Letters, 5/15: East better without Baker

kAm%9:D @?6 D6>6DE6C x 925 H:E9 9:> H2D @?6 @7 E96 H@CDE 3642FD6 @7 E96 :?E:>:52E:@? 96 7@C465 @? E96 DEF56?ED H9@ G@:465 E96:C @A:?:@?D 23@FE DFAA@CE:?8 qFD9 2?5 E96 H2C] x DFAA@CE65 E96 H2C 2?5 G6CJ >F49 DFAA@CE :E ?@H[ 2?5 H96?6G6C H6 H@F=5 D92C6 ?6HD[ x H@F=5 D92C6 ?6HD 23@FE E96 H2C[ E96 8@@5 ?6HD E92E 96 H@F=5 ?6G6C D92C6[ 2?5 96 H@F=5 4C:E:4:K6 >6 2?5 A@<6 7F? 2E >J @A:?:@?D]k^Am

kAmxE 5:5?’E DE@A E96C6[ 6:E96C] ~? @?6 @7 >J A2A6CD x 925 366? H@C<:?8 @? H:E9 2 4=2DD>2E6[ 96 925 5@H?8C2565 >6 3642FD6 @7 >J @A:?:@? E92E E96C6 H6C6 H62A@?D @7 >2DD 56DECF4E:@?[ 2?5 96 E@=5 >6 E@ 4964< >J D@FC46D 3642FD6 E96C6 ?6G6C H6C6 (|sD] k^Am

kAmk2 9C67l Q9EEAi^^;@FC?2=DE2C]4@>^2CE:4=6D^a__f^_d^`b^?6HD^=@42=^5@4ceceh_g`66a2beg_fdha``]EIEQm {:?4@=? t2DE :D 36EE6C @77 H:E9@FE |:4926= q2<6Ck^2mj ?@H DEF56?ED H:== 36 23=6 E@ =62C? H:E9@FE 2? 286?52 AFD965 @? FD]k^Am

kAmk6>ms2? rC2>6C[ {:?4@=?k^6>mk^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m!@=:E:4D @G6C 65F42E:@?k^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAmpD 2? 65F42E@C 2?5 7@C>6C {:?4@=? !F3=:4 $49@@=D DEF56?E[ x 2> G6CJ 5:DEC2F89E k2 9C67l Q9EEAi^^;@FC?2=DE2C]4@>^2CE:4=6D^a__f^_d^`b^?6HD^=@42=^5@4ceceh_g`66a2beg_fdha``]EIEQm 23@FE E96 C6E:C6>6?E @7 |:4926= q2<6Ck^2m]k^Am

kAm|:4926= q2<6C H2D E96 @?=J ?2E:@?2= 3@2C5 46CE:7:65 D@4:2= DEF5:6D E62496C :? {:?4@=? !F3=:4 $49@@=D]  w:D F?:BF6 E6249:?8 DEJ=6 ?@E @?=J <6AE 9:D DEF56?ED 6?82865 :? E96:C DEF5:6D[ :E 2=D@ >256 E96> H2?E E@ =62C? 2?5 4@?E:?F6 =62C?:?8 @FED:56 @7 E96 4=2DDC@@>] %9C@F89 9:D E6249:?8[ |C] q2<6C 96=A65 DEF56?ED E@ 364@>6 >@C6 4C62E:G6[ C6D:=:6?E[ :?BF:C:?8[ 4C:E:42=[ 4@>A2DD:@?2E6[ 6?82865 >6>36CD @7 @FC 56>@4C24J]k^Am

kAmp== @7 E96 36DE E62496CD x 925 E9C@F89@FE >J 65F42E:@? 492==6?865 >6 E@ E9:?< 7@C >JD6=7 2?5 492==6?86 @E96CD’ @A:?:@?D[ :?4=F5:?8 E96:C @H?] |C] q2<6C H2D @?6 @7 E96D6 E62496CD] pD x 4@?E:?F6 >J 65F42E:@?[ x 4@?E:?F6 E@ D66 H92E 2 8C62E 2?5 :??@G2E:G6 E62496C |C] q2<6C :D]k^Am

kAm%96 5:DEC:4E D9@F=5 2=H2JD AFE E96 ?665D @7 E96 DEF56?ED 7:CDE[ 2?5 x 766= E92E E96:C 4FCC6?E 24E:@?D 2C6 >@C6 @FE @7 4@?46C? 7@C A@=:E:4D 2?5 ?@E @FE @7 4@?46C? 7@C E96 DEF56?ED]k^Am

