Letters to the Editor

U.S. citizen only

I have seen two recent letters objecting to the use of hyphenated Americans. As a former assistant national director of the NAACP says: "The NACCP should urge black Americans, at long last, to drop their hyphenated African roots ... our connection to the African continent is not only minimal, but mostly pretense and posturing."

When I became an American citizen, I was provided with a booklet titled "A Welcome to U.S.A. Citizenship" from which I quote:

"You are no longer an Englishman, a Frenchman, an Italian, a Pole. Neither are you a hyphenated-American — a Polish-American, an Italian-American. You are no longer a subject of a government. Henceforth, you are an integral part of the government. ..."

I also object to the media conferring dual nationality on individuals. A recent news article about a young Jewish woman applying for German citizenship quotes her as saying she will retain her American citizenship.

Our oath of allegiance clearly states: "I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen."

WILLIAM P. CROSHER

1589 Aztec Lane

Mount Pleasant

Turning the tables

I read about the College of Charleston obtaining a 1502 Aldine edition of Herodotus' history originally written in 440 B.C. It made we wonder why anyone would want to read it.

We can't relate to those people who lived so long ago. They are not like men today who live in an enlightened age. Herodotus probably never lived. If he did live, he would have been too uneducated to write a history. The history was probably made up much later and is nothing but fables and myths.

It is interesting that people will accept an ancient secular book on face value as being true but will reject an ancient religious book, such as the Bible, for the reasons listed above.

Have I turned the tables? I am happy the college obtained such a treasure.

WILLIAM McINTOSH III

66 Anson St.

Yellow page ads

One rainy afternoon, about two weeks ago, a nice lady in a spiffy car deposited the latest edition of "The Real Yellow Pages" on our doorstep.

I removed the protective plastic bag and began to idly thumb through the two-inch-thick tome.

Sad to say, I had little else to do that dreary day. I had already taken stock of my old T-shirts and had listlessly checked out those dark dress socks, which I rarely wear anymore.

Leafing through the pages that are actually yellow, I was fascinated by the great number of advertisements placed by physicians and by lawyers. A careful count yielded 43 pages with doctors' ads and 73 pages with lawyers' ads. Not an astonishing disparity, I suppose. Did I already mention that the sky was leaden and I had nary a pressing project?

It was interesting to note (to me anyway) that some physicians' ads don't appear to be directly related to healing. MUSC Plastic Surgery, for example, invites you to "Discover Your Outer Beauty" through Botox treatments or perhaps a creative tummy tuck.

Skipping to another page, I became intrigued by the possibility to "Enhance Nature Through Surgical Expertise."

Numerous ads in the lawyers' pages earnestly assure Lowcountry denizens that a respected member of the legal profession is prepared to hasten to our home or hospital bed any day of the week or night. Are those great guys or what?

H.J. BEAUJON, Ph.D.

330 Cessna Ave.

First ladies

America has had some 47 first ladies. The people expect high standards for the president and his wife.

We have no job description for the first lady. Soon the people will have a new public figure.

Margaret Truman, Betty Caroli and Bill Adier have written books about the experience of first ladies.

The past is not the future, but the past will help in dealing with the thinking, feelings and actions in the future. Bill Adier has some quotes from past first ladies:

Rachael Jackson: "I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of God than live in that palace at Washington."

Jacqueline Kennedy: "If you botch raising your children, I don't think whatever else you do will matter very much."

Hillary Rodham Clinton: "If you vote for my husband, you get me. It's a two-for-one, a blue plate special."

Many polls have rated 47 first ladies. One rated near the top was asked if women dominate men? She answered: "American women have been partners since pioneer days. There is no question of domination on either side."

JAMES J. HOLLINGSWORTH

512 Carpenter Ave.