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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

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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

I'm glad that someone is embracing the backpacker community. I have been traveling the globe alone for many years. I have gained a true knowledge of foreign countries and their people. Elliott's piece showed how the terrorists have hurt the worldwide community that backpackers have been creating. Luckily the backpackers' bond is strong, and we will continue to travel and represent our countries no matter what happens around us.
DANIEL LELIEVRE
Tampa, Fla.

Having just returned from two months of backpacking in Asia, I was struck by Elliott's commentary. In a world with terrorists fueled by negative feelings toward Americans, travel could be part of finding peace. When abroad, Americans have the opportunity to represent the good in all Americans. For those comfortable with travel in this day and age, I say, Go, see the world; it is a marvelous and magical place that we are an important part of. Terrorism cannot take this away.
CHRISTINE SLAUGHTER
Orlando, Fla.

Inspecting Saddam

Saddam Hussein'S seeming compliance with weapons inspections [WORLD, Dec. 16] should not make people feel that everything is safe. Instead they should be uneasy that Saddam is so confident about his ability to keep his weapons secret — and safe.
GLENN SCHIECK
Rochester, N.Y.

Is it possible that Iraq will be to America what Afghanistan was to the U.S.S.R.? The similarities are chilling.
JANE STILLWATER
Berkeley, Calif.

Does anyone honestly believe that Saddam is out to conquer the globe or that the rest of the world will love the U.S. if it buries Iraq? Does anyone believe that aggression begets peace? As the skipper of a U.S. Navy warship in the South Pacific, I saw enough war to last a lifetime. In my 86 years, I've never known a bully who was right. I consider George Bush's foreign policy loathsome; and, worse, it's dangerous beyond words.
THEODORE R. TREADWELL
Danbury, Conn.