Letters to the editor
Action needed now to clean drug corners, unclog
city's courts
Some in the complacent bureaucracy and judiciary, accustomed to
the well-meaning sloth of the city's prior regime, complain of Mayor
Martin O'Malley's impatience in hustling them forward on the linked
issues of crime and drug use.
One suggestion: Make them read and commit to memory Kurt
Streeter's article "Risking their lives to save their street (Feb. 27).
Let them learn the names Clayton Guyton, Elroy Christopher, Kelly
Brown, and Vincent Richardson; they are three heroes and one
heroine, at a time when such citizens are in short supply.
Their fearlessness, dedication, and sacrifice over long, desperate
years were critical in restoring to tenuous health just one of the
hundreds of poisoned blocks in our wounded city.
We are indebted to Mr. Streeter's recounting of their daily struggles;
his taut story was at once chilling and inspiring.
Thoughtful Baltimoreans lucky enough to live far different lives know,
as does as our young, energetic mayor, that the clock ticks. Not for
too much longer can there be a safe disconnect between the halves
of our divided town.
There are countless more corners like Rose and Ashland streets to
be reclaimed.
The mayor's hurry to do so is more than appropriate; it is critical to
our cherished city's survival.
Milton Bates
Baltimore
Why doesn't Judge Martha Rasin just "do it now" -- place a judge in
Central Booking starting next week ("Judiciary defended by Rasin,"
March 1)?
If she is as devoted to our city as she says, then let's see some action
on behalf of the citizens of Baltimore, now.
It's high time judges got over their dislike of evening, weekend and
holiday work.
Others who have devoted their lives to public service (health care
professionals, policemen, firemen) expect to work such hours. Why
not judges?
Susan W. Talbott
Baltimore
Bill mapping group homes is unfair to the disabled
I was appalled to read the bill introduced by Del. Tony Fulton that
would require the Maryland Office of Planning to prepare an annual
color-coded map of group homes in the state.
The goal is to ensure disabled individuals and others do not "unduly
interfere with the use and enjoyment of residential property" or
"unreasonably threaten the health and safety of residents."
Apparently, in Mr. Fulton's view, somewhere along the way, those
with disabilities lost the right to be residents.
Fortunately, the Supreme Court sees things differently, as evidenced
by its recent decision which affirmed the right of individuals with
disabilities to live in the community.
Legal experts who have reviewed the bill believe its intent violates
federal fair housing law. The bill should be rejected on that basis
alone.
Few among us can look within our families and not find someone
touched by disability. All these folks are asking is to be a part of the
community.
Linda Raines
Baltimore
The writer is executive director of the Mental Health
Association of Maryland Inc.
We must do more, faster to help disaster victims
Watching the frantic efforts of flood victims in Mozambique to save
themselves and their children brought tears.
The sight of people clinging to rooftops, trees and floating debris,
finally weakening and losing their grip and slipping silently underwater
was overwhelming.
I, for one, have been shocked beyond measure and wish so much
that I could reach down and save just one child.
The demand by neighboring countries for payment before dispatching
help is surely the abyss of cruelty.
What has happened to our world that we stand by and watch what
was once merely a river now stretch to the horizon and swallow up a
nation's people?
As natural disasters of increasing magnitude occur around the world,
the incalculable wealth of industrialized nations should create the will
and means to develop well-equipped international instant response
rescue teams.
Henry L. Blum
Baltimore
County should stop overcrowding Timonium
As the past president of the Pot Spring Community Association in
Timonium, Maryland and a member of the Greater Timonium
Community Council, I would like to ask Baltimore County Executive
C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger to take a hard look at what has
transpired in Timonium over the past two years and call a
moratorium on more business-retail development.
We are saturated with strip shopping centers, new gas stations, car
dealerships and fast food restaurants, to say nothing of the Target
store to open in July 2000 on land that was owned by Baltimore
County and sold to the developer of this huge store.
We now have Home Depot, Office Depot, Sam's, Applebee's, the
Macaroni Grill; the list goes on and on.
To rub salt in the wound, a new huge Cinema Theatre, with a 1,000
car parking lot on Padonia Road, is being requested. What's wrong
with the Hoyt Cinema at Hunt Valley?
I must be dreaming, and it's not a pleasant dream. In fact, it's more
like a nightmare to travel York Road every day.
Margaret F. DiNardo
Timonium
Religious conservatives stand up for our core values
I read with some amusement the column by Jack Germond and Jules
Witcover "Straight talk on the religious right" (OpinionCommentary,
March 1) As a Christian and a conservative, I would submit that
Sen. John McCain's opinion is no more "straight talk" than is that
column.
Mr. Germond and Mr. Witcover's use of thinly-veiled, left-wing
pejoratives such as "extreme right," "fundamentalists" and "moral
absolutist" evokes visions of Biblical Neanderthals.
It seems they are using Republican campaign rhetoric to promote
their own narrow-minded campaign against those fearless Americans
who are not afraid to stand their ground.
People who are willing to fight for what they know to be true: That
human life is sacred; that we are all made in the image and likeness of
God; that we have been granted free will and are responsible for our
actions; that the traditional family is worth fighting for; and that this
is
the greatest country on earth.
If those beliefs earn me the scorn of some, I will wear that scorn with
pride.
Joe Rooney
Tracy's Landing
In returning Gold Koran, Hopkins sets a good
example
Congratulations to Johns Hopkins University for doing the honorable
thing in releasing its portion of the Ninth Century Gold Koran to
Turkey, to be re-united with the remainder of that holy book of Islam
("Sacred writings returned," Feb. 29).
As the article explains, museums and libraries are re-examining the
provenance of their holdings, and many "are returning objects to
descendants of their original owners or to countries of their origin."
Since the manuscript was written in the Arab world well before the
Seljuk Turks conquered what is present-day Iraq in 1055, the
honorable thing would be for Turkey now to return the book to its
rightful Arab owners, from whom it was taken.
Turkey should follow Johns Hopkins' exemplary gesture of genuine
goodwill.
Dean C. Lomis
Newark, Del.
The writer is director emeritus of the University of Delaware's
International Center.
Originally published on Mar 9 2000