Cal is right: The U.S. should get out of U.N. (then what?)

Cal is right: The U.S. should get out of U.N. (then what?)
EDITOR:
Yes, Cal Thomas is urging us to get out of the United Nations now. They're not good enough for us, he says, corrupt and backwards too, failing to support American do-goodism and 100 percent purity.
I say, great! Get the United States out of the U.N. The only condition? When it wants to come back in it can no longer be a permanent member of the Security Council, but must relegate itself to the more democratic General Assembly where every nation has only one vote, as it should be. As far as I am concerned, the so-called Oil for Food scandal that they are trying to blame on Kofi Annan is pure baloney. It was the Security Council that was in charge of the program, specifically the United States, not the Secretariat. Plenty of money was made by American corporations in this swindle, thanks to their buddies in high political places. Everybody knew what was going on but nobody said anything, least of all our U.N. ambassador who was greasing the palms of the powerful for very good personal reasons.
But that's all right, I don't mind. I want to see what happens when the United States gets out of the United Nations. Will it fall apart? Or will there be a profound shift in the balance of power, the continuing decline of the American dollar, further isolation of the United States, growing animosity throughout the world to its shortsighted and self-serving policies? Here is what my friend Benjamin Creme said recently: & quot;The United States will find that the world will not stand still. With or without its cooperation, the nations will proceed as best they can to deal with the many ecological and social problems which beset us, and which urgently must be addressed. America will find itself left behind and ignored. & quot;
So I am calling your bluff, Cal. Get the United States out of the United Nations and see what happens. I say it's about time!
ROGER LAFONTAINE
Youngstown
Mock at your own risk
EDITOR:
Is nothing sacred anymore? I read a letter to the editor last Sunday in which a man stated that many Americans will come to the realization that God, guns and gays should not take precedence over far more important issues in our country!
It appears that this writer believes in his mind that there actually are things that are far more important than the God who created us. This kind of thinking should not surprise me since we can see all over the world the evil acts that results when humanity denies or forgets that there is a God who is above us. In Matthew 24, Jesus spoke of the end of the age when He said in verse 12: "Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold."
People can continue on in their tirades against President Bush, he will still stand strong on his beliefs. But those who relegate God's position will one day answer to Him. As Scripture says in Galatians 6:7: "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked."
MARIANNE LORDI
Youngstown
Cell phone shortcomings
EDITOR:
Cell phones have become a necessity, especially for the elderly, but I've heard from more than a few users that new designs are difficult to use. The keys are too small for trembling or arthritic fingers to isolate and press and a magnifying glass is needed to read details on the keys.
We need a choice of bigger cell phones. They are a necessity.
ANNE PACHOS
Cortland
Kids made a connection
EDITOR:
I would like to praise and commend the many high school singing groups who freely give of themselves to perform after school and on weekends in many nursing homes.
Dec. 12, the Youngstown Connection, a musical group made up of high school students from Rayen, Chaney and Wilson, performed a concert for the residents of Beeghly Oaks. Their enthusiasm, energy and smiling faces overflowed to the elderly audience. These young people deserve a round of applause for sharing their gifts and talents.
As they moved into the audience touching and personally singing to the residents, it was clear to see that a young generation was truly bringing joy, hope and love, a gift no one can purchase. Thank you for making a difference.
DIANE HAMMAR
Poland
Morality is being redefined
EDITOR:
"Moral values" -- this is why the politician who brags about never reading a book and smirks about degrading the environment and every other aspect of the lives of our grandchildren is back in office? I must assume that these "values" are based in Christian teaching (we'll ignore the fact that every other religion is, in practice, disregarded). The teaching of Jesus Christ (whether you consider him an exceptional and immensely influential human being, or God, or both) that we love our neighbor is generally taken to mean that we treat everyone's rights as we would have them treat our own. This precept on which all others are based, does not exclude rights of gays, blacks, native Americans, women, the poor, a hundred thousand innocent, dead Iraqis and hundreds of thousands more who were maimed and mutilated, the thousands of young Americans who were killed or mutilated (for no verifiable reason) and the other creatures that share this planet whose living places are being destroyed by the "God fearing."
The so-called morality of the far right is the antithesis of the morality found in the most basic teaching of the Christ whom these & quot;righteous & quot; people profess to follow. Their righteous indignation against & quot;sinners & quot; is the opposite of the natural morality -- the instincts that that evolved in human culture that ensure our survival. This inborn social ethic is being replaced by a contrived, man-made canon that ensures the welfare, at any cost, of the "corporate person" and, in the name of Christianity, suppresses the advances of science (knowledge) -- where the only real improvement in the human condition has ever been made.
WILLIAM L. JONES
Canfield