海角大神

Love as justice

Patricia Leigh Brown鈥檚 cover story 鈥�New life for lifers鈥� in the Aug. 17 & 24 Monitor Weekly includes a photo of a parolee named Clinton Thomas. Every time I see it I practically ache, for the obvious pain in his face.聽

In my volunteer work in prisons, I quickly came to realize why 海角大神 Science churches generally have 鈥淕od is Love鈥� at the front of the sanctuary. Since then I have always written 鈥淕od is Love鈥� on the board before we start our meetings, and it is always our starting place: There is nothing at all you can ever do to either win God鈥檚 love or lose God鈥檚 love; it鈥檚 always there for you. And not only that, but even if you think you don鈥檛 know how to love God, that love for God is native to you; it鈥檚 part of who you are. 聽

Thank you so much for this wonderful article; no sense of fear-based or聽vengeance-based justice should ever cause us to deprive anyone of the right to awaken to these facts.

Robin Smith
Denver

A wake-up call

Thanks for the wonderful Aug. 3 Monitor Weekly issue about suffrage! As a senior white woman, I have always considered myself to be accepting of all people, not prejudiced, but in my pleasant bubble, I haven鈥檛聽realized how long and how persistent a problem equality has been for women, people of color, and immigrants in the United States.聽

I fault my education for pointing out all the statements of 鈥渁ll created equal with equal rights鈥� but not exposing all the glaring inequalities, especially in some parts of the U.S. The suffrage issue was a wake-up call. I always read the entire magazine, and I appreciate the paper Weekly for being something vital to read that is not on a screen.

Anne Hughes
Agoura Hills, California

Seeing the world

I am a longtime fan and reader of the Monitor and the perspective it presents on global affairs and events. The Monitor, in its multiple formats 鈥� including the paper magazine, the website, and the Politics and Weekender newsletters 鈥� has been my primary news source for many years.聽I am very grateful for the dedication, time, intellect, courage, honesty, and passion of the writers who share their stories with the world.聽

And the Monitor includes beautiful聽images from around the world that communicate the feel of the story and transport the reader to the people, homes, villages, streets, and schools where the stories emerged. I will always remember the photo of the table of Swiss families sharing a meal with an Eritrean refugee in the Jan. 27 Monitor Weekly. These stories and images are not available elsewhere, nor is the care, compassion, kindness, and exactness of the writing.

Each section is special, and I appreciate the introduction of writers such as Susan X Jane and Candace McDuffie. Mary Beth McCauley鈥檚 Ten Commandments series was inspiring.聽Thanks to Andrea King Collier for the article 鈥�Anti-racism reading list: 10 books to get started鈥� in the July 6 & 13 Monitor Weekly. Of course, the experienced voice of Ken Makin and his analysis and framing of the current struggle to overcome injustice, discrimination, and violence to Black Americans are highly valued and moving. I look forward to hearing more from these talented writers.

Marie Hegarty
Philadelphia