March 10, 2004

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Palo Alto Online

Letters

Editor,

Had Mel Gibson titled his movie "The Passion of Jesus the Innocent Sufferer," it might have been easier for all people to view it as the depiction of the suffering of a person representative of all those victims throughout history who have suffered and died unjustly.

Jews could then watch this movie as the suffering of an innocent fellow Jew. Jesus, after all, was a Jewish reformer in the tradition of Jewish Prophets. He, like Job, could proclaim his innocence and have it affirmed by God.

On the other hand, Christians who see Jesus as not only a Jewish reformer but additionally as the savior predicted in Jewish tradition, could view this as a revelation of the depths of the love of God for sinful humanity. Who was ultimately responsible for the suffering and death of Jesus then becomes irrelevant.

The world is filled with people suffering because of the sins of others. In our country one need only think of the destruction of the World Trade Center as a prime example. In Iraq and other war-torn areas innocent people die daily.

It is a Satanic irony of history that innocent Jews were made to suffer and die unjustly to "avenge" the death of Jesus, who freely offered his life for them (and others) out of love, a true Jewish hero.

In the modern Catholic Church, the Jews are called our elder brothers and sisters. I hope Mel Gibson had that awareness in the back of his mind when he made this movie. John Braun South Court Palo Alto
Missing the message

Editor,

Here are my thoughts on The Gospel according to Mel.

I've heard that "The Passion of The Christ" is raking it in at the box office. This disturbs me. I have a feeling that if Jesus took Einstein's speed-of-light commuter train forward in time and got off at the premiere showing of his demise he would have little interest in the bloody details of his suffering.

I think he would be asking where his message of love is.

The remarkable message of this brilliant Jew is in his empathy for the suffering of others and not in the glorification of the modern celluloid version of his own suffering. He lives in the hearts of many because of his legacy of understanding and embracing human weakness.

What more can be asked of love? John Shaw Amarillo Avenue Palo Alto
Underpass progress

Editor,

It finally happened. After literally decades of complaints, Palo Alto officials have modified the barriers in the California Avenue bike/pedestrian underpass. The new barriers are still too onerous, but it is an improvement for which I and other tunnel users are grateful.

The problem is that at this rate it will take several centuries to correct the many other overly restrictive barriers, circuitous bike routes and poor paving that make up the city's "bike network."

Palo Alto officials would do well to put more energy into fixing streets and pathways in a timely manner and less time into applying for awards for long past efforts. Eric Gilbertson Oakhurst Place Menlo Park
The 'wrong' world

Editor,

I can appreciate why the rest of the world might prefer that Bush not be re-elected. Bush, with his continuing demonstration that the old way of compromise with and sellout to enemies of human freedom is neither effective in stemming the rise of evil nor in mitigating the consequences of that evil, belies the foundation of much of the 20th century "enlightenment."

The world that shudders at the proactive pursuit of peace by the United States is the same craven "Better Red than Dead" world that conspired to conceal the death of the idea of Communism for so long that the reek of Communism's rotting carcass sickened even those most committed to it.

Millions more are slain every year because of the undeserved reverence given to artificial states and to facade words that conceal evil acts. Human rights are rights of individuals, and they are self-evident even without spiritual foundation, in fact some times in spite of spiritual foundation, primarily because individual rights have survival value for society.

The whip made an ox plow an acre a day -- the rewards of freedom helped John Deere plow a hundred or a thousand acres in that same time.

Those folk who want to secure their personal safety by belonging to the bigger mob may find momentary comfort in a leader who promises them a "fair share" of the loot, but those who genuinely understand the direction of progress will opt for voluntary exchange as the more rewarding for everyone.

Perhaps the world would vote Bush out of office and return to the old, comfortable, wrong way. The world, once again, would be wrong. Walter E. Wallis Waverley Street Palo Alto
Save Art Spectra

Editor,

How alarming that the Palo Alto Unified School District's Art Spectra program is on the chopping block. This cost-effective program has been in place for 25 years, providing thousands of hours of in-classroom art instruction for students.

Although many people know the benefits to several generations of students, few realize that the program is a vital teacher in-service training provided weekly to all new teachers in the district.

Spectra is composed of part-time instructional assistants with enormous art experience and skills. Under the direction of the district's art coordinator, the Spectra team goes into the classrooms of new teachers to demonstrate the district's art curriculum. Through this innovative approach, new teachers receive training in art -- a subject often ignored in university credential programs.

Spectra has been so effective it was one of the major factors in PAUSD receiving the Award of Excellence from the National Art Education Association. One award is given each year, and Palo Alto is the only school district in California to receive it.

As reported in the Feb. 18 edition of the Palo Alto Weekly, "Ending the art program would save $65,000." This averages out to less than $200 a week for each of the elementary schools. The cost to the district is so minimal and the results so dramatic, I can't help but hope that school officials will look for new ideas to maintain this program. Lee Hanson Matadero Avenue Palo Alto
Dismissed from adult school

Editor,

Recently I had the opportunity to hear, and share in dialogue with, several outstanding scholars: Azar Nafisi (Johns Hopkins University professor of literature), Elaine Pagels (Princeton University professor of religion), and Irshad Manji (author of "The Trouble with Islam, A Muslim's Call for Reform in Her Faith").

I was fortunate to experience the knowledge of these scholars, who are also defenders of freedom of expression.

In light of these experiences, it was shocking to me to be told by the administration of the Palo Alto Unified School District Adult School to cease attending or severely curtail my participation in a course entitled "Spiritual Traditions of the World."

The description of the course in the Adult School catalogue indicated it was "guaranteed to benefit the serious seeker as well as the merely curious." It appeared to suit me well, since I have been a student of comparative religions and the history of ideas since the age of 17.

After earning degrees at Stanford and residing in Palo Alto for many years, I decided to enroll for the first time in an adult education course. I expected, through lectures and discussions, to add to my understanding of a subject that is of sincere interest to me.

This expectation was not fulfilled because someone in the class registered a complaint with the administration, indicating that I had asked "too many questions" and introduced "too much of my own knowledge."

I have no idea who made the complaint. However, I do know how a positive learning environment functions: It welcomes reflection, discussion and the sharing of ideas.

Lately, we as a nation seem to be very concerned about the suppression of free expression in foreign countries. Perhaps we should be even more concerned about the suppression of free expression in our own backyard. Susan Sands Forest Avenue Palo Alto

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