Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 8

1 Editorial B6 TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2001 The Arizona Republic The opinion of The Arizona Republic RESTORE AGENCY'S GOOD NAME Fix what's ailing the FBI WHY WE LOVED MR. C. Simple style, smooth grace It was that smile: Gracious, open, joyful, simple. A smile to fit the times and his persona. Easygoing.

Inviting. Welcomed into millions of homes, first through the radio and later the television, when listening and watching were unifying experiences in family life. Perry Como died over the weekend. Almost fit-, tingly, he died in his sleep. No fanfare.

No bother. Simple, relaxed. Comforting. He was one of America's most popular crooners of the 1940s, '50s and '60s. With a voice less luminous than Bing Crosby's.

1 en as would-be reformer Freeh leaves that post. Solving the FBI's problems will take more than a new director who makes new promises to reform what some call the "cowboy culture" of the bureau. A competent leader with an impeccable resume and a zest for reform is essential. So are investigations by Congress and the Justice Department. But those investigations and that reform-minded new director have to focus on more than simply finding out what happened in this most recent fiasco.

America needs to know why the FBI stumbles so often. The nation needs to know what fundamental, institutional changes are necessary so that this high-priced agency can live up to its responsibility. Then it needs leaders with the political clout and courage to make the FBI the efficient crime-fighting machine so many people thought it was. stage? Either way, the sudden appearance of those investigative documents did more than delay the execution of a madman. It did more than give McVeigh and his kind of anti-government terrorists another dart to throw at this country's commitment to the rule of law.

What it did was raise questions that could undermine the public's confidence in America's system of justice and the institutions that support it. The loss of public faith in the integrity, accuracy and fairness of American justice would be a major catastrophe. As a federal law enforcement agency, the FBI should command respect, not inspire late-night comedy routines. More importantly, it has to deserve respect. Yet its blunders have been the stuff of jokes.

In February, 20-year FBI agent Philip Hanssen was arrested and accused of This isn't Efrem Zim-balist FBI. The case of the disappearingreappearing Oklahoma City bombing records plays more like a script from Car 54, Where Are You? If you're old enough to get those references to TV shows from the old days, you are also old enough to remember a time when the "words "bumbling" and "FBI" didn't occur in the same sentence. Old or young, Americans have a right to know why -their Federal Bureau of Investigation makes itself look foolish with increasingly regularity. Was it the complexity of the computer age that overwhelmed our plucky agents and led to the failure to give thousands of documents to Timothy McVeigh's lawyers? Or was it an attempt to influence the outcome of the trial in which the FBI's prowess at apprehending suspect McVeigh was center A style less memorable than Frank Sinatra's. Less singular than Tony Bennett.

Less rich and fun than Dean Martin. But as popular and endearing a person as all of them. Seemingly effortless, with no more than a quiver of the head during Ave Maria, or a hand gesture during Holy Night. selling national secrets to Moscow. He'd allegedly been doing it for 15 years.

Hanssen hid in plain sight under the unseeing eyes of his FBI bosses. In the mid-1990s, a Justice Department investigation of the FBI's vaunted crime lab found poor scientific work and inaccurate, pro-prosecution testimony in major cases, including the McVeigh case, according to an Associated Press analysis. Public doubts about the FBI's competence predate Director Louis Freeh's 1993 arrival. He promised to erase concerns raised by the agency's handling of Waco and Ruby Ridge incidents. But doubts only deep Perry Como Ironically, many of his biggest hits were not the ballads, the standards for which he became a star, but the silly novelty songs of the era: Hot Diggity (Dog Ziggiiy Boom), Papa Loves Mambo.

Dozens of stars tried variety shows. Even more had Christmas specials. But Perry Como's endured for decades, even into the 1980s, long after he had retired and stopped recording. His influence remains today. David Letterman's Late Show format, the mail-bag, comes from Como.

Letters, we get letters, we get stacks and stacks of letters. Dear Perry, would you be so kind, to fill our request, and sing the song we like best. And he did. So many songs. All done in the same Como style.

Simple. Easy. Smooth. HELP HEAD OFF POLLUTION CONTROLS Take steps to curb Valley's ozone levels Valley's big summertime pollutant, forms when sunlight acts on various compounds, including the vapors that escape when you refuel the car. While ozone builds up during the day, it is unstable and breaks down after sunset.

