What Knowledge?
In The Sun of May 15, a letter from Michael Kernan, who identified himself as a former Washington Post reporter, asks why the press is "frothing at the mouth" to pick on President Clinton when it "protected" George Bush, Lyndon Johnson and John Kennedy by not printing articles about what "they knew" about those three and their interest in women.
1. If Mr. Kernan knew of such facts, why didn't he write about them?
2. Does he believe presidents should be protected?
3. Is he claiming that moral behavior in the White House in not subject to the standards of everyone else?
4. Was there ever legal action brought against the three by a lady? Should legal action by gagged?
It seems to me that the press should be complimented for bringing to light the latest woman's charge against Mr. Clinton because it is in court, and if the press deserves criticism it should be for hiding the truth about moral indiscretions by former presidents, if, that is, there was a legal case filed against them.
During the 20 years I wrote for the Baltimore News American, I cannot recall a court action being brought against Mr. Bush, Mr. Johnson or Mr. Kennedy by a woman who went to court to claim sexual impropriety.
Jerry Adler
Baltimore
'Gentle' Death
One of the media watchers at John Thanos' execution described his death as "gentle." Another noted it was "non-violent."
If Thanos had taken his victims, strapped them to a table and injected a life-ending substance into their system, I doubt those same words would have been used to describe the murder.
And now that Thanos is dead, will Maryland become over time a more humane place to live? Will its citizens behave less violently toward each other?
Will it be shown, particularly by execution advocates, how money not spent incarcerating Thanos over a life time will be used instead for a better good, such as educating children?
Hugh T. Skelton
Baltimore
No More Lies
Michael Kinsley (Opinion * Commentary, May 12) has done it again. His evaluations of the current dilemma in which our president finds himself, concerning possible extracurricular activities outside of marriage, leave much to be desired.
He notes that a couple of additional lies in Washington is a small price to pay for a saved liberal presidency. How can that be? My recollection of the campaign rhetoric and all since has been that this President is a "New Democrat."
When this latest charge initially came up, the White House response was that the president was never in that hotel. After it became obvious that schedules and witnesses could show that he was, the story changed.
Try as many journalists such as Mr. Kinsley may, they fail to understand that character and ethics do matter.
James Kouzes and Barry Posner, who wrote "Credibility," report that studies of the characteristics expected of leaders consistently rank integrity as number one.
If we cannot depend on the word of a leader, what difference does it make what he promises?
Mr. Kinsley may be content with a few more lies, but as for me, absolutely not.
D. J. Myers
Sparks
Campaign Reform
When I read last week in The Sun that the speaker of the House of Delegates of Maryland had been treated to a real fund-raiser by the governor in the governor's home city of Baltimore, I first wondered why Baltimore was so interested in promoting a delegate from Allegany County.
After all, the speaker could be non-speaker next term when a new House of Delegates is elected. Furthermore, a delegate from Allegany County without apparent opposition does not need any more than gas money to keep in touch with voters and ask for their votes.
Continued reading of the article revealed that the speaker planned to use the funds to fund other delegates friendly to his candidacy in the forthcoming session of the General Assembly.
It is apparent that such an expenditure of campaign contributions without the consent of the contributors is simply collecting money under pretenses.
Therefore, I am suggesting that the state and federal tax laws be changed to tax as income all campaign contributions to a candidate that are not used in the candidate's campaign.
Furthermore, since the contributions to other candidates are apparently payments for support, they should be confiscated by the state as illegal contributions.
All illegal contributions should be confiscated by the state. If doubts arise, both the donor and recipient could be indicted and tried for violation of election laws.
Hopefully, some of our good government candidates for the General Assembly and Congress will introduce legislation to put these suggestions into law.
Emile Rutner
Takoma Park
History Lesson
In reference to the May 15 lead article in The Sun concerning skyrocketing gun sales, what did you expect?
A quick look at history shows people drinking during Prohibition, using narcotics while the country spends millions of dollars to prosecute them.
I see the gun ban, as passed by Congress, affecting people in two major ways not described in your story.
It will cause gun companies to lay off people. It will develop an instantaneous black market.
Gerard Mueller
Essex
Coldspring and Cylburn
As a resident of Coldspring, I am perplexed by the ability of Cylburn Association and its predominantly non-area residents to obtain so much print space in The Sun.
Joy Wheeler's May 12 letter and a previous article by columnist Jacques Kelly (April 14) lament the impact building new homes near the buffer zone of the park will have on wildlife. Mr. Kelly made reference to the "pristine" park at Cylburn and the "failed" community of Coldspring.
Cylburn is not pristine, nor is Coldspring a failure. The Cylburn Association suggests that Coldspring residents are less than ecology conscious. Also incorrect.
In my 11 years as a Coldspring resident, living within a 1,000 feet of the Cylburn buffer zone, I see daily a quite different picture than that portrayed by Ms. Wheeler and Mr. Kelly.
The buffer zone I see is filled with plastic bags, fast-food containers, rusted iron fence, cigarette butts, condoms and other debris not conducive to the well-being of wildlife or humans.
As a result of witnessing an embarrassing activity in an automobile parked near the Cylburn mansion, I no longer take my six- and eight-year-old grandchildren to the park.
I invite the citizens of Baltimore to visit both Cylburn and Coldspring and compare which of the ground is "pristine."
Cylburn is in deplorable condition. I would suggest the Cylburn members improve their own house before casting aspersion on ours. Coldspring is truly an oasis in the city.
Christian L. Cain Jr.
Baltimore
Hasn't a Clue
In response to George H. Winslow (letter, May 15) who protests word usage in Sun crossword puzzles, may I offer the following:
Those who set and edit the puzzles are limited, but not to definitions.
The correct term is, I believe, "clue" to the word sought for filling in the blank spaces. They are not, strictly speaking, "definitions."
Perusal of the New York Times puzzle will demonstrate this very clearly.
I, personally, wonder if anyone has threatened to visit Will Shortz (the new editor of Times crosswords) and break all his pencils for stretching this use of the clue to its outer limits.
Barbara Brassard
Baltimore
Save the Churches
In view of the decision by the Archdiocese of Baltimore to consider closing a number of churches, many in the inner city, I suggest that this is a wonderful opportunity to turn these historic buildings into alternate uses to benefit their communities.
Why not encourage suburban parishes, singly or in a consortium, to "adopt" each of these churches, renovate them with their own time, money and expertise, and turn then into facilities that respond to community needs?
Many possibilities come to mind including homeless shelters, soup kitchens, year-round day care centers with pre-and post-school programs, recreational centers for pre-teens, teens and young adults, substance abuse rehabilitation centers, job training centers, etc.
It is time for the church and other religious groups to become involved in a much more comprehensive way in responding to the enormous social problems that are confronting our society.
The government cannot and should not be the primary provider of services for the disadvantaged and disenfranchised in our midst.
We need to look for creative and highly personal ways to respond to the individual needs of people who are hurting. This was the approach that Jesus used, and it must be our approach as well.
Louise Meister
Columbia
Legal Bills
Notwithstanding all the scratching of heads and pulling of beards over the weighty issue of possible presidential immunity to lawsuits, the fact remains that the White House has asked the Justice Department to find a way for the taxpayer to foot Bill Clinton's personal legal expenses.
Aurelia L. Loveman
Catonsville