Letters

The Measure of a Nation

Our statistical guide to America--who we are, how we live, what we earn and what we believe--revealed the U.S. as a patchwork nation of 300 million and counting. Readers expressed surprise and dismay at many of the numbers and questioned the political and cultural priorities they revealed

Your cover story "America By The Numbers" [Oct. 30] was an interesting and thought-provoking way to commemorate the U.S. population's reaching 300 million. But I was struck by the comparison of the map illustrating the Electoral College votes in the 2004 presidential election and the "purple" map showing how people actually voted by county. When I look at both maps, there's little wonder why voter turnout in U.S. elections is embarrassingly low. Why would you bother voting when a simple majority is all that is needed for an entire state's Electoral College votes to go to one candidate? The U.S. is busy spreading democracy overseas yet has one of the least democratic electoral systems in the developed world.

Jeremy Greenbrook-Held

Wellington, New Zealand

Your special report cited research describing "What We Believe." While it is bound to be difficult to construct a questionnaire that neatly pigeonholes people's religious faiths, the viewpoints representing "How We See God"--which included an "Authoritarian God" and a "Benevolent God"--were simplistic and incomplete. Is God authoritarian or benevolent? According to the Bible, he is both. The way people view God may be an interesting sociological study, but those views do not define who God is.

Hollie Harmon

Montgomery, Ala.

"America By The Numbers" was quite interesting and quite disturbing. We are drifting toward a Balkanization of the U.S. Our leaders cannot secure our borders, and in failing to make English our official language, they have discarded the "melting pot," which used to unite us.

Guy R. Dobson

Barnwell, S.C.

TIME's claim that america is "still uncrowded" was disheartening. The statement "Hispanics are the only group having more than enough children to replace themselves in the population" could imply that our continued population growth is a good thing. There will be an additional 100 million Americans in 37 years. In a time of diminishing resources, such growth is not an admirable goal.

Roaney Giles

Austin, Texas

I was astounded to learn that Howard Stern earns $1,000 in 24 sec., while the same amount is earned by police officers and high school teachers for 43 hr. of work. The disparity of earnings between celebrities and average Americans clearly shows how far our culture's values have fallen. A radio personality's value to our society is totally insignificant compared with that of hardworking police officers and teachers.

Forrest F. Leigh

Boulder, Colo.

I am troubled by the great number of citizens who choose to forgo voting, or even registering to vote, in favor of watching television. Time reported that 19% of unregistered voters claim they do not have time to register, yet Americans on average watch more than 21/2 hr. of TV on weekends. Unregistered voters ought to spend a fraction of their TV viewing time filling out a voter registration card. People have time to do the activities for which they choose to make time.

Katherine Radford

San Diego

Exit Signs

Re "5 Ways To Prevent Iraq From Getting Even Worse" [Oct. 30]: Your recommendations contained one major flaw. They would be implemented by an Administration that has proved its total incompetence. Only an approach that transfers all decision making to non-Americans has any hope of success. Ideally, that would mean Iraqis, but the current situation is so chaotic that external assistance is a necessity. President George W. Bush and his cronies have messed up so badly that the only reasonable first step is a U.S. mea culpa on Iraq.

Donald Chauls

Sudbury, Mass.

your scenario for what the u.s. can do to salvage Iraq is unworkable, since it relies on cooperation from the Iraqi people. All the polls show that a majority of the Iraqi people want us to leave. We are basically a Christian army waging war in an Islamic country. That was, is and always will be a formula for disaster.

Joseph Rizzuto

Los Gatos, Calif.

Why is the U.S. not pursuing an exit strategy that involves more help from our allies like Saudi Arabia and Egypt? Their interests certainly supersede ours in that the tens of thousands of people who have been killed are their neighbors and not the U.S.'s. The war and attendant issues--its effect on the U.S. image abroad, the oil business and humanitarian concerns--would be better handled by the regional powers on our side.

Bruce Schulte

Ardmore, Okla.

