Not so equal

John and Elizabeth Edwards' multimillion-dollar backyard and their condemnation of the modest property of a neighbor they've never even met ("Rich man, poor man," May 5) is the perfect example of the "two Americas" of which Edwards has so frequently complained. It reminds me of the pigs in Orwell's Animal Farm who said, "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." -Penny Smelcer; Apex, N.C.

I was disappointed with the piece on Edwards. I picked up WORLD eager to wrestle intellectually with policy issues and views from a candidate who thinks differently than me. Instead, I found an article that makes sure to hit all the reasons why I won't like Edwards without going into any depth on his detailed plan for poverty reform. -Nathan Bishop; Rapid City, S.D.

Did Edwards really think that such a large house would go unnoticed? In this age of Google, blog sites, and YouTube, it is amazing that some politicians don't seem to realize how quickly their gaffes and lies can come to light. The hypocritical ways of Edwards can no longer be hidden behind the sympathetic and protective MSM. -Rachel Werner, 16; Shawnee, Kan.

Look at all of the 2008 candidates and see who has a solid marriage and good family, without affairs and messy divorces. Edwards knows what hard work is and is very intelligent. He seems to care more about the poor and middle class than the Bush/Cheney team ever has. Your article was unbelievably biased. -Leslie Jones; Stillwater, Minn.

Out of touch

Joel Belz is correct about the mainstream media's deliberate cover-up of what actually occurs when a viable baby is killed ("Professional dishonesty" May 5). A recent Washington Post editorial is instructive: It called the Supreme Court's recent partial-birth abortion decision "chilling," "disturbing," and "galling." Most Americans would use those words to describe the partial-birth abortion procedure, not the Court's ruling. It's a misnomer to refer to the secular press as "mainstream," given how out of touch it is with people on Main Street. -Charles D. Eden; Atlanta, Ga.

I too was dismayed at the media withholding information about partial-birth abortion, so this time I did something about it and wrote a letter to the editor of our local paper describing in detail the awful procedure. It was published. A pregnancy care center director contacted me after seeing the letter and said that, although a reporter interviewed her and gasped as she explained the procedure, not a word of it was printed. -Patricia Gent; Fortuna, Calif.

That was a powerful column by Belz. Until we acknowledge that abortion is the premeditated killing of an unborn child, how can we expect to find truth and wisdom-and God's favor-in dealing with the lesser problems we face in this nation? -Clarence M. Grafton; Lynch Station, Va.

I get so confused. We legislate whether one has to wear a seat belt, where one smokes, and many other less life-threatening events, and then we get flack for legislating to stop a procedure that is quite barbaric. A fellow nurse once told me that she had to repeat an abortion procedure because they didn't get all the body parts-then it sunk in that we were talking about an actual baby. -Kristi Gilsdorf; Fort Collins, Colo.

A dark world

Thank you for the articles about the three Christian men murdered recently in Turkey ("No turning back," May 5) and forced abortions in China ("Death by visitation," May 5). It is important to be aware of the suffering church and to lift them up in prayer. -Sarah Goad; Joplin, Mo.

The Chinese government requires pregnant women to register as part of its population control policy, which means many women have to hide their pregnancies. Having just returned from China with our newly adopted daughter, my wife and I appreciate the courage and risks that our daughter's biological parents had to give birth to her. By continuing to support Chinese missions, including adoptions, we can offer God's light in a dark world. -Tracy & Justin Hollander; New Albany, Ind.

My heart breaks for Wei Linrong and the other women (and their babies) who have been abused so horribly. Heinous! -Jane Breederland; Traverse City, Mich.

Wei's abortion occurred on April 17. On April 16 I sat with my pregnant wife at the radiologist's office worried that our baby was dead. Praise the Lord, the ultrasound found a healthy baby, but just those three hours affected my wife so profoundly that she didn't feel emotionally well for two more days. A forced abortion is a travesty that will plague Wei for the rest of her life. -Dan Foster; Edgewood, Md.

I was sickened to read of the barbarous cruelty of these Turkish followers of Islam. Any religion that produces such evil can only be the product of Satan. -Irving E. Friedman; Irvine, Calif.

Wrote like he loved it

David Halberstam wrote like someone who absolutely loved to write ("End of the old," May 5). No matter what the subject of his richly textured books, the enthusiasm for his subject and craft shone through. Spending time with him was always a joy. You could disagree with his politics and yet respect his thorough research and analysis. -Fran Froelich; Upper Darby, Pa.

When my fellow journalism students were hoping to become the next Woodward and Bernstein, I found a different sort of journalistic hero: Ernie Pyle. Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, Pyle told phenomenal stories of ordinary people caught up in extraordinary times. Today's reporters, though, care more about activism and party politics than actual reporting. As for Halberstam, his The Powers that Be remains the best exposition of the pre-cable major media. A true talent, indeed, and an excellent old-school journalist who could really get a story. -Scott Kelly; St. Louis, Mo.

Being a father

What a beautiful piece of writing ("Mornings," May 5). As a father of two little girls aged 3 and 5, I have always loved early mornings. Tony Woodlief's essay put into words what my soul already knew, that "they come to us to hear of what their wiggly little hearts need reminding, which is that we love them more than we can say." Being a father has taught me so much about what our heavenly Father feels for us. -Tim Finnamore; Fairhope, Ala.

Having recently walked through the "valley of the shadow of death" with a husband whose cancer caused his early journey to glory, I could relate to Marvin Olasky's "Are we ready?" (May 5). I await the final act with a renewed yearning for its "comedy." And it is indeed the "Mornings" that get me through these changing scenes of travail. Thank you for these two excellent columns. -Sharon Stoltzfus; Honey Brook, Pa.

Debauch and destroy

Timothy Lamer hit the nail on the head when he pointed out our need to know about unfunded entitlement programs that could bankrupt our nation ("Trouble in the trillions," May 5). One of the most effective ways of destroying a nation is to debauch its monetary system. We are in the process of doing that to ourselves. -Richard Wischmeier; Central City, Neb.

Impressive fervor

I watched all four hours of the PBS special on Mormonism ("Mormon mystery," May 5). I was impressed by their disciplined emphasis on family, education and the arts, their industry and charity, and perhaps most of all their fervor. Several who were interviewed showed deep commitment and emotional connection to the church, which was obviously sincere. Would that Christians were as surrendered to the Lord as Mormons are to their "prophets." What was missing was any mention of the Cross or the blood of Christ. I came away feeling sad. -Gretchen Horton; Newberry Springs, Calif.

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