Mechanic sits at hub of urban treasures
It is too bad that the interior of the Morris A. Mechanic Theatre building has been demolished, as Kirby Fowler, president of the Downtown Partnership, noted in "Help asked on historic city sites" (July 18). However, there are still reasons to try to prevent the structure from being torn down.
When it was designed, the Mechanic was an outstanding example of the cutting edge of architecture of the time.
Its ebullient form and the rough-board finish of the exterior - created by the artistic use of random-size lumber for the concrete forms - earned it the designation by Progressive Architecture as "one of the important U.S. buildings of the 1960s."
Even more remarkable for today's world is the role the Mechanic plays in the astonishing architectural anthology that Baltimore enjoys near the intersection of Baltimore and Charles streets - including the Victorian former B&O; headquarters, the 1920s-era Lord Baltimore Hotel, the German-style Hansa Haus building at Redwood and North Charles streets, the Greek temple-style bank at the original site of the Bank of Baltimore, the outstanding 1960s-era Blaustein Building, and the One Charles Center buildings.
Few, if any, cities have such a pleasant, living museum of architectural history - and one located at the epicenter of downtown, where all can learn from it and enjoy it.
To be preserved, of course, historic buildings have to merit being subsidized as permanent monuments or be suited to a practical contemporary use.
I have not seen any feasibility or cost-benefit studies.
But I suspect that downtown Baltimore could support new people-oriented uses in the Mechanic - perhaps including restaurant seating spaces on the ground floor, with an underground garage and an adjacent outdoor plaza for eating and drinking and gatherings of special kinds.
Martin L. Millspaugh
Baltimore
The writer is a former chief executive of Charles Center-Inner Harbor Management Inc.
Roger Taney upheld habeas corpus rights
I realize I'm probably in the minority here, but I say leave the statue of former Chief Justice Roger B. Taney in front of the State House ("Words that will never die," Opinion * Commentary, July 22).
People are so enamored of President Abraham Lincoln that they tend to condone or ignore the fact that he blatantly violated the Constitution when he arbitrarily suspended the writ of habeas corpus without congressional approval.
While the Constitution does say habeas corpus can be suspended in times of invasion or rebellion, that power falls under Article I, which is devoted to the legislative branch, not the executive branch, as Chief Justice Taney correctly pointed out in his courageous rebuke of Lincoln's actions in the 1861 Ex Parte Merryman case.
People who ask why the state of Maryland still honors this man do not know history as well as they think.
Shane Jacobus
Arnold
Materialistic values are now dominant
The Sun's article "Does consumerism corrupt families?" (July 22) once more attests to the reality that mammon has taken control over the lives of people.
Capitalism starts by targeting the young, as does communism. Churches and religious groups also target the young.
But capitalism seems preponderant today, which means that the world has become so materialistic that spiritual values are being trampled upon.
Maybe those concerned with promoting spiritual values should improve their techniques for reaching out to families.
Gracianus R. Reyes
Baltimore
Clinic at Camp David a waste of resources
On Saturday, President Bush had a colonoscopy at Camp David ("Bush colonoscopy reveals polyps," July 22).
This is the man who suggests the poor just "go to the emergency room" when they get sick.
I wonder how much it cost to create the clinic at Camp David required to do this procedure.
Surely Mr. Bush could have had this test done in Washington, at a considerable savings.
Susan W. Talbott
Baltimore
At least this president responded to attacks
Last week, I read with interest a letter criticizing President Bush's handling of the war on terror and the apparent resurgence of Osama bin Laden and his nefarious organization ("Al-Qaida's recovery shows Bush's failure," letters July 18).
The writer went on to state that he did not think Mr. Bush capable of coaching a middle school volleyball team.
Even though I voted for Mr. Bush in the last two elections, I couldn't totally disagree with the letter writer.
Having said that, though, I think this letter falls in line with a lot of other criticism I've seen of the war on terror.
For years, I have had a question for the critics of Present Bush, and I am still awaiting an answer.
My question is this: Aside from tossing a few cruise missiles at a terrorist training camp at the height of the Monica Lewinsky scandal, what in eight years in office did the Clinton administration do in response to the attacks against our nation?
I don't approve of many facets of the Bush administration's war on terror.
But at least President Bush has responded, which is a lot more than can be said about former President Bill Clinton.
Ken Leary
Essex
Review helps public learn about Potter
Why on Earth should it matter when exactly a book is released, or when information about its contents becomes available ("Early review spoils Potter's plot points" and "Ruining culmination of 10 years' reading," letters, July 20)?
If you're desperate not to know the details before you read the book, don't read the reviews first.
But if, like many sensible readers, you like to hear something about a book before deciding whether to buy it, you should applaud The Sun for publishing what its reporter was able to discover about the final volume in the Harry Potter series and for thumbing its nose at the secretive policies of the book's publisher and author ("Raise a butterbeer to final tale," July 19).
After all, isn't that what newspapers are supposed to do: Find out what's going on in the world, even if there are powerful forces who would prefer that you didn't?
Richard Bett
Baltimore
Finally, an athlete fit to be a role model
Let's see, Jonathan Ogden reads, does crossword puzzles, actually cares how he spends his money, realizes an athletic career isn't forever and plans for his future ("Ravens' big 'O,'" July 22).
He hasn't plugged into the gratuitous indulgence in "bling" that is so common to his peer group, he remembers those who got him started and he got good grades all the way through school.
Finally, an athlete who is a role model for our time and our future.
Mr. Ogden should be congratulated and admired.
Donna Magid
Baltimore