Were Glendening ads negative campaigning or fair warning?

Gov. Parris N. Glendening's television ads attacking Ellen R. Sauerbrey were criticized as negative. The race was labeled one of the ugliest campaigns in the nation this year. But I do not think the media or the public should be so quick to call his ads negative.

If you lived for years next to a known criminal, and he then moved into your friend's neighborhood -- telling your friend what a nice and trustworthy person he was -- would you not warn your friend of the possible danger?

Would that be negative? Or would that be common sense?

As Ellen Sauerbrey continued to spin herself as a softer, less right-wing candidate, were Mr. Glendening's televised reminders of her legislative voting record negative or were they simply a warning from one friend to another that a very bad person was trying to move into the neighborhood?

Lonnie Fisher

Baltimore

Four more years of taxes, treadmill tests, school woes

It's hard to believe that Gov. Parris N. Glendening gets another four years.

This state ignores schools and builds palaces for athletes, has high taxes and forces car owners onto treadmills in the ultimate act of stupidity.

No wonder so many people are fleeing the state borders for a better life.

Glenn Ford

Dundalk

Newspapers are weakened by cutting extras, Lotto

The decline of newspapers is attributed to TV and the radio. However, I think the papers themselves are largely responsible.

They discontinued the extra, then the different editions. They had a morning and evening paper, and I bought both until they made them alike. Now you can't read the winning Lotto number the morning after the previous night's drawing.

Radio and TV require constant attention, and you cannot expect to be able to see what you want when you want. If you don't think you heard something right, you can't check it like the newspapers.

William Towsend

Lutherville

Trailblazer for authentic Civil War re-enactors

This letter is in response to the article by Rob Hiaasen, "The call to arm" (Oct. 24), on Civil War re-enacting.

Several definitions of the word "farb" were mentioned, but none gave its true meaning.

Farb was said to be commonly used by re-enactors to describe anachronisms in period dress. Among longtime Civil War re-enactors and those in the centennial celebration when the word was first coined, it has had a deeper, more sentimental meaning.

This new definition of the farb is credited to the late George Gorman of the 2nd North Carolina Infantry. The 2nd North Carolina had handmade wool uniforms with no two uniforms alike.

At the time, the rest of us considered this group really strange and at events some good-natured bantering and name-calling usually resulted. The 2nd North Carolina re-enactors were among the few who were authentic; the rest of us were inauthentic or "farbie," but didn't know any better.

In response to garb that wasn't authentic, Gorman simply started using the word "farbie." When asked what it meant, he would respond: "Far be it from me to criticize inauthentic uniforms!" Gorman, who died in 1981 at age 45, should get credit for being the first authentic Civil War re-enactor.

Robert E. Lyons

Baltimore

BMA proud of association with Strathmore Hall

We read with great interest the article "BSO looks down the road" (Oct. 20) about the proposed partnership between the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and Strathmore Hall.

We were also pleased the article mentioned the Walters Art Gallery's contribution to the cultural enrichment of those in Montgomery County by lending works for an exhibit there.

Last year, the Baltimore Museum of Art inaugurated the opening of Strathmore Hall's impressive exhibition hall with an exhibition of 52 paintings, sculpture and works on paper from our George A. Lucas collection of 19th-century French art.

Highlights from this internationally renowned collection also toured to the State House in Annapolis and museums in Easton and Hagerstown in recognition of Maryland's support of the collection's acquisition.

We are proud of our association with Strathmore Hall and are gratified to know that so many Marylanders enjoyed the Lucas exhibition.

Doreen Bolger

Baltimore

The writer is the director of The Baltimore Museum of Art.

Priestford Hill lake is private property

Thank you for the nice article about Churchville ("A step back in time to a land of laid-back enchantment," Nov. 1, Real Estate).

However, the neighborhood reflected in the lake in your photo is Priestford Hill, not Priestford Estates.

That lake is our community property, maintained and paid for by the residents of Priestford Hills. It is private property, off-limits to nonresidents, including those of Priestford Estates.

Patty Heaps

Churchville

Everyone should work for benefits

I found ironic the juxtaposition among four articles Oct. 28.

In his Opinion Commentary piece, "Homeless campuses not the answer for city," Robert V. Hess, president and chief executive officer for the Center for Poverty, presented a well-conceived plan for dealing with the homeless. It had two components: Provide super-cheap housing and sufficient job training to help unskilled people become employed and self-sufficient.

Mary Maushard described the efforts of Maryland schools Superintendent Nancy Grasmick to improve the quality of teachers ("Grasmick plan offers incentives").

Mike Bowler described Ms. Grasmick's efforts to deal with a teacher shortage, an important component for improving the abysmal education our children get in public schools in most of Maryland ("Ms. Grasmick's voice heard on teacher shortage").

Esther Reaves, executive director of MANNA House, described the growth in the poor population and concern for a woman who was repeatedly evaluated by mental health staff members and found to be capable of self-determination ("The numbers just keep growing," Opinion Commentary). The woman tells them all to leave her alone.

Mr. Hess and Ms. Grasmick assume that skills training or education will reduce homelessness and poverty. Ms. Reaves, however, points out the huge error in this assumption: If the homeless, poor, undereducated person chooses not to take advantage of the training and advancement opportunities offered, such opportunities might as well not exist.

If the homeless, poor and undereducated are assured of being JTC fed, housed and cared for, where is the incentive for people, if capable, to work to pull themselves out of poverty?

I am not arguing that society should make no efforts to provide for the homeless, poor and undereducated. We are called by Christ to make available food for the hungry, and by extension, education and skills training and shelter for the homeless. Those who are unable to work should have no obligation to contribute.

However, all those who can work -- no matter how menial the labor -- should have to contribute to society in exchange for what they receive, even food, shelter and medical care.

Those who can work should work and be motivated to improve their lives. The able-bodied homeless and poor can and should be required to pick up trash, wash dishes, scrub dirty alleys and sidewalks or participate in and complete a skills training program to earn chits to exchange for food and lodging at shelters.

Those who can work have a personal responsibility to provide for themselves to the maximum extent possible, and we do them no benefit to continue their dependence on free services, no matter how well intended.

Anita Heygster

Pasadena

Pub Date: 11/07/98