Quotes of the Day

Romney the Businessman
"The Mind of Mitt" is perhaps the saddest article I have ever read [Sept. 3]. The U.S. is showing it is prone to elect business-oriented millionaires whom the rest of the world laughs at for their vanities but fears in their proclivity for senseless violence in the name of freedom.
M.J. Benning,
Wellington, England

Despite his alleged outstanding skills as a turnaround artist, Mitt Romney, as President of the U.S., would not be able to fire underperforming American citizens from their own country. Or would he?
Tetsuro Umeji,
Kudamatsu, Japan

Ryan to the Rescue?
Your article on Paul Ryan was subtly disparaging ["The Big Idea Guy," Sept. 3]. At a time when we desperately need serious, intelligent and charismatic young people in politics, it would be encouraging to see you laud his nomination at this early stage of his career. I am sure you will find there is plenty of time later to degrade his efforts.
Lloyd Stewart,
Albany, Australia

That Ryan idolizes the author Ayn Rand is the scariest thing about the Republican ticket I've heard so far. Rand's world is survival of the fittest, in which fit equals the ability to make money. As a teenager, I loved Rand, and then I grew up and realized there are people who are not at fault for their misfortunes.
Rhonda Eikamp,
Bedburg, Germany

Tragedy in South Africa
Re [Briefing, Sept. 3]: The massacre at the mines has thrown South Africa back 20 years. We now live under a government that is supposed to be democratic but that is not of the people or for the people. The police's response to the miners' unrest has shown how uninformed, undisciplined and uninterested the government is.
Mariano Castrillon,
Johannesburg

Paralympic Hero
I was really impressed by Michael Schuman's article, "Blind Faith," on his account of Henry Wanyoike finding a new lease on life through running [Sept. 3]. Athletes are usually praised for their effort and hard work, but there aren't proper adjectives to describe the further courage, willingness and determination needed by disabled athletes who managed to overcome their handicaps and turn them into a source of endurance.
Joan Miquel Raichs Salvado,
Lleida, Spain

Reports like this restore my faith in humanity. The very fact that the author himself is suffering sight problems further gives the report credibility and support. Thank you for the stories that inspire people from another part of the world.
Joanne Tan,
Singapore

Robert Frost once wrote, "No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader." Thank you, Michael Schuman, for the outstanding article about an athlete who has lost his sight by a writer who is losing his; about one who has triumphed over adversity by one who is still apprehensive about what lies ahead. It took a leap of faith (in us, the readers) to insert yourself into the article, and the trust was not misplaced. Thank you, Dominic Nahr, for the stunning photographs that captured the conditions under which most Kenyan athletes train. Thank you, Henry Wanyoike, for not being abashed to say that the basis of the relationship with your running partner, Joseph Kibunja, is teamwork, partnership and, above all, love. The world needs to hear more stories like this.
Margaret Martinez,
Kuala Lumpur

Tribute to Meles
How can you relegate Ethiopia's beloved visionary leader Meles Zenawi to a tiny corner on a page [Milestones, Sept. 3]? You should have seen how he is mourned by millions in our country and across Africa.
Etsub Selassie,
Addis Ababa

Religion Is a Private Matter
In "10 Questions" [Sept. 3], former Vice President Dan Quayle subtly (and wisely) skirted the question on Romney's Mormonism by stating that faith should remain more private than public. I think the Dalai Lama said it best: Ignore all organized faiths and keep to the road of higher consciousness.
Teresa de Mello e Almeida,
Lisbon

Artificial Education
Re "A U.S. Degree at Any Cost" [Aug. 27]: As a Chinese high schooler bound to study overseas, I have noticed many students jumping on the bandwagon. The "middlemen" from education agencies bombard my cell phone with ads. To get through the application process, their clients attend 10-day cram schools, use doctored school records and spend a fortune. Though many of those students come from wealthy families, China's one-child policy pushes a lot of working-class parents to go to great lengths to support their child through better education. I think the industry is underregulated and indecent, which is disturbing when most of the applicants are actually working hard behind the scenes.
Yu Qijia,
Beijing