Maryland should use psychiatric hospitals for learning, high-tech
It is with great interest that I read JoAnna Daemmrich's front-page story "Maryland's psychiatric hospitals stand almost empty" (March 14).
I find it impressive that modern psychiatry has rendered the intended use of these hospitals mostly superfluous.
Why not take these underused buildings and grounds and make them into our next great campuses for technology, business and education?
As suggested in the article, reserve one facility for psychiatric use. Make it the best one possible because we must surely take care of those of us so unfortunate as to require such treatment.
Close the one in the worst repair -- demolish the buildings and convert the facility into parkland for all Marylanders to enjoy.
Take half of the remaining facilities, renovate and repair them to become magnet schools for the gifted and the talented. Make them centers for the arts and for the sciences. Make them regional centers for academic excellence.
Take the other half and renovate them so that they can be used as technology business incubators. Outfit them with high-speed Internet access and excellent communications.
Offer these facilities to U.S. and international technology startups, which can then develop local businesses that would employ our high school and university graduates.
Peter J. Bernota, Severna Park
City's west side plan doesn't preserve history
The city's plan for redeveloping the west side of downtown is a flawed and dangerous one in its present state. The desire to condemn and acquire 125 properties to package the real estate for developers is frightening.
Most of those buildings will probably fall victim to the wrecking ball, effectively killing the history of our city and the livelihoods of many hard-working individuals.
The prospect of such widespread, uncontrolled demolition makes me physically ill and heightens my distrust of our elected officials. I am very concerned that if our so-called leaders have no understanding or appreciation of Baltimore's past, they cannot be effective visionaries for our future.
Our heritage is our legacy for future generations. That which represents our unique identity as a city should not be destroyed, but cherished and preserved.
Joseph Leatherman, Baltimore
Carl Stokes is no lightweight I'm somewhat baffled at The Sun's insistence that after Kweisi Mfume, the list of mayoral candidates contains only "lightweights." And my interest is not because I live in the city. I don't, but who becomes the next mayor of Baltimore City will definitely affect my life in Baltimore County.
The reason I am baffled is that after noncandidate Mr. Mfume is definitely a heavyweight contender for the mayor's office -- Carl Stokes.
I have known Mr. Stokes for several years and am quite impressed with him. He would bring to the mayor's office a fire that could really turn the city around. His skill in working with people would go a long way in solving the city's problems. He is a man of integrity, strong beliefs and, most important, he has the desire and ability to lead the city into its next renaissance.
My only regret is that I cannot cast a vote for him.
John Ray, Parkville
ACLU's defense of Klan shows group has lost way
In the Opinion Commentary article "Constitution applies to the Klan, too" (March 16) Maryland ACLU Director Ray Jenkins gives the usual American Civil Liberties Union defense that the First Amendment is sacred and unquestionable.
Mr. Jenkins gives the same old tired defense of free speech that has led the ACLU down the path of representing the Klan and Nazi groups when he knows that the members of the ACLU would be the first ones thrown in the ovens. That is intended to project the ACLU to stand out above us, but it doesn't work.
The late Supreme Court Justice Felix Frankfurter wrote, "The Constitution is not a suicide pact."
The ACLU has failed for years to understand that words can cause harm and violate the rights of others. The ACLU lost its way many years ago when it started this path in defending Nazis in Skokie, Ill.
Alex P. Gross, Owings Mills
State tax on tobacco should be easy decision
One has to wonder why some of our state lawmakers are afraid of a higher tobacco tax.
There is no downside to taxing tobacco, from a public policy perspective. Higher tobacco prices lead to fewer adult smokers, fewer teen smokers and less disease, deaths and cost.
Polls have shown that most people in Maryland support higher tobacco taxes hands down. Why, then, have our lawmakers been silent on tobacco addiction?
It appears that the tobacco industry has a few supporters in Annapolis. What else could explain why our lawmakers are having trouble with this seemingly easy choice. Fewer smokers means lower profits in the future.
Tobacco taxes make good sense. Why not support the Maryland Children's Initiative and raise the cigarette tax by $1 per pack? Otherwise, I'm sure families of tobacco victims in the future will wish our lawmakers had done the right thing.
Russel Kujan, Catonsville
Too many assumptions about HIV notification
As an infection control practitioner for many years, I have been actively involved in the HIV prevention planning in my area and state. I am amazed at the many assumptions that are taken as facts.
An example is the letter "Sensible programs to notify HIV partners already exist" (March 10). Daniel Zingale stated that such systems are required in every U.S. state and territory and are a prerequisite for federal AIDS prevention funding.
Mr. Zingale needs to review the funding agency's requirements including the Ryan White Care Act for further clarification. While the state must make a "good faith" effort to notify potentially exposed partners, funds have not necessarily been withheld or withdrawn if no such program is in effect or if the program is ineffective.
Even the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's guidelines addressing HIV reporting methods, while noting that name reporting is the better method, still allows for the use of unique identifiers when reporting HIV. Unique identifiers cloud the issue. How can you notify partners if you do not know exactly who the infected person is?
The uninfected have a right to remain uninfected. The infected have a duty to not infect others.
Linda Doyle, Oxnard Calif.
Still having withdrawal a year after column
It has been nearly a year, and my family and I still miss Glen McNatt's column, though the new format of the Art & Society section did add sorely needed color and spice. Still needed is the depth of excellence and thought-provoking writing that Mr. McNatt provided regularly. Also, the retirement of John Dorsey is even more startling; what a profound loss.
Thanks to John Carlton Hagerhordt (letter to the editor, March 11) for his excellent suggestion that The Sun name Mr. McNatt to succeed John Dorsey. He is the perfect replacement for our retiring dean of arts.
Harriet Griffin, Baltimore
People trying to get trim deserve praise, not jokes
I take issue
I take issue -- no, I take offense -- to Kevin Cowherd's column "They're big, they're fat, they're hairy, they're at the pool and, wait, it gets worse" (March 11) on a number of points.
If Mr. Cowherd's column was meant to be tongue-in-cheek, he ought to learn that offending a whole group of people in a public forum is not funny.
Mr. Cowherd's column says that it is a horror to find a fat guy in a Speedo in the pool with him. Is a gym a place to work out or a place to be seen? What about the shower? God forbid if he should spy one of us fat guys next to him in the shower.
Instead of condemning overweight people who go to gyms, whatever they wear, he should be congratulating them on trying to improve their health.
Ron Squeri, Gaithersburg
To our readers
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Pub Date: 3/20/99