing judgment on those who wrong us and the sincerity of an apology, we compound the original transgression. Healing can result from sincere apologies. But that is not the only way. Let’s remember the beautiful example of the Amish who forgave the gunman who killed their daughters. If they can forgive, surely we can move past a tirade by a has-been comedian like Michael Richards. The only actions and attitudes we can control are our own. We must attempt to forgive as we expect to be forgiven.

Nancy Hagman

Kensington, Kans.

As a southern white man, I enjoyed and agreed with most of Raina Kelley’s column “Let’s Talk About Race.” I was most gratified by what she said regarding progress in the area of race, acknowledging that as a Yale graduate, she’s an example of that change. For years many civil-rights leaders have complained that little has changed, which is untrue and does absolutely nothing to enhance race relations. My only disagreement with Kelley was her inclusion of the affirmative-action vote in Michigan as part of racist America. I don’t believe being against affirmative action is necessarily racist. If the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. or Frederick Douglass were alive today, I firmly believe they’d be appalled by the message affirmative action sends–that blacks are incapable of making it without help. The only thing these eminent men asked for was a level playing field, not more discrimination.

Jim Martin

Clearwater, Fla.

I suspect that Michael Richards’s insults were selected more for their ability to wound their targets than to express his inner beliefs. If the target is fat, bald or black, the speaker selects an insult most likely to be hurtful. The speaker actually may be indifferent about fatness, baldness, blackness, but that’s the easiest way for him to hurt his target. It takes either unusual self-restraint or an especially sharp wit not to take that course. Richards clearly lacks that self-restraint or wit, but it’s possible his outburst was based more on the target’s vulnerability than his own beliefs.

Larry Riedman

Gaithersburg, Md.

The glimpse into a world far too many people will be forced to accept as they struggle with life as autistic adults. I commend NEWSWEEK for recognizing the human tidal wave of a maturing autistic population that will soon overwhelm not only emotional and financial resources of families, but Medicaid and state social-services budgets. While you illustrate some of the heartbreaking challenges parents face while caring for autistic children transitioning to adulthood, you overlook what is at the heart of the autism debate. What has caused autism rates to grow so much in less than 20 years? The idea that it’s just better diagnosis is, to parents and supporters of the autistic community, like fingernails on the chalkboard. This epidemic is real and recent and cannot be explained by saying the diagnostic skills of doctors suddenly improved in the late 1990s or that a mystery gene miraculously became active in hundreds of thousands of children. A logical suggestion is that something changed in the 1990s. Perhaps the number of mercury-containing vaccines given to children tripled in the ’90s and resulted in a toxic tipping point, causing these children to regress into a disorder we call autism. Your article was correct on one key observation, that it is families who are leading the way and becoming real experts on this disorder. They are still searching for answers that the medical community, government and media have failed to address with the urgency this disorder deserves. The Combating Autism Act may provide some answers, but autistic children can’t wait for the special-interest-laden winds of Congress to blow their way. Together, we can combat autism and perhaps save the next generation of our nation’s most precious resource: our children. Hard questions need to be asked about a disorder that is affecting so many and came on so suddenly. The failure to honestly expose possible contributing causes warrants serious examination and begs for further review by parents, professionals and journalists alike.

Deirdre Imus

Deirdre Imus Environmental Center for Pediatric Oncology at Hackensack University Medical Center Hackensack, N.J.

In " ‘We Are a Nuclear Power’ " (Oct. 23), we described a contentious encounter between Under Secretary of Defense Stephen Cambone and the then Pacific commander Adm. Dennis Blair. According to both men, the encounter described in the article did not take place.

