Ireland Will Remain A Divided Country Unless Ulster Citizens Decide Otherwise
Ireland Will Remain A Divided Country Unless Ulster Citizens Decide Otherwise
The book review ''A Critical Portrait of 'the Man Who Was Ireland' -- Eamon de Valera,'' April 19, ends on a false and misleading note when the reviewer states that the partition of Ireland ''appears to be on the way to extinction.''
A united Ireland may be a hope for many in the Republic of Ireland and in the United States, but it is not the wish for many citizens in Northern Ireland. The British government has given firm assurances that Northern Ireland will remain part of the United Kingdom until a majority of Ulster citizens desire otherwise. Since Protestants and Unionists constitute a large majority in Ulster, the partition of Ireland is unlikely to end in the near future.
Alistair Budd, Rolle, Switzerland
US should show more respect to Arabs
The opinion-page article ''Gaza on the Brink: What Causes Terrorism,'' April 12, states both the inevitable results of sustained or escalated economic hardship and the apathy of Western governments toward Arab plights.
When we refer to Israel we speak of the people or the nation while Arab issues are personalized by the head of the state; this has been blatantly evident from the Gulf war.
We show less concern for Arab distress resulting from our actions than for how their leadership follows our dictatorship. This demeans the people and their national pride. If America acted alone, this would be of less import, but America exerts influence over large blocs of nations.
We must abandon this manipulation to allow successful governmental evolution for all. Democracy flowers when the people involved are ready and unthreatened; it often dies when outside threats loom large. Washington is taking this same stance toward its own citizens. It behooves us to learn from this and recognize our interest in blocking such behavior.
Judith A. Hewitt, Missoula, Mont.
Camera cops succeed at catching violators
The front-page article '' 'Kodak Kops' Snag Red-Light Runners,'' April 12, was thought-provoking. However, it would have been more informative if the author had stated the number of cameras used per intersection in New York for their experiment.
But it made me realize the seriousness of stoplight violators. I feel that the use of cameras to catch these violators should be adopted nationwide.
Yet I'm puzzled why police in Pasadena, Calif., concluded that the program was not cost effective or that only ''3 percent of all photographs taken by test cameras showed legitimate infractions.''
Pasadena should reconsider. New York's revenues from ticketing violators during their 15-month test equaled $7.6 million, and the cameras were 37 percent effective in producing citations.
Let's hope that these cameras continue to produce good results and that more cities will install these devices to ensure the safety of all motorists and pedestrians.
Moss Ingram, Twin Lakes, Wis.
Your letters are welcome. For publication they must be signed and include your address and telephone number. Only a selection can be published and none acknowledged. Letters should be addressed to ''Readers Write'' and sent by mail to One Norway St., Boston, MA 02115, by fax to 617-450-2317, or by Internet E-mail (200 words maximum) to OPED@RACHEL.CSPS.COM.
