Press and Sun-Bulletin from Binghamton, New York • 4

The Evening Press Binghamton, N.Y. Dec. 7, 1981 4- Pete Shields' message The simple truth is private citizens' don't need handguns for survival. Owning a handgun is a privilege, not a right, and it is a privilege we have sorely abused. Given the power of the pro-handgun lobby, that's a difficult point to get across, but Shields makes a determined and largely successful effort, in terms that aren't aimed solely at the effete Eastern elite.

The hope here is that before the debate in Washington begins, manyjj members of Congress will read his book and consider its message. It's one that is vitally important to all of us. HEESEr ID LIKE TO GET ON WITH SOfAEOF THIS JUST HOW UN5TX) WE hWETD LEWE THESE FEUDWSTWISTlNSSiDWLV IN.THE WIND? Letters to the Editor Harassing drivers has no place here WITH Washington preparing for another shoot-out over gun control, Pete Shields' recently published book, Guns Don 't Die, People Do, has acquired heightened significance. Shields is a former Du Pont chemical company executive whose son was shot to death in a random street killing. As chairman of Handgun Control an anti-handgun lobby, he has put together a collection of compelling statistics in an important book.

Consider, for instance, that in West Germany last year 42 people were killed by persons using handguns. There were 52 handgun victims in Canada, eight in Great Britain and 10,728 in The United States. The U.S. figure is roughly the student 'wpulation at the State University at 3inghamton. Perhaps as important as the statists Shields offers is the explanation he yives that it is handguns his group wants to abolish and not all guns.

That is a significant distinction the pro-handgun crowd has tried very hard to distort and obscure. The book says rifles and shotguns used for hunting and even home defense are fine. It even makes the practical observation that one is better off trying to defend his home with a shotgun than with a pistol and better off on the street if he's not carrying a gun at all. The only advantage of a handgun, in Shields' eyes, is that it can be concealed, and that's a feature only criminals should find important. The point is a valid one, as is the observation that the National Rifle Association would be relatively benign if it were truly a rifle association.

But, of course, it's not. Instead, the NRA functions as a lobby for the manufacturers of handguns, whose claim that the weapons are vital for self-defense is just so much propaganda. Thank you, community Editor, The Press As most of us are aware, work is a central issue in every person's life. In recent vears educational institutions have recognized their responsibility to help students understand the transition from classroom to employment. As part of extensive career exploration programming SUNY -Binghamton recently sponsored Career Day '81.

In order to do so, we asked members of the community who pursue work in a variety of fields to come to the campus for an afternoon to speak with students. What a tremendous response to our invitation we got! From this community alone 85 individuals from arts organizations, social agencies, industry, government offices and their own private practices volunteered their time. This level of support for a SUNY-Binghamton program and for students is sincerely appreciated BARBARA M. FRIEDMAN Career Dav '81 Coordinating Committee SUNY-Binghamton Why stop with just a check for DWI are many problems facr, ing society today from drugs and robbery to illeagal aliens and runaway husbands. They can all be, checked out at Mr.

Mathews' road blocks. Mr. Mathews is also unhappy with, the jury system that fails to convict those that he feels are guilty. His so-' lution is to eliminate the jury and replace it with a Star Chamber type administrative approach. He seems to forget that it is the duty of the jury to determine guilt or innocence and not to confirm the opinion of the D.A.

Perhaps Mr. Mathews and we the people should recall the words of Benjamin Franklin, who said that if you are willing to give up some of your rights to protect the rest, you deserve none of them. HARRY W.CLARKE Kirkwood While on the subject of gun control, an article written by James D. Wright, an Amherst College sociologist, also is worth noting. If there is a controversy over gun control, Wright says, it isn't shared by the public.

