The enemy of my enemy: That's whom I'll support

The enemy of my enemy:That's whom I'll support
EDITOR:
Based on the rhetoric spewed out during the Democrat presidential primary, we know that George W. Bush is public enemy No. 1 in John Kerry's eyes. We also know that worldwide terrorism (personified by Osama bin Laden) is public enemy No. 1 in Bush's eyes. And those two differences make me hearken back to a Middle Eastern saying I heard during the first Gulf War. The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
Recently, Democrats have become hysterical over the observation that both Kerry and bin Laden have similar interests in the U.S. presidential race. It is not arguable that if bin Laden and all the other terrorists were able to vote, they would vote against Bush. After all, he is the one trying to hunt them down and kill them. The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
I don't blame the Democratic rank-and-file for being upset with these comparisons, but the truth is inescapable. Worldwide terrorism wants Bush out of office because he is the only one opposing it. Kerry and the Democratic leadership are not willing to oppose terrorism, and the terrorists know it. The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
As for the Democratic rank-and-file, they need to start honestly appraising what their party stands for today instead of reminiscing about what it stood for 50, 60 or 70 years ago. Benjamin Franklin once wrote, "The sting of a reproach is the truth of it." The truth about the shared interests of Kerry and bin Laden regarding Bush may sting, but it is something the Democrats need to hear, recognize and accept. They also need to choose better candidates and better friends. The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
JOSEPH K. WALTENBAUGH
New Castle, Pa.
Look only to war, deficitto see the legacy of Bush
EDITOR:
I am truly appalled with the way Bush has kicked off his campaign for re-election, especially when I didn't think I could be more ashamed of him as our president. Is that all he has for us to see?
Yes, he was a strong and capable leader on that terrible day 21/2 years ago, but as the old saying goes, & quot;What have you done for us lately? & quot; He's taken us into war, while alienating a good part of the world, caused our budget deficit to balloon to more than $500 billion, and, on top of that, he and his administration aren't even fully cooperating with the commission investigating the 9/11 attacks.
Right now, my confidence in the direction our country is heading is fading fast, and my only hope is that Bush is ousted from office in the upcoming elections.
BEN DOBSON
Boardman
When it comes to stem cells,let's stick with the adults
EDITOR:
If, as proposed in your opinion column ("Ban on stem-cell research puts U.S. at disadvantage," March 9), "the concept that life begins at the moment of conception ... is a belief held by some religions" rather than well-established scientific fact, why then is it called human embryo research? If not human, what was the editorial writer at the moment of her/his conception -- a goldfish?
Of course not. At every stage after fertilization, the human embryo is a living, thriving, developing member of the human species, deserving human respect.
Should the government force us to pay for the act of killing embryos as part of federally funded research? Of course not, as history has amply demonstrated the ghastly consequences when government arbitrarily defines what constitutes human life.
Embryonic stem cells have not helped a single human patient or demonstrated any therapeutic benefit. By contrast, adult stem cells and other ethically acceptable alternatives have already helped hundreds of thousands of patients, and new clinical uses expand almost weekly.
MELINDA KNIGHT
Youngstown
XThe writer is director of the Office of Pro-Life Activities, Catholic Diocese of Youngstown.