Letters to the Editor
sesanders
Published Letters: 308 Editor's Choice: 18
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Blood lust
[Read the article: How to humanize a killer]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Putting people to death does not bring one victim back...In fact, it causes us to lose our humanity and teaches that violent retribution is an answer to violence. Capital punishment does not deter...nor does it make society safer. There will always be crime and violence---we should seek a justice system that protects society rather than one which allows ambitious prosecutors and politicians to indulge themselves in self promotion. I have seen prosecutors even refuse to accept DNA proof that someone else did the crime when a case was thrown out!
This is not to say that if someone close to me, even my cat, were viciously murdered that I wouldn't scream for blood. Revenge, however, would not help me in any way nor could watching the perpetrator die before my eyes in the death chamber make me any happier...I would just be meaner and more angry and would then have to justify myself for having attended.
What is wrong with placing violent offenders behind bars for the rest of their life. Oh, yes, they claim we have to pay for their upkeep, but this doesn't take into account that pursuing the death penalty is even more expensive, and corrosive to our society.
Actually, seeking mitigating cirmcumstances in death cases is very costly...an expense we wouldn't have to make if we didn't pursue the death penalty. But if we are going to have the death penalty, if we are to indulge our blood lust, then let's by all means look for mitigating circumstances!
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Bogeyman
[Read the article: A kinder, gentler war on terror]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I like this article. O'Hehir's insight into the paranoid thinking behind the "new totalitarianism rising from the Islamic world" is what Salon does best.
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Better or worse?
[Read the article: Did the invasion make things worse in Iraq?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I haven't been to Iraq but Nir Rosen confirms my view of just how catastrophic this debacle has turned out!
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Atheist or agnostic?
[Read the article: The disbeliever]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Fine article, just the kind I expect from Salon.
It seems to me that Sam Harris may be more agnostic than atheistic...not that he would ever accept the possibility that Christianity or any of the other religions could be right, but he does admit the limits of science and the possibility of paranormal experience which is fascinating. Actually, he probably thinks like many of us who refuse to call ourselves atheists because it is such an inflammatory and dogmatic term which ostracizes the subscriber. Perhaps he is strident so that people will read him.
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Elephant guns
[Read the article: The catastrophe that never ends]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Killing mosquitoes with elephant guns is wasteful, if not atrocious. This is not to say that the Palestinians are blameless, pitiful targets, or that Israel should not respond in some way to the capture of a Jewish soldier. I just wish I could see some calm restraint on both sides.
I used to have eyes only for Israel, but when they started ripping through the Palestian territories in a wanton display of power, my eyes were opened. Not that I don't feel absolute fury every time a terrorist hits another target. But for now, I am furious with both sides for being so unwilling to bury hatchets!
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Temper Tantrum
[Read the article: The Mideast death dance]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Political solution, while totally reasonable, sounds absurd in the face of dogged resistance on all sides. I have given up hope for such. Not only that, my feelings toward Israel have deteriorated over the last few years to the point that I can hardly see Israel's actions in Palestine and Lebanon as anything but a temper tantrum and a show of hatred. Does the whole world have to suffer because Israel had three soldiers captured? Is there no better alternative than rampaging through bordering Arab lands? Not that I have any sympathy for Hamas or Hezbollah, either...they all turn my stomach!
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Joe is clueless
[Read the article: How Joe went wrong]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Lieberman managed to infuriate a bunch of Democrats with his moralistic approach to Bill Clinton on the Monica thing. I wouldn't have known who he was if he had not been so reproachful, so admonishing...so terribly disloyal. I am sure Clinton had his reasons for stumping for him last week, and they were most likely political, but it didn't change my mind about Lieberman one iota. The man simply does not represent my point of view on the important issues of terrorism, Iraq, and Bush. This catastrophic war has bankrupted this country; it has set the world against America, enraged even more Arabs, and weakened us internationally. But worse than that, it has increased the threat of terrorism. I am furious about it and any politician who endorses the war has my enduring animosity!
He has announced that he will run as an independent if defeated in the primary. That further erodes his honor as far as I'm concerned. He is not a Democrat! He's strictly for Lieberman.
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Horrifying Scenerio!
[Read the article: The neocons' next war]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]How dumb can you get! First, the neocons get us into a bankrupting, fruitless war in Iraq and now they are getting their way again in the Bush Administration by trying to stir up a huge Middle East conflagration. I hope this article is dead wrong, but I fear that it may be true having watch Bush II in the last few days. What can we do? If we demonstrate about Lebanon or bring our fears to light, we get accused of being anti-Semitic. The press has simply got to step up to the plate and tell the American people what's really going on!