LETTERS

MAN OF THE YEAR

"David Da-i Ho and the other indefatigable HIV stalkers cannot possibly receive all the credit they deserve. They are real heroes." JOSEPH P. BARRI Milton, Massachusetts

I applaud your choice of David Da-i Ho as TIME's Man of the Year [Dec. 30-Jan. 6]. If his research into treating AIDS proves successful, he will be known as one of the greatest men of this century. It amazes me how far we as a society have come from the days of a gay-related disease (Hush, let's not talk about AIDS) to having on TIME's cover the man who brought about a medical breakthrough in its treatment. DEAN SMITH Vancouver, British Columbia

Dr. David who? DAN PAULSON Spokane, Washington

At first I was a bit shocked and skeptical of your choice of Dr. Ho. Little did I know then what this incredible scientist has accomplished. After reading your lengthy but eye-opening report on his progress in treating the dreaded AIDS virus, I realized the importance of his work. You could have taken the easy way out and selected Bill Clinton or some other highly publicized politician as your Man of the Year; instead you rewarded a person who could really make a difference in our lives. DAVE CATANESE, age 17 Washington, New Jersey

You showed incredible arrogance in choosing Ho as Man of the Year. You effectively ignored 70 years of TIME's commitment to select the most significant newsmaker of the year. I simply reject the view that Ho is a Man of the Year in the mold of Churchill, F.D.R., Gorbachev and even Hitler. The AIDS story was not a significant issue this year, and Ho was an unknown personality until anointed by TIME. JONATHAN MORSTEIN Annandale, Virginia

Finally! You picked a true hero as Man of the Year. Never mind the politicians and assorted celebrities of the day who will soon be forgotten. Dr. Ho typifies the courage and perseverance that make America great. STEPHEN F. ATON Springfield, Missouri

My son David Barison died Jan. 1, 1995. He was only 30 years old. I wish he had been alive to see your choice for Man of the Year. David was one of the fortunate ones: he had a loving family, devoted friends and the best that medicine could offer at the time. But see how in less than two years there is at least a glimmer of hope. The media attention your choice will generate can only help the AIDS community. Without this attention it is easy to forget that much of the vigor, talent and genius of a generation has been lost. Our lives have been diminished, and so has society at large. We miss David every day, but at least now I know that someone else cares too. GAIL BARISON Springfield, New Jersey

The story of Dr. Ho showed how the creativity and intelligence of a young scientist can benefit the world. However, Ho's patients may still transmit AIDS. We can only hope that one day they will be pronounced "cured" or shown to be incapable of infecting others. KAMOLDEJ SANGUANKEO Bangkok

After 15 years of AIDS research, there is light on the horizon, and scientists like David Ho are helping us move toward it. I do not want to tell my kids that "AIDS is an evil illness, and everybody can get it." I want to tell them that "AIDS was a big problem in the past." JOHANNES BOCK, age 18 Forchheim, Germany

In Ho's work there's little creativity and discovery. It's just work, work and more work. ALDO PUGIOTTO Lachine, Quebec

Dr. Ho has developed a $20,000-a-year antiviral drug therapy that leads to early resistance to AIDS. But this is just one more example of how something is benefiting the wealthy few while the need to work for the greater good is overshadowed. Pat the guy on the back, and let's get back to work preventing HIV transmission among populations that couldn't dream of spending up to 20 grand. AAMIR JAVED KHAN Aga Khan University Karachi

Although Ho's protease-inhibitor "cocktail" is a springboard for hope in the war against AIDS, some people may unfortunately start to believe the pandemic is history. Not only can less than 1% of the HIV-infected population worldwide get access to the high-priced treatment, it may also prove ineffective in late cases of full-blown AIDS. Fanatical faith in the proposed cocktail could lead to further complications in the battle against HIV. Right now we need to be armed not only with the physiological remedies but also with a spiritual infrastructure. Call it spiritual healing, shamanism, palliative care or psychological coping, it remains a vital component of the cocktail. ADEL ISKANDAR Halifax, Nova Scotia

