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Editor: “Coalition of the Willing” is a very good article. We need regional agreements but that means we have to listen to our allies even when it does not fit with our internal politics, particularly with regard to the big money lobbying of special interests. I just came back from a trip to Spain and England and both countries are now fed up and worried about their Muslim Immigrants, Moroccans in Spain and Pakistanis in England. Multiculturalism is out and "melting pot" is in so we are winning the battle of ideas. With regard to Iraq I have long thought partition is the only answer and that we should do it as a matter of policy with any country that supports terrorism. The missing ingredient seems to me to be Turkey. It is the basic model we need with a secular Islamic state which has industry and an economy capable of employing many of its people even if many leave. It is also the traditional imperial power in the region and perhaps we should go back to the Turkish provinces that existed before the British and French carved up the region. The key issue is the Kurds and the possible solution may be autonomy for oil. In other words Turkey grants more autonomy to the Kurds in its borders with possibly some boundary adjustments and in return gets preferential access to Kurdish oil.
Turkish army protection of the Northern pipeline would provide more oil to pay for this kind of a deal. Turkey also wants to get into the EU and the EU needs reliable energy supplies so there is some leverage there, which will require some deals with regard to Cyprus. The complexity of the situation and the need for local knowledge underlines your point with regard to regional solutions. Stephen Lord
Editor: Your "Coalition of the Willing" article is excellent! I thank you for it. I hope it gets out as far as possible. Get it into a mass circulation national newsmagazine. E
Editor: I want the job considered in “Coalition of the Willing” to be fought like it should be, period. That’s the only way I will continue to support the war—-and, believe it or not, I have until now. President Bush’s position will cost him and his party the election. His problem is not staying the course but changing it. But he will have to do it with a Democratic Congress because this is one Republican fed up with our kids being targets for the politicos. Bob Fitz
Editor: Donald Wildman’s “NBC Censors God’s Love”, was a great one. Thank you! The funny thing is that I am normally for censorship of all the bad words, scenes, dressing and sometimes not, negativity, anti-religion etc. How dare they try to sensor Christian work! I've seen the Veggie Tales and think they are great. The children need to be taught good behavior, reasoning, love for one another--these values are not being taught at home because both parents are working to have the SUV's, mansion, cell phones, movies and other high-tech gadgets, and popular trashy clothes for their kids and it is certainly not being taught in school. The show is in no way hurting anyone. It's about time someone says something about these networks that are anti-value oriented. Good luck to the author. I hope he places the article where more people can read it, and thanks again to you guys for letting us all read this. God Bless, Tara, a Virginia conservative
Editor: As far as Donald Wildman’s “NBC Censors God’s Love”, where is the petition to sign to the “corner-office commies” at NBC? Samuel Hill
Editor: I subscribe to dishnetwork so I don’t have to watch the twisted shows on network television. I wish I knew how to contact NBC and tell them why I will not watch their programming. My grandchild loves Veggie Tales and it is one of the few shows my daughter allows her to watch. Can we buy the contract from NBC and put it on a channel that allows it to be run as written? Why hasn’t one of the rich Republicans started a TV channel for the right, by surveys there are 70% Christian people in this country. With proper programming they could run the left out of business. Gene R Swank, a 56 year old father of 3.
