Invading Grenada

To the Editors:

Thank God for American intervention in Grenada [Nov. 7]. Because of this humanitarian act, we can breathe more freely in this part of the world.

Brian Stollmeyer Port of Spain, Trinidad

President Reagan promised that the U.S. would not be subjected to another hostage crisis. In handling Grenada as he did, the President kept his word, and the world is a safer place.

Mario B. Portuondo Washington, D.C.

I am an extremely embarrassed U.S. citizen living in Latin America. With the invasion of Grenada, Ronald Reagan has bolstered the image of Americans as bullies who have respect for neither international law nor the right of nations to conduct their internal affairs.

Thomas R. Moore Lima

As a Venezuelan, whose country lies only 80 miles from Grenada, I was exhilarated when I learned about the U.S. military invasion. The U.S. did the "dirty work" for us and other countries. I am grateful that we have somebody with guts in this hemisphere.

Gloria Sucre de Villanueva Caracas

The American invasion of Grenada is obviously a military success. However, the real battle will be won with food, health, education, human rights and jobs for the masses in the Third World. Social justice is stronger than the sword.

Richard D. Germano Carmel, N.Y.

The election campaign in the U.S. is about to begin, and we Latin Americans can do nothing but fear a Reagan reelection. The American public should know that the explosive situation in the Caribbean and Central America is the result of extreme poverty and deep social inequalities. A vote for Reagan will be a vote for Viet Nam II.

Jorge Perez de Lara Mexico City

I want to thank the U.S. for its courageous invasion of Grenada. This intervention is definitely supported by the majority of the Caribbean people. I am particularly disgusted with the British, who, having used these islands for their own interests during colonial times, now turn their backs on us in times of trouble. Thanks, America. You may not be perfect, but as a friend you are the best around.

Brian Nothnagel Carenage, Trinidad

According to a Pentagon spokesman, the cache of Soviet and Cuban arms found on Grenada was "far and above what any island this size would need for self-defense." Unless, of course, the arms were intended as a defense against a U.S. invasion.

Randal C. Franklin Fairborn, Ohio

Now we have a new fanaticism linked to neither religious nor political causes, namely Cuban construction workers determined to die for tourism.

Annemarie Locher North Vancouver, B.C.

I say with regret what the rest of the world is saying sarcastically: the U.S. has finally picked on a country its own size.

Frank X. Champagne La Crescenta, Calif.

I used to be fiercely pro-American, but no more. You are as bad a bully as the Soviet Union, only you are more sanctimonious.

Otto G. Beck Toronto

When the Soviets invaded Afghanistan on the grounds that they had been invited into that country, Americans laughed. Now President Reagan announces that the U.S. invaded Grenada because we were invited to do so by Grenada's neighbors. No wonder the world condemns us. The President needs to improve his script as well as his judgment.

Pat Zaharopoulos San Diego

We finally have a President who not only "carries a big stick" but swings it!

Maurice J. Miller Fairfield, Conn.

The reaction of Britain confuses me. The constant pressure by totalitarian regimes must be stopped somewhere. Would the invasion have been more legitimate if the U.S. had waited until Communist installations were in place or perhaps a coup had occurred somewhere else in the Caribbean, like Puerto Rico?

Chris Davis Knoxville, Tenn.

The U.S. ought to send all weapons and ammunition confiscated in Grenada to the freedom fighters in Afghanistan.

Alpha M. Wiggins Austin

If something had happened to the medical students on Grenada, imagine the jeers from the rest of the world.

Alice H. Aishton Lebanon, N.H.

Great Britain should have moved months ago to rescue the people of Grenada from the threat of Soviet Communism. Today Grenada is free again, with no thanks to Britain.

Ronald Beatson Brussels

After witnessing the cowardly reaction of our so-called allies in Europe to our initiative in Grenada, I have come to question the wisdom of a greater U.S. role in the defense of Western Europe. Let us oblige them and withdraw all U.S. forces and weapons from their lands.

Cheng Chen Dallas

Body on the Beach

I fail to see any justification for your tasteless photograph of the body of one of my fallen comrades, the helicopter pilot lying dead on the beach [Nov. 7].

Richard L. Upchurch Colonel, U.S.M.C. Maxwell A.F.B., Ala.

I knew the Marine pilot whose body you photographed. Your picture only makes his death worse. No fighting man should be stripped of his honor in his moment of sacrifice.

Randall G. White Lincolnton, N.C.

As the wife of a Marine pilot, I found the picture of the dead airman on the beach excessively vivid. Reality can sometimes be too gruesome.

Teeny Massey Jacksonville, N.C.

War Without the Press

This country has no future as a democracy unless the press is free to report on the good and the bad. President Reagan was wrong to exclude the media from going to Grenada [Nov. 7].

George A. Fulford Mill Valley, Calif.

The press must understand that the primary objective in war is to attain victory with a minimal loss of life. Delaying the news for a few days to achieve this goal is a small price to pay.

Harry M. Sanchez Miami

So the press was not allowed to go to Grenada and do its usual liberal, biased reporting. Whoopee!

Dony Gideon Larkspur, Colo.

