Hopkins Dispute
I read with great interest David Conn's lead article on Feb. 6 concerning the Johns Hopkins Health System. Adjacent to the article you printed excerpts of a Feb. 4 letter to Barbara Hill signed by me as chairman of the John Hopkins Health System as well as Dr. James A. Block, president.
The reporter chose not to contact me for comment regarding a constructive and beneficial resolution for all parties. Further, H. Furlong Baldwin [previous chairman of the Hopkins health system] and Dr. Block acted on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Health System with full board approval.
It is unfortunate that these individuals were singled out for an institutional action.
George L. Bunting, Jr.
Baltimore
Clinton's Budget
While it is true that President Clinton avoided making the unpopular budget cuts necessary to truly deal with the deficit, he has done more to reduce the size of the federal bureaucracy than either of his two predecessors. This fact has been lost in the continual droning of right-wing talking heads who characterize virtually every Democrat as another "tax and spend" liberal.
Your Feb. 7 editorial never mentions that the Clinton budget abolishes 100 programs, downsizes five departments and targets the reduction of over 30,000 additional federal jobs beyond the tens of thousands already cut during the Clinton administration.
The Sun rightfully points out that the real crux of deficit reduction lies in curbing entitlement spending. Your criticism of the Clinton budget in this regard is well founded.
The Sun ascribes the underlying reasons for his budget's failure to address this matter to partisan politics as usual. This is also true.
What your editorial fails to mention is the treatment Mr. Clinton received from the Republicans following his last State of the Union address.
After initially welcoming him on board regarding matters such as the line item veto, government downsizing and tax cuts, Republican leaders quickly accused him of "me-tooism" in the face of their major victory in November . . .
Since the media and the talk radio circuit have proclaimed House Speaker Newt Gingrich as our nation's leader, it is only fair that he gets his chance to be a leader on some of the tougher issues.
He has a lot more political capital to spend at this point than Clinton. Let's see if he has the courage and wisdom to use it on some of the gut check issues.
It's easy to beat on welfare recipients and government bureaucrats. The affluent elderly and farmers are two groups nobody wishes to tangle with . . .
Clearly, President Clinton is wary that significant cuts in popular programs could further erode his support. Not a gutsy position to take, but let's see if Gingrich, Dole and Co. will do any better.
Republicans know that many of the people who gave them support in November will turn on them with a vengeance once sacred cows begin to bleed.
Courage seems to be something both parties sorely lack. Our schizophrenic attitudes toward government, taxes and "middle class entitlements" only exacerbate the spinelessness.
Michael Caughlin
Baltimore
Bombing Trial
Your editorial "Terrorism in America" (Feb. 11) ignores important points of law and basic human rights.
A guilty plea by one of the defendants does not justify your conclusion that "terrorism has been planned and financed in this country." Analysis of the pressures which led to the guilty plea is essential.
As you admit, Siddiq Ali was planning to plea bargain as far back as July 1994. Under law, the defense should have been informed of the coming guilty plea and should have been given time to prepare cross-examination (which, even with the sudden government move, still has to come).
You claim support of "several Middle East governments" for your argument. If you are referring to Egypt and Saudi Arabia, these carry out systematic terrorism against their own citizens, as has been documented by Amnesty International and others.
If you are referring to Israel, Ostrovsky has written at length about Israeli terrorism in his book, "The Other Side of Deception." The U.S. should not be listening to terrorist regimes in its dealings with Muslims.
Omar Abdel Rahman preached against tyranny, oppression and the usurpation of Palestine. Attempts to silence him by trying to brand him as a terrorist are bound to backfire.
The spirit of resistance is increasing among the Muslims of the world owing to the preachings of this indomitable scholar, teacher and servant of God.
Kaukab Siddique
Baltimore
The writer is Baltimore representative of the Committee to Free Sheikh Omar.
Couldn't The Sun Take Schaefer's Greatness?
For eight years, the editorial staff of The Baltimore Sun took great pleasure in criticizing, ridiculing and personally attacking William Donald Schaefer.
Perhaps now is the time to explain why.
Could it be that it was only fashionable? After all, what writer ever got famous trying to expose the good in people?
Maybe Mr. Schaefer showed too much passion and emotion. After all, you guys could have written that he was genuine and really cared about people, but that's not controversial.
Instead, you called him a spoiled baby who threw a tantrum when he did not get his way.
You pounced on him because he rewarded those loyal to him, yet you bristled and berated him for casting out those who went against him.
I guess complaining about everything is The Sun's definition of unbiased journalism. Perhaps members of your staff were snubbed when they attempted to get jobs with the Schaefer press corps. That would certainly be a declaration of war. It happened in my town.
Maybe 40 years of accomplishments in public service is more than a newspaper can stand. Too many good things can happen in 40 years. Could eight years of cynicism level out the playing field?
I think The Baltimore Sun just thinks that all is fair in love and war.
The papers have the power to make or break people, and if they build you up, they certainly think they have the constitutional right to tear you down.
Newspapers like to say that they are ensuring democracy and an open government, knowing all the while that a majority of the people actually believe what they read. They defend themselves by saying "don't blame the messenger" when the message they deliver is their own.
Despite The Sun's diatribes, William Donald Schaefer did more for Baltimore and Maryland than the colonel did for Elvis. He did it big. Maybe too big, but he did it.
Govern, as defined by Webster's dictionary, means to exercise authority over, guide, rule, control, etc. William Donald Schaefer was elected to govern and that's what he did.
As they say, a man who makes no choices or decisions makes no mistakes.
William Donald Schaefer made some mistakes, but only because he didn't have the uncanny ability to predict the outcome of events after they happen, like the editorial staff of The Sun.
Todd B. Smith
Chestertown