That Kid Brother

To the Editors:

It is unthinkable that this country would allow its attention to be diverted from the crucial issues generated by an election year and focus instead on the shenanigans of the President's foolish brother [Aug. 4].

Marcia Montesinos Marietta, Ga.

It's a shame Presidents can't put their brothers in a blind trust the way they do their businesses.

Floye Jackson San Jose, Calif.

Anyone who finds it hard to believe that the President "can't control Billy" doesn't have a brother or sister.

Anne Quinn Ulseth Minneapolis

The politicians may dub it Billygate, but poor Jimmy ends up being the Billy goat.

Charles G. Gessner Knoxville, Tenn.

Billy hasn't disgraced the White House and the country; Jimmy has already taken care of that.

Brett J. Robinson Fort Collins, Colo.

Does Ronald Reagan also have a brother?

Gene Kearns Winter Park, Fla.

Yes. Older Brother Neil, 71, a retired advertising executive now living near San Diego. He has never caused any political embarrassment for Ronald.

Olympian View

I concur with Roger Rosenblatt's Essay on the intimate relationship between politics and sport in the Olympic Games [Aug. 4]. But I regret the omission of any reference to the wealthy and flamboyant

Athenian politician Alcibiades. He had entered seven teams in the chariot race of the 416 B.C. Olympics. Accused of personal extravagance, Alcibiades pointed out that his winning of first, second and fourth places served to convince Athens' enemies that the city was "even greater than it really is because of the splendid show I made as its representative." Certainly a familiar ring there.

Bruce Macbain, Professor

Boston University

Boston

You say the connection between morality and sport, and politics and sport has never been in doubt. It may be true that mixing politics and sport may be historical and even inevitable--that does not make it morally acceptable.

Glyn Davis Sydney

How ironic: the vanquished nations of World War II chose to support the U.S. Olympic boycott, whereas those nations for whom so much was sacrificed, Britain and France, decided to go on to Moscow and relive the folly of their pre-World War II acquiescence.

Tarns B. Myhowych Rochester

Not only was the American boycott a gift to Soviet propaganda but it will also allow Misha to boast, "I finally scared them off."

George Driras Athens

You indicate that the boycott is "honorable" while extensively reporting the Olympic results. How can the media's freedom to report the Olympics be greater than our athletes' rights to participate in them?

Stuart F. Winikoff Pittsburgh

Participating in an event may or may not be honorable. Ignoring what is taking place would be bad journalism.

The Shah's Death

The Shah's end may have been "far from princely" [Aug. 4], but the last chapter will be best remembered for the noble gesture of Sadat, who has set an example for all the world.

Renelon Rebello Dusseldorf, West Germany

Would the Shah have died any sooner if he had gone home and faced the music?

Gordon Whatley Verdun, Que.

Reagan's Sincerity

You do Governor Reagan a great disservice [July 28]. I am an actor of some years' experience and I assure you that Reagan was completely sincere in his acceptance speech. He was not acting, and even as a Democrat I was most moved.

Keenan Wynn Los Angeles

It is ironic that Reagan quoted Thomas Paine because he will be inflicting Pain on Americans if he becomes President.

Merrick Shor Chicago

Pain in the Back

The brief but generally accurate references to the chiropractic profession in your cover story, "That Aching Back!" [July 14] are appreciated, but chiropractic is more than "manipulation."

Practitioners consider man as an integrated being, but give special attention to spinal mechanics, musculoskeletal, neurological, vascular, nutritional and environmental relationships. The profession has not espoused the monocausal theory that "illnesses can usually be traced to misalignments in the spinal column" for many years.

Edwin Kenrick, D.C., President

American Chiropractic Association

Des Moines

While I did indeed say that "so far, there is no scientific evidence that manipulation is better for a [back] patient than whistling Dixie" this comment by itself could be easily misunderstood. Permit me to add that the innumerable reports of favorable results from manipulation by skilled clinicians and grateful patients demand that this therapy be scientifically evaluated. In fact, such testimonials must be considered the preliminary evidence for suggesting the timeliness of a properly designed clinical trial of manipulation.

Murray Goldstein, D.O., M.P.H.

Deputy Director, National Institute of

Neurological and Communicative

Disorders and Stroke

Bethesda, Md.

Herpes' Human Side

Your article on herpes simplex [July 28], while accurate insofar as the clinical experience of the disease is concerned, presented an overly pessimistic portrayal of its human dimensions. Certainly having herpes is annoying and at times inconvenient; but to suggest that incessant guilt, shame, depression and suicidal feelings are anything more than exceptions --rare exceptions--is to emphasize the exceptions at the expense of the rule.

American Social Carla F. Hines Samuel R. Knox

Health Association Palo Alto, Calif.

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