Letters
Moving beyond bin Laden: Can we do it?
Regarding "Does bin Laden matter anymore?" (March 1): I agree with the stance ... who cares? Much of the media is forgetful of President Bush's larger goal of ridding the world of terrorism on a measured basis. I believe he stated that this goal would remain firm no matter how long it takes. If we continue to seek instant gratification, especially when it comes to Osama bin Laden, the terrorists will truly have exceeded their expectations. They already have us running around trying to find every conceivable place the next strike could be, spending millions of dollars in the process, and provoking minihysterias, especially in the press. I say let's stay committed and patient.
Gary Driggers
Oak Harbor, Wash.
It's important that we find Osama bin Laden because President Bush made finding him a priority from the beginning. Bin Laden was responsible for murdering thousands of people. Since when do we let mass murderers go free to kill again?
Carolyn Hazlett
Andover, Mass.
Regarding "Qué es esto: A Texas debate in Spanish?" (March 1): I read about Texas political debates taking place in Spanish with dismay. An advocate of "English language-only," I am also a true believer in multiculturalism. I celebrate the contributions and achievements of Hispanic Americans and the assimilation of its culture into the fuller fabric of American society as well as the contributions of all different national origins. I don't oppose teaching languages in our schools nor their use in the marketplace. But I do not believe the government should bear expenses in encouraging the use of any language other then English.
I recognize and celebrate the diversity within the American mosaic, but also recognize the crucial importance of unity within the American melting pot. Nothing unites a people more then a common language and nothing proves more divisive then a multitude of tongues.
Séamus Fitzsimmons
San Francisco
Regarding "Is it a girl's nature to nurture?" (Feb. 27, Homefront): As a feminist who has struggled with being a good-enough employee and mother, I often feel I can do neither well. There's something to the idea of a staged life presented by Michael Gurian, author of "The Wonder of Girls." Not only does it buy you the time for graceful mothering, but I suspect there's an economic benefit for families that divide labor more traditionally. I don't know if it's so much about nature, as practicality. Women have layered too much on their lives at once. It might be better to "have it all" in stages, instead of all at the same time.
Chris McLaughlin
Wauwatosa, Wis.
I would challenge Michael Gurian to experience another culture and then review his theories on the role of biology and gender roles. Having lived and worked with Dine (Navajo) people for the past 20 years, I have seen that expectations of Navajo women are more robust than those in middle-class America. I also found a greater appreciation for bearing and raising children, more value put on women's opinions, an expectation of women to have physically active lives, and an appreciation of the contributions made by women without children. And child-care is shared by the whole family: fathers, grandfather, uncles, aunts, and grandmothers alike.
Many women in the world don't have the luxury to worry about the stages of motherhood. They have to work hard everyday to survive. Rather than focusing on stages, it's more important that all humans are encouraged to discover their talents and skills and given the resources to develop them fully.
Rosemary Bolza
Fort Defiance, Ariz.
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