Correspondents did not share Tammy Faye Bakker's presumed happiness in finding a new love (PEOPLE, April 6), nor did they mourn the breakup of her marriage. Many were not pleased to find Tammy Faye on our cover, and a few wondered why she isn't serving time with her ex-husband, Jim.
TAMMY FAYE BAKKER
I do not feel sorry for Tammy Faye Bakker, who "alone and depressed, shopped at discount malls and ate with friends at fast-food restaurants." That's what middle-and low-income America does—if it can afford to. Like any other overzealous religious charlatan, Tammy Faye believes that a short walk in the shoes of those who are less moneyed than she amounts to penitence and suffering. Succotash!
JILL TUNICK, Arlington, Va.
I cannot understand why Tammy Faye Bakker isn't behind bars. After all, she too was spending all that money from followers, knowing, I'm sure, that she and her then husband, Jim, were ripping off millions of people. Just her makeup alone must cost one follower's family their monthly income.
ZOE IVANOFF, Unalakleet, Alaska
I could not believe you wasted a cover story on Tammy Faye Bakker. I'm a subscriber who looks forward each week to receiving my copy of PEOPLE in the mail, but this issue was not welcomed. The cover scared the mailman.
C. MURPHY, Boston
ANDREA FRIEDMAN
After reading your wonderful article on Chris Burke and Andrea Friedman, the talented actors with Down syndrome who are featured on Life Goes On, I am dismayed to learn that ABC may be canceling this beautifully produced family drama series. The program is one of the few on network television that realistically and sensitively deals with important topics like AIDS, women's roles and family relationships, along with the challenges and triumphs of a young adult with Down syndrome. I urge other fans to write to Robert Iger, President of ABC Entertainment, 2040 Avenue of the Stars, Century City, Calif. 90067 as soon as possible in support of renewing Life Goes On for another season.
JUDY RIGMONT, Hopkinton, N.H.
RALPH HAYLES
Soldiers like Lt. Col. Ralph Hayles are rare. Officers willing to make command decisions, directly involve themselves in their decisions and stand by the ramifications of those decisions are a credit and honor to their uniform. It is unfortunate that the American people—for whom Colonel Hayles would have given his life—would abandon him because of a tragic mistake committed in time of war. Colonel Hayles's distinguished and promising career can never be returned to him. The people of this nation owe it to him to return his honor.
C/2LT. MANUEL MENDOZA, Civil Air Patrol, Diamond Bar, Calif.
What a tragedy! My deepest sympathy to the families of the soldiers killed in this accident. But why on God's earth did the army supply a videotape of this? Did it supply videotapes of all other friendly-fire mishaps? Joyce Middleton says Colonel Hayles was "just out for a kill." In war, everyone is out for a kill. But my heart tells me Colonel Hayles did not deliberately and knowingly fire on American soldiers. Please, Mrs. Middleton, put your videotape away so that you may heal.
SUSAN MALDONADO, Los Angeles
On Feb. 18, 1991, my niece, Gina, was back in our hometown of Waterloo, Iowa, to attend the funeral of our aunt. While she was here, the Army tracked her down to inform her that her husband, Jeffery Middleton, had been killed by friendly fire while serving in Saudi Arabia. Initially, I could sympathize with the man who fired the missile that killed Jeff and Robert Talley; now I'm having a little problem. He was in the air instead of supervising from the ground as he was ordered to do. Had he followed orders, Jeff would still be alive. The harsh reality of the situation is that Gina was informed on her second wedding anniversary that Jeff was dead. Jeff will never be relieved of his duties, because he has been relieved of his life.
CAROL STEVENS McCULLOUGH, Waterloo, Iowa
I am an Army medical officer, and I am somewhat confused by your article on Colonel Hayles. Are we supposed to feel sympathy for him? If your story is accurate, he intentionally disregarded an order not to fly a combat mission, radioed incorrect map coordinates to ground control, then fired on unidentified ground vehicles. Two Americans are dead and numerous others physically and psychologically scarred due to his conduct. I am very glad he will not be supervising flying missions in America's next conflict. War is scary enough without him.
CAPT. MARK T. HASH, U.S. Army, Fort Leavenworth, Kans.
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