Cabal the Able Seaman; Rapping Rap; $&@^% Szamuely; MUGGER's Bang On; Hey Pope, Da Nile Ain't Just a River...; A Public School Teacher Commiserates; More

I've often read Alan Cabal's articles and enjoyed his dark, cynical (twisted?) view. After reading about his visit to the USS Theodore Roosevelt ("The Big Stick," 4/24) all I can say is that it made me feel good. Thanks.

Ryan Maher, Long Island City

Born to Loose

MUGGER: God help us if my grandchildren have to read your drivel (4/24). Talking about presidential loosers you forget the presidential thief.

Otto M. Schiff, Carmel, CA

Rapped

Norman Kelley's "Black Cultural Criticism, Inc." is interesting ("Culture," 4/17). For me, it almost exposes a continuing problem for the community he talks about: the refusal to leave the pigeonhole of minority status on the mistaken belief that you can make culture out of color when the best you can do with it is make politics. Rap is the best example: a commercial enterprise trading on the worst stereotypes for the delectation of liberal reactionaries, for without victims or downtrodden these reactionaries, educated beyond their intellectual capacities, would have no religion. The more it changes, the more?

Francis M. Macri, Toronto

Finally!

Congratulations to George Szamuely for setting the record straight on "Israel's Hamas" ("Taki's Top Drawer," 4/24). My only quarrel with his argument that "Israel (is) build (ing) up the...fundamentalist Muslims" is that he hasn't gone far enough. Ever wonder how those suicide bombers slip through the formidable Israeli defenses? They're obviously not just dressed as Israelis, they are Israelis, mowing down a few expendable children at bat mitzvahs and seders and pizzerias to justify Sharon's bloodlust against the alleged terrorists.

Indeed, not only was 9/11 obviously an Israeli plot, as proven by the many Arab spokeswomen who've shown Bin Laden tapes to have been made by Meyer Kahane (reports of his death were exaggerated) in disguise (note the similarity of yarmulkes), but the World Trade Center and Pentagon disasters clearly "received strong encouragement from Washington," which could now justify its territorial, political and economic ambitions in Kandahar, Berbera and Aden, fecund orchards of poppy seeds, ghee and qat, while deflecting the world's attention from the scandals of the 2000 election, Giuliani's marital indiscretions and the imminent affairs between investment bankers and Merrill Lynch's financial advisers.

And if there remains a scintilla of doubt, just remember how quickly we forgot Roger Clemens' (ever notice how closely he resembles Sharon?) bullying of Mike Piazza (ever notice how closely he resembles Arafat?). By temporarily assuming victim status (you don't really think Mariano Rivera could lose the seventh game in the ninth inning, do you?), the Yankees (like Israel) have laid the groundwork for another century's dominance of the (Mid)Eastern Conference.

Ethan Gologor, Manhattan

He Can Take It

Just finished reading George Szamuely's article and wanted to say how much I admire his honesty. I hope he is not too badly abused for being so objective. Keep up the great work.

Joseph Clifford, Jamestown, RI

Pope = Cleopatra

MIKE Signorile: Your latest article on Catholics makes me wonder what sort of awareness the church has ("The Gist," 4/24). It seems to me that any organization that is so out of touch with reality could hardly be an authority on anything. In psychological terms, "delusional" seems to be the most appropriate word to describe the behavior of the Catholic Church. As a former chairperson of