Bad tax code change would reduce surging philanthropic activity
As was aptly portrayed in Eric Siegel's article "Foundations see holdings swell in booming market" (June 9), the assets of Maryland's foundations have greatly increased in past years. The result has been increased support for the nonprofit sector through new and additional resources for innovative projects, operating costs and emergency needs.
The bull market of the 1980s and 1990s has also been a boon to foundations because of growth in personal wealth among those with large amounts of highly appreciated, publicly traded stock. Those individuals, as a result, have a greater capacity to give and more interest in giving to public causes.
Unfortunately, a looming change in the tax code may dramatically slow their willingness to become the philanthropists of today and tomorrow.
By providing a strong tax incentive for lifetime gifts of such stock to private foundations, a section in the tax code encourages thousands of these individuals to dedicate a substantial portion of their wealth to public rather than private purposes by creating endowed, grant-making, philanthropic organizations. The expiration of this provision will discourage further gifts and result in fewer grants reaching charitable organizations.
While extension of this provision is helpful, the on-again, off-again pattern of expiring provisions makes long-range planning for charitable giving difficult. It is important that the incentive be permanently restored to the IRS code. Our congressmen, Benjamin Cardin and Elijah Cummings, have been leaders of the effort in the U.S. House of Representatives to address this issue, sponsoring legislation to make that provision permanent.
As government support for a broad range of public programs is sharply curtailed, it is more important than ever to encourage private philanthropy.
Betsy S. Nelson
Baltimore
The writer is executive director, Association of Baltimore Area Grantmakers.
Jasper killing shows need for action on race relations
Once again the nation is seemingly appalled to learn of a heinous crime committed solely because of the color of the victim's skin. And once again, this feigned indignation will be followed by the obligatory calls for greater understanding. And yet once again, before the body of James Byrd Jr. is cold in the ground, this nation will comfortably ease back to its sedated state of surface tranquility.
This nation has to face in a direct way the fact that race does still matter, in spite of how difficult it may be, the pain it may cause or the changes it may bring. Whatever the dynamics that have brought us to this point, we have a more difficult time confronting in a substantive, honest way the issues of race, respect and equality than we had 20 or 30 years ago. Today it appears that we spew hate or offer up tired platitudes.
There has to be a sense of urgency and commitment on all our parts, and especially on the parts of those of us in positions of leadership to end discrimination, isolation and victimization because of race. There is a need for dialogue and a need to act -- now.
The time has come, as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, for us all to be "divinely dissatisfied" with the state of race relations in this nation. Let each of us commit today in a manner of our own choosing to make a positive, substantive contribution in making equality and opportunity a reality for all people of this nation.
Alvin O. Gillard
Baltimore
The writer is director of the Baltimore Community Relations Commission.
Americans need better diets for trimmer, healthier lives
Americans have received two powerful wake-up calls about how diet affects health and well-being. After a three-year review of medical reports, the National Institutes of Health determined that 54 percent of adult Americans are overweight or obese ("More than half of U.S. adults are deemed overweight," May 29).
Two days earlier, the American Heart Association elevated obesity from a "contributing factor" in heart disease to a "major risk factor," along with smoking, high blood cholesterol and lack of exercise.
A 27-year study of Harvard University alumni found that the slimmest men had a 60 percent lower risk of dying of heart disease and a 40 percent lower risk of dying from all causes than did the heaviest men.
Obesity has become a major U.S. public health threat, contributing to the incidence of stroke, cancer, diabetes and high blood pressure.
The leading cause of obesity is high consumption of fat-laden meat and dairy products and inadequate exercise, particularly during our formative years. These early lifestyle flaws become deeply ingrained lifelong habits.
The only effective long-term solution is to act on the recommendations of leading health authorities by replacing meat, dairy and other fatty foods with wholesome grains, legumes, vegetables and fruits.
Parents must insist that their children's schools introduce wholesome meals and nutrition education curricula available from the American Cancer Society and other health advocacy organizations. The U.S. Department of Agriculture must stop using the National School Lunch program as a dumping ground for surplus meat and diary commodities.
Alex Hershaft
Bethesda
Did U.S. soldiers defect or desert war in Vietnam?
Your article "U.S. military gassed defectors in Vietnam, report says" (June 9) raises several questions. What is meant by the term defector? Isn't a more accurate term deserter? The term defector implies that the soldiers disavowed their allegiance in the war and were willing to fight for the enemy. The term deserter means that the soldiers left their units, usually on the front line, in order to not continue to fight and be killed.
All American wars have had deserters. In World War II, Paris was a haven for deserters. In Korea, Seoul was another haven. In both cases, deserters lived among the civilians until rounded up by the military police.
In January 1951, as the Chinese swept into Seoul, many American deserters did not want to become prisoners and mingled with Korean refugees as they crossed the Han River bridges. The American military police would wait for them at the bridges.
It is hard to believe American soldiers in Vietnam switched sides and were willing to shoot at their own friends. Perhaps the term defector has a legal military definition that differs with the dictionary. In any case, there are very few records of American soldiers in recent wars switching sides and fighting for our enemies.
D. Randall Beirne
Baltimore
Don't overlook neighbors during soup kitchen debate
No one doubts that the volunteers at Our Daily Bread do an excellent job feeding the city's poor, homeless and jobless. I'm sure the volunteers at the Mount Vernon United Methodist Church soup kitchen feel that they're doing a good job, too.
And the people who facilitate the many drug and alcohol rehab programs that operate out of the basements of churches on Calvert and Cathedral streets and the many rowhouses on other streets do a fine job of tending to the needs of people who are confronting life's challenges.
We know they do a fine job because they tell us so in their letters to the editor that hail from Timonium, Owings Mills, Wheaton, Towson, Catonsville and so on.
Let us all remember that good neighbors accommodate one another so that harmony may prevail. However, when one neighbor demonizes others as greedy millionaires and hard-hearted merchants, they fail to acknowledge the majority who live and work there and are personally affected.
What the residents of Mount Vernon-Belvedere deserve takes precedence over the altruistic endeavors of others.
Ted L. Pearson
Baltimore
Voters, keep open minds when assessing Sauerbrey
Far from having a so-called "heartless agenda" ("Soft or rigid? Voters have picture of Ellen Sauerbrey," June 8), Ellen Sauerbrey would simply strive to make the government of Maryland function on a more sound businesslike and less political basis across the board, which will help unleash sustainable economic growth and thereby help everyone to eventually achieve a better life.
Rather than unfairly vilifying this highly approachable and knowledgeable individual who is truly reaching out to every segment of society, I suggest that KAL and some of your highly partisan readers consider giving her a little more benefit of the doubt.
Maybe people should even consider keeping an open mind, given how important the November elections are to all of us and to Maryland's future.
Dick Fairbanks
Baltimore
The writer is first vice chairman of the Baltimore City Republican Party.
Pub Date: 6/18/98