Letters

The Dawn of the Universe

Our look back to what astronomers call the Dark Ages--the era between the Big Bang and the birth of stars--provoked awe at the ability to peer through such vast expanses of time and space. Some readers said scientists have reached beyond their data, while others found an affirmation of God's work

I'm so glad that your astronomy cover story about the first stars [Sept. 4] dealt with what we astronomers really do rather than the mere semantic debate over whether Pluto is a planet or a dwarf planet. Michael Lemonick wonderfully conveyed the feeling of using a big telescope and showed how astronomers work together observing in different parts of the spectrum to gain a picture of that early stage of our universe.

JAY M. PASACHOFF DIRECTOR, HOPKINS OBSERVATORY WILLIAMS COLLEGE Williamstown, Mass.

The article on the birth of the stars a breath of fresh air at a time when too many people are busy counting planets on the head of a pin. The ongoing scientific discovery of the unfolding of our early universe is far more important for people to understand than how to divide the solar system into sheep and goats. Our connection to those early epochs is not just academic. Many of the oxygen atoms we inhale were forged in those very first stars.

JAMES SWEITZER, PH.D. SCIENCE COMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANTS Oak Park, Ill.

Your story explained that even though light was created at the Big Bang, there was darkness before stars formed. Likewise, the first chapter of Genesis states that God created light before he created the stars, and separated light from darkness in the interim. Not too many years ago, some people said the Bible's account of the beginning could not be true because light comes from stars, which could not have been created after light was. Now your article has shown how it could be true. Science has once again caught up with the Bible.

SARA BORDEN Maple Valley, Wash.

Thanks for the reminder that earth is but a small grain of sand on the beach when compared with the size of the known universe. I don't think people give much thought to how insignificant we are in that respect. I was intrigued by the scientific community's fascinating discoveries of what happened after the Big Bang. I'm staying tuned.

VINCENT M. CARINI Lyndhurst, N.J.

Having a basic understanding of Albert Einstein's work with light waves, physics and quantum mechanics, I find it difficult to believe that we really can tell the distance that light has traveled when we perceive it. I don't believe in the Big Bang any more than I buy the parting of the Red Sea. The supposed noise from the Big Bang could just be noise from everyday creation and destruction occurring in the universe. Unfortunately, a lot of science and religion has evolved into fantasies that provide grandiose explanations for questions that might never be answered.

RICHARD THOMAS Rowlett, Texas

The evolution of the universe from a random distribution of elementary particles into elements, compounds, stars, planets and complex life forms seems to fly in the face of the laws of physics, which call for constantly increasing entropy and disorder. There is apparently a force in the universe working toward order rather than disorder. Could we call that force intelligent design?

BRUCE HERBERT McLean, Va.

The Toughness Test

"The End Of Invincibility" [Sept. 4] illustrated the difficulty of achieving peace in the Middle East. Once again a leader has failed the toughness test, and his people are ready to make him pay a political price. But Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert cannot destroy Hizballah any more than President George W. Bush can destroy all terrorists. Here in the U.S. we criticize the President for leading us into a quagmire in Iraq, but if he had not responded to the 9/11 attacks as strongly as he did, perhaps we would have reacted like Israel's army reservists did and demanded that he step down. Peace in the Middle East will come only when each side develops the ability to empathize with its leaders as well as its hated enemies.

HWUN-YEE CHEN San Francisco

Your report referred to a Palestinian minister who took Israel to task for not recognizing Arabs as equals and for seeking military solutions instead of political ones. What political solutions did he have in mind? The Palestinians elected Hamas to lead them, and the heroes of the Lebanese are their Hizballah warlords. Both Hamas and Hizballah are loudly and proudly dedicated to the destruction of Israel.

STEVE DAVID Richboro, Pa.

Ripples of Change in China

Sorrow and rage grew in equal measure as I read Hannah Beech's unsettling account of the Chinese government's persecution of legal activist Chen Guangcheng [Sept. 4]. Disgust threatened to turn to despair. What hope is there for individuals like Chen, outgunned and outnumbered? But then I recalled the words that novelist Lu Xun wrote 85 years ago, at the end of his short story My Old Home: "Hope cannot be said to exist, nor can it be said not to exist. It is just like roads across the earth. For actually the earth had no roads to begin with, but when many men pass one way, a road is made." A pebble cast in the water may seem insignificant, but it creates ripples. Some ripples become waves, and some waves become tsunamis.

PAUL LAI Longwood, Fla.

Cruelty on a Cracker

"Banned: Fine Food And Fun" [Sept. 4], which referred to Chicago's foie-gras ban as a "loopy law," was disturbingly glib. Foie-gras production is excruciating for geese and ducks, which are force-fed through a tube inserted into their throats. Those that do not prematurely die in the process of being overfed become grossly overweight, and they struggle to walk, stand up, even breathe. It is not Chicago's new law that is outrageous but the inhumane luxury it prohibits.

OWEN LUBOZYNSKI Minneapolis, Minn.

In mocking Chicago's newly enacted foie-gras ban, your writer insults not only the compassionate individuals who worked to pass this law but also the vast majority of U.S. citizens--nearly 80% of whom, according to a Zogby poll, support an end to foie-gras production. More than a dozen countries and the state of California have passed laws prohibiting this cruel practice. Far from being frivolous, Chicago's law codifies the humane values that we as a society purport to believe in.

GENE BAUSTON PRESIDENT, FARM SANCTUARY Watkins Glen, N.Y.

