Put drug dealers out of business to end violence

The Sun's editorial "As he lay dying" (Oct. 24) asks what Mayor Martin O'Malley, the City Council and BUILD are really doing to prevent drug-related violence such as the fire-bombing murders of the Dawsons and their five children. That's a legitimate question.

It's equally legitimate to ask The Sun what it is doing to solve the crisis its editorial describes as "even after [Carnell Dawson Sr.] has long been buried, the culture that wiped out his family will endure."

It is a cop-out for The Sun, in effect, to shrug its collective shoulders because "no one really knows what to do."

Really? No one?

Any school dropout in the 'hood knows that if addicts could go to a clean, safe clinic to obtain their medication, at cost, the dealers would be out of business the next morning.

Had such a system been in effect, the Dawsons and their five children would be alive today.

A. Robert Kaufman

Baltimore

Cap on damages protects careers

As a physician's assistant, I saw red when I read attorney Bob Weltchek's opinion on lowering malpractice rates: "The way to eliminate big verdicts is to practice better medicine" ("Cost of insurance moves physicians," Nov. 1).

Nobody sets out to practice bad medicine; nobody wants to injure a patient. Unfortunately, because managed care dictates the compensation medical people receive, the average time we spend face-to-face with a patient is now 8 minutes. And, unlike attorneys, we are not paid for time spent on the phone or reviewing records.

There is no question that mistakes are made, and patients should be compensated.

However, if we end the cap on damages for pain and suffering, how many more medical practitioners will have to leave the field?

I have a proposal - managed care for legal fees.

Myra M. Katz

Towson

INS reforms needed to safeguard America

It appears that the Immigration and Naturalization Service has more than one policy on people coming into this country.

With respect to Elian Gonzalez, who was escaping on a raft with his mother from Communist Cuba, it decided, at the direction of U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno, to seize him from a Miami home and send him back to Cuba.

But Lee Boyd Malvo, one of the suspects in the sniper shootings, was allowed into this country by the INS despite his having been a stowaway on a ship, which is grounds for denial of entry ("An international odyssey ends in arrests, confinement in Md.," Oct. 27).

Homeland security will be almost impossible if our country does not secure its borders against potential terrorists through sufficient and adequate border checks and enforcement of rigorous immigration policies designed to protect this nation from harm.

John A. Malagrin

Baltimore

Executions only add to culture of violence

Thank you for publishing Dan Rodricks' excellent column about the appropriate punishment for suspects in the sniper case ("In sniper shootings, prison, not death, is best outcome," Oct. 30).

While the crimes are heinous, execution of these two individuals - should they be found guilty - would not bring back the victims. It would only add to our culture of violence.

Connie Johnson

Silver Spring

Maybe Maryland can try the rifle

To ensure proper prosecution of the snipers, Virginia or Alabama should try the alleged shooters and Maryland can try the rifle for its act of murder.

Charles B. Lippens

Baltimore

Terror put Duncan in the spotlight

I was pleased to read the article regarding Montgomery County Executive Doug Duncan ("Montgomery executive faced balancing act in crisis," Nov. 1). It reflected the man I know - a strong, intelligent, compassionate and wise human being. Combine those attributes with integrity and public service and one has leadership.

Montgomery County is fortunate indeed to have had Mr. Duncan as its leader during the incredibly difficult time of the sniper terror.

Lawrence A. La Motte

Baltimore

A war with Iraq won't make us safe

Let's say we fight Iraq and get rid of their weapons of mass destruction, before Saddam Hussein puts them into the hands of terrorists or stashes them in another country. Would we then be safe?

Who thinks that the Arabs would condone such an action? It is more likely that they would give even more support to the terrorists, who would then increase their attacks on others and on us.

Then we may as well get ready to take on the Arabs and Muslims worldwide. Great future, huh?

Meanwhile, the Israel mess (which is the real reason that so many Arabs hate us) continues to get worse.

If we had courageous, realistic leaders, they would do what is required to solve that problem - use force to separate Israel and the Palestinians and establish firm boundaries and partially occupy that area until the people there can co-exist in a civil manner.

Then, maybe our kids could have an acceptable future.

Rex Campbell

Salem, Va.

Time to revive military draft

Any military action involving Iraq will severely test our military - especially if it involves subsequent occupations or peacekeeping missions.

Our volunteer military and its reserves are close to being over-extended. Additional manpower will be needed.

To show the United States' resolve, it is time for President Bush and the Congress to dust off the Selective Service System and better enforce the laws that require registration for the draft.

Phil Retchless

Baltimore

Polls are no way to decide policy

The letter "Wildlife refuge isn't the place for hunting" (Oct. 17) gave the following as a reason why hunting should not be allowed in the Patuxent National Wildlife Refuge: "Public opinion polls have shown that most Americans oppose the recreational and commercial killing of wildlife on national wildlife refuges."

I'm sure a similar survey would reveal that most Americans know very little about wildlife biology or wilderness resource management.

And this highlights a recurrent problem within the structure of a democratic society: Democracy is very good at determining a consensus of opinion, but very poor at determining if these opinions are valid.

Public opinion, no matter how widespread or heartfelt, should not be the basis for determining policy, especially in technical matters.

Lee E. Brown

Baltimore