As a victims' advocate for Mothers Against Drunk Driving and onbehalf of our members killed or injured from this violent crime, Ithink the $1-a-week settlement in the Susan Herzog case isappropriate and not at all vengeful or unforgiving.
Drunken driving death is still the only socially acceptable formof murder in America. Drunken drivers, who chose to disobey ourlaws, ignore our rules for survival and send 2,000 victims everymonth to their graves, are routinely sentenced to probation orcommunity service as an alternative to jail.
This lenient sentence does not assuage the victims or theirfamilies, nor does it deter this crime. Victims and their familiesdo not want revenge, only justice. The crime of DUI, involvingreckless homicide or serious injury, should not be a probationaloffense.
After someone we love is senselessly killed by a drunken driver,we still remember them, on every warm, sunny morning, on every lovelystarry night, every birthday, every holiday and every ordinary momentof our lives. Only our deaths will end the pain from their deaths,for us.
The people killed . . . will always be dead, the family of thedead . . . will always miss them and the drunken driver . . . willalways be the killer.
But we live in a society that looks for a quick fix. After acouple of months probation, our criminal justice system allowsdrunken drivers to put the past behind them, to forget about it . . .because it was just a bad mistake and too painful to recall.
I feel the contract making a drunken driver pay a $1 a week foras many years as his victim lived, is a very creative and effectivepunishment. At least one drunken driver will remember that his"mistake" instantly killed a girl in a blue Volkswagen and will allowhim to share the pain, for only 18 years, that her family must sufferfor the rest of their lives. Joan J. Messenger, vice president, MADD North Suburban Branch, Arlington Heights Lack of support
Isn't it amazing that Lithuania is fighting to become a free,democratic nation, with almost non-existent support from PresidentBush, and he in turn tells the National Association of Broadcastersto "stand for freedom" for TV Marti? Ramune M. Miglinas, Chicago Lawn Sensible column
While I am not usually a fan of Judy Markey, I feel I mustrespond to Kathy Szydagis' letter of March 27. My advice to Ms.Szydagis is "read with understanding."
In her column of March 20, Markey did not conclude that poorpeople are unsafe drivers. She stated there is no current accidentdata of car phone users since its recent lower cost has made it moreaffordable for many more people to own one.
The only data available is the old 1985 information which isslanted because, as she pointed out, only the rich could afford themin their chauffeur-driven cars.
If Ms. Szydagis needs an indication of safety problems caused bycar phones, let her cruise Lake Shore Drive and watch phone usersveer over lanes as they try to negotiate the Oak Street curve, themodified "S" curve and the museum curves with one hand on thesteering wheel and the other either dialing the phone or holding thephone to their ear.
While talking to a passenger, drivers can keep their eyes on theroad and have the ability to keep two hands on the steering wheel.When dialing and talking on the phone, and in some cases, looking atpapers from a briefcase, it is impossible to do the same. Lloyd B. Idelman, Evanston Ultimate insult
As Mikhail Gorbachev's Red Army is terrorizing peacefulLithuania, we the U.S. taxpayers are filing our 1989 federal incometax returns.
I cannot escape the ultimate insult that some of my tax dollarswill be financing the purchase of subsidized wheat by the SovietUnion to feed the Red Army. Would not it make more sense to directour subsides elsewhere? Ervin Ruutelmann, Glen Ellyn Ironic stance
It is ironic that this country, which never recognized theannexation of the Baltic republics into the U.S.S.R., now refuses togrant diplomatic recognition to the free government of Lithuania.
This is not a civil war. Lithuania shook off its yoke andexpressed its determination to chart its own destiny and to rejointhe community of nations. She stands alone, resolute, facing heroppressor.
It was the democratic idealism that started the AmericanRevolution, and this revolution may have failed if France was notsupportive. And America had less reason to rebel than Lithuaniadoes.
Lithuania now holds this torch, and she holds it higher than itwas held before.
