Move forward with best plan for Purple Line

While the debate over the Purple Line north of Washington can be given something of a "class warfare" aspect, the real focus should be on the relative merits of the inner vs. the outer Purple Line proposals ("Plan to extend Washington's Metro tees off golfers and users of trail," Dec. 3).

With transit and other budgets tightening, Maryland can ill afford to embrace the $5 billion-plus proposed outer Purple Line to avoid moving two holes of a golf course.

More important, even if Maryland politicians deny fiscal reality, such a cost-ineffective approach to the real problem of east-west congestion in Prince George's and Montgomery counties would not receive the federal endorsement required to ensure federal funding support.

And the inner Purple Line project would not destroy a trail. It would include a hiker-biker trail for its entire western segment (connecting Silver Spring and Bethesda).

Currently, a trail exists in the Bethesda-Chevy Chase area, but it has not been extended into the more populous and diverse Silver Spring area. And because of the cost and difficulty of reaching an agreement with CSX Railroad for areas under the railroad's control, many trail advocates recognize that the trail may never be completed unless it is part of the trolley-trail project.

The inner Purple Line is a well-conceived transportation project that can be counted on to encourage sound economic development and is consistent with Smart Growth.

The state should complete its planning posthaste in order to secure federal funding in 2003 and construct the first segment by 2008.

Webb Smedley

Silver Spring

The writer is a project manager at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Why not tunnel under golf course?

The Sun's article about the dispute over building a Purple Line from Bethesda to New Carrollton never mentioned one idea for getting around the golf course and nature trail ("Plan to extend Washington's Metro tees off golfers and users of trail," Dec. 3).

Why not just build a tunnel under them?

James Bauernschmidt

Severna Park

Make rights of way available for transit

The furor over the route proposed for the Purple Line highlights again the farcical premise behind "rails-to-trails," or former railroad rights of way converted to pedestrian paths ("Plan to extend Washington's Metro tees off golfers and users of trail," Dec. 3).

Almost every rail-trail proposal includes the promise of preserving the right of way for future transit needs, should the need ever arise, usually as a motivation to preserve the entire line intact without sections reverting to adjacent property owners.

But the reality is that nobody in government dares commit the political suicide of reclaiming such a trail for transit use from its new "owners" - the dog-walkers, joggers, skaters and bicyclists who swarm trails on weekends.

Yet if the preservation of a transportation corridor is to be cited when preserving a rail line for public use, that corridor must be made available for transit needs when the demand is there.

Alexander D. Mitchell IV

Baltimore

Expediting execution will stop criminals

I write this letter in high dudgeon upon hearing and reading about the recent horrible, violent deaths of innocent police officers.

Surely, it must be obvious by now that the only way to stop this surge in wanton and unbelievable killing in Baltimore is by putting the fear of the Lord in the minds of criminals.

This can be easily achieved by having quick, no-nonsense trials followed by speedy executions, thereby cutting out ridiculous, never-ending appeals. Once the criminals realize their actions will result in their speedy death, they will surely reconsider their cruel and inhuman actions.

They should be shown no mercy, for they surely showed none for their victims.

Alastair M. Collie

Baltimore

Right-wing 'nutballs' wield real power

I beg to differ with Gregory Kane's characterization of leftists as "nutballs" ("Foreign policy venture isn't idle exercise" (Dec. 1).

The left has its share of nutballs, to be sure, but only its own share. The right has nutballs, too, but there is a difference.

The nutballs on the right end of the political spectrum control the U.S. military and the legislative, executive and judicial branches of our government. They control America's law-writing and bomb-dropping.

And I think it is commendable that the Baltimore City Council is ready and willing to speak out and take a stand on a federal issue that has such profound local implications.

Jim Baldridge

Baltimore

Failed energy policy puts gun to our head

Our government's failure to develop a long-term, comprehensive energy policy that makes the United States energy-independent is tragic.

This leadership failure not only makes our country economically and militarily vulnerable, it also puts a gun to our heads - a gun held by Saudi Arabia and other major oil producers.

We have seen Arab oil embargoes and paralyzing gas shortages in the past. Yet oil imports and our dependence on foreign sources have now increased to about 60 percent of U.S. oil consumption.

Instead of relying on war or unsavory deals with repressive dictatorships to protect oil supplies, we should make reducing petroleum consumption, increasing gas prices, developing alternative fuels and protecting the environment our national priorities.

Roger C. Kostmayer

Baltimore

Berrigans touched nation's conscience

I never knew Philip Berrigan personally and was graced to meet Father Daniel Berrigan only twice in my life. But the Berrigans and others helped me come to terms with issues of peace related to the Vietnam War and with issues of civil and human justice.

Philip Berrigan and Father Daniel Berrigan, the members of their family, friends and associates have provided a great treasure to the conscience of America.

Philip Berrigan's death is a loss to the Roman Catholic Church and to other Catholic assemblies.

Thank you for printing such a thorough review of his life ("Philip Berrigan, apostle of peace, dies at age 79," Dec. 7).

Father Paul Breton

San Bernardino, Calif.

The writer is rector of St. Aelred's Old Catholic Chapel in San Bernadino, Calif.

A man who did as Jesus would

What would Jesus do (WWJD)?

He would do as Philip Berrigan has done ("Philip Berrigan, apostle of peace, dies at age 79," Dec. 7).

Jim Henry

Finksburg