Letters

Religious diversity: not always welcome

The new religious diversity which Diana Eck's book "A new religious America" explores may or may not bode well for our future ("One nation, many faiths," July 26, Books). American academics often encourage us to welcome even more diversity into our communities, and perhaps they have been impressed with the value of this diversity in their own communities.

Ms. Eck points to the successes, like the Buddhists in Garden Grove, and the Methodists and the Islamic Center in Fremont, Calif., where people are able to come together to solve their differences. But when these competing communities double and even triple in size, will they continue to maintain good feelings?

Looking around the world, we should be humbled by the difficulty that competing religious and ethnic groups have getting along within nations. If many Americans moved into Bombay and formed communities of their own, and if local citizens responded with hostility, would Ms. Eck lecture the Indians about their bigotry and lack of respect?

Real compassion for people requires thoughtful consideration of public policy from those in leadership positions. It is not our prerogative to prove to the world that we are more inclusive, more generous, and more diverse than anyone else.

Julie Tosswill

Camden, Maine

The three articles about teachers who are using their summertime in different types of learning situations (Learning, July 31) are wonderful.

The most important message that runs through all three articles is that students learn best when they are actively involved in the learning process. In the current school environment, pressure to "teach to the test" to achieve higher test scores is causing many educators to place heavy emphasis on rote memory at the expense of active participation in critical thinking and problem-solving.

I sincerely hope that educational leaders will grasp the fact that truly effective learning takes place when teachers plan instruction to help students learn facts, concepts, and applications in the context of using information in meaningful ways.

Mary P. Melvin

Oxford, Ohio

Your article "A submarine sinks myths about the Confederacy" (July 25) was particularly fascinating to me. My great-grandfather, James Allan, was a watchmaker and silversmith in Charleston for many years. He served in the 16th S.C. militia, but only for a short while, because his talents were far more needed by the Confederate Navy to modifywatches and clocks to function as timers for the payloads on the David-class submersibles. I know nothing more, as the activities on these weapons systems in those days were cloaked in secrecy. Thank you for a great article.

Howard Hopkins

Salisbury, Md.

I have a comment about the Oakland school district's plans to militarize the public schools ("Public school tries out military-style discipline," July 27). As a juvenile probation officer, I can attest fully to the need for discipline and respect in both the schools and community.

However, teaching "discipline" does not always address the true problem with some of our youth, which is a lack of values and little-to-no victim empathy. Some of my most disciplined and respectful probationees have been the most dangerous juveniles in my caseload.

Joe Lascano

Charlottesville, Va.

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