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By Newsweek Editors
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Why does President Obama have to justify giving aid to Haiti? The fact that this poor nation was a victim of a devastating earthquake is reason enough.
Kenneth Zimmerman, Huntington Beach, Calif.
The images from Haiti have been heartbreaking, but in the midst of this chaos, it's comforting to note that President Obama—and, indeed, the American people—have shown leadership, as they rightly should. It feels pleasantly different to see the U.S. armed forces working for a humanitarian cause. It's soft power that makes America a superpower, and I'm glad President Obama realizes this.
Sam Okwulehie, London, England
Is NEWSWEEK turning into a public--relations vehicle for prominent politicians? One article by Bill Clinton and one by Barack Obama—aided by their speechwriters, of course! I expect NEWSWEEK to deliver news and insight, not these politicians' attempts to persuade the public to agree with their points of view.
Joni Pelta, Atlanta, Ga.
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The article by President Obama is frustrating—an empty and rhetorical text that reads like a late campaign speech. Obama neglects history and disregards the facts about why Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Why did he fail to mention the U.S.'s long record of intervention in Haitian politics, including the nearly 20-year occupation by the U.S. and its support for the brutal regimes of Papa Doc and Baby Doc -Duvalier? Obama is withholding relevant information.
Vasco Soares da Costa, Niterói, Brazil
'Why God Hates Haiti'
It's time we look to science to explain natural disasters rather than to superstition. Earthquakes are the result of plate tectonics. They can happen anywhere along fault lines, and when they occur near population centers, it isn't personal: sometimes humans just get in the way of the earth's mechanics. It's unfortunate that Pat Robertson and others of his ilk either lack the acuity to figure that out or, more likely, that they try to capitalize on the suffering of others by framing it in a religious context.
Alan Vanraalte, Tomahawk, Wis.
My Turn: 'It's Not My Fault'
The definition of insurance is a vast pool of people who spread risk and cost. By Robert Rosenkranz's reasoning, we should dump public schools, police, and fire departments—after all, my house has not burned down, so why should I pay -taxes for firemen to save someone else's life and home? Mr. Rosenkranz, please come visit earth and live with the rest of us.
Teal Postula, Pomona, N.Y.
Rosenkranz complains that health insurers should be allowed to act as companies do in "any other business model." Insurance companies already act that way: limiting coverage and rejecting claims are the insurance business's versions of cost control. The truth is that health insurance should not be like any other business.
Ben Harding, Boulder, Colo.
Corrections
In "Selling South Korea" (Scope, Jan. 25), our image of the country's flag reversed the red and blue portions in the flag's center. Also, in "Why God Hates Haiti," we incorrectly identified Rabbi Harold Kushner's book. The correct title is When Bad Things Happen to Good People. Newsweek regrets the errors.
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