Respect

I do wonder how accepting and understanding the media, and especially the sports-going public, would be if instead of a white Christian, Tim Tebow was a black Muslim. ("Tebow wars: Give it a rest," Jan. 11.) Jim Jagielski

Perhaps Susan Reimer doesn't understand the military, if you did, you might understand what happened here ("Yes, Barbara Boxer should be called 'senator,'" June 1)! First of all, for that Brigadier General Michael Walsh to call that U.S. senator "ma'am," he was actually showing her even more respect than her "hard-earned title" of senator! For an officer of his rank, to call her ma'am, was the highest compliment that he could pay her! As to that "hard-earned" statement of hers, any idiot with enough money can purchase that title, and the senate itself is evidence of that fact!

One thing that has been lost in sports, not just lacrosse, is respect. From early on kids must be taught respect for the game and rules, respect for the coach and referees and respect for your teammates and players on the other team. This has been unfortunately forgotten. From second grade on my two sons played in rec league lacrosse. In those 10 or so years we attended many games as well as many lacrosse tournaments, and we have been witnesses to embarrassing behavior. The unsportsmanlike type of behavior sadly is not just from the kids, it is also the coaches and the parents on the sidelines.

This is in response to "It's time to replace the tattered flags that fly on I-95 overpass" (Letters, May 19). This is a flag, that at least in my mind, represents our nation. When George M. Cohan penned the words to "It's a Grand Old Flag," his initial title for it was "It's a Grand Old Rag. " It was only politically correct individuals who refused to publish it under its original name for fear that it would not sell. When our troops go off to war, their flags for company, division and nation may be pristine, but once battle took place beneath its emblem, the flag became worn, tattered, and earned ultimate respect.

I have just one comment on the unfortunate Hillary Rosen's remarks concerning Ann Romney ("Strategist's Ann Romney remarks touch off a storm," April 13). Women who choose to stay at home not only raise their children and run their households are usually a strong supporter of their spouse, the wage earner. They continue to be aware of social and economic issues while working as homemakers. Many have given up careers, some permanently, but they do not stop learning, and they continue to be assets in our society.

I am a 15-year-old American Muslim girl, and until now I have had to live with the shame brought by Muslims who represent an idea of Islam that does not even exist in the religion. Now, after hearing about the obnoxious desecration of insurgent corpses by U.S. Marines in Afghanistan, I have to live with the shame of my fellow countrymen representing values that have no place in the fabric of American beliefs. Yet part of me asks, what else would one expect? Not that these kinds of acts are in American culture, but in the sense that the terrorists have been making assaults on this country for so long it is by now probably very hard for Americans to set aside their feelings of anger.

PITTSBURGH - Byron Leftwich completed less than 50 percent of his throws and earned a 51.3 passer rating in the Pittsburgh Steelers' 13-10 loss to the Ravens on Sunday night at Heinz Field, but the 32-year-old quarterback earned a measure of respect from a few Ravens defensive players. Asked if Leftwich is still dangerous in his 10th year in the NFL, Ravens defensive tackle Haloti Ngata replied, “He definitely is dangerous. You saw him throw down the field. [He is] great at throwing that deep ball.

I have been to the Inner Harbor several times this summer, and I am disturbed to see how many people misuse the new Sept. 11 memorial it by leaning on it, sitting on it and putting their drinks and food on it like it was a table. Don't they realize this is a sacred memorial to people who died in a terrible act of terrorism and treating it this way is disrespectful to them? Perhaps it is time some sort of barrier is put up to keep folks at a distance. Rosetta T. Rizzo, Lutherville

Ricki Lake has had easier evenings.The 25-year-old actress is standing under hot lights in the Manhattan studio of her "Ricki Lake" syndicated daytime show -- the one that Mediaweek proclaims is "breaking out of the freshman talk-show pack" and she's standing her ground against a guest considerably more formidable than the twentysomethings who fill the stage for topics like "My Best Friend Betrayed Me," or "Your Turn-Ons Turn Me Off."The uncharacteristically hard-edged subject is "Crusades Against Gays."

A young man is sitting in front of a building at the Flag House Courts public housing project when one of the new security guards from the Nation of Islam approaches."