Eye for an eye won't end war on terrorism

Eye for an eye won't end war on terrorism
EDITOR:
Albert Einstein said, "In their struggle for ethical good, teachers of religion must have the stature to give up the doctrine of a personal god."
The two central beliefs of the current conflicting religions in the terrorist war is that God is influenced by worship and there is an afterlife. Without these fundamental thoughts, neither Christianity nor Islam would survive.
Mohandas Gandhi said, "An eye for an eye ends by making the whole world go blind."
Einstein's observations and Gandhi's disturbing belief seem to point out a path to ending the terrorism war.
It is not a coincidence that retired Gen. Alexander (I'm in charge) Haig and ex-congressman Bob Dornan surfaced on television's talking heads in the past week in support of intensifying the war on terrorism. Fortunately, they do not precisely depict the inclination of the country but they do reflect the opinion of our country's die-hards.
Trudy Rubin's column on the Dec. 4 Vindicator editorial page suggests that the Arab League will focus productively on the fissures within the Arab civilization between moderates and fundamentalists and on how the Arab countries allowed the extremists to flourish in the first place.
Extremists started this war but moderates must provide the will to bring it to an end.
WILLIAM B. ROORBACK
Boardman
Residents mustn't let utilities take advantage
EDITOR:
It appears that a number of people in our area are receiving direct mail solicitations from the local utility companies to cover replacement of damaged water, gas and sewer lines from the person's foundation to the street.
They actually quote a price of about $5 a month, which would be added on to the monthly bill. For all three lines, this would be $15 a month or $180 per year.
This doesn't sound too bad as a line replacement will cost in excess of $2,000.
However, we may want to look at this a little more closely. Most of these lines are good for 30-plus years. If we multiply $180 by 30, we get $5,400, which is no small change.
The most important item worth mentioning, however, is that most people already have protection against this calamity. Most homeowners insurance policies cover this expense, less your deductible. Read your policy, or call your insurance agent or insurance company and get the details. Possibly, you won't need this extra charge on your utility bill.
Direct mail solicitations always require a little scrutiny.
RUSSELL KNOEFEL
Youngstown
Missing: one big gumball
EDITOR:
Seems to me that American voters got strangely shortchanged after the 2000 presidential elections. Many voted Republican because Bush had those naive little schoolboy looks and Chaney had those powerful problem-solving brains.
Now check your evening news. Nothing there about Chaney. Sorta like a mole. Rarely pokes his neck above ground.
For voters, it's kinda like sticking a quar ter in a machine that promises you'll get one little gumball and one big gumball.
Whoa. Only one gumball trickles out. It's a good looking gumball. But it's so little.
CHARLIE GIBEAUT
Sandusky