Legacy

THE OBITUARIES of George Wallace this week quite fittingly focused on his "legacy" in national politics during his 40 mercurial years in public life. After all, he ran for president four times, and while he never had the remotest chance of being elected, he is widely credited with having been the catalyst for a major shift to the right in national politics.But he was elected governor of Alabama four times -- five times, if you count the time his dutiful wife was elected as his surrogate -- and that "legacy" gets almost no attention in the tender tributes bestowed upon his death at the age of 79.That's little wonder.

I enjoyed reading your recent article, "Baltimore County Executive Smith reflects on past, future" (Dec. 3). Looking back over the past eight years, there is a great legacy of accomplishments that Jim Smith will leave behind. In particular, Mr. Smith's stalwart support of the Baltimore County Public Library system deserves special attention. I can think of no other local government leader who has done so much to advance the cause of libraries. Thanks to Mr. Smith's leadership, Baltimore County has new branch libraries in Perry Hall and Arbutus, expanded and improved facilities in Cockeysville and Randallstown, and two new branch locations on the way, in Turner's Station and Owings Mills.

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.

Your editorial ( "START treaty test," Dec. 21) briefly notes that the first START was a signature diplomatic achievement of President Reagan. It is worth remembering that START was part of a broader agenda of disarmament that President Reagan pursued throughout his two terms of office. Despite their professed admiration for the Reagan administration, Republicans in Congress now call President Obama's similar disarmament goals unrealistic and impossible. It is worth recalling how President Reagan responded to that line of criticism after signing of the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty on December 8, 1987: "For the first time in history, the language of "arms control" was replaced by "arms reduction" — in this case, the complete elimination of an entire class of U.S. and Soviet nuclear missiles.

If you are looking for a group of people that have an appreciation and deep love for the beauty of Howard County farmland, you need not look any further than the Mullinix family. I sit with my father on our front porch in Dayton every season as we're both rendered speechless by the beautiful sunset before us. At these moments I can't imagine anyone being so lucky, so fortunate as to enjoy this amazement. From our front porch I sit in awe of property that my family has owned for as long as I have lived.

By the time anyone gets around to asking another person how he or she would like to be remembered, the answer is, almost assuredly, destined to be a footnote. The query makes sense only if that man or woman's legacy is already shrouded in nuance and of some particular public interest. And it's not like the answer will tilt the scales; not in the cacophony of chatter that crowds the internet. Yet when they erected a statue of Joe Paterno outside of Beaver Stadium on Nov. 2, 2001, they included the following quote: "They ask me what I'd like written about me when I'm gone.

Coming Wednesday in The Sun, a commemorative section will take an in-depth look at the career of Cal Ripken, including stories, statistics and more.

It is fitting that the Head Theater at Center Stage -- a performing space noted for its innovative possibilities -- carries the name of one of Baltimore's more imaginative minds. For the wider public, Howard Head, who died this past weekend at the age of 76, will long be remembered as the champion of the RTC amateur athlete. Like many of us, Howard Head tried skiing and tennis and found them rather daunting. Instead of giving up or blaming his lack of ability, Head scrutinized the equipment he was using.

If Anne Arundel County Executive Bobby Neall thinks it is best for him and his family that he not run for governor or anything else, it is impossible not to congratulate him for making the right decision and wish him well. But watching him walk away from politics is a little like watching Michael Jordan leave basketball -- you can't help but feel some regret at seeing someone at the peak of his abilities call it quits.Mr. Neall has served in the House of Delegates for 12 years and as county executive for three.