Letters

What Happened to My Raise?

"People are inquiring, 'Where did my raise go?' They should also ask, 'Where did my job, savings and investments go?'" ALICE REID Claymont, Del.

When CEOs' salaries go up while workers' compensation and benefits go down, shrinking paychecks are rooted in greed, not competitiveness [BUSINESS, May 26]. Companies are using the economic climate to squeeze dollars out of employees. American workers need to fight back while there's still time. Boycott firms that outsource work to India. Demand to have your business handled by an American employee. And organize, organize, organize. The days of white-collar interests vs. blue-collar interests are gone. If you do not own the company you work for, you need a union, and you need one now! Let's show these CEOs what American labor is really worth. ANN CRUTE New York City

"Where did my raise go?" The answer is simple: it was exported overseas, along with your job. Could this be the reason the U.S. has lost more than 2 million jobs since Bush took office? STEVE BARNHOORN Honeoye, N.Y.

After reading your story, I felt a bit sick. How can people getting $50,000, $60,000 or $70,000 a year whine that they can't make ends meet? I think those earning that much shouldn't complain; they should just stop spending a lot on unnecessary items. There are thousands of us in America who could live very comfortably on such an income. Try living on $24,000 a year with no raise! KATHLEEN TEWKSBURY Avon, N.Y.

Executive compensation and perks have skyrocketed, with no end in sight. Eventually the "rocket scientists" who run corporations will wake up to their economic interdependence. When Company A eliminates raises and paychecks, there will be fewer sales and profits at Company B since people will have less money to buy goods. Well, duh! I didn't major in economics, but even I can figure that out. Why can't the CEOs? Maybe because they're too busy patting themselves on the back, lying to the shareholders and taking junkets to Bermuda while the rest of us suffer. Well, their day is coming. JOANNE G. MURPHY Skokie, Ill.

American corporations seem to have forgotten a lesson of history. Henry Ford revolutionized business by creating customers out of his own work force. Today's bottom-lining CEOs outsource work to whichever country is paying workers the least. The U.S. cannot employ protectionism for fear of world trade sanctions. But in this case, citizens have more power than government. What this country needs is an "American content" rule requiring every product sold in the U.S. to state the percentage of domestic manufacture, just as food products provide nutritional information. The American consumer needs a way to police the shortsighted avarice of its corporations. THOMAS PETIET Ann Arbor, Mich.

I am surprised that no one has considered outsourcing CEOs. If India can market its companies and expertise to the U.S. and take jobs away, surely it can provide CEOs to manage American companies at a fraction of the cost of existing executive salaries, perks and golden parachutes. How can company executives think that we shareholders and employees are clueless about the difference between top executives' compensation and that of the other employees? JOYE GROFF Raleigh, N.C.

No End in Sight

The war on terror will never end [WORLD, May 26], because waging war is the wrong way to fight terrorists. PETER SCHERER Zurich

How long will it take for the Bush Administration to understand that the war against terrorism needs to be fought in a different way? America must win the hearts of those who have the power to initiate bombings and suicide killings. There are a lot of dissatisfied people in the world who don't like the power and influence of the U.S., and they are motivated by factors other than just religious fanaticism. As long as they are ignored, the war will go on. I'm afraid the cost of antiterrorist security measures will exceed what the Western economies are capable of paying. GERID H. WAGNER Aachen, Germany

I mourn the innocent people who died in terrorist attacks in Saudi Arabia and Morocco. But the Arab nations and the Islamic world are humiliated and feel exploited by America. And now, after the war, those people are afraid of being conquered and occupied as Iraq was. What the terrorists are trying to do is simply stop the U.S. MOHAMMED ABDULLATIF SAFWAN Jidda, Saudi Arabia

Imagine that most of the 9/11 hijackers were French, that the French government encouraged extremism, that French churches taught hatred and financed terrorists. Would the French President or Foreign Minister be invited to dine at the White House or President Bush's ranch? That privilege, believe it or not, was enjoyed by the Saudis, who have mastered the art of diverting U.S. public attention from themselves every time the spotlight shines on them. And the Bush Administration swallows it, hook, line and sinker. It's time the American media and public realize they're being taken for a ride. GAUTHAM VENKATA-CHALAM Ottawa

