Letters

You're on Your Own

Daniel Kadlec's "You're on your own" [COVER STORIES, Jan. 28] chillingly summed up the predicament of 21st century Americans: we have a surfeit of choices but no guidance. Not being proficient in financial matters, I have consulted advisers who know even less than I do as well as those who tout their one-size-fits-all plans in spite of their obvious unsuitability to my circumstances.

Aaron Goodman's evocative illustration for Kadlec's essay--a picture of a forlorn citizen adrift in a rowboat and desperately seeking help--was inaccurate in one respect. Most of us don't even have the benefit of a paddle. ROBERT L. WOLKE Pittsburgh, Pa.

I am disgusted by the perpetual shell games perpetrated on hardworking Americans by a venal, corrupt political system infused by the taint of corporate money. That the elite can profit while the rest of us must scurry for protection, with no help from our government, is outrageous. The idea that we have chosen to deregulate business through our own elections is nonsense! What has happened is that corporate money has influenced our politicians more than the votes of ordinary people. Until strong campaign-finance reform is enacted, the perfidy of "the best government money can buy" will continue. PHILIP A. STAHL Colorado Springs

In the U.S. today there is entirely too much reliance on rugged individualism. Nobody seems to question the idea that in life the policy should be "every man for himself." In a civil and humane society, the government should work to see that though the rich may purchase more, every citizen has certain bottom-line necessities--health insurance, child and elder care and a "plain vanilla" defined-benefit pension. It's that simple. Other countries have them, and so should we. PAMELA SHOEMAKER New York City

The social safety net has not been "loosened," as your story claims; it barely exists at all. That regulation of business has been "pulled back" is also a gross understatement at a time when corporate execs are in the room writing regulations with our politicians. I do not agree that we have chosen this path through our elections. Corporate money has a stranglehold on our democracy. KENNETH SARDELLA Stratford, Conn.

--The befuddled baby on our cover drew some attention, not all of it adoring. Pondering the array of entities that might eventually prey upon the future citizen, a wary Virginian suggested, "The baby should also be worrying about the politicians who are ever willing to run up a tab on its yet-to-be-issued credit card." "I'm sure there are those who appreciate your parental concern," conceded a Californian who took offense at our youthful emblem of vulnerability, "but there are others who don't consider this a flattering mirror and who wonder if there is not just a little more contempt than compassion for those whom it is your ambition to inform." Or as a Minnesotan put it, "Please portray the American public as it is--grown-up and thoroughly confused."

The Fall of Enron

The story of the evil and greed that pervaded Enron before its collapse inspires feelings of disgust and rage [COVER STORIES, Jan. 28]. Your article says, "The law makes it extremely difficult to confiscate the personal assets of corporate officers in punishment for actions on behalf of the company." If laws can be made to protect those who would betray a public trust, laws can be unmade. This is a clear and perfect reason to disallow companies to give money to people running for office. This is an obvious case of selling America. CATHERINE E. LITCHFIELD Dedham, Mass.

Though Enron's links to the Bush Administration should be thoroughly investigated, I hope the Democrats do not unleash the pit bulls and risk becoming the same kind of clowns that the Republicans became in their desire to get Clinton. He must be enjoying the turning of the tables. SIDNEY GOLOVIN Torrington, Conn.

Kenneth Lay, former CEO of Enron, practiced two interwoven principles of capitalism: making an enormous profit and exploiting his labor force. That the Enron episode may equal or surpass the Teapot Dome scandal of yesteryear means nothing to this robber baron. GERALD M. BORA Alexandria, Va.

Al-Qaeda certainly hasn't cornered the market on evil hearts. What could have been the thought process of Enron executives as they fleeced their investors and even their workers? What was in former CFO Andrew Fastow's mind when he helped design the Enron financial bomb, bought the ingredients and put it together? Our terrorists don't wear beards and turbans. They wear suits! JOEL DOBRZELEWSKI Warren, Mich.

As a probation officer, I have helped a welfare mother try to get back payments she was entitled to but was denied when she failed a technical reporting requirement. As a government-grants administrator, I have spent countless hours working with federal auditors to save funding for a small community-service agency that failed to enter expenditures for postage or transportation in the correct category on their books. If only the executives of Enron had been required to jump through the same regulatory hoops as these ordinary citizens! Maybe Washington will now recognize that free enterprise, when unregulated, can give free rein to greed. ANNA ROBERTS Los Angeles