In "Public Opinion and Gun Control," the professor compares responses to two surveys, one sponsored by the NRA, the other by the Center for the Study and Prevention of Handgun Violence. Although the two surveys were used to promote opposing views, their results suggest essential agreement that weapons are dangerous and that governments should be able to keep track of them through registration. The anti-gun survey showed more than 80 percent of those interviewed favor licensing or registration. The pro-gun survey showed 41 percent favor existing laws governing handguns, which include licensing and and 44 percent favor tougher laws. The underlying message here is that lobbyists, not the public, are the ones prolonging an, unnecessarily divisive debate.

Editor, The Press Broome County District Attorney-elect Mathews' recommendation to' set up road blocks to check for drunken drivers is just another example of the end justifying the means, and while appropriate for a police state has no place in this nation. True, drunken driving is a curse and all legitimate means should be taken to eliminate it but wholesale harassment, road blocks, identity checks and other Gestapo-type tactics are too high a price to pay. I am sure the D.A. will tell the people this is for their own good and protection and those who have done nothing wrong will have nothing to fear. Even a quick reading of the nis-tory books will show that this is the justification used by almost every totalitarian form of government.

Don't cancel race walking Origins 9 poll story was interesting one Editor, The Press Are you ready for doll wars? YOU'RE SICK and tired, you say, of viewing the face and form of Brooke Shields nearly every place you turn? Well, it may get worse. tier's survey. It showed 76 percent of the public wants both creation and evolution taught, 10 per-' cent want only creation taught, while just 8 percent want to keep the status quo and continue to teach only evolution theory. Where is there a single public issue that demands that sizeable plurality? Politicians, including President Reagan, have used this issue to help get elected. Local politicians should take notice.

GLENYSCURRAN Apalachin Editor, The Press The recent article about the public opinion poll in Norwich regarding the teaching of origins in public schools was quite interesting. The headlines and the article made it appear like an inaccurate sampling of public opinion. On Nov. 19 the Associated Press carried a news release about a CBS nationwide telephone poll of 1.598 adults. This gave almost identical results with Mr.

Polma- The Evening Press I am writing about what I feel is an injustice to the Southern Tier Athletic Conference. It has come to my attention that the heads of STAC have cancelled race walking for the 1981-82 school vear and, in all reality, forever. Ra'ce walking has been a part of STAC track and field since the 1976-77 school year. The first year it was non-scoring; the rest, it was a scoring event in boy's track. The girls has been scoring and non-scorina off and on I feel it is unfair to cancel an event that has been a part of track for five years.

I could rationalize part of the decision if they said they would phase it out in 2 or 3 years, but there are many individuals that took up race walking because they were just not fast enough for the running events and not natural jumpers for the majority of field events. It is basically an event for the individual without a strong event. As tar as 1 know, there is still going to be a race walk in the state meet, as well as Section IV. If this is the case, there is no logic to not having the walk. It takes only about 10 minutes in a llk hour meet.

The Susquenango association has the strongest walkers this year in Section IV, but STAC has the top Section IV walker (in boy's competition). Without season practice, such as races, no walker can expect to do well. DAVETALCOTT Owego The New York Times has reported that LJN Toys is planning to market a HV2-inch Brooke Shields fashion doll next spring, to be backed brace yourself by $2 million worth of television advertising. The "living "doll" pitch will be aimed at those 10 million impressionable little girls in the 5-to-ll age bracket. A few old-fashioned cynics could be inclined to regard the new, entry as competitive with Barbie, the long-reigning queen of make-believe.

This was suggested to one of the new doll's promoters. He thought the idea was, well, gauche, and suggested the two dolls could just be friends. They even could share clothes. Swell. Let's hope he's right, because these charming little wardrobes the girls wear don't come cheap.

'Merry Christmas, 1981. Share a smile this season Editor, The Press With the holiday season upon us, Publisher Fred G. Eaton Executive Editor William F. Mungo Jr. i Managing Editor Michael G.

Doll Editor, Editorial Page Jeffery K. Davis The editorial policies of The Evening Press are established by an editorial board, composed of the above named members. Associate Editorial Page Editor David Rossie. Assistant Managing Editor David Mack, and editorial writer Peg Stomierowski. Binghamton Press Fred Eaton, President.

