Jailing parents will not help truant children Re: "Councilman: Send parents of truant students to jail," July 9 What this article on truancy in D.C. didn't deal with is the father deprivation factor in child misconduct, including truancy. But as Councilman David Catania is of the father-optional school of thought, that isn't a surprise.

Jailing failing parents will only add to their children's problems. Mr. Catania's narcissistic impulse toward control and punitivenessis interfering with his ability to reason.

School personnel need to catch emotional problems in children early, well before most truancy starts. Family therapy and male mentors are often needed.

Even more importantly, the culture of father deprivation must be changed.And gay-egalitarianism, with its disrespect for children's need for intact families,must be exposed for the lie it is.

Sharon Kass
Silver Spring

Steele must be doing something right Re: "Defiant Steele continues to amuse, entertain," July 8 Whether it's his controversial opinions about Afghanistan, his staff hosting fundraisers at a bondage club, or conflicting reports about Republican National Committee fundraising, Michael Steele can't seem to get a break, and several prominent GOP insiders have called for his resignation.

Why?Steele continues to deliver where it matters most -- at the ballot box, with historic wins in New Jersey, Virginia, and Massachusetts and polls indicating more to follow in November. Some chalk that up to weak Democratic opponents or the electorate's anti-incumbent mood.Nevertheless, it's still up to the RNC chairman to coordinate get-out-the-vote efforts with local party organizations. Given the GOP's current track record, Steele must be doing something right.

Who'd have ever imagined Democratic stalwarts Barbara Boxer or Harry Reid would be in such tight races, or that Chris Dodd or Evan Bayh would abruptly opt for retirement rather than face defeat?And a recent U.S. News & World Report article indicates that the RNC raised more money this year than it did in 1994, when fundraising rules were more lenient.

Those who wish to maintain the illusion that the GOP is composed primarily of white Southern males are motivated to tear Steele down in any way possible. But the number of women and minorities running on the GOP ballot this year counters this stereotype.

Nancy Almasi
Alexandria

Maryland needs its own version of Arizona law Re: "FedssueArizona over crackdown on Illegal immigrants," July 7 The federal government has refused to do its job, which is to secure our borders and protect us from the continued influx of illegal immigrants.Now the Obama administration has filed a lawsuit against the state of Arizona, which only shows that Obama officials are more interested in politics than in doing their duty.

We do not need or want so-called "comprehensive immigration reform" as proposed by the administration. The Arizona law is not just an Arizona issue. A similar law needs to be passed here in Maryland.

Al Eisner
Silver Spring