Perspective: Palestinians can make peace happen

In his Dec. 16 column, Bill Maxwell argues that the United States should cut all aid to Israel, its closest ally in the Middle East, because it severed its ties with Yasser Arafat. Doesn't Maxwell believe that Israel is entitled to defend itself from terrorists?

If the Palestinians want free access to the roads that go through Israel, perhaps they should stop using those roads to transport terrorists who kill Israeli children in Jerusalem. If Palestinians want access to jobs and medical services in Israel, perhaps they should stop blocking Israeli buses and murdering their occupants. If the Palestinians want free access to education in Israeli universities, perhaps they should stop teaching the destruction of Israel to their children.

How can Maxwell criticize Israel for "discounting the humanity" of Palestinians, when it is the Palestinians who are encouraging their children to commit suicide in order to take innocent people with them. Aren't they discounting their own humanity?

Palestinians can have peace today. It is totally within their control. All they need to do is stop their campaign of terrorism. Maxwell seems to ignore this basic fact. Instead, he is blaming Israel, the victim of terrorism, and suggests they be punished for attempting to defend themselves.

Maxwell's column is outrageous. Who can blame Israel for severing ties with Arafat? Arafat could destroy Hamas and other terrorists groups if he really wanted to. Instead he has allowed them to continue to exist in Palestinian territory. Just as the United States attacked Afghanistan for harboring terrorists, Israel is justified in doing the same.
-- Eric E. Ludin, Largo

Withhold U.S. aid

I commend Bill Maxwell for his article, U.S. should reconsider its aid to Israel. He truly understands the Palestinian-Israeli crisis and has the courage to tell it like it is.

Since 1967 Israel has built hundreds of illegal settlements and in 1978 and 1982 illegally invaded Lebanon resulting in the deaths of thousands of Lebanese and Palestinians. The United States imposed no sanctions against Israel. U.S. aid continues to flow and support a brutal occupation.

In the past year, nearly 1,000 Palestinians have died and thousands more have been injured with Israel's military siege of the West Bank and Gaza. How can civilians with only a police force protect themselves from an army with bombers, gunships and tanks?

The Palestinian quest for freedom from occupation and for human dignity and rights is no different from that of our American patriots in their struggle against the British, except that Palestinian subjugation has been longer lasting, more severe and more brutal. The phenomena of suicide bombers may actually be an expression of Patrick Henry's sentiments when he uttered his famous, "Give me liberty, or give me death!"

We should immediately withdraw our aid to Israel until it ceases its occupation, recognizes the independence of a viable Palestinian state with full rights, and dismantles illegal Israeli settlements. Had we taken this important measure in the past, we could have brought about a more just peace settlement by now.

I urge every American who supports the cause of freedom and justice to send letters to their congressmen and President Bush to stop aid to Israel now!
-- Pilar Saad, Tampa

An obvious bias

Re: U.S. should reconsider aid to Israel.

Bill Maxwell should stop expounding his views on the Israeli-Palestinian situation. His knowledge of the complicated problems is minimal, his judgment is flawed and his bias is obvious.

There are many subjects around Florida with which he is more familiar and on which he may be able to contribute to our better understanding. But he should stop opining about the Middle East -- his thoughts and words are irrelevant.
-- Richard S. Steier, Oldsmar

A courageous column

I applaud Bill Maxwell for his courage in calling for a re-examination of our policies of providing financial aid and unquestioning support to Israel.

The United States again used its veto power earlier this month to block a U.N. resolution condemning terrorist acts by both Israel and the Palestinians and calling for a Middle East truce. Palestinian spokeswoman Hanan Ashrawi says that this veto gives Israel a free hand to continue attacking defenseless, besieged Palestinians. It closes off any appeal for help to the United Nations against the U.S.-provided military might of Israel.

I was glad to see Maxwell speak out, but even he probably realizes it won't do much good. The Israeli lobby in Washington, D.C., is powerful and exercises complete control over the U.S. Congress in matters affecting Israel. President Bush couldn't reduce aid to Israel, even if he wanted to. And Prime Minister Ariel Sharon knows this.
-- Joseph A. Mahon, St. Petersburg

Moving beyond Vines

The recent unfortunate situation that caused St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker to terminate Mack Vines from the position of police chief was indeed regrettable. It was regrettable because Vines had only been back in the job as chief of police for 10 weeks. However, Mayor Baker was elected to make decisions for this city, even difficult and sometimes unpopular ones.

I personaly know Mayor Baker to be thoughtful, not one prone to make snap or shoot-from-the-hip decisions. Senior employees, including the chief of police, serve at the pleasure of the mayor. All appointees accept their positions with this understanding. In our form of government, when the mayor loses confidence in a staff member and chooses to terminate that person, that is his prerogative.

As unfortunate as this situation is, a professional with the years of experience that Chief Mack Vines possesses should know better than to make a comment that could be misconstrued by a large segment of the community.

While the "orangutan" comment is what sparked this community's outcry, the comment attributed to Chief Mack Vines that troubled me most was his instructions to the police officers that "they should go about their business of policing and not worry about a lot of internal affairs investigations." A statement such as that tends to give police officers carte blanche to become "cowboys" or rough up citizens at will. This type of action by police officers would lead us to a racial climate that no one wants to relive. Additionally, any grievances filed by a resident or a police officer should be investigated by internal affairs and/or the Police Community Review Board.

Mayor Baker did what he thought was best for this city. He has made his decision, so let's move on with the job of making St. Petersburg a truly world-class city and let the courts resolve the firing of Chief Mack Vines.
-- James O. Simmons, president and CEO, Pinellas County Urban League, Inc., St. Petersburg

Fighting words

There are lots of folks out there who still "just don't get it." Ever since we landed on these shores in 1619, we black Americans have been described as coons, tar babies, jungle bunnies, spooks, ink spots, eight balls and primates of every species: apes, baboons and gorillas. These terms are still in common usage.

Comparing a black American or even his/her actions to an orangutan is a racial slur of the first order. There is a good old American expression for remarks such as Chief Mack Vines uttered -- "Them thar's fightin' words."
-- Perkins T. Shelton, St. Petersburg

Intimidated leadership

It's apparent that when the mayor of St. Petersburg speaks about "the community" he's only referring to the black community. He's apparently so intimidated by this minority and the threat of another riot, that he will end a police chief's exemplary career to curry favor.

Chief Vines' comment was not a "racial slur" as a recent editorial in the Times would have people believe. The Times is as intimidated by the black community as the mayor and his administration.

Chief Vines should definitely sue the city for wrongful termination. The rest of "the community" should seriously consider a recall petition to throw the mayor out of office. He's demonstrated that he's as "spineless as a jellyfish."
-- Ronald W. Tucker, Gulfport

Held hostage

The mayor puts the city of St. Petersburg in danger by changing police chiefs due to special interest groups. There is talk of the Police Department "looking the other way" in regard to drug dealing on the south side for fear of another riot taking place if an arrest were to be attempted.

It sounds like being held hostage. I didn't put a career in the Navy "keeping the world safe for democracy" just to be held hostage in my own town.
-- Larry Garcia, St. Petersburg

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