Is mayor streetwise enough to get handle on city's problems?

As strange as it seems, I am not surprised that Mayor Kurt L. Schmoke was shocked by the behavior of "street people" as he came upon a shooting scene in West Baltimore.

To admit that he has been on such a patrol only four times in 11 years is an indication of his previous priorities. I wonder how many times has he made an unannounced visit to city schools or public housing?

Judging from news reports, Mr. Schmoke seems to be a wiz at determining the needs of business and the downtown and harbor areas. Perhaps he can wave his wand at people concerns, too.

McNair Taylor

Baltimore

Reporters have no business making fun of their subjects

Since when does The Sun justify embarrassing the people it covers? On June 21, you ran a feature "Revelers without a cause" about the first Tibet Freedom concert in Washington. Amid coverage of the lightning strike, a number of concert goers were interviewed about the geographic location of Tibet and their knowledge of the issues.

I wasn't surprised that lots of people were clueless about these topics, but I was dismayed to see their cluelessness reported in a few random let's-make-fun-of-these-deadbeats paragraphs that were worked into the story.

Then the article "Oh, say can you do well in history?" (July 4), The Sun one-upped itself with a story that was filled with specific examples of citizens' ignorance of history. The killer was a caption that appeared next to a picture of a man changing a tire for a stranger. The caption identified the Samaritan and then quoted his inaccurate rendering of "The Star Spangled Banner."

Are readers supposed to be amused by cheap shots and heartless ridicule? How did Laura Sullivan and Heather Dewar get away with this kind of condescending approach to a story? What editor at The Sun is condoning it?

These two reporters need to learn about empathy before they're allowed to go out into the community again. No self-respecting journalist would have thought twice about canning such a story.

Kathleen A. Jones

Fallston

The writer is the newspaper adviser at Dulaney High School.

Gettysburg re-enactment shows bitter thirst for war

What is this preoccupation with war? And not any war, but a fratricidal one on our soil "Fierce Rebels fight as if to defy history" (July 5).

Is this re-enactment of slaughter at Gettysburg glorifying the Abe and Cain curse? Can men not live without killing, or pretending to kill their brothers?

You see this mass of "fierce men" and ask yourself why aren't they helping Florida quench the fires and embers, digging protective ditches, packing bags of sand to protect the embankments of their fellow men from flooding rivers or collecting help for those who lost everything. That would give more than enough outlet to their energies.

The armies invested a lot in their uniforms, weapons, travel and time. It is difficult to say who lusts more after wars, the "fierce Rebels" or the onlookers sipping soft drinks and watching this "splendid fight," the former with the desire to kill brothers they call enemies on the field or the latter lusting for more excitement.

Eve Kristine Belfoure

Woodlawn

Don't forget the benefactors of Maryland Science Center

I enjoyed reading Frank D. Roylance's article ("Telescope refocuses on heavens," June 30), celebrating the reopening of the observatory at the Maryland Science Center.

Mr. Roylance's narrative of the Clark telescope's history, however, failed to mention that the original restoration of the telescope and construction of the observatory for the science center's 1978 opening were made possible by the memorial contributions of friends and family of my son, R. M. Nelson Crosby Jr., and my father, A. P. "Hop" Ramsey.

Baltimore should give thanks to the Coleman family for its generous gift that has enabled this latest restoration, but we should not forget those in whose name the Crosby-Ramsey Memorial Observatory was originally dedicated.

Sarah Ramsey Crosby

Monkton

Parents need more facts to protect babies from SIDS

I have read The Sun's recent articles on the importance of safe bedding in reducing the incidence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome with great interest and, as a parent, with personal concern.

While I commend you for addressing such an important topic, I am saddened by how much you have left out of these articles regarding the many other critical factors that can dramatically reduce the incidence of the syndrome.

SIDS is considered by experts to be a disorder of breathing during sleep, but are many risk factors, such as maternal smoking and formula-feeding increase an infant's risk of SIDS before he is ever laid down to sleep.

Dr. William Sears has written a fascinating book on this subject, "SIDS: A Parent's Guide to Understanding and Preventing Sudden Infant Death Syndrome." In this book, he outlines a seven-step program that has been proven by experts and parents alike to reduce the likelihood of an infant being a victim of SIDS.

Dr. Sears writes that in addition to a safe sleeping environment, other important factors are a healthy womb environment, a smoke-free environment, back or sidesleeping, breast feeding, proper bedroom temperatures and having parents "attached" to children.

Parents need to know all the facts, no matter how uncomfortable, so that they can make wise choices to save their children's lives.

Elizabeth Rupp

Baltimore

Lott and Armey have a right to label homosexuality a sin

I applaud three men who have the courage to speak the truth to a world that doesn't want to hear it: Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, House Majority Leader Dick Armey, and editorial page editor of the Lima (Ohio) News, Steven Greenhut.

I applaud Mr. Lott and Mr. Armey for calling homosexuality what it is -- sin. And I applaud Steven Greenhut for defending the rights of citizens to disagree with the liberal minority without being castigated for it ("Gay zealots seek to control our thoughts," June 28).

Whenever someone uses a religious or moral reference to label homosexuality (or abortion) as sin, liberals are quick to accuse them of not understanding the First Amendment. They cry loudly about separation of church and state. In calling homosexuality a sin, Mr. Lott and Mr. Armey are exercising freedom of their religion and must not be prohibited from doing so. They are protected.

Religion is not a private thing to be practiced in the vacuum of a Sunday morning service and packed away the rest of the week. If a person's faith means anything, it will affect his or her thoughts, words and actions, public and private.

A Christian cannot look upon evil and remain silent.

Mary Frances Cherry

Baltimore

Story was on Guatemalan, not Honduran, adoptions

Your journal story July 2 is titled "Deceit takes babies away in Honduras" but is entirely about Guatemala.

Current adoption laws in Honduras require a birth mother to initiate an adoption through the government's social welfare department. Lawyers roaming the country connecting with birth mothers is now illegal in that country. Very few children are coming out of Honduras, and the government will only work with a few selected agencies in the United States.

Ann Geiger

George Geiger

Pasadena

We have freedom to pledge or not to pledge allegiance

Grafton Gray's letter ("Saying Pledge of Allegiance a show of deserved respect," July 2) rings with the familiarity of the Vietnam-era bumper sticker "America: Love it or Leave it."

He seems to equate dissent with treason. In a nation that loudly proclaims its devotion to freedom of speech, is it treason to exercise that right?

Does Mr. Gray believe that members of religious groups whose beliefs prohibit allegiance to nations are traitors for adhering to their religious beliefs?

I proudly stand and recite the pledge as an affirmation of my belief in the ideals of this nation, but I do not condemn those who feel that such a recitation is to condone policies and actions that contradict the ideals contained in the pledge and in our Constitution.

Martin J. Mimnaugh

Gambrills

Pub Date: 7/10/98