Get Down to Business: Make the Country Safe

While I can’t say I relish the thought of giving up personal liberties, I think that we as Americans, in times of crisis, should be willing to accept living under a more authoritarian government and rule of law. After all, apparently we felt it was good enough for the Argentinians and Brazilians during the ‘70s, when we supported their repressive regimes. And the Chileans. Not to mention the people who lived in Iran and Iraq. And the Philippines. And Indonesia, Haiti, South Africa, Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador . . . just to name a few.

Having installed and/or supported police states in all these countries, we shouldn’t complain too much when it happens here.

Ian Black

San Diego

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On Thanksgiving Day, I am scheduled to fly to Northern California with my 4-year-old daughter. It will be our first trip together on an airplane. So, when I read that civil libertarians are lobbying against certain aspects of the government’s call for new laws that will allow it to capture or detain potential terrorists, I get real angry.

It is time to wake up and smell the coffee, folks. There are wolves among us. Rather than bickering over constitutional nuances, our focus should be on self-preservation. These constitutional rights, such as the legal requirements for obtaining wiretaps, are not the only things that make America America. Living, breathing, working, taxpaying Americans are what make America America. It is time to dump all this abstract, college-debate-team grandstanding and get down to the business of making this country safe again.

John R. Johnson

Agoura Hills

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As I continue to view the many photographs of Sept. 11, I am dismayed to discover how desensitized I have become. That is not to say that I do not feel emotion, but I am also getting used to the emotions I am feeling. That in and of itself is sad. People have been inundated with this horrific event, to the point of suffering sleeping disorders, depression and apathy.

It is time for America to direct its energy in positive actions. Let’s learn from this, be aware of our vulnerability and protect this glorious nation of ours. This tragedy should be remembered, but it is time to focus on healing.

Where are the terrorists now? Oh, yes . . . they are hiding.

Elizabeth Stone

Rancho Palos Verdes