Hitler's Book, Wal-Mart and Wolfowitz

Hitler's "Mein Kampf"

I have never read "Mein Kampf," but I should be able to, if I wanted to. The same holds for the Communist Manifesto, Marx and Hegel, and many other such documents. I might not agree with what I read, but I should be allowed to judge for myself. Reading about murder does not make me a murderess! The more restriction we place on adults, the more curious they become. People want to find out the truth for ourselves, not to be spoon-fed. -- Elisabeth Heptner

Given the ready access of information over the Internet, it would be impossible to enforce such a ban. Never mind that you can buy the book without any problem in most of Europe, including Russia. For Germany to ban a book, any book, especially "Mein Kampf," reminds one of the book burning of the Nazis themselves in the 1930s. We dare not cloak, propagandize or stage manage history by excluding facts, or access to information. Young people might shun reading history if they questioned the truth of it. Preserving the concentration camps as a memorial to the dead does little good if the very cause of this monstrous misfortune from the pages of "Mein Kampf" can't be understood. Germans should reprint the book with a proper introduction, a warning from history, with the funds from sales going to charity. -- Douglas R. Shute, US

Yes, I think it should be banned - and I don't suggest that lightly, because in general I believe in free expression of ideas. But this philosophy of racial hatred and extermination is so poisonous, and has already caused such extreme suffering (and not only to Jews!) -- that I think the peace and harmony of this planet would be best served by banning this book entirely. -- Jo Conkle

It is curious that liberal institutions today advocate curtailing freedom of speech. On US university campuses "speech codes" now regulate what can and cannot be said. This in the interest of not offending women, minority groups and homosexuals, transsexuals, etc. The same people who decried the Index of forbidden books of the Catholic Church of centuries ago, now think of emulating it in the interest of "progress." "Mein Kampf" is on my bookshelf as is the Communist Manifesto and I am still a proud non-Nazi capitalist. -- Manuel H. Rodriguez, US

Unfortunately, history tells us that every book ever banned merely sparked higher interest and sales. Even this ugly book (I will not buy or read) is getting too much press today. Stop talking and writing about it and it will perhaps die an ugly death as did its author. -- Dianne Kraemer

Wolfowitz and World Bank

US Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz

Wolfowitz should be arrested as a war criminal the moment he sets foot outside the US. The purpose of democracy is to avoid violence in determining issues of power. His idea of democratizing the Middle East, like Iraq, is brutal theft of territory and resources by privatization. His idea of lifting billions out of poverty is to steal their sandals and offer them concrete shoes. Putting a genocidal grand thief in charge of the World Bank is what you expect of a nation of hypocrits. -- Peter Vervoorn

Wolfowitz succeeded in transforming a country with first world income to a starving dying population in order to steal their oil. That is exactly what he will do to the world. This is really the person who through his position will help administer the policies of population reduction in the service of the oil and weapon industries. Welcome to Brave New World. -- Beatrice Boctor

Imagine you are in charge of national security. The worst breech of national security takes place on your watch. Therefore, you are made secretary of state. Imagine you are on record as hating the UN. Therefore, you are made ambassador to the UN. Imagine you have started an immoral war and made a total mess of it. Therefore, you are put in charge of the World Bank.
This makes perfect sense when you understand that there is only one criterion: loyalty to George Bush. It also helps if you are a complete and utter idiot. -- Mary M. Schmidt

Walmart Ethics Code

Wal-Mart headquarters in Arkansas

I believe an employer has the right to create and enforce whatever policies they see fit just like the employees and potential employees have a right not to work there, if they so chose not to follow the rules. -- Charles Trotter, US

Wal-Mart has become a tyrant and should stay out of employees' personal lives. If workers want to socialize on their own time, that is none of Wal-Mart's business. It has run small businesses out of work and needs to get a wake-up call as to real ethics. -- J.J. Barre, US

Anyone that requires such infamous slave-like behavior should be send to jail for 10 years, and the upper level of management should be dismissed. -- Roger Lemaitre, France

Wal-Mart, one of the most morally defunct corporations cluttering the face of the earth, is being ridiculous to try to rule the lives of its employees. Its record on crumby employment remuneration and attitude towards unions is worse than that of most. Because of its discriminatory practices, I will not set foot inside their stores. One can always hope that some country somewhere will forbid them entry. -- J. D. Givers