Letters

Michael Moore's War

Moore's movie may be a mix of fact and fiction, but anything that opens up discussion on the invasion of Iraq is good for America. JOHN MIRANDA Oro Valley, Ariz.

Michael Moore's film Fahrenheit 9/11 is not just the politics of entertainment or the entertainment of politics [July 12]. For those who have been assimilating information and connecting the dots since George W. Bush took office, Moore simply lays it all out--the whole picture--which is something that our main media have been too gutless to do. Nothing Moore points out is a surprise. Everything he presents in this film should make an American citizen angry. Those who are shocked by Moore's documentary have not been paying attention to current events and what they are signaling loud and clear. LIZ ROSE Santa Cruz, Calif.

Because Moore is too old to spank, he deserves a good slap in the face. He's like a spoiled child who runs around saying outrageous things to the delight of his dim-witted parents. Moore isn't cute; he's dangerous. To imply that 9/11 could have been prevented is ludicrous. Moore's anti-American rhetorical bomb throwing should not go unanswered. JOSEPH CALVINI SR. Mamaroneck, N.Y.

Critics are willing to apply a stricter standard to Moore's presentation of his opinions than they do to Bush's argument for his. That's why Moore's movie is necessary. Those who desired a serious debate in the lead-up to the Iraq war waited in frustration for serious journalists to ask hard questions and apply critical scrutiny to the Administration's case. Moore's questions are the ones that should have been debated before we went into Iraq. Why should Moore's movie receive closer scrutiny than the Administration's decision to go to war? S. ANN ROBINSON Ashburn, Va.

Fahrenheit 9/11 is not a documentary film; it is history's longest and most maliciously negative campaign ad. The filmmaker raises the art of innuendo and guilt by association to heights unimagined even by Senator Joseph McCarthy. RICHARD A. STACY Denver

Moore's movie is a mirror image of the very truth-twisting tactics that he decries, proving that you can fool some of the people some of the time by pushing all the right buttons. Moore so deftly exploits class envy, ignorance, emotionalism, gullibility and victimhood that Fahrenheit 9/11 might just as well have been called Marketing 101. ROSALIE GRAHAM SZILAGYI Louisville, Ky.

Just what we need: an arrogant loudmouth who represents a loony, paranoid faction. But it's not Rush Limbaugh. Surprise! It's Michael Moore! HEIDI CRABTREE Kennesaw, Ga.

What is all the silliness in response to the long-overdue anti-Republican propaganda in Fahrenheit 9/11? Fox News unabashedly spews anti-Democratic invective daily, so why the deep concern about one movie? Right-wingers dish it out with impunity, but they are certainly whining about Moore's response. The world beyond U.S. borders recognizes the transparent absurdity of this redneck posturing. At least half of all Americans undoubtedly cringe at the loss of respect and dignity the U.S. suffers on the global stage because of the embarrassingly blind arrogance of its political right. At home Moore may be a thorn in Bush's side, but around the world the filmmaker's brand of honesty redeems the credibility of the U.S. JIM MARTENS Vernon, B.C.

Equal-Opportunity Oppression

"Wal-Mart's Gender Gap" [JULY 5] Addressed the sex-discrimination lawsuit brought against the giant retailer by female employees. But the company mistreats all workers. As your story noted, there are more than 30 lawsuits that accuse Wal-Mart of cheating employees out of overtime pay. The company has fought to keep out labor unions, and pays hourly workers a very low wage. Your report overemphasized the retailer's discrimination against women, suggesting that paying women less than men is more serious than paying poverty-level wages for all hourly employees. That attitude could be considered a kind of gender discrimination--against male hourly workers--and it keeps society from creating true equality and justice in the workplace. ROSOLINO SCARLATA Milan

Too Blind to See

Your article about how U.S. truckers and bus drivers are being enlisted to spot terrorists left me disappointed by the level of ignorance that prevails in the U.S. [July 5]. Training truck drivers to be watchful is sensible, but the lack of focus on cultural nuances and sensitivities is a big mistake. The truckers' parochial and prejudiced behavior--like calling Indian Sikhs "Islamics"--reflects this ignorance. Not every Muslim is fanatic, and not every turban-wearing guy is a terrorist. Muslims from different countries embrace very different ideals. I am sure the Department of Homeland Security could do a better job of providing cultural-sensitivity training. FAISAL SIDDIQUI Bombay

French Resistance

Essayist Charles Krauthammer thinks that France's failure to help out in Afghanistan and Iraq is dangerous and deadly [July 12]. He asserted that the French vetoed the use of NATO's rapid-reaction force in Afghanistan because they are hoping to become the broker between the Islamic world and the West. France's behavior is just another result of Bush's failed foreign policy. Immediately after 9/11, the U.S. had the world's attention and sympathy. Had our President rallied our allies to send thousands of troops to Afghanistan, we would have not only crushed the Taliban but also sent a strong message to the rest of the world that freedom-loving countries will never allow foreign governments to harbor or assist terrorists. EVAN GOULD Jacksonville, Fla.

The reason for France's continued sabotage of U.S. foreign policy, especially with regard to Afghanistan, Iraq and terrorism, is a deep fear of the Muslim and Arab world. France will probably become a Muslim country in the future. The spirit of the Vichy government during the German occupation that Krauthammer referred to has been reborn today in the form of France's appease-the-Muslims policy. VINCENT P. FLURY Miami

Instead of fewer than 20,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan and more than 135,000 in Iraq, there should have been 50,000 in Afghanistan and none in Iraq. Krauthammer shouldn't blame France for the dire situation in Afghanistan; France had nothing to do with it. RAFAEL MIRABAL-CONDE Caguas, Puerto Rico

Bringing the War Home

Re "The Hidden Scars of Battle" [July 12], on the postwar psychological disorders of veterans of the Iraq war: I know too well the effects on a family of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). My father is 88 years old and a World War II veteran. When I was about age 5, I noticed my father's strange behavior, but I didn't realize what was going on until I became a police officer and dealt with PTSD myself. My father still suffers panic attacks and explosive outbreaks. He finally decided to get help at age 82, but therapy groups did not work. The wounds were too deep. Speedy intervention is most important. The longer one waits, the harder it is to overcome PTSD. ADA LANA-SIMMS West Henrietta, N.Y.

Praise for Neopets

My daughter Wendy and I were interviewed for the article "Pitching It to Kids" [June 28], which addressed the way companies market products to children on game-playing websites like neopets.com My opinion of Neopets was misconstrued in this report. I do not think Neopets' advertising methods are sneaky. In fact, I think the Neopets site is pretty cool. I do not forbid my daughter to take online surveys, so long as I sit beside her to walk her through them. It is my responsibility to educate my child about advertising. I try to instill a healthy amount of skepticism in her because advertising is everywhere. CLANCY V. MENDOZA Atlanta