Letters

Skiing's Wild Child

TIME's story on controversial American skier Bode Miller drew divided reactions from our readers. Many wrote to applaud Miller for his exciting, iconoclastic approach to his sport and his willingness to speak his mind. Other readers registered their disapproval of Miller as a party boy and poor role model

It was good to read an objective article about Olympic skier Bode Miller [Jan. 23]. The cover photo was good too. Miller isn't a bad guy just because he loves the sport of skiing more than simply beating his competitors. He's capable of independent thinking, and he consistently strives to do his best. It is unfortunate that Miller's self-confidence seems to intimidate the conformist coaches who have trouble coping with him. They should be grateful that they have an athlete who excels.

NATALIE D. DUNLAP

Lewiston, Maine

You said Miller believed "It's playing the game that counts." Maybe so, but one glance at Miller's ski clothing shows nearly a dozen logos from the corporate giants that sponsor him. That hardly makes him a "Rebel on the Edge," as your story's headline proclaimed. He looks more like a billboard on skis.

ALICE KELLY

Boston

Miller is little more than a pretty good downhill skier who qualified for the U.S. Olympic team. He lives a self-centered, self-indulgent, party-boy kind of life and is hardly a role model for our kids who want to break into competitive skiing or anything else.

JOHN LEACH

Naples, Fla.

Your story referred to competitive skiing as a "world where winners get endorsements and losers work for the ski patrol." That view demeans a rescue cadre established to serve the public in ways that no other organization could. Members of the ski patrol are skilled and passionate about what they do.

TOM MCCOY

Heidelberg, Germany

What is all the fuss about? Skiers have always competed hard and partied hard. That's what makes them skiers.

DAVE YATES

Scottsdale, Ariz.

Anyone who says this young, aggressive, intuitive man isn't the embodiment of pure American spirit needs to watch the Olympic skiing events and learn about sport from Miller, who, for better or worse, will certainly dominate the races. He parties a lot and doesn't care what people think. But he isn't only about partying. He wins a lot. Part thinker, part natural athlete, Miller becomes the sport of skiing and doesn't deny his life. We should all be so determined to find our own ground.

JAN LUPNACCA

North East, Md.

Republican Reform

"Can this Elephant Be Cleaned Up?" reported on the influence-peddling scandal in Washington involving lobbyist Jack Abramoff and members of Congress [Jan. 23]. It's a sad point in U.S. history when a lobbyist's extensive ties become equivalent to political clout. Even with the exposure of the Abramoff scandal, Republicans "debate how they can project change while keeping things much the same." What an insult! Instead of endeavoring to serve the people, these "public servants" want to use lip service and cosmetic changes to pull the wool back over our eyes. There can be no excuses for their flagrant disrespect and misuse of public office.

JEREMIAH DUKE

Selinsgrove, Pa.

Telling Stories

Your report "The Trouble with Memoirs" described the controversy over how much of author James Frey's "memoir," A Million Little Pieces, is made up and how much is real [Jan. 23]. Frey's shamelessness after being exposed for having embellished parts of the book is symptomatic of a much larger problem in American society. As your article pointed out, fiction doesn't sell nearly as well as nonfiction, and Frey couldn't find a publisher when he tried to market his work as fiction. So it was called nonfiction. Making a ton of money is apparently more important to him than being truthful, but the real tragedy in this case is that most people don't care. Liars and cheaters have been around since the beginning of civilization, but only now are they lavishly rewarded for bad behavior.

MARK STUART ELLISON

New York City

I am outraged that Frey's critics think A Million Little Pieces is only the work of a liar. Frey put into words the horror of addiction to drugs and alcohol. Who hasn't described a personal experience with color and drama? Frey has my respect for his selfless confession.

SUZANNE ST. JOHN

West Bloomfield, Mich.

Is It O.K. to Eavesdrop?

Joe Klein seems to think the Democrats are wrong to protest the wiretapping the Bush Administration is doing in the guise of tracking terrorists [Jan. 16]. Klein is out of touch with the U.S. mainstream. It's not just liberals who are objecting; many conservatives as well are concerned by the flagrant disregard of the law by Bush's approving wiretaps without a warrant or any oversight whatsoever by anyone outside the Executive Branch. Had the President followed the law, there would be no discussion about the wiretaps. If the investigations now under way indeed conclude that the wiretaps are illegal, approving them would be an impeachable offense.

CLARE DUCEY

Atlanta

Kudos to Klein for carefully making the argument that the nation will not return the Democrats to power as long as the voters don't trust them with U.S. national security. Liberals couldn't be any further away from getting voters' trust.

PAUL KNOPICK

Laguna Hills, Calif.

Klein's criticism of the Democrats was way off the mark. Liberals want to track down the bad guys as much as Republicans or anybody else. But government officials have got to get a warrant before they wiretap!

PHILIP DUVAL

Hamburg, Germany

While I believe that Presidential wiretapping for political reasons is wrong, the National Security Agency can read my e-mail and listen to my phone conversations all day long if it will help them find the bad guys. The government knows whom to be suspicious of. I am sure it is trying desperately to find terrorists. Why would it spend needless hours reading the e-mail I send to my mother? Please let the government do its job and keep us safe. After all, why do we have spy agencies if we can't spy?

PAM CAMPBELL

Houston

Above the Law?

Andrew Sullivan, in his essay "We Don't Need a New King George" [Jan. 23], was right to criticize President Bush's habit of attaching signing statements that give his interpretation of the legislation he signs. Taking the oath of office, Bush swore to "protect and defend" the Constitution. But his Administration is undermining that document's checks and balances. If lying under oath about an affair was reason enough to bring impeachment charges against President Bill Clinton, then there is cause 10 times over for impeaching Bush. Shame on him, and shame on us if we let him get away with it.

KAREN MONTGOMERY

Bethlehem, Pa.

The idea that the President can unilaterally transform legislation that Congress has passed by using a presidential signing statement to explain his actions is outrageous and contrary to the Constitution. No American wants the presidency to have such power.

MIKE FORD

Austin, Texas

In time of war, the President has a great degree of latitude granted by the Founding Fathers. Sullivan's assertion that Bush thinks he is above the law or is another King George is beyond ludicrous. Any President would have reacted the way Bush did after 9/11. Thank God the President has discharged his responsibilities in carrying out the global war on terrorists. We are all safer for it.

ROBERT GUERTIN

Jamestown, N.C.

Andrew Sullivan's blog, the Daily Dish, can be found at time.com