Letters
Iran has not violated the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
In your May 1 editorial, "Subterfuge over Iran's centrifuges," Iran is falsely accused of "breaking its NPT obligations." Not so. Iran's peaceful nuclear program is pursued within the framework of the NPT, and even the latest IAEA chief's report acknowledges that Iran's enrichment facilities are covered by the Iran-IAEA Safeguard Agreement.
Hence, your comparison of Iran, which has denounced nuclear weapons as amoral and not in the country's national security interests, with other countries, which in the past declared their pursuit of nuclear weapons, is inapt.
The real subterfuge over Iran's nuclear program is by the US, which misrepresents its peaceful nature, in order to gain regional dominance in the oil-rich region.
Mohammad M.A. Mohammadi
Press secretary, Iranian mission to the United Nations
New York
Editor's note: In February, the International Atomic Energy Agency voted 27-3 to report Iran's program to the UN Security Council. On March 29, the Council asked Iran to suspend its enrichment-related activities, cooperate with the IAEA, and implement the Additional Protocol. Iran has refused these obligations.
Regarding the May 2 article, "Overweight kids: Schools take action": It is comforting to hear that some schools are putting into practice the lip service we all hear everywhere.
For six years, I taught elementary school in the South Bronx, N.Y. - a poor area. I experienced food that was of indescribably poor quality, and I saw the effect it had on my students. Then I worked for South Pasadena Unified School District in California and saw the same diet replicated for the children and staff of a well-to-do population.
How is it that we have so little respect for one of the essential needs of life? We seem truly out of touch and use the excuse of not having the time to eat well as a way out.
If people cannot see the relationship between a delicious and healthy diet and good health, they have a lot to learn.
Donald Warriner
Glendale, Calif.
I enjoyed Giles Slade's May 2 Opinion piece, "Technology made to be broken." I remember way back in 1978 when my own father gave me a wonderful (and very expensive, at the time) Omega Accutron watch for the very same reasons - to show I was grown up enough to take responsibility for meeting deadlines, etc. Unfortunately, I lost the watch shortly after at a football celebration. I still regret losing something that had so much meaning.
While I'm middle aged now, and also carry the trappings of modern society (an MP3 player, cellphone, etc.), I miss the simplicity of that quality, elegant, and oh-so-adult timepiece. If I were Mr. Slade, I'd buy my son one. He'll want it later, if not now.
Mark Reed
Fort Stewart, Ga.
Regarding your April 27 editorial, "In Big Easy, a race for mayoral competence": As a former New Orleanian, I wish the news media would stop calling New Orleans the "Big Easy." That is the name of a movie that is about an area outside New Orleans.
The correct "nickname" is "Crescent City." Or how about just New Orleans? Everyone in New Orleans finds the "Big Easy" very offensive.
Annette Bigler
Lexington, Ky.
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