Guiding Light

Editor: It was nice to see some recognition in your Nov. 18 Gallimaufry for Nolan Rogers, the extraordinary tour guide at the new stadium.

Nolan has been gracious enough to allow me to tag along (and bring friends and family as well) on over half a dozen of the hundreds of tours he has given.

I've never been bored. His wit, enthusiasm and knowledge of the history of the Camden Yards area were as evident at the end of the last tour as they were at the beginning of the first.

I hope the Maryland Stadium Authority knows what a gem it has in this man.

Jamie Hunt.

Baltimore.

Safe Sex

Editor: Thanks to Cal Thomas for an accurate picture of our society and the sexual revolution it has spawned. The pervasive influence of the media is obvious.

As Mr. Thomas says, sex is portrayed as a recreational sport. The talk shows, soap operas, "family" sit-coms, all send out the same message: that promiscuous sex is perfectly natural, and ++ commitment to traditional values is futile.

Take a good look at the schools. Educators should be concerned about declining test scores, not condoms. In their talks about "safe sex," do teachers and nurses point out such facts as these?

Promiscuity invites disease in spite of condom use. Sexual activity begun too young can cause cancer of the cervix. Fornication is poor preparation for marriage. Women, far from being liberated, are exploited in casual sexual encounters.

We have abandoned our youth to the situation ethics of the day. Do we wonder why their emotional and mental health have suffered?

A wise person once said: "The moral instincts of humanity are fragile. If they are not constantly renewed by vigorous use, they wear away until they crumble completely."

If Magic Johnson et al want to talk about safe sex, let them make a strong case for chastity.

Julia Grimes.

Baltimore.

Never Forget

Editor: Regarding the 50th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, it is idiotic for Americans to act resentful toward Asians, since most of them fought on our side.

My wife is from the Philippines, a nation that fought heroically alongside Americans against their Japanese conquerors, and the Japanese-American unit in World War II was among the most heavily decorated.

On the other hand, we should never forget what happened. Those who suffered or lost buddies or loved ones can forgive, but never forget. Nor should the rest of us forget how close we came to losing the war in the first year because we were so unprepared.

How naive we were to think that we would never have to fight a foreign war again. The situation today, with disintegrating and unstable nations with nuclear weapons, and nations that hate and plot against America, is more dangerous than in 1941.

While we must get all the value we can for our defense dollars, we must also provide our military forces with the weapons and technology they need to respond to complex and unexpected threats to our nation and its precious freedoms.

Allan C. Stover.

Baltimore.

Credit Is Costly

Editor: In your Nov. 20 Business section, Roger Simon writes that the banks are making an illegitimate killing on credit cards.

First, making a killing is good for society. Anything that increases the net worth of the banking system will help stabilize the lives of all citizens. Second, what he says is probably not true. Incredible competition in the credit-card business has driven profit margins down to a normal risk-adjusted return.

The public should know that the costs of servicing these very small loans eat up most of the apparent spread between the bank's cost of money and the higher rate charged to consumers.

Joel N. Morse.

Baltimore.

The writer is associate professor of financial economics at the University of Baltimore.

Resident Actors

Editor: Larry Malkus' Nov. 19 letter repeats the shibboleth about people who have had to "move to New York because they could only get hired at Center Stage if they were considered New York actors."

This just isn't true.

At Center Stage our casts are made up, in substantial measure, of professional actors who hail from all over the country but who reside in New York and Los Angeles because -- no surprise here -- the casting agents are there, the auditions are there and the lucrative film, television and commercial work is centered there.

Some excellent actors choose to remain out of that vortex -- and we are just as eager to hire them. A "Milwaukee actress" will pay Nora in our upcoming production of lbsen's "A Doll House" not because of where she lives -- in fact an expensive plane ticket for us would argue against hiring her -- but because we think she's the best person in the country for the role. And a "Baltimore actor" played the lead in last season's "The Mystery of Irma Vep" for the same reason.

One of Mr. Malkus' larger points is interesting: if Baltimore had a few more professional theaters, there would be more work available for actors choosing to reside here, which would be a great thing for the community of artists.