President Bush may have won a battle in Iraq, but terrorism will continue to threaten us all long after the last statue of Saddam Hussein has fallen. LEXY MOSTAZA Madrid

We need a better understanding of why Islamic fundamentalists are willing to kill. Solely going after the bad guys won't work. The West has grasped some of the difficulties that give rise to terrorists: social and economic backwardness, repressive rule in some Muslim countries and lack of effective participation in world trade. But other factors include the historical defeat and humiliation of Muslims, their feeling of impotence vis-a-vis the West, the arrogant concept of the superiority of Islam and Muslim youths' lack of hope. The war on terrorism is to a large extent a war of ideas with a heavy religious imprint. Ideas and minds must be changed on all sides. CHARLES B. SHORTER Kampala, Uganda

The war on terror can be ended. Although Osama bin Laden and those like him are evil men who are quite happy to kill innocent people, we in the so-called developed world have much to answer for. What is needed is a policy of helping underdeveloped nations help themselves. They should not be sold arms to suppress their own people or threaten their neighbors. They should not be given money, which often goes into the pockets of their rulers, but should receive instead practical assistance and the equipment to better their condition. If the poorer countries were not exploited, they would not provide a fertile ground in which terrorism could take root. MICHAEL DREW Heacham, England

Combatting terrorism should not be a war effort but a humane, civilized and diplomatic one. Working toward global peace is every country's responsibility. Perhaps if we all cooperate, we could have a world free of terrorism. SHIONA BISWAS Bombay

Understanding, Not Bullying

In his analysis of what the Democratic Party needs to do to beat George Bush in 2004 [NATION, May 19], Joe Klein noted that Democratic presidential candidates will have to argue that "foreign policy involves more than just the threat of force, more than just bullying friends and clobbering foes." Truth to tell, most of the anti-American sentiment worldwide is not so much against the U.S. as a country as it is against Bush the person. Had he been more of a statesman and listened closely to people such as Colin Powell and Tony Blair, the U.S. would have achieved support all around. The world is bigger than Texas and bigger even than the U.S. If America wants to be a truly international leader, it should learn a great deal more about the outside world. In the end the shooting will stop, and then the solution to the problems that are the most important will be beyond the ability of armed forces. MARIUS SCHOTBORGH The Hague

Nuts to Nukes

You reported that the Bush Administration is preparing to develop a few new nuclear weapons [NOTEBOOK, May 26]. Does the President think he can lead the whole world down the garden path? While countries all around the globe are told to stop their nuclear programs and threatened with military action, how can the U.S. expand its already large arsenal of nuclear weapons? MAY KOIZUMI Hiroshima

Witnessing what is going on in the U.S. now is a slap in the face to all the nations that have agreed to shut down their nuclear-weapons programs in order to contribute to the world's safety. DIMITRI NAROS Piraeus, Greece

Out of Control in Iraq

Your story on the trouble that the U.S. is having in controlling the crime and chaos in Iraq [WORLD, May 26] struck me as condemning the conductor instead of the orchestra that is playing badly. Iraqi citizens don't seem to be able to act in their own self-interest, probably because of the country's factionalism. I bet a lot of scores are being settled right now. Iraq will come together but not before the Iraqis squeeze as much money as they can from the U.S. JOHN EADES Zionsville, Ind.

I was deeply moved by your article on the chaos in Baghdad. I believe most people will steal when they have no money and no work. Why not take the illegal stashes of money and gold that have been uncovered? If each and every Iraqi over age 18 received $200 a month (unless caught stealing or with a weapon), people would be able to stay home. When your kids are hungry, staying home is not an option. A loving parent would steal. (THE REV.) MICHAEL J. KIRWIN Old Forge, Pa.

Can anyone govern Iraq? No doubt. But it will take the firm hand of someone with strong political, humanitarian and economic governing skills. The U.S.'s new civilian chief, Paul Bremer, can do the job. A constitutional law of inalienable rights must be not only adopted but also enforced by the government and police. Respect for human rights must be paramount, or there will be anarchy and a biased form of government. Freedom, rights and liberty must prevail. Prosperity and stability will follow. O. JERRY LEE Maryville, Tenn.