In “The Pentagon Handoff” (Periscope, Dec. 4), we misidentified Texas A&M University’s executive vice president and provost. He is David B. Prior. NEWSWEEK regrets the errors.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-19” author: “Mary Golden”

Thanks for the chilling report on Bob Woodward’s new book, “State of Denial” (“The Woodward War,” Oct. 9). Supporters of the Iraq war vigorously deny the validity of parallels between Vietnam and the current conflict, but I remember how many Americans and innocent civilians were lost to a failed Vietnamization policy. Unless a nation like Iraq rises to claim democracy, that prize will never be fairly gained. People with no tradition of democratic values can’t merely be coached to tolerance and inclusion–not with civil war in their hearts. How many innocent Americans and Iraqis need be maimed or killed before we admit this painful truth?

James Shumaker

Dublin, Ohio

If the Bush Administration were held to the same standards of efficacy and propriety as the leadership of a major American corporation, heads would have rolled by now. Investors would be outraged at the malfeasance, misstatements and misadventures, the mounting debt and the irreparable damage to the company’s image. In the end, the executive team would be found incompetent at best, criminally negligent at worst, and promptly replaced. As shareholders in America, we should insist on similar accountability at the highest levels of our government, with similar consequences when our interests and trust are violated.

Robert J. Inlow

Charlottesville, Virginia

After reading the “State of Denial,” I’m convinced that, given his absolute ineptitude in gathering and interpreting information, if George W. Bush had been president at the time of Pearl Harbor, he would have invaded Australia.

Nancy Reeves

Kirkwood, Missouri

A serious “State of Denial” resides with America’s voting public. Evidence of the Bush administration’s incompetence was out there for everyone to see before the 2004 election, yet Bush was returned to office. This gave him and his minions reason to think “we, the people” endorsed the job they were doing. Bob Woodward places blame where it surely belongs, but those who failed to exercise the responsibility of self-government also deserve blame.

Bernard Freydberg

Slippery Rock, pennsylvania

You depict President Bush as a failed politician. I think he’s a good leader who’s tried to do what’s best for the country. He couldn’t foresee what unfolded in Iraq, but he’s working with the existing situation. Your type of thinking, so influential in shaping ideas, undermines our ability to prevail in Iraq. We are at war. As commander in chief, Bush deserves our respect and support. Our soldiers are demoralized by the liberal-media bias and our enemy is emboldened. Do you want us to lose the war? Is that the outcome you seek?

Karen Limkeman

Gainesville, Florida

As a Vietnam veteran, I saw first hand what happens when civilian leadership fails to listen to the advice of military commanders. If victory in Iraq required a recommended 450,000 troops, George Bush and Donald Rumsfeld proceeded with a much smaller force at the nation’s peril–and they should be held accountable. Our soldiers still don’t have a real plan for victory. What we have is Rumsfeld as the new Robert McNamara, and Bush as the new Lyndon Johnson. Our only hope is for a change of power in Congress to place some checks and balances on an administration soft on victory in Iraq.

Maj. Robert Tormey

U.S. Air Force (Ret.)

Escondido, California

The best solution to “Big Oil’s Big Problem,” (Oct. 9) is alternative clean energy. Maximum efforts must be made to make it available “today, not tomorrow”–the sooner the better–to substitute oil, even if the oil price falls to $20 per barrel. Motorists will drive and fill the tanks of their cars regardless of the price they have to pay at pumps. They will only be compelled to stop driving when the pollution gets high. In Italy, mayors of several cities stop the circulation of vehicles whenever levels of pollution exceed the allowable limit, even though most of the pollution is caused by industries and heating. Clean alternative energy will bring many benefits. Think how much money can be saved in health care just by breathing clean, unpolluted air.

