LETTERS

(2 of 4)

The reaction of the press and the public to Princess Diana, before and after her death, is symptomatic of the depths to which our sensibilities have sunk. We put great stock in what people appear to be or project themselves to be, rather than in what they are, even when the two images, the sham and the real, are obviously in conflict. The case of the Princess of Wales may open our eyes. But the fault did not lie with Diana. She was just a normal, healthy young woman, with human desires and all too human failings. The fault lies with our society, which put her on a pedestal that was utterly undeserved. BHUPINDER SINGH Muscat, Oman

We have lost not just a cultural icon but also a devoted humanitarian. The tragedy of Diana's death has united the people of the world like no other, if only for a fleeting and somber moment. CAROLINE ZARLENGO SPOSTO Memphis, Tenn.

QUESTIONS OF RESPONSIBILITY

We can blame the paparazzi. We can blame the drunk driver. We can blame the press for adding to her pain by publishing pictures. We can blame ourselves for reading the tabloids. What we cannot do is get back Diana. YUKO ITATSU Tokyo

The defining factor here was the bad judgment of a driver who had been drinking and the equally poor judgment of those who let him take the wheel and drive them to their death, an action over which they had a choice. NORMAN L. BENDER Woodbridge, Conn.

The tragic deaths occurred because of the absence of pillar guardrails along the road in the underpass and the failure to fasten seat belts. RICHARD LAINE San Carlos, Calif.

In car chases shown in movies, an auto often catapults into the air as it goes over a hill, when, for a moment, inertia overcomes gravity. Is it possible the tragic accident in Paris involved the same principle? If the speeding Mercedes became airborne, a slight turn of the steering wheel, which should have been sufficient to negotiate a curve on the roadway, would have been ineffective. Perhaps the accident had more to do with physics than with alcohol. MERRICK LOCKWOOD Dhaka

If Prince Charles had honored his commitment to his wife and turned away from the favors of another woman, Diana might still be alive today. ANN S. MACMILLAN Stuart, Fla.

Reckless and irresponsible publications that paid for photographs of the princess bear responsibility for Diana's death. By feeding the sharks, they create the frenzy. ELIZABETH DEWEESE TUCKER South Bend, Ind.

Sure, the press was out of control, abominable, with paparazzi's cameras relentlessly invading the private life of Princess Diana. But who are we to blame them when, after all, we are only too happy to pick up tabloids and magazines that print Di stories and photos? In the end, our own love of Diana killed her. MAYUKO MAY OBUCHI Tokyo

Please do not tell us we all have blood on our hands. Most of us were never that interested in knowing in whose arms Diana sought comfort or how much she paid for her dresses. Our family members and our friends are so much more interesting. Many of them do an awful lot of good deeds too. GENY HEYWOOD Spencerville, Ont.

We need to put an end to the morbid fascination with public figures. Otherwise we cannot call ourselves civilized. PHILIP DUNN Hamilton, Ont.

THE MARCH OF THE MONARCHY