Africa: The Crisis in Zaire

To the Editors:

Nothing has turned my stomach more than your article concerning the Katangese rebels' recent "invasion" of Shaba province in southern Zaire [June 5]. It would seem that the rebels were more concerned with pillaging, murdering and raping the innocent citizens than with gaining political recognition. I feel that President Carter should take a firmer stand in Africa, regardless of the SALT talks with the Soviets.

Bob Kerr Jr.

Irvine, Calif.

Your cover illustration "political jungle" depicts the "beasts" roaming the African jungles, but fails to portray the victims: the African natives.

Edmond Loya

Foster City, Calif.

Cuba and Angola should not bear any responsibilities for the so-called invasion of Shaba by Katangese rebels. What Jimmy Carter fails to realize is that Africa is determined to wipe out completely Western domination of the continent. Cuba has the blessing of Africans, especially the younger generation, and anyone who opposes Cuba in Africa digs his own grave.

Jonathan Moyo

Culver City, Calif.

You reveal General Mobutu of Zaire to be a corrupt, dishonest dictator, yet the free world came to his aid to drive out the rebels. Why do we have to support such a tyrant, thus giving sustenance to the charge of the socialist world that we are neocolonialists?

Leonard Boyer

New York City

As an ex-legionnaire, I say three cheers for the French Foreign Legion, the greatest fighting unit of our times.

Most often bad-mouthed and maligned, it is also the most feared and respected. At full strength and without a hand tied behind its back, it could be the perfect answer to the Cubans in Africa.

Boris Plotnikoff

Southampton, N. Y.

No one gave a damn about the Ogaden desert, but Shaba copper is something else. Now we have a new policy toward Africa: limited Viet Nam.

Joseph W. Mosser

Washington, D.C.

According to President Carter, the Soviets are "innate racists" who are doomed to fail in the Third World. What's all the fuss about then?

Aaso Thompson

Arlington, Va.

Cheers for the Crescent

Thank you for your piece on the Southern Crescent [June 5]. As a 23-year-old commuter to my parents' home in Georgia, I find the train practical, convenient and the best sleeping in the world. Unfortunately, I am afraid those ICC hearings are like the one I attended here. It was more a showcase for Southern's attorneys than a chance for the people who really ride the train to speak up and have their opinions heard.

"For every environmental, ecological and romantic reason," our train is worth fighting for.

Sally Williams

Charlottesville, Va.

One does not have to be an energy expert to tell that our country's energy programs are off the track. Not only are trains like the Southern Crescent a joy to travel in but they are energy efficient. Instead of retiring the Crescent and her sister trains, the ICC might (perish the thought) cooperate with the Department of Energy and develop some incentives: ride instead of drive.

James R. Powers

Fort Wayne, Ind.

If the Southern Crescent is "lavish," it is by default only, mostly because of lowered standards of service in America and particularly on Amtrak. The Crescent is the typical 1960-era passenger train, and no better. It just lasted longer. In defense of the much maligned private railroad operation of passenger service, I wish Americans had supported good service when we had it, rather than rhapsodize now that it is gone.

Paul Kroeger

Logansport, Ind.

The reasoning behind maintaining the Southern Crescent at taxpayer expense completely escapes me. Why must the taxpayers continue to subsidize these big toys so that a handful of railroad buffs can practice their nostalgia?

Donald E. Freudenheim

Birmingham, Mich.

Death with Dignity

To die free from pain, never having to beg for medication to relieve pain, to be able to say goodbye to family and friends, is truly death with dignity. The hospice movement [June 5], so long overdue, is making these rights a reality.

Patricia A. Chambers

New York City

How long it takes in this country to do the obvious!

Decent, humane places for the terminally ill could have been provided decades ago with some of the millions the Cancer Foundation has wheedled out of a considerable number of desperate relatives of these martyrs.

(Mrs.) Lucille E. Schmidt

Detroit

Americans find it difficult to accept death. I feel that the hospice is just another institution. If the family is willing and able, the person should be allowed to remain at home.

When the family is able to adjust to the idea of impending death, visiting nurses can provide skilled nursing care, encouragement and emotional support.

Mary E. Libbey, R.N.

Norwood Visiting Nurses Assn. Inc.

Norwood, Mass.

Tender, Touching or Sloppy

Contrary to Richard Schickel's unflattering appraisal of Joe Brooks' If Ever I See You Again [June 5], I found the movie to be tender, touching and entertaining. I feel that Mr. Brooks is a "multitalented," not "multiambitious," creator who has proved himself with this film. His scoring is superb, his songs are chart busters, his directing is solid, and his acting is completely natural, relaxed and refreshingly "non-Hollywoodish."

