Letters: Jan. 20, 2003

What Trent Lott tried to do was whitewash the present, not the past [NATION, Dec. 23]. There is no evidence that the Senate's former majority leader finds integration and equal rights any less offensive now than he did years ago. LAURA BILLINGTON Maple Valley, Wash.

Senator Lott was only giving his friend and colleague Senator Strom Thurmond a good send-off at his 100th birthday party. How can Lott's celebratory remarks be taken as anything serious? JOHNNIE R. GOTHARD San Angelo, Texas

I am an African American who has been a Republican since 1980. Lott and his crew promote and prey on the fears (real and imagined) of salt-of-the-earth European Americans. Republicans who are racist promote distrust and hatred of minorities as a way of dealing with the fears of good common folk. When enough progressive citizens decide to join the Republican Party, people like Lott and others who oppose integration will have to find another vehicle for their cowardly ideology. MICHAEL P. BERRY Phoenix, Ariz.

Trent, Trent, Trent. There's no need to apologize for saying out loud what you, the majority of your party, corporate leaders and talk-radio hosts hold to be true in your heart of hearts. JIM BUEGE Delafield, Wis.

How could Trent Lott's fellow Republicans be ignorant of his racially divisive past? His record on race has been known for decades. Yet those in his party who turned against him are the same ones who elected him their Senate majority leader. To believe that Republicans are sincere about racial inclusiveness, you have to overlook the fact that for years Lott had their full support despite his past indiscretions. Lott may have apologized for his words, but the Republican Party still has a lot of explaining to do. CHRISTOPHER SCAPELLITI New York City

There's no place in leadership positions for people like Lott or others who espouse racist beliefs. There's no place for them in our government, and there's no place for them in this country. JOE VECCHIO Alpharetta, Ga.

African Americans weren't looking for an apology from Lott for his remarks. Lott should be asking questions and learning how he can make a positive contribution to healing the racial inequality that has existed in the U.S. for more than 200 years. Lott will still have a hard time overcoming the damage that was done by the likes of himself and Strom Thurmond, but maybe he will gain a better understanding of the insults he uttered. FRAN NETHERTON Corona, Calif.

Backpacker Diplomacy

Your columnist Michael Elliott IS concerned that the Mombasa and Bali bombings will have a devastating effect on tourism, especially on backpacker travel [GLOBAL AGENDA, DEC. 16]. Having been a backpacker for a number of years, I know there is a distinction between tourists and backpacking travelers. Backpackers try to speak the local language; we use the same means of transportation locals use; we eat the same food. I don't think backpackers will be staying at home. We will just have to adapt and try to avoid large gatherings of Westerners. CHARLES HENRY Brussels