Letters To The Editor

A right-wing attack on contraception

Cynthia Tucker is absolutely right that conservatives are ramping up a campaign to deny Americans the right to use birth control ("Family planning advocates must campaign for contraceptive use," Opinion

Commentary, Jan. 23).

What's most distressing is that the White House and congressional leaders are helping them do so.

They are pumping hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars every year into harmful abstinence-only programs that grossly exaggerate contraceptive failure rates and rely on glib slogans and outdated gender stereotypes.

It's been 40 years since the birth control pill was made available to American women, expanding their lives and their options.

It would be a mistake, however, to take its availability for granted.

Brian Dixon

Washington

The writer is director of government relations for Population Connection, an advocacy group on family planning issues.

Ignoring the march for life shows bias

The Sun's not-so-tacit connivance with liberal Democratic policies was, again, confirmed by its lack of any coverage of Monday's right-to-life march in Washington.

Nowhere in the Jan. 24 edition was there a story about the thousands who oppose Roe vs. Wade and their peaceful march on our nation's capital.

However, the editors did see fit to assign two reporters to describe the city of Annapolis' unhappiness with the soon-to-be-released movie "Annapolis" ("Thumbs down from Annapolis," Jan. 24) and an observant employee noticed a wire service report that a tomato shortage is ending ("Tomato shortage nearing an end," Jan. 24).

For The Sun not to report on Monday's demonstration is not only unprofessional but pathetic, especially in an election year.

Lawrence J. Klos

Baltimore

Tax credits preserve the city's history

The city's property tax credit for renovations to historic properties is not just an economic development tool. It also provides incentives to preserve the historic fabric of our neighborhoods ("City weighs extending home tax credit," Jan. 17).

Even in neighborhoods that are designated as national historic districts, many properties are being renovated using low-cost, modern materials.

Historic renovations seem to happen only when tax credits are used. However, because the standards used by the state's historic trust for alterations to the interior and exterior of historic buildings are enforced subjectively, many properties do not qualify for state credits.

The city's tax credit program is the only real incentive to preserve the exterior of historic buildings.

And, under this program, property owners are required to use materials such as stucco and wood windows and doors, which are more expensive than modern vinyl siding, vinyl windows and steel doors.

The short-term loss of tax revenue from the credit is a small price to pay to help preserve Baltimore's historic character.

Robert R. Gisriel

Baltimore

The writer is an architect who specializes in historic renovation projects.

Wave of homicides deserved a feature

Thanks for featuring the article "City engulfed anew in wave of homicides" (Jan. 24) on the front page.

Too often our city's homicides are buried in The Sun's second section.

The importance of these shocking statistics should not be minimized.

James R. Heckman

Baltimore

Let the public know how lobbying works

What is the primary concern of all politicians? Getting re-elected. What does it take to get re-elected? Money - and lots of it.

Therefore meaningful lobbying reform can only take place if the process becomes more transparent to the public ("Senators split on proposals for lobbying, ethics reforms," Jan. 26).

A good first step would be enactng Sen. John McCain's proposal that would require lobbyists to disclose their public relations and grassroots activities.

Any chance it will pass? Not on your life.

Larry Bonander

Timonium

Commercial fishing destroys marlins

The Sun's well-meaning editorial "The fish that's getting away" (Jan. 16) unfortunately staggers into a Bermuda Triangle of weak research, timid rationalizing and ultimately, a tepid and misdirected call to action.

Bashfully, the editorial seems to like the National Marine Fisheries Services' (NMFS) proposal to halt for five years recreational fishing for the dwindling stock of white marlin. Nowhere does the editorial urge action against the colossus of killing - international longline commercial fishing operations.

The editorial did note that recreational anglers account for relatively few of the marlin killed. And the editorial correctly blamed commercial longline fishing boats for recklessly killing massive numbers of marlin.

The NMFS estimates that longliners have killed an average of 1,500 metric tons of marlins a year since the 1970s.

NMFS and Bush administration officials could take serious, enforceable actions to stop the longliners from killing white marlin but, as politicians, they look for the easy way out.

And it's far easier to appease the commercial interests by stopping only recreational anglers.