Letters From Listeners

Dr. Laura, 

I am so sick and tired of the counterfeit benevolence of people who suggest we should "throw a chair" at a home invader or the "war is not the answer" crowd. While masquerading as kind and benevolent, it is the Neville Chamberlains of the world who shout "peace in our time" that cause more death and suffering by allowing evil to proliferate; not the Winston Churchills who choose to stand against it. 

It amazes me how many people confuse nice with good, but I do believe I understand, at least in part, why this is the case. Being nice allows people to feel good without being good. People often choose acceptance from others over doing what is right. Those who are nice, whether they know it or not, are taking a short cut. Nice requires little or no moral fiber, little or no commitment, and little or no courage. Good requires all of the above and is often maligned for doing so. Good never exists in the form of benevolence alone. There are more charities, more diplomats, and more cries for peace than ever. Meanwhile, there is more crime and as much conflict as there has ever been because people are more willing to negotiate with evil than they are to defeat it. 

Columnist George Will once said that effective foreign policy requires heads of state to understand that even diplomacy has its limitations. When my daughter was young and other children would come to visit, the inevitable event of another child getting aggressive would occur. My wife would tell my daughter not to hit back, but to come and tell her; yet the behavior would continue. When I caught wind of it, I told my daughter to whack the kid back harder. My wife didn't like the idea so I asked her, "Do you want your daughter to have a father or two mothers?" She agreed to allow our daughter to defend herself and no surprise, the hitting stopped. 

I am thankful for your program and for all of the criticism and maligning you have endured over the years because it convinces me of one simple truth: you are not "nice," but you are good. 

Many Blessings to you, Dr. Laura, 

Steve