ISRAELI BOAT RAID

Intense global reaction reflected locally, too

On Memorial Day, Israeli commandoes attacked the "Free Gaza Flotilla" with live ammunition in international waters, killing numerous humanitarian-aid workers and peace activists and wounding many more ("Israeli sea assault spurs crisis," June 1).

While the flotilla was an easy target, sailing openly on top of the water to bring building supplies, medicines and foodstuffs to Gaza, its cargo had been checked by Turkish authorities before sailing and verified as not containing any weapons. By stark contrast, Israel reportedly just deployed its nuclear-armed submarines. The Israeli submarines are also said to be in international waters, but they are armed with nuclear missiles, the very existence of which are secret. Unlike the humanitarian boats that its commandoes attacked, Israel operates its nuclear submarines secretly, but they are believed to be somewhere in the deep water off the coast of Iran.

Do you know what famous man said, "Everything secret degenerates?" It was the same Lord Acton who recognized that "power corrupts."

COLEEN ROWLEY, APPLE VALLEY

• • •

I felt sorry for the loss of life to the blockade runners on their way to the Gaza strip with emergency aid supplies. I also felt that Israel had every right to be suspicious of blockade runners regardless of their purported cargo.

In all the years that I have followed, from the comfort of my home, the struggles between Israel and its determined enemies, I have never heard of a single instance where an Israeli child was strapped to a bomb and sent into a crowd of peaceful Palestinians to blow himself and others to bits. I have heard of such atrocities from the other side.

Is it any wonder why Israel would look with suspicion on any allegedly peaceful act of civil disobedience? When one is dealing with people who have no regard for the life of a child or innocent victims, one is forced to err on the side of caution.

I feel deeply for the Palestinians who exist in the rubble of Gaza. But to those who would say that we should simply throw Israel to the wolves, I would ask if they are willing to witness yet another Holocaust.

DANIEL R. KRUEGER, MINNEAPOLIS

• • •

The Israeli attack on the people from around the world who were bringing humanitarian aid to Gaza was another example of Israel's use of extreme force and the shameful way it deals with people who desire peace and justice.

If Israel thinks that all Palestinians and the people who want to help them are terrorists, there will never be peace. Our continued military aid to Israel supports this kind of atrocity, and people all over the world know this.

Will the U.S. response to this attack on people of goodwill show the world we will no longer stand for this kind of behavior, or will it show them we desire unending war?

If we want peace with the Muslim world, we will have to show them that heavy-handedness in Gaza, the West Bank, Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan serves no other purpose but to anger them and create more terrorism. Have we not learned in nine years that this tactic does not work, and besides that we are not able to even pay for it?

It is time for President Obama to show us that he truly desires peace in the Middle East and to earn his Nobel Peace Prize.

BILL HABEDANK, RED WING, MINN.

• • •

The so-called "tragedy" involving the Israeli command raid on the so-called "freedom flotilla" is anything but tragic.

It is in fact nothing more than the logical consequence of yet another provocation on the part of global anti-Semites to express their hatred of Jews in general and Israel in particular.

And, as usual, they have a problem -- the challenge of facts as stubborn things.

I've seen the videos, and what I saw was an image of commandos clearly being assaulted with deadly force and understandably responding with the same.

Why did the people on that sixth ship take such offense? Were they perhaps admitting by their own violent actions that the Israelis were right to establish the blockade of Gaza to begin with?

If their intentions were truly peaceful, why all the violence? If their cargo was purely humanitarian, wouldn't it have made more sense to merely allow an inspection?

Whether or not the world ever gets over its long history of anti-Semitism remains to be seen. I'm sure the United Nations won't let it, given the number of member nations that wasted no time at all condemning the Israelis.

But this much is certain: As long as the world continues to give blind obedience to the enemies of Israel and their hate-filled enablers, Israel will continue to take such actions, and it will continue to have my support for taking them.

MARK OVERHOLSER, WOODBURY

hiring for looks

Focus on those really discriminated against

Regarding the phenomenon of "looks discrimination" in hiring practices, give me a break ("Bigotry's last bastion," Opinion Exchange, June 1).

The purpose of antidiscrimination laws is to protect recognizable groups who can do nothing to change their status.

A disabled woman, for example, cannot somehow regain the ability to walk; a man who is of a minority race cannot change the color of his skin. But people can improve their appearance if they find their employment opportunities to be limited for this reason.

My own looks are average at best, yet somehow I found a job by improving my attitude, posture and skills.

I shudder to think of a world where an employer has no freedom in selecting potential candidates, even on the shallow basis of looks. And honestly, would any of us really want to work for an employer foolish enough to fill the office with pretty people who cannot manage simple tasks?

KAT HERMANSON, EDEN PRAIRIE