Letters

What Trent Lott tried to do was whitewash the present, not the past [NATION, Dec. 23]. There is no evidence that the Senate's former majority leader finds integration and equal rights any less offensive now than he did years ago. LAURA BILLINGTON Maple Valley, Wash.

Senator Lott was only giving his friend and colleague Senator Strom Thurmond a good send-off at his 100th birthday party. How can Lott's celebratory remarks be taken as anything serious? JOHNNIE R. GOTHARD San Angelo, Texas

I am an African American who has been a Republican since 1980. Lott and his crew promote and prey on the fears (real and imagined) of salt-of-the-earth European Americans. Republicans who are racist promote distrust and hatred of minorities as a way of dealing with the fears of good common folk. When enough progressive citizens decide to join the Republican Party, people like Lott and others who oppose integration will have to find another vehicle for their cowardly ideology. MICHAEL P. BERRY Phoenix, Ariz.

Trent, Trent, Trent. There's no need to apologize for saying out loud what you, the majority of your party, corporate leaders and talk-radio hosts hold to be true in your heart of hearts. JIM BUEGE Delafield, Wis.

How could Trent Lott's fellow Republicans be ignorant of his racially divisive past? His record on race has been known for decades. Yet those in his party who turned against him are the same ones who elected him their Senate majority leader. To believe that Republicans are sincere about racial inclusiveness, you have to overlook the fact that for years Lott had their full support despite his past indiscretions. Lott may have apologized for his words, but the Republican Party still has a lot of explaining to do. CHRISTOPHER SCAPELLITI New York City

There's no place in leadership positions for people like Lott or others who espouse racist beliefs. There's no place for them in our government, and there's no place for them in this country. JOE VECCHIO Alpharetta, Ga.

African Americans weren't looking for an apology from Lott for his remarks. Lott should be asking questions and learning how he can make a positive contribution to healing the racial inequality that has existed in the U.S. for more than 200 years. Lott will still have a hard time overcoming the damage that was done by the likes of himself and Strom Thurmond, but maybe he will gain a better understanding of the insults he uttered. FRAN NETHERTON Corona, Calif.

Backpacker Diplomacy

Your columnist Michael Elliott IS concerned that the Mombasa and Bali bombings will have a devastating effect on tourism, especially on backpacker travel [GLOBAL AGENDA, DEC. 16]. Having been a backpacker for a number of years, I know there is a distinction between tourists and backpacking travelers. Backpackers try to speak the local language; we use the same means of transportation locals use; we eat the same food. I don't think backpackers will be staying at home. We will just have to adapt and try to avoid large gatherings of Westerners. CHARLES HENRY Brussels

I'm glad that someone is embracing the backpacker community. I have been traveling the globe alone for many years. I have gained a true knowledge of foreign countries and their people. Elliott's piece showed how the terrorists have hurt the worldwide community that backpackers have been creating. Luckily the backpackers' bond is strong, and we will continue to travel and represent our countries no matter what happens around us. DANIEL LELIEVRE Tampa, Fla.

Having just returned from two months of backpacking in Asia, I was struck by Elliott's commentary. In a world with terrorists fueled by negative feelings toward Americans, travel could be part of finding peace. When abroad, Americans have the opportunity to represent the good in all Americans. For those comfortable with travel in this day and age, I say, Go, see the world; it is a marvelous and magical place that we are an important part of. Terrorism cannot take this away. CHRISTINE SLAUGHTER Orlando, Fla.

Inspecting Saddam

Saddam Hussein'S seeming compliance with weapons inspections [WORLD, Dec. 16] should not make people feel that everything is safe. Instead they should be uneasy that Saddam is so confident about his ability to keep his weapons secret--and safe. GLENN SCHIECK Rochester, N.Y.

Is it possible that Iraq will be to America what Afghanistan was to the U.S.S.R.? The similarities are chilling. JANE STILLWATER Berkeley, Calif.

Does anyone honestly believe that Saddam is out to conquer the globe or that the rest of the world will love the U.S. if it buries Iraq? Does anyone believe that aggression begets peace? As the skipper of a U.S. Navy warship in the South Pacific, I saw enough war to last a lifetime. In my 86 years, I've never known a bully who was right. I consider George Bush's foreign policy loathsome; and, worse, it's dangerous beyond words. THEODORE R. TREADWELL Danbury, Conn.

The U.S., which has the world's largest arsenal of nukes, is telling other nations to disarm? While we're at it, why don't we tell the Iraqis to stop drinking alcoholic beverages and eating fast food? STEVE WEDDLE Cincinnati, Ohio

Military conflicts are a lot like poker games in that both involve bluffing. When the stakes are high and it's time to show one's hand, the people who hold poor cards fold faster than Superman on laundry day. TOM MURRAY San Luis Obispo, Calif.

No matter what success an invasion of Iraq might achieve, the ensuing escalation of animosity against America in the Muslim world would put the U.S. in ever greater peril. The Bush Administration has established a national-security doctrine that calls for pre-emptive war against any nation that it views as a potential threat. This contradicts the notion that Washington acts as a force for peace and democracy. R. GLENN HESSEL Chicago

Economic Overhaul

U.S. treasury secretary Paul O'neill was apparently fired for failing to sell President Bush's economic policies to the public [NATION, DEC. 16]. I always thought the purpose of an adviser was to give the president objective information so he could make an informed and effective decision. This President seems to prefer a cabinet composed of little more than highly paid telemarketers. Why should the taxpayer bear the cost of the president's cheerleaders? GRACIA MARKS Camarillo, Calif.

Kudos to O'Neill. It's good to know there are still some high-ranking public officials whose integrity can't be bought. HENRY PENNYMON Orlando, Fla.

The Vatican Doesn't Get It

Barring homosexuals from the priesthood will not stop the admission of pedophiles into its ranks [NOTEBOOK, DEC. 16]. And blaming the media, as Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger did, is akin to shooting the messenger. If not for the press and public outrage, this horrendous cycle of sexual abuse would certainly have continued at the expense of the innocent. Will parishioners have to wait hundreds of years for the church to recognize the truth, as did Galileo for his empirically sound observation that the earth revolves around the sun? SCOTT HAMMING Roswell, Ga.

I was appalled by the Vatican's response to the sexual-abuse scandals. For the church to blame both the media and gays demonstrates how out of touch with reality it is and helps explain how such a tragedy could occur. As leaders of their church, the Cardinals should be showing how to take responsibility, not blaming others for priests' transgressions. MARY ELLEN BEEBE Manitowoc, Wis.

Filmic Review

Kudos to your critic Richard Corliss, who obviously took the spirit of the new, single-take movie Russian Ark into account when composing his review [HOLIDAY MOVIE PREVIEW, Dec. 23]. I couldn't help noticing that his entire 246-word capsule was a single sentence. MARK MOSRIE Knoxville, Tenn.