Opinion: For peace, Israel should end the occupation

On June 5, the Times published an editorial with the headline Last chance for Arafat, to which my only reaction was shock and dismay. It simply boggles the mind how such a responsible news outlet can misrepresent an entire conflict by choosing to ignore reality. Unfortunately, this has become characteristic of much of the American media, calling into question what conflict it is actually watching.

One exception, however, has been columnist Bill Maxwell, who on June 3 wrote a brilliant column(A place vs. people without a place), which I suggest the editors use for future reference.

The editorial suggests that it is Yasser Arafat who holds the keys to peace in the region, and by condoning the current violence, he is not fulfilling his responsibility as leader of the Palestinians. Never mind the fact that Arafat is seemingly a leader only in the eyes of the American and Israeli governments, or the fact that he has about as much control over the Palestinians as President Bush has over his children, the crux of the issue repeatedly has been neglected.

The international community, including the United States, has recognized that Israel is an occupying force in lands that simply do not belong to it. In fact, U.N. Security Council Resolution 242 calls for the immediate and unconditional withdrawal from these lands. Instead, it has subjected the occupied Palestinians to military rule, economic suffocation and apartheid policies, to which those of the old South Africa pale in comparison.

The "remarkable restraint" of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon that the editorial has lauded comes in stark contradiction to actual events. Just days ago and for the first time in history, F-16 fighter jets were used against civilian targets, supposedly to counter an act of terrorism. Granted, terrorism is inexcusable in all cases, but if the United States were to follow Israel's lead, American fighter planes should be dropping bombs on Wichita, Kan. -- the hometown of Timothy McVeigh. Perhaps the editors should clarify that by "remarkable restraint," they were probably referring to Sharon's disinclination toward bringing nuclear weapons into the conflict, since he has all but done that up to this stage.

Ultimately, it is the imperious aggressor in all situations that must take the first step toward achieving peace. In this case, Israel must respect international law and end the occupation, along with the unjust and inhumane treatment of the Palestinian people once and for all. Peace demands no less.
-- Abdullah Al-Arian, Tampa

Understanding what is wrong

Re: Tonys and terrorism, letter, June 7.

The letter writer, speaking of the recent "20 innocents" who died in Israel, says he is not sure what is wrong and he is not sure what can be made different. If he would really like to know what is wrong and how things can be made different, he should go and live under the brutal Israeli occupation that is considered illegal by most of the world, including the United States, and he would find out very fast why people are willing to die rather than live under it.

He would also find out that many more innocents on the other side of this tragic situation have died and have been severely injured trying to defend their lands, homes and lives.
-- Lujean Rogers, Oldsmar

Better off without Board of Regents

I have read, with a mix of both laughter and sadness, the recent deluge of articles concerning the abolition of our state Board of Regents. It comes as no surprise to me, as someone who has seen the workings of the board up close for two years, that there are those who wish to see it dissolved. It also comes as no surprise that there are those, mainly from the ideological left, who are steadfast in their support of an organization that has become an overinflated, megalomaniacal and burdensome sacred cow to the liberal establishment in Florida.

Case in point: While attending a Florida Student Association annual meeting in the fall of 1998, the then chancellor, Charles Reed, stated that Florida universities do not cost enough to attend. He went on further to state that while our educational achievements in science, math, chemistry, art and many other subjects are nationally recognized, it just does not cost students enough each year to go to our universities. Therefore, the board was raising tuition.

I do not believe that it is up to the taxpayers of Florida to finance every student in the state system. However, this action is the very sort of thing the board is famous for. In this case, it decided to raise tuition, not because the members felt it would add services or degree programs, but just "because we want to get on par with the national average in cost per student."

This is just one of many instances where the board is hopelessly out of touch with the vast differences in schools, both secondary and post-secondary. The Florida Board of Regents is another sponge through which the water of appropriations flow. It is an entity created to use money, to decide where money goes, after it receives that money, from a legislative body, designated to allocate money! The board, therefore, became the greatest example of a government program originating in the department of redundancy department.

I applaud Gov. Jeb Bush for recognizing that the millions upon millions spent each year simply to operate the board and have it meet in all 10 cities where our universities are located, can be better spent in the classroom on the students who need it and not serve to make a few liberals feel good.
-- Fred Piccolo Jr., University of Central Florida representative to the Florida Student Association, '98-'00, St. Petersburg

Accountability for criminals

Re: When life means life, June 3.

