Letters to the editor: The release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit; God on America’s side; drone “myths”

One human life

Re “One man’s joy is another’s anguish,” Oct. 19

The recent prisoner swap of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit for more than 1,000 Palestinian criminals should establish only one compelling truth: Israel values a single human life above all else.

The Palestinian prisoners who were released, however, have far different moral standards, exemplified in statements made by released murderer Fouad Abu Amrin justifying his random stabbing of a 15-year-old girl. Hamas leaders said that the swap proved the effectiveness of armed resistance, tacitly urging more kidnappings of Israeli soldiers.

Shalit, on the other hand, said, “I hope this deal will advance peace and not lead to war.” With such starkly contrasting viewpoints, how does the world not see which party is the true obstacle to peace in the Middle East?

Rena Kreitenberg

Los Angeles

America’s God issues

Re “With God on our side,” Opinion, Oct. 16

Amazing how “God” has singled out America as the lone contender for global exceptionalism and as the standard-bearer, via theocratic Christian militancy, for peace by means of warfare.

The right-wing candidates who call themselves Christians have evidently conflated the terrifying God of the Old Testament with Jesus, the peace-loving iconoclast of the New Testament. Surely this dichotomy must be problematic, at least for some.

I fear for an America that elects a creationist president who claims to know the “mind of God,” and who is far more interested in power and warmongering than in educating, employing and caring for the country’s citizens.

Most significantly, however, before I trust this country to a president with a “faith-based approach to statecraft,” that candidate had better prove to me that the deity to whom he or she has pledged fealty actually exists.

Rebecca S. Hertsgaard

Palm Desert

If America was really ordained by a good, just God, we wouldn’t need military power. That we need excessive military power suggests a lack of faith that we are truly ordained.

This ordination story is a remake of the same old lie that has been used throughout history to rally the people and gain power. Does anyone remember Hitler, who sold the Germans on the superiority of the Aryan race while telling them that Christianity and family values were the foundation of the Nazi movement?

The suggestion that God is not on everybody’s side is a very dangerous concept that is at the root of so much of man’s inhumanity to man. If this is what this great country is coming to, may God have mercy on us.

Stan Stachura

Marina del Rey

Death by remote control

Re “Unfounded drone fears,” Opinion, Oct. 17

Michael Lewis’ rationale for our use of drones should be answered, and in the same way he presents and debunks “myths.”

Myth: Terrorists could effectively use drones to strike targets that are otherwise safe.

Lewis admits that an easily obtained, small, hand-launched drone could carry “a few pounds” of explosives. Nothing to worry about there.

Myth: The U.S. use of drones serves to legitimize their use by China or Russia.

Any unauthorized use of U.S. drones over another country’s sovereign airspace certainly sets a precedent for their use over U.S. airspace by any other nation. The idea that we will be the sole possessors of any new weapons systems is ludicrous, especially because we’re in the business of selling these systems worldwide.

Unless the international community acts to ban them, eventually there will be drones over the United States.

Jon Peterson

Pasadena

Lewis does not put my fears to rest with his easy dismissal of criticisms of U.S. drone strikes.

Yes, we may have ample defenses to protect us from enemy drones flying over the U.S., and drone use by terrorists is unlikely.

What I fear are provoked counterattacks to our homeland, more accidental killings of U.S. troops and the corrosive threat to our own humanity when human beings, no matter how evil their intent, are reduced to blobs on a screen to be killed from thousands of miles away.

Cecil Hoffman

Pasadena

El Torito, now

Re “Adios to the Cal-Mex combo,” Opinion, Oct. 16

In his fairly condescending Op-Ed article, Gustavo Arellano gives the impression that, given the Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing of parent company Real Mex Restaurants,

El Torito and other eateries are somehow falling out of favor and may soon disappear.

In fact, we are open for business as usual.

For more than 50 years we’ve been a vibrant part of Southern California, and the steps we’re taking to strengthen our company are designed to make sure the next 50 years are even better. We’re proud to employ nearly 10,000 workers in our home state.

Given the passion of our dedicated employees and loyal guests, who have shown us over the last two weeks that they certainly do care, we’re tremendously excited about the future.

While food fads continue to come and go, we’ll be right here serving our guests, just as we have for decades.

David Goronkin

Cypress

The writer is chairman and chief executive of Real Mex Restaurants Inc.

Productivity prod at Disney

Re “Disney’s ‘electronic whip,’ ” Column, Oct. 19

What a great article about the “electronic whip” Disney uses to keep its hotel workers extremely productive. Chief Executive Bob Iger ought to be ashamed of how the company is treating its workers and how much it is compensating those at the top.

Greed is not good, as can be seen in the case of the people who work in these Disney hotels.

Fred Ursua

Foothill Ranch

Steve Lopez muses, “I wonder if there’s an electronic whip in Iger’s office.”

The answer is yes: Iger answers to the market every business day.

Anders Warga

La Cañada Flintridge

Correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t it Disney that recommended we “whistle while we work”?

Mike McWilliams

Santa Monica

A call to arms

Re “Upgrading Taiwan’s defense,” Oct. 19

Doing the math in Richard Bush’s opinion piece, it appears that two American administrations — one Republican, one Democratic — have “sold” the Taiwanese government about $28 billion worth of weaponry in the last decade, with President Obama set to outpace his predecessor.

Occupy Wall Street, and Americans in general, take note: A change in party doesn’t change the business this country is in; it simply determines who will reap the political contributions that come from shilling for the merchants of death.

Here and abroad, keeping the world on hair-trigger status lines the pockets of politicians and arms makers. But how does it help the rest of us?

Jon Williams

Goleta, Calif.

Crash course?

Re “Virgin dedicates new spaceport,” Business, Oct. 18

I was delighted to read that Virgin Galactic has taken over control of its newly completed spaceport to use as a base for its spaceflights, and I am confident Richard Branson will be successful with his endeavor.

One of the challenges he will inevitably face will be how he handles his first disaster. After all, it is rocket science.

Paul Burns

Granada Hills