Terrorist fanatics will never understand what makes America great

Terrorist fanatics will never understand what makes America great
EDITOR:
Once while attending Western Reserve University in Cleveland, a group of my fraternity brothers and I wandered down to a formal park behind the Cleveland Museum of Art. where an eclectic crowd had gathered around a wildly, stamping and shouting orator.
He was a wild-eyed, older man who loudly proclaimed that the Jews and other non-Christians were doomed and had no chance of entering "The Promised Land" when they expired.
We were not really taking him seriously, and we jokingly taunted him and some of his followers. A mild argument took place, but it was far from seriously confrontational. As this continued, a larger crowd began to gather which seemed to view it only as entertainment.
Two uniformed police came to disperse the crowd and even to arrest the orator. The people there -- Jews, Christians, blacks, whites, Orientals and one man in a turban -- all banded together against the police to stop this arrest. There was universal thinking that even if some did not agree with this man, in our dear, free country, he had the right to speak.
Even then, the clear display of a working democracy had a deep and warm effect on me. As I view the effects of the hateful acts of these death-bound terrorist fanatics, I know that they could never understand the clear freedom of a diverse population. The beauty of our country is clearly displayed in the difference in our skin colors, our belief and our heritages.
In a society that is all nearly one in belief and heritage, those on the outside (and even some insiders), quake in fear that they might do or say or wear something other than what is clearly prescribed. When I hear of those who would display their passions for their religious beliefs, being expelled from the country, I quake. When I see in those countries, women being told what to wear, what to say and how to think and being eliminated from educational opportunities, I quake for them and rejoice in the abundant freedoms of the United States.
They may be fighting to eliminate our diversity, but I know we will fight harder to maintain that which makes America the beautiful land that it is.
DR. MAX A. MALKOFF
Youngstown
Generalization hurts us all
EDITOR:
I was a little taken aback by a recent letter regarding baby boomers and how easy they have had it all their lives.
That statement put an entire generation in one category and implies that everyone protested against the government and sat around smoking pot and having a good time.
In reality, many of the baby-boomer generation were drafted to do their duty to God and country.
Many people having given their time, service and even lives for their country, including the baby boomers to which the writer referred. So let's think before we generalize.
MIKE NAGY Sr.
Boardman
Bingo should be canceled like other entertainment
EDITOR:
Many thought the war we are now in could never happen here, so we became careless and too confident. Now we are faced with something that has been happening in other countries every day, some deserving, some not.
The fact that we see it on television and think nothing of it because it is not happening to us has hit home. Now, we can't seem to pull ourselves away from the television. It is all we think of, it is all we talk about..
However, I am totally appalled at the churches that continue to have bingo. I watched television Tuesday night and saw a long list of churches holding prayer services, but only one that canceled bingo. I saw only one canceled Tuesday night. What a shame, what an example, that the church is more interested in the dollar than the tragedy of what may very well be the beginning of the end.
The NFL, professional baseball, the PGA tour, the Emmy Awards show, the Latin Grammys and many more events have been canceled, as these organizations have chosen to take a major loss out of concern and respect for the victims and the families of those victims.
People, wake up. This should be a time to join hands, join hearts and most of all join in prayer for our country, for what has happened and for what may happen next.
I, too, go to bingo. I enjoy the game as much as the next person, but I just know at this time my mind needs to be on more important things than yelling "bingo." If we are indeed, living in the last days, then we should heed the warning in Revelation, to keep our eyes on the Middle East.
JAN RUDZIK
Struthers
Proud to be an American, but saddened by tragedy
EDITOR:
Tuesday was a sad day for America. Everything seemed as though it was out of a movie. I was shocked and horrified by the tragedy of what had happened in New York and Washington.
How could something like this happen in our country. It's not supposed to happen here. It's so hard when I'm driving in my car and the song "Proud to be an American" comes on, not to break down and cry.
I just hope and pray for the people in Washington and New York, and I hope they find the people that are behind this and punish them to the fullest extent.
CASSIDY NICHOLSON
Hubbard
Ugly Americans exhibit prejudice to those of Middle East heritage
EDITOR:
I cannot believe the way some Americans are reacting to the tragedy. Why don't people grow up and stop being so prejudiced. I don't understand how people can take out their frustrations on anyone of Mideast descent
Where I live, people have been making death threats against a couple of people who own stores, just because they are from the Middle East. One store owner has lived in this country for decades. His family moved here when he was four years old, and he is a very nice person. His daughter started college this year. She was born and raised here but other students have been purposely bumping into her and treating her meanly.
How can news reporters say this tragedy is pulling this country together when in reality it has torn us farther apart by a few Americans showing how ignorant and ugly people can really be?
I love living in this country because of the freedom and how diverse we are. Most of the time I'm proud to be from the U.S.A., I have served in the armed forces out of loyalty, but now I'm embarrassed to say I'm an American.
Don't let this despicable act of childish anger spawn more hatred against an entire race but we should try to direct our energy into a positive instead of making death threats and being stupid, maybe we can try saying, "Hello, how are you doing?"
When we find out for sure who masterminded this terrible act I have complete faith that our government and our allies will handle the situation properly.
People of the United States should start acting like proud Americans instead of jackasses.
KEN EVERSON
Youngstown
U.S., WTO and World Bank policies at fault
EDITOR:
It is clear that the United States now reaps what it has sown. From the sanctions against Iraq that have resulted in a generation of children starving to death, to the support of the Israeli apartheid state, we have behaved as if our way is the only way.
The economic practices of the World Trade Organization and the World Bank are abominable. Has anyone noticed the protests?
The practices of the Pentagon in Colombia and Iraq are equally inhumane.
The very important question now so little addressed by the media is simply this: Why did they do it? What have we done to make these people so angry? Hold the jingoistic rhetoric, please.
MARC LEONARD
Youngstown
We must join together to return peace to our lives
EDITOR:
When I was first told of the news, I was half asleep. I had worked until 3 a.m.. the previous morning and my alarm had just gone off for me to get up for school. At first, I was thought, "You're joking. Something like that could never happen to us."
I had never thought in a million years that anything like this could happen to the United States. To me, we are the best nation in the world. We help all the other countries, and then some people do something like this.
To think that our security is that lax that we let hijackers take our planes and destroy our buildings with them.
But as Americans, at a time like this, no matter what religious beliefs we have or what we do for a living, we will all come together as a nation to do what must be done to have peace back in our lives.
That is one of the best things about being American. Whenever something awful and bad happens, as a united nation, we will stand together and support the president fully and completely.
KELLY NESBITT
Hubbard