Inbox

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Mark O'Neill, OMAHA, NEB.

While I sympathize with De La Torre for the loss of his son, he should be reminded that his son chose to enlist in the military knowing that he might make the ultimate sacrifice. De La Torre's statement that Bush should send one of his daughters to fight in his son's place shows that his disapproval of this war is overshadowing his son's very adult, brave and selfless decision. As the wife of a former military officer, it saddens me that people forget we do not force anyone in this country to join the military. The men and women of the military don't need the American people to protect them. They need America to support them. That means supporting them both in time of war and in their decision to enlist.

Michele Posehn, WATCHUNG, N.J.

Herbal Healing

Dr. Sanjay Gupta warned of the side effects of herbal supplements, but herbal therapies and mainstream medicine have long been successfully integrated in Germany [June 4]. Since 1998, the English translation of the herbal equivalent to the Physicians' Desk Reference has been available in the U.S.: The Complete German Commission E Monographs.

Scott S. Smith, WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIF.

I have no problem with Gupta's cautioning readers about herbal supplements. The reactionary fear of natural remedies was interesting, though, given that more than 10% of the issue's pages were dedicated to ads from pharmaceutical companies.

Adam J. Hecktman, CHICAGO

I would like to see a comparison of how many people in this country die each year as a result of taking herbal supplements and how many die each year as a result of faulty prescription-medicine usage. Print that; then let's talk some more.

Perry Robinson, SEYMOUR, TENN.

Should Pirates Walk the Plank?

Never have I felt so in tune with a critic as I did while reading Richard Schickel's review of the third Pirates of the Caribbean movie [June 4]. He was right that you can't follow the story while wide awake but that sleeping is out of the question because the movie is too noisy. I had no idea what the characters were doing but I loved watching them do it. My husband said if they make another one, it will be about the fountain of youth. I responded, "Oh, Lord, you mean they might make another one?"

Sybil Schmidt, NEWNAN, GA.

The only people who were confused about the ending were the ones who didn't pay attention. The director put all the key points right in front of the audience, so it wasn't hard to see how and why everything worked out the way it did. I suggest Schickel watch the movie again.

Natalie Conger, WRIGHTSTOWN, N.J.

Lessons in Honesty

In "A Question Of Honor" [May 28] Duke University vice provost Bob Thompson defended the decision to abandon the Turnitin.com plagiarism-detection website on the ground that checking student work for plagiarism is inconsistent with "a place that is trying to presume honor." Honor is wonderful and admirable, but it cannot be willed upon a group of young men and women. Ethics courses and elegant speeches about the value of integrity are not enough to curb academic dishonesty. Thompson seems to think honest students are hurt by the expression of mistrust implicit in using Turnitin. Those students are smart enough to know that they are hurt much more if the authenticity of their good work is questioned and their achievements are undermined because their peers are able to earn the same marks for papers obtained with a credit card instead of a work ethic.

Ryan Rudich, CHICAGO

If we use Thompson's reasoning, the police should no longer be allowed to use radar to catch speeders, we shouldn't have to register guns, and the IRS should never audit anybody. We should all be trusted to do the right thing.

Valerie Evans, HARROGATE, TENN.

In 36 years of teaching English, I have learned that plagiarism is a symptom of disengaged learning; inaccurate source citation; and poor reading, writing and organization skills. Teachers must demand not just the product but also the process by giving intellectually challenging assignments, monitoring progress and holding students accountable for their work. Furthermore, students must believe that teachers will help them become ethical, mature citizens and are not just out to catch instances of plagiarism, whether intentional or unintentional.

Dorothy Mikuska, OAK BROOK, ILL.

Your article on the growing number of cheating students reported that 67% of respondents to a survey admitted to having cheated. I can imagine that many readers opened their eyes wide in surprise, but we students did not. Even the most honest straight-A students will succumb to the pressure of cheating more than once in their academic career. Students will always stay three steps ahead of administrators in this game. Schools should go after repeat cheaters rather than one-time cheaters. And perhaps teachers should spend less time being worried about the honesty of their students and spend more time upholding the job description outlined in their contracts: teaching. In the end, cheaters will realize that their methods have not been beneficial. How do I know this? Take a wild guess.

Abhishek Chandrasekhar, ATLANTA

White-Collar Blues

James Poniewozik questioned why there aren't more songs related to the world of white-collar workers, given that 60% of the workforce is employed in the white-collar sector [May 28]. But really, who sounds more interesting: John Henry, the steel-driving man, or John Henry, the quarterly-report-writing man?

Ryan Whelan, LOVINGTON, ILL.

LETTER FROM A SOLDIER

NEWS FROM THE FRONT LINES

I read with interest Joe Klein's "There's Good News from Iraq" [June 4]. I can't help wondering if the American media are finally starting to notice what we who live and work in Baghdad have known for quite some time: that what we are doing is working. In fact, we have had many successes since 2003, and we continue to go forward with our mission. I wonder when the pundits and politicians will apologize to the American people for being so wrong-headed and defeatist. More important, when will the same folks apologize to those of us here making it happen?

Name Withheld, Major, U.S. Army BAGHDAD

LETTER FROM AN HERBALIST

MIXING MEDICINES