Alice Hawthorne

* Re “Atlanta Blast Leaves Big Hole in a Small Town,” July 29:

I was very touched by Bill Plaschke’s portrait of Alice Hawthorne, the beautiful (inside and out!) young woman who died in the Centennial Olympic Park bombing. I am saddened, however, that your reporter believes that, in visiting her little Georgia town and talking to her friends, family and neighbors, he made a discovery of “what many have missed. That every life is a big deal to someone.”

I would propose that every life is, or at least should be, a big deal to everyone. Unless and until every American owns that belief and operates from it out of love and a sense of community, we shall all remain hostage to the terror that more and more frequently leaves us feeling so utterly violated and insecure. Every single one of us is diminished by Hawthorne’s death, by the loss of TWA Flight 800’s passengers and crew, by Oklahoma City, by every death we can lay at the feet of terrorism. A piece of us dies with every such incident.

We must all take responsibility for the chaotic and cruel state of our world and, as individuals, we can begin to do so by looking at each other through the eyes of love and caring and helping each other to understand our parts in the process. We are all in this life together, and together we can make it better!

JOYCE FIENBERG

Los Angeles