Society

This newspaper and many segments of our society have expressed sorrow and outrage about the extensive and deadly violence that afflicts our society. Much of this violence has our youth both as its victims and perpetrators. However, this newspaper's editorial board and much of our society fail to admit that we are only reaping what we have sown. For 22 years now, our society has endorsed the killing of children before birth by abortion as an acceptable means of dealing with the problems from crisis pregnancies.

In May 1783, officers of George Washington's Continental Army wanted to march from their Hudson River encampment to Philadelphia and set up a military dictatorship over the 13 colonies. But Washington argued that a dictatorship might be somewhat inappropriate. The officers relented and instead set up a fraternal organization, calling themselves The Society of the Cincinnati. Today, the descendants of those who were thwarted in their try at a dictatorship are to hold a brief morning session in the cradle of democracy, Independence Hall.

David Gary Smith in his Jan. 6 Op-ed Page article made a very interesting statement when he wrote, "The process of making the decision concerning the role of active euthanasia will reflect the moral nature of our society. " We, however, need not wait for society's decision concerning euthanasia to know its true moral nature. Society's acceptance of abortion reveals its true moral nature and foreshadows its future decisions and actions. Society is doomed to accept this evil because society is composed of people who are by nature evil and bent on self-destruction.

George Crispin lets out a weary chuckle when questioned about the changes he has seen in education over the span of his 38-year career. Among the first teachers hired when Washington Township High School opened in 1962, Crispin plans to retire in December to tend his 8-acre farm and teach English part time at Rowan University. According to the Washington Township School District, Crispin is the last of the high school's original teachers to leave. "Teaching today is so much more demanding.

THE GAP BETWEEN EASTERN AND WESTERN JOURNALISTS Most Japanese journalists live in what I have come to call a culture of censorship, where constant concern about their role in society leads them to hide shocking or unpleasant news, particularly about powerful institutions and corporations. Japanese journalists I know believe American reporters live in what one calls a culture of abandonment, by which they mean we refuse to consider the effect our reporting has on our society - a belief for which they cite much evidence, particularly the American media's preoccupation with, if not glorification of, violence.

With reference to the Toni and Ethel Maddox story (Dec. 25), when are we going to start asking who's responsible for the care of such families? The welfare program is killing society. Instead of concern for these children, why not more concern about the lifestyles of these irresponsible people? (They don't deserve to be called parents.) When is society going to take away the rewards for having children and sending taxpayers the bill? We have encouraged everything but the straight and narrow.

JAMES BROWN, the 35-year-old who allegedly beat and robbed the elderly ("Robbery Suspect Caught" April 19), rather than getting a job and becoming a part of society, should be executed if he is found guilty. While it may be acceptable for animals in the wild to prey on the weak and the elderly, it is not acceptable in civilized society. Why do we wait for criminals to take a life before we contemplate ending theirs? Send a message: Make violent crimes against helpless individuals punishable by death.

One can only hope that some day abortion will become unnecessary - that all in our sexually obsessed society will intelligently, maturely and non- impulsively consider the consequences of sex, produce wanted children, keep their minds clear, be educated in the use of birth control and stop killing themselves with illegal and self-induced abortions. But until this Utopia arrives one might agree with everything said and implied in Margaret Mead's statement: "Abortion is a nasty thing, but our society deserves it. " Robert E. Kay Paoli.

YOUR REPORT on well-regulated guns was interesting (Stu Bykofsky column, Daily News , Dec. 28). True, if all proper laws on the books were enforced and made national we would be able to have guns mostly in the right hands. Where I differ is in regard to Hollywood and mass media. We are a major exporter of violent films, video games, etc., yet other cultures do not react violently as we do. If they are watching the same stuff - or as in the case with Japan, their own even more violent stuff - as we are and not suffering the same result, that means it cannot be the entertainment.

FATHERS abandon them. While the streets violently rape and handle them. Grown men are groping them. And society says there's no hope for some. Gangs are raising them. And bullets are killing and grazing them. Mothers are burying them. So who's loving, praying and caring for them? Phaedra T. Anderson Philadelphia