Letters

Remembering Roy and Paul

A year ago, my good friend Roy Rydell died. Yet he is still with us – certainly in spirit! In Oct., Paul Wellstone died also. Your ‘Remembering Wellstone’ article (11/9) was great.

I’m sending this small contribution to the People’s Weekly World/Nuestro Mundo Fund Drive in Roy and Paul’s memory.

May I suggest that a booklet with Roy’s human interest articles be published. I miss them, as I think many others must.

Best wishes, in these very troubled times, for your greatly appreciated work.

M. Phyllis CunninghamNew York NY

Initial meaning

Enforcement of the P.A.T.R.I.O.T. Act is advocated by a C.A.B.A.L. (Contradicting All Basic Accepted Laws).

Fiorindo DiDomenicoHoney Brook PA

No to the death penalty

There is one thing about the PWW that I agree with completely and that is your opposition to the death penalty. I one hundred percent oppose it. I call it the ritualistic butchering of homo sapiens. It is barbaric and it serves as no deterrent. We execute the poor, minorities, and mentally ill people.

It is all grossly improper.

Cletis Harry BeegleTucson AZ

Reporting war’s impact

Thanks for the terrific article in Dec. 14 issue of the hearing in Chicago. [John Bachtell’s ‘Hearing focuses on war’s impact’ ] Your report of the hearing on how war with Iraq would impact union members and other working people is very important for people to know.

Betty CleggLombard IL

U.S. grabs UN documents for cover-up

It was rather bold, the way Bush snatched Iraq’s weapons declaration out of the UN’s hands. Just imagine the reaction years ago if the Soviets had trampled on the Security Council’s prerogatives the way the US has throughout this politically whipped-up standoff.

The facts are that Iraq’s weapons programs were only activated during the years that Saddam was protected by the Reagan and then Bush administrations. Iraq admits it was quite close to building an atomic bomb just prior to the 1991 Gulf War, while still officially a U.S. ally. Since then, Saddam has been stripped of any credible military posture.

There’s no great mystery why Bush wants to control the Iraqi declaration, as it’s likely to contain incriminating details about U.S.

corporations, government agencies and politicians who helped to arm Iraq in the first place. There may even be evidence of U.S. violations of various non-proliferation treaties. But now we’ll never be certain whether the CIA-vetted document ultimately released to the world is either accurate or complete.

Cord MacGuireBoulder CO

From an SOA prisoner

Excerpted from a letter to School of the Americas Watch supporters

Thank you for your letters of support. Your concern and encouragement gives me a glad-heart especially to realize the broad nature of the peace network that extends across this nation and the world.

There are some 220+ inmates here most of whom are convicted of nonviolent drug-related crimes. They will languish in prison for years due to the government’s mandatory minimum sentencing laws.

Studies have shown that the average sentence served for murder charges is 6.3 years; the average U.S. prison sentence for marijuana is 10 years. The increase in the number of U.S. citizens jailed for nonviolent drug related offenses since 1980 is more than 800 percent. And an estimated 70 percent of the women here do not have a high school diploma. If I didn’t believe it before, I do now, the so called ‘war on drugs’ is really a ‘war against the poor’ in this country.

There is no end to the many interlinking injustices that call on our time for action. I urge you to continue making these connections when you call or write your Congresspersons to have them vote to abolish the [School of the Americas] and to stop the escalation of the war against the people of Iraq. Add to the list abolishing the mandatory minimum sentencing laws and reinstating the parole board system that’s been eliminated.

Sister Kathleen Greenville Federal Prison Camp
Kathleen Desautels 90966-020
P.O. Box 6000
Greenville, IL 62246