Sami Cohen

Asmara, Eritrea

I found it scandalous that NEWSWEEK would devote a whole page to an interview with Khieu Samphan, one of the three chief criminals responsible for the death of 1,500,000 Cambodians between 1975 and 1979 (" ‘I Knew Nothing’," Sept. 18). How dare he, 27 years after the crime, say, “I knew nothing”? He lies when he says, “the starvation and disease which killed most of the population existed before the Khmer Rouge came to power.” From 1970 to 1975, with the war between Lon Nol’s Army and the Khmer Rouge guerrillas, Phnom Penh overflowed with refugees but, inside the town, we could still survive. Starvation and disease were programmed by the criminal regime: the population was transported into the forest where they had to do hard labor 10 hours a day, live with mosquitoes, without drinkable water, proper food, medications. A French citizen, born in Cambodia of a French father, I am one of Khmer Rouge’s victims. During evacuation, they found my French passport and came to know that I worked at the French Embassy, but they ignored those facts. They knew that I was not a Cambodian but they did not care, they destroyed all our identity papers. Then, after the evacuation from Phnom Penh, we were told, “You are now our war prisoners. We could shoot all of you but ammunition is too expensive, so we will let you die of starvation, disease and hard labor.” I escaped this hell in January 1979 with only my 14-year-old son. My husband was arrested and never returned, my 9-year-old daughter died of starvation as well as five other members of my husband’s family. Today I live in France where my testimony “La Digue des Veuves” was published last year. Now, on the eve of the trial in Phnom Penh, must NEWSWEEK leave the “Last Word” to a criminal?

Denise Affonco

La Garenne Colombes, France

Israel was not justified in attacking Lebanon just because Hizbullah kidnapped two Israeli soldiers (“Torn to Shreds,” July 31). Hassan Nasrallah, leader of Hizbullah, offered Israel an all-inclusive prisoner exchange that would include the release of these Israeli soldiers against that of three Lebanese prisoners and thousands of innocent Palestinians held by Israel. This did not give Israel the right to bomb Lebanon, destroy bridges, blow up international airports, blockade ports and tell people to leave their homes. Why was it wrong for Hizbullah to launch rockets into Israel? If Israel has a right to defend itself, then why do Hizbullah and the Lebanese people not have the same right? Since this war, 1,260 Lebanese have died compared with 160 Israelis. Does this sound like a fair number? If Israel went into this war to get rid of Hizbullah, then why out of all these Lebanese casualties, only 60 have been Hizbullah militants? For every Israeli killed, many more Lebanese died.

Sara Faruqi

Karachi, Pakistan

When the basics of morality, ethics and compassion are finally set aside by both the sides, it really doesn’t matter who started it in the first instance. To the innocent who are killed, oppressed and bereaved in the ensuing madness, both sides are guilty as hell in the court of humanity–as are those who support aggression rather than peace and those who remain silent as apathetic observers.

Asif Iftikhar

Lahore, Pakistan

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says that she is “deeply saddened” by the deaths of Qana’s unarmed women, frightened children, the frail and the elderly massacred by Israel’s guided missiles (“Backstage at the Crisis,” July 31). These civilians did not leave Qana, not because they didn’t want to, but because they couldn’t thanks to the continuous aerial bombardment of their town that made it unsafe to escape by any means. Taking refuge in the basement of an abandoned building had been their only choice. But Condi Rice is not horrified by their violent death; she is only “deeply saddened.” I wonder what it will take for the U.S. secretary of State to feel horrified–the return of Hitler and a repeat of the Holocaust?

Tasneem A. Esra Chennai, India

In “Inspired by the Unthinkable,” the graphic accompanying your Aug. 7 Arts report, you identify Paul McCartney’s “Freedom” as the first among artistic responses to the 9/11 attacks. But on Oct. 13 of that year, on the radio series “A Prairie Home Companion,” Garrison Keillor sang “The Bravest,” a salute to the New York firefighters who responded to the World Trade Center assaults. It’s a simple and powerful song written by noted folk artist and songwriter Tom Paxton. I wish every firefighter could hear it.

