Letters to the editor

A short history lesson

Less than a month after President Joe Biden made a prisoner swap and arranged to release $6 billion to Iran, Hamas attacked Israel.

Some 1300 civilians, women, children, babies, and 25 Americans were killed and more injured.

It was an attack like 9/11 here, unprovoked, and it could happen again.

Hundreds of college students here in the U.S. are protesting and siding with Hamas.

Even some U.S. Congress members blame the Jews for the attack and one congresswoman posts the Palestinian flag at her office door.

This may have started in Biblical times with Abram and Sarai.

Sarai couldn’t have children so she sent her handmaid, Hagar, to be with Abram so he could have decedents.

Hagar became pregnant, but then Sarai sent her away. An angel found Hagar in the desert and told her to return.

She would have a son, he would be named Ishmael, he would be a ‘wild donkey of a man’ and his hand would be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him.

Within Islam, Ishmael is regarded as a prophet. Islam is the religion of Muslims.

Muslims have a history of jihad. They are crossing our open southern border now.

The Bible also says, “A wise man’s heart is at his right hand, but a fool’s heart at his left.”

When Democrats started their party, they adopted the donkey as their political symbol and they are commonly referred to as the left.

Leland Graber

Wayland

World hunger is solvable problem

The opinion piece from October 17, “World hunger: the biggest problem with the easiest fix,” by Kalen McCain, impressed me and has stayed in my mind all these weeks. I’ve continued to mull over the message as we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, a time when we express gratitude for abundance.

McCain reported that one in ten people in the world are either dying from hunger or at risk of it. He brought up the fact, which I’ve also heard from other sources, that with $40 billion per year the world’s hunger problems could be solved. Sounds like a prohibitive amount, but McCain suggested that when you consider billionaires’ budgets, corporate spending, and defense funds for three examples, it would be easily doable.

While we as ordinary individuals of course don’t have the resources of a billionaire or government, as McCain proposed we can join forces. He brought up the idea of, if possible, foregoing a small luxury like a fast food meal and instead eating at home, and then donating that small amount to make a difference.

There are other ways to economize no doubt, and there are worldwide organizations to give to such as the World Food Program. We can also be aware of ways to give in our own backyard like food banks and holiday meal programs. Thanks, Kalen McCain and Southeast Iowa Union, for putting a spotlight on a need and offering a way to make a difference.

Eileen Beran

Kalona