Letters

Give Americans and Clinton a Break

I have long respected former Monitor editor John Hughes, but I disagree with his opinion article Peril of Declining Values and President as Cipher (Sept. 16).

Mr. Hughes wants President Clinton to resign. A main plank of his argument rested on the tragic case of a Russian sailor who ran amok on a nuclear submarine. What if, he asked, some scenario had unfolded like a Tom Clancy novel, threatening to the US? He concluded this would not be the ideal time for a weakened and depressed president to deal with it. The majority of Americans were then accused of holding a muddled thesis, believing that private moral issues can be separated from job performance.

Mr. Hughes, if you believe the will of the American people should be disregarded because this is not a good time for an adventure novel to become a reality, I respectfully contend your thesis is the muddled one.

We, the people, know what we are doing when we chose the most productive and compassionate politician on a given ballot. Do not disregard our ability to clearly navigate through muddied times.

Griffith H. Williams

Kenmore, Wash.

John Hughes article touched on the aspect of personal regeneration something which has been largely missed in other media. The American society is familiar with counseling for everything under the sun especially personal issues. No one in the media seems to have brought this up: the president as a person, and what help he needs.

Shaziya Khan

Bombay, India

Bravo for the editorial The Wrong Polls (Sept. 18). In nine simple paragraphs, the Monitor cleanly, accurately, and insightfully laid out the Clinton crisis. Still, I would like to offer a couple of points.

Nothing will expedite the impeachment process more quickly than if the White House mishandles its dealings with Congress. If it turns out that the White House is behind the recent smear campaign on Judiciary Committee chairman Henry Hyde or on any other member of Congress, or if Mr. Clinton and his slick attorneys continue to mislead even members of his own party, then we can all start placing bets on when hell be removed.

Second, Congress has little choice but to proceed with the impeachment inquiry, and the facts do not look promising for Clinton. Perjury and obstruction of justice are serious offenses for which even the president is accountable. The Supreme Court has clearly ruled the President is not above the law.

The House, therefore, has the moral and constitutional obligation to proceed. This duty will weigh heavy on the minds and hearts of our representatives.

Erik D. Randolph

Penbrook, Pa.

The editorial, The Wrong Polls was very disturbing to us. We feel the Monitor has bought into the feeding frenzy of getting President Clinton out of office.

We remind you that senators and congressmen are employees of the people of the United States and are trusted by the people to do the will of the people. They are not in office to vote their consciences. If they refuse to do as the people require, they must resign. The American people, per all the polls taken by newspapers, radio, and TV all over the country, say they want President Clinton to finish his term in office.

Because the Monitor is a major and a respected newspaper, it must show respect to the will of the American people and have the responsibility not to join the mob trying to destroy the basis of American democracy because of an obsession to remove Mr. Clinton from office.

Robert Wilkinson

Laura Fujii

Berkeley, Calif.

The Monitor welcomes your letters and opinion articles. Only a selection can be published, and we can neither acknowledge nor return unpublished submissions. All submissions are subject to editing. Letters must be signed and include your mailing address and telephone number.

Mail letters to Readers Write, and opinion articles to Opinion Page, One Norway St., Boston, MA 02115, or fax to 617-450-2317, or e-mail to oped@csps.com