Defending the U.S. Against Barbarism

Barbara Kingsolver (“No Glory in Unjust War on the Weak,” Opinion, Oct. 14) claims that while her adversaries say she views the world in a childlike fashion she “know(s) how to look the world in the eye, however awful things are, and try to love it back.” What she displays, though, is the shabby nihilism of the left that, while reaping the benefits of a pluralistic modern society, denies any moral responsibility for defending it against barbarism.

Kent Schmidt

La Canada

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Thank you, Barbara Kingsolver. Your loving sentiments shine a ray of light into the dark expanse of fear and ignorance and reaffirm my faith in the basic decency of the human race. It takes great strength to swim against the tide of public opinion hellbent on its course of seemingly infinite revenge and endless greed.

Idealistic? You bet it is! Why not?

Daniel Finn

Los Angeles

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The attack on America on Sept. 11 was nothing less than an invasion of the United States, set in place by people destined to destroy us. Kingsolver simply does not understand this. The World Trade Center attack was an attack on innocent citizens. Kingsolver seemingly believes an insufficient number of us died in New York to warrant our response in Afghanistan. Simply because a bully is poor does not mean his tactics to terrorize and harm you are any less offensive.

And a bully who hides among those who are poor or incapable of defending themselves must be stopped before he can kill more of his human shields in an attempt to harm us again.

Lynn Conant

Henderson, Nev.

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Thank you for Kingsolver’s words, truly a balm for the wounded spirit. I can’t help wondering if the 5,600 who died here would be honored to know that in their name we are giving up our civil liberties, engaging in actions that will cause the death of possibly millions of starving Afghans and pouring more fuel on the wildfire of hatred now racing around the world.

Bonnie Allen

Petaluma