I first met David Ho when I was a third-year medical student at UCLA rotating on internal medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. I've followed his career in the media since then, mostly because of his care of basketball star Magic Johnson. Ho does not seem to have aged at all in 15 years. I've met many talented and smart physicians in my professional life--but none brighter than he. He is the only person I know who deserves to be called a human encyclopedia. TERRENCE K. TRAPP, M.D. Salinas, California

By the time the newest AIDS medications become available even to rich patients, most of today's 23 million sufferers will be dead, and many millions more will be yearning for a cure. But there are low-tech measures available now that can save millions of lives, even before a vaccine is found. Education, literacy and social justice will make the world's poor less susceptible to infection. Even the self-interested West cannot afford to sit back and watch the number of infected climb while scientists seek medical solutions. Rich nations have to contribute to prevention efforts throughout the world right now. SUSAN SAPPIR Jerusalem

NEWT IN THE HOT SEAT

Newt Gingrich by his own admission violated the ethics of the U.S. House of Representatives and filed false statements [NATION, Dec. 30-Jan. 6]. But who would ever disqualify someone with these flaws from being the Speaker? LARRY HEALD Mississauga, Ontario

In regard to L'Affaire Newt, I would say, "Mr. Speaker, people who work in crass Houses shouldn't throw stones." CHARLES J. HUEBNER Harbor Springs, Michigan

BONUS CUPS RUNNETH OVER

Your story about the sizable year-end bonuses paid out by Wall Street brokerage and investment-banking firms to key employees [BUSINESS, Dec. 30-Jan. 6] blew me away. Despite the fact that their earnings underperformed Standard & Poor's 500 stock index, many Wall Street firms still gave out lavish sums of money. Your article mentioned that top traders and bankers at firms like Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch "will pocket $5 million" apiece. When will Mr. Average American wake up and see the extent to which he is being ripped off? And what will it take to make this industry compete like others? Do we have to invoke Congress to pass laws that will protect us from robbery? How else can this be described? JOHN A. PETERSON Orinda, California

These Wall Street workers create and produce nothing. Instead of calling them "bulls," wouldn't it be more accurate to refer to them as "steers"? LARRY PETREA Greensboro, North Carolina

INSUFFICIENT RECOGNITION

It seems to me that the life and accomplishments of scientist Carl Sagan deserved much more than the few inches you allotted to the news of his death [MILESTONES, Dec. 30-Jan. 6]. You have trivialized the passing of this intellectual giant, who will be greatly missed by his colleagues and admirers. Shame on you! IDA J. IPE Youngstown, Ohio

DEVOTION TO MARY

It was surprising that your otherwise comprehensive article on Mary [RELIGION, Dec. 23] failed to mention a central affirmation of Christian liturgy and belief for countless religious people, namely the Magnificat. To quote from Luke 1: "And Mary said ... For behold, henceforth, all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me ... He has put down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of low degree." In a world with a deep chasm between the rich and the poor, this biblical witness of Mary's song of praise becomes ever more important. (The Rev.) WILSON T. BOOTS Cochabamba, Bolivia

THE FRANKEL MURDERS

There were some factual errors in your article "The Chairman of Virtue Inc.," about Bill Bennett and the success of his campaign for better moral values in America [NATION, Sept. 16]. Your story said Bennett was at the home of our parents Charles and Helen Frankel in 1979 on the day prior to their murders. He was not. You described the residence as a "mansion"; it was a seven-room ranch house. And finally, the burglars who committed the murders were not "found to have been high on amphetamines." Drug use was never implicated as a factor in the crime. SUSAN FRANKEL HUNTER Carl Frankel Kingston, New York

CORRECTION

In our review of Walter Mosley's Gone Fishin', the original in his series featuring black hero Easy Rawlins [BOOKS, Jan. 20], we said the publication of Mosley's Devil in a Blue Dress had been aided by the commercial success of Terry McMillan's novel Waiting to Exhale. Waiting to Exhale was published in 1992, two years after Devil in a Blue Dress appeared.