Correspondence

0 Comments | Insight on the News, Sept 25, 2000

1,000-Year-0ld Budapest Holds Unexpected Delights

I want to thank Stephen Goode for the delightful piece on Budapest ["Budapest's Charms Outlasted Communism," Sept. 11]. I have never been closer to the Hungarian city than Luxembourg during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. But the article makes me want to go there and spend a couple of weeks roaming the streets and viewing the sights. Thanks again.

James M. Carter via the Internet

Positives to Swiss Program of Giving Heroin to Addicts

In "Swiss Say Yes to Doling Out Heroin" [Sept. 18], Diane Sabom almost completely relied on the testimony of those with economic and moral axes to grind, such as American drug warriors and Swiss moralists. So it's not surprising that she neglected to mention the most important aspect of the Swiss approach to "harm minimization."

When junkies are receiving government heroin at low or no cost, they aren't out stealing to get the money for their next fix. An enormous percentage of property crime is committed by drug addicts to feed their habits. While I have sympathy for those addicted to destructive drugs such as heroin, I have a lot more sympathy for their innocent victims.

Whether or not the Swiss heroin trials benefit drug addicts, they certainly benefit those honest citizens who have chosen not to become drug addicts.

Ray Aldridge Fort Walton Beach, Fla.

Full Expression of the Truth Not Allowed in Today's Media

I was impressed with Michael Rust's piece, "Bush Restores GOP Confidence" [Aug. 28]. It is a subtle article. I think, however, beneath the calmness expressed is a feeling of uncertainty, due to certain restraints, or nonexpressions. There is a similarity between this and political correctness; it is not proper to be too expressive or to be politically incorrect in using certain words or presenting certain viewpoints.

It is a "no-no" to be "too passionate" about "cultural values" and "idealism," because a person's soul is showing too much. Therefore, any passionate "expression" must be correctly restrained. Above all, it is more harmonious not to mention any troubling situations. Why bother when so many people/politicians will become very upset? Is it really worth it to destroy this harmony?

Rust states "exciting a placid electorate" as a problem, as in getting people to vote or interested in politics and politicians. Maybe what the voters need is a little "passion."

Josephine Heffelman Evanston, Ill.

Why Is Clinton So Supportive of Communist China?

I object to President Clinton's perversion of the FBI into a political retribution agency. The warrantless seizure of the laptop computer of Notra Trulock, the former Department of Energy, or DOE, counterintelligence chief who blew the whistle on Chinese espionage at U.S. nuclear-weapons laboratories two years ago, is a favor to China, not the United States ["The FBI Targets Key Spycatcher," Sept. 4].

In the bureaucratic backwater that followed the revelation of China's massive theft of U.S. nuclear weapons designs, Trulock was demoted and forced out of the Energy Department.

DOE promised to stop security leaks but instead is stopping leaks about its lack of security, telling employees at Los Alamos to stretch the truth by reporting that security is better than they actually believe.

In June, China's news agency, Xinhua, purchased a seven-story apartment building overlooking the Pentagon -- a spy tower. Did President Clinton's State Department object as it was empowered to? No, it took an act of Congress to stop China from acquiring its spy tower. Clinton did nothing.

James H. Hughes Parker, Colo.

Write: Insight, Correspondence Editor, 3600 New York Ave. N.E., Washington, DC 20002. E-mail: Insight@wt.infi.net. Fax: (202) 529-2484. Please include an address and daytime phone number. Letters may be edited for space.