Sanctions just create more terrorism Re: “Arab Spring not done till Iran sprung,” Oct. 17
I take exception to James Carafano’s argument that we must “bring” freedom to Iran. If Iran wants to crush its own people, I say let them. It’s not my problem. I couldn’t possibly care any less about the Iranian people. And frankly, I doubt that Carafano or anyone else in the Heritage Foundation cares either.
Sanctions and their cousin, occupation, are a major contributor to terrorism, which is a political act of desperation. This has been known long before 9/11.
If we are to reduce terrorism, we must understand the motives of the terrorists. This is basic police procedure, since all crime has some motivation. Sanctions are a significant motivation for terrorism, right after occupation, because they produce desperate people who don’t understand why a foreign power is meddling in their affairs.
Rob Pegues
Reston
Abortion is Planned Parenthood’s business
Re: “Planned Parenthood does not push abortion,” From Readers, Oct. 11
Mr. Doerr echoed Planned Parenthood’s claim that “abortion is only 3 percent” of Planned Parenthood’s business. However, PP arrives at that 3 percent figure by dispensing 97 contraceptives for every three abortions.
In 2009 PP performed 332,278 abortions, generating at least $155.5 million — or 38.4 percent of their health center income. Over 97 percent of their pregnant women customers received abortions.
Mr. Doerr says PP is one of society’s “most valuable” organizations. An Arizona law ruled constitutional by an appeals court has resulted in a 30 percent drop in the number of abortions. One of the laws’ stipulations is that women be informed about the risks of abortion — implementation which was delayed for years by a Planned Parenthood lawsuit. Obviously, Planned Parenthood doesn’t want women to know what they are doing when they are considering abortion because that knowledge will reduce PP’s revenue.
William Luksic
Rockville
Job creators need healthy legal climate
Re: “Don’t enable jobless to sue small businesses for not being hired,” Oct. 6
In his commentary, Rep. Sam Graves rightly warns that provisions without specific guidance can become tools for abusive litigation.
In my home state of California, unscrupulous lawyers have abused Americans with Disabilities Act statutes, which were written to increase access for disabled people. These attorneys sue thousands of small businesses, hurting economic development and job growth when we need them most.
This is not a model for our nation to follow. The jobs bill provision allowing job seekers to sue if they feel they were discriminated against for being unemployed is too broad and invites abuse.
While efforts to promote job creation are badly needed, it would be more helpful to small businesses to create a healthy legal environment that allows them to get out of the courtroom and back to what they do best: hiring new employees and moving our country’s economy forward.
David Houston
Pacific Palisades, Calif.
