Letters: Jan. 24, 2005

• Share

(2 of 2)

JON SHERMAN Chicago

>>Naturally, a number of TIME's readers had their own thoughts about who should be Person of the Year. The Iraq war got its share of attention with nominations for "the brave soldiers and innocent victims who have perished in the Iraqi conflict." There was a concerted letter-writing campaign for Viktor Yushchenko, who finally succeeded in winning the disputed Ukrainian presidential election. His supporters praised him as "a prime example of someone who is truly fighting for democracy." A Salt Lake City, Utah, reader had this idea: "A better choice would have been the American people. We weathered the election, went back to work and did so without a civil war. We have proved to ourselves that we are able to live and work together despite the most divisive election in our history."

From Farther Afield

BUSH DESERVES TO BE NAMED PERSON OF the Year because of his farsighted vision [Dec. 27--Jan. 3]. Since 9/11, he has been the only world leader with a clear plan for how to face and combat terrorism. His critics have demonized him but never offered any serious alternative strategies. History will regard him as the person who helped defeat terrorism.

FABRIZIO ZANELLO Genoa, Italy

THE PERSON OF THE YEAR SHOULD BE someone who has shaped events. Although Bush sees himself as a leader, his decisions since 9/11 have been reactive rather than proactive. It pains me greatly, therefore, to nominate two men who have really been calling the shots: Osama bin Laden and insurgent leader Abu Mousab al-Zarqawi. Both seem to understand that power comes through the hearts and minds of the people.

STANLEY J. COURTNEY Shrewsbury, England

Is Having a Rainbow Cabinet Enough?

COLUMNIST JOE KLEIN'S "THE BENETTON-AD PRESIDENCY" discussed the diversity of President Bush's choices for Cabinet posts [Dec. 27--Jan. 3]. But diversity is not merely a difference of color or ethnicity but also a divergence of perspective, opinion and experience. If the President is really interested in diversity, he will do well to name a Cabinet that sees things differently, challenges convention and perhaps even dares to disagree, instead of simply achieving a comfort level that feels good. That's true diversity.

TERRENCE D. SAMUEL JR. Gates, Ore.

BUSH'S CABINET LOOKS LIKE A RAINBOW AND APPEARS TO BE beyond reproach. But that's the trick. To judge this Administration, you must look deeper into the policies being enacted and their impact on the various segments of our society. You can't judge a book by its cover.

OLIVIA KOPPELL New York City

Ham Radio Relief: Building Bridges

I WAS OFFENDED BY THE CHARACTERIZATION OF HAM RADIO AS a "faintly embarrassing hobby" in the article "Blogs Have Their Day" [Dec. 27--Jan. 3]. Ham radio operators--I have been one for 47 years--provided emergency communication after the Indian Ocean tsunami. They have supplied similar public service in many other situations, including the Florida hurricanes. Our systems include thousands of repeaters that receive and transmit throughout the U.S., connections with the Internet and more. Ham radio bridges the gap between countries and peoples; there are more than 750,000 operators in the U.S. and many thousands more overseas.

JOHN RAYDO Kansas City, Mo.