Letters to the Editor
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‘Rewards for Iran’
After September 11, 2001, what sane and reasonable person would agree to give civilian airline parts to a country that is a known sponsor of terrorists? [“Rewards for Iran,” Editorial, October 13, 2004]. While we are at it, why don’t we just issue Hezbollah and the Islamic Jihad commercial pilot licenses and open up the cockpit door?
Even considering such a plan as a means to induce the mullahs in Iran to quit their nuclear development is at least disrespectful to the thousands of people who lost loved ones in the Pentagon, the Twin Towers, and Pennsylvania, and at most a prescription for disaster.
The mullahs in Tehran have built a reputation for lying, cheating, and delivering harsh blows to anyone who does not comply with their oppressive regime. Let us not forget their abominable human rights record that includes executing a Canadian journalist, jailing student protesters, and persecuting Jews. And that is just naming a few of the black marks on their human rights record.
We agree that this is the perfect moment for President Bush to make good on the comment he made about terrorists on the campaign trail: “You can’t negotiate with them.”
SHARON LIPOVSKY
Communications Director
Alliance for Democracy in Iran
Washington, D.C.
Kerry Terms Terror ‘Nuisance’
Try to imagine the following fanciful scenario: A doctor is giving professional advice to a patient with a long history of recurring cancer. The doctor explains that he has removed most, but not all, of the cancerous growth.
The disease will recur, but not as often, and not as seriously. The patient is told to consider his illness as a nuisance, much like the common cold. Would any patient accept this advice? [“Bush Puts Down Kerry as ‘Naive’ for Terming Terror a ‘Nuisance,’ ” Josh Gerstein, Page 1, October 12, 2004].
Is this not equivalent to Senator Kerry’s latest statement on terrorism “that we have to get back to the place we were,” in which he equates a reduced level of terrorism with petty crimes like prostitution or gambling?
Even if we were assured that, in the future, there would only be one terrorist attack every three years with casualties of 100 people, would that be acceptable? Would that be like “the place we were”?
My response is, “Send Mr. Kerry back to where he was, the junior senator from Massachusetts.”
FREDERICK CASDEN
Teaneck, N.J.
Lifting School Charter Limit
That “[Schools Chancellor] Klein Is Seeking to Lift the Limit on New Charters” is, indeed, good news and forward thinking by Mr. Klein and Mayor Bloomberg [Julia Levy, Page 1, October 4, 2004].
However, I must focus on United Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten’s well-anticipated conclusion, on behalf of her New York City teachers’ union,i.e., “She will ‘zealously advocate’ to remove a ‘loophole’ in state law that allows charter schools to avoid unionization by opening with less than 250 students.”
It is this reader’s unmitigated belief that Ms. Weingarten and her colleagues, such as Anthony Palano of Buffalo, constitute the greatest threat to improvement of our children’s education. Ms. Weingarten and her fellows’ first and foremost interest is the health and wealth of their respective unions. The children’s ability to learn and eventually function as literate and intelligent adults is a mere whisper in their consciousness.
NANCY JOYCE JANCOURTZ
Brooklyn
Spendthrift Congress
“Election Spoiler May Turn Out To Be A Libertarian” by Josh Gerstein was insightful reporting of Libertarian presidential candidate Michael Badnarik, which other major newspapers have missed [Page 1, October 5, 2004].
Millions of libertarian Republicans have been concerned over the past four years about the spending habits of Congress. Both liberal Democrats and so-called conservative Republicans have given up balancing the budget.
Except for Senator McCain and a few others, everyone else believes the best way to grease the wheels of re-election is to load up on billions of dollars worth of pork-barrel projects. Democrats and Republicans have morphed into one Washington inside-the-Beltway party. Their philosophy is to continue to increase spending above the rate of inflation.
LAWRENCE PENNER
Great Neck, N.Y.
Kerry’s Navy Discharge
Thomas Lipscomb has written a fascinating piece [“Mystery Surrounds Kerry’s Navy Discharge,” Page 1, October 13, 2004]. Some points that may bear emphasis, though, are that Bad Conduct (next to worst) and Dishonorable (the worst) discharges can only be imposed by sentence of a Special or General Court Martial, respectively, and they are almost invariably imposed in conjunction with a term of confinement.
EDWARD AHLSEN-GIRARD
Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
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