A New Kind of Captive

The detention of captured Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters at Camp X-Ray in Guantanamo Bay by U.S. authorities is a flagrant abuse of human rights [NATION, Jan. 28]. The question of the mind-sets of these men is not relevant. They were captured in the course of a war and should be accorded the status of POWs. Though the Taliban regime was admittedly evil, repressive and illegitimate, it was duly recognized by some members of the international community. It would be more appropriate to put the captured Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters on trial in Afghanistan or try them under the auspices of the U.N. Only then would the U.S. show its greatness--certainly not by descending to the level of moral depravity exhibited by the Taliban at the nadir of their infamy. RICHIE DAUDU Emmeloord, the Netherlands

Who cares if the detainees in Guantanamo Bay may be mistreated? These are the people who butchered a nation, treated women with contempt and smuggled weapons into a POW camp, resulting in the death of at least one American. Under the circumstances, they are being very well treated. DALE R. MINOR Circleville, Ohio

Spies, saboteurs and terrorists are not accorded the same rights as POWs under the Geneva Convention. The American people support the humane but no-frills manner in which our military is treating the Taliban and al-Qaeda prisoners. It would be a sad day if we caved in to the blame-America-first loony left on this issue. AL FORMAN Palm City, Fla.

Next Stop, the Philippines

The Muslim rebel Gang Abu Sayyaf is the right target for the U.S. military at the right time [WORLD, Jan. 28]. We allowed such renegade Muslim bands to grow into dangerous terror networks by ignoring them, and the Sept. 11 attacks followed. We should start with the small groups and work up to Saddam Hussein. H.H. CLEVELAND Temple, Texas

President Gloria Arroyo has surrendered the Philippines' national sovereignty and now dances to the tune of the U.S. government. Foreign military intervention is not the answer. Instead, there should be social progress based on just relations among people and nations. The deployment of U.S. troops in the front lines of battle against Abu Sayyaf is a virtual admission by the highest civilian and military officials of the land that they are not capable of ensuring peace and order and that we need the U.S. to do our dirty work. (THE REV.) ISRAEL ISIDERIO ALVARAN Cavite, the Philippines

If the ill-equipped Philippine military is to win the ongoing fight against terrorism on its home soil, it must be provided with state-of-the-art equipment and specialized training by the U.S. That is the primary reason American forces are being stationed here temporarily to help our soldiers defeat the dreaded Abu Sayyaf bandit group. JIM VICTA HIPOLITO Kawit, the Philippines

A Brother's Final Gift

The death of Mike Hurewitz, after donating half his liver to his brother, raises a question: Does the relative of a dying family member feel pressure to become a living donor [MEDICINE, Jan. 28]? You had better believe it! And the pressure isn't at all subtle; it's called love. My son needs a liver, and if mine could save his life, the odds on my survival wouldn't matter to me. What, exactly, is unethical about being allowed to take such a risk? Don't fire fighters, cops and soldiers risk their lives every day to save people they don't even know? These people are called heroes, not victims, and no one debates the ethics of what they do. A larger question, however, is why this dilemma exists in the first place. If enough of us would sign our donor cards and tell our families we want to be organ donors, living donors wouldn't be necessary. PHYLLIS M. GEORGE Clinton, Tenn.

Opening Up Apple

While Apple is truly the leader in terms of personal-computer innovation, as the new iMac demonstrates [TECHNOLOGY, Jan. 14], it will never become the digital hub of the home of the future. The reason is, as Steve Jobs says, "[Apple is] the only company that owns the whole widget--the hardware, the software and the operating system." But what Jobs sees as Apple's biggest advantage is also the barrier that will block the company from reaching its goal. There is a reason that the Windows/Intel PC is the standard in personal computers and that its makers control 95% of the personal-computer industry: the PC platform is open to all. Anyone can provide new hardware or software for it. Apple must stop being a control freak and open up to outside software and hardware developers. JACQUES DU PREEZ Pretoria

Through the Apple powerbook, I discovered the intuitive, easy-to-use Mac functionality. The new iMac is amazing and powerful. Thanks to Apple, long hours spent before a screen can be more productive and fun. We can enjoy work in a more relaxed way. Keep it up! PEDRO M. GONCALVES PEREIRA Porto, Portugal

I bought four Apple iPod digital music players for non-Mac-user friends and myself for Christmas. But these were just appetizers. The new iMac is the main course. The innovative design and the affordable price make this product a winner! With iPhoto and iMovie, now everyone can be an Ansel Adams or a Steven Spielberg--almost. The only question is what Apple will offer its users for dessert. GLORIA KUO Hong Kong

Looking down the Barrel

There is a common enemy in all the current conflicts [WORLD, Jan. 14], whether in Kashmir, Afghanistan, the Middle East or the Philippines. It is a group of people who scorn secularism, democracy and peaceful coexistence and instead adhere to antiquated edicts to govern politics and jurisprudence. This enemy is a ruthless political force led by zealots struggling for domination; it is often supported by puppet regimes and dictatorships. Like communism, this enemy should be seen as evil and at odds with the prevailing political philosophy, and it is to be fought and defeated to save our civilization. MOHAN RAO Toronto

