Silence

As a psychologist who works with parents, students, and school districts I think we have to keep talking about bullying like you did in your article ("Despite the law, too many schools fail to take bullying seriously," Dec. 27). The saying out of sight is out of mind certainly applies. We don't need another tragedy to happen before we try to find solutions. The last 30 years I have seen an increase in bullying and violence, and treating these problems doesn't happen overnight, but it can happen.

State Del. Pat McDonough's news release alleging that "black youth mobs terrorize" downtown Baltimore has certainly set off a firestorm of debate. But what about the nature of that discussion, particularly as it relates to race? Without an inclusive, candid and wide-ranging conversation about race, such discussions tend to inflame rather than enlighten. And instead of getting smarter as a community about our feelings on race, we can get more confused and polarized. One thing that has bothered me for several days is the way that various parts of the community tried to silence McDonough in the immediate wake of his Wednesday news release.

The decision to part ways with tight end Todd Heap elicited questions about the ability of Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta to succeed Heap. Those questions continue to linger, but perhaps not as prominent as they did in the preseason. Dickson led the Ravens in receptions with five, for 59 yards and one touchdown, while Pitta caught two passes for 45 yards in Sunday's 35-7 pasting of the Pittsburgh Steelers. After the game, Dickson could've used part of his interview to rail at critics, but he declined to take the bait.

"Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt," so goes a bit of sound advice attributed to any number of great wits ranging from Confucius to Mark Twain. It remains as unheeded today as it did in the times of those great sages of either China or America. Case in point: Harford County Councilman Joe Woods. Speaking before a gathering at a meeting of the Fallston Community Council, Fallston being the community he represents, he offered out loud a few thoughts that could easily be taken for evidence of being a bit hard of thinking.

— Barry Jacobs has been a University of Virginia lacrosse fan for 50 years, ever since he unsuccessfully tried out for the team as a freshman. A season-ticket holder for many years after moving to Northern Virginia, Jacobs came to Klockner Stadium on Saturday night with mixed emotions. Jacobs, a retired State Department officer, was going to root for the top-ranked and No.1-seed Cavaliers against Mount St. Mary's in their opening game of the NCAA lacrosse tournament, but his heart was heavy from the killing of women's lacrosse player Yeardley Love nearly two weeks ago. Virginia men's lacrosse player George Huguely is charged with murder in her death.

How do you identify a conversation sustainer? Conversation sustainers are the folks who remove the fuzzies from the sweaters of our nation's social interchanges, razoring off the unpleasant bumps and ridges. Or, if you prefer a tastier image, we're the types who verbally cover the awkward gaps in conversations with an innocuous yet pleasant coating, not unlike the candy shell of an M&M. The conversation sustainer routinely smoothes out social interactions and fosters community.

WITH THE OBSERVANCE of World AIDS Day tomorrow, my thoughts have turned to a startling fact here at home. Although 33 states have mandated acquired immune deficiency syndrome education in their public schools, and 17 states have strongly recommended it, a deadly silence about AIDS persists in most guidance counselors' offices, school auditoriums and communities around the country.The silence surrounding AIDS is greatest when it comes to young children. I would argue that this silence not only confirms the unspeakable nature of this disease but also makes it much harder for us to talk about AIDS later, when adolescent risk-taking behaviors press our panic buttons.

At first, Michele Norris didn't think her revelatory, heart-piercing book, "The Grace of Silence," would get so personal. The co-host of "All Things Considered" presumed that writing about race would extend the work she had done in 2008 for a multipart National Public Radio series that asked residents of York, Pa., straightforward questions. "Do white Americans underestimate discrimination? Do black people make too much of it? How would the country be different if led by a black man?"

Remember Simon and Garfunkel's 1960s-era hit The Sound of Silence? But what exactly does silence look like? And of course, what does it sound like? This is the subject explored in Speaking of Silence I, an extraordinary exhibit by local artists and students on view at Sub-Basement Artist Studios. The show was organized by Art on Purpose, a community nonprofit founded by curator-educator Peter Bruun that sponsors local exhibitions and workshops about social justice issues. At Sub-Basement, Bruun has put together a potpourri of works ranging from minimalist painting and sculpture to photography, performance art and sound pieces.

All my days I have grown up among sages and I have found nothing better for a person than silence.-- Pirke Aboth, the TalmudPeople go to take sun baths; why have so few had the idea of taking baths of silence?=- -- Paul Claudel, "Lord, Teach Us to Pray"Bethany Beach, Del.SILENCE: It is a difficult thing to find these days.Susan Sontag, in a thoughtful book called "Styles of Radical Will," suggests that the real art of our time consists primarily in making more noise than people of any age before us. Already in 1952, Max Picard, in "The World of Silence" -- the best book ever written about the subject -- made the same point.

