Letters

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The Saga of the Shoe Bomber

Re your article on shoe bomber Richard Reid [World, Feb. 25]: The passengers of American Airlines Flight 63, on which Reid tried to set off a bomb, are lucky to be alive. If he had gone to the toilet to light the fuse protruding from his shoe, the world may never have discovered the cause of the explosion. Thanks to the heroics of the plane's crew and passengers, we learned of a previously unknown weapon the terrorists have and can now prevent similar plots.
RAM PUTHRAN
Walnut, Calif.

Your account of the rising number of Muslims in Western Europe quoted an Islamic scholar as saying, "Islam is a sort of natural religion for underdogs." Among the thousands of converts in England alone are well-educated people who are attracted to Islam because of the immense and profound meaning it gives to life, the intricate yet logical social system it boasts and the scientific knowledge it contains. To suggest that most Muslims are dangerous because of their beliefs is hazardous unless one clearly states that Islam does not encourage terrorist acts of crime.
ZAHRA HANKIR
Sidon, Lebanon

I subscribe to the theory that the shoe bomber was a confused loner and did not belong to a group. If Reid were part of a well-organized terrorist setup, wouldn't he have used a sophisticated detonator instead of a match? And even if he had to use a match, a trained terrorist would have had the sense to light it in the plane's toilet, rather than in full sight of a bunch of passengers.
RAMJI R. ABINASHI
Amersham, England

Good Money After Bad

Institutions like the IMF and the World Bank, as well as generous countries of goodwill, should think twice before throwing good taxpayers' money after bad in aid of Argentina [Letters, Feb. 4]. Argentina needs to reinvent itself. Its recurrent crises are neither economic nor political. They are moral and rooted in Argentine society. The people spend most of their energy on cheating the system.
JORGE GONZALEZ
Cascais, Portugal

Pets in Perpetuity

I wept when I read the story of cc, the cloned kitty cat [Science, Feb. 25]. As the owner of two dearly loved cats--and having gone through the anguish of losing one--I dread the coming time when I must say goodbye. But the idea of taking DNA from one of them and thinking that scientists could give me back what I had lost is abhorrent. How many people will have the misguided but understandable hope that they can somehow cheat death? Both of my cats are shelter animals, and when they were kittens, they were not in any way less beautiful than cc. When they die, I want to start again with new kittens, and I will have the comfort of knowing that I have helped save more animals as well as the pleasure of watching them develop their own unique personalities as they grow.
GILL MCCLEAVE
Cleveland, England

"Here, kitty, kitty!" didn't melt my heart; it broke it. Sure, the kitten named cc is a cutie, but there are millions of cuties in animal shelters begging for love. It was sensible of you to note that "given that more than 5 million unwanted cats are destroyed each year, it's hard to justify spending tens of thousands of dollars to clone a new one. Why not just adopt?" Who needs cc when there are so many originals out there and not enough homes for them all?
EILEEN K. BLAU
Mayaguez, Puerto Rico

A Happy Camper

Re your column about some parents keeping their kids at home this summer [Personal Time: Your Family, Feb. 25]: As a 20-year-old camp counselor (and a product of the sleep-away camp system), I urge parents to continue sending their children to summer camp. Of course, it can be difficult to afford, but many camps have financial-assistance programs. And, yes, there is a chance that a child may have a bad summer or experience such minor calamities as pink eye, lice and homesickness. But the positive experiences far outweigh the negative ones. I have been involved with an overnight camp in the Pocono Mountains for 10 summers, as both a camper and a counselor. Not only did I gain a strong sense of independence and identity during these years, but I also formed friendships that have lasted a decade. Camp shaped me into the person that I am today. I hope that parents will consider the many benefits of a camp experience before they decide that an inflatable pool and a baby-sitter are sufficient.
AMY NEIWIRTH
Columbus, Ohio

Oscar Omissions

Your complaint that the musical Moulin Rouge wasn't nominated for Best Score or Best Song overlooks the Academy's rules [Behind the Oscars, Feb. 25]. To qualify, a song must be written specifically for the film, and a score must be an original composition. Since virtually all the music in Moulin Rouge had been previously written and performed, it was never eligible in either category.
MICHAEL SCHLESINGER
Sherman Oaks, Calif.

Remembering Margaret

The late Princess Margaret should be judged on her own terms [Appreciation, Feb. 18]. To compare her with Princess Diana, as you did in your piece "The Prodigal Princess," is unfair. To focus only on Margaret's behavior as an errant playgirl in the early decades of her life without further examining her full career reeks of tabloid journalism. Margaret was known for her charity and benevolence, particularly toward children. People should consider the entire measure of her life and not put so much emphasis on the lurid.
CAROLINE DUNBAR
Kitchener, Ont.