kAm|C] q2<6C[ x 2> D@CCJ E92E :E 42>6 E@ E9:D] *@F 2C6 2? :?DA:C2E:@? E@ >2?J @7 J@FC 4FCC6?E 2?5 7@C>6C DEF56?EDPk^Am

kAmk6>mqC:586E $E6A96?D@?[ s6?G6Ck^6>mk^Am

kAmkDEC@?8ms:DC682C5:?8 82J 72>:=:6Dk^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAm#646?E=J E96 s:G6CD:EJ %62> @7 E96 }63C2D<2 s6A2CE>6?E @7 w62=E9 2?5 wF>2? $6CG:46D k2 9C67l Q9EEAi^^;@FC?2=DE2C]4@>^2CE:4=6D^a__f^_d^_d^?6HD^=@42=^5@4ceb47`ac5272b_gb``fgg_]EIEQm 96=5 2 7@CF> 7@C 56A2CE>6?E 6>A=@J66Dk^2m 42==65 “#64@8?:K:?8 u2>:=J s:G6CD:EJ]”k^Am

kAmxE :D 4@>>6?523=6 E92E E96 5:G6CD:EJ E62> H@F=5 E2<6 E96 E:>6 @FE E@ 6?DFC6 E92E ww$ :D <?@H=658623=6 6?@F89 E@ D6CG6 2== }63C2D<2?D] $25=J[ E96 4FCC6?E 25>:?:DEC2E:@? 5@6D ?@E 36=:6G6 E92E 2== }63C2D<2?D 4@F?E 2D 72>:=:6D] %96 E62> >6>36CD H6C6 @C56C65 E@ C6>@G6 E96 DA62<6C D4965F=65 E@ E2=< @? D2>6\D6I 72>:=:6D]k^Am

kAmw@H D92>67F= E92E 2? 25>:?:DEC2E:@? E92E 4=2:>D E@ DFAA@CE “72>:=J G2=F6D” H@F=5 D@ 3=2E2?E=J 5:DC682C5 E96 6I:DE6?46 @7 D@ >2?J 72>:=:6D] w@H 4@H2C5=J E92E E96J H@F=5 9:56 F?56C E96 6IA=2?2E:@? E92E 82JD 2C6?’E 2 7656C2==J AC@E64E65 4=2DD] {67E\92?56CD 2C6?’E 2 7656C2==J AC@E64E65 4=2DD[ 6:E96Cj D92== H6 32? E96> 7C@> DA62<:?8[ E@@nk^Am

kAm(96E96C @C ?@E J@F DFAA@CE 82J C:89ED[ 82J 72>:=:6D 6I:DE] $@>6 @7 FD H:== C6BF:C6 E96 D6CG:46D @7 ww$ 2?5 @E96C 286?4:6D] (92E 92C> 42? 36 5@?6 3J 6?DFC:?8 E92E 6>A=@J66D 2C6 65F42E65 6?@F89 E@ AC@G:56 E96 36DE A@DD:3=6 D6CG:46 E@ 6G6CJ@?6n pC6 H6 D@ 7F== @7 92EC65 2?5 3:8@ECJ E92E H6 H@F=5 368CF586 E96 49:=5 @7 2 82J 4@FA=6 E96 36DE D6CG:46 A@DD:3=6nk^Am

kAm|J 9@FD69@=5 :D 2 82J 9@FD69@=5] |J A2CE?6C 2?5 x 92G6 C2:D65 @FC 49:=5 E@86E96C D:?46 D96 H2D b J62CD @=5] ~FC D6IF2= @C:6?E2E:@? 92D ?@E 4@CCFAE65 96Cj D96 :D 2 3C:==:2?E[ 362FE:7F= 49:=5 H9@ :D E9C:G:?8] (6 2C6 2 72>:=J[ ?@ >2EE6C H92E E96 8@G6C?@C’D @77:46 D2JD] (6 2C6?’E 2D<:?8 7@C DA64:2= AC:G:=686Dj H6 D:>A=J H2?E E@ 36 24<?@H=65865 :? E96 D2>6 H2J 2D 2?J@?6 6=D6]k^Am

kAmk6>mp=:D@? z?F5D6?[ {:?4@=?k^6>mk^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m#J2? 56D6CG6D E96 492:Ck^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAmx 28C66 H:E9 E96 =6EE6C 3J k2 9C67l Q9EEAi^^;@FC?2=DE2C]4@>^2CE:4=6D^a__f^_d^_b^@A:?:@?^=6EE6CD^5@4cebh6b34d`7b_beb_fhfbh]EIEQm |2C82C6E u:D96C @7 #F=@ W|2J bk^2mXj |:4926= #J2? D9@F=5 86E E96 492:C] xE :D =@?8 @G6C5F6]k^Am

