More Letters to the Editor: Things Aren’t Looking Good for Iran or Israel

Things Aren't Looking Good for Iran or Israel
Editor, Times-Dispatch: Israel has been threatened with being wiped off the face of the Earth by Iran. Israel is well aware that Iran is deadly serious about carrying out this threat. Iran has demonstrated that it has rocket weaponry capable of striking Israel. Most Western nations believe Iran to be very close to developing atomic bombs that could quickly destroy such a small country as Israel.

Iran's nuclear facilities are constructed far below ground, deep enough that conventional bombs would be unable to destroy them. A nuclear bomb burst will contaminate the surrounding area to such an extent that the area is uninhabitable for decades. There is no weapon in Israel's arsenal that will negate Iran's ability to destroy Israel other than small nuclear weapons whose destructive ability is limited in scope to render relatively small areas of land uninhabitable.

As a last resort to save itself from annihilation, guess what Israel will do in the near future.

Frank Solari.
Richmond.

Small businesses are the backbone of America. They provide the wages that enable their workers to support themselves and their families and to live a productive life. Hodges wrote: "Workers have not shared in the prosperity that they have created." I beg to differ.

For one thing, they did not create it. The creators were those who had the initial idea for the business, took all the financial risks to start the company, and put in all the hours getting it off the ground. Many companies do not show a profit for years, plowing proceeds back into the business and paying their employees in many cases before themselves.

She further asserted that worker "spending was fueled by debt and the economy has suffered as a result." Everyone needs to live within his or her means. Save for that special vacation, high-cost HDTV, new car, or whatever. Not being able to keep up with the Joneses does not justify unionizing at will.

When outside people come into a business to negotiate a larger share of profits earned by the risktakers and employers, it is frankly an insult to the free enterprise system. America stands as the land of opportunity. Successful employers who took that opportunity should be rewarded for their efforts -- not penalized.

Barbara A. Gestwick.
Richmond.

A bystander who was interviewed at the Shockoe Bottom protest speculated that the strip-club business might be slow these days. Perhaps some other local business person will now create a sensational banner with Charles Manson's face superimposed on Moore's mug shot with the word "criminal" in big black letters. After all, where's the harm in that?

Anne D. McDougall.
Ashland.

The caricature of President Barack Obama recently displayed outside a Richmond strip club serves as a reminder that Americans are entitled to freedom of expression regardless of the medium used. I may not approve of it, but I defend the artist's right to exercise a right granted to all citizens of our country -- regardless of their race, religion, creed, or background.

Lee Anderson.
Powhatan.

African-Americans need to recognize the fact that there will be unflattering images and rhetoric regarding his political actions, and the fact that Obama is black has nothing to do with it. He is our president and, as Americans, we have the right to express our displeasure with our politicians in any way that is not overtly threatening.

White Americans should not be required to walk on eggshells for fear of offending the sensibilities of some blacks. The poster is a political statement, not a racist one.

Gene Payne.
Henrico.

Oh, really? You noted that McDonnell's thesis at Pat Robertson's (now) Regent University -- a well-known bastion of clear thinking -- is fair game. But then you note that the document is 20 years old, in an effort to subtly imply it's not really fair game.

That might be true if he had really moved beyond that kind of thinking. But McDonnell was in his 30s when he wrote it.

He showed his true colors when he intervened in the dispute between the Episcopal Church and a group of breakaway conservative Anglican congregations. He cited the applicability of a Civil War-era law in the case. Virginia is the only state in this dispute where this kind of government intervention has occurred. Here's what he said: "As a matter of federal constitutional law, the Episcopal Church is simply wrong. The Constitution does not require that local property disputes be resolved by deferring to national and regional church leaders."

Tim Kaine does not believe in capital punishment, but as governor he has refrained from letting his beliefs interfere with his duties to the citizens of the commonwealth. McDonnell has failed that test miserably. So whom do we really have to fear, Deeds or McDonnell?

Thomas M. Baker.
Richmond.

Instead of proposing big-government spending programs, he outlined some of the root causes of escalating health care costs, like the lack of competition. He made numerous suggestions, such as allowing people to buy health care insurance across state lines, which is not permitted today. He also wants to level the playing field by extending tax deductions for health insurance to small businesses and to individuals. He also addressed the importance of tort reform in addition to addressing the waste and fraud in the Medicare system. Cantor expressed the feelings of many Americans who are tired of the runaway and often wasteful spending we witness in Washington.

I stand with him in the belief that Democrats' health care reform proposals will just add to this problem. Before we start spending billions more dollars on an unproven idea, we should take these cost-saving steps that can and will help solve our health insurance challenges.

Nancy Russell.
Montpellier.