The meaning of grace

I’m writing to thank you for publishing a recent article related to the murders of Susanne and Half Zantop (“Victims’ daughter responds with grace”; April 19). This article by John Lippman moved me deeply by its recognition of grace in the attitude of Veronika Zantop toward one of her parents’ murderers, James Parker. Lippman incorporated quotes from Ms. Zantop that focused on the true meaning of grace: “It’s not about revenge.” “And maybe some of the thoughts I had at the time have changed, in terms of compassion for his family and even him at age 16 doing something terrible.” “I wish James’s family the best and that they are able to heal.” “…(W)hat I’ve tried to continue to practice — is that kindness is key, that people are complex….”

In an era when so many people speak and behave with vengeance and hatred, one can feel hope and optimism when someone shows the grace that Ms. Zantop has shown. To feel the sadness and grief she feels at the loss of her parents and simultaneously feel sadness for the 16-year-old person that killed them is a tremendous expression of grace. I thank her for being a model of human kindness and compassion, and I thank Mr. Lippman for writing beautifully about her perspective on such a traumatic situation.

Linda Secord

West Lebanon

News and a ‘made-up world’

A few weeks back MSNBC, with the oversight and approval of its parent, NBC, hired Ronna McDaniel as a new political commentator. Her previous history as an avid, or should I say rabid, supporter of Trump was well known. Just as well known was her strenuous advocacy of the “big lie.” She has never disavowed that; only softening it, in political speak, after she was fired as head of the GOP National Committee and, thus, seeking new employment.

This set off a firestorm of claims that MSNBC could not sustain the diversity of opinion that McDaniel represents. Indeed, the entire stable of MSNBC commentators rose up and refused to accept her as part of the MSNBC family. The revolution in the ranks seemed to come as a complete surprise to the president of NBC who sheepishly and swiftly backed down and fired McDaniel. He then issued a half-hearted excuse saying he was only trying to add some diversity to the lineup.

Here I side with the “rank and file” of the MSNBC commentators. The president of the network, in his hiring of McDaniel, exhibited a total ignorance of the mission of a reputable news organization. The reason all these commentators refused to accept her is that she came from a world of made-up facts and innuendo, of disinformation that does not represent journalism but, in fact, its antithesis. Differences of opinion, i.e. diversity, are welcome when they evolve from the same set of facts as are apparent in this “reality.” But the imaginary universe from which McDaniel comes offers no credibility.

Martin Singer

Hanover

Netanyahu takes Putin’s path

I was at Hitchcock for treatment on April 17 and I was struck by the large number of people there, just like me. I thought, “What if this hospital was attacked and destroyed? What would happen to all the people who vitally needed this care and would we all die?”

When I look at the world stage, there is little to hope for from the leader of Russia, a murderer who blesses himself with the sign of the cross while bombing hospitals and civilians. Do people in the U.S. government actually think this man does not need to be stopped? Not by sending U.S. troops but by simply giving the Ukrainian people the military hardware to defend themselves.

When I look to Israel and the Middle East I see a leader whose country was brutally attacked and feels divine retribution is his responsibility. Can you blame him?

What I can’t understand is why this leader thinks that it is OK to brutally starve and systematically subjugate millions of men, women and children? Instead of sealing the border so that no aid can get to the Palestinian people, why not have the Israeli Red Cross delivering food and medicine to the Palestinian people?

How about it President Netanyahu: are you different from the murderer who rules Russia or are you of the same cloth?

Matt Cardillo

Sharon

The magic of mathematics

I had the pleasure of attending the Sonia Kovalesky Math Day at Dartmouth College with a student of mine and want to express my heartfelt gratitude for this exceptional community outreach program. The group we were fortunate enough to be in included Dartmouth undergraduates, graduates, and post-docs. Ben Shapiro, Eran Assaf, Jay Chen and Longmei Shu fostered a love of math and commitment to promoting its significance. They presented the material with flare and proceeded to further amplify students’ understanding with coaching and encouragement. It was nothing short of magic.

Creative, hands-on activities included magic squares, mathematical billiards, Hamiltonian paths, probability, statistics, and a biography of Dr. Kovalesky, the first woman to receive a doctorate in mathematics. Those topics led to theoretical discussions and an array of algorithms for problem solving.

While some are intimidated by math, these Dartmouth students and faculty ignited curiosity in young minds. This is the best kind of peer influence. They provided fertile ground for the development of future thinkers, problem solvers and math magicians.

Special thanks to Tracy Maloney whose attention to detail was instrumental in producing such an exceptional program.

Mimi Weinstein

Lyme