Letters to the Editor

A recipe for disaster

Regarding your Sunday editorial “Kerry, Edwards and values,” allow me to summarize briefly. The values of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry and vice presidential nominee John Edwards include wholehearted approval of the character assassination of President Bush, retaining the right to abort babies in or out of the womb, supporting anti-Boy Scouts legislation, working to defeat the Defense of Marriage Act, opposing school vouchers for poor parents, endorsing the right to burn the American flag, taking away the rights of gun owners, filibustering President Bush’s federal judicial nominees, and supporting needle-exchange programs for drug offenders. Did I miss anything?

Add these so-called values to the deep-seated anti-defense policies both men have professed in the past, and you have a recipe for disaster. A Kerry presidency would be a return to the worst aspects of the Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton years. This should be a clarion call to get out the Republican vote.

THOMAS J. RYAN

Bethany Beach, Del.

An abortion oxymoron

Friday’s report “Catholic officials reject warnings on Communion” (Nation) stated that Deal Hudson, editor of Crisis magazine, has been critical of bishops who fail to take a hard line against pro-abortion Catholic legislators who, despite warnings from the bishops to repent, continue to receive Holy Communion.

Mr. Hudson is not the only one. Many Catholics are upset and concerned by the bishops’ limp response to pro-abortion lawmakers who are flouting Catholic teaching and the moral law. The bishops are creating the perception that the church is tolerant and accepting of abortion. Perception is the reality for many, and that bodes ill for the church and all of society.

JOHN NAUGHTON

Silver Spring

Punished for honesty

The firing of U.S. Park Police Chief Teresa Chambers for speaking the truth is a disgrace and bodes ill for police departments across this nation (“Chief of Park Police fired after airing in-house woes,” Metropolitan, July 10).

As is so evident in today’s society, police need and deserve unconditional support — and resources — to ensure public security. It thus seems naive to muzzle the messenger of this truth rather than heed her necessary message about staffing shortages. Bosses must be told what they need to hear rather than what they wish to hear.

Mrs. Chambers should be applauded and supported — not fired — for presenting her experienced views for the betterment (not detriment) of her force. She obviously has more force of character than her superiors. Such bureaucrats must remove their rose-colored glasses and examine the suggestions (regardless of their political correctness), which would improve officer morale and practical effectiveness. You cannot solve the problem by firing a police chief who cares about public safety.

JOE HAMMELL

Waynesboro, Pa.

German gravitas

In his Monday Commentary column in The Washington Times, “Deutschland unter Alles,” Arnold Beichman describes Germany as the “sick man of Europe,” afraid, indecisive and indolent, an economic has-been and a political waffler.

According to Mr. Beichman, nothing remains of the much-heralded German work ethic, which once led to the economic miracle and catapulted Germany into the league of economic superpowers.

Unfortunately, Mr. Beichman omits key facts from his presentation and creates a caricature of the current situation. Is the sick country he describes the same Germany that last year dethroned the United States as the leading export nation? Germany did not become the world’s largest exporter without a motivated and well-trained work force and innovative and vibrant companies manufacturing products that enjoy an excellent reputation around the world.

Many international companies would like to be part of this success story. In the most recent European Attractiveness Survey by Ernst and Young, Germany received high marks as an appealing site for business investment.

As Europe’s most favored location for foreign investment, Germany places third worldwide, behind China and the United States. Surprisingly, despite comparatively high wages and shorter working hours, Germany ranks second globally as an appealing production site, behind the booming economy of China. It even takes first place in investment in research and development as well as in product design.

According to the survey, Germany’s transportation, logistical and communications infrastructure is second to none. The businesses surveyed put Germany’s work force at the top in terms of education and training, motivation and productivity.

One in every six companies — more than for any other country — believes Germany will attain the highest productivity growth in the future —a sign of confidence in the ability of Germany to adapt to future economic conditions.

So, no reason to worry?Not quite.

The positive trend in the export sector has not spread to the overall economy. Particularly in the labor market, we still have a long way to go from economic upswing to falling unemployment numbers.

This is where the Agenda 2010 reform package, many parts of which already have been adopted, steps in. Easing of layoff protection, reform of the social security system, tax reform, and training and innovation initiatives — these are measures that will lead to sustained economic growth and lower unemployment rates.

While Mr. Beichman’s economic analysis is spotty at best, he really gets into deep water on Iraq. September 11 prompted Germany to participate in a military operation outside Europe for the first time since World War II.

Germany is a strong partner in the fight against terrorism. In Afghanistan, for example, we are providing the largest share of the NATO peacekeeping force.

Of course, there is always room for improvement, but that is more true in the case of Mr. Beichman’s selective presentation of the facts than in my country’s role in the fight against international terrorism.

WOLFGANG ISCHINGER

Ambassador

Embassy of Germany

Washington

A policy of disclosure

In the context of our present “axis of evil” — Iraq, Iran and North Korea — the July 22 Op-Ed analysis “Israel’s must-have” is hypocritical. Israel’s nuclear capability must be brought into account like Iran’s or North Korea’s. The International Atomic Energy Agency has been quietly — perhaps too quietly — urging Israel to disclose (and even admit to) its nuclear armament, and in view of Israel’s reluctance, this must be made mandatory.

The writer, professor Louis Rene Beres, pleads for leniency on the basis of “catastrophic destruction by enemy-state aggression.” But this plea is common to all defensive postures — after all, everyone seems to be a “lover of peace.” When this posture is buttressed by an ardent belief in religion and accompanied by repressive policies, the policy of disclosure becomes most important.

EDWARD ABRAMIC

Washington

Punished for honesty

The firing of U.S. Park Police Chief Teresa Chambers for speaking the truth is a disgrace and bodes ill for police departments across this nation (“Chief of Park Police fired after airing in-house woes,” Metropolitan, July 10).

As is so evident in today’s society, police need and deserve unconditional support — and resources — to ensure public security. It thus seems naive to muzzle the messenger of this truth rather than heed her necessary message about staffing shortages. Bosses must be told what they need to hear rather than what they wish to hear.

Mrs. Chambers should be applauded and supported — not fired — for presenting her experienced views for the betterment (not detriment) of her force. She obviously has more force of character than her superiors. Such bureaucrats must remove their rose-colored glasses and examine the suggestions (regardless of their political correctness), which would improve officer morale and practical effectiveness. You cannot solve the problem by firing a police chief who cares about public safety.

JOE HAMMELL

Waynesboro, Pa.