Geoffrey W. Sjostrom

Chicago, Illinois

I was annoyed by the title “Casualty of War” (Aug. 7), your piece on Steven Green, the ex-Army soldier accused of murdering and raping a 14-year-old girl. Green was a disturbed young man long before he went to Iraq, as you say. But the title seems to imply that his alleged crimes were due to a sudden psychological “snap” under the pressures of the war. In other words, that he is a victim. This is ridiculous given the utterly heinous nature of the crime. If he is proved guilty, the U.S. Army is as responsible as he is. He should never have been allowed to serve in the first place and he is certainly not a casualty of war.

Elena Yeo

Singapore

Your article about my country (“Bosnia Reborn,” Aug. 7) was most welcome and it was certainly needed. It shows the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina that the world does not suffer from amnesia and that yesterday’s headlines are not erased by those of today. I could not agree more with your article because it shows the bright side of the Bosnian reality. As a Bosnian who lived in Sarajevo for the duration of the war (I was 14 when the war started and 18 when it finished), I would also point out some negative aspects of Bosnia’s situation that were not mentioned in your article. Even 10 years after they were put on a wanted list, the most important war criminals such as Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic have not been captured. Their capture is essential in order to bury the idea of nationalism forever. Until they are captured they will be martyrs to the Serbian population in Bosnia and Herzegovina. For Bosnia, it means the same thing Nuremberg meant to Europe in 1946. You also failed to note that the current government of Bosnia and Herzegovina is morally bankrupt. The leaders are so self-oriented and corrupt that they single-handedly slow progress. However, with general elections coming up, I hope this will change by the end of the year when the current complement of nationalist politicians on all levels will be voted out by an overwhelming majority of citizens.

Edin Sabanovic

Sarajevo, Bosnia

in your Nov. 13 article entitled “Curse of Friendship,” you attribute to me a statement I did not make about an attitude I do not hold. In the context of the colonial history of the West’s involvement in Africa your use of the term “swapping one master for another” as a paraphrase of what I actually said is condescending, incendiary and just plain wrong in that it distorts our oft-cited view of the relationship between China and Africa. As to how China would approach its role as a lender to Africa, it was not my view that China was any better or worse then the World Bank but that they were different organizations with different drivers. Regarding punishing interest rates, I referred to the conventional banking practice of higher-risk, higher-interest rates, not a scenario where China will “easily punish economies in crisis by hiking interest rates.”

Timothy Armitage

London, England

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-05” author: “Herman Bernard”

Role Models, Not I was appalled when I opened my mailbox and found Britney Spears and Paris Hilton on the cover of NEWSWEEK (“Girls Gone Bad?” Feb. 12). While an article about cultural influences on young girls may be worthwhile, couldn’t you have promoted it with a cover photo of interesting young women whose actions and contributions to society have even an iota of redeeming value? I thought NEWSWEEK was a newsmagazine. Paris and Britney aren’t news; they are simply a sad commentary on the mixed-up values nurtured by the media in this country. They need help, not publicity. If we stopped encouraging them with so much coverage, maybe our daughters would have a chance to be exposed to positive role models instead.

Larissa Zoot

Quincy, Mass.

How clever of you to steal the readership of the tabloids by putting Britney and Paris on your cover! Thankfully, your items on Sandra Day O’Connor, Hillary Clinton and the late Molly Ivins were a perfect counterpoint to show what being a grown woman is really all about–having integrity, working hard, being smart and making a difference in the world. It’s a shame that this current crop of vacuous little rich girls don’t take a cue from these exemplary women and use their celebrity to draw attention to world hunger, homelessness or cancer awareness. I don’t begrudge their having fun and being sexy. It would just be great if they used this attention to further something other than their silly little careers.

Alison Cain

Sherman Oaks, Calif.

