Copyright 2002 The Omaha World-Herald Company  
Omaha World-Herald
July 17, 2002, Wednesday SUNRISE EDITION
SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 6b; Public Pulse

LENGTH: 1752 words

HEADLINE: Public Pulse

BODY:
On moderate Muslims

I read in the July 10 World-Herald that a delegation of overseas Muslim scholars was in Washington, D.C., last week to publicly denounce violence committed in the name of Islam. They were there to say that most Muslims value peace, family and democracy, but they are concerned that "voices of moderation are not being heard."

Well, they are right. They are not being heard. But it is not because we haven't been listening. It is because the moderates, if they really do exist, have chosen to remain silent and let the radical fundamentalist mullahs do all the talking for Islam. When was the last time we saw a broadcast report or newspaper story about 250,000 "moderate" Muslims marching for peace, tolerance and understanding? Quite the opposite occurs. What we see or read about are these radical extremists inciting hundreds of thousands to march and shout "death to America" as they spit on and then burn the American flag.

The delegation may have good intentions, but its efforts would be appreciated by Americans if its members spent more time and effort trying to promote their recently acquired enlightened position to their own citizenry. When I see or read a report about 250,000 Muslims marching and calling for the overthrow of Yasser Arafat, Saddam Hussein and Moammar Khadafy, I may start to believe that moderate Muslims do exist and really care about peace, family and democracy.

John Espenmiller, Logan, Iowa

Self-control is lacking

I took to heart Rainbow Rowell's July 12 column ("Avoiding porn on the Internet difficult") when she stated, "Self-control is all that separates us from the animals. (That and sentience, I guess.)"

I disagree that humans have more self-control than other animals. I argue that as a species humans have the least self-control and are the most destructive and violent animals on the planet. Anyone who has studied the history of mankind and reads the daily newspapers can attest to man's pervasive lack of self-control.

In addition, Ms. Rowell alluded to a popular belief in our society that humans are the only sentient beings. Of this I must emphatically disagree. There are Eastern religions and indigenous cultures worldwide that believe animals, especially birds and non-human mammals, are sentient creatures also. In our own Western culture, we have books such as "Why Elephants Weep," a New York Times bestseller. In it, authors Susan McCarthy and Jeffrey Masson argue the sentience of animals as well. It's even stated in the Bible that, "He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man." - Isaiah 66:3.

Linda Dugan, Hastings, Neb.

Moritz deserves honor

I was elated to read that D. Moritz is being honored by the National Education Association for her work in making sure gay and lesbian students have a safe and secure environmental to learn in.

More surprising is the fact that this is taking place in the same state that passed one of the most horrendous anti-gay-marriage laws in the country, has no problem with making large budget cuts to education and is generally a haven to some of the most conservative thinking on the planet.

Bless you, D. Moritz. There probably are a lot of kids who are alive because of you.

Daniel J. Kruse, Hartington, Neb.

On gambling, taxes

With all the focus on gambling in Nebraska and the tax relief it would bring, all one really needs to do is ask, "Does it work?"

Some are so quick to point to gambling as a panacea. So powerful is the opposition to gambling that when collecting signatures the petitioners refer to it as a tax-relief petition rather than a gambling petition.

To find out how well gambling works as tax relief, just look across the river at Council Bluffs. The city just passed a property tax increase locally, and other taxes are increasing statewide. When the Nebraska lottery was brought in some years ago, were anyone's taxes reduced? Then the state added Powerball. Any tax relief from that? Regardless of what any candidate says, gambling would not reduce taxes. Historically it has had the opposite effect.

Rick Lamb, Omaha

Bush needn't lecture

Best I've heard in the last two weeks: George Bush lecturing us about corporate ethics is like Bill Clinton lecturing us about chastity.

Stu Wood, Bellevue

Clean up Congress

E.J. Gerhard's July 13 Pulse letter ("Champs at fraud") was right on target. In addition, let's not overlook that this same Washington bunch, so concerned about corporate accounting practices, has misplaced a few billion of our tax dollars through accounting practices of its own.

One thing about members of our Congress: They have never let the accumulation of dirt in their own back yard interfere with their pompous campaigns to clean up and moralize the rest of the country.

John W. Ellis, Omaha

Be wary of drug plan

Recently, two viewpoints were offered on Medicare prescription drug benefits in The World-Herald. Michael Millea, president of AARP Nebraska, equated the freedoms guaranteed in the Constitution to a prescription drug benefit (July 9 Midlands Voices). No mention is made of the cost of such a program or whether the country can afford a massive new entitlement program.

