Letters, letters, letters

Last updated Oct 02, 2001 12:0pm0

The Nugget welcomes contributions from its readers, which must include the writer's name, address and phone number. Letters to the Editor is an open forum for the community and contains unsolicited opinions not necessarily shared by the Editor. The Nugget reserves the right to edit, omit, respond or ask for a response to letters submitted to the Editor. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. Unpublished items are not acknowledged or returned. The deadline for all letters is noon Monday.

To the Editor:

Jesus said, "Love your enemies." These are hard words to live by, especially now when most Americans want retaliation against bin Laden and the Taliban. While I agree that an ordered society requires that the murderers of innocent civilians be brought to justice, I still doubt that anyone really believes Jesus' words. It is a principle that gets a lot of lip service, but little real practice.

Retaliation seems to be the order of the day.

If retaliation worked, after 60 years of consistently practicing "an eye-for-an-eye," Israel should be at peace with their Arab neighbors. Instead, hatred and distrust have only bred more hatred and distrust. It has led to utter frustration on the part of those Muslims who see themselves as the poor and oppressed, beset by the powerful, rich American-Israeli coalition.

Their protests have fallen on deaf ears. Their frustration is so strong that even their youth cry out, "Destroy one bin Laden, and a thousand bin Ladens will rise up in his place." It is folly for us to write off such desperation as being without cause.

It is obvious to me that the return of violence for violence has NOT worked, and NOW is the time to try Jesus' way. Love IS far more powerful than hate, if we would just practice it.

Selfless love is made up of mutual respect and empathetic understanding.

Love also would enable us to see our enemy as another human being, capable of all the finest emotions and actions. For peace to happen, it is vital that enemies stop seeing human beings as "collateral damage," or inhuman targets, or sociopathic fanatics, but instead as bleeding, feeling, human beings -- someone's mother, father, daughter or son.

I'm not suggesting that we reward terrorism. I do believe bin Laden and the Taliban must be punished by society for this attack on law and order, for this intolerable breach of civilized conduct.

But, on the other hand, America must demand that Israel cease excessive violence and blatant discrimination against the Palestinians. And the Muslims must be taught the principles of non-violent protest that have been used with success in our country and in South Africa and India.

But far more is called for. It is time for each person to deny his own selfish needs and desires for the good of all mankind. Each one of us must make a bigger effort to understand those we disagree with, to trust those we distrust, to love that person who angers us most -- the one we think is denying us our "rights."

Now, more than any other time in history, the song "Let There Be Peace on Earth" must be our motto. Especially the phrase, "and let it begin with ME."

June Forsyth

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To the Editor:

I turned on the news September 11 and didn't believe what I saw. I always thought this terrorist act could happen, but not now.

I believe we will never return to what the past was as now we are in a strong recession. We will have to protect our borders, air space and ocean around the U.S. from now on.

We are now at war with terrorism and (will) pay for all of this with much higher taxes on everything to pay for this ongoing war.

We may see rationing on many things like World War II, more jobs will be lost, I believe we are heading for a Depression soon!

Many recreational pleasures will have to be given up, plans for long trips, vacations changed, we will have to conserve on natural resources and keep a clear mind.

We in the U.S. have had a love affair with materialism and money, even in our churches. This will pass away and priorities will change dramatically.

The low-income families, retirees, will be hit the hardest first. We need to be ready to help them, family and friends need to comfort and work together as life will go on.

I would hope Sisters city, Deschutes County, school districts, state will take heed and not tax people into ruin in these coming hard times.

Compassion and understanding and God's grace and working together will get us through this difficult time coming upon us. America will stand as always.

Chet Davis

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To the Editor:

My name is Norma Pledger and I teach fifth grade at Sisters Elementary School.

Soon after the terrorist attack, I asked my students to write a paper describing what freedom means to them. The students wrote for 20 minutes and handed in their work.

I was awestruck by their feelings and emotions toward our country.

With the permission of Madeline Bearzi and her parents, I am submitting her writing for others to read. Our country needs to remember, 10-year-old students have voices to be heard, too.

"What freedom means to me":

Freedom is what our country has lived on for many years. It's the chance to step anywhere we want. To do anything we want. It is the song we have been singing for many years. But now the song is gone. We have lost our voices and are trying to get them back.

Freedom was America.

We will get our voices back, but it will be hard. Some may die and some may be injured. We will fight to the end. We will fight for our country, for the American flag, for faith, for our freedom.

The song we once sang will never be the same. But we will be free. We will be free.

War is something I wish did not exist. War scares me. So many innocent people get taken away from their homes to fight. Some people get taken away forever.

War is not good and it's not fun, it's sad. We have to fight for our freedom and, unfortunately, that means war. When this is over we will be able to say in the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., "Free at last, free at last. Thank God Almighty I'm free at last."

Madeline Bearzi, c/o Norma Pledger

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To the Editor:

In response to Sue Anderson's letter of September 19:

Meaning no disrespect to Sue and her beliefs. Her letter about the high school dance brings back memories of my high school dances ('67-'70) when we wore short, tight tops and mini skirts.

We also danced with our bodies touching.

Today's dances are nothing new. The dance ritual has been going on before, during and will continue after our lifetime. As for their safety, you must know that the same teachers that are dynamic and inspiring in the classroom are also the same teachers that chaperone at these dances.

I trust the school staff and most of all I trust my daughters (because of their mother's and father's influence) for making the right choices.

As of this date I have a senior and a sophomore at school who are good and moral people, and enjoy the dances.