The press long ago abdicated its role as impartial observer. It no longer reports. It editorializes.

Bill Berry El Cajon, Calif.

Freedom of the press is a precious right. Without it, Americans would be fed claptrap by bureaucrats, who would be their only source of information. When I hear the public lambasting the press, I shudder.

Bea Sommers Hemet, Calif.

In your Essay on the exclusion of the press from the Grenada invasion, you say, "The press has a serious quasiconstitutional function as a representative of the public." This statement is essentially correct. However, the function is self-assigned. The public, on the other hand, has not complained that the press was denied for a time its sensational headlines and pictures of Grenada.

Benjamin C. Bell Jr. Nashville

Who besides the press views its exclusion from Grenada as "a bad mistake"? Newspeople have become so smug, arrogant and manipulative that they overreact to any attempt to get balance into their reporting.

Lawrence White New York City

During the summer of 1970, I was living on the small east Caribbean island of Anguilla, which had been invaded by the British after it declared its independence. A British marine who had been aboard a landing craft later told me that minutes after the troops hit the beach, he very nearly opened fire when he saw dozens of flashes of bright light. But he hesitated when there was no accompanying rifle fire. "Bloody photographers," he said. "A hundred or so of them, all lined up on the beach."

Peter O. Whitmer Boylston, Mass.

I do not always agree with what I read, but I want to know all sides so I can decide for myself. How can I form an opinion of what happened in Grenada when the only viewpoint I have of the first three days is Government-censored film? I feel cheated, angry and sad.

Lin Hartwell Santa Monica, Calif.

Europe Rallies

The demonstrations of the West European peace activists [Oct. 31] have been impressive. There are polls that show that more than 50% of West Germans are against the deployment of NATO's missiles. We are afraid that these weapons will endanger the peace more than they will prevent a war. In today's world, war means nuclear, and any nuclear attack would instantly destroy Europe.

Ralph Heinrich Freiburg, West Germany

We West Germans are fed up with anti-American demonstrations. Where are the protests against the Soviet weapons that have been threatening Europe for so many years?

Martina Ghersini Andreas Rieclee Ilka Kluessendorf Kaltenkirchen, West Germany

It is time for other nations to try to understand the concerns of the West Germans and the reasons for them. Because of our disastrous past, it is now deeply rooted in our conscience that a military attack must never again originate from German soil.

Gabriella Murray Paderborn, West Germany

The peace marchers as seen on television may appear to include the whole population of The Netherlands. In fact, viewers saw only about half a million of our citizens. More than 13 million Dutch men, women and children stayed home. Americans should know that most West Europeans expressed themselves on the issue of missile deployment when they elected conservative governments that support NATO and the proposed defense of Western Europe. The majority of people in these countries will not bow to a vocal, skillfully misled minority.

Claire Karssiens Warmond, The Netherlands

The antinuclear demonstrations, no matter how many miles they cover, will be of no avail until marchers reach across the borders to Moscow without being run down by Soviet tanks.

Jeanne M. Bonk Scotia, N. Y.

Bottom Attire

Some may find Italian Sportswear Manufacturer Maurizio Vitale's "Jesus Jeans" offensive [Nov. 7]. I find it appalling that his company has been chosen to attire the American track and field team. We hear a great deal about the threat of foreign imports to the U.S. economy, yet we are apparently unable even to clothe our Olympic team.

Karen Lyle Burns King of Prussia, Pa.

I am outraged that a man would take the name of our Lord and plaster it across a woman's half-naked buttocks just to make money. The sad part is that he is successful in finding people willing to accept such offensive clothing.

Timothy J. Curry West Hartford, Conn.

Sympathy for Savitch

I was disappointed by your heavy-handed obituary on NBC Newscaster Jessica Savitch [Nov. 7]. It is unnecessary for us to know that disgruntled colleagues called her "Savage." She was a remarkable woman.

Maggie Abels Buffalo

Jessica Savitch had the credibility of Dan Rather and the class of Peter Jennings. Unfortunately, ambition is perceived as unattractive when possessed by a woman.

Janice Roller New Milford, N.J.

The Rabbi Is a Lady

I was pleased to see your coverage of the Jewish Theological Seminary's decision to ordain women rabbis [Nov. 7]. However, the Conservative movement did not "topple a Jewish tradition," as your article implied. The seminary's action was preceded by years of discussion and research, and by the gathering of the written opinions from our leading rabbis on the permissibility of ordaining women. Jewish law has always been pushed toward granting greater equality for women in areas as diverse as inheritance, marriage and control over their own sexuality. Seen in this light, the seminary is simply asserting its responsibility to continue a Jewish tradition that started with Moses and God.

Bradley F. Artson-Shavit Jewish Theological Seminary of America New York City

Although the Conservative Jewish movement has decided to allow women to become rabbis, your article says the Conservatives "still lag behind" the Reformed group, which began ordaining women in 1972. As an Orthodox rabbinical student, I feel that it would have been more accurate to say that the Conservatives lag behind the Orthodox, who have preserved the true law of the Torah through the generations and have not yielded to the recent pressure of the secular feminists.

Joseph S. Jeret New York City This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so viewer discretion is required.