Joycelyn Elders as a hero
I write to protest the hypocrisy of the Joycelyn Elders termination.
As a Democrat, I am ashamed that our party is using Ms. Elders as a scapegoat. It is the party's own wavering on campaign promises that has weakened the stronghold we gave them two years ago, not the surgeon general's honest and courageous remarks.
In the footsteps of another great surgeon general, C. Everett Koop, Ms. Elders had the grace and conviction to confront popular opinions because they were wrong.
As surgeon general, she was a fresh voice in the political machine we all like to criticize for its submission to polls. She had the big picture and held up a mirror every chance she got to try to deter us from the destructive course we are on. She had vision and hope for the future.
Ms. Elders is a hero, the only person in Washington with the guts to sacrifice ego for the good of the society she was appointed to protect.
I'm sorry to see her go. She was an advocate for the sick and needy in our country. Her contributions may fade behind this scandal, but I'd still like to say "thank you." Sorry you ran into the brick wall we call politics.
Rick Poloway
Baltimore
Dahmer's estate
Regarding your article "Battle over Dahmer estate is still alive" (Nov. 29), the fight among relatives of the victims over Jeffrey Dahmer's estate is as disturbing as the brutal murders he committed.
I don't understand how these families can be so concerned with how much money they can get their hands on. No amount of money is going to compensate them for the loss of their loved ones. It is not going to bring the victims back or ease the pain of their families.
I understand the families want to avenge the murders committed by Jeffrey Dahmer. But by auctioning off over 312 items of his estate, the families are capitalizing on the situation.
If my brother had been one of Jeffrey Dahmer's victims, I wouldn't want to receive money from the purchase of a 55-gallon vat he used to decompose the bodies, or a refrigerator where he stored hearts. It would trivialize my brother's death.
The battle over Dahmer's estate is repulsive.
Shalita Robinson
Ellicott City
Family values
I can't stand another moment of this "family values" hypocrisy. How can tearing babies away from young mothers and institutionalizing them be valuing family? How can real life be compared to a Mickey Rooney movie?
How can cutting federal funds for children and poor people, for schools and artists, and giving tax cuts for capital gains and wealthy social security recipients be reform?
Let's be honest. Newt Gingrich's district receives more federal welfare money (for rich and middle class, for mortgage owners, for aircraft/defense industry, for corporations, etc.) than any other district in the U.S.
Our system has been manipulated for too long by people who want to help themselves to what should belong to all of the us -- the fruits of our labor and natural bounty.
Our desperate and shortsighted body politic has been manipulated by a rhetoric of hatred, divisiveness, and easy answers.
It may not be easy to live together, to compromise, accept and enjoy our differences -- have you ever had a long-term friend? -- but can dissolving into a state of chaos be easier?
If we don't start living for the future by educating, feeding and employing instead of institutionalizing and jailing our rich bounty of human resources, the few will never be able to build walls large enough to keep the rest of us out.
I'm tired of lies and easy answers. It's insulting. Can we speak honestly about our fears and hatreds, our hopes, dreams and disappointments, our collective responsibility to ourselves and to our children?
Honesty, respect, dignity and compassion are the human family values for our future.
usan A. Taylor
Baltimore
Maybe instead of building all those orphanages, Mr. Gingrich could arrange to have the children cared for in their home settings and hire the parents as care-givers -- thus ensuring better care, better nutrition and better school attendance, and giving a boost to the economy at the same time.
Mary O. Styrt
Baltimore
Back pain
As a registered nurse and back pain patient, I must respond to your recent front-page example of irresponsible and inflammatory journalism ("New guidelines for back pain," Dec. 8).
The article is correct in stating that most initial episodes of acute back pain resolve themselves in a few weeks. However, acute back pain can involve much more than simple strained muscles. Without having tests done, the problem is not always correctly diagnosed.
X-rays of the back frequently will not disclose a disc protrusion or herniation. Only a CAT scan or MRI will do so. Chiropractic care (manipulation of the spine) certainly has its place, but the wrong diagnosis could do irreparable harm and even cause paralysis.
I have had a chronic back pain problems for over four years. I found no relief for my problem until I went to the Rehabilitation and Pain Management Clinic of Dr. Norman Rosen and Associates in Towson. There I was given physical therapy which included traction, ultrasound, massage and stretching, and Lidocaine injections in addition to medication and at-home exercises.
I now feel better than I have in years, with many pain-free days. I know I could not have improved this much without the treatment I received. My key to staying better now is exercise, but that alone did not help me. My only regret is that I did not go to this clinic initially; perhaps my acute problem would not have become chronic.
Susan C. Snedker
Baltimore
Year round spirit
There are a great number of people who volunteer at Our Daily Bread at Christmas time, and for that one week, the hungry of Baltimore eat well.
But what do they eat the week before, or the week after? Soup kitchens, such as Our Daily Bread, need volunteers year round.
A contribution does not have to be every Saturday a month. I have volunteered twice there, and I am trying to work in one Saturday a month.
Volunteering is as easy as calling 659-4000 and setting a time to come in. Let's all work together to try to make the Christmas spirit last all year round for the hungry of Baltimore.
Patrick MacCubbin
Cockeysville