The Valley avoided violating health standards for ozone the past four years. But we'll soon have to meet high pollution advisory days. Use alternatives to charcoal for outdoor barbecues. A few smog-cutting steps could keep ozone levels from hitting unhealthful levels. We'll all breathe easier if they don't.

The Valley will also head off expanded and expensive requirements for more pollution controls. The Arizona Republic Editorials represent the opinion of the newspaper, whose Editorial Board consists of Keven Ann Willey, Phil Boas, Richard de Uriarte, Jennifer Dokes, Kathleen Ingley, Doug MacEachern, Joel Nilsson, 0. Ricardo Pimentel, Robert Robb, Laurie Roberts, Paul Schatt, Linda Valdez, Ken Western and Steve Benson. No sympathy for FBI's director gets the blame Reschedule your fuel-ups. Friday's editorial about power generation and air pollution balancing act pits energy vs.

should have said that it's best to go to the gas station after 4 p.m. not before. The later, the better, in fact. That's because ozone, the What makes a Hispanic? The table accompanying your front-page story Thursday report varied makes an interesting point by listing Spaniards as Hispanic. Of course they are, since that's what Hispanic really means.

If we broaden the term to mean anyone who had an ancestor from a country where Spanish is spoken, like the Census Bureau's done, then why aren't the Irish Hispanic? It's long been thought the old Irish came to Ireland from Spain. northwest corner of Spain is after all Galicia (Gaels, get it), and now genetic research is starting to confirm this never mind my great-great grandfather, the shipwrecked Spanish Armada sailor. Is this fuss about America's changing demographics really meaningful, or is it just a creature of the statisticians full-employment act like Randy Johnson's 20-strike out game Jthat isn't a record because the game lasted more than nine innings? Jim McManus Phoenix A political appointment If the qualifications for superintendent of public instruction are that you need to be young, busy and successful, I guess I should have asked for the appointment aide is handed Keegan job," Thurs- day). Once again real world educational experience has given Virtual Town Hall Wednesday Join us for our online No more fences: Mexico's dream of an open' border. Sign on noon to 1 p.m.

Wednesday at viewpoints central.com to join the discussion. a new, tougher standard. The summer ozone campaign kicks off tomorrow. The message may be simple and familiar but it's no less important. Keep your car tuned.

Reduce driving and avoid peak hours: 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Ride the bus, carpool or telecommute.

Don't use gas-powered tools and equipment, especially on LETTERS TO to supervise them. I consider myself lucky in that I was able to react to the unprofessional conduct of the teachers involved in this sickout. Any time anyone jeopardizes the safety and welfare of my children, they have "crossed the line." I am now an angry parent, with little or no sympathy for the teachers involved in this action. Maria D'Elia Scottsdale Teachers are priority As I attempted to explain what a "sickout" was to my children Monday, it occurred to me that this should be a loud cry heard by all. In so many ways the priorities of Scottsdale Unified School District have become distorted.

As the administration and board have listed their ists or others who disagree with Hart's message(s). Peg Rhodes Prescott Ban all pit bulls I read with disbelief about the two pit bulls smashing their way into a home and killing a Pomeranian. Thank God no children were home at the time. I'm sure this isn't the first case of pit bulls attacking in Phoenix. I recently moved here from Washington state and the City Council where I lived passed a law making it illegal to own or keep a pit bull within city limits.

There had been so many pit bull attacks that something had to be done. The last attack before the law went into effect involved the killing of a 72-year-old man in a wheelchair. He was in his fenced yard when two strays broke through the gate and attacked his dog, killing it and him. A neighbor was also hurt trying to stop the dogs. Now I know that all pit bull TOM CAIXINAN, Editor KEVEN ANN WILLEY, Editor of the Editorial Pages LINDA GREIWE, Vice PresidentAdvertising DAVID ALLEY, VP Integrated Sales Operations GASPER Vice BOB Vice MIKE Human GENE Community THE EDITOR 'sickout' goals, the most important one still remains off the list: educating our children.

