Letters

Bono's Mission

"After 20-plus years of great music, the melody that Bono has found to combat poverty and AIDS is undeniably his greatest hit." JAY HEIMBACH Alexandria, Va.

Thanks for the terrific article on U2's Bono and his efforts to save Africa from financial ruin [MUSIC, March 4]. He's not a saint. He is a hardworking, real man, using his gifts to inspire us in song and make a difference in the world. Some issues are so overwhelming that most of us don't even try to fix them. Bono can't save the world by himself, but like others who have shown the way, such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Mohandas Gandhi, he is proving that one man can make a difference. CAROLINE HARTMAN Minnetonka, Minn.

Bono may be smarter, better informed and more committed than other cause-happy celebrities, but Africa's problems are larger than his ego. After living in Africa nearly six years, I returned to the U.S. with more questions than answers. But you don't have to live there to know that the continent is rife with corruption and that most foreign aid does little to enrich the life of the average African. Debt relief is a noble idea, but until Africa can rid itself of corrupt autocrats, it will probably be just another way for those leaders to beef up their fat Swiss bank accounts. MOLLY LEUSCHEL St. Albans, Vt.

In a society in which we seem to spend more time talking about what Britney Spears is (or isn't) wearing and who in Hollywood is sleeping with whom, it is refreshing to see someone with Bono's influence and fame doing something positive. Bravo, Bono! DANA M. CAIN Port Orchard, Wash.

I am a longtime U2 fan, not just because of the band's music but also because of their politics, their message and their Christian hearts. Can Bono make a difference? Not by himself. But the world is a better place because people like him are doing something positive. Bono's celebrity status may get him in the door, but his brains and his sincere heart are what keeps him at the table. LISA RENNINGER Bartlett, Ill.

Bono is more than a pop icon, more than a rock god, more than my idol. He's a guy who cares about the world around him and fights to right its wrongs. And that's what makes him so damn cool! CHRISTINE CRESPO Davie, Fla.

I am a 24-year-old Nigerian and have often viewed celebrities' "concern" for Africa with annoyance. My reaction to Bono was different; I was impressed. He is right in advocating not just debt relief but also the lowering of trade restrictions on African countries. What Africa needs is not gifts of fish but fair access to the fishing pond. AMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE Mansfield, Conn.

--Can a pop star be a legitimate political activist? Some of you were skeptical to the point of scorn. "How easy it is for a windbag celebrity, who pays no price for being wrong, to throw his fame around and make grand pronouncements," criticized a reader from Georgia. "The court jester may attend important meetings," wrote a Floridian, "but he is still just a clown." Suggested a Louisianian: "If Bono wants to help the poor, he should start by selling his expensive sunglasses and wristwatch. Mother Teresa he's not." And a Minnesotan was downright caustic: "Can Bono save the world? Sure, when Cher cures cancer and Britney Spears has a plan for peace in the Middle East." Ouch.

The Death of Daniel Pearl

The capture and murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl shocked me [WORLD, March 4], but it also angered me. I have read the complaints voiced by foreign governments and various organizations over the treatment of the Afghan war detainees at Camp X-Ray. Yet Pearl's death is an example of the unspeakable evil and merciless brutality of the terrorists. His murder should not be forgotten if others once again question the U.S.'s motives and actions in the fight against terror. DOUGLAS JORDAN Dunwoody, Ga.

Trust and Betrayal

Andrew Sullivan gave powerful words to the deep sense of loss and betrayal so many American Catholics are experiencing because of the widespread sexual abuse of children by priests [VIEWPOINT, March 4]. The cover-up of their behavior by our bishops is shocking. The damage to these children, their families and the people of our church has broken the bond of sacred trust that once held us together in community. MARY KAY COLEMAN San Jose, Calif.

All institutions are run by human beings, and humans are fallible. I am an American Catholic who is greatly saddened by the harm that has come to the children who were victims of the criminal behavior of certain priests. The men involved should be punished to the full extent of the law, and everything possible should be done to keep this from happening again. I will never, however, lose trust in or stop loving my church. I hope Sullivan does not suppose our faith is so shallow as to be shaken by the sins of a few of our leaders. KATHY DOMZALSKI Newport Beach, Calif.

Cheating the Bereaved

Your article on the Georgia crematory that failed to cremate hundreds of bodies [NATION, March 4] seemed to call for increased government regulation. The story shoots down its own argument, however, when it points out a similar case "in California, which has some of the tightest controls in the industry." If more government regulation is the answer, why hasn't it worked? Yes, it's horrible that things like this happen. But government can't solve every problem, and increased government power will not prevent tragedies like these. MICHAEL GEARY San Jose, Calif.

Though I understand that crematories are needed to provide care for families in their time of need, I must ask, couldn't a local or state commission handle cremation? It is clearly a simple process. Also, a commission would eliminate price gouging. Cremation should not be profit driven; it should be a government service. This is the only way to ensure that what took place in Georgia never happens again. VIJAY PRABHAKAR Los Angeles

Golden Girl

When TIME chose to feature on its cover Olympic hopeful Sarah Hughes as a contender for the gold medal, I thought you were being, well, hopeful! Yet Sarah's performance at the Games during the figure-skating long program [WINTER OLYMPICS, March 4] managed to lift the tarnish from the earlier ice-skating controversies--and showed (for once, at least) that the best ice skater earns the gold. SHANNIN SCHROEDER Magnolia, Ark.