The `new' war

Christian Century, Nov 21, 2001

MARTIN MARTY reminds us how fervent and pious a nation we become when catastrophe strikes our nation ("Seismic changes," Oct. 17). Would that we felt the sorrow of other nations as much as our own.

In August 1945, the churches filled to express thanks for peace and hopes for a united world. But missing, for the most part, was deep-felt concern for the nuclear destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the 225,000 who died there (about 40 times the death toll of September 11). Jesus reached out to all. Can we sing with equal fervor "God bless America" and "God bless the starving, dying of Afghanistan"?

E. Julius Davis Couterville, Calif.

I was so struck by the editorial "What's changed?," R. Scott Appleby's "Visions of sacrifice" and Michael Battle's "Gasping for air" (Oct. 17) that I had to write. I'm appalled at the old way of fighting this "new war." I wish everyone would read these pieces and think about what we're doing and why. Our lives might depend on it.

D. G. Stone Grover Beach, Calif.