Rush Limbaugh's recent, despicable three-day attack against law student Sandra Fluke cast a spotlight on a national campaign by Republicans to turn back the clock on 50 years of progress on women's health issues. But his attacks were not the first attempt to silence Ms. Fluke and the voices of millions of women like her. Two weeks earlier, I had requested Ms. Fluke's testimony at a hearing before the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on a rule announced by the Obama administration to require employer health insurance to cover contraceptives.

The president of the Anne Arundel County branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People on Monday night called for the County Council to investigate allegations that the county executive compiled an "enemies list" of his political foes. Jacqueline Boone Allsup, president of the NAACP, told the council the allegations are "disheartening," and admonished them for not acting. "The silence of the County Council is unacceptable," said Allsup. County Executive John R. Leopold, a Republican, was indicted this month and charged with four counts of misconduct in office and one count of misappropriation of county funds.

The Charlottesville jury recommended a sentence of 26 years for George Huguely V for the murder of Yeardley Love. Ms. Love's village continues to mourn her death; Mr. Huguely's village is mortified and silent. The phrase "It takes a village to raise a child" has been overused to the point of triteness, but there remains an important truth in it: Our children are raised as much by our neighbors, friends, family and teachers as they are by us. When our children succeed, the village succeeds; when our children fail, the village looks left and right and wonders what it could have done differently.

As a psychologist who works with parents, students, and school districts I think we have to keep talking about bullying like you did in your article ("Despite the law, too many schools fail to take bullying seriously," Dec. 27). The saying out of sight is out of mind certainly applies. We don't need another tragedy to happen before we try to find solutions. The last 30 years I have seen an increase in bullying and violence, and treating these problems doesn't happen overnight, but it can happen.

Remember that awkward silence that fell across the nation back in '94 when Bill Clinton's surgeon general used the M-word? Jocelyn Elders, speaking at an AIDS conference at the U.N. about reducing the risk of sexually transmitted disease, said that masturbation "is part of human sexuality, and perhaps it should be taught. " Mr. Clinton, rather than defend frank, honest talk about sexuality at the national level and condemn its opposite, caved under the weight of the gasps and titters and fired Dr. Elders, explaining that the outspoken surgeon general's comments reflected "differences with administration policy and my own convictions.

Elie Wiesel once famously wrote, "We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. " Sadly, as we learned again this week at Penn State University, silence among leadership and those in authority empowered an alleged child abuser. Certainly the crime of sexual child abuse turns our community and causes outrage that continues to make us question whom we leave our vulnerable loved ones with. At Baltimore Child Abuse Center we see over 900 children annually right here in Baltimore.

WASHINGTON - I was surprised, but hardly shocked, to hear that President Bush all but admitted to illicit drug use during a conversation that was secretly taped. I am only disappointed by the sleazy way the disclosure was disclosed and by the president's reluctance to set the record straight. Like many of the rest of us parents, he says in the tape that he doesn't want to talk about any of his alleged past drug indiscretions because he doesn't want youngsters to do the same. Unfortunately, experience shows, silence is a self-defeating way to discourage kids from drug use. In case you missed it, Mr. Bush suggests on the tapes that were recorded when he was the governor of Texas that he smoked marijuana in the past.

THE CAMPAIGN cash of the National Rifle Association has done its job. It has bought silence. It has been more than a week since it was revealed that former President Bush had renounced his membership in the NRA. Mr. Bush was outraged at a fund-raising letter that likened federal agents to Nazi soldiers.Eight days ago, Mr. Bush continued his attack on the NRA tactics. He told graduates of the College of William and Mary, "We all ought to speak up against the excesses of these crazy people who put [law enforcement officers]

Each morning, Monday through Friday, I'll hook you up with reading material to skim through as you slug down coffee and slack off at the start of your workday -- that way I'll have an excuse to do the same at the start of mine.     Running it back: The Ravens set a franchise record with three defensive touchdowns on their way to a 34-17 victory over the overmatched Jets . Joe Flacco threw 12 straight incompletions at one point and did not complete a pass in the second or third quarter . ... Tom Zbikowski suffered a concussion . ... Back in Baltimore this weekend, Rafael Palmeiro maintained that he never knowingly used steroids . ... After pulling away in the second half against Towson over the weekend, the Maryland football team is now focused on Saturday's game at Georgia Tech . Hitting the links: 1. Mike Preston hopes the Ravens learned a lesson [ Baltimore Sun ]

The decision to part ways with tight end Todd Heap elicited questions about the ability of Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta to succeed Heap. Those questions continue to linger, but perhaps not as prominent as they did in the preseason. Dickson led the Ravens in receptions with five, for 59 yards and one touchdown, while Pitta caught two passes for 45 yards in Sunday's 35-7 pasting of the Pittsburgh Steelers. After the game, Dickson could've used part of his interview to rail at critics, but he declined to take the bait.