Military academies in U.S. should not train foreign students
I learned more than I needed to know from Neal Thompson's article ("Foreign military students must pay," Sept. 25).
Consider: All three U.S. military academies have foreign students (from places such as Bahrain, Cameroon, Turkey and Croatia). This was sure news to me.
And: "Foreign nations are supposed to pay for their students to attend U.S. service academies, but the State and Defense departments almost always granted waivers, and U.S. taxpayers picked up the bill."
And: "Last year, 38 of the 39 foreign students at the Naval Academy received [tuition] waivers."
Why are we training foreign military officers? How many of those taxpayer-funded graduates end up fighting against us? Our own Sen. Barbara Mikulski is trying to restore funding so that students from Barbados and Slovenia can enjoy American education at taxpayer's expense. Someone should call Ms. Mikulski and see if she can work the same deal for their children.
Better yet, let's scrap the expensive military academies and take our officers from the top ranks of America's excellent colleges and universities. We'd all be better off.
Kirk S. Nevin
White Hall
Steinberg, others must pick best candidate, not party
In the Oct. 1 letters to the editor, Robert Levine takes a shot at former Lt. Governor Melvin A. "Mickey" Steinberg for his endorsement of Republican Ellen R. Sauerbrey. Mr. Levine says that as a loyal Democrat, he is chagrined by the former lieutenant governor's action and calls it sour grapes.
I have been a loyal Democrat since 1964, when I registered to vote at age 21. However, I have not voted the party line blindly believing that it was best for me and Maryland. If the Democratic candidate is not to my liking because of his or her policies, it is my prerogative and my duty to vote for the person I believe will best represent me.
It is the responsibility of the people to vote for the candidates who will best serve them and Maryland. We should not be sheep in the flock following the party line.
Mr. Steinberg is doing what he feels is necessary to improve our state government. I can understand his position and respect him for it. What I cannot respect are other Jewish Democrats who denounce him for defecting from the party line. Voting my conscience in November, I will cast my cote for Ms. Sauerbrey.
Barry R. Cohen
Owings Mill
World stands by silently during massacre in Kosovo
Your article "Slaughter of Albanian clan is grim evidence in Kosovo" (Sept. 30) saddened and shocked me. What is happening in Serbia is so inhuman. Where is the world outcry of protest? Pregnant women, babies, 10-year-old children and the elderly are being shot in the back of the head and mutilated. Some questions need to be asked.
What does shooting frail, elderly, helpless people in the back of the head and slitting the throat of a child have to do with the fight against independence? Is this carnage intended to send a message of terror?
It is more than terror. It is evil hatred and callous inhumanity of man toward his fellow man.
When we Americans can go on with our lives as we get excited with sports and indulge in other amusements or distractions such as "zippergate" without feeling the pain and injustice of these defenseless victims of terror, be it in Yugoslavia, Sudan or the Middle East, something is seriously wrong with our culture and our soul as a nation.
Barbara Ann Bloom
Owings Mills
William Donald Schaefer can laugh at his critics
The article ("13 million visited Baltimore in '97," Sept. 25) brought back a memory of a fight an old friend faced to help the Inner Harbor plan become reality. That person is William Donald Schaefer, who with his foresight and ability to make things happen, pushed forward one city program after another in the downtown area, including the Maryland Science Center and one of the world's greatest aquariums.
Perhaps some readers will recall hearing early on the slogan "Schaefer's folly." I wonder what those who criticized this one-of-a-kind-man think when they read that glowing story of Maryland's No. 1 tourist attraction. The old adage, "He who laughs last, laughs best" really is fitting for the current state comptroller candidate, Mr. Schaefer, who just keeps going forward.
Donald C. Royston
Lutherville
State police need 'smart' handguns, too
If Gov. Parris N. Glendening is serious about "smart" guns, and this proposal is not just a campaign ploy, he should immediately equip Maryland State Police, Department of Natural Resources Police and all other state agencies that carry handguns with "smart" guns ("Glendening to support 'smart' guns," Sept. 29).
Let's put the lives of our law enforcement personnel and their children first.
Frederick G.
Scott Waldorf
Someone needs to understand that only "thug control" is a sure-fire way to reduce gun misuse and disrespect for law.
Ronald L. Dowling
Baltimore
Audible traffic signals good for blind, others
Lynn Mattioli, president of the Greater Baltimore chapter of the National Federation of the Blind, made several incorrect statements regarding the use of audible pedestrian traffic signals in her letter to the editor ("Audible traffic signals are not pleasant noise to the ears of the blind," Aug. 25).
Ms. Mattioli said, "Audible traffic signals are intended to help blind people cross the street." This is a common assumption, but it is not entirely true.
A study published in December 1988 examines the use of audible pedestrian traffic signals, which were being used in more than 100 cities in the United States and in other countries.
The study shows that sound cues emitted from the signals benefit all pedestrians, not just the blind.
Ms. Mattioli also said, "Audible traffic signals cover up the sound of traffic or cannot be heard over busy traffic, so they would be useless." In fact, most audible pedestrian traffic signals automatically adjust the volume of their signal to correspond with the level of traffic noise.
The letter also stated that blind people should be actively involved in the process of deciding whether audible pedestrian traffic signals should be used. However, it was a blind couple who advocated for the installation of signals in the Lutherville area. In addition, state officials held a meeting in the fall of 1996 with the National Federation of the Blind and the American Council of the Blind to discuss the use of signals in Maryland.
Speaking as a blind person who has traveled in several cities where audible pedestrian signals are used, I like them.
Bob Gamble
Lutherville
President is weakened, but he's still needed
I voted for President Clinton twice. I would likely vote for him again, if he were able to run, even knowing full well that he is a haunted man.
The reason I voted for him in the first place still stands. That is, the Republican Party's Contract with America, which it has not retracted.
I was horrified to read of it in 1992 and again in 1996. As a liberal Republican like Charles McC. Mathias, I believe in fiscal restraint and social conscience.
The current GOP wants to cut programs dear to my heart. I cannot support a party that wants to clear national forests, eviscerate the funding and programs for family planning in the United States and the world.
It is a party that seems not to care that our streams, rivers and ancient underground reservoirs are polluted; it wants to eliminate many regulations protecting the health of our citizens; it can't come up with a plan to deal with the tobacco industry; and it can't deal effectively with health care for all.
Mr. Clinton appears to understand such feelings and has made an effort to head off the Congress in many of its more egregious attempts to enact these things.
I want him to stay the course. He still has the power of the veto.
He may not be nearly as effective now, but some sort of bargain can still be made.
James McCoy
Phoenix
Pub Date: 10/05/98