America's Poor
Your cover story on inventions was certainly interesting, but the real cover story should have been Barbara Kiviat's wrenching expos on poverty in America ["Below the Line," Nov. 28]. This matter continues to be a national disgrace of the highest order, especially in a time of bank bailouts, record corporate profits and political bickering. Perhaps this can be the subject of your next special issue.
Jim Weber, SAN MARCOS, TEXAS
The Gingrich Effect
There is no new Newt ["The New, New, New Newt," Nov. 28]. By saying Occupy Wall Street protesters should take a bath and get a job, he has shown the same cluelessness he showed when he divorced his first wife while she was battling illness. His ignorance of the current job market and lack of empathy for people who can't peddle their influence as he has is amazing. He's a perfect example of all that's wrong with Washington.
Cena Buchannon, DAYTON, OHIO
Medical Ethics
Re "A Flicker of Consciousness" [Nov. 28]: After reading about the new research suggesting that many patients diagnosed as vegetative are actually conscious, my brain just screams, "Terri, Terri," over and over again. I hope the justices of the various courts, along with Michael Schiavo, are having trouble sleeping.
Kate Nelson, LITTLE FALLS, MINN.
Armed Forces
Understanding who benefits from the civilian-military divide helps explain why it persists ["The Other 1%," Nov. 21]. The military boosts recruitment and retention with a sales pitch that encourages resentment and a sense of superiority over civilian America. Political leaders can limit inconvenient dissent with the message that only veterans are informed enough--or deserving enough--to have constructive opinions on military issues. It should be no surprise that the safest thing for civilians to do is fall back on meaningless platitudes about supporting the troops. Any real engagement runs the risk of being taken as rude, presumptuous or unpatriotic. We all share responsibility for the distance between the civilian and military worlds. But we will see improvement only when we welcome civilian engagement.
Diane H. Mazur, Former U.S. Air Force Officer; Professor of Law, University of Florida, GAINESVILLE, FLA.
I'm so glad you highlighted the new reality of our military. It drove me crazy when George W. Bush declared we were a nation at war but lowered taxes, told us to go shopping and asked no sacrifices of any civilian. It's nice that military people don't get spit on anymore, but everyone should join in, if only in paying for the wars through higher taxes.
Jeanie Egbert, Lieut. Commander (ret.), U.S. Navy, ALAMEDA, CALIF.
Corporal Punishment
I was outraged at John Cloud's suggestion that the brutal beating William Adams gave his daughter was in any way mitigated by her perhaps less than honorable motives for releasing the video ["When Secrets Go Viral," Nov. 21]. Of course the girl is a mess--her parents beat her! Was Cloud suggesting that it's O.K. to abuse children if they are not perfect?
Emily Thrush, Professor of Applied Linguistics and Professional Writing, University of Memphis, MEMPHIS
Teaching Skills