Arms and the Dems

The gun lobby may be on a winning streak, as you reported [NATION, May 26], but gun violence is an American public-health problem deserving strong preventive measures. It's time that our national leaders acknowledge and find a solution to this everyday form of domestic terrorism. We look to the government to protect us from many hazards of modern life. If our leaders don't want to deal with politically sensitive issues, they shouldn't seek office. Here's some news for the Democratic presidential candidates: National Rifle Association (N.R.A.) members won't vote for you, anyway. Your silence on gun-control issues won't change that. You risk losing this soccer mom's vote when you pander to the N.R.A. LAUREL REDDEN Salem, N.H.

Sorenstam's Great Example

I admire Annika Sorenstam for participating in a men's golf tournament [SPORT, May 26]. She is an elite athlete who is prepared to push herself to the limit of her abilities and beyond. Sorenstam is a great example for us all. As a guy, was I afraid of what her participation in a formerly all-male tournament would mean to me? Maybe a little. But that is for me to live with and learn from. The days of clear gender roles are long gone. That Sorenstam didn't make the finals means I have just a little bit less male angst to live with in the 21st century, but my respect for her as perhaps the best women's golfer ever has only increased. Go, Annika! VINCENT PICKERING Paris

Fear of Frankenplants?

In "Cures On The Cob" [SCIENCE, MAY 26], you reported on how genetically altered crops could yield powerful new drugs and how critics fear that unnaturally combined genes might contaminate the food supply. Despite their fears, we must not let manageable concerns derail the potential benefits of these new proteins. We are on the threshold of cures for such conditions as AIDS, Alzheimer's disease, arthritis, cancer, cystic fibrosis and other devastating illnesses. But we need to be able to produce affordable quantities of therapeutic agents sufficient to meet demand, at present a costly undertaking. The result is that drug manufacturers will probably invest only in products with broad appeal. Drugs for less frequently appearing diseases may never be produced, or their cost will keep many from acquiring them. This ethical dilemma could be addressed by mass-producing pharmaceutical proteins in crops that provide lots of protein. We must not overemphasize risks at the expense of substantial benefits. DAVID A. FLEMING, M.D., DIRECTOR CENTER FOR HEALTH ETHICS SCHOOL OF MEDICINE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI--COLUMBIA Columbia, Mo.

Genetic engineering of plants can make food crops hardier, more resistant to molds and drought as well as to insect pests--without the use of herbicides and pesticides. Food can arrive on our tables looking and tasting better, costing less and being relatively free of unwanted chemicals. Future generations will look back at our fear of genetic engineering in the same way that we regard the superstitions that people once held about eclipses. TERRY BOYD Skokie, Ill.

White House Confidential

The revelations of President Kennedy's serious health problems and countless sexual encounters [ESSAY, May 26] give new meaning to the title of Kenneth O'Donnell and David Power's 1972 worshipful book, Johnny, We Hardly Knew Ye. PAUL PAIGE Phoenix, Ariz.

Respect for Yoko

The new CD that remixes Yoko Ono's music, Walking on Thin Ice, has topped the dance-club play chart [MUSIC, May 26]. I'm ashamed to admit that, like many other Beatles fans, I hated Yoko until the day John Lennon was shot. It was only after his tragic death, upon seeing the film Imagine, that I realized just how deep and genuine their love for each other was. I don't think the world knew how to embrace true soul mates. John's love for Yoko was naked and raw, and we turned away out of ignorance. We were unhappy that John didn't fit the mold of what we thought his life should be, and we wrongly projected our anger at Yoko for interfering with our idolization of him. How petty we all were! Yet how very heartening to read that she is finally being recognized for the talent John always saw in her. Congratulations, Yoko. PATRICIA BECKER-SPELLMAN Stevenson Ranch, Calif.

To the Good Life!

It's a pity more Americans don't enjoy their gnocchi and zucchini flowers with a bottle of prosecco, as celebrity cookbook queen Nigella Lawson does [AT DINNER WITH, May 26]. Too many people are washing down their Wal-Mart hot dogs and fat-free Oreos with Snapple. Or jogging off their egg-white omelets. I would love to see a healthy middle ground between eating junk and starving to be thin. The norm should be voluptuous women and a savoring of good food and long dinners. SHERRY OLSEN San Francisco