Letters to the Editor
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‘Democrats Behind the Values 8-Ball’
R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr.’s column on the lack of understanding by the Democrats of the “values” of those in the “heartland” leaves me perplexed [“Democrats Behind the Values 8-Ball,” Opinion, November 11, 2004]. These values, as described by Mr. Tyrrell, are “moral accountability, hard work, personal freedom, limited government, equality before the law.” Followed by the “so-called liberal values: tolerance, compassion, and some sort of egalitarianism.” I cannot see how a single one of these values applies to any action, or inaction, of the Bush administration during its first term in office or during the campaign. Moral accountability means telling the truth and admitting mistakes. Hard work does not mean spending more time on vacation than any president in history. Personal freedom means women making choices about their bodies and people not being thrown in jail without charges being filed and denied access to an attorney. Equality before the law means no secret energy policy meetings and not turning every government agency over to lobbyists who worked for the industries that agency regulated. Limited government does not result in the largest national debt ever. Tolerance does not mean to assassinate the character of those who disagree with you. Compassion means fully funding No Child Left Behind. Egalitarianism does not mean tax breaks for the rich.
RALPH AVERILL
New Preston, Conn.
Freedom Tower Planning
As pointed out in Jill Gardiner’s November 19, 2004, article, the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation – whose initials we think effectively stand for “Leave Manhattan Destroyed Committee” – refuses to consider any changes in the plans it has proven its incompetence by selecting [“Freedom Tower Security Issues Worry Police,” Page 1].
It is long past time we admitted that the official planning process for the World Trade Center site has been an absolute failure, dismissed those who made the wrong decisions, and discarded the inadequate plans they chose. Governor Pataki’s determination to give no one time to undo his mistakes disgraces us all.
We need a World Trade Center much more like the one we lost. Fewer, taller buildings set well back from streets, heroic in their scale, and inspiring in their engineering. An intact super block majestically apart from its surroundings and showing that we continue in the footsteps of those who were slaughtered, not surrender the ground they fell on to be shaped forever by their killers.
The World Trade Center towers must rise again, at least as tall as before, or terror has triumphed.
LOUIS EPSTEIN
Carmel, N.Y.
Mr. Epstein is founder and director of the World Trade Center Restoration Movement
(www.put.com/wtc).
Columbia Probe
And what is wrong with campuses becoming increasingly hostile to Israel? I would hope there is as much anti-Israel sentiment on campuses as there is anti-Palestinian sentiment [“Columbia Probe Eyed by Council,” Jacob Gershman, Page 1, November 12, 2004].
Conversely, I would hope there is as much pro-Palestinian sentiment as there is pro-Israel sentiment. That is what universities are all about, isn’t it. Without thesis and antithesis, we arrive at no synthesis. I know, it sounds Hegelian.
I haven’t heard any comments concerning anti- or pro-French sentiment on American university campuses. Or anti- or pro-Norwegian sentiment.
J. DAVID ADLER
Manhattan
‘Annan Past His Time’
In “Annan Past His Time,” your writer accomplished what I had hitherto thought impossible by using the terms “honorable” and “Kofi Annan” in the same sentence [Editorial, November 18, 2004].
Magnificent. I am pleased that the first was not used to modify the second.
RICHARD LETAW
Vienna, Va.
Sullivan on Abu Ghraib
Andrew Sullivan writes that Abu Ghraib is “a pre-meditated example (sic) of abuse and murder of prisoners in American custody” [“The Left and Condoleezza Rice,” Opinion, November 19, 2004].
Abuse, yes. Murder at Abu Ghraib? I have not seen any reports to that effect.
In Abu Ghraib, around 27 soldiers, out of a force of 130,000 American troops, humiliated and abused Iraqi prisoners. Surely, that is punishable behavior, but this abuse and humiliation stands in stark contrast to the beheadings, sheer butchering, and carving up of human beings, alive and dead, that is perpetrated daily by the enemies of those soldiers.
HARRY J. REIDLER
Englewood, N.J.
‘Mr. X’s Neighborhood’
I do not live on the Upper West Side but I, too, have experienced what Mr. X writes about. When I find myself in a politically correct group, it is like being on another planet [“Mr. X’s Neighborhood,” Opinion, November 20, 2004].
In a situation of this kind, it helps to keep in mind what John Adams said about the common human need to feel superior. Mr.X writes about the small-mindedness, hypocrisy, and general intolerance of his liberal neighbors. He contrasts this with the optimism, love of country, and courteous behavior of those on the other side of the political and cultural divide.
It is possible that feel-good liberalism and feel-good conservatism are just two sides of the same coin. Our self-image does not always reflect reality. While I tend to agree with much of what Mr. X writes, we have to guard against becoming as smug and pretentious as those we are tempted to despise.
ERNEST G. BENTSEN
Marlboro, N.J.
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