Inbox

The Dalai Lama's Greatest Trial

I was deeply moved by Pico Iyer's "A Monk's Struggle" [March 31]. Despite the Dalai Lama's half-century of exile and the erosion of Tibetan culture because of the Chinese occupation of Tibet, the Buddhist leader maintains his lucid and compassionate vision. The fact that, in the face of Chinese oppression, he sees the advantages of China's modernizing influence and envisions an autonomous Tibet within Chinese borders is a testament to his infinite wisdom. If our next President and other world leaders could emulate the Dalai Lama's compassionate politics, the war on terrorism and the endless struggle for hegemony could be replaced by a more evolved multilateralism. John Joseph, BOULDER, COLO.

Obama's Achilles' Heel?

Senator Barack Obama has previously told us that words matter, and the venomous, vitriolic and racially divisive words of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright are fraught with meaning of the most disturbing kind [March 31]. As your story observed, Obama failed to answer the central question that troubled American voters are asking: Why would Obama choose Wright to be his spiritual guide and personal mentor? And if Obama's candidacy is about the future, why would he expose his young daughters to such poisonous rhetoric of the past? Although he delivered his speech with his usual grace and eloquence, it's what he didn't say that may speak volumes about his character and judgment. David M. Petrou, WASHINGTON

It is pastors like Wright who keep blacks down spiritually and economically. The poor folks who belong to churches like Wright's have no idea that the hate and damnation are dooming them to a hell of their own making. Wright's church is Christian? Jesus never taught that stuff. Susan Abernethy, SAN DIEGO

Obama addressed the wright "problem" before it assumed crisis proportions. In doing so, he displayed a clarity and depth of vision that I have not witnessed in any other politician during my lifetime. His speech was courageous and honest. Above all, it showed remarkable faith in our nation's ability to see in shades of gray rather than black and white. If this is an indication of how he would handle the presidency, I say hallelujah and amen. Farhat Biviji, CHERRY HILL, N.J.

Market Challenges

Concerning Justin Fox's "triple-A trouble" [March 24]: Standard & Poor's ratings bring an independent voice and transparency to the market to help facilitate access to capital. We have rigorous policies in place to support the independence of our ratings--which are based on consistently applied criteria--and we recently announced additional measures. A triple-A rating represents our opinion that a security or issuer has extremely strong capacity to meet its financial commitments. While the valuation of many triple-A structured securities has fallen heavily, very few triple-A securities (less than 0.1% originally given that rating by S&P since 1978) have defaulted, which is what our ratings speak to. We have learned a great deal from recent market challenges and will continue to work to support the effective functioning of global credit markets. Vickie Tillman, Executive Vice President, Standard & Poor's, NEW YORK CITY

Drying Out

"Postcard: Lake Mead" told how that reservoir is shrinking while thirsty Las Vegas continues to grow [March 31]. It is the same in my state: developers build new homes, and new homeowners buy in water-short areas. Is this optimism or folly? David Abraham, ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.

Although Tucson residents are instructed to conserve water every summer, the city approves more subdivisions and vacation resorts with the obligatory water parks and golf courses. Gini Brydle, TUCSON, ARIZ.

Please recycle this magazine and remove inserts or samples before recycling