New regulation will help save bay's blue crabs

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources should be commended for protecting the blue crab by prohibiting the importing of egg-bearing females into Maryland ("The cost of conservation," May 21).

It has been illegal to harvest egg-bearing female crabs in Maryland, but until this regulation was enacted, egg-bearing females were harvested in Virginia and imported for processing. The negative impact on the crab population in the bay was the same as harvesting them in Maryland.

Crabs are a resource that belong to all Maryland citizens. Although existing regulations may cause economic hardship to a small number of citizens, they are required to restore the resource and protect it for the future.

We should encourage Virginia in every way possible to enact similar regulations to prohibit the taking of egg-bearing females as a part of its commitment to restore the blue crab population.

Kenneth B. Lewis

Baltimore

The writer chairs the Coastal Conservation Association of Maryland.

Threat of extinction is really big news

I was terribly saddened by the U.N. report about global species extinction ("25% of mammal species facing extinction, U.N. says," May 23).

I was also dismayed to see that an article of such vast importance was not on the front page. Instead, it was relegated to such a small space in the back of the section that it was easy to miss.

I really can't see how the Chandra Levy story, although also very upsetting, can possibly be as important as the fact that one-fourth of our world's species face extinction in the next 30 years - and I'd bet that's an underestimate.

This was very big news, and it was irresponsible of The Sun to underplay it as it did.

Laurel Matey

Baltimore

'Free trade agenda' ruins factories, jobs

It is obvious that John McKenzie lives in Vietnam and not Baltimore when he argues that "free trade is ultimately about the benefit of many vs. the interest of the few" ("Global trade view is out," May 26).

Otherwise, how could he ignore the legacy of decades of globalization in Baltimore - a city that is a hollowed-out shell of its former self, littered with vacant factories and shattered neighborhoods?

And states such as Maine and South Carolina that depend on manufacturing are increasingly sharing Baltimore's fate, as our record $450 billion trade deficit has contributed to the destruction of hundreds of thousands of manufacturing jobs.

Can Mr. McKenzie therefore really blame workers and businesses in these states for pressing their elected representatives to rethink the nation's "free trade agenda"?

Karl von Schriltz

Washington

Women still struggle in low-paying jobs

The politicians are now to decide if 70 percent of mothers on welfare must work 40 hours a week ("For the poor, child-raising not 'real' job," Opinion Commentary, May 23).

Working in an emergency assistance center, I see countless women who have indeed returned to work, but cannot make ends meet because of the low-paying jobs available to them, constant layoffs, cuts in their work hours or a lack of medical or other benefits.

Paying for adequate child care is almost out of the question. And where are these women to find full-time jobs with a salary that will let them provide for a family?

Sibylle Ehrlich

Towson

Time to help Israel rid world of terror

As I recall, President Bush said the United States would go after all terrorists and the countries that harbor them. Why doesn't this apply to the Palestinian terrorists killing Israelis?

Enough words of condemnation. It's time to take physical action against these terrorists and their leaders.

Let us help Israel rid the world of terrorism.

Shirley Novograd

Baltimore

Killing a prisoner is simply wrong

Why oppose the death penalty? It's quite simple: Taking a life is wrong.

All discussions about abortion, euthanasia and the death penalty revolve around the sanctity of life. The moral and ethical guideline is to use only as much violence as necessary to protect or defend oneself.

And, clearly, once a person is in custody there is no further need to use violence.

M. Angela Callahan

Baltimore

Attempted murder can't be condoned

Much has been said of the abuse that Dontee Stokes allegedly received at the hands of a Baltimore priest.

I doubt there's a person who doesn't think Mr. Stokes should receive restitution and whatever help he needs to find peace with the terrible things that happened to him. I also doubt there's anyone who doesn't want an investigation.

However, let's not set aside the fact that he allegedly shot the Rev. Maurice Blackwell three times. This was not a crime of passion; in fact, it occurred nine years after the alleged abuse. Father Blackwell should have been investigated and punished if guilty, but taking matters into one's own hands with a pistol harkens back to the Wild West and smacks of anarchy.

Despite the circumstances, Father Blackwell's shooting was attempted murder.

Kimberly E. Fernandez

Bethesda

Bring more diversity to black colleges, too

"Racial diversity is itself a virtue ... a racially integrated class enriches classroom dialogue and experience." Only a dyed-in-the-wool racist could argue with either point ("Affirmed?" editorial, May 26).

But the entire media-fed debate over affirmative action ignores two fundamental issues:

If affirmative action is truly designed to help achieve racial diversity, why is it only applied to majority-white campuses?

If racial diversity enriches classroom experience, why are we denying that enriched experience to students in "traditionally black" colleges?

Len Docimo

Catonsville

A chocolate legacy that's alive and well

While we do not have the rich Glauber's legacy that Patricia Montley and her grandmother have, we share their sentiments - so much so that we put our money where our taste buds are ("Glorious Glauber's leaves only sweet memories," Opinion Commentary, May 8).

Instead of standing by and watching this Baltimore institution and its 125-year heritage disappear, we chose to not only save it from extinction but to give it some new life.

The handmade chocolates for which Glauber's is so well-known are once again being produced in Baltimore, and the more than 40-year-old Yorkridge store is alive and well.

William Buppert

Baltimore

The writer is president of Glauber's LLC.