As a social psychologist who works with adolescent girls and their parents, I was very interested in your fine article “Girls Gone Bad?” I wish, however, that you had presented more strategies for parents to use in their quest to raise healthy girls. Despite the suggestion that toxic celebs and their exploits are impossible to squelch, parents and educators do have many alternatives. You can spend an hour together at your local library or organize a girls-only photography club or scrapbooking group. Parents can guide girls to many alternative outlets like sports and scouting. And if you already have a supermaterialistic daughter? Volunteer with her at a soup kitchen or animal shelter, which will sensitize her to truly desperate situations and the silliness of idolizing the latest bad girl or “needing” the newest purse or jeans. Our children need a sense of proportion about consumerism. If we can recapture their attention away from the TV and movie screens, their potential will flourish beyond these sad and sick role models.

Karol Maybury

East Sandwich, Mass.

Have we forgotten that we still have control over what our children watch and listen to? My 5-year-old wouldn’t know Lindsay Lohan if she came to dinner at our house. I do not home-school her, we are not devoutly religious and we have a rather large TV. But she will not wear slutty clothes because I will not buy them for her. She will not study dance in a class that teaches her to act like a “hip-hop” sex kitten. She will not see these useless “girls” in the movies because I will not take her to see them. I am the parent and I am in charge, at least for now.

Susan A. Bennett

East Meadow, N.Y.

One thing that the women’s movement didn’t achieve was an end to sexist notions of women’s sexuality and body image. Your article touches on access to safe contraception and organized sports for women, but fails to mention that access to contraception and abortion–even for rape victims–is being eroded state by state and that Olympic athletes are encouraged to pose for Playboy. You also allude to the increasing education attained by women but don’t talk about how women are still performing the majority of housework because our country fails to provide adequate paid maternity leave and child care. Why is there so much emphasis on the “girls gone bad” and not the women doing well or the majority who aren’t “going wild”?

Jacquelyn Arsenuk

Milford, Conn.

It is comforting to know that the world is so uneventful as to enable one of the premier newsmagazines in the country to run a cover story on Paris Hilton’s party habits. I must admit, the past week had me thinking about a few things: Iran, Hassan Nasrallah’s acknowledgment of Iranian and Syrian support for Hizbullah, avian flu in the United Kingdom and even Chinese economic activity in Africa. But obviously, these things matter less than Britney Spears’s and Lindsay Lohan’s bad behavior. In fact, seeing Britney glare at me from your cover photo, I realize just how foolish keeping up on world events is. Those foreigners may accuse me of ignoring the larger world, but if NEWSWEEK ignores it right along with me, I feel perfectly fine.

Thomas Ewing

Iowa City, Iowa

Congratulations to NEWSWEEK for the fine article on education that stressed the need to identify failing teachers and the problems related to protecting our children from them (“Stop Pandering on Education,” Feb. 12). I am retired after 30 years in the public schools. Even though I was a union member, I was appalled by the failure of the union to help weed out incompetents. Failing teachers not only hurt children, they make good teachers’ jobs harder and weaken the strength of the faculty. Teacher unions must show leadership in ridding the schools of failed instructors. It is a duty they owe to the majority of their members as well as the students.

Bernard Unger

Malverne, N.Y.

Although we don’t agree with all aspects of Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s plan–for instance, teachers and parents want lowering class sizes in New York City treated with the same urgency as universal pre-kindergarten–we agree with Jonathan Alter that Spitzer showed leadership with his new education proposals for New York. But Alter is wrong when he makes teachers and the union the issue, and particularly wrong about charter schools. We do not oppose them–in fact the UFT operates two charter schools–but we are against the governor’s proposal to give Chancellor Joel Klein 50 charters to dole out as he wishes. The current chartering entities, SUNY and the Board of Regents, have strict accountability standards and there’s no reason to add another entity–given the city’s Dept. of Education’s poor track record of listening to teachers and parents.

