Sacrifice

Memorial Day is a time to honor those who gave their all for their country. We wax eloquent about the ultimate sacrifice, but most who died were not concerned with grand visions, they were just doing their duty. They wanted to live another day, to get the job done, and to go home. But living another day required more guts than all the faux patriots today who talk patriotism but are more interested in money and power. This is a country that achieved great things through mutual sacrifice.

Moving around has always been a big part of new Loyola basketball coach G.G. Smith's life. As a child whose father, Tubby, was a rising star in the college basketball coaching ranks, Smith spent time growing up in college towns like Columbia, S.C., and Lexington, Ky., as well as cities like Tulsa, Okla., and Richmond, Va. As an adult, Smith often took jobs based on where his wife, Lorie, was completing her post-graduate work as she built her career...

Thank you Jules Witcover for your commentary "'Sacrifice' in the airport screening line" (Nov. 24). I keep wondering "What is wrong with people?" when I hear or read of furor over airport security measures. I remember being patted down in a private room in the Munich airport years ago on my first business trip abroad. The Red Brigade threat and the murder of Jewish athletes at the Olympics were some of the terrors of those days. I was grateful for the caution exerted for my safety. Terrorism exists, and security measures are necessary.

Jason Hammel made a couple mistakes in his six innings on Tuesday, but otherwise gave the Orioles what they were hoping for on Opening Day: A quality start. The 30-year-old right-hander lasted six innings, allowing three runs on three hits and a walk. He struck out two and retired 10 of the first 11 batters he faced before giving up a Ben Zobrist solo homer in the fourth. His big mistake came in the sixth when he walked the leadoff man in the inning, No. 9 batter Kelly Johnson.

After a 45-year career in the private sector, first with Bethlehem Steel, then with Harley Davidson Motor Company and ending with General Motors, I lost wages, medical benefits and pensions when these companies were not making profits. Federal workers have not made any sacrifices that compare to losses in the private sector jobs ("Federal workers rally, underscore their sacrifices," Dec. 6). Most of them retire with 85 percent of their salary and medical benefits that they never paid into.

I wish to respond to Kenneth Weeden's letter to the editor ("Who bears the burden?" Oct. 31). During World War II, people understood the need for sacrifice because if they didn't, there was a good chance we would all be speaking German today. Today's economic crisis requires sacrifice, but only from politicians - they need to stop spending other people's money as if there was no downside in order to get re-elected. Mr. Weeden's wishful thinking about taxing the "rich" shows that he has not done his research.

While I agree with some of Max Richtman's commentary on Social Security ("Protect senior programs," Feb. 17), many of his observations are misleading. Certainly, most any poll will show that people do not want any benefit cuts, and I would bet that most would want benefits to increase. That's just human nature. As an old saying goes, "When you rob Peter to pay Paul, you'll always have Paul's vote. " However, his use of such terms and phrases as "earned benefits" and "economic reason" do not pass muster when certain facts are considered.

Thanks to Gilbert Sandler ("It still lives in Infamy," Dec. 7) for reminding us of some of the costs of war in his account of Baltimore after Pearl Harbor. What a contrast with today. Our leaders can carry on wars without affecting most of us one bit. No danger, no draft, no rationing, no tax increase, no blackouts. Only if we serve in the armed forces or have a family member there do we suffer anything. We do not even have to pay for the war - we can borrow to cover the cost. It is almost enjoyable and certainly exciting.

To President Obama and members of Congress: When will you as leaders and representatives of a very large group of seniors start to wake up and realize, that the United States government cannot continue to pay for everything. At the age of 81, I do look forward to my Social Security monthly check and my Medicare insurance when needed. However, taking a cut would not put me in my grave any quicker. I learned at an early age if we could not afford to pay our bills, we did without!

Battered by a poor economy and declining endowment, the Walters Art Museum balanced its budget last year by laying off seven people, eliminating another nine open positions and cutting the pay of those remaining. Including that of the boss. Museum Director Gary Vikan took a haircut of about 8 percent from his salary that's reported in tax filings in the $250,000 range — the largest pay cut in percentage terms of anybody in the organization. As well he should have.