The upshot of this article? Those who are in prison for life will never ever commit another crime, will never assault, hurt, or kill a member of society.

That's a good thing.

The pity, of course, is all these wasted lives. But as a society, we must be firm in our resolve: If you commit a crime, you will do the time. It is a simple matter of accountability for one's actions. We must never waiver from this as it will send a signal to criminals that they can continue down the path of criminality knowing they will leave prison and commit crimes again.

You can talk about rehabilitation all you want, but recidivism rates for violent crimes are very high. I'd rather the state keep them locked up than take the personal risk of a chance encounter with any of them.

My only hope is that all parents/guardians of young kids grab this article, make their kids read it and then spend several hours discussing the implications of these violent actions. They should then spend the next several weekends visiting jails and police departments to see firsthand what goes on.

One last thing, rather than run an article like this in an attempt to elicit pity for these "lifers," why doesn't the Times run articles on the shattered lives of the families of the victims who suffered at the hands of these criminals?

It seems we place more importance on the rights of the criminal. How about placing some emphasis on what effect those criminals' actions have had on the dozens of people left behind to deal with the upheaval of their personal lives, their horrible loss of a loved family member and the shattered dreams of never seeing their loved ones at Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, etc?
-- Vilmar Tavares, Spring Hill

No sympathy

On Memorial Day we paid respect to those young men and women who gave their all to save this country for us.

Then on June 3 the Times ran a sympathetic front-page story about murdering children who now must pay for their actions. Those children made decisions that caused others such great pain. We must all pay for our actions, and the children in your story all knew they were thinking only of themselves.

Your story brought no sympathy at all from me. I threw the paper on the floor in disgust over your giving such prominent coverage to bad actions of these young criminals.
-- Marilyn Termeer, Clearwater

Stop focusing on painkiller

The articles on OxyContin's illegal use create a teapot tempest and serve no constructive purpose. Authorities, and especially the press, should realize the average patient with chronic pain finds it extremely difficult to obtain a prescription for any of the opioids, oxycodone, hydracodone (Vicodin) or OxyContin from average family practice or internist physicians who fear patient addiction, official criticism, license jeopardy, etc., and, hence, refuse the drug.

Recently I read articles in the Times about OxyContin's efficiency as a time-controlled pain medicine, the potent "high" and deaths caused by its intentional misuse (People in pain fear OxyContin backlash, May 27; Pain pill abuses increase, May 21; OxyContin deaths on rise, May 3). These stories included instruction in how to get an illegal OxyContin "intense high" -- very helpful to kids everywhere. Congratulations, Times, for printing this "news." OxyContin now may be curious teens' possible newest "high" or painless suicide weapon.

Authorities trying to cope with drug use of all kinds must realize pharmacy drug theft and forged prescriptions have always been problems with any drug that has a "high" potential. Quaaludes are an example. Other products commonly misused to get "high" are model-airplane glue, benzene, paint, Sterno, etc. Should they be removed from the market? Authorities should not restrict opioids and, specifically, OxyContin prescriptions because of these problems, nor should they intimidate pharmacists or physicians who try to make life livable for patients suffering chronic pain. Living every day with intense pain is a fate to be wished on no one.

If OxyContin is proscribed for the average physician, or so severely restricted to "pain-management specialists" or withdrawn from the market, thousands, perhaps millions of American chronic intense-pain sufferers who desperately need enough relief to be able to do even light work for a living will be devastated because of a comparatively few "high" cravers jousting with death.

It may not be too late, editors, to downplay the bleeding-heart articles critical of physicians prescribing other opioids, OxyContin or its possible danger. Unnecessary adverse publicity can cause authorities dealing with the misuse problem to take the easy cop-out -- limit its use to a few specialists or, worse, take it off the market.

If the rest of the press and the Times editors have any common sense (doubtful), now is the time to exhibit it. Chill out.
-- R.W. Grant, Weeki Wachee

A lucky family

Re: The Baby Bunch, June 3.

I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed the article by Dave Scheiber. I laughed and laughed. He made me remember my experiences giving birth.

This family is very lucky. You can feel the love as he writes. I am very happy for them, and wish them all well with the birth of this next child. Please keep him writing; we need more writers like this.
-- Sue Jennings, Largo

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