Reasons to cast votes even when choosing between bad or worse
Vote? Of course I will vote. I will hold my nose, vote for Tweedledum to keep Tweedledumber out, and take a shower afterward.
Unlike most democracies in the world, our country gives us no real choice in elections. Both the centrist Democratic Party and the conservative Republican Party are no friends of working-class Americans. Both parties are in the pockets of the corporations and have only their interests at heart.
The media tell us that the reason there is low voter turnout is that people don't care. The real reason is that the American people are not stupid, they do care and they are fed up because they have no choice.
Other countries have many parties represented in their parliaments and legislatures. There are Tories, Socialists, States Rights, Libertarians, even Communists representing all people.
For example, I am opposed to capital punishment. All four candidates favor it. Where can I have my voice heard? Democrat and Republican -- the only difference between them is that the one out of office looks a little better.
Gerald B. Shargel
Reisterstown
Obsolete state voting law blocked serious candidate
I was disappointed to read that independent candidate Lisa Mitchell was denied a place on the November ballot in her 44th district race for the House of Delegates ("Delegate hopeful may not be on ballot," Aug. 15).
Needing 894 valid petition signatures (three percent of the registered voters), she turned in 1,517, but only 754 could be verified by the Board of Elections.
The dead hand of long-departed legislators weighs heavily on Ms. Mitchell. She is being held to standards set by the General Assembly of 1967, which cynically raised the signature requirement to three percent after Spiro Agnew was elected governor in a three-way race. This unjust law has prevented most non-major party candidates from seeking public office since.
But the current General Assembly thinks that three percent is far too high, and in the last session, both houses voted overwhelmingly to reduce the requirement by two-thirds. Gov. Parris N. Glendening agrees, and signed this long-needed reform into law on May 21, 1998.
Unfortunately, the bill does not take effect until next January, or else Ms. Mitchell would need only 298 signatures, and would already be on the ballot. So even a serious candidate with substantial support may be barred from competition by the last gasp of an obsolete and discriminatory law.
Douglas E. McNeil
Baltimore
Running away from Clinton shows lack of courage
As a life-long Democrat, I am very disappointed with Gov. Parris N. Glendening's decision to cancel a fund-raising appearance with the president ("Governor backing off from Clinton," Sept. 5). I feel that's a big mistake.
We don't have to get hit on the head to know the president did something dumb in his private life. However, his policies have been good for the country in general and for Maryland in particular. The good things outweigh the sensational.
The hypocrisy coming out of Washington these days is so thick you need a chain saw to cut through it. We don't need sermons and lectures about morality; there is business to be done, and I wish those overwrought sanctimonious, self-serving sophomoric people would get on with it.
My contempt for the media knows no bounds. Cable news networks are steeped and stuck in scandal and gossip as though nothing else was happening in the world.
I want the Democratic agenda advanced on education, patients' rights, Social Security and a host of other things. Do we really want a Republican Congress full of grasping, greedy people who are already owned by the tobacco companies, insurance companies, big business and the religious right? I urge Democrats to get to the polls and to not let that happen.
I am voting for certain Democrats here in Anne Arundel County. When the governor gets his spine replaced, I might even vote for him.
Marlene Berg
Glen Burnie
Feature on Tavis Smiley showed real family values
Kudos to The Sun and Sandra Crockett. Your article on Tavis Smiley was very encouraging to me ("Empowerment zone," Sept. 9). At a time when materialism seemingly reins, it is nice to know that solid family values still produce decent and intelligent individuals.
Mr. Smiley's comment regarding "faith, family and friends" really brought the story home. In the hustle, bustle living we've come to be familiar with in the 1990s, the three F's can be easily muffled with the quest for big salaries, large homes and fancy cars. It is so easy to forget about sending mom and siblings money, let alone sending loved ones to college.
As an African-American graduate student, I was particularly inspired by the article. It demonstrated to me that hard work does pay off.
It also demonstrated that one can be successful without selling his soul and that most anyone can find joy in his vocation.
While the definition of a successful career is subjective, I tend to agree with Mr. Smiley: It is being engaged in a career or occupation that one loves so much that he or she is almost willing to do it for free.
Donald Glover
Baltimore
Put an asterisk for classy next to McGwire's record
Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig should take a page from the book of former Commissioner Ford Frick and put an asterisk next to Mark McGwire's home run record.
The footnote to this asterisk should read, "This record was accomplished with class and dignity beyond parallel by both Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. Furthermore, this attempt at the record has done more to return the game of baseball to the status of national pastime than any event in recent memory, with the exception of Cal Ripken's consecutive games streak."
What makes Mr. McGwire's accomplishment all the more incredible is the way that he and Mr. Sosa have taken the greatest individual record that Major League Baseball has without portraying themselves in any way as extraordinary individuals.
Their respect for the record and for Roger Maris and their ability to make all baseball fans feel a part of this historic event, is atypical of the selfish athlete that is so prevalent in sports today and is truly refreshing.
My hat is off to Mr. McGwire, Mr. Sosa and the fans in St. Louis, who have shown no interest in cashing in on this remarkable achievement, by giving the balls back to Mr. McGwire. The fans of St. Louis have taught baseball fans an important lesson. Back in the history that surrounds you. This will leave you feeling richer than any amount of money that you could earn from it.
David Hughes
Dundalk
GI Bill remains an answer for escape from poverty
Regarding Michael Conte's "Call for an urban GI Bill for the poor" (Sept. 7), we do have a GI Bill for the urban poor. It's called -- the GI Bill.
It operates on a simple equation. High school diploma plus services to the nation equals big bucks for college.
It has been successful because both the nation and the individual make big investments.
The enlisted ranks of our armed forces are full of high school graduates who entered the service with no money for college and leave it with plenty.
Mr. Conte's proposal, without this quid pro quo, is just another handout and is doomed to fail. Please don't drag the good name of the GI Bill with it.
Luke Leonard
Columbia
Don't blame the rockfish; pin crab drop on watermen
I read your article ("Watermen blame fish for drop in crabs," Aug. 23) on the decrease in the harvest of blue crabs.
The watermen claim the croakers and rockfish are at fault and maybe a few recreational crabbers.
Get real. The blue crab has been exploited for years, and all the watermen do is increase their numbers of traps.
If the blue crab goes the way of the oysters and other species, the watermen need only to look in the mirror for the culprit.
Harper Schlimme
Coatesville, Pa.
Pub Date: 9/14/98