Endwell, N.Y.; Thomas L. Chappie. Secretary, Rochester, N.Y.; Jimmy L. Thomas. Treasurer.

Rochester. N.Y. let us all do a good deed. Let's all visit a nursing home resi smile so much as he who has no more to give. A smile costs nothing, but it means a lot.

It brings cheer to the discouraged and sunshine to the sad. And the memory of it sometimes lasts forever. Be a triendly visitor and share one of your smiles. Merry Christmas. TONYBONTEMPO Endwell dent; don't forget love is ageless.

These residents need more smiles share one. Some people are too tired to give you a smile; give them one of vours, as none needs a No-frills education must apply to baseball as well rrvi out, unless the batter shags the ball. The batter also is out if a foul ball conks a tennis plaver. A state university lawyer told me on the phone a couple of days ago that the only-' wav a private. for-Drofit corporation would David Rossie be allowed to use state university lanco A few years back, a guy used to relieve the tedium of covering the State University at Binghamton by occasionally asking some high-level administrator when the school was going to start a football team.

The reactions varied only slightly, no matter who was on (he receiving end: The poor devil would clutch at whatever piece of furniture was handy; his cheeks would grow wan and fine beads of sweat would break out upon the scholarly brow. When he'd recovered his composure, usually with the aid of smelling salts or a few drops of water splashed on the wrists, the don would explain in withering terms that this was no football factory catering to thick-necked brutes, but a temple to enhance the intellect. Simply uttering the word football was to profane the shrine. That, as I said, was a few years ago. Now darned if the people over at SUNY-Binghamton aren't getting into professional sports.

And why not If the taxpayers of New York can be forced to pay for a domed football stadium for Syracuse University, a private school, why shouldn't the taxpayers' university do business with a private corporation looking for a baseball franchise in Broome County? The fact that the whole proposal appears to be imcompatible with the laws governing the use of state land- for private gain shouldn't be too great a deterrent. Laws are made to be broken. According to the sports pages, a group of investors from Long Island wants to take over SUNY-Binghamton's baseball field next summer and put a team in the Class New York-Penn League. The university field is tucked away in the northwest corner of the campus, near Bunn Hill Road. It consists of a diamond, a backstop and bleachers that probably could accomodate 100 people.

That should do nicely, considering the recent history of professional baseball in the county. The bleachers in place would have been more than adequate for the Johnson Field crowd on just about any night during Forget it. Why do they need a public address system? If there's a public address" system, someone's bound to want to babble into it. To whom? The motorists out on the Vestal Parkway? The tennis players on the courts behind the diamond? Dressing rooms? Let 'em dress at home, like Softball players. That way when they go to a saloon after the game, people will know who they are and maybe buy them a round and even go to a game sometime.

Concession stands? Who needs them? You've got a barroom across Bunn Hill Road. There's a taco stand down on the parkway, -along with a fish fry and every known star in Hamburger Heaven. Fences? With advertising on them? C'mon, let's keep it simple. Aball in the pine trees along the left field line is a ground rule double. Out into the parkway is a home run, unless the ball hits a motorist and causes an accident, in which case everybody runs and hides.

Over the fence onto Bunn Hill Road is an A few years back simply uttering the word basketball was to profane the shrine. would pe it mere were some clearly de- fined educational benefit in it for the uni-" versity. If the university's central administration decided the advantage was there, it would issue a revokable permit, the lawyer said. That means the boys could come in and' play, but if they got out of hand the univer sity could tell them to take their balls, bats" and gloves and go home. I'm not sure what educational advantage es would derive from operating a profess sional baseball franchise on a university campus, but this much is certain: The first time an umpire blows a close call at the plate the faculty wives and Kiddies in the near tennis courts are going to have vocabularies substantially enriched.

I guess you could call that educational. the late, lamented Triplets unal season here. The promoters, though, are talking about bleachers for 3,000, fences, dressing rooms, a press box, concession stands, a public address system and lights..