Copyright 1999 Gannett Company, Inc.
USA TODAY
July 12, 1999, Monday, FINAL EDITION
SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 16A
LENGTH: 517 words
HEADLINE:
Jackson to the rescue
BODY:
After reading the
article in USA TODAY about the three Americans
who face weapons charges in
Zimbabwe, I am wondering why the U.S.
State Department or the American
Embassy in Harare, that African
country's capital, are not doing everything
possible to protect
these men's rights ("U.S trio facing Zimbabwe weapons
charges,"
News, Thursday).
In the United States one is innocent
until proven guilty. In this
situation that seems not to be the case.
Americans who travel abroad should obey all laws of the country
they're visiting. But did this situation result from a blatant
disregard
of Zimbabwe's laws or a misunderstanding? After reading
the article, I
believe the latter to be true.
There is only one man in America who
can win the trio's release,
and that man is the Rev. Jesse Jackson. I am
hoping that Jackson
gets involved.
James R. Bulmer
Fruitland, Md.
What about justice?
Two weeks
ago, a woman named Marie Noe was convicted of eight
counts of infanticide
and received 20 years probation. Now, she
is being touted as a case study
for mental health professionals
("Woman admits to infanticides," News, June
29).
Last June, two Amish men were found guilty of distributing
seven
pounds of cocaine to Amish youth in their community and given
work
release as their sentence.
Correct me if I am wrong, but if any of
these perpetrators had
been African-American or Hispanic, would they have
been given
these light sentences?
In fact, the day following the
sentence of the two Amish men,
drug busts were performed in the Southwest
and Kensington areas
of Philadelphia. These are primarily African-American
and Hispanic
areas, and it's safe to say those arrested reflected the color
of the neighborhoods.
Do you think they will be looking at work
release sentences? Think
again.
Is there really justice in
America?
Mary Ann Parrish
Ardmore, Pa.
Gas
tax needed
Your prescription for energy conservation was right on
target
("Are lives really an acceptable price for fuel efficiency?"
Our
View, Safety on the road debate, Thursday). Substituting increased
federal
taxes on gasoline for the failed corporate average fuel
economy (CAFE) standards would reduce consumption
and return decisions
on vehicle size and efficiency back to the marketplace.
To get significant results, however, requires a large boost in
the gas tax and much hardship among consumers.
Research at the
Institute for SocioEconomic Studies has shown
that combining a gas tax with
a universal tax credit would minimize
that hardship while providing the
people with an incentive to
spend their money in other ways.
At
tax levels sufficient to reduce demand, the greatest benefit
from the credit
would go to the poor and the middle class.
Reducing America's
appetite for oil would achieve far more than
just cleaner air. It might give
some of our adversaries in the
oil-rich areas less resources to fuel their
ambitions.
Allan Ostergren
Senior research associate
Institute for SocioEconomic Studies
White Plains, N.Y.
LOAD-DATE: July 12, 1999 
