Online-only letters

Adopting a neocon's mindset

Letter writers should know better

than to resort to a dumb-downed worldview

In reading many of your readers' reactions to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's and President Dmitry Medvedev's excellent adventure in Georgia, it is all too clear that their default setting is to blame America for any overseas crisis ["Poking the bear: Rice and the U.S. exhibit some true post-Cold War folly," Times, Northwest Voices, Aug. 24].

These predictable scolds would never admit it, but they have an important characteristic in common with the neocons — the tendency of the ideologue to indulge in a simplistic view of the world that only occasionally squares with reality.

— Jim DiPeso, Shoreline

Memories of another Russian invasion:

Last Thursday was the 40th anniversary of the anniversary of the invasion of Czechoslovakia by Warsaw Pact countries led by Russia.

I will never forget going to Wenceslas Square and seeing the violence against the unarmed civilian population. We lived in a the newly constructed apartment in the northeast suburbs of Prague.

Waking up on Aug. 21, 1968, my mom and dad were listening to the news that we were being invaded. As a 12-year-old, I thought, "yeah right, by whom?" But it got my attention all right. We soon found out that were being "liberated" by our own Warsaw Pact members from so-called counter-revolutionaries, whatever that meant.

I did not realize it, but I was being given a lesson in how the Soviet-orchestrated propaganda machine worked. I already knew from the past that my dad and mom were avid listeners of the Voice of America and Free Europe radio stations. They tried to explain to me and my 9-year-old brother what was going on, but I was more interested in soccer and ice hockey, not realizing that fate would give me a lesson I would remember for the rest of my life.

The first two days were very volatile, yet my father wanted to show us firsthand what the so-called liberators were about. We already knew that going through checkpoints manned by crazed Russians, you usually lost your watch, perfume or cologne. All you heard most of the time from the Russians was "davaj casy," meaning "give me the watch," or "strelaj," meaning "shoot."

Despite all this, my dad took us the next day down to Wenceslas Square, where we saw students congregating and chastising the Russians. I saw my parents sign various petitions and was shown how the Russians had shot up the radio-station building. While looking at the building, shots rang out and my first introduction to the AK-47 resulted in my dad pushing us behind a shot-up automobile for cover. I could not understand why our so-called "friends" could cause unprovoked acts of destruction and mayhem. We then proceeded to the Old Town Square (Staromestske Namesti).

Near the Orloj astronomical clock, there were a couple thousand, unarmed civilians. I still remember the following very vividly. While seeing the crowd engage a Russian officer and a couple of soldiers, they were asking them why they were there, telling them that "we do not need you here, there is no counterrevolution going on," when a photographer appeared out of the crowd.

The Russian officer immediately began shouting at his soldiers "strelaj," or "shoot him!" A soldier hesitated for a couple of seconds, realizing that the crowd was right behind the photographer, but after a couple of seconds, he opened up on the photographer and the crowd. My dad and mom grabbed us after ducking during the initial volley of shots, and ran from the square to protect us behind a couple of old buildings.

At that point, they decided that we have seen enough and we went home.

— Stan Vlcek, Seattle

Shades of discerning gray

Blunt and bold doesn't always mean

wise and insightful when it comes to the presidency

Leonard Pitts Jr. claims Sen. John McCain "won" the recent presidential forum at Saddleback Church because he gave "crisp-and-concise" answers, compared with Sen. Barack Obama's more thoughtful and nuanced performance ["Mr. Blunt vs. Mr. Thoughtful," syndicated column, Aug. 21]. "Crisp and concise" appears to me to represent the "good-and-evil" definitions we have lived with for almost eight years, to the great detriment of our nation.

I would suggest to Pitts that being president of the United States involves dealing with infinite shades of gray, rather than clear, black-and-white issues. These shades of gray require "gray matter," otherwise known as brains and critical-thinking skills.

Just as in 2000 and 2004, I will vote and work for the smartest candidate — perhaps this time he will actually get to claim the prize so we can take back our Constitution and our country!

— Paula Joneli, Des Moines

A quick toll thought

Our leaders shouldn't just resort to tolls

It would be more cost effective to raise gas taxes than to toll the Highway 520 and the Interstate 90 floating bridges for funding. It would also make sense to offer an alternative to driving across them by adding 24-hour bus routes that go to more locations.

As it is now, there is no bus route I could take to go to my workplace daily, across I-90, at the time I leave for work. Our spineless politicians attack each other for raising taxes, but jump for tolls just so they can look better.

— Chris Neibauer, Bellevue

A "thank you" from Tennessee

Seattle and Harborview

did a superb job helping

a family in their time of crisis

To the citizens of Seattle and Harborview Medical Center:

I live in Memphis, Tenn., and my son Tim lives in Missoula, Mont. On the morning of Nov. 13, 2007, I received the phone call a mother dreads. My son had been in an auto accident. Early that morning, he was driving to work and hit a patch of black ice, lost control of his SUV and was ejected from his vehicle. He sustained multiple injuries including, but not limited to, a broken neck, broken back, crushed pelvis, a head injury and was in critical condition. To my surprise, the doctor at St. Patrick's Hospital in Missoula said they were airlifting Tim to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. I arrived late that night.

I just want to thank all of the kind and generous citizens of your city. Starting with the kind man I met on the plane who gave us a ride to the hospital, to the wonderful staff at Harborview and everyone I came into contact with. I cannot say enough good things about Harborview. The doctors, nurses, physical and occupational therapists, and support staff were all wonderful.

Tim was in the hospital for a month. He spent a week in the intensive-care unit. There were so many people who touched our lives, but I especially want to thank our social worker, the nurse practitioner and the other nurses who are surely angels from heaven. These nurses went far beyond the call of duty and represent the epitome of their profession.

After a month, we were able to have Tim transported back to a hospital in Memphis. By the grace of God, he has made a complete recovery and was able to return to work in July, eight months after his accident. I believe with all my heart this would not have happened without his care at Harborview.

You have a city and medical facility to be very proud of. I am eternally grateful. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

— Virginia Fristick, Germantown, Tenn.