What We Are

To the Editors:

The energy crisis [May 2] affords Americans a priceless, if sad opportunity for self-awareness. Priceless, in that we shall find out once and for all whether there is anything in American life stronger than vulgar materialism and mindless hedonism. Sad, in that there are few reasons to trust that in the struggle for energy, justice will prevail over selfish vested interest. But at least we'll all see ourselves for what we really are. Norman Ravitch Grenoble, France

Not only will I not enlist, I may desert.

Brian A. Marriott

Huntington Beach, Calif.

The nearest village is six miles away; the closest supermarket is 28. My car is not a toy--it is a life support. But I would grimace and agree to the proposed gasoline tax if all revenue were used solely for the development of new sources of energy. But when the breeder-reactor program is scrapped, when a hydroelectric dam cannot be built in order to preserve the lousewort, the crisis seems just another means of taxing and depleting our greatest natural resource, the citizens of the U.S.

Let Mr. Carter use what we have, develop what we need, or let him tell it to --and tax--the lousewort.

Sheilah Burgers

Washington, Va.

Cries of outrage should greet the President's blatant grab for more power; instead, we sagely nod our heads and agree that we must sacrifice for the good of the state. Rather than demanding the repeal of the energy price controls that caused the crisis, we blindly resolve to give the Government even more authority over our lives. This is war--war against our liberty--and we are surrendering without firing a shot!

Jeff Friedman

Northbrook, Ill.

We can save millions of gallons of gasoline simply by stopping the busing of children into other school districts.

Jasper M. Rowland

Akron

Giving a Hoot

The majority of us in Hinsdale [May 2] are aware that we must conserve energy and we'll learn to do so. If Patricia Delaney had looked closely, she would have noticed that the majority of children bike to school and around the village. It is also common to see numerous bikers riding to and from the train and grocery-shopping in our local supermarkets.

Please, Ms. Delaney, don't give the impression that Hinsdalians are self-in-dulgents who don't give a hoot about conservation ... We care!

Mona L. Meagher

Hinsdale, III.

Hinsdale! Village of my childhood, village of my father, my aunts and uncles, my grandparents; village physically an idyl, socially a snakepit of ostentation and hypocrisy. Place from which I and my seven cousins and all our friends fled as soon as we were able; where once my father's friend won a golden Cadillac at an American Legion Fourth of July carnival and moved to a better part of town to keep up with his car. To see a page devoted to Hinsdale in TIME!

I have been wondering what Hinsdale thought about Carter and energy, as if I didn't know: there, where worth is evaluated by the size of the car, the number (in my day) of cashmere sweaters the girls owned, if Dad let you drive the Cadillac to high school. Where three years ago every kid in town seemed to own a Schwinn bicycle-built-for-two. Yes, lovely Hinsdale will pay for energy rather than conserve it. Status, you know. And the rest of us will pay for the Hinsdales of the country.

Patricia Chambers Porter

Alexandria, Va.

A Way of Life

What person has the right to say homosexuality is wrong? Certainly not Anita Bryant [May 2] or even a judge for that matter. It is a way of living, a way of life that has been around as long as mankind. So now it finally comes out into the open, and it's about time.

Adele Comeau

Burlington, Vt.

Homosexuality means the same thing today as it meant in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah--and God has not changed his judgment of it. He condemned it then, and he condemns it today. If individuals allow it to continue in their lives, they will be judged without mercy just as the inhabitants of those two cities were.

Malloy C. Nagy

Pharr, Texas

One of the indications of the everlasting strength of Christianity is its ability to withstand the damage done to it by the Anita Bryants of this world.

Dale F. Miller

Norfolk

The Hesburgh Riddle

A familiar riddle at Notre Dame runs, "What is the difference between God and Father Hesburgh [May 2]?" The answer is "God is everywhere; Father Hesburgh is everywhere but Notre Dame." Though some students here are quick to assert that Father Hesburgh's abundant activity elsewhere denotes a lack of concern over what happens at Notre Dame, the vast majority feel as I do: that Hesburgh merely is the main proponent of the activist philosophy that epitomizes the campus in general.

In response to the riddle, however, I must confess that most students are willing to concede a bit more difference between Father Ted and God. As for me, I find considerably less difference in Hesburgh than in any other man I've ever met.

Gregory Solman

Notre Dame, Ind.

Father Ted gets my vote. Hesburgh for Pope.

Maureen J. Cerny

Seven Hills, Ohio

Terror in Argentina

"Argentina's military government has brought the country from paralysis to the edge of hope," writes Barry Hillenbrand [April 11], an assertion based on interviews with business leaders and members of the junta. Hillenbrand tells us nothing about what the millions of Argentine workers think. He quotes not one of the more than 10,000 political prisoners, and not a single relative of those hundreds who have "disappeared." Nor do we hear from any of the other thousands of victims of Videla's military dictatorship, which rules by terror--kidnaping, torture and murder.