Then the next priority has to be teachers. What good are new school buildings, high paid administrators, fancy "planning guides," aligning curriculum, starting and stopping bilingual programs, paying lawyers' fees, architect fees, more advanced technology, and the ever quoted "smaller classroom sizes," if there are no excellent teachers in those classrooms? Our neighborhood has had a fantastic experience with the Arcadia Complex educators. If our children are our future we must put our priorities, our voices and our money into the hands of those who are truly developing them. Susan Caldwell Scottsdale owners will say that their dog would never do anything like that but believe me they can. Ask the family in Washington whose 3-year-old was mauled to death by the family pet.

The Phoenix City Council needs to look into a ban quickly. Bob McMeans Phoenix The risk in AIMS I am always inspired to hear stories like the Rodriguezes: Irene, DeAnna and Yolanda with a degree in dreaming," Editorial, Thursday). That is what education is all about being successful in your own due time. What is a shame, however, is that we run the risk of cutting off future success stories if we let high stakes tests like the AIMS decide who is successful and when they can be successful in reaching educational goals. Gable Gedlaman Gilbert Instead of minding the store, FBI Director Louis Freeh spent years of his time and energy and, by logical extension, the time and energies of his staff playing a political game of trying to bring down his boss, Janet Reno.

Perhaps if he'd paid more attention to business, we would not each month be treated to a new revelation of the FBI's disastrous inefficiencies. No wonder Freeh has already submitted his resignation, maybe he knows more is to come. Mary Landry Tempe Too much attention I am horrified at the amount of media attention devoted to Timothy McVeigh's feelings about the latest "blip" on the screen. Who cares if he is upset? Who cares about his feelings and reactions? Who cares that he may have to say goodbye twice to his loved ones? Some never had the chance to say goodbye once! Marcla G. Sclalll Phoenix Attack on character I was disappointed to read the statement by state Rep.

Steve May to repeal of sex laws," May 5) that accused Len Munsil, president of the Center for Arizona Policy, of "lying shamelessly" to CAP supporters through his e-mail network. No response to this charge was included in the article. I have been a recipient of Len Munsil's e-mails for at least five years. I have always found the e-mails to be factual, timely and principled. Furthermore, I have I have four children in the Scottsdale Unified School District.

I was absolutely appalled by what I witnessed Monday morning at Desert Mountain High School and Mountainside Middle School. Any sympathy I might have had for the teachers and their issue with the Proposition 301 money is now gone, since they put in jeopardy the welfare and safety of my children by staging their Many children were without any (or very few) teachers. Thank goodness my older children have cell phones, otherwise I might never have known about the situation. Students were told that 90 percent of their teachers failed to come to work. At Mountainside, students were instructed to go to the auditorium since there were no teachers or subs way to a political move in education.

I hope the teachers of Arizona run a candidate in 2002 that I can support. Nell Schneider Surprise Stop censorship While visiting relatives in New Jersey last week, I was dismayed to hear that their major newspaper had canceled cartoonist Johnny Hart's B.C. It's a real shame when an American newspaper "censures, punishes and censors a cartoonist just because his work was perceived or terpreted by some as offensive. Tell me: If this is not censorship, what is it? I find several comic strips to be crude, insipid, and culturally or. morally offensive but I'd never cry for censure or removal.

And I sincerely hope The Republic never succumbs to such pressure not by Jews, Christians, atheists, Muslims, Buddhists, Human JON HELD, Executive VP. Chief Financial Officer LEON LEVITT, Executive VP. Online Services JAMES A. DIAZ, Senior Vice President Strategic Development and Marketing CHRIS-CHRISTIAN, Vice PnsidentCimiiation Louis Freeh Clintons still around? It seems the Bill and Hillary Clinton method of filing papers has spread to the FBI, so the Clinton legacy lives on. Were these papers found behind a water cooler too? It gives me such a warm feeling to know this will never happen in the future under the Bush administration.

Charles Miller Surprise known and worked with Len on a variety of legal and political issues for more than a decade and have watched him consistently adhere to the highest standards of honesty and integrity. It is always regrettable when policy disagreements turn into character attacks. I hope that Rep. May refrains from those kinds of comments in the future. Congressman John Shadegg Washington, D.C The writer represents Ari- zona's 4th Congressional District YOUR VOICE COUNTS GENOVESE, President JTCJO KOTWASINSKI, PresidentProduction SPECTOR, Resources Director D'ADAMO, Relations Director We welcome letters of up to 200 words on any topic.

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