War

What’s real reason for war?

What does it matter to the dead, the maimed, the widowed, the orphaned, whose homes and work are destroyed, whose cities lie in ruins, whether the mad destruction is done in the name of brutal dictators or in the name of noble defenders of peace and democracy?

The only winners in war are the psychopathic old men clutching at power, the psychopathic makers of weapons and the psychopathic corporate CEOs who profit from death and destruction.

When will we say, “No more?”

RAJENDRA SHIVAPRIYAN

Parfitt Way SW

Crime

Let love, not hate, rule all

Regarding the terrible shooting this past Sunday morning in which a suicidal gunman killed at least two congregates and seriously wounded five others at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church in Knoxville, Tenn., during a service that featured performances by children:

As new co-ministers for the Cedars Unitarian Universalist Church, located here on Bainbridge Island, we are shocked and saddened that anyone would enter a church intent on such violence. We know people in this Tennessee congregation and our hearts go out to them. And we are painfully aware that violence can unfold anywhere, particularly in this country where guns are plentiful and easily accessible. (Our lives were also deeply affected by serving very near Columbine, Colo., when the school shootings took place there in 1999.)

What concerns us even more, however, is that the man who did this awful deed claims he acted out of hatred for the liberal principles that lie at the heart of Unitarian Universalism. How strange and sad that our values, such as belief in the worth and dignity of all people and the interdependence of all life, could make someone so angry that he wanted to kill and be killed to prove a point. We note that he was subdued by congregates without being killed in turn, even though that was evidently his expectation.

We also wonder who taught him to hate a religion that, for over 400 years, has preached love, acceptance and hope? Sadly, there are those in our culture who do teach such hatred, even if indirectly.

Throughout our long careers as Unitarian Universalist ministers we have been called heathens and told we were going to hell simply because our faith accepts a broad diversity of belief. And we today are the lucky ones. Many of our religious ancestors were imprisoned, forced from their homes, even burned at the stake.

All because we teach something the great Eastern European Unitarian preacher Francis David said in the 16th century: “We need not think alike to love alike.”

Our prayers are with the good folks of the Tennessee Valley UU Church and their neighbors in Knoxville. But we also hold space in our hearts for the sad and angry fellow whose burning hatred pushed him toward this evil act. May all of them find the love that lies at the heart of our great universe and be healed.

Revs. BARBARA and JACO ten HOVE

Co-ministers, Cedars Unitarian Universalist Church

‘Latte Guy’

Clemente was a good man

Thanks for Tom Tyner’s tribute to Roberto Clemente (“What Roberto Clemente can still teach us,” July 23). One can’t really say that any one of the baseball players Tyner cites was better than the rest. One can more safely say that none were better than Clemente.

DONALD MARSH

Grand Avenue NE

Turf fields

Grass fields too expensive

Chris Van Dyk’s petition calls for Bainbridge taxpayers to pay up to $700,000 per year per grass field. That’s up to $7.7 million every year!

As a soccer player and coach, I’m a big fan of a gorgeous grass field. It would be wonderful to have all of the island’s fields renovated (although there still wouldn’t be enough of them and they’d all be closed for three months per year). But if the community were going to spend $7.7 million per year on something, I would much rather it be spent on a new Senior Center or to fix roads like Winslow Way.

Wasn’t the last open space bond levy $8 million over 10 years? As far as I know, there isn’t an initiative process for the city of Bainbridge Island. Goodness help our community if we start one with this wacky petition.

LAURA SACHS

NE Tolo Road

Election ’08

A warning to public officials

Unless Congress takes some kind of substantive action to hold the current administration accountable for its crimes, this country will continue on this decline.

The American people have no faith in the current Congress or this administration mostly because we all see what a sham it is. Blatant crimes and cronyism should never be tolerated in our government.

You, the Judiciary Committee, have failed to call those who snubbed your requests for fact finding accountable… what’s up with that? We see how the lines between the parties have become very blurred. You pat my back I pat yours… this is the message we all see enacted. Well, tit for tat… you scratch their backs and you don’t get re-elected. Remember, we’re watching!

BILLIE TAYLOR

Battle Point Drive NE