Manchester resident Patrick Carmody was one of five members of the Anne Arundel County Fire Department who were recently promoted in the department. The 20-year veteran was promoted to lieutenant on Feb. 21 during a ceremony to honor the five officers' years of hard work, dedication, and sacrifice.

If you want to understand what the Ravens have been doing over the past week - other than dismantling a Super Bowl champion - it might be instructive to look back at the final week of the regular season. The Ravens had a longshot opportunity to improve their seeding for the playoffs, but chose instead to play a pared-down roster against the Cincinnati Bengals to gather their strength for what would turn out to be a wildly successful postseason run. Did they tank the Bengals game?

I have read multiple articles on both sides of the sequester issue ("Sequester debates hides the cold facts of our budget crisis," March 5). I have read how the American people who have made their fortunes here need to tighten their belts and give up some things for the good of the country. I have read how working people need to tighten their belts to help those who are (or may not be) less fortunate. What I have not read in any article so far is what are the politicians giving up?

This week's episode was one of the more dramatic of the season, with the build up beginning in the season opener showing the Amanda at the bottom of the ocean. When we saw that there was a man on board it was hard not to assume it was Jack that had gone down with his beloved ship, but our wishes were answered when it turned out to be Nate, because he really was the worst. The Grayson's managed to put two targets on Amanda's back - with Nate as well as the Initiative. It will be interesting to see if it is obvious that Nate was the reason for Amanda's death, and if the Initiative will find it all too convenient that the Grayson's scape goat happened to disappear.

Oh, the physical sacrifices I make for my job as a journalist. True, I have never been assaulted by a mob in Cairo's Tahrir Square, as CBS' Lara Logan was. And I've never been injured by a bomb, as happened to ABC's Bob Woodruff and CBS' Kimberly Dozier in Iraq. In fact, the last time I left Maryland for an assignment, it was to cover the Philadelphia Flower Show, and that's not exactly hazard duty. But I am recovering from injuries suffered while writing a food story for our Wednesday Taste section, and I'd like a little more attention to my suffering than I got in the emergency room.

Adam Lankford thinks there's an oft-repeated misconception about suicide attackers that isn't merely wrong. It's potentially deadly. Lankford is the Baltimore-born terrorism expert who has just published a book titled "The Myth of Martyrdom: What Really Drives Suicide Bombers, Rampage Shooters, and Other Self-Destructive Killers. " The book, parts of which were written in Baltimore, deflates common assumptions about the psychology of those who claim they murder strangers to advance political goals.

Your editorial lauding President Obama's call for a balanced approach to spending and taxes rings hollow indeed ("Shared sacrifice," Sept. 20). The president's supporters and apologists have little left to cling to other than abstract phrases and themes from his speeches. We all know that's exactly what his jobs plan and his deficit reduction plans are: Just speeches. The jobs plan he outlined to Congress weeks ago hasn't yet made its way to a vote. Meanwhile he travels the country accusing the Republicans of obstructing a plan that can't be voted on. His deficit reduction plan is the same thing: A campaign speech.

As a patriotic American, I have tremendous admiration and respect for our citizens in military service, and I support our troops wholeheartedly. For this reason I am dismayed by the actions we have allowed our government to take while these brave men and women put their lives on the line in foreign lands. Each day, our troops fight to secure freedom and liberty for the people of Iraq and Afghanistan. Sadly, when they return home, they will find through many seemingly acceptable compromises in the name of national security and public safety, they have been stripped of the rights they fought to defend in the desserts of the Middle East.

Would you give a friend or family member an item of used clothing as a Christmas gift? I put this question to two of my colleagues. They both saw it as a no-brainer. "Sure," said one. "My mom and I do it all the time. " "No way," said the other. "That's really tacky. " Aha, I thought. Here's work for an ethicist with psychoanalytic tendencies. So, is there anything wrong with secondhand gifts? The question is timely, given the state of the economy. And the argument for giving used items as gifts is obvious.