The only solution to the Indo-Pak conflict is a return to pre-1947 status. Dividing one nation into two countries was a dumb idea, especially since the basis for doing so was religion. India and Pakistan are intrinsically bound by common history and cultural heritage. A formidable number of Muslims decided to stay in India after the partition, confirming the absurdity of carving out two separate countries. There will be no peace unless the countries unite. VASUDEV PARVANI Vancouver, Canada

Your use of the phrase "mostly Hindu" is unfair to secular and democratic India when you compare it with "mostly Muslim" Pakistan, where Islam is the official religion. India's population is 12% Muslim, giving it nearly as many Muslims as Pakistan. Many Indian Muslims have thrived and excelled in every field. If Kashmir becomes independent, it is sure to invite troublemakers from all over. If there is a chance to hold genuine elections in a quiescent Kashmir, it will be a triumph of democracy, secularism and multiethnic nationalism. VENKATRAJA U. RAO Bombay

Hello, Euro!

Re your report on the switchover to the euro [LETTER FROM EUROPE, Jan. 14]: I don't know if the euro is as huge a success as politicians all over Europe claim, but it certainly has changed the way my neighborhood looks. It's like Moscow in 1965, with lines everywhere. Want to buy some bread? You have to wait while the shopgirl is busy calculating, exchanging francs for euros, and making change in both currencies, since she doesn't have enough euros in her register. After 15 minutes you finally have your baguette, and you head toward the post office. It's easy to find, thanks to the euro. There's a line of people three blocks long outside, since the post office not only takes care of mail but changes francs for euros as well. So after you have spent half a day doing what's supposed to take less than an hour, it's a great comfort to know that, according to official sources, the transition to the euro is going so awfully smoothly. FREDERIC-GEORGES LAMOTTE Paris

"Utter chaos, untold mayhem"--those were but a few of the gloomy predictions on what changing over to the euro would cause in France. But the arrival of the euro proved to be a fabulous and magical moment, as distrust gave way to sheer excitement. Oddly enough, for all the minor inconveniences that switching to a totally new currency overnight could have generated, there was a prevailing sense of conviviality and togetherness as French people started fiddling with their euro coins and bills. Buying my usual baguette at my local bakery on Jan. 1, I witnessed a spending frenzy by customers eager to put the currency to the test. The euro could prove to be the new cement of European identity and overcome some of the trials of the European Union. FRANCOIS VANNEREAU Tours, France

Unraveling a Tragedy

Your in-depth coverage of the Andrea Yates tragedy was informative and compelling [TIME IN DEPTH, Jan. 28]. You ask, Could this tragedy have been averted? The answer is yes, if the couple had stopped producing more children than Andrea could handle. Rusty knew full well the fragile condition of his wife. Andrea deserves the care and treatment available to the mentally unstable for as long as it is necessary. Should her mental state ever be stabilized, she will still have to live with the horror of her deeds. That should certainly be punishment enough. MARY STEWART Carlsbad, Calif.

Andrea Yates is directly responsible for the death of her five children, but her husband's behavior over their years of marriage makes him indirectly responsible. An average man, knowing her mental condition, would not have gone to work and left his wife with five children. An average man, knowing she had grave psychiatric problems, would not have continued to get his wife pregnant. He must bear some of the blame. ROBERT J. QUIRK Sarasota, Fla.

I can't imagine the hell Andrea Yates must be going through. What she did to her kids was horrible. There is a saying, "Don't judge a man until you walk a mile in his shoes." Mental illness should be handled with compassion and medical treatment, not capital punishment. SUE DOORLAY Mohnton, Pa.

Rap Metal with a Message

Your story on the band Linkin Park says its songs are about "alienation, frustration and loneliness" [MUSIC, Jan. 28]. I don't think a band can just go around singing about happy things. That is unrealistic. Teens can't relate to that, and neither can the artists. I think Linkin Park communicates its message very well. The band lets its fans know they are not alone in having been through tough stuff. Just because some people don't get the message or take it wrong doesn't mean that the message is not there. JODY POETTKER Flat Rock, Ill.

Nobody tops Linkin Park. These musicians rock, they're deep and they don't need foul language to get their point across. I totally love these guys and listen to their music at top volume whenever I get a chance, but sometimes my teenage son tells me to turn it down. DOMONIQUE KRENTZ White Salmon, Wash.

Correction

The story "All Aboard The U.S.S. Pork," on the proposal that the Navy consider the purchase of cruise ships under construction in Mississippi [NOTEBOOK, Jan. 28], referred to Congressman Gene Taylor as a Republican. Taylor is a Democrat.