Mailbag:

I always enjoy reading the answers to the “In Theory” questions. I especially liked Pastor Mark Wiley’s answer April 17 but was perplexed with Rabbi Miller’s answer. I thought that forgiveness was endemic to all religions. Of course, we should never forget the 6 million who died in the Holocaust.

Likewise, we should never forget the millions of Christians who died in World War II. Jerusalem is a city founded for the three religions that go back to Abraham. Psalm 87, like the book of Jonah, clearly shows an inclusive God who cares for all people. But slowly Israel is cleansing Jerusalem of its Christian and Muslim inhabitants. God would be sad.

The Muslim religion is peaceful but radical Islam is evil — as are radical Christianity and Judaism. On one of our five trips to the Holy Land, we worked at Father Elias Chacour’s school in the Northern Galilee village of Ibillin. He is a noted Palestinian peace activist and welcomes the Jews, Christians, Muslims and Druze.

“You who live in the United States, if you are pro-Israel, on behalf of the Palestinian children I call unto you — give further friendship to Israel,” he has said. “They need your friendship. But stop interpreting that friendship as an automatic antipathy against me, the Palestinian, who is paying the bill for what others have done against my beloved Jewish brothers and sisters in the Holocaust and Auschwitz and elsewhere. And if you have been enlightened enough to take the side of the Palestinians — oh, bless your hearts — take our sides, because for once you will be on the right side, right? But if taking our side would mean to become one-sided against my Jewish brothers and sisters, back up. We do not need such friendship: We need one more common friend. We do not need one more enemy, for God’s sake.”

Gwen Johnson

Corona del Mar

Muslims should condemn radicals

If Muslims living here in the U.S. want support and recognition, then they need to step up and condemn their radical members when incidents occur (“In Theory,” April 17). Building community centers around the U.S. sounds like they are on a P.R. campaign!

It sounds disingenuous to the rest of us. Their silence is deafening and defining!

Shirley Cameron

Newport Coast

Business council takes positive spin on JWA

The Orange County Business Council has projected that the building of a third terminal at John Wayne Airport will create 6,500 jobs and bring in $1.9 billion over the next three years, but this is a specious report, (“JWA to create jobs,” April 11)

Airports do not create jobs, except in a synergistic way, and the only way airport jobs can continue would be to continue to expand.

JWA is a tiny island of unincorporated land completely surrounded by cities that are determined to keep the lid on that airport.

The business council should know better than posting such optimism, unless it hates the people who suffer from that airport, including those in Newport Beach and Costa Mesa.

Donald Nyre

Newport Beach

Patriotism shouldn’t involve God references

Interesting that Rep. Dana Rohrabacher’s ballad for the new Right-Network is identified as a “patriotic ballad” when in actuality, with all the references to God, it is just the opposite (The Political Landscape: “Rohrabacher pens patriotic ballad,” April 22).

He is misguided in his understanding of what patriotism means in accordance with the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

This country is not and was never intended to be a Christian or religious nation.

The separation of church and state is fundamental.

Whether this conclusion is supported or not, to believe otherwise is un-American; those that are so uninformed, whatever else they may be, are not American patriots.

Carolyn Fitz-Gibbon

Newport Beach

How does striking contribute to learning?

A few points worth mention. The teachers union in Illinois are chanting “Where’s the money, we want our money.”

At least they are honest about the purpose of the protest.

An e-mail sent to potential substitutes for the striking teachers in San Clemente was filled with threats of retaliation if they actually showed up to teach “the little kids.”

In the early 1900s, most educational leaders, as well as the rank and file of teachers, argued that the unionization of teachers was prompted by selfish devotion to self interest.

The affiliation with the A. F. & L. was the prostitution of the well-being of all children.

The main assertion was that no worthy teacher would ever feel justified in going on strike and leaving their young wards.

The question we should ask ourselves is how did we get from the 1900s to where we are today? And, is the union and a strike truly in the best interest of education and students? Said another way, is “progressive” really progress?

August Lightfoot

Newport Beach