Readers write for Saturday, June 5

As someone who has traveled to Rwanda many times following the genocide that occurred in that country in 1994, I find your coverage on Peter Erlinder to be much less than half the story ("The strange case of Peter Erlinder," June 2).

Rwanda has not received the credit it deserves for reestablishing the rule of law in its country following the politically orchestrated genocide of 1994, when more than 800,000 Rwandans were murdered with military precision. The reestablishment of carefully thought out rule of law, based upon its own horrific experience, included the overwhelming task of trying nearly 100,000 capital murder cases in a country about the size of Maryland. So overwhelmed was the justice system that the country reinstituted the traditional Gacaca court system, where people accused of the most heinous of crimes were tried in local communities, with appropriate consequences.

Rwanda most certainly respects the rights of everyone, including the most atrocious perpetrators, to defense counsel. But in Rwanda, as in all countries with the rule of law, one needs authorization by the bar association to represent clients. Erlinder had so little respect for Rwanda's law that he barged in there like he was above it. And then he violated Rwanda's antigenocide laws, which are much like Germany's.

Erlinder shocked genocide survivors and other people such as me, who care deeply about Rwanda, by denying that the genocide ever took place, and by accusing the government as a dictatorial and murderous regime.

I believe it to be in the best interest of Rwanda to release Erlinder, if only to avoid fulfilling his desire for a media circus. But his arrest is certainly understandable given the unique sensitivities and tragic recent history of Rwanda.

WARD BREHM, MINNEAPOLIS

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NICHOLAS ABBAS, BROOKLYN PARK

It was very heartwarming to see so many Americans attending Memorial Day services this year.

Yet while Americans across the land were honoring our veterans of past involvements, a small article in the back pages of many newspapers was announcing that 1,000 Americans have died in the war in Afghanistan.

We are in an awful mess over there. I can't help feeling that it is a no-win situation that is slowly bankrupting our country and taking the lives of our solders.

And all to try and rid the world of a few Taliban.

CHARLES WOLF, LONG PRAIRIE, MINN.

In response to the 21st anniversary of Tiananmen Square, I am inspired that people are paying tribute to the fallen protesters.

The only strain on the many remembrances is that we may never know entirely what happened on that day.

I hope these protesters can turn the unknown into a desire for knowledge and freedom, so that they may have the bravery to confront the abomination that is the Chinese Communist Party.

KIRSTEN PETERSON, EDEN PRAIRIE

The pitcher was robbed; he knew it, and he was mad. He did not throw a tantrum; he did not call for a lawsuit, and he did not shout the injustice to the media. He graciously shook hands with the umpire the next day.

The fans even applauded when the umpire arrived on the field.

This is the best news I've read in the paper in months.

MICHAEL DONLEY, MAPLEWOOD

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I viewed McEnroe's behavior -- and in particular the near-universal celebration of it -- as a signpost on the road to our society's decline.

Dare I hope that the grace and dignity shown by Galarraga's reaction and umpire Jim Joyce's acknowledgement of his mistaken call are signs of our society's ability to maturely accept and put into proper perspective the circumstances that are sometimes visited upon us?

AMERICO DEL CALZO, MINNEAPOLIS

Several weeks ago, our lovely Como Corner Community Garden lost some of its beautiful trees, completely changing the unique oasis enjoyed by so many Southeast Como residents. I can only guess that this effort was part of the city's program to cut down some 400 ash trees in hopes of preventing, or at least slowing the spread of, the ash borer infestation.

This drastic step underscores the need for homeowners to proactively address this problem as well. For sick or very young ash trees, the best option is probably to cut down and replace them. Large, healthy ash trees may be protected by commercial treatments. Only by working together to treat healthy trees, cut down sick ones and not move ash wood can we slow the destruction of the emerald ash borer.