Zero tolerance borders on bigotry
Jesse Jackson's adventures in Decatur (see Illinois Issues, December, page 39, and February, page 35) exposed the fine line between "zero tolerance" and violence by showing that there are circumstances under which zero tolerance borders on bigotry — and "nonviolent bigotry" is an oxymoron because bigotry does violence to the principles on which this country was founded.

Ergo, zero tolerance of violence implies zero tolerance of bigotry.

As a legal beagle, Matt Hale, self-styled minister of the "World Church of the Creator" who also got involved in Decatur, should take this into account and not lose track of it in his arguments.

Bigotry spawns violence like hurricanes spawn tornados. Preaching hate is the same as inciting violence.

If Hitler applied his ability to good instead of evil, he might have been the man of the millennium. Instead, the was the madman of the millennium. That's the difference it makes.

Unless Matt Hale wants to go down in history as Mad Hale, he would do well to redirect his talents into something constructive instead of basing his beliefs on a demented oxymoron.

On the other hand, people who try to fight violence with violence are making a mistake. That's like trying to fight fire with fire. Everyone gets burned.
Kenneth J. Epstein
Chicago

Much ado about the millennium
As your publication is housed at a university, I find the lemming concept that a new century has begun as troubling. Have people forgotten Roman numbers? Is everyone unaware that the zero is a modern (relatively) concept in the West?

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If any educated person is to believe the content of your fine publication, how can you insist we also go along with the common misinformation you are supporting?

Please retract this common, but still incorrect, statement about calendars.

Dennis E. Kroll
Associate professor
Bradley University
Peoria

44 / March 2000 Illinois Issues