Patriotism Calls for Homework

I am so tired of hearing “this is a time for unity.” These people might as well say “end of discussion.” Is this really the most patriotic way of responding to the biggest decision with which this country has ever been faced? With the worldwide proliferation of nuclear and biological weapons, our days of fighting small, polite, well-contained wars are over. This doesn’t warrant some discussion and consideration of alternatives?

Let’s agree on how we are united. We are united in our mourning, our fears, in our disdain for terrorism and, yes, we are even united in wanting to be united. The concerns that challenge our unity are: what the cause of terrorism is; how to solve the problem of terrorism; whether it is necessary to figure out the cause before we can figure out the solution. Let’s stop the rhetoric and address this problem as we would any other by talking, listening, reading and doing our homework.

Kelly Moreland

Burbank

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I believe every diplomatic option should be exhausted. I pray that peace can be achieved without bloodshed. However, those who protest war and exercise their freedom of speech in the name of peace fail to understand that this freedom is now threatened. They exercise this freedom solely because there were those who were willing to defend it with their lives. War has been declared upon our nation. How many more casualties will there be until these people recognize this?

Garett Wood

Santa Ana

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Until Sept. 11, I thought of myself as a citizen of the world. No more. Until Sept. 11, I was a one-worlder. All men were created equal. We all live in a brotherhood of man. Inside, we are all the same. No more. I believed in world peace, that it was possible, even likely, in my lifetime. No more.

Until Sept. 11, I thought we could solve any problem in the world through negotiation, through friendship, through listening and being willing to give a little. But no more.

Until Sept. 11, I didn’t believe you could settle anything through violence, through killing, through bloodshed. I didn’t think I would ever again want to take up arms against my fellow man. No more.

I think we’re going to see a lot of bloodshed before we make the world safe for our children and our grandchildren again. Until these terrorists are walking and talking and plotting among us no more.

Roger Angle

Culver City

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I have a simple question for all you pacifists:

How many innocent civilians, children, teenagers, women and men do terrorists have to kill before you dig in your heels and say enough is enough? Obviously 6,000 in one day is not enough!

David Diestel

Rancho Palos Verdes

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How do we define patriotism? I know a woman who carries a bag with her when she goes jogging. She picks up recyclables. When she takes a walk, she stops to remove Styrofoam cups before they are blown or washed into the storm drains. She lives close to work and rides a bike there.

What she does is certainly not normal. She was doing these things before the Sept. 11 tragedy, and she is doing them now. When I asked her why, she simply said that it made sense. Do you think that her “patriotism” is going to do more good for America in the long run than all the flag-waving of the last two weeks?

Van Ajemian

Montebello

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What I’m afraid of is that the patriotic frenzy being whipped up in the country will force our elected leaders to take the feel-good path of bombing and killing 99 innocent Afghans for every Taliban supporter we get, thereby reinforcing the image that we hold Muslim lives in contempt.

The more I read about the possible repercussions of overt military action, the more convinced I am that we should quietly pursue a policy of identifying, locating and liquidating terrorist cells and their leaders, then denying involvement. The worst thing that could happen is for Osama bin Laden to be killed before U.S. intelligence agencies have a chance to interrogate him. We don’t need any more martyrs.

Harold N. Gibson

Compton

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I’ve read on freeway signs and heard from college professors to “Think peace.” How ridiculous. The question is not about peace or war when a barbarian attacks. The question is about defense. Think defense.

Nancy Evans

Irvine