Caring for Veterans

The army medical department was gratified by Michael Weisskopf's cover story "My Right Hand" [Oct. 2], which eloquently described the highest quality of care, professionalism and dedication of the clinicians at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. But comments in the Oct. 23 Letters column questioned whether Weisskopf received special treatment. In fact, the extraordinary care that Weisskopf received is the same care our soldiers, Marines, sailors and airmen receive every day. The amputee services available across the military health system and in partnership with the exceptional medical services provided by the Veterans Administration ensure that our military personnel receive the best rehabilitative care available in the world.

Kevin C. Kiley, M.D.

Lieutenant General, U.S. Army

The Surgeon General

Falls Church, Va.

Cheney Gives No Ground

I was chilled and appalled by Vice President Dick Cheney's glib answers to Time's interview questions [Oct. 30]. His comments related to the debacle in Iraq--"We're not looking for an exit strategy. We're looking for victory"--reflected the stubborn disconnect from reality that has characterized the Bush Administration's prosecution of the war. How much longer will Americans allow our leaders to repeat the tired and disingenuous rhetoric that ignores the depressing reality in Iraq?

Mark Wardlaw

Santa Rosa, Calif.

I agree with Cheney. Anything short of total victory in Iraq is unacceptable. The coalition forces led by the U.S. Army need a renewed focus to simply, swiftly and smartly counter, decapitate and suppress the insurgency within a time frame and then go home. The pandering to the whims of insurgent leaders should stop. The much sought-after peace lies in the hands of the locals and will surface the moment they are permitted to take control of their destiny. The earlier they are allowed to do so, the better.

Segun Ogunleye

Lagos

The Vice President's upbeat comments about how tax cuts have stimulated an economic recovery show that he is totally out of touch with the reality of the average American. Then again, my job doesn't include the kind of raises and lifelong health-insurance benefits that our nation's leaders enjoy. Try living in our world, Mr. Vice President, and then tell us how optimistic we should be.

David Rice

Clarendon Hills, Ill.

I was struck by the cavalier nature of Cheney's response when he was asked about his plans for after he leaves office. His intention to spend time with his family and go fishing is in striking contrast to the violence, suffering and death that will probably plague Iraq long after he retires. Because of his actions, there are thousands of men and women whose families have been denied the possibility of a reunion or day of fishing.

Jefferey Kaufmann

Long Beach, Calif.

Nuclear North Korea

President Bush's nightmare became a reality when North Korean leader Kim Jong Il joined the exclusive nuclear club [Oct. 30]. Bush's threatening rhetoric only accelerated the country's nuclear research and has opened the door for the spread of nuclear arms to other countries. But imposing economic sanctions on Kim's regime would only bring more suffering to the broad population of the country, while the ruthless tyrant and his Communist Party buddies would enjoy the horn of plenty as usual.

Syed Rashid Ali Shah

Vroomshoop, the Netherlands

In Defense of a Young Driver

I write to dispute an impression left by "Putting Limits on Teen Drivers" [Oct. 23]. I worked with Time to set up interviews with parents and their teen drivers for the article. I chose the Botti family because their daughter Angela has been my "poster child" for all things positive related to the changes in Nevada's driving laws. John and Donna Botti took their daughter's driving privilege very seriously. The Bottis consulted with me quite often during the six months they spent teaching Angela to drive, making sure they were doing everything possible to ensure her expertise. There are many parents who are cavalier about their children's driving; the Bottis are not such parents. Angela is certainly a rarity: a 16-year-old driver who has completed almost a year of driving without a crash or a citation. If all teens were as careful, I would no doubt be doing something else for a living.

Erin Breen, Director

Safe Community Partnership

University of Nevada

Las Vegas

"You're It" Is Out

"Danger! Kids Playing Tag" [oct. 30] reported that a Massachusetts elementary school has outlawed tag and other chase games during recess. But why not encase schoolkids in bubble wrap before sending them out to the playground? That's no more absurd than banning tag. Sure, kids often get hurt. It is our job as teachers and parents to help them set effective physical and psychological boundaries through discussion and role play. I suggest that district administrators watch kids in the classroom after a recess without active physical play. Kids badly need this kind of break in their academic day. Being motivated by fear of lawsuits sends an awful message to kids: fear and money reign.

