Letters 

In response to a recent letter to the editor from Kelly Boatright ("A Proud and Righteous Nation," Apr. 2): Mr. Boatright, the day after my Hillary Clinton-lovin', bleeding-heart liberal, Democratic voting, leftwing-leaning son graduated from UNCC in 2001, he joined the US Army and currently is deployed in Afghanistan. He's on a Quick Response Team, ready to jump on his chopper to respond to an ambush or attack, and, contrary to your insult, he hasn't wet his knickers yet.

My wife is a Red Cross volunteer in their Armed Forces Emergency Services Center, where family members can call to find out information about contacting a deployed soldier. An RN, she is also on their list to be sent anywhere in the world to supply humanitarian aid as needed. I collect items for the troops in my son's company, and send a package every couple weeks.

And yet, we both stood on the side of the road, in the rain, with signs against going to war in Iraq.

It's my right to do so, whether you agree with my views or not. It's not treason, it's called freedom. I suggest you get out a copy of the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights and read them. And unless you are standing up in your church, at school, at family gatherings, at soccer games, in your local NRA meeting, or wherever else you go, demanding that all 18-year-old relatives and friends put off their future plans and enlist, you are a hypocrite. My son put off graduate school to go fight for, among other things, my right and freedom to protest. Why don't you write Mr. Bush and insist that the Bush twins get out of the bars and into the service? Either put up, or as John McCain said to the Nobel Peace Prize winner Jimmy Carter, shut up!

-- Terry Keith, Charlotte

Writer Was Anti-Semitic

In response to Mr. Herman's tribute to Rachel Corrie (Letter to the Editor, "A Real American Heroine," Apr. 2), while sympathizing with him over the loss of his friend, I take offense at his portrayal of Israel.

In claiming that Israel has lost him as a supporter, Mr. Herman reveals through his words that he was truly never supportive of Israel at all. How could he have been if he believes that Israel actually "murders children regularly"? If that isn't blatant anti-Semitism I don't know what is. Sad.

-- Ira Chase, Charlotte

Working For Peace

I read with interest Lew Herman's letter regarding Rachel Corrie. He accuses the American press of "yellow journalism," yet he uses inflammatory language to describe the circumstances surrounding her death.

Ms. Corrie was not murdered. She sat in front of a moving bulldozer, could not be seen by the driver, and could not get out of the way in time. The home she was trying to protect was that of a convicted terrorist, a man who was directly instrumental in the deaths of countless innocent people, including Americans.

Two weeks before Rachel Corrie sat in front of that bulldozer, 14-year-old Abigail Leitel, an American Christian living with her family in Haifa, boarded a public bus after school. She never made it home. A terrorist entered the bus and detonated the bomb packed with nails that he had strapped to himself. It ripped Abigail Leitel to shreds. All that was left for her parents to identify was her lower leg. Abigail Leitel was involved with Children Teaching Children at the Jewish-Arab Center for Peace. Their goal was to foster pluralism, understanding and coexistence between Christian, Jewish and Muslim children.

The American press, which Mr. Herman maligns, has ignored this story, yet they have been extraordinarily kind to Rachel Corrie. Only one leading American paper, USA Today, published the photo taken of Ms. Corrie burning a mock American flag while chanting anti-American slogans. None of them published the photo of her body being carried through the streets draped in a Palestinian, not American, flag. By contrast, two flags, one American, one Israeli, draped the coffin containing the leg of Abigail Leitel. Two flags honoring the two countries she loved.

Of these two young Americans, only one was truly working for peace. And it wasn't Rachel Corrie.

-- Julie Smallman, Charlotte

Judge Not Drunk Drivers

In reference to "Charlotte's Top 15 Drunk Drivers" (by Tara Servatius, Mar. 26): My brother was one of your contestants. I found your article to be very disconcerting. I am proud of my brother for trying to get his life together. There are always mitigating circumstances to everyone's situation.

My brother is a veteran who has served his country and was discharged with honors. Alcoholism is a disease and/or illness such as cancer. It should never be used for the entertainment of your readers. We realize what my brother and the others did was wrong; however, there are two sides to every story. Had you researched before deciding to ridicule, you may have found out there are reasons behind each of these individuals' circumstances that lead them to drink and drive.

Next time you decide to offer these types of awards, please find out what has motivated these individuals to follow the path they have chosen. "Judge not and be not judged." Let the judicial system be used for what it was designed. The individuals and their families have suffered enough. Once a person has or is paying for their indiscretion, I think it is not necessary for anyone to mock them any further.

-- Ralph McKnight, Charlotte

More Missing News

First, congratulations to Tara Servatius. She consistently brings news to the table that would otherwise be swept neatly away from view. She deserves all the recognition she gets.

That aside, I want to bring up a minor gripe with the "Missing War News" article (April 9). I say minor gripe because the fact that this article was run at all is a great triumph in journalism these days, as the truth is becoming scarce. The average American accepts and enjoys the strained baby food news being spoonfed to them by some "major" media outlet/news organization/national defense contractor. It's appalling. And the worst part is that a lot of folks don't even know that the version of the news they watch has been censored, edited, and produced by the US government. Nonetheless, I was slightly disappointed to see that no Arab or Russian news sources were quoted in the article. To get a truer view of what's really going on I believe one must experience both extremes on the scale and find the common message somewhere in the middle. I was glad to see French, South Korean, and Canadian sources listed, but these countries are as much removed physically from Iraq as we are. What about something from people who actually live in or near the area?

http://english.aljazeera.net/topics/index.asp?cu_no=1&lng=0&template_id=1&temp_type=44

http://www.iraqwar.ru./?userlang=en

It was great to see an independent viewpoint in this and the cover story ("War: The Ultimate TV Reality Show" by Tim Davis). I see that your staff has a much better understanding of this whole situation than the American mass media. That in itself tells me all is not lost.

-- Christopher McKinney, Charlotte

Bandit's Tragedy

I grew up with Eddie Dodson ("The Rise and Fall of a Boomer Outlaw," by Sam Boykin, Apr. 2) and although we were not real close, our circles crossed. His best friend was a close friend of mine so we would end up at a lot of the same events together and he spent some time in my parents' home.

Thanks for doing the article on him. His life, in my view, was tragic. He had so much talent and personality but I guess he just focused it in the wrong direction.

Again, thanks for letting people know that there was much more to him than the crime.

-- Barry Taylor, Charlotte

We welcome your letters to the editor. Please send your letters to: The Editors, Creative Loafing, PO Box 241988, Charlotte, NC 28224. Or write us via the Internet at the following address: backtalk@creativeloafing.com. Please note that this e-mail address is for letters to the editors only. Please limit your letters to 300 words or less. Please include your phone number for confirmation, including e-mail letter writers; your phone number will not be published. We reserve the right to edit all letters for space, grammar and clarity.