European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 31, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 12 a the stars and stripes tuesday december 31, 1991letters to the editor the  european edition circulation 100,000 col. Gene e Townsend Usan commander publisher Bernard a. Zovistoski editor Bill Walker european editor Deborah Aboshar Bryan Nolan news editor City editor Bob Weckar Goorge Manas sports editor special sections editor to write us Apo a 09211 or Postrach 11 14 37 6100 Darmstadt 11, Germany news Tel fax 06155-601416. To Call us dial 06155-601 plus Extension or ets 348 8 plus Extension As follows news ext. 237, 255, 282, 226, 326. Sports ext. 225, 269, 263, 332, 321, 221. Features ext. 230.245, 341. Letters to editor ext 208. Education Jimi Jones ext. 226. Business ext. 326. News bureaus Bremerhaven Germany Kan Clauson building 103,. Carl Schori Cavern Apo a 09069 Telephone ets 3428659 or Mckan 0471 -86792 Kaiserslautern Germany Peggy Davidson. Lynda Davidson. 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United kingdom Muhdieh Winder Amy Geiszler Jones building 464 Cess us Raf mind Ephah Apo a 094s9 Telephone Dow 238 222�qr civilian 0638 512226. Washington . Chuck Vinch Janet Howells Niemey Oast a the Pentagon room 2e756 . Box 46095, Washington o c. 20050-6095 Telephone 703-697-6695 Tel fax 703 693 6306 Aee this newspaper is an authorized unofficial pub Calion for members of i he military services overseas. Contents of the stars and stripes do nol necessarily reflect the official views of or endorsement by the . Government the department of defense or the u a. European command. The appearance of advertising in this publication including inserts or supplements does nol constitute endorsement by the department of defense or the stars and stripes of the products or services advertised. Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available Tor Purchase use or patronage without regard to race color religion sex National origin age marital status physical Handicap political affiliation or any other non Merit Factor of the purchaser user or  stars and stripes departmental directory col Gene e. Townsend. Usan commander publisher carte Gopher a. De Donga it. Col. Thomas e. Conrad Usa general manager Deputy commander Marie Kom Nickl William healer production manager circulation director Dale eaten Chris Ryan advertising manager comptroller business offices circulation for Home delivery service and inquiries Call the office nearest you listed below Germany Berun civilian 8331646, ets 332 3546. Bremerhaven civilian 0471-85166, ets 342-6119. Rhein main a civilian 069-692050 or 692565. Ets 3306025 or 7103, telex 412712, Cen Reg Tel fax 069694067. Kaiserslautern civilian 0631-57070 or 57079, ets 4897100, Tel fax 0631 50696. 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Advertising Tel fax 06155 601412.Pentagon insensitive the teacher from Baum older wonders a How can Dodds department of defense dependents schools justify increasing the class size in every Grade level in a school which did not score above the 50 percentile in any area of the California test of Basic skills How can Dodds justify eliminating a program for a at risk traditional first graders and increasing the class size in the first Grade to 28 students a the answer is simple John Stremple and the others at Dodds Washington done to have to justify themselves to the parents of these kids. They Only have to justify themselves to their Bosses in the Pentagon and their Bosses Don t give a Damn about what happens to first graders in Baum older. A John Schuh Ramstein Germany we Are nol a second class i quote a recent writer a the 15th amendment says that we Are second class  now i quote the 15th amendment in its entirety 1. The right of citizens of the United states to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United states or by any state on account of race color or previous condition of servitude. 2. The Congress shall have Power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation. The writer is at Liberty to interpret this amendment and All of american history in his own Way. So am i. And i interpret the still unfolding american Story As a progressive one despite its Many deficiencies. This amendment was a first step toward equal voting rights a Battle that was still being fought a Century later. This amendment was authored after a dreadful War a a War fought to preserve the Union a War fought Over states rights and sometimes a War fought for the abolition of slavery. The Constitution of the United states is a living document that can be changed a amended a by the will of the people and their elected representatives. That is the Constitution that 1 swore to defend and not a piece of paper that relegates any of its citizens to second class status. A sgt. Joe Nilges a Schattenburg Germany a Don t pre empt Kentucky lust week the Kentucky wildcats rated ninth in the country in College basketball were scheduled to play in state rival Morehead state. This was not a great matchup but a game featuring a top team with a great tradition. As such the Choice by arts to air the game Over Europe and seb radio was a Good one especially Given the College schedule that night and the game broadcast on an the night before notre Dame is. Boston College. The game was first advertised earlier in the week in the stars and stripes then was advertised again in the thursday paper. Game time was 2 . Friday morning. After getting up at 2 ., 1 found there was no game and no mention of any game or its cancellation. I was absolutely stunned an had not followed through on the schedule and equally incredulous to the fact they did no to have the Courtesy to say anything about it at 2 . Or any other time. Naturally the response the next morning from an Frankfurt was extremely weak. A Captain explained their prerogative to pre empt anything that came from arts and told me they wanted to pre empt at least one event that week in that time Slot. Pre empt Kentucky he a got to be kidding. How about two teams not ranked in the top 25 the night before a they were in just about the same time Slot 1 30 . 