European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 30, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                              Page 12 stars and stripes Mideast edition june 2007 j Thomas publisher Richard general Europe Stephen commander news and editorial Robb Grindstaff Doug Clawson executive editor managing editor Joseph Mideast Bureau chief Marni assistant Bureau Europe assistant managing editors Mary news Sean sports Brian features Christopher Patrick news editor Joe web editor addresses mail unit Apoate 09211 International mail Postrach 64345 Germany fax Dan 3498416 0 email news  letters  Central office 529 14th Street suite Washington do phone Dan 3127630900 or 202 fax 7610890 editorial director 529 14th suite do phone Dan 3127630945 or 202 7610945 email  How to Call us editor Dan 3143498264 0 6155601264 letters Dan 3143498237 0 sports Dan 3143498225 0 circulation Dan 3143498437 0 advertising Dan Mideast news Bureau Bureau chief Joseph unit 29480 Box Apo 09211 Dan 314 3498220 commercial email  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stripes ombudsman protects the free flow of news and reporting any attempts by the military or other authorities to undermine the newspapers the ombudsman also responds to concerns and questions from and monitors coverage for timeliness and the ombudsman welcomes comments from and can be contacted by email at , or by phone at stars and stripes 2007 stars and stripes web site email  opinion the Healing Powers of sir and mama by William Meyer it was obvious to my coworkers in that i was not a son of the South and had never been in the had it been the sir and sir i was hearing from the scowl ing adolescent in the outpatient mental health consulting room would not have sounded so even to i was a newly transplanted Yankee so Cial in my late20s i barely considered myself deserving of adult Sta accustomed to the disrespect and foul Mouths of Chicago Urban yet sitting before me was a youngster in some places he would have been called a juvenile delinquent addressing me with a formality such that i had never nearly 30 years i have devel oped a fondness for the graciousness and Good manners of both Chil Dren and and i appreciate the efforts of Southern parents to instill in their children Behaviours that include politeness and demonstrations of respect for their Al in More recent As i have be come acculturated to Southern i no longer flinch when i hear How Are sir or have a Good these often melodic greetings have become a common part of my workaday and Are As Welcome to me As a lilting Breeze on a sweltering at my current at Duke University medical i arrive professionally at typically in tie and buttoned Down it has not escaped my attention that the people who most often Greet me with such deference Are differently at but not they Are the bus the the House the food and maintenance work ers and others who Are in the Lowe paying jobs of a medical they Are As i considered this and the Southern legacy of social i reflected that then their descendants might Aee and perceived social status often deter Well be enhanced by demonstrations of re snned who would be called sir or Spect and kindness proffered from All of to be sure us i such greetings if the Downtrodden became so because they were diminished by those of higher social then their descendants might Well be enhanced by demonstrations of respect and kindness proffered from All of had always been reserved for the preach the school ones grand parents and so across racial race overrode All other consider the conventions of not too Many decades past found Black men and women being referred to As Jimmy opportunities to be part of that i know full Well that such Humble Ges Tures do not address the larg More contentious issues of what should be the moral and Ethi Cal obligations of a society that benefited so greatly from the servitude of and discrimination or Bessie while White children in against a whole segment of its people be called miss Susie and master a Southern Black adult would have been Foolhardy to refer to any White adult As anything other than sir or this brings me to my own personal Repa rations when i encounter other especially Black and even More especially if i see that they Are Blue Collar or working what i do is Good How Are i try to say this in a Way that is not in any Way not the least bit Over the but simply in a manner that conveys my re Spect for their dignity and it after such a simple thing to each time i do i am pleasantly responded to in a Way that brings me a Small measure of i have noticed that those who i address with this Courtesy seem to raise their Heads Ever More some might advocate that Good Man ners should be extended to who would argue but i think that misses the the Point of if the Downtrodden became so because they were diminished by those of higher social it is a a Southern if you of i Long ago taught by a troubled adolescent to a once ill mannered William Meyer is a clinical social worker and director of training at Duke University medical he wrote this for the Raleigh news Tell us what you think stars and stripes welcomes your comments on editorials and that Are published in the and values letters on topics of importance in the lives of our All letters must be and must include the writers address or base and Telephone please limit All letters to 300 we Reserve the right to edit letters for taste and Send your letters to mail stars and stripes unit 29480 Apo a 09211 International mail stars and stripes Postrach 1330 64345 Griesheim via fax country code 0 Dan 3498395 email  doonesbury by Garry Trudeau wat hav5 to to 15 60 hip that powerful woman i once and in crbw5 Swap out amp a Hub a 55t How Many of your High 0ups can to something that six 17 army prickly City by Scott Stantis tue Cost Cam is out bras now we need finance is b6to practical Winslow its a tic inv pc can Winslow