Throughout his campaign, Barack Obama has conducted himself with honor and gentlemanly gravitas. Unfortunately, sometimes that is not enough for people.
Why must society condemn someone for the religious and political views of his pastor? An objective, thinking mind must have looked at the church's outreach to the poor and viewed it as a sufficient reason to be part of a congregation. Many attend churches where ministers and priests have been accused of pedophilia or rape. Yet that taint does not fall on them. We are individuals, we have enshrined in our Constitution separation of church and state.
I'm sick of our inability to recognize the devastation that five years of bloodshed, war, poverty and the abdication of responsibility by our government has brought. If we condemn Obama for his choice of pastor, then perhaps we deserve what we get in the end: recycled goods instead of facing the difficult time ahead with vision.
SABRIYA B. ISHOOF, Pinecrest
Courting our foes
In her April 29 Other Views column, Talking to the bad guys, Trudy Rubin wrote that the moral of Jimmy Carter's Mideast visit is that there's nothing wrong in talking to bad guys, and it might prove useful.
If that's the case, then why doesn't Jimmy Carter try to meet with Osama bin Laden? Because it would be too harmful to give any credence to him and would minimize al Qaeda's inherent evil.
Al Qaeda is a religious organization not a political one. Politicians can be swayed to compromise, but not religious jihadists who are ready to die for their extremist beliefs.
Why should it be acceptable for Carter to negotiate with the jihadist Hamas, which has murdered Jews and vowed to never stop doing so, while it is unthinkable to negotiate with bin Laden? Why is there a double standard?
HESHY RIESEL, North Miami Beach
Watering violation
In front of Wilton Manors City Hall is a big electronic sign that flashes, ''Water restrictions strictly enforced,'' followed by the odd/even instructions for residents. How embarrassing for the city that on Wednesday, an ''odd'' day, Wilton Manors was watering City Hall at 6 a.m. But City Hall is located at 524 NE 21 Ct., not an ''odd'' address.
I made three calls to city officials that day and was continually transferred to various departments, each pushing responsibility to someone else. How hypocritical that anyone should get a citation or fine from the city for not following mandatory water restrictions.
KENNETH PAULI, Wilton Manors
Accept $1 offer
Re the April 30 story Dade principal's $1-a-year pay offer turned down: If Miami-Dade Schools Superintendent Rudy Crew and the School Board love the work and service they provide, they should have no problem offering their services for $1 a year as principal Larry Feldman did.
Unless they are unwilling, they should rehire Feldman or resign.
CESAR F. JARA, Miami
UDB land use
The Urban Development Boundary has caused headaches and bad feelings among all constituencies, the Miami-Dade County mayor, county commissioners, developers and landowners.
Landowners outside the UDB are penalized and can only use their land for agricultural ventures, even though it is not economically feasible to do so.
I purchased a piece of land 22 years ago. It is not designated a wetland nor is it near the Everglades. It certainly does not meet even minimal requirements for agricultural use, though it could be used as a recreational area for a private club or a youth camp.
The land is condemned to be vacant and useless because it is on the wrong side of the urban development line.
The obvious solution is to allow other uses for the land, excluding housing and commercial buildings. Many owners would not insist on the total elimination of the UDB if they had other options that allowed them to use the land and protect the environment at the same time. The land would be better cared for and more attractive.
JAIME ANGULO, Miami
Police outgunned
Leonard Pitts Jr.'s April 30 column, Where is justice?, about the death of Sean Bell, lists many problems in our legal system. It is true that there is no law for all. There is a rich man's law, a poor man's law, a white man's law and a black man's law. Anyone who believes otherwise is living in a dream world.
I have always thought that police departments are wise enough to send black officers if there is an incident in a black community. Mr. Pitts wants us to think that only white officers did the shooting.
There are too many guns on the streets, and many outpower what is available to police officers. We should be aware, however unjustifiable it might be, that most shootings in black communities are ''black on black.'' Will we ever learn that problems exist in all communities, but that shooting will not solve them?
TED SLOAN, Miami
Save the unborn
We must consider life in the womb. While a woman's right to choose should be a necessity in our democratic society, all new life should be valued and respected.
ERINN TOTH, South Miami