1 know we re your captive audience but this was just Plain ridiculous. Pm a. Pat Armstrong Heidelberg Germany editor s note a letters from readers expressing their viewpoints or opinions Are published daily in this space. All letters must be signed. We Reserve the right to edit letters for clarity length and taste. Preference is Given to Shorter letters so that More can be published in a timely manner. Letters should be addressed to letters to the editor the stars and stripes Apo a 09211. Too letters requesting information or assistance Are answered in a feature called readers action line which appears on Page 16 every Day except thursday and sunday. Such letters should be addressed to readers action line the stars and stripes Apo a 09211.make the streets safer this is in response to All the letters that have been written in the past years concerning the question of How to control handguns in our society. Some people think that by making the buyer of a handgun wait seven Days or by disarming everyone who has legally purchased a handgun they will save lives. Wake up if someone really wants to murder you he or she will. Waiting seven Days or taking away legally purchased handguns will not make a difference. It is easier to obtain a handgun in America than it is to obtain a Drivers License. In Colorado at the age of 151, you May obtain a driving learners permit with your parents permission. At 16, you can take the written and hands on test. If you fail either test you can retest in 30 Days. Yet at 21, the Only requirement to Purchase a handgun is to fill out a state form that asks three major questions 1. Are you crazy 2. Are you on drugs 3. Have you Ever been convicted of a felony if you re smart enough to answer no to these questions the handgun is yours. No hands on test no written test no six months to practice. Incredible is it not one might ask a Why so much to drive a car a Well probably because a car is very dangerous. If you re not familiar with the proper operating procedures you could Kilt someone. Ill be darned this sounds like it could apply to handguns. In a not against the seven Day wait but its not enough. I propose that in order to Purchase a handgun you should at least be required to attend a one week handgun safety course emphasizing a the loading and unloading of handguns. A the storing of ammunition and handguns in the Home. A handgun safety around children in and out of the Home. At least two of the Days would be spent on a live fire Range where you would be taught proper weapons handling. At the end of the one week safety course you should be required to shoot at least to the level of Marksman and pass a very Tough written test. If you  meet either of these requirements you should wait 30 Days to retest. If after the retest you still  pass you  be permitted to Purchase a handgun. This would also apply to those who have already purchased handguns. If they could t pass the tests they should be required to turn in their handguns. Lets face it. We be started too Little too late. We will never take handguns out of the hands of criminals for there Are far too Many illegal handguns on the streets. So instead of disarming innocent people who have the right to defend themselves with firearms if they choose and leaving them helpless to defend themselves against these criminals we should educate those who have decided to live with the handgun and try to make the streets a Little safer for All of us. A sgt. Joseph w. Towne Heidelberg Germany 549th main co forgotten this is in regards to the a troops in the  it seems that 549th Maint co was left out again. What about them they too Are part of 1st in 7th air defense arty Patriot who have been deployed to saudi Arabia along with a a c and d batteries. They need to be recognized for who they Are. They too had a part in making this battalion the Best Patriot battalion in All of Usa eur. Our troops work just As hard and have made sacrifices just like the rest. They May not be a Battery but they Are a part of whatever 1st in 7th air defense arty stand for. A Elvia Rivera Kaiserslautern Germany a rangers misidentified in your . 10 Issue a outline under the photo of rangers jumping into Ali Al Salem Airfield states a special forces  but actually it is the 1st in 75th Ranger regt who Are jumping from those seven c-141s. The rangers i am one and that is my old unit Are always being misidentified As special forces. Its a common mistake because they Are in the Sodom special operations command along with special forces but they Are Ranger All the Way. Its just the lst/75th rarely gets credit for what they do because they Are always called special forces or the 82nd airborne. A sgt. Robert Ericson Sharmel Sheik Egypt a a Gay Ralls Story offensive the . 16 edition of the stars and stripes will be the last copy i will Ever buy. The associated press article a Gay balls Sas haying to Success in a subculture was the last Straw. The More you promote this a Ysas haying lifestyle the More i am repulsed by it. I used to have a live and let live attitude. This tasteless article did absolutely nothing to further a positive understanding for a real Quot women Blacks or hispanics to say the least. A Richard Bloomer Augsburg Germany