Letters to the Editor
lmchugh
Published Letters: 4 Editor's Choice: 1
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War on Terror Justifies use of Torture
[Read the article: America can't take it anymore]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Editors of Salon,
Reading "America Can't Take it Anymore" I wonder if we are tiring of the Bush administration's justification of torture in the war on Iraq because it is eerily similar to the BS we were fed about initiating the war: WMD.
Aren't these black sites and eroding definitions of "torture," just like WMD where we accused Iraq and Saddam Hussein of hiding the means to harm others?
Where are the inspectors who should be investigating these abuses of the system by the US? What's good for the goose is good for the gander - transparency of these operations where US military and OGA's are involved is essential to restore the credibility of the US as a world leader.
Laura McHugh
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Leadership
[Read the article: Great expectations]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I agree with another reader that the US appears self-important in matters of "leading the world" to better places (my words, not his). However, leadership in an of itself is an important quality to have. True leadership takes the opinions, feelings, desires and beliefs of others into account when implementing strategies to move us all forward. I believe Bill Clinton is a true leader in this sense.
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Go See Volver
[Read the article: "Volver"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I was fortunate to see Volver recently in France with French subtitles. I don't speak French and understand a bit of spoken Spanish, but even without knowing exactly what the characters were saying, it was a marvelous film. The cinematography was beautiful and Penelope Cruz was magnificent. The story was haunting and Zacharek's comments about the faces, especially young Paula, brought an inner beauty to the film.
You will kiss your children differently after seeing this film.
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I agonized too...but made the right decision for our family.
[Read the article: The unkindest cut]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]My son will be 19 next month. I had the same agony as these parents when there wasn't too much information available out there.
My biggest difficulties with the "routine" procedure were:
- isn't his body perfect just they way he was born?
and
- if someone had told me I had to perform a surgery on any of my three daughters to "make them right" wouldn't that be ridiculous?
His dad is circumcised; he is not. I've never had any negative feedback from my son that he didn't get circumcised and he is old enough that he probably stands out among peers. Hopefully, he feels the humanity of our love for him and will carry that on to his son(s). There were never any health issues or situations that I heard plenty of "do it" scare stories about as he grew up with a foreskin.
Not being Jewish helped (less familial pressure), but I did have to stand firm with family and the docs.
My recommendation: don't do it.