Letters

The Man in Black

"Johnny Cash taught us that every person is both a sinner and a saint. No one could doubt which side of him finally prevailed." JON W. NELSON Estes Park, Colo.

Like many who grew up in the 1960s, I never went long without hearing Johnny Cash's unique voice and memorable songs [MUSIC, Sept. 22]. Everything you need to know to get through life can be learned from his music: prison and guns are bad, God is good, you should stand up for what you believe in, love often breaks your heart, and a good train ride is one of life's simple pleasures. Cash experienced every high and low, and he survived with dignity. NADINE M. HENNING Whittier, Calif.

Cash was far, far more than a mere singer. He was the voice of God and the conscience of man. He was not ashamed to acknowledge his human frailties, and he taught us that we could call on our angels and be better for our struggles. MARK STIELPER Clarksville, Md.

I am not a fan of most country music. So much of it is little more than superficial pop, lacking the real soul of the blues tradition. But Cash's music is different. Whenever I heard his voice and earthy poetry, I was moved. He was the people's poet, with a heart and mind rooted deep in the human experience. JOHN A. SORRELS London

There is no tribute too big for this giant of a man. Cash was a true American hero. His music knows no genre or boundary; he was a tremendous inspiration to so many people. JULIE JACOBSON Woodbury, N.Y.

When I was a boy, my father was not around, but his Johnny Cash records were. I listened to them often, and by age 11, I knew all the songs by heart. I loved Cash, and when I was finally able to see him in concert, he signed a copy of an album for me. I never thought I could part with it, but my 8-year-old son saw me cry the night I gave the album to him and told him what Cash meant to me. LARRY MONACO Sherman Oaks, Calif.

Cash stood as a hero to many and spoke to the common people. He introduced me to the likes of Bob Dylan and Neil Young, songwriters whose music has a purpose and meaning. Cash taught me that you have got to stand for something in this world, or you lose a part of yourself. He went through life's valleys with courage and grace. CAROL NEAL Orange, Calif.

I didn't particularly care for Cash's singing style. But after reading Richard Corliss's story about Cash's life, his struggles and his triumph, I have to reconsider. Thank you for an exceptionally well-written and moving article. GEORGE LOHNES Hopkinton, Mass.

Cash laid the groundwork for succeeding troubadours who tell stories with their songs, in which the message is more important than album sales. Bob Dylan, Kris Kristofferson, Tom Petty and Steve Earle are just a few who followed the model of the Man in Black. MIKE VINSON McMinnville, Tenn.

>> Many readers saw striking resemblances in Ruven Afanador's stark cover photograph of Johnny Cash. "That magnificent face had the appearance of one of America's Founding Fathers or a pioneer who pushed westward over the Appalachian Mountains," wrote a Floridian. Asked a woman from New Jersey: "Was that a picture of Cash or of another musical icon, Ludwig van Beethoven?" And a Rhode Islander offered her thanks "for the wonderful cover portrait of Cash. It is as beautiful as a Rembrandt etching and as welcome as a snapshot from a friend."

Shifting Strategy

In "Facing Reality," Michael Elliott was far too lenient in his assessment of the situation this Administration finds itself facing with Iraq, Israel and radical Palestinians [WORLD, Sept. 22]. Gone are the Administration's chest beating and taunting of enemies. Reality has set in. The Bush doctrine, our new national defense strategy, with all its unilateralism, militarism, boldness and unrealistic dreams, is dying right where it began, in the deserts of Iraq--a complete failure. The U.S. has not taken a bold new step toward solving all its problems in one clean sweep but has compounded them immeasurably, creating a monster where there was none. CARL MATTIOLI Newtonville, Mass.

What part of "We Are At War!" don't the politicians understand? How long did World Wars I and II last? Stop your complaining, batten down the hatches, and let's go get these guys! It doesn't matter how much money it costs. Would you like to guess what the price will be if we lose this war? PAUL R. DEL VECCHIO Gunnison, Colo.

My parents were in college during the height of the Vietnam War. They remember the pain of a long-term conflict with no end in sight. Now my generation sits comatose in the face of world events that should make anyone's blood boil. My fellow youth: Are we afraid? MICHELLE SISSON La Jolla, Calif.

A Wedding-Eve Tragedy

"One Last Father-Daughter Chat," about the deaths in Jerusalem of Dr. David Applebaum and his daughter Nava, 20, victims of a suicide bomber the night before her wedding, was a heartrending piece [WORLD, Sept. 22]. As an emergency-medicine physician, Applebaum showed absolute concern for victims, whether Palestinian or Israeli, and his work to build better, more efficient facilities to treat the sick and wounded made him a role model for the world. How tragic that his life was cut short by those who represent the antithesis of everything he stood for. ROBERT ISLER Fair Lawn, N.J.

