to the editor: If something good is done for selfish reasons, does the fact of the basic motive cloud the benign act?
President Trump claims to be done eight wars. At best, there are one or two conflicts that you may have put an end to. It is too early to say whether the ceasefire agreement in Gaza will bring real and lasting peace. But all this loses its luster because it seems that he took these actions in pursuit of the Nobel Peace Prize (“Trump's pursuit of the Nobel Peace Prize falls short again” October 10).
At the same time, he is attempting to send American troops into American cities, threatening to unleash his considerable force on the Americans; call the Department of Defense Department of War; and take flimsy legal action against his political enemies seemingly motivated purely by hate.
So let's get back to the question. The answer is easy: any goodness is completely degraded. Peace is not the absence of war and at the same time the power of revenge is glorified. Peace is an internal quality that is reflected in external actions.
When words incite hatred and prepare the ground for violence, no peace treaty will produce real peace.
No matter how hard you try, you will never deserve any peace prize.
Joanne Reynolds, Corona del Mar
..
to the editor: Trump and the White House showed exactly why the Nobel Peace Prize went to María Corina Machado. Instead of showing grace and good sportsmanship and congratulating the well-deserved winner, who incidentally dedicated her Nobel to Trump, the White House harshly criticized the Nobel Committee for awarding it to someone else. It seems that the Norwegians got it perfectly right.
Jim Kalin, Los Angeles
..
to the editor: I think Donald Trump is the worst American president to have held office in my lifetime.
However, having said that, I would not have been disappointed if he received the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to bring about a truce in Gaza. Although I'm not too worried about the results either.
Stu Bernstein, Santa Monica