Editor: Regarding Donald Wildman’s “NBC Censors God’s Love”, there should be a massive e-mailing and letter-writing push to get NBC to get real. Most people in the USA believe in God. Unfortunately the Hollywoodies don’t! Marilyn McCracken
Editor: I am a mom of 3 and it gets very hard to censor everything that comes down the pike. I am so tired of the fight with Nickelodeon, Disney and all the main stream media just so my kids can have something decent to watch. We watch Nick at Night and a lot of that is things I wasn't allowed to watch as a kid. My parents raised me to stand up for what I believe in and as an adult it has given me the strength to be discerning and steadfast in my stance. My girls are frustrated at times because it seems everything is bad or off limits. We believe if we explain why and give the foundation to stand firm as adults they to will not be ashamed of what they believe. I think the reason why many people don't say anything is because they don't know what to say. They are angry and frustrated but just feel overwhelmed. Audra from Wichita, Kansas
Editor: Thanks for the great article by Donald Wildman on NBC censoring Veggie Tales. NBC joins the BBC in political and anti religious bias. The difference seems just now to be that BBC has admitted its bias. Mike
Editor: I wonder what the ACLU would think of the situation explained by Daniel Pipes in “Shari’a in Minneapolis.” This is special government accommodation of a specific religious belief. If it were something being done for those of the Christian belief, I bet they would jump on it with all four feet. Thanks, C. Allmon
Editor: Thank you for printing Daniel Pipes’ column, “Shari’a in Minneapolis.” I wish this were in the NY Times and on the evening news. Does this mean Catholic Pharmacists don't have to dispense the "morning after pill" or birth control pills of any kind? Having taxis that refuse to take passengers with alcohol go to the back of the line is like many of us who have to swallow our convictions to live in today’s society. If one feels strongly about a belief it is up to them to stand by it. If this were to happen many times to the same driver maybe they would find another way to make a living, like others who choose not to work in a field that isn't consistent with their beliefs.
Vickie Swenson
Editor: The situation explained by Daniel Pipes in his “Shari’a in Minneapolis” is a mistake of huge proportions. You can bet they would not give such a concession to any Christian grievance. John J. Connors, Jr., Memphis, TENN.
Editor: Regarding Daniel Pipes’ “Shari’a in Minneapolis” this is the USA. If Muslims do not like our laws, etc., leave. It is their problem not this country's problem. I am with Australia. We do not live by Muslim Law and asking them to like it or get out of the country. WM F & S C Thompson
Editor: I wonder what the American Civil Liberties Union will do with the issue of accommodating Muslim cab drivers in Daniel Pipes’ “Shari’a in Minneapolis?” Stay silent? They, the ACLU, don't fail to be bigots against our Catholic religion, statues, etc. Tom Roman
Editor: Vincent Fiore managed to sum up everything in his "The They Are Worse Strategy" article. While I have always been a conservative/moderate Republican, I am absolutely disgusted with the entire party (really, both sides of the aisle). I'm sick to death of the scandals, the waste and the general apathy of our so called representatives. Sooner or later they (in this case the Republicans) will pay the price...I just don't think it will be in this election. Why does this cycle keep repeating itself? I think it's because if you are not "dirty" going in, you'll surely be "dirty" by the time you come out. I guess that's inevitable when you vote your own pay increases, travel all over the place on the taxpayers' dime, and get your own personal retirement system. In conclusion, after this election, it will probably be "same old, same old". Yet again, voters will be casting votes for their perception of the 'least of all evils" rather than a candidate we can be proud of and respect. Michelle Miller, Cincinnati
Editor: Yes, I agree with Carey Roberts that “Feminization of Poverty” is a myth. You see I have been around all of this stuff all of my life. I am almost 55 years old, have been divorced once, had to pay child support, and to my surprise, people can not see all of this and if they do, they overlook the fact that whether or not it is the woman’s fault the man usually pays. The court systems deny the fact that it could be the woman’s fault and in about 90% of the cases I have seen the man has to pay! They can take it out of his check from work, or take him to Court. The woman can go on welfare plus a check from the court systems for child support. They get a boy friend and tell him they will not get married as it will hurt their check. The man in most instances that I have seen ends in poverty, as he has to keep up the insurance, at work, plus pay child support or he goes to jail! The system is making it too easy to get a divorce, and it is being taken advantage. That is why a lot of men will never take a second chance at getting married. It is getting the same way in businesses. If you say anything to a woman, and they take it the wrong way, she can get a man for it, and a man can either lose his job or be sued for discrimination, or both. Men have to watch what they say--now who is at the poverty level? RJ
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