Too Much Homework?

Claudia Wallis' essay "The Myth About Homework" [Sept. 4] cited studies that say homework makes kids hate learning. As a mother of four, I feel that homework not only dampens the flame of curiosity but is also the most aggressive foe of quality family time. Back in junior high school, I had a teacher who didn't assign homework. One day I asked him why. He said, "If I am doing the work I was hired to do, then my students shouldn't have homework." I agreed with him then, and I still do. We should be able to enjoy our children's company without the infringement of work that should be left in the classroom at the end of the school day.

MARIA O. PERRY Elizabethton, Tenn.

I hope my 10-year-old son doesn't read the article by Wallis. He'd think substituting 30 minutes of practice with 30 minutes of play would be less damaging to his interest in learning to play the piano. Of course, what he wouldn't understand is that it would also prevent him from learning to play the piano.

ROY JOHNSON Ortonville, Mich.

Pure Play

It was good to read Michelle Cottle's "This Essay Will Help Your Kid Get Ahead" [Sept. 4] on the baby-genius racket. As a day-care educator, I am required to explain the educational benefits of the activities that I make available to the children. For those of you who feel better about your child's toys when they come with extravagant developmental claims on the box, here's all you will ever need to know: children learn through play. Parents should stop focusing on making their kids into overachievers and just play with them.

LINDA MERCIER St. Bruno, Que. Pluto Farewell

Being a big fan of lighthearted commentary, I took great pleasure in reading Jeffrey Kluger's Essay "Get Pluto out of Here!" [Aug. 28]. It has been quite a while since something as serious as the size of our solar system brought a smile to my face. His Essay was a wonderfully simple explanation of the problem surrounding Pluto's definition as the ninth planet, as well as a warning of the dangers of overthinking that and other, less important issues.

ALBERT AUKEMA Pretoria, South Africa

Islam in America

Re Peter Skerry's viewpoint on why most U.S. Muslims aren't jihadists [Aug. 21]: While the U.S. has a history of being a land of immigrants, Europe does not. Americans have a strong sense of patriotism and commitment to faith, attributes most Europeans gave up after World War II. The U.S. has a justice system with very clear guidelines; Europe tries to be tolerant but perhaps ends up being ignorant. The different systems attract different sorts of immigrants and influence their role in society. But the biggest problem is that Europe is trying to "explain" and "understand" Muslim terrorism, while the U.S. just fights it.

CHRIS SCHAARDEN Amsterdam

Skerry overlooked the recent alleged homegrown terrorist attacks in Toronto. Canadian Muslims are well educated, with many living in the suburbs of a country with religious freedom. The Canadian experience in Toronto has great relevance to the U.S., not to cause widespread panic but to be at least considered in theories about how Muslims adapt to North American communities.

MATT NELSON Toronto

Skerry asserts that European countries have disaffected Muslim populations because of "the U.S.'s enduring emphasis on religious liberty." I do not believe Britain to be any less accommodating to people of faith. British people want Muslims to participate in our society. But a majority of Muslims in this country prefer to build walls instead of bridges and regard our culture with disdain.

TIM BECKERLEY London

Can We Be Secure Enough?

Your article about the challenge of living with the unforeseen risks of terrorist attacks [Aug. 21] made it plain that there is so much concern about what passengers cannot carry on airlines that we seem to have lost sight of the problem of cargo security. Since anything can now be secreted in a toothpaste tube, isn't there a higher risk of a small bomb's being placed in the cargo hold? A big bribe put in the hands of a baggage handler might be enough to do it.

CHADWICK HALL London

The U.S. government keeps Americans in a perpetual state of fear because citizens are more easily manipulated when they are in that condition. The same thing happens in Britain to a degree. As long as there is any kind of threat, our governments are going to seize the opportunity to pass draconian measures to control the population. As long as they can convince us that the threat is severe enough, we are going to willingly give up our freedoms. What they seem to have lost sight of is that government is there to serve the people, not the other way round.

GRIMBLE GROMBLE Melksham, England

You asked, "How much risk are we willing to live with?" I would feel safe if Britain detached itself from U.S. foreign policy; if Palestinians were given their own state and it was supported by the West to the same degree as the state of Israel is supported; if we opened a respectful dialogue with the states of the Middle East; if we stopped supporting corrupt Arab regimes; and if Muslim leaders in Britain were making it sufficiently clear in the public forum that the taking of any human life is evil.

JIM MCCLUSKEY Twickenham, England

Roots of Rage

TIME wrote about Islamic discontent fomenting in Britain [Aug. 21]. It is tiring to hear Muslims blaming terrorism on British and American foreign policy. That is the lamest excuse, and going off on some guilt trip, as some Westerners do, is unfortunate. As an African, my brethren and I did not find it tempting to engage in terrorism in the trying periods of apartheid, slavery, colonialism or the civil rights movement. It's time Western societies recognize an excuse when they hear one, otherwise the threatening boast of the mullahs--the forced Islamization of the West--will become a reality sooner than anyone can imagine.

BOMA GOGO Bonny Island, Nigeria The Other Two-Wheeler

I read with interest your recent report about the innovative Segway scooter [Aug. 21]. It is without a doubt an elegant invention, but I do not understand why I should spend nearly $5,000 on something that has no advantage over a good bicycle, which is inexpensive, environmentally friendly and provides good exercise, with no battery to charge.

ALBERTO FUMAGALLI Carugate, Italy