Inbox

In Defense of Nordic Food
Lisa Abend writes that Nordic cuisine barely existed when René Redzepi opened Noma in 2003 [“Top Chef,” March 26]. Redzepi says that for a long time, “food was just about sustenance, never pleasure” for Danes. What absolute hogwash! Thankfully, we still have normal chefs serving normal Nordic food instead of some experimental cuisine that Redzepi and the like put together based on what they dig up from the ground and put a fancy name on.
Gunnar Hagelberg,
Cape Town

India’s Divisive Politician
Narendra Modi has proved that good governance transcends religious fundamentalism, communalism and regionalism [“Boy from the Backyard,” March 26]. Hugely passionate about development, Modi is a genuine leader in the sea of corrupt Indian politicians. In the Indian state of Gujarat, there was no power, infrastructure or medical facilities before Modi. Today, Gujarat has a surplus of electricity and is a preferred investment destination. If Modi becomes India’s Prime Minister, he will surely wipe out India’s poverty. This is the kind of leader India has been screaming for.
K. Chidanand Kumar,
Bangalore, India

Since becoming the chief minister of Gujarat, the birth state of Mohandas Gandhi, Modi has been hailed as a potential candidate to govern India. However, unlike Gandhi, who advocated peaceful coexistence, Modi goes for Hindu extremism. While this would certainly please the rightists, such ideology does not bode well for the world’s largest democratic nation.
Benedict Tagore,
Mumbai

Gujarat was a very prosperous, progressive and organized state well before Modi. Twenty-five years ago, I saw girls driving their scooters alone at midnight on Gujarati streets — something that at the time wouldn’t have happened in many other places in India. TIME has gone overboard in implying that Gujarat was born with Modi as its chief minister and suggesting he could be a contender for Prime Minister.
R.K. Sarkar,
New Delhi

Pursuing Kony
I see no value in “Kony 2012” [“The Warlord vs. the Hipsters,” March 26]. The street children my organization shelters in a slum in Kampala, Uganda, and the country as a whole can be helped in simpler ways than by catching Joseph Kony. And now the tourism industry’s image boost from Lonely Planet’s designation of Uganda as the No. 1 travel destination for 2012 may evaporate as a result of the hype about the elusive Ugandan rebel. Uganda deserves more sustained attention than the fleeting focus of the YouTube generation.
Leo Stollwitzer,
Vienna

Yes, the U.S. has the capacity and the moral obligation to intervene where we believe atrocities are being committed, but at what point do we involve our limited armed forces? Why not entertain more cost-effective solutions with less political fallout?
Dave Williams,
Tucson, Ariz., U.S.

Affordable Health Care
I agree with essentially everything Fareed Zakaria wrote in “Health Insurance Is for Everyone” [March 26]. But there can be no real progress until tort reform is addressed. He never mentions how medical-malpractice lawsuits and the resultant rise in insurance premiums have hamstrung any efforts to lower health care costs. In an era when perfection is expected from our health care providers and lawyers are legion, affordable health care is doomed.
R. Scott Maynard,
Norco, Calif., U.S.

The Euro Problem
Nick Cohen’s excellent Essay casts a brutally honest light on that gigantic swindle called the euro [“The European Union Is Less than Ideal,” March 26]. Far from unifying Europe, the common currency has accomplished the Teutonic goal of dominating the old continent.
Gianfabio Cantobelli,
Lecce, Italy

There is a widening gap between the rich and poor member states of the E.U., but it would be churlish to assert that European integration has not paid off for countries like Greece, Portugal, Italy and Spain. They have witnessed remarkable economic growth in the past years. If the present crisis demands some sacrifice for a long-term gain, then it should be tolerated to forestall a Europe bedeviled with nationalism and territorial jealousy.
Temitope Alatishe-Akinsoyinu,
Lagos, Nigeria

Getting the Full Picture
I was appalled that the LightBox caption described relatives mourning one of “at least 25 Palestinians killed during Israeli air strikes” but neglected to mention that a majority of those were terrorists who sent missiles into Israel first [“Grief in Gaza City,” March 26]. Israel has a right to defend itself.
Jeremy Slomnicki,
Staten Island, N.Y., U.S.