Dan Rodricks

The robocalls made on behalf of Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. were less cynical than Dan Rodricks ' column ("Drawing the line in cutthroat business of politics," Dec. 7). To describe protected political speech defenses as "hedging" betrays a sneering disbelief in basic First Amendment freedoms. Constitutional rights are not technicalities. Thomas F. McDonough, Towson

I frequently disagree with Dan Rodricks ' views on criminal justice, but his column on November 30th ("Calvin Ash, political prisoner?") was particularly disgusting. To claim that Calvin Ash is a political prisoner is an insult to all those who are being persecuted simply for voicing their views in oppressive nations throughout the world. Mr. Ash was convicted of first-degree murder, a crime which most Americans would say deserves a sentence of life in prison. The fact that he is eligible for parole does not mean he has any kind of right to it, and I don't see how it's a flaw in the system that murderers who are sentenced to life are actually staying in prison for the remainder of their lives.

Dan Rodricks ' columns frequently exhibit a strong bias against the Catholic Church. Admittedly, the church is not without its faults. But Mr. Rodricks seems to delight in routinely bashing the institution. If he feels a continuing and compelling need to report on church matters to your readers, let me make a suggestion: Consider using the glass is half full approach. Specifically, the Catholic Church, like other Christian and non-Christian communities, makes significant daily contributions toward serving the spiritual and physical needs of mankind.

In Dan Rodricks ' otherwise intriguing discussion of the future of Sparrows Point ("Re-imagining Sparrows Point," Nov. 6) I found the total absence of any mention of environmental impact startling. I believe that we need to include environmental interests at the beginning so it is built into any development plan, not put on as a somewhat unwelcome afterthought. Natalie Dandekar

On the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, I watched the Ground Zero commemoration ceremony - or all of it that NBC was willing to show us - I read the Baltimore Sun, and I watched President Barack Obama's speech at the Kennedy Center memorial concert. Out of all these, the only really thoughtful reflections I found were in Dan Rodricks ' column that day ("The deaths of others"). No one else made a effort to synthesize the lessons of the terrorist attacks and the decade of war and paranoia that ensued.

It took a lot of courage for Dan Rodricks to write his recent column regarding the civilian deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan on the 10 t h anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks ("In anger and pain, little sympathy for the 'deaths of others.'") His views are shared by many returning veterans from those campaigns who saw first hand the horrible state of so many innocent people. As a veteran of World War II and father of veterans and relative of others who have served in Iraq, I will forever support our troops but have been opposed to the Middle East military policy going back before Desert Storm.

America suffered a horrible tragedy on 9/11, but our actions in the aftermath also inflicted terrible tragedies on the people of Iraq andAfghanistan Thanks to Dan Rodricks for his thoughtful column on the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks ("In anger and pain, little sympathy for 'the deaths of others,'" Sept. 11). Yes, America suffered a horrible tragedy on Sept. 11 that is indelibly etched into our nation's memory. But we must also acknowledge that our actions in the aftermath of Sept.

Dan Rodricks ' column published on America's saddest day of mourning for the nearly 3,000 American citizens murdered by terrorists has sickened me ("9/11 and the deaths of others: America's legacy of civilian casualties," Sept. 11). How dare he ask us to remember and mourn for the citizens of Iraq and Afghanistan on the very anniversary of our tragic loss? As I recall very clearly, the citizens of those countries were dancing in the streets and burning our flag in celebration.

In an era of high unemployment - and with many of the gainfully employed working too many hours because companies are either still downsizing or avoiding new hires - it would be helpful if the Maryland Court of Appeals allowed this question to be decided by a jury: Should an employer be held responsible when an overworked, sleep-deprived employee causes a terrible accident? That's the question at the center of a lawsuit that has been grinding through the state courts for a few years.

"There is no guarantee that when a middle-aged man enters the dark forest where the black dog is waiting, he will come out healed. It is possible to be broken there beyond hope of repair. " -- Howell Raines, from "Fly Fishing Through The Midlife Crisis" Mike Flanagan and I became friends after his major league pitching career ended and most of his old teammates and fishing buddies from the glory years of the Baltimore Orioles had scattered across the country. We were transplanted New Englanders, rooted in Maryland and approaching middle age with fly rods in our hands -- mine in my right, Mike's in his left.