Letters

Rap Superstar Kanye West

Our profile of Kanye West brought kudos for his sampling of soulful artists as he spins the hip-hop nation away from gangsta rap. His statement, however, at a Hurricane Katrina fund raiser about President Bush and race--two weeks after he appeared on the cover--got a decidedly more mixed response

Your cover story on hip-hop musician Kanye West [Aug. 29] was a brave and smart choice. You gave insights into who he is and, more important, why we should care. West does everything a true musical artist should do: write, produce and perform. He not only employs the traditional hip-hop technique of sampling but also uses samples of influential artists like Nina Simone, Shirley Bassey, Marvin Gaye and Luther Vandross. West's songs pay homage to the origins of hip-hop and give today's generation a chance to hear legendary musicians.

JUSTIN LI

Ottawa

In the same week, I received two great things in my mailbox: season tickets to the opera and TIME featuring Kanye West on the cover. While I don't profess to be an expert on opera and hip-hop is far from my typical genre, I do know what I like--music that awakens a deeply emotional chord in my being. West's The College Dropout rotates in my CD player between operas by Puccini and Bizet. His lyrics and music are soul baring and thought provoking, and they speak to the human spirit the way great opera does.

ROBERTA A. SHOULBERG

Neshaminy Valley, Pa.

Who cares about Kanye West except other hip-hoppers? I'll bet most of your subscribers have never heard of him.

HOMER C. LAMBORN

Redding, Calif.

I always hear snobby people dismiss hip-hop as trash. Although I am offended by what they say, I am forced to admit that sometimes it is true. Since the death of Tupac Shakur nine years ago, the hip-hop industry has just been spitting out meaningless raps over catchy beats. Thank you, Kanye, for putting life back into hip-hop. And thank you, TIME, for bringing well-deserved media coverage to West's music. Now the public knows there is still hope for hip-hop.

AARON PYON

South Pasadena, Calif.

Your article on West enlightened me about his background and views of rapping. He shows the class, intellect and business ethic of African Americans. As a white teacher in an urban setting, I am pleased to see a role model for many of my students who aspire to become rappers. You don't need to be a drug-dealing thug to rap!

KATRINA MAURER

Holyoke, Mass.

While I appreciated your story on the musical talents of West, did you really need to go so far as to call him a "class act"? You noted that West dropped out of college and made something of himself. Kids are going to read that and think they can do it too. But that isn't classy, just lucky. And what about West's lyrics? He claims he tried not to use nigga, but he does--frequently. Perhaps West should have done the classy thing and stuck to his convictions. Just because a man wears a Polo shirt and wingtips, that does not make him a class act.

BRIE DAIGLE

Melbourne, Fla.

I wouldn't call West's stunt on NBC's hurricane benefit, in which he attacked the government and President Bush, very classy. Our first priority should be rescue and recovery. West is certainly entitled to his opinion, but there's a time and place for that, and his platform came a bit too early.

CHRIS BARNES

Emmaus, Pa.

As the fund-raiser episode clearly showed, West is not a class act. He is out of touch with the reality of the situation in New Orleans. Now is not the time to play the race card. Kanye, please sit down, shut up and get out your wallet.

RICK ANDERSON

Nashua, N.H.

The pictures of people dying say worlds about the President and his Administration. Bush can make speeches and try to show leadership, but as Kanye West said, "George Bush doesn't care about black people." Uncaring the President was.

ALICIA BREWSTER

New York City

Supporting Our Troops

In his column "The Danger of Yellow Ribbon Patriotism" [Aug. 29], Joe Klein stated that there needs to be public acknowledgment of the agony the war in Iraq has caused. He noted that our troops just want our support. But we Americans can't provide that by wrapping ourselves in the flag, listening to patriotic songs and labeling others un-American. We need to make sure the troops have the right equipment and protection while their families back home have assistance if they need it. If there aren't enough supporters of the war willing to make the sacrifice of enlisting in the military, then the President should find a diplomatic solution to this situation and get out of Iraq as soon as possible.

LAURA CROWLEY

Scottsdale, Ariz.

I returned from Fallujah at the end of March. One of the hardest parts about coming home was facing the almost total lack of awareness by Americans that their country is at war. I will return to Iraq within a year for my second tour of duty. I know we are at war. That's why I went back into the reserves after being out for seven years. I know the U.S. must stay the course in Iraq and win. I know we are making huge inroads and having amazing successes because I've seen them. I just wish the rest of America were aware of them.

JODIE SWEEZEY, CAPTAIN

U.S. MARINE CORPS RESERVE

Arlington, Va.

Some of us have not been lulled into a coma of patriotic contentment as Klein suggests. Every time the newspaper publishes the names of our servicemen and -women killed in Iraq, I read them aloud. I say the names of the fallen to acknowledge their lives and their deaths. I am calling the roll of the dead that this President must answer for.

KARYN J. POWERS

Wausau, Wis.

As a military wife, I was touched to see Klein's article. It is almost as if we wives were living in a world different from other Americans'. We live with sheer terror 24/7 while our husbands are deployed in Iraq. Yet the rest of the country keeps on enjoying freedom and spoiled lifestyles. Thank you for recognizing what we "ghosts" are experiencing and for giving us a voice.

AMI RAGGIO

Camp Lejeune, N.C.

I fly the flag, put SUPPORT THE TROOPS decals on my cars and talk to my children about the brave men and women who are fighting for our country. I know these efforts are superficial, but I'm at a loss as to what else I can do to show my appreciation. If I were an entertainer, I would be over there; if I were a defense contractor, I would work overtime; if I were a politician, I would make sure the troops had everything they needed for their mission. But I'm none of those. I am just an American citizen whose love and gratitude run deep but I'm afraid far too silently to make a difference to those who really matter.

MICHAEL DEZONNA

Arlington Heights, Ill.

Klein said antiwar protestor Cindy Sheehan and her group have "struck a chord, despite her naive politics and the ideology of some of her supporters." Perhaps in a year or two we will read in TIME about the "naive use of power and politics" by the Bush Administration.

RICHARD SPOTSWOOD

Chicago

Cocktails on Campus

In his Essay "How Bingeing Became the New College Sport" [Aug. 29], Barrett Seaman suggests that the drinking age be lowered to 18 or 19. Finally, an adult who has the right idea about teenagers! Too many of Seaman's peers think the problem of teenage drinking can be handled by making it illegal to drink until age 21. But any adult who assumes that a law can prevent teen drinking is naive. Teenagers, especially the 18- and 19-year-old group, do not need to be protected by adults; they need to be taught how to protect themselves. Maybe then the dangerous experimentation by teenagers with alcohol will be curtailed.

JAY MCCORMICK

North Haven, Conn.

Lowering the drinking age only lowers the bingeing age. In Britain, where I attend university, I have observed a culture of bingeing by 14- and 15-year-olds. Do we really want to move the problem from colleges into our high schools or even into middle schools?

MOLLY DEATHERAGE

La Grande, Ore.

Children in Charge

In the excerpt you published of the book Crash Course by Chris Whittle [Aug. 29], he argues that putting children in charge of their own learning will improve our schools. Whittle envisions children organizing their own school day in classrooms with larger numbers of students; children contributing to the functioning of the school; children capable of tremendous focus and responsibility. As a parent of a former Montessori student, I can tell you that Whittle is describing a typical Montessori classroom. When we teach our children to think, to process and to be accountable for their own learning, they succeed. Montessori has been doing that for years.

LORRAINE SEAMAN

Channahon, Ill.