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© St. Petersburg Times, published November 4, 2001
One of the most interesting exercises we undertake in my human rights and international law class at Eckerd College is to identify the many ways in which all of the great religious traditions share a universal interest in the integrity and dignity of all persons. Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Christianity and Islam all celebrate the worth of the individual and the duty toward other people who suffer without distinction. To a large degree, the "universality" of international human rights is a product of this global religious heritage.
It was therefore startling and disturbing to read the misleading denunciation of Islam by Michael Skube (Either you are believer or infidel, Oct. 28). Skube's diatribe reflects a dangerous ignorance of Islam which can only inflame attitudes of intolerance toward Muslims.
The tenets of Islam include the centrality of charity, lifting the burdens of those less fortunate. The Koran promotes matters of justice, personal safety, freedom, the sanctity of life, mercy, compassion and respect for all human beings. Religious scholars have noted that Islam teaches the absolute equality among races and that religious toleration should be guaranteed. Mohammed, for example, declared that, "Jews [and later Christians] . . . shall be protected from all insults and vexations; they shall have an equal right with our own people . . . and shall practice their religion as freely as the Muslims." At least one scholar has declared this to be "the first charter of freedom of conscience in human history."
It is fraudulent and dishonest for Skube to describe the "very nature" of Islam "to be one of intolerance." It is bewildering that the St. Petersburg Times would highlight these falsehoods by featuring Skube's deceptions as the feature in Sunday's Perspective. It is the height of irresponsibility for the Times to publish lies of this magnitude at a time when our nation is at war, not with Islam, but with demagogues and inhuman terrorists.
-- Dr. William Felice, associate professor, Eckerd College
The article Either you are believer or infidel by Michael Skube finally calls "a spade a spade." Islam exhibits a frightful intolerant streak -- not just at times, but all the time. Yes, it's very nature is intolerance, and the sooner that the government and the Bush administration and those in charge of this "new war" understand this, then the sooner we can get the job done.
As an American Israeli, just returning from living in Israel, for the past 19 years, I am especially suspicious and skeptical over the final outcome of this war in Afghanistan. I want us to win. Like most Americans, I believe in America's military abilities, but I am afraid that America's mind-set is "too soft" on Islam.
I have heard this all before. Ten years ago in Israel, when we were putting on our gas masks and hiding in our sealed rooms and bomb shelters under 39 missile attacks, we thought we would not have to deal with Saddam Hussein in the future. The rhetoric was the same then as it is today. We hear glowing reports of great victories in Afghanistan. Day after day the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the generals are interviewed by all the networks telling of our strength and power. I heard this all before.
The bottom line? Hussein is still alive and doing well. Will Osama bin Laden still be alive and doing well when America and England pull out? This remains to be seen.
-- Hela Crown-Tamir, Tarpon Springs
Re: America and the Brits are all alone in this war, Oct. 28.
Thomas Friedman's brilliant column, reprinted from the New York Times, puts a realistic view on the so-called "coalition." Middle Eastern Arab countries are partners against terror in name only, for the most part. These regimes could be vital contacts in the war against terrorism -- but few of them are willing to give us the benefit of their intelligence.
Their support is lukewarm at best. Let's not see these countries through rose-colored glasses or wishful thinking.
-- Eleanor G. Steier, Oldsmar
Re: America and the Brits are all alone in this war, Oct. 28.
Thomas Friedman makes an issue out of the fact that the United States is alone in its "war against terrorism." He writes that only Britain is with us. You only need one true friend, and the United States has two, one of which it seems to walk over any time it wants.
Israel was the first nation to offer the United States unconditional support in intelligence, materiel and personnel. But fearing that the "moderate" Arab states, our fair-weather friends and unreliable allies, would leave the coalition, Israel's offer was refused. Instead, our policymakers asked the Jewish state to absorb terror and then tried to tie its hands from responding so as not to offend the Arab states (as if Israel's actions have any bearing on the "fair-weather" coalition).
It is not that we are all alone; it is Israel that is truly alone.
Friedman also contends that "Israel is with us provided we never question the lunacy of 7,000 Israeli colonial settlers living in the middle of a million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip." First, Israel has offered its unconditional support to the war on terrorism. Second, the settlements Friedman writes about were offered to the Palestinian Authority as part of a peace agreement, and we all know where that went. Besides, when peace comes to the region, why should it matter if some Israelis live in the Palestinian territory? After all, more than 1-million Arabs now live in Israel proper.
Long after the Saudi "royals" and Syrian dictators and Iraqi tyrants have been swept from the stage by the same radicals bent on our destruction, Israel will be there, waiting for its fair-weather friend to call upon it.
-- Amy and Bruce Epstein, Pinellas Park
As a young Marine in 1944, I and 3,000 other Marines were joined to the 3rd Marine Division on Guam. We began training to hit Iwo Jima. In January 1945, Adm. Bull Halsey and his 3rd Fleet shelled and shelled Iwo Jima for six weeks. The Japanese were dug in; some of their tunnels were 100 and 200 feet deep, with offices and even first aid stations. The shelling did little or no good. We landed on Iwo on Feb. 19 and as you know we got slaughtered.
My point (from a 76-year-old man) is that the bombing by our Air Force in Afghanistan is accomplishing two things. One: It is turning the entire population against us. Two: It is wasting a lot of our tax money. As on Iwo Jima, we have to go in with ground troops with armored bulldozers and tanks with flame throwers, going foot by foot sealing each and every cave as we go. That is, of course, if we really want to take Afghanistan. Bombing and killing civilians is putting us in the same category as the terrorists.
-- George J. Colburn, Spring Hill
Martin Dyckman's column of Oct. 14 (FAA failings are many) hit the nail on the head: The FAA will remain a do-nothing entity as long as it has a dual mandate -- to both regulate and promote aviation. It will remain a hostage to the airline industry.
The FAA is often called "the tombstone agency," because the people there don't act until a major disaster and public outrage forces them to do so. Their reluctance to implement National Transportation Safety Board recommendations is due, in part, to airline pressure.
There's no longer any reason for the FAA to "promote" commercial aviation. Congress should remove this mandate and make regulating aviation and implementing NTSB recommendations the FAA's sole responsibilities.
As long as the FAA is beholden to the airline industry's "bottom line," it will continue to drag its feet on safety regulations that would force the airlines to spend money. Sadly, the FAA shares responsibility for the Sept. 11 catastrophes.
-- Lou A. Murphy, Kenneth City
Re: McVeigh's defense cost U.S. $15-million, Oct. 28.
Has this nation lost its sense of values or just gone crazy? The taxpayers pony up $15-million to a law firm to defend an admitted terrorist guilty of killing hundreds of innocent civilians and destroying a federal building.
Hopefully, we won't capture any of the Sept. 11 terrorists alive or the United States will go broke paying for their defense.
-- R. Biggers, Clearwater
Re: Recycling the ruins, a way for city to recoup, Oct. 21.
Thank you for this item. I feel such comfort knowing that so many parts of the rubble will be used in many more building projects. To me, it means there will be many partial memorials to the victims of the World Trade Center terrorist attack.
I have sent a copy to my granddaughter who works and lives 14 blocks from the tragedy and saw the second tower hit. I'm also saving a copy for my son, Mark, who works in West Africa and gets most of his news from the BBC radio.
-- Frances J. Whitney, St. Petersburg
A tip of this old photographer's cap to Jamie Francis, one of your staff photographers. His images of Pakistan (Caught in the middle, Oct. 28) are right up there with the best of today's news photography; I have never seen better in your paper; seldom have I seen even the equal.
-- John G. Nash, Homosassa