Balto. Co. saves its open space, protects water
Why does The Sun insist on misrepresenting Baltimore County's nationally recognized success at preserving our rural open spaces?
In an Oct. 23 political endorsement, for instance, The Sun erroneously referred to Baltimore County as "a jurisdiction without much open space left" ("Balto. Co. government," editorial, Oct. 23).
In fact, two-thirds of Baltimore County's land remains rural. This is not an accident, but the result of conscious decisions. More than 25 years ago, Baltimore County officials identified two areas for future growth, Owings Mills and White Marsh, and imposed an urban-rural demarcation line (URDL) to focus growth where we could provide roads, schools, water and sewers cost-effectively.
Today, 85 percent of our people live within the urban zones on 30 percent of the land. And the county has down-zoned more than 20,000 acres in rural watersheds to promote agriculture and protect the water of 1.8 million Baltimore-area residents.
Land preservation easements, donated and funded by the state and the county, have also protected more than 40,000 acres of rural land, including 20,000 acres preserved during the last eight years.
Baltimore County was a pioneer in Smart Growth before the term was even coined.
David A. C. Carroll
Towson
The writer is director of Baltimore County's Department of Environmental Protection and Resource Management.
President is right to confront Iraq
President Bush should be applauded for taking a courageous stand against Saddam Hussein's outlaw regime and its pursuit of weapons of mass destruction ("Bush losing patience with U.N. over challenges to Iraq plans," Oct. 27).
As the president noted in his recent address to the nation, the riskiest option for dealing with Iraq is to do nothing. Inaction would give Mr. Hussein time to complete his malicious pursuit of nuclear weapons and embolden tyrants and terrorists everywhere.
Acting now to disarm Mr. Hussein, using military force if necessary, is the only way we will keep America safe from weapons of mass destruction that may fall into the hands of freedom's enemies.
Chuck Gast
Odenton
Database on guns could save lives
The Washington-area sniper suspects have been linked by ballistics to a February murder in Washington state ("Ballistic tests tie sniper suspects to Tacoma killing," Oct. 30).
Thus we now know that if a ballistic fingerprint database had existed, they might have been identified and apprehended long before they arrived in the Washington area with murder on their minds and a rifle in their Chevy.
Their Maryland, D.C. and Virginia victims might, then, still be with us. But sadly they are not.
For that we can blame the politicians who do the bidding of the National Rifle Association and oppose even the most reasonable gun laws, including ballistic fingerprinting for all firearms.
Delmar Stewart
Baltimore
Focus on the gun misses the target
Michael Olesker weighs in on the cold-blooded sniper killings: He writes an entire column that demonizes an inanimate object that was in the wrong hands for reasons not yet determined ("Remember: That rifle wasn't made to kill people," Oct. 29). Amazing.
I have a great idea. Let's put the gun on trial in Maryland.
I am sure we can convict it of capital murder. We can leave the sniper suspects to Virginia.
Scott Morton
Towson
That swimming pool in your backyard was not made to kill people, but someday it may.
That car in your driveway was not made to kill people, but somewhere it may.
The box cutters of the terrorists were not made to kill 3,000 people, but they did.
Our Constitution with its Bill of Rights was made to protect us. But it won't if we keep hacking away at it.
Rick Burk
Columbia
Multifamily housing is not 'abhorrent'
As a resident of Russett, I just want to set it straight that Jeanne F. Mignon of Russett doesn't speak for me. I do not find multifamily housing "abhorrent" ("Ehrlich's slots plan is viable, some say," Oct. 28).
Indeed, I, along with many of my family and friends, have lived and still live in multifamily housing.
MaryAnne Polkiewicz
Laurel
Israeli settlements aren't real problem
The Sun's editorial "Settler violence" (Oct. 29) portrays the defiance of some settlers to the effort to "remove about 20 illegal outposts on West Bank hilltops" as "an obstacle to any peaceful solution to the Middle East conflict."
The editorial also points out that an "Israeli poll showed that 78 percent of Israelis favored dismantling settlements as part of a peace agreement."
What's astonishing to me is that The Sun believes the settlements are a principal obstacle to a peaceful solution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
I suggest that a poll of Palestinians on whether they believe Israel has a right to exist would reveal the true obstacle to a peaceful solution to the crisis.
Sy Steinberg
Baltimore
More facts needed to assess the science
The Sun's article "Brain cell birth rate eyed as a key to depression" (Oct. 22) left a little too much to the imagination.
Who are these "scientists"? Where is the support for their argument? Does this information come from a peer-reviewed journal or from a paper from a fringe group at a scientific meeting?
Good science reporting should include such facts so that readers can make informed judgments.
Pat Anthony
Sparks
The Dawson family merits a monument
Baltimore, city of historic buildings and monuments to past heroes, has unveiled her most recent tribute, a statue of the late Johnny Unitas ("Befitting a legend," Oct. 19).
I would like to propose that the city now turn its attention to building a statue to honor today's heroes -- Carnell Dawson Sr., Angela, Keith and Kevin Dawson, Carnell Dawson Jr., and Juan and LaWanda Ortiz -- who died as a result of a valiant struggle to rid their neighborhood of drug dealers.
They were offered escape, but chose not to abandon their home and neighbors and cede victory to the drug lords.
If we want citizens to testify against criminals in our courts and fight the squalor in their neighborhoods, we need to give those who show this kind of courage the honor and respect they deserve.
Baltimore must show the Dawson family and their neighbors that their sacrifice will not be forgotten and their bravery is an example to us all.
Diana L. Karr
Baltimore