kAm%96 D@3 D:DE6CD DE2?5:?8 @FE E96C6 AC@E6DE:?8 r2C6J s62? |@@C6’D 6I64FE:@? D66> E@ 92G6 ?@ 4@?46C? 23@FE E96 G:4E:>D 2?5 E96:C DFCG:G:?8 72>:=:6D]k^Am

kAms@ E96J F?56CDE2?5 H92E E96 G:4E:>D H6?E E9C@F89 367@C6 5J:?8n %96C6 H2D AC@323=J 2 =@E >@C6k^Am

kAm4CF6= 2?5 F?FDF2= AF?:D9>6?E E92? H92E E96 <:==6C H@F=5 DF776C 5FC:?8 6I64FE:@?]k^Am

kAm%96 2EE@C?6JD 7@C E96 <:==6CD 2C6 86EE:?8 C:496C H:E9 2== @7 E96 56=2JD @7 E96:C 6I64FE:@?D] s62E9 C@H ?665D 4=62?:?8 @FE]k^Am

kAm%96C6 D9@F=5 36 2 3:8 32?8\FA A2CEJ H96? $6?] tC?:6 r92>36CD =62G6D E96 {68:D=2EFC6]k^Am

kAmk6>m':C8:?:2 |] (@@5CF>[ {:?4@=?k^6>mk^Am

kAmkDEC@?8mqCF?:?8 D9@HD 9JA@4C:DJk^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAmx E9:?< :E H@F=5 36 ?:46 E@ 962C y@? qCF?:?8 @? qCF?:?8 :?DE625 @7 9:D 9JA@4C:E:42= 2EE24<D @? $6?] r9F4< w286=] w6 D9@F=5 4@>6 C:89E @FE 2?5 E6== FD H92E E96 “E@F89 E24E:4D” 4@?46C?:?8 7F?5C2:D:?8 H6C6] ~C[ D9@F=5 H6 36=:6G6 :? E96> =:<6 H62A@?D @7 >2DD 56DECF4E:@?nk^Am

kAmxE =@@<D E@ >6 =:<6 qCF?:?8 3692G6D :? E96 >2??6C 7@C H9:49 96 4@?56>?D $6?] w286= 2?5[ H@CD6[ :? E96 >2??6C 7@C H9:49 H6 =2F?4965 2? 288C6DD:G6 H2C E92E AC@323=J 9FCE E96 C62= H2C @? E6CC@C:D>]k^Am

kAmqFE H92E x C62==J H2?E E@ <?@H :D :7 qCF?:?8 36=:6G6D :? H92E 96 D2JD 2?5 $6?] w286= 36=:6G6D :? H92E 96 D2JD[ 5@6D qCF?:?8 E9:?< w286= @F89E E@ DE2?5 FA 2?5 D2J :Enk^Am

kAmxE :D 52>? DEC2?86 E92E H92E E96 AC6D:56?E 2?5 E96 86?6C2=D 2C6 DE2CE:?8 E@ D2J $6?] w286= D66>D E@ 92G6 D2:5 E9C66 2?5 7@FC J62CD 28@]k^Am

kAmk6>mw6C36CE p3C2>D[ {:?4@=?k^6>mk^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m&?3@C? 323:6D :??@46?Ek^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAmx AC6EEJ >F49 28C66 H:E9 k2 9C67l Q9EEAi^^;@FC?2=DE2C]4@>^2CE:4=6D^a__f^_d^_b^@A:?:@?^=6EE6CD^5@4cebh6b34d`7b_beb_fhfbh]EIEQm r9C:DEJ 2?5 #:492C5 w2C86D96:>6C W=6EE6C[ |2J bXk^2m :? E96:C 36=:67D E92E E96 DE2E6 <:==:?8 @7 2 4@?G:4E65 >FC56C6C :D HC@?8] qFE x 5@?’E F?56CDE2?5 9@H A6@A=6 42? 4=@D6 E96:C 6J6D E@ E96 <:==:?8 @7 :??@46?E 49:=5C6? 3J 23@CE:@?]k^Am

kAm%96J 42== E96 DE2E6 AC24E:46 32C32C:4 WAFEE:?8 E96 <:==6C E@ 562E9X] %CF6[ 3FE H96C6 :D E96 ;FDE:46 7@C E96 F?3@C? 323:6Dn %96J 46CE2:?=J 92G6 5@?6 ?@E9:?8 E@ 56D6CG6 E96 562E9 D6?E6?46P %96J 2C6 :??@46?E @7 2?J HC@?85@:?8]k^Am

kAmk6>my@ w2>D2[ {:?4@=?k^6>mk^Am