Common good

Everyone believes they have the solution to the crime epidemic. They demand capital punishment, new prisons, sweeping the streets of youth gatherings, etc. The tirade never ceases.

There is no easy or simple solution to a problem that has plagued us. But we must find a better way than irrational solutions to a terrible crisis.

Grappling with symptoms while ignoring root causes is as meaningless as tilting at windmills.

What do those who are not involved in harming our fellow man or in exploiting others' desire?

We want to live in a democratic and civilized society. We want access to a decent education. We want to be fairly compensated for the work we produce.

We want the opportunity of purchasing a house in a neighborhood of our own choosing. We want a health care system that will not die when we change our jobs or become ill or elderly.

If it is fair to conclude that every citizen of our nation desires no less, we can begin to heal our wounds and solve our problems.

If ever there was a time for clear thinking and honest speaking it is now.

An honest effort must be made to heal the divisions and animosities between our citizens.

We must create an America in which there is hope for every citizen.

We must unite in common commitment to a common cause or we will surely fail.

eon Peace Ried

Baltimore

Light for all

The April 9 article about the Maryland National Bank Building concerns me.

Under Douglas Leigh's plans the building will be "illuminated spectacularly." I certainly hope that his plans call for the building to be topside illuminated and not from the ground.

Unless well shielded, ground illumination will waste much light which only brightens the sky. To see how much light in the Baltimore area is wasted, all you have to do is watch Channel 11, WBAL-TV, for a nighttime view from their Skycam.

The abundant lighting pollution for unshielded lighting is obvious. This unshielded street lighting produces much glare, which impairs a driver's ability (especially elderly drivers) to see the road and detracts from the general decor.

The glare is particularly annoying when the pavement is wet. Under these circumstances a driver can see the lane markings and nearby cars better without the street lighting at all.

What needs to be done is to install full-cutoff fixtures that dramatically reduce glare while still providing adequate illumination. The fixtures along Light Street and the Sideling Hill road cut (on Interstate 68 near Hancock) are of the full-cutoff variety and are good examples that the rest of Baltimore and the state should follow.

There are more beautiful things in the Baltimore skyline than glorified bank buildings.

Forrest Hamilton

Randallstown

Carrier power

Congress will soon be voting on whether to provide full funding for the CVN-76 nuclear aircraft carrier. This is a key issue that will affect America's role as a world leader.

The Pentagon has strongly recommended authorization of funding for this carrier as a vital component to this nation's streamlined defense.

But this carrier is not important just to our national security. It also has enormous implications right here in Baltimore.

Construction for the CVN-76 involves $32 million in contracts for Baltimore companies. An additional $14 million in contracts for this ship are spread throughout the rest of the state.

As our Air Force bases throughout the world are closed or reduced in size, it is even more important that we maintain our defensive capabilities through the use of proven and effective aircraft carriers that can serve the nation's needs anywhere in the world.

I hope that Senators Barbara Mikulski and Paul Sarbanes, both D-Md., will keep this in mind, along with the fact that thousands of high-quality, high-wage jobs here in Maryland are linked to this important project.

I urge them to vote for full funding of the CVN-76.

Louis L. Cassard

Baltimore

The writer is sales manager of marine equipment for Tate Anadale, Inc., a Baltimore manufacturer of industrial and marine pipeline equipment.

Clothe the man

I am reasonably certain that Ocean City could survive the storm of criticism due to the placement of a nude statue of a deceased surfer in the "family" resort.

However, I am not certain that William P. Pacer (Other Voices, May 12) is not more concerned with advancing the cause of nudists than he is with freedom of artistic expression.

He and others may wax eloquently about the beauty of the human body, but the bare (no pun intended) fact is that there are untold numbers of reasons, which will remain untold, why the life of a nudist would be unthinkable, and most of them have to do with what is and what is not sanitary.

Whether or not Mr. Pacer believes the reason for Adam and Eve's covering themselves with fig leaves, according to the Bible, common sense (of which there seems to be less and less today) tells us that human beings need to be clothed, at least outside of our own private domain.

Edith Boggs

Bel Air

They delivered

Baltimore area letter carriers delivered . . . and delivered, and delivered. In a volunteer effort to help Maryland agencies that assist the needy, they collected over 125,000 pounds of food in one day.

With corporate food contributions steadily declining, emergency care providers have had to look to the general public for support to help the disadvantaged. Letter carriers see first-hand the effect of poverty on families.

Oriole Branch No. 176, National Association of Letter Carriers, conducted its annual one-day food drive, which was wonderfully successful.

Speaking for the thousands of low- or no-income Marylanders, we would like to extend thanks to letter carriers and to the public -- a first-class job.

William G. Ewing

Baltimore

The writer is the executive director, Maryland Food Bank.

Seniors earned Social Security with own taxes

The cartoon on the editorial page in The Sun on Sunday, May 15, was the straw that broke this camel's back.

It has finally moved me to rebut the current rash of "elderly bashing." We "greedy senior citizens" are in fact not greedy -- we merely want what is legally, rightfully and justly our due.

I, for one, could have used the monies collected by the Social Security system to help support my three children.

As a single divorced mother, I was given no alternative but to contribute to this fund, and contribute I did, for over 40 years.

Now it is alleged that I am on the dole, being supported by a contingent of younger taxpayers. No account is taken of the funds paid in to the fund by those of us "now on the take."

No mention is made of the fact that Social Security has been subverted for other purposes. People who have never worked, have never contributed and never will are receiving monthly benefits under the program.

While I agree that help is needed for these individuals, the intent of Social Security was to provide security to the workers in their old age.

If Social Security funds had not been siphoned off for other programs, the program would not be in difficulty today.

The present dilemma could have been avoided if these funds, and their administration, had been kept separate from other government funds.

I, and many others in my age bracket, depend on receiving our monthly Social Security checks.

These checks are an entitlement -- yes. We are entitled to receive them because of our contributions. It is a contract being fulfilled.

Don't delude the public. We are not greedy. We only want promises kept.

#Margaret K. Stierstorfer

Timonium

Remembering Jacqueline

We've lost a piece of our hearts and a genuine national treasure of all that's good and great about America. Jacqueline xTC Kennedy Onassis personified the highest qualities we would all be well served to emulate. There truly was only one such as Jackie.

Jackie will be forever our finest First Lady, truly a lady. Words like heart-felt kindness, dignity, courage, strength of character, charm, beauty, warmth and grace in the face of indescribable tragedy are used deservedly. We'll never forget this private and unique woman.

eri L. Hagberg

Perry Hall