Letters

Camelot Lives!

Your cover story "Camelot Lives" was truly inspiring [THE NEW KENNEDYS, Aug. 13]. It is nice to know that the Kennedys are still focusing on the important issues in the world--poverty, AIDS, mental disability and protecting the environment. I hope more of the New Kennedys will run for office and all those running now win big! ROSEANNA WHITESIDE Birmingham, Ala.

A view of the activities of the third generation of the Kennedy family validates Karl Marx's famous aphorism [regarding Napoleon and his nephew Louis Napoleon]: "Hegel remarks somewhere that all great world-historic facts and personages appear, so to speak, twice. He forgot to add: the first time as tragedy, the second time as farce." HASKELL ROSENBERG Pittsford, N.Y.

The Kennedy-family members are part of our American tapestry. God bless them--foibles, faults and political fame. JEAN DOUGHERTY Chicago

Americans would be wise to reject utterly the Kennedys' past legacies and present activities, along with their future ambitions, and look for political leaders with a firm moral compass and a record of advocating and supporting policies that work and that empower individuals. BERT CHAPMAN Lafayette, Ind.

It's nice to see the young Kennedys living off lucrative trust funds and working hard to initiate government programs that will hit the wallets of hard-working people like me. WILLIAM G. EUBANK Houston

Giving the Kennedys a free forum to market their political ambitions means that the playing field is not level. Elections are won on name recognition and publicity, not necessarily on qualifications. Would Mark Shriver be mentioned in your magazine if he were Mark Jones making his first run at a House seat? You have given him exposure and apparent credibility he could never buy. JOHN A. YERRICK Bethesda, Md.

I have been a Kennedy-family fan for four decades, but that Kennedy sense of entitlement has always bothered me. While only a cynic would question the family's commitment to public service, I wonder why no second- or third-generation Kennedy has begun his or her career at the city or county level. STACY HARRIS Nashville, Tenn.

I am embarrassed and a bit repelled by my fascination with the Kennedys' mostly shallow legacy. MICHELLE FRYOU Baton Rouge, La.

--"Is it just me, or are there other people ready to self-destruct if they see one more article or TV special about the Kennedys?" a reader queried testily. Many of you chimed in with similar thoughts. "America's enchantment with the Kennedy family is just celebrity worship," snapped a Fishkill, N.Y., reader. "Camelot ended with Chappaquiddick." From Kansas came this tart observation: "One of these days, TIME (and the East Coast media as a whole) will realize that 99.99% of the rest of the world does not share its idiotic obsession with the Kennedys." And from a Michigan man, this final shot: "When will our fascination with these third-rate Borgias come to an end?"

Power and Elegance

Who needs the Kennedys? Have they done any good for anyone? They are trying to influence the world because they inherited power [THE NEW KENNEDYS, Aug. 13]. At least Joe, the founding father, created wealth. His character and background have been discussed in detail, so we know who he really was. I cannot doubt the good intentions of the younger Kennedys, but I would ask them all to go home or go to work, like real people do. MANUEL BLANCO Santiago

J.F.K. was a glamorous statesman. If his brother Robert Kennedy had not been killed, he would have become the 37th President of the U.S. and would have brought about a different perspective on U.S. relations with other world powers. Jacqueline Kennedy was an American princess and queen who had both American and European elegance. Camelot lives and is immortal! KIICHI OBARA Tokyo

What Went Wrong?

Hats off to TIME for the article about what has gone wrong with assisted-living centers [TIME IN DEPTH, Aug. 13]. I have dealt with one of the companies mentioned for more than two years. I strongly believe that assisted living needs to be regulated. I would like to see a paradigm shift in the way we think about our frail elderly. They should not be depicted as "just too sick or too needy." They have the right to live the remainder of their lives in a comfortable and dignified way. JUDITH A. KIERNAN Medford, N.J.

You will probably be hearing from assisted-living representatives who argue that any increase in oversight will convert these facilities into sterile, uncaring medical institutions. But good care and a pleasant ambiance are not mutually exclusive, as the best nursing homes and assisted-living facilities demonstrate daily. The real danger to assisted-living establishments is not from regulation but from the predictable disasters that occur when vulnerable residents are left in the care of inadequately trained employees. ERIC CARLSON National Senior Citizens Law Center Los Angeles

There is no substitute for family or friends looking in on a resident of an assisted-living facility as often as possible, preferably daily. If staff is available, that resident tends to get better service. DONALD R. KLEIN Yonkers, N.Y.

I have just completed three years working for a well-known assisted-living company. The knowledge I gained there will serve me well. Every facility differs in terms of caring for its residents. In surveying facilities, you should know what the current regulations in your state do and do not require in terms of licensed staff and daily care. Assisted living is a wonderful alternative for those families and residents who understand the management of risk. The better communities are dynamic and comfortable and have a mindful staff that works diligently to serve residents and families alike. The consumer needs a consistent standard within the industry in terms of resident care and employee recruitment and training. LINDA M. HOLMAN Alamo, Calif.

