Letters
Support of Iraq and Afghan wars would boost enlistment
The July 12 editorial "Uncle Sam Really Wants You!," like so many other commentaries, has missed the point. If Americans really bought the validity of our invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq, recruiters would only have to sit at their desks and take down the names of the people standing in line to enlist. There would be no need for the public to "allow avenues for the military to reach potential recruits better."
Ann Adams
Sharon Springs, N.Y.
The July 14 story, "In Florida, linemen as rock stars," was excellent. As president and CEO of Gulf Power, I thank you for focusing on the dedicated, professional, and caring people who work for us and for the other utilities that came to help us after hurricane Dennis.
They put their own personal needs on the back burner while they worked 16-hour days in the heat, getting the power back on.
These linemen and the other people who support them are my heroes, and the article explains why they truly care about our customers and bringing hope and normalcy back to our communities.
Susan N. Story
President and CEO, Gulf Power
Pensacola, Fla.
The July 12 article, "On this shuttle, safety is an obsession," was excellent. However, I do have a bone to pick with you. Although we didn't lose any astronauts in space in the Apollo program, we did lose three astronauts in the Apollo One fire.
Mike Stinneford
Kennesaw, Ga.
David Dow's July 8 Opinion article, "A justice to keep America from straying," misses the point of what should be required of Supreme Court justices.
The nation needs US Supreme Court justices who make decisions based on the Constitution, as written and understood.
The current situation with much of our national judiciary system is that it has become an oligarchy that is creating law and not interpreting the law as written. I would have placed more credence in the article if the court cases presented had not been cherry-picked to support a specific point of view.
What the United States needs more than anything is a rebalancing of the branches of government that would put them back into their respective areas of authority.
Arthur G. Shadforth
Merritt Island, Fla.
The June 28 article, "Arab press grows bolder, but blocks remain," unfortunately includes an inaccurate assessment of the evolution of press freedom in Tunisia.
Various measures have been introduced to strengthen the legal protection for journalists in the exercise of their profession. These include successive amendments to the Press Code to create an even more liberal media environment.
Reforms have made the seizure of any publication conditional upon a court decision and abolished the legal requirement of filing copies for published material.
No journalist has been detained, and no newspaper has been seized in Tunisia for the past 17 years.
The overwhelming majority of the country's 245 newspapers and magazines are privately owned. They independently set and follow their own editorial lines.
Opposition newspapers come out regularly and express themselves freely on all issues. Private radio and television stations started broadcasting three years ago, ending state monopoly over audiovisual media activity.
Taoufik Chebbi
Press Counselor of the Embassy of Tunisia
Washington
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