State governments in Ohio and across the country are searching for ways to prepare for possible bioterrorism. However, in the name of homeland security, the Ohio Senate has passed a bill that removes the public's right to know about investigations conducted by the Ohio Health Department. Keeping public health information secret does not give citizens the opportunity to protect their families or themselves from harm. We wouldn't consider declaring storm conditions confidential. When a tornado is coming, the sirens go off.

The Ohio Department of Health conducts investigations about toxins in the environment, cancer clusters or a hepatitis outbreak. Investigations can drag on for years, during which the public may be unwillingly exposed to hazards about which their government knows, but is forbidden to inform them. Information is the key to understanding, treating and preventing disease. Ohio Citizen Action urges the House of Representatives to amend this bill and remove the provisions, which withhold important health data from our citizens.

Sandy Buchanan

Executive Director, Ohio Citizen Action Cleveland, Ohio

Double standard on free speech ridiculous

In her letter "Let Dixie Chick speak her mind," (March 24) Jennifer Fair goes to great length to defend the right of free speech for Dixie Chick Natalie Maines, reminding us all that it is her constitutional right to criticize the president. And then in the same breath, she labels the boycott of Dixie Chick music "ridiculous." And so there you have it: To criticize the president is a constitutional right, but to criticize a Dixie Chick is ridiculous.

What I find more bothersome about this situation is that Natalie Maines knew she was free and clear to criticize President Bush in the safe haven of anti-American sentiment within Europe, and then return home to America and apologize. This is nothing more than cowardice. If she were exercising her constitutional right of free speech in Europe, why did she apologize in America? It is from here that her rights originate. What she should do is rescind her apology and make the same derogatory statements on stage here in America that she made in Europe. Don't hold your breath.

John Patrick Brady

Golf Manor

Opinions protected, not always good choice

The Dixie Chicks made a decision, and they'll have to live with it. The First Amendment allows anyone to express his views without retaliation by the government, but that doesn't preclude other consequences. If you insult your employer's wife, your life will continue - but that may not be true of your employment. Similarly, anyone has a right as a free American to publicly express any opinion of his choosing. I have a right as a free American to express my disagreement with that opinion by withholding my support of their business enterprise. The opinion of keeping one's mouth shut is always available.

J.W. Moorhouse

Maineville

Media need to be humble about coverage

How sickening can the news media get? The headline "U.S. clobbers Iraq on ground, from air," (March 22) is equivalent to saying "Prizefighter beats up first-grade kid." I am all for our troops but we should be humble in our mission; the news media, both the press and the television, have made us look like the meanest monster ever created.

Ray Black

Sharonville

One battle is not the entire scope of the war

Our administration, aided and abetted by the news media in general and TV in particular, has focused like a laser on the battle for Baghdad. Meanwhile, the bigger picture goes begging for attention. That somewhat ignored "big picture" includes such issues as neighboring nations' reactions and the possible consequences of those reactions; the concerns of Muslims throughout the world; the effect on our economy and world-wide economies; and the resulting relationships with our long-time allies. These are just a few of the more obvious players in the "big picture."

It must be understood that the battle for Baghdad, or for that matter all of Iraq, is only one skirmish in a war that will have to confront and resolve the issues of that far "bigger picture." A battlefield victory does not necessarily signify that the war is won or over with.

Gerald Schwartz

Amberley Village

Memorial Statue plan honors all firefighters

With the untimely death of the firefighter Oscar Armstrong III, many will ask, as they have over the past years, "Why does the Memorial Statue not list those who lost their lives in the line of duty?"

As a member of the committee responsible for securing a fitting memorial for all firefighters some 40 years ago, it was decided that the memorial would be for all firefighters, with the thought that each gives a little of his life at each fire he goes to. At the time, an old fire marshal informed the committee that many firefighters lost their lives not at an actual fire, but sometimes years later due to injuries received at a fire. Thus it would be a disservice to these brave men to not list them as casualties of a fire.

During my time in the department I saw this come to pass on many occasions. A firefighter would be severely burned at a fire and lie in the hospital recovering for months, only to return home and continue to suffer and later dieWith the above in mind, the committee decided that the monument be dedicated to "All firefighters" and as such, when we gather at the monument in October, we pay tribute to all firefighters who have passed away in the preceding year.

Larry Schmolt

West Price Hill

Retired assistant chief, Cincinnati Fire Department

Pitcher's stance in sculpture off base

The 50-foot-tall, 20-foot-wide bas-relief titled, "The Spirit of Baseball" at the new Great American Ball Park is certainly an imposing work of sculpture. It probably will be viewed and admired by thousands of baseball fans for many decades. But I have some bad news for the fans. The work of art contains a grievous error.

Three baseball players at the top each represent a different aspect of the game - catching, hitting and pitching. Each of the trio faces to his left.

The playing position of the player at the extreme left is easy to identify. He's a catcher equipped with a facemask, chest protector and a mitt on his left hand. That makes him a right-handed catcher, which is fine since left-handed catchers are rarely encountered above the Knothole League level.

The middle player is a right-handed hitter, which is obvious from his stance and from the positioning of his right hand over his left hand on the bat handle. Baseball has a name for the violation of proper hand position. It's called "hitting cross-handed," and is also rarely practiced, except by Knothole neophytes.

Then we come to the player on the right. He obviously is a pitcher on the mound who has assumed the proper stance preparatory to making a delivery to the batter at the plate. But hold on. Take a look at his hands and arms. His glove is on his right hand, making him a left-hander, and his left arm is nearer the plate. Apparently he is ready to make his pitch.

The sculptor obviously wanted all three players to face left and either took artistic license or was not too cognizant of baseball fundamentals. If the pitcher threw from this position, his motion would be interesting to see. His weight would be on his right leg. His throw would be tremendously awkward and would have little power behind it. His shoulder and back would provide no assistance in the delivery. Any semblance of an effective pitch would be impossible.

This problem could have been avoided by depicting the pitcher as a right-hander. I am amazed that someone with baseball knowledge did not catch this error while the expensive work of art was in its planning or early stages.

Richard E. Macke

Covington, Ky.

Bar set too high for high school test

I recently administered the Ohio Graduation Math Test to 10th-graders for the first time. After looking over the test, I would like to ask the Ohio School Board members, our State Superintendent of Schools and our elected members of the state legislature if they really believe that a student should know trigonometry and understand permutations and combinations in order to receive a high school diploma.

If your answer is yes, then I would like to suggest we administer the test to the State Board of Education, all elected state representatives and newspaper editors and columnists throughout the state and set the passing grade based on their results. That seems like a reasonable and fair way to set the bar for high school students. Shouldn't adults be willing to experience what we require of teenagers? Perhaps we could require adults to pass the test in order to run for elected office.

Scott Mohler

Guidance Counselor, Goshen High School