Assisted living appeals to seniors and their families because it focuses on choice, autonomy and independence. As you noted, most assisted-living customers are satisfied. The profession is striving for ways to ensure consistent quality and avoid the types of negative occurrences you described without jeopardizing those qualities that make it so popular with many seniors. Simply handing oversight to Washington bureaucrats will only produce another ineffective punitive regulatory system that focuses on process and paperwork rather than the needs of consumers. I would encourage your readers to request a copy of our free assisted-living consumer guide by calling 1-800-628-8140 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. E.T. DAVID KYLLO, VICE PRESIDENT National Center for Assisted Living Washington

Your coverage of assisted living was very comprehensive, with one exception: if there is any suspicion of abuse or neglect, families should contact the state department of social services and file a complaint. In North Carolina, there is a division for the elderly called adult services, and complaints can be anonymous if there is fear of retaliation against the loved one. The department protects the elderly, and legally, we are all obligated to report any form of abuse or neglect. GABRIELLE M. THOMPSON Marion, N.C

Every state has laws and regulations on the books that when properly enforced can help guard against the disturbing episodes you described. But laws and regulations are no substitute for informed consumers. Prospective residents and their families should demand and use information from facilities and other sources when choosing an assisted-living facility. Assisted living can be a very positive experience, offering privacy and independence while providing needed help. WILLIAM L. (LARRY) MINNIX JR. PRESIDENT AND CEO American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging Washington

Great Experience

Having spent nearly two months hospitalized for three major abdominal surgeries, I can identify with Garrison Keillor and his description of his slow recovery from major surgery [ESSAY, Aug. 13]. When we do survive an operation and undergo a long recovery process, we realize how truly wonderful life is. Our selective thinking processes alter in deciding what is important and what is not. We learn to live with what we have, even if it is not what we want. These are revelations that make the hospital experience almost worthwhile. I compare it with my military service when I was drafted during the Korean War: great experience, wouldn't have missed it for the world, would never want to do it again. Keillor, keep up the good work and spirit. I shall endeavor to do the same. HENRY ADLER New York City

A Safe Flight

We would like to correct the damaging charges made against Evergreen Air Center Inc. by Airfreight Express of London in your article [BUSINESS, Aug. 13] about aircraft repair and maintenance. AFX's charges against us are false. Every flaw identified in the AFX lawsuit was discussed, resolved and accepted by that firm before the plane in question was delivered. AFX issued a flight certificate and placed its aircraft in service and would not have done that if there had been any issues of safety. Evergreen has always paid the utmost attention to quality workmanship that ensures the safety and reliability of every aircraft that leaves our facility. The lawsuit against us is about money, not safety. Our company has been in the business of repairing aircraft for 26 years and has a long record of outstanding quality, successfully serving many of the nation's leading passenger and cargo carriers. As you pointed out, the company has never been implicated in a major crash. TREVOR VAN HORN, PRESIDENT Evergreen Air Center Inc. Marana, Ariz.

Airlines claim to want the best maintenance for their planes, but they are unwilling to pay for it. For almost 40 years, I have been in aircraft maintenance as a mechanic and a manager with airlines and repair stations. The experience level of mechanics at repair stations is low, in part because of poor wages and inferior benefits. Airlines demand fixed-price "estimates," which repair-station management provides (despite often not knowing the condition of the plane). Inexperienced inspectors at repair stations are put under tremendous pressure to hurry their inspections, and this leads to a failure to find conditions that should be uncovered. Airlines play one repair station against another to get the best price, and the repairers make promises they cannot keep. In the end, airlines get what they pay for. NAME WITHHELD ON REQUEST Dallas

Presidents on Parade

Margaret Carlson got it right: President Bush should review a tape of Clinton opening his office in Harlem to see how to rev up enthusiasm among Americans [PUBLIC EYE, Aug. 13]. We could all probably learn a few things about communicating by studying Clinton's style. But the enthusiastic reception for Clinton is based on far more than his body language and speaking skills. We love him because he worked for policies that benefit the great majority of Americans. If Clinton were still President, tough campaign-finance and health-care reform legislation would be the law of the land instead of languishing in Congress because of presidential opposition. The more Clinton speaks out about the important issues of the day, the better off we all will be. Bring him on! Repeal the 22nd Amendment! HORACE BARKER Hixson, Texas

Clinton does nothing without the press, hype and a dog-and-pony show. You couldn't tell by his body language, but Harlem was his second choice. Bush doesn't need any lessons from Clinton. Texas is a lovely state, and the heat is just part of its character. Bush loves his state, his home and his wife, and he doesn't mind spending time with them. Everyone should vacation in Texas. OLIVIA M. BANNAN Richmond, Texas

Correction

Andrew Ferguson's commentary on the Kennedys [VIEWPOINT, Aug. 13] mistakenly noted that the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation oversees the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston. It does not. The Kennedy Library is one of 10 presidential libraries that are operated by the National Archives and Records Administration, a federal agency. The Kennedy Library Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization that supports the library and helps it conduct a wide range of public educational programs.