Letters to the Editor, December 26

Published December 26, 2005 at midnight

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'Occupation' is word that's little mentioned

Unsurprisingly, the word "occupation" did not appear in David Brooks' Dec. 13 column on the Palestinian/Israeli conflict ("Spielberg's 'Munich' omits one thing: evil"). Israel's 38-year occupation of Palestinian lands is the elephant in the room that must not be mentioned. If the occupation and Israeli theft of Palestinian lands, with the concomitant Israeli state terrorism against Palestinians, can be glossed over, it is hard for people to understand what the fighting there is about. It then becomes easier to miscast all Palestinian resistance to Israeli occupation simply as acts committed by radical Islamists who want to exterminate Israelis.

It is also important to note that all Israeli settlers in Gaza, the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) and Syria's Golan Heights were and are there illegally. In addition, Israel's "apartheid" wall is stealing even more Palestinian territory.

Acts of terrorism, whether committed by fanatic Arab-hating Israeli settlers, by the Israeli military, or by Hamas or the Islamic Jihad, must be condemned and stopped. However, using even more violence in an attempt to stop the terrorism only provides more fuel to the "perpetual motion machine" of violence mentioned by Spielberg. Instead of using violence, we must deal with the root cause of the conflict by ending the unmentionable occupation and removing all the illegal Israeli settlements.

Ron Forthofer

Longmont

Owens a turncoat

We pay Gov. Bill Owens to work for us and he seems to take orders from Mexico ("Owens touts guest- worker plan," Dec. 15, and "A plan for workers," Dec. 24).

Gov. Owens should get this through his head: no guest-worker program 'til every illegal alien is gone and not for 10 years after that, either, so we the people can stop paying for all the bills that the illegals have run up in Colorado.

We want a governor who works for the citizens of Colorado, not for Mexico!

Ed Ramsey

Thornton

Capital punishment sends wrong message

Capital punishment is a horrible symbolic gesture intended to send a message - presumably to would-be killers. But what message is actually being sent to the rest of us?

We are taught that death is the ultimate crime and ultimate punishment.

Thus we learn that death is the absolute worst thing that can befall you. By using death this way, we are taught that the very death that awaits us all is an ugly and fearful thing.

Another message is "To kill is the ultimate vindication." Where do murderers get the idea that killing is such a satisfying resolution to anger or injustice? The idea that murder is the most ideal revenge is reinforced by our very society. When someone has wronged you, there's only one way to "punish 'em good."

Our society's use of death as a means of frightening and manipulating the masses is a complete abomination. Death should be revered for the mystery that it is, not meted out by the brutal onto the fearful. Furthermore, to advocate the death penalty is the height of arrogance, presuming a knowledge of what death is.

We can all dream of a day when our enlightened society will hold compassion and redemption as both our path and our goal.

Jon Stubbs

Lafayette

Pro-Bush 'Shadow War' unsubstantiated

"Bush-bashers like Campos are oblivious," a Dec. 7 letter to the editor by Guy Bowman, claimed that the book Shadow War by Richard Miniter accurately describes specific instances in the lead-up to the war in Iraq.

The author of this book is a noted right-wing writer who offers no proof or other sourcing for his claims - and has never had any access to George Tenet or any other official in the Bush administration. Therefore his "novel" is a bunch of suppositions and propaganda and should be treated as such.

Why hasn't the letter writer read the 9/11 commission report which is substantiated by facts, documents and reality?

I challenge Bowman to prove any of his arguments - knowing he cannot.

Nothing anyone says is likely to change Bowman's mind, but, hopefully, there are others who believe in facts and not biased propaganda, which is what got America into this war in the first place. Read the 9/11 commission report if you want the truth.

Jean Stevens

Evergreen

Dam safety alarming

After reading "Cherry Creek Dam questioned again/Report by Corps renews concern on safety of structure" (Dec. 17), I was in shock.

Can we be that blind that nothing be done to ensure the safety of thousands of people, homes and businesses?

We need to remember what just happened in New Orleans, partly because their levees were never taken care of or repaired; the problems were put "on a shelf" and ignored for many years until it was too late. We need to learn from that.

Connie Bourk

Westminster

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