Letters

Person of the Year

Thank you for the wonderful article by Nancy Gibbs introducing your Person of the Year issue [Dec. 31-Jan. 7]. It moved me to tears. The Sept. 11 tragedy has awakened us all to look beyond ourselves and our lives. Mayor Rudy Giuliani is not an extraordinary man; he's only human and has all the flaws of an ordinary person. Yet when confronted with evil, Giuliani rose up and demonstrated kindness, strength, confidence and extraordinary skills at a time when we were too numb to think. From coast to coast, he has helped to heal and unite the nation. HELENE SIESEL San Diego

Though the Mayor of the Big Apple has been an inspiration to New Yorkers and others around the country in his response to the unspeakable Sept. 11 attacks, it is President George W. Bush whose image should have been on your cover. The Pentagon, just outside the nation's capital, was attacked moments after the World Trade Center buildings were hit. Watching the surreal horror on TV in those darkest of days, we Americans felt as though our whole country were under attack. In the wake of the tragedy and in the midst of the chaos, President Bush, strong and dedicated, has become a powerful light and guide for the people of the U.S., including Mayor Giuliani and our allies around the world. PATRICIA LOU PAYNE Woodinville, Wash.

On Sept. 11, I stayed home and watched the horrific events unfold on television. I saw that while President Bush, the most powerful, well-guarded man in the world, flew west to safety, Rudy Giuliani was the face of the U.S., keeping the nation and the world updated throughout that terrible day. Thank you, Mr. Mayor, for your unparalleled leadership during the crisis. And please remember that we in Minnesota will be looking for a new Governor soon. DEBORAH YBARRA Andover, Minn.

It is absolutely true that Osama bin Laden is a moral pip-squeak. But without this one individual, Sept. 11 would have been just another day and the admirable Mayor Giuliani would not have had the opportunity to remove the tarnish from his image. And without bin Laden, Americans would still be questioning the legitimacy of the Bush presidency. JONATHAN SIMONS Woodland Hills, Calif.

Giuliani brought an entire nation to its feet after the brutal attacks. Because of the mayor, New York City and the nation are recovering with newfound hope, camaraderie, resilience and an unrelenting belief that we are stronger today than we were before Sept. 11. Great men are defined by great challenges. It is easier to orchestrate an act of terror than to inspire a grieving nation. Rudy Giuliani was defiant and courageous, and it comes as no surprise that "America's Mayor" is TIME's Person of the Year. ANIL TANEJA Boston

--Some of you were highly critical of our Person of the Year choice this year. A New Jerseyan charged TIME with "pandering to the majority of Americans who do not understand that being named Person of the Year was never meant to be an honor." "Sure," a man from New Delhi offered, "choosing Osama bin Laden would have provoked howls of outrage from an already indignant public, but your principles would have remained unquestioned." And as always happens, readers came up with their own ideas. A Massachusetts reader had an interesting suggestion: "A much better solution than your awkward attempt at circumventing the bin Laden problem would have been to designate Sept. 11 the Day of the Year."

Alive Among the Bravest

RE your story on New York City fire fighter Mike Kehoe [THE FIREMAN, Dec. 31.-Jan. 7], who was photographed in the stairwell of the burning 1 World Trade Center: When people were making their way down the stairs of the building, fireman Kehoe chose to go up. He may not have saved a thousand lives, but his actions exemplified bravery. His "iconic" picture was seen internationally, and he got letters from people thanking him for his courage. It was sad to read that other fire fighters have grumbled at the attention he has received. We all mourn those who lost their lives and salute those who made it through. Let's rejoice that Kehoe is still with us. BRENDA MUNGER Ridgeland, Miss.

The Next Challenge

I was heartened by Michael Elliott's article "After the Guns Are Silent" [GLOBAL AGENDA, Dec. 31-Jan. 7]. Elliott went beyond the short-term victories of the military machine and addressed the core, enduring problem of poverty. The hopelessness and feelings of injustice that accompany poverty have clearly been factors in the breeding of terrorist activities around the world. President Bush would be wise to heed Elliott's advice and lead the world in a campaign to eradicate poverty. As the saying goes, "If you want peace, work for justice." MAE TINKLENBERG Palo Alto, Calif.

Elliott praises American military equipment and technology. But U.S. superiority goes far deeper. The superb training and motivation of our professional officer and noncommissioned officer corps are pivotal factors that have long distinguished America's military. The technical and tactical competence of our personnel, combined with their leadership skills, is what gets the job done. And don't forget another key element: the ingenuity of the American G.I. TERRY L. MAY Edmond, Okla.

First Lady-like

Margaret Carlson made a case for Laura Bush's "sense of calm" in the article "A Pillow Away from the President" [PUBLIC EYE, Dec. 31-Jan. 7]. But couldn't she have done so without comparing Laura Bush with Hillary Clinton? Hillary did not wear me out. I like a good, strong, intelligent woman. Hillary went on to become the only First Lady elected to the Senate. Did Hillary cause a few moods to darken along the way? You bet. As any woman knows, the boys do not like women who step onto their turf. Laura Bush has chosen to live quietly "a pillow away." Hillary did not relish that role. Good for both of them. I love it that women have choices. ROCIE CARBALLO-GRAVER Chapel Hill, N.C.

I agree with Carlson that easygoing Laura Bush is a charming First Lady and that Hillary Clinton wasn't a perfect fit for the position. But there is a role quite suitable for Senator Clinton: President. BARBARA RAMSAY DALTON Beavercreek, Ohio

Wide Awake, Not Slumbering

I resent Charles Krauthammer's characterization of America's past 10 years as a period of "slumber" [ESSAY, Dec. 31-Jan. 7]. In that decade, the U.S. regained global technological and economic leadership. When Japan's economy was peaking at the dawn of the '90s, many had given up on the U.S. But even the most vulnerable in our society have registered dramatic changes during the past 10 years, most notably in increased employment and reduced poverty and crime rates. This past decade also saw the U.S. providing world leadership to end the war in the Balkans. Don't forget that the heroes of Sept. 11 weren't born on that day; they were here all along. JOSEPH OPPENHEIM Rancho Bernardo, Calif.

What's a Life Worth?

Beth Murphy, widow of a Sept. 11 victim, was unhappy with her proposed federal compensation of nearly $1.5 million and was quoted in a Verbatim item as saying, "This is a sick joke. I'm ready to throw up" [NOTEBOOK, Dec. 31-Jan. 7]. What an ingrate! Why should she receive anything at all from the taxpayers? When ordinary people lose a loved one, no one offers them millions. If they don't have private insurance, they don't get anything. I was ready to throw up just reading Murphy's comments. WILLIAM HOFFMAN Brantwood, Wis.

The families of the Sept. 11 victims should divvy up equally the hundreds of millions of dollars donated to charities for their benefit. They should not receive government largesse. Why should they suddenly become millionaires at the taxpayers' expense? The money that the charities have collected for the victims will more than adequately provide for these unfortunate families. DICK FURR San Antonio, Texas

Corrections

In our profile of Rudy Giuliani, "Mayor of the World" [PERSON OF THE YEAR, Dec. 31-Jan. 7], we referred to the medical examiner of New York City as Dr. Neil Hirsch. The correct name is Dr. Charles Hirsch.

The article recapping the energy crisis in California [SEQUELS, Dec. 31- Jan. 7] incorrectly said Governor Gray Davis blamed the shortage of energy on out-of-state corporations such as Enron and Entergy that had sold electricity to the state. Entergy made no power sales to the West Coast during the energy crisis.