We hold local auditions several times each year. We are proud to have participated in the career development of many younger actors, some of whom have gone on to union status because of their consistent employment with us. We will continue to cast the best actors we can find, with no prejudice for or against any place of origin. In that way we serve our audience and our art in the best way we can.

Rick Davis.

Baltimore.

The writer is Center Stage's associate artistic director.

Deadly Economy

Editor: With the recent round of budget reductions at the local, state and federal level, society has to begin to realize that it can no longer be responsible for the rehabilitation of all the wrongdoers in the world. The rehabilitation of these individuals is coming at the expense of our children, husbands, wives, brothers and sisters.

For every prisoner kept at the local jail, state prison or federal penitentiary, there is one less public servant to provide protection, service to our elderly and less able, child care, medical services and a whole host of other services too many to mention in one letter. This alone should be reason enough to consider capital punishment for the most heinous crimes such as first-degree murder, rape and the wholesale distribution of drugs.

The number of prisoners has increased tremendously over the past decade. The cost of maintaining these people has also increased. Can we, as responsible adults, tell our children, grandparents, wives or husbands that certain services are no longer available, or that we've lost our job because there is no money? But at the same time, the local, state, and federal government spends an average of $30,000 a year (roughly estimated) to maintain each prisoner in jail. How many of us would like to have a job at this level of salary?

Maybe it is time to let our elected officials know that instead of cutting back on services to the public, we should instead cut back on the number of prisoners in our jails. Maybe it is time for society to realize that capital punishment is an affordable alternative to budget cuts. If we continue demanding that ourgovernments provide services we need, we should be responsible enough to decide that we, as a community, cannot expect to rehabilitate those who have no desire to fit into our society.

Charles R. McGinnis.

Severn.

All Must Sacrifice

Editor: You stated in your editorial on Nov. 21, "but there must be a recognition that when the region is in a deep recession, everyone -- including teachers -- has to be willing to accept personal sacrifices."

I couldn't agree more. We must all be willing to be part of the solution. I mean everyone -- every wage earner, not only in Anne Arundel County, but in every county and city in the state -- must be willing to make sacrifices and becomd part of the solution, not just those who happen to be public employees.

It has been said that Anne Arundel County's problem could be solved if each county and Board of Education employee would only give up $20 a week in wages. On the other hand, if each wage earner in Anne Arundel County paid $1 a week in additional state and local income tax, the solution could be achieved with far less pain and with everyone being part of the solution.

It is unreasonable to ask public employees to assume the entire burden of the budget problem. As you said, we are all in this together.

Thomas J. Paolino.

Annapolis.

The writer is president of the Teachers Association of Anne Arundel County.

Abortion Debate

Editor: Someone should inform the leaders and members of Operation Rescue that the Crusades are over. In America we should not tolerate groups who want to bring the word of God (as they see it) to us all through acts of violence.

That every abortion is an act of murder is a view held by some religions in this country, not by all. We are a pluralistic society in which no single view of abortion is accepted by all physicians or religious leaders. No woman is forced to have an abortion. The decision must be made by each, taking into account the medical, ethical and religious considerations which apply uniquely to her. This process is called choice.

Sandra Winters.

Baltimore.

Editor: Every Wednesday for several months I have seen anti-abortion and pro-choice activists gathered on Charles Street near the entrance to the Greater Baltimore Medical Center. I have problems with the messages of both groups.

The anti-abortion group proclaims that GBMC is an abortion mill, that only abortionists need apply for jobs there, that the hospital "kills babies." Both my sons were born there.

A couple that my husband and I know have a little boy conceived through GBMC's in-vitro fertilization program. One of my obstetricians will not perform abortions. One of the finest pediatricians I know is on staff at GBMC. That hospital is a fine one and does not "kill babies." It gives life to children.

The anti-abortionists do not gain my sympathy by promulgating lies and deceit. They should restrict their message to explaining why they feel abortion is wrong, a position they have every right to take. The pro-choice groups do not gain my sympathy by calmly telling me to keep abortion legal -- a postion they have every right to take -- when people just down the street are crying murder. Do the pro-choice advocates have no feelings?

The pro-choice group would do well to refute the blatant lies that are being noised by its opponents.

arolyn Makovi.

Baltimore.