Edge of hope? For whom?

Margaret J. and David E. Lilienthal Jr.

Florence

To Maul Students

In light of your report on the Supreme Court's decision not to regard physical punishment of schoolchildren by teachers as a violation of the Eighth Amendment [May 2], I can see that we Americans who pride ourselves on our civilization are still several steps removed from it. While the majority of teachers may be good, patient and dedicated, the profession does have its sadists, and it is appalling that they should be given legal carte blanche to maul their students.

Sister Margaret Whiteneck

Marriotsville, Md.

My question is this: Where does a teacher learn how to mete out physical punishment properly? I will make sure my children's instructors have had good training.

David G. Mclntosh

Dallas

The Supreme Court decision to allow the use of the paddle in the public schools was not a victory for teachers. It was a victory for every American child, who has a right to expect an opportunity to get an education in an orderly environment free from disruption and chaos.

Alan A. Harders

Fort Worth

Tsetse Scourge

The only thing that stands between the magnificent wild animals of Africa and their final annihilation is what you call the tsetse scourge [April 25]. If stupid men find the means of eradicating trypanosomiasis, even stupider men and their dumb cattle will destroy the remaining elephants, lions and tigers, who are naturally immune. And inexorably, the men will overpopulate and the cattle overgraze the land until a new equilibrium is reached. But the great wild animals will be extinct. One man's scourge is another man's blessing.

W. Lawrence Wilde, M.D.

Belmont, Mass.

Dynamic Veterinarians

The burgeoning demand for good veterinary education in the U.S. [April 18] may be the result of a "back-to-basics, return-to-the-land ethos." Even so, I was surprised at the narrow perspective you take of this dynamic and growing profession. Although you allude to the involvement of veterinarians in research, you overlook their involvement in a broad range of public health activities.

It is true that 70% of all U.S. veterinarians are in private community practice--about 40% working with food-producing animals and 30% with companion animals--yet one-fourth of all veterinarians are engaged in other health-related matters. Indeed, there are hundreds of diseases, including bovine tuberculosis, salmonellosis, psittacosis, rabies and ringworm, which are directly transmissible from animals to people. Tufts University has been successful in obtaining $10 million in federal funds to build the first veterinary school in New England. Unlike any other professional school in the country, it would enlist the participation of each of the region's six state governments in collaboration with this university.

Jean Mayer, President

Tufts University

Medford, Mass.

Promoting Hysteria

In your article on recombinant DNA [April 18] your reporter quoted me as saying: "Those who claim we are letting loose an Andromeda strain are either hysterics or are trying to wreck a whole new field of research." My actual view is this: "Claims about letting loose an Andromeda strain are promoting public hysteria and may wreck a whole new field of research."

You may regard this distinction as a quibble, but I think a person being quoted should have the right to decide whether he wishes to criticize his colleagues for the consequences of their actions or for their motivation.

Bernard D. Davis

Harvard Medical School

Boston

That Tragic Nixon Face

I was shocked to see the cover showing that tragic-looking face of Nixon's [May 9]. Couldn't we please bury Watergate and not resurrect it again?

Watergate was just an example of high-level political skulduggery, and probably a lot more like it has taken place without ever having been brought to light. If all the dirty political pots were to call the kettles black, we'd have quite an array of messy kitchen ware.

I think Nixon has paid enough for his errors, as his truly tragic expression reveals. I therefore suggest that we now leave the man in peace.

Heyward G. Hill

Athens, Greece

Richard Nixon is still acting in the role of a sharp lawyer defending a criminal. The public, whom he admits he has let down, will not be deceived again.

Deck Grouse

Florissant, Mo.

After listening to Richard Nixon's own version of his Watergate involvement, I almost began to pity him. But then I forced myself to reflect on the massive scandal surrounding his presidency and the disgraceful nature of his actions, and I knew Immediately that I must never allow myself to tolerate the man whose conduct bred nationwide distrust and confusion. You see, I too have to carry that burden with me for the rest of my life.

Audrey Ziss

Burlington, Vt.

I'm no Nixon fan. I found myself doubting him even when he was telling the truth. It seems to me, however, that we've made our point and we should get off his case. It's not worth my time to carry around the pain and the bitterness, so I've forgiven the guy. I think that he knows what he did and that he'll never, ever forget it. That's good enough for me.

Jay Vinton

Tucson, Ariz.

Think what a heavy burden would be lifted from everyone, particularly Nixon, if he could just bring himself to say, "I'm sorry." Those simple words are the only thing that can truly put Watergate behind us.

William E. Robertson Jr.

Cambridge, Mass.

The rungs in Richard Nixon's ladder to success were made of human beings. After listening to his answers the other night, I feel certain he would like to construct another such ladder.

Paul Hurt

Melbourne, Fla.

Give 'em hell, Nixon!

Art Van Geloof

Corona, Calif.

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