Letters to the Editor
Readers write about international aid, the US and secession, knife bans in Britain, and mandating Sundays as 'off' days.
The most applicable aid comes as currency
In response to the June 3 article, "New aid motto: Give cash, not food": The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) should adopt the policy of providing cash instead of tying aid to the purchase of American products, such as milk that some cannot digest, vehicles that are too wide for urban roads, or equipment for which there are no spare parts.
US hypocritical on secession
Regarding Juan Gabriel Tokatlian's June 3 Opinion piece, "America the breakup artist": Mr. Tokatlian could have noted an ironic twist to this country's global secessionist agenda. From 1861 to 1865, the federal government in Washington waged a bloody civil war to stop Southern states from leaving the Union.
Was that wrong then, or wrong now? Apparently it depends on whose nation is being gored.
Laws against knives haven't helped UK
Regarding the June 11 article, "Britain faces growing knife-crime 'culture' ": Criminals do not obey laws that ban the lethal use of guns, knives, piano wires, or shards of glass to obtain by force what they cannot obtain by legitimate means. This is not because those objects are inherently wicked, but because criminals do not obey laws. This simple tautology seems to escape lawmakers on both sides of the Atlantic.
Better off with one no-commerce day?
Regarding your June 6 editorial, "When Sunday is just another day": When I moved to Massachusetts from California, the "blue laws" were still in effect. And it was hard getting used to them. I liked being able to shop any day I wanted, including Sunday.
But after a short while, I could see – and feel – the wisdom of having the same day off for everyone: the noise level went down, people felt more in control of their lives rather than allowing their employers to dictate every day of their week, and people came in on Mondays more rested.