Randi Weingarten, President

New York, N.Y. ‘Alive Nearly 20 Years Later’

It is unfortunate that you merely reviewed the book “Medical Apartheid.” Instead it should have been fact-checked (“Brutal Case Studies,” Feb. 12). The author, Harriet Washington, made the unusual choice not to call our agency to review facts. Her book refers to a group of New York City foster children with AIDS in the late 1980s and early ‘90 s as “the perfect victims” because the city had enrolled them in clinical trials before pediatric AIDS drugs were available. At that time, New York City was the epicenter of the pediatric AIDS crisis due to the crack-cocaine epidemic. These children, many African-American and Latino, were in foster care because their parents were dead or unable to care for them. The children were extremely ill and most were dying. Urged by their doctors, the city was able to enroll these children in clinical trials for AIDS medications. As a result, many are alive–nearly 20 years later. We’re making the records of what happened during those years as complete and as transparent as possible. To date, neither the independent Vera Institute of Justice nor anyone else has identified any evidence that suggests the interests of these children did not come first, or that any ethical standard was breeched. It is unfortunate Washington’s book confuses rather than clarifies history.

John B. Mattingly, Commissioner

New York, N.Y.

As a wildlife rehabilitator, I constantly field calls from people asking for help with wildlife conflicts. I wish Walda Cameron had asked a professional for help instead of illegally–and cruelly–shooting the cardinal that was bothering her (“Why I Broke One of My ‘Cardinal’ Rules,” my turn, Feb. 12). There are many ways to humanely prevent birds from banging into windows–which usually happens only in spring and summer, when territorial males mistake their reflections for intruders. You can keep blinds or curtains pulled, affix holographic decals, sun catchers, or cut-outs of hawk silhouettes outside windows, or install “invisible netting,” which is nearly invisible to the human eye, to keep birds from hitting windows. With a little patience and understanding, it’s easy to live in harmony with our feathered neighbors.

Evelyn Flengas

Virginia Beach, Va.

Walda Cameron’s essay may have struck readers as simply amusing satire. But many Audubon members and others who care about wildlife are concerned that some readers may miss the satire and be tempted to mimic the proposed solution. We’d like to remind them that some actions are both wrong and unnecessary. Whether one is a bird lover or not, it is not only wrong but illegal to kill a northern cardinal or any species protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. And, in fact, it is possible to prevent bird collisions with windows and other structures by removing the reflection from the places where they peck. This method is most successful when something is put on the outside of the window–a decal, screen, windsock–to break up its reflective nature. Instead of rethinking her belief system, the author could have put more effort into living it.

Greg Butcher, V. P. of Bird Conservation

Washington, D.C. On Global Warming

Did George Will find it inconvenient to discuss the expanding hole in the ozone and how that occurred (“Inconvenient Kyoto Truths,” last word, Feb. 12)? His predictions of the economic despair that would accompany stronger environmental legislation are shortsighted. This would provide the incentive for business to develop innovative solutions and fuel the growing “green” market.

Yvonne Slate

Endicott, N.Y.

Yes, global warming could be a problem for future generations, but humans have adapted to climate change for thousands of years and there’s no reason to believe that we won’t do so again. The most damaging hysteria is the idea that we Americans can stop or even reverse global warming. The truth is that if we decided to conform to Kyoto limits–and no country that signed on to the treaty has yet come close to reducing its CO2 emissions to Kyoto limits–the building of coal-fired electricity-generating plants in China alone far exceeds anything we could do to reduce greenhouse gases to 1990 levels.

L.H. McCagg

Battle Ground, Wash.

In pretending to understand global warming, George Will creates the illusion of controversy. Why would anyone wish to impede society’s response to a threat that virtually all of science calls real?

Grainger Hunt

McArthur, Calif.

In “Rumors Of War” (Feb. 19), we said a third American aircraft carrier “will likely follow” two other carrier groups to the gulf. The Navy says the USS Nimitz is scheduled to replace the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, one of the other carrier groups operating there. NEWSWEEK regrets the error.

title: “Mail Call” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-10” author: “Lourdes Hibbs”

While reading NEWSWEEK in my Current Events class, I was fortunate enough to see my recent addiction featured on your cover (“The Facebook Effect,” Aug. 27). What better way to start off my senior year in high school than by reading something I am entirely familiar with? I couldn’t have described this online revolution any better. The expansion of Facebook and its continuing success make me more interested in the world of computers and Web design and the career choices they offer. Thanks, Mark Zuckerberg, for “poking” me into Facebook.