Sande Anfang

Half Moon Bay, Calif.

Isn't it a shame that our kids can't roughhouse on the playground anymore because schools are worried about being sued? We're turning our kids into overweight, hyperactive, neurotic messes by meticulously tending to each and every nuance of their lives. Parents and teachers would do better to let kids experience life and the ups and downs that make it the wonderful journey it is.

Judy Koll

Glenshaw, Pa.

Cruel and Unusual Movies

I was appalled and disgusted after reading the article on recent horror films and their directors, "The Splat Pack" [Oct. 30]. These movies pander to the worst in human nature. If a society can be even partially judged by its entertainment, we're in trouble. What kind of person enjoys watching depictions of sadistic torture?

Cheryl White

Helena, Ala.

There is nothing scary or suspenseful about the newest wave of horror films. Torture and barbarity are merely cheap shock. If you want a truly scary film, check out Roman Polanski's Repulsion or Rosemary's Baby. Polanski knows it's not gore that scares an audience but a steadily growing sense of overwhelming apprehension and dread.

Tate Gardner

Los Angeles

It is indicative of something terribly rotten and depraved in our culture that moviegoers will ante up $10 to see graphic representations of victims being tortured and mutilated. What does it say about us as human beings when this type of film is seen as a pleasurable cinematic experience? Why should we then be surprised that so much of life in our cities and towns has become increasingly rude and violent?

Tim Moran

Evanston, Ill.

The Trouble Is Not in Your Set

Re "Blame It On The Teletubbies" [Oct. 30]: The Cornell University economists whose study suggested a potential link between autism and young children's television-viewing habits should earn nothing but derision for their efforts. Their report--and the ensuing publicity it has received--only serves to draw attention away from the critical need for legitimate scientific-research initiatives to determine the causes of the autism epidemic. The answers that thousands of families so desperately seek about autism will be discovered in the laboratory, not through anyone's cable bill.

Alison Singer

Senior Vice President

Autism Speaks

New York City

Public understanding of autism research suffers from two perennial complications: correlational studies and press releases. The report cited in your story is the latest example of both these foibles. The correlational style of argument is as apt to establish that, say, ice-cream sales cause homicides, since both peak at the same time of year. The long list of supposed causes of autism touted in the press has given parents false hope or, worse, false guilt, while damaging autism science and the public's trust in it.

Matthew Belmonte

Department of Human Development Cornell University

Ithaca, N.Y.

The Big Idea of Small Loans

Never has there been a more timely recognition of the quiet revolution started by microcredit pioneer Muhammad Yunus than the awarding of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize [Oct. 23]. Yunus' achievement is a shining example of how social and religious prejudices can be sensitively overcome within a community and without the confrontation, sensationalism and politicization that seem to have become the hallmarks for handling issues today. For doing this and for subverting long-held economic principles, Yunus deserved both the Peace and the Economics Prizes.

Anushua Biswas

Skipton, England

I was touched and very happy to read about Yunus' microcredit story. In a time of such bleakness and pessimism, the possibility that by 2030 the only trace of poverty could be in a museum was absolutely wonderful news. Imagining a very near future in which the word poverty requires the use of the past tense ought to be enough to make everyone optimistic.

Diana Cella

Perugia, Italy

Yunus successfully demonstrated how microcredit can be a means of alleviating poverty and empowering women. An impossible idea turned out to be a practical weapon in the fight against the extreme poverty of those in Southeast Asia and other Third World areas. Yunus' goal of reducing poverty by half by 2015, however, will require the sustained commitment and cooperation of development partners and the unequivocal support of local governments.

Dhiraj Kumar Nath

Dhaka, Nigeria