Bruce M. Nash

West Palm Beach, Fla.

I was hoping he wouldn't disappoint me, and he didn't. Richard Schickel's review of If Ever I See You Again tells it like it was: sloppy tripe, with not even good-looking actors to redeem it. I hadn't been to a movie in ten years when I went to see it. Now it will be 20.

Janet Blair Dominick

Altamonte Springs, Fla

Support for the Shah

Re "The Shah vs. the Shi'ites" [June 5]: I must state that the people of Iran can surely afford full political freedom. Those ruthless troublemakers causing the current riots are the puppets of the Mullahs and those rich guys who were badly upset by the land reforms of the white revolution.

I believe that the Shah is the very wise and powerful leader we need, and I support him strongly.

Mehran Emrani

Syracuse

Presbyterians vs. Gays

I attended the United Presbyterian General Assembly [June 5], where I served as a seminary assistant. It is my hope that one day we shall come to see the issue of ordaining homosexual persons as a nonissue. It is my hope that presbyteries will one day consider the whole of each candidate, looking first to the gifts each candidate seeks to bring to the ministry.

Jeffrey T. Myers

San Anselmo, Calif.

If the Christian churches wish to refuse the ordination of gay people to the clergy, they have a right to their decision (however misguided it may be). But when the churches organize public referendums to repeal the civil rights of homosexual citizens, that's another matter. In Dade County, St. Paul, Wichita and Eugene, Ore., the churches openly ran the petition drives, distributed the political literature and raised the funds needed to bring out the public vote that revoked the rights of gays in those places. Unfortunately, America is currently besieged by an army of religious zealots who see the Government and the ballot box as instruments for enforcing church dogma. If the trend continues, we'll have Government-enforced religion and the end of a 200-year-old democratic tradition. It's time church and state were separate once again!

Mark Connelly

New York City

For the Presbyterians to say that homosexuality is no more a sin than pride, greed or adultery is absurd.

The Creative Power has built into our very bodies the proper use of our organs. Intercourse exclusively between male and female is a moral law even more fundamental than the Ten Commandments.

Norman Lewis

Lake George, N. Y.

A Margarita Lunch

To the Office of Management and Budget's associate director Wayne Granquist, bravo for his ideas that would save $125 million a year, the result of "a conversation over a couple of Margaritas ten months ago" [June 5].

As the owner for 25 years of L'Aiglon restaurant in Manhattan, and one of those beleaguered by the President's threat to crack down on taxdeductible, expense-account lunches, I have a question: Who paid for those Margaritas? I would have been happy to.

Guido Bocchiola

New York City

Marfan and Lincoln

You interviewed a Dr. Harold Schwartz on Lincoln and the Marfan syndrome [May 22]. Since all scientists find claims to priority important and privileged, I think it only fair that TIME should have mentioned my published work of March 1962 on the subject of Lincoln and Marfan.

A.M. Gordon, M.D.

Louisville

Billy's Bash

I am sick to death of the way the press treats Billy Carter [June 5]. Who cares what kind of wedding Billy Carter throws for his daughter? Why shouldn't he be able to handle it any way that will make his daughter and his family happy? Billy Carter is not, I repeat, not the President; he is Billy Carter. There are lots of Billy Carters in the U.S. So why do you continue to put him down for living his life the way he chooses?

Pamela Bohrer

Springfield, Mo.

Postal Postscript

I'm tired of seeing and hearing the U.S. Postal Service [May 22] picked on. They are doing an excellent job. The people are courteous and friendly, and I'm constantly amazed at the speed of service. An occasional foul-up is really insignificant considering the billions of pieces of small, fragile paper handled.

Douglas E. Masten

Midland, Texas

Mae West for the Bollworm

In using sex against bugs [May 22], scientists, I think, underestimate the female's cleverness. I am sure that the bollworms will pretty soon skip sex pheromones and will develop looks like Cheryl Tiegs or dress up like Mae West to lure back the cheated males.

Andre Vinckier

Mariakerke, Belgium

Since insects can and do develop resistance not only to pheromones, but also to insecticides and all novel means of dispatching them, it is necessary to devise new methods for control on a continuing basis and switch from one to another to retard the development of resistance.

Ivan Huber

Madison, N.J.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so viewer discretion is required.