More from our inbox:
To the Editor:
Re “Love, Duty, Flight and Death: A Ukraine Family’s War Story” (front page, March 10):
While the Russians may complain about the economic war being waged against them in response to their invasion of Ukraine, at least their civilians are not suffering the same terrible fate as the beautiful family of Serhiy Perebyinis, who were killed while trying to flee.
Economic hardships are nothing compared with the finality of death. You would think a nation that had suffered so much during the Second World War at the hands of the Germans would understand this.
Michael Scott
San Francisco
To the Editor:
Re “Hospital Hit as Attacks on Civilians Grow” (front page, March 10):
Intentionally destroying a hospital is a war crime. Will anyone be brought to justice for these atrocities?
Larry Geni
Evanston, Ill.
To the Editor:
I would support the current U.S. policy with regard to Ukraine if, along with Britain, we had not signed the Budapest Memorandum, an agreement in 1994 to aid Ukraine against any act of aggression or threat to its territorial integrity. Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons relying on our assurance that we would assist them.
Our word to the nonnuclear nations of the world will be worthless if we do not keep Ukraine from being taken over by Vladimir Putin’s aggression. It is our obligation, along with Britain, to enforce a no-fly zone to aid Ukraine.
Steven B. Jobst
San Luis Obispo, Calif.
To the Editor:
Vladimir Putin is testing the resolve of nations all over the world, but in particular European nations and the United States. And at the same time he is holding them hostage with his threat of nuclear war keeping them at bay from actually attacking his forces. But how long can these nations sit and watch the systematic destruction of Ukraine?
It should be obvious to all the world that Mr. Putin is mentally ill, as what sane person would order this kind of destruction on a country that had done him no harm and posed no threat? His top generals and inner circle have to see that he is unhinged, but which one of them is going to have the courage to state the obvious and hope the others go along to remove Mr. Putin from power?
Rogene A. Buchholz
Denver
To the Editor:
The Western message to the Russian citizenry, especially its youth, should be this: As a result of Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine, you will likely be cut off from Europe and the United States for many years.
Any hopes or dreams you may have had about traveling, studying or working abroad will be unrealizable for the foreseeable future — unless you want to vacation in North Korea. That means you’ll never see a Broadway show, no springtime visits to Paris or London or Rome, no shopping in Milan, no skiing in the Alps and no Disneyland.
You should remind Mr. Putin at every opportunity how much you are looking forward to your future as the citizen of a pariah state.
Stuart Math
New York
To the Editor:
A recent story on the news featured a young Ukrainian family with relatives in Russia who refuse to believe the news that we in the West are seeing daily. The family has started a drive to get all the people in Ukraine with Russian relatives to contact them and try to pass on information on the realities of the situation.
This is a great idea, and I suggest that everyone who has any contacts in Russia — family, academia, science, the arts, etc. — contact those people and try to pass on real and accurate information.
Ben Lopez
La Crescenta, Calif.
‘I’m Sorry’ Has to Be Sincere
To the Editor:
Re “He’s Sorry, She’s Sorry, Everybody Is Sorry. Does It Matter?,” by Jessica Bennett (Opinion, March 5):
It is really difficult to gauge the sincerity of an apology especially when it comes to celebrities and politicians. In many instances it may represent a self-serving attempt to save their careers.
As a retired educator, I am proud that I never forced my students to apologize and resented teachers and administrators who forced students to do so. An insincere apology has no value whatsoever and teaches students nothing.
I preferred talking the matter out with my students and leaving it up to them to decide. In many cases they did apologize after thinking it over, and, most important, their contrition was genuine.
Larry Vigon
Chicago
To the Editor:
It seems to me that there has been a notable trend in the Trump era regarding egregious acts or statements that clearly warrant apologies, but are instead met with insistent doubling (or tripling) down on those acts or statements by the perpetrators.
Barry Feldman
New York
Gold Stars in the Workplace
To the Editor:
Re “How Love Languages Made It to the Mine” (Sunday Business, March 6):
In the mid-1980s I was a young female consulting engineer in one of my first project management assignments, managing male engineers older and more experienced than I was. At my weekly staff meetings I would publicly recognize exceptional work, telling everyone what the person had done and presenting him with a gold star — the kind we used to get in kindergarten.
Several years later I had lunch with one of my former staff, a man almost 20 years my senior. I was astonished when he proudly showed me the three gold stars I’d presented to him, which he’d pasted on the back of a business card that he carried in his wallet.
Business managers are quick to point out problems, but positive reinforcement can work wonders!
Diane Kravif
Los Angeles
The writer is a registered professional engineer.