Kelsey Smole—Palos Park, Ill.

Rather than seeing Facebook as the hottest connection tool, I think it’s more like the latest way to make an already impersonal world even more impersonal. How sad that our society is so isolated that we need a computer to “connect” with others. No, thanks! I’m going to continue hanging out on the street corner, and hope someone builds a village square someday—now, there’s a radical idea!

Bob Scheule —Seattle, Wash.

Isn’t it a contradiction that so many Americans castigate the government for monitoring telephone messages to potential terrorists as an invasion of privacy when many of these same complainants feel free to lay bare their private lives to public exposure on Facebook? Perhaps it reveals shallow minds or shallow lives. Or worse, does it reveal a lack of concern about the security of our country? Sad indeed.

Rodman Ludlow—Bloomington, Ind.

I eagerly returned from vacation so I could see my nieces who were home from college, only to find them with their “faces” in Facebook almost all day or constantly texting on their phones. They no longer communicate much with others face to face. No more hanging out at someone’s home. One niece complained of having problems with a guy because her Facebook comments can be read by others. There are frequent misunderstandings because words are not inflected with emotion or tone. My other niece says she is shy around guys she likes because the computer lets her “think out” her words before saying them. So when she sees people, she doesn’t have enough confidence in her own quick thoughts. I wonder what effect this societal isolation will have on all of us. I hope this isn’t a trend. I remember all the fun face–to-face contact used to be.

Janet Goodman—Walnut Creek, Calif.

I’m a 39-year-old mom of three who loves e-mail. I live and die by Google, but I will never, for the life of me, understand the appeal of Facebook and its vast community of friends. In fact, I’m rather appalled. There are thousands out there who would like to be your friend and covet your time: they’re called books. Pick one up. Life is short. Save your few real friendships for coffee over at Starbucks (where you actually meet in person!) or invest yourself in a local cause that will form meaningful, lifelong relationships. I hope the narcissistic high-school popularity contest that is Facebook is just a fad.

Lori Harrenstien—Palo Alto, Calif.

I wanted to thank you for “The Puzzle of Hidden Ability” (Aug. 27), about the IQ of autistic children. My child was found to have a very low IQ. At the time he was tested, I was told that he must have scored so low because of his inability to connect with the instructor and that he was selectively nonverbal. I have wanted to get him tested again because he has become more verbal and has better social interactions, but just as your article stated, he may not get some of the services that he currently receives if his IQ falls in the “normal” range. As parents, we fight to get our children what they need to be successful and healthy. I cannot justify having services taken away that I struggled to get.

Diane Lane—Grasonville, Md.

More on Global Warming

As i see it, Robert J. Samuelson’s aug. 27 “Greenhouse Simplicities” validates, not challenges, Sharon Begley’s Aug. 13 cover story (“The Truth About Denial”) when he says “little has been done” about global warming. Begley compellingly demonstrated how the “denial machine” is a key reasonlittle has been done. Thanks (not) to the deniers, we didn’t think we needed to do much. But thanks to science and to journalists like Begley, we now know we need to do a lot. Every day we wait makes the problem harder and more expensive to solve. Let’s get moving!

Mark Chussil —Portland, Ore.

Congratulations to NEWSWEEK for allowing one of your columnists to criticize (rightfully) one of your cover stories. Robert J. Samuelson is correct: criticizing others for their opinions will not solve the problem. We need to encourage views and innovation, and push for research and development to find solutions (e.g., a quantum leap in solar-cell efficiency). As Samuelson says, “Democracies don’t easily adopt painful measures.”

Bill Gross—Long Beach, Calif.