EDITORIAL LETTERS

Understanding Palestinians' Rage and Resistance

I was glad to see the opinion-page article ''The Reason for Rage in Gaza,'' Jan. 12. It is refreshing to see someone trying to understand Palestinian rage and resistance and treating Palestinians as humans who would react similarly to the same set of pressures.

Most reporting and ''analysis'' of the so-called peace process is biased toward the demands of the Zionists; one would think that Israelis are the victims of repressions and apartheid.

I commend you for having the courage to print a piece that treats Palestinians as humans with the same rights as the rest of us.

Aram Falsafi Jamaica Plain, Mass.

Bilingual programs need reform

I have worked in several school districts in California and agree with the opinion-page article ''Urgent: Reform Bilingual Education,'' Dec. 26. While bilingual education was meant to help non-English-speaking students, many of the programs in place do not.

That's not to say that bilingual programs can't help non-English-speaking students (there is a great need for such programs when so many such students are enrolled in public education), but those who promote and teach bilingual programs must be willing to recognize when strategies have failed and should be changed.

Bilingual education, like all education, should benefit the students, not the administrators or educators.

Elizabeth Hinnant Pebble Beach, Calif.

Put energy into balancing budget

Regarding the front-page article ''A GOP Freshman Faces Public Scowl,'' Jan. 3: The patience of Americans is wearing thin as the process to pass a balanced budget lengthens. We now see news articles filled with references as to whose fault it is. Many of us are weary of the government, and pointing fingers seems counterproductive as well as childish. If half as much energy were spent on actually resolving the issues rather than pinning the blame on someone else, we might have a better-working government. I see a similar pattern in today's workplace. We could all use a lesson in putting aside our differences - to not seek out our own success in other's failures. Why not just get the job done?

Angela Sevin Concord, Calif.

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