A more realistic assessment is from noted economist Robert Samuelson in his July 10 column. He is hoping political gridlock (which can be a wonderful thing) will derail such a program. It is estimated that such an entitlement would cost the taxpayers between $ 350 billion to $ 400 billion in the first eight years. Furthermore, Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare would double as a percentage of gross domestic product. Taxpayers would not be able to afford the programs we currently have, let alone any new programs.

Congress continues to promote these entitlements and refuses to discuss larger budget deficits, massive tax increases and cuts in other programs that would result with passage of such a bill.

Vic Massara, Omaha

Try tolerance, patience

In response to Monica Taylor (July 10 Pulse), while I agree that "it is the residents' responsibility to learn English," we need to be understanding of immigrants and their circumstances.

Imagine having to leave your native country because of a shortage of opportunity and an abundance of poverty and disease. Imagine having no money, local friends or marketable skills yet still working two hard-labor jobs to feed and clothe your family, pay rent and try to save money to send to the family in the old country. When do you think you'd have time to learn English?

Generally, most immigrants are working very hard to learn our language with their limited time and resources. I took four years of Spanish in high school (earning good grades, too), and I can barely speak it at the level of a 3-year-old. Learning a new language is difficult and takes time, even with proper instruction.

So be kind to immigrants and try to understand the challenges they face. After all, they deserve freedom of the "pursuit of happiness" as much as the next person. Spread tolerance.

Amy Steenson, Council Bluffs

Drivers were careless

On Monday, just before noon, dozens of drivers failed en masse to yield the right of way to emergency vehicles. An accident had evidently occurred on 120th Street, one block north of West Center Road. Police were already on the scene.

First a fire truck, and then an ambulance, had to stop because traffic would not let them through. This was not because of a driver or two trying to sneak through the intersection before the emergency vehicles arrived; rather, it was because many drivers were literally pulling directly in front of those vehicles.

The fire truck was forced to overshoot the intersection and back up. Again, drivers did not yield. Standing at the corner waiting to cross, I was flabbergasted at their thoughtlessness. Some drivers did want to yield, but it was of no use thanks to those who did not.

What if that delay meant the difference between life and death for the injured? What if that was your parent, sibling or child?

David Nelson, Omaha

Nightclub is nuisance

This is in response to the June 28 World-Herald article, "Busy Benson creates a buzz." City Councilman Marc Kraft stated, "We haven't had any major complaints" concerning Cartiers.

We as neighbors do have complaints that are important (major) to us. And we have complained.

Cartiers draws 800 people on Saturday nights, with availability of approximately 180 parking spaces. This traffic on our streets is more than our residential street can handle. We have cars parked up and down our streets (on a no-parking side), people partying outside their cars and trash and broken bottles in our yards and driveways. Men use our yards and bushes as urinals.

Mr. Kraft may be pleased, but he doesn't live on the streets surrounding Cartiers. He isn't awakened at night to the loud music and noise this club has brought to our neighborhood. We who live in this neighborhood want consideration from the patrons of Cartiers to take their trash with them, turn their stereos down, go to someone's house to party and use Cartiers' restrooms before they leave the place.

Sharon Chvala, Omaha

Editor's note: The preceding letter also was signed by Michelle Coyle, Lisa Bridges, Ron Chvala, Steven J. and Cynthia R. Rydberg, Elmer Hoeneman, Eleanor Anderson, Dave and Tammy Lumbard and Dennis Lahm.

Williams was greatest

Harold W. Andersen may be a fair editor, but he doesn't know baseball. His July 11 column about Ted Williams is full of speculation. He evidently thinks Williams would have had poor years when he was in his prime but unable to play because of injuries and his serving the country in the military.

The people who know baseball best say Williams was the greatest hitter who ever lived. Whose opinion is of more value, that of major league players or a newspaper editor who never made it to the majors? Did Andersen ever make it to the minors? Did he even play pro ball?

Milond Cunningham, Omaha

Concert was a classic

A thank-you to the Eagles for a wonderful concert Sunday evening! I was a little skeptical of the ticket price, but the concert was well worth every penny, and my husband and I would go again without hesitation. More than three hours of music - that's entertainment!

Sue Guerrero, Omaha



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