More in Sadness than Anger

Right-wing columnists like Charles Krauthammer [ESSAY, Sept. 22] have two essential responses to critics of President Bush's policies: 1) You're unpatriotic; 2) you're mad. In his commentary, Krauthammer doesn't indict me on the first count, but he does lump me in with a crowd of Democrats he describes as "seized with a loathing for President Bush--a contempt and disdain giving way to a hatred that is near pathological." However, what I feel as the result of President Bush's policies is sadness. I'm not mad at his "revolutionizing American foreign policy" or that he exercised "a singular act of presidential will" in Iraq; I'm sad that damaged relationships with key allies have weakened America's position in the world. I'm not mad that Bush is "reshaping economic policy"; I'm sad that the redistribution of income from the working to the ruling class is so pronounced and that Bush expects my grandchildren to pay for his excesses. I'm not mad that Bush has reinstated crony capitalism as a governing philosophy; I'm sad that he is so indifferent to what is happening to people who don't have power. I'm not mad that Bush is "acting like a king"; I'm sad for democracy. BILL MOYERS New York City

We liberals do not hate Bush; we hate his policies--pre-emptive wars, tax cuts for the rich, program cuts for the poor, exploding budget deficits and a foundering foreign policy. We hate reckless stewardship of public lands. As for the politics of personal hatred, Krauthammer's true point of reference should be the Clinton years. If we liberals really hated President Bush, we would demonize his wife, investigate every dimension of his personal life and lead an impeachment initiative based on the misinformation that led Americans into the Iraqi war. JANE ARTABASY Glencoe, Ill.

Music-Industry Angst

RE the crackdown on illegal music downloading and the new legal sites that are coming to life [BUSINESS, Sept. 22]: For decades people have shared their records, cassettes or CDs with friends. We understood that you were free to make a copy for your personal use as long as the copy wasn't used for commercial purposes. These days young folks do the same thing, only they use the computer to share music. And now the record companies are calling them thieves and threatening them with lawsuits. I'm no lawyer, but this just doesn't pass the smell test. Shame on the music industry! CRAIG REEDER Tallahassee, Fla.

Issues for Albright

After reading "10 Questions For Madeleine Albright" [INTERVIEW, Sept. 22], I have another one for the former U.S. Secretary of State. If Bush is doing such a poor job in the fight against terrorism, why hasn't there been another terrorist attack in the U.S.? Albright and her State Department team failed to curb terrorism in the same way they failed to capture Osama bin Laden when they had the chance in Sudan. LARRY WHITEHURST Mount Horeb, Wis.

As Secretary of State, Albright was a disaster. Every crucial issue that faces us today, from North Korea to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to terrorism, was dealt with during her tenure with a stunning naivete and timidity. It is not a record to be proud of, and yet she seems smug. Perhaps if she had done her job properly, she wouldn't need to take issue with the Bush Administration's policies. MARK LEE Racine, Wis.

In Defense of an Artist

Documentary filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl [MILESTONES, Sept. 22] may be dismissed for her venality, but the godlike image we have of African-American athlete Jesse Owens comes from Olympia, her film of the 1936 Summer Games, made under Nazi auspices. This suggests that however much she cooperated with those in power, her aesthetic remained her own. DANIEL MERCER Pennsauken, N.J.

The Death of Virgil Ware

Larry Joe Sims shot and killed Virgil Ware, 13, in 1963 in Birmingham, Ala. [TIME IN DEPTH, Sept. 22]. If Sims really wishes to make amends to Ware's family, he could pay for a proper burial for the child. Perhaps it could be in the same cemetery where the four little black girls who died in the Baptist-church bombing are buried. Sims could erect an appropriate memorial at the burial site to replace the unmarked grave in which Ware now lies. Alternatively, a memorial fund for Virgil Ware could be established. I would be happy to make a contribution. MAUREEN MADDEN Oro Valley, Ariz.

John Ritter Kept Us Company

I was disappointed that actor John Ritter [MILESTONES, Sept. 22] did not get more coverage in TIME. Through his TV shows, like Three's Company, Ritter came into the homes of millions of Americans for nearly three decades. He made us laugh with his outstanding comedic performances and brightened our days. He deserved a greater tribute. SHANNAH C. TONNE Houston