Don't let her drop it, President Bush. Acknowledge heraspirations by granting immediate diplomatic recognition. Joseph Svaras, Algonquin Needless bashing
In the matter of "Kick meat habit," a letter reporting that ittakes 2,500 gallons of water to produce a pound of meat: Not so.
A report by Paul Q. Guyer of the University of Nebraska shows adaily intake far less. Typically, a cow or steer during growthaverages a daily gain of three pounds. In Mr. Guyer's report allsorts of animals were considered (cows, nursing calves, bred-dry cowsand heifers, bulls, growing and finishing cattle) and related tovarious weight levels during production and to all months of the yearand the monthly mean temperatures.
The worst scenario insofar as water consumption is for a1,200-pound finishing cattle in July at an ambient temperature of 90degrees F. The average requirement is 23.0 gallons.
If one takes all the data for July, from a 400-pound animal to a1,200-pound finished steer, and assumes 30 days for each month'sstated requirements, we come up at worst, with less than 5,000gallons to produce 800 pounds gain over 12 months.
There is something to be said for conserving water, but it isalso fair to make certain that an industry that provides neededprotein is not needlessly bashed. B. A. Bannon Jr., Glenview Reasoning flaw
While respecting the opinions expressed by Ms. Judy I. Schneckein her March 9 letter "Kick meat habit," I kindly wish to point out aflaw in the reasoning.
While Ms. Schnecke is impressed by the book Diet for a NewAmerica by John Robbins, perhaps both of their judgments are notquite up to simple logic. The statistics quoted say it takes 2,500gallons of water to produce a pound of beef.
Based on my 25 years of experience as a cattleman who isresponsible for 3,600 head of cattle per year, one steer will gain anaverage three pounds of beef per day. If I take three pounds of gainx 2,500 gallons of water x eight pounds to the gallon, I would needto provide 60,000 pounds of water per day per animal.
Is this possible? Hell, no.
A 1,000-pound steer, in the hottest months of the year, willdrink an average of 20.5 gallons of water per day. This issufficient water to float a rubber ducky in your bathtub, butcertainly not a destroyer, as claimed. Vernon L. Schiller, Shamrock Beef Cattle Farm, McHenry More dangerous
It angers me to see the city announce that steel barriers arebeing installed on the north end of Lake Shore Drive. The south endis even more dangerous. The stretch of Lake Shore Drive between 57thand 51st is very dangerous! There are absolutely no barriers in thatarea. I say to you, Mayor Daley, spread out your money so that bothends of the drive get equal treatment. Regina Porter, Douglas Enhanced value
In the wake of recent church closings in Chicago, it isimportant for us to remember that this problem affects many people,and not just the members of the churches themselves.
Anyone who has driven through the city's neighborhoods knowsthat the best residential blocks are often those in close proximityto a church building. Can we expect this to remain the case afterthe church has been demolished? Beautiful churches can usually beassociated with higher property values in the immediate area, and mayeven help attract gentrification in some neighborhoods.
Landmark-quality church buildings enhance property values for atleast two reason: 1) they are attractive, visible buildings thatpeople like to associate with, and 2) they are neighborhood symbolsospiritual faith and community stability.
As a professional real estate consultant, and as a concernedcitizen, I urge two courses: 1) other interested parties besides thechurch should get involved, and 2) the churches themselves shouldwelcome this involvement.
Other interested parties should include developers, investors,neighborhood business and industry, community groups, and mostimportant, the city itself, which needs to protect its own tax base.
The Chicago archdiocese should invite outside help before simplycutting its losses . . . . This is not the time or place forseparation between church and state. Landmark church buildings arevitally linked to the social economic welfare of the neighborhoods. William Farina, Near North Side Not stirred
With biblical fire and brimstone, the black clergy assail theevils of white bigotry.
But Cokely, Farrakhan and Savage stir not the clergy's wrath. Nathan Kaplan, Loop
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