PUBLIC FORUM : REMEMBER THE DEAD `FOR THE GOOD THEY DID'.

If we needed a reminder of how mean-spirited politics have become in recent years, P. Dennis Keenan's letter to the Daily News (Public Forum, April 10) concerning Commerce Secretary Ron Brown's death fits the bill.

Living politicians may be fair game for criticism and contentious haranguing. However, it is customary to remember them for the good they did, political affiliation notwithstanding, after they die. The death of Richard Nixon was noted with dignity by his political rivals, including President Bill Clinton and former President Jimmy Carter.

To make matters worse, Keenan's letter suggests that the business leaders accompanying Brown were there only as the result of making large political contributions to the Democratic Party. Even if this was a fact, what purpose can be served by sullying these people's reputations after their deaths? In fact, one of the deceased was a local businessman.

To include Brown's photograph, to box the letter and add the headline ``Brown's mission wasn't noble,'' as you did, rubs salt into the wound.

- Lawrence C. Caird

Palmdale

The untimely death of Ron Brown, commerce secretary, has led Bill Clinton to promise Brown's widow and Commerce Department employees that he would fight for their work.

Brown has been eulogized by many high administration officials as the greatest secretary of commerce we have ever had. What greater honor than to retire his number, so to speak, as we do in sports. Do away with the Commerce Department and he will always be the greatest.

In one fell swoop we can honor Brown, get rid of a layer of bureaucrats, downsize the government and save the taxpayers a bundle.

- Howard Knudson

Van Nuys

Is L.A. ready for Hayden?

Regarding ``Hayden tackles city topics,'' Daily News, April 6: I ask why? Is Los Angeles ready for a radical far-left, socialist mayor?

Tom Hayden may call himself a progressive, a libertarian, a liberal or whatever the code word is for the left-wing radicals. The Daily News could ask him, how or why Los Angeles needs to go that far left from the center?

As state senator from my district, he has followed the liberal environmentalist, anti-business course. He has done nothing but drive business out of this state. Is the Daily News going to ask him questions about his background, from the Chicago Seven and on?

Mayor Richard Riordan has a centrist position. Although some of his appointments have been liberal, at least he is for business and trying to improve the city's image.

Hayden has a poor image to start with. Riordan is for law and order. As liberal as Hayden is, you can be sure he isn't for law and order.

The Democrats ought to stop trying to pass off these ultra-liberals as viable candidates and look for mainstream American ideals. Character counts. Morals count. Family values count if we are to continue as a nation of the people and for the people. We better stop electing people who want to reinvent our government, using socialistic goals.

- Louis D. Rosenberg

Canoga Park

`Parents as guardians'

Regarding your editorial, ``Parents as guardians,'' April 8:

I have a concern for the new policy at Hoover High School. It will only hurt their students. The school district is not dealing with students. It's dealing with the district's incapacity to handle the student's sexuality.

These issues should be taught in the home, but when they aren't, kids will look for support in other places. Schools are a natural place for them to find this support. It is unfair for schools to remove or restrict a positive place for students to get the support they need.

This policy change (requiring students to obtain parental permission to join campus clubs) is discriminatory. The new policy is being instituted because of the gay and lesbian students.

Schools need to deal with their students, and all of their fundamental nature, not just what the schools are comfortable with.

Parents need to take interest in their children all of the time. The only good parent is an involved parent. Get involved with your kids, support them all of the time and love them for who they are, gay or straight.

- Don Harrelson

Sun Valley

Daylight savings `a nuisance'

Once again daylight saving time is upon us and what a nuisance it is.

Why in the world can't we just have standard time or daylight saving time but for gosh sakes not both. What a waste of time to have to go around changing clocks twice a year. Some of these digital clocks are not that easy to change, either.

It's time that the governor and the state Legislature got together and put an end to this time-consuming annoyance. It serves no good purpose. That's all the more reason to get rid of it.

Several other states were smart enough to do away with the time change and now I'd like to see California join them.

- Conrad J. Hubert

North Hollywood

I don't like daylight savings because I really feel it.

I'm an insomniac. I get even less sleep because I really can't adjust.

Just what energy savings is being made from all this? The city never sleeps. It's becoming more a 24-hour thing.

Anyone who needs the daylight can get up earlier and let the rest of us sleep.

- Rikio Matsunami

Los Angeles

Malkin rebutted

Michelle Malkin (``Don't call it English; this is `language diversity,'' Opinions, March 22) may be a prose stylist but she is not a journalist. In her column on the newly released English language arts standards, Malkin takes cheap shots at the document's writing style, denigrates the good name of the National Council of Teachers of English and misses the point of this important document.

Just like parents and business leaders, English teachers worry that today's students won't have the skills they need to survive and thrive in the coming century. That's why the National Council of Teachers of English and the International Reading Association released ``Standards for the English Language Arts'' in March. These voluntary national standards call for a new, higher level of literacy.

Malkin tries to smear the name of the National Council of Teachers of English with the tar of political correctness. She claims that NCTE members want to drop ``English'' and ``National'' from its name, because the words sound ``exclusionary'' and nationalistic. Not true.

Some members have suggested adding ``Language Arts'' to the title because elementary teachers are traditionally called language arts teachers while high school teachers are known as English teachers, but there never has been a proposal to drop English from the name.

Serving members in every state of the United States, most Canadian provinces and countries around the world, NCTE is as much an international organization as it is a national one, but no member has ever said, as Malkin reports, using an invented quote, that ``National'' ``smacks of nationalism.''

While Malkin was busy calling English teachers ``loyal slaves to pretentiousness'' and making up stories about the name of their organization, she forgot the first rule of journalism: to inform.

Malkin's column fails to inform your readers about the kinds of literacy skills students will need to succeed to in the workplace of the 21st century. ``Standards for the English Language Arts'' does.

The document has been praised by award-winning teachers, by the writers of state standards and by forward-thinking businesses such as Microsoft. Business leaders like Microsoft support the document because it emphasizes not only the fundamentals of reading and writing, but also the new basics of flexible learning, teamwork and computer literacy.

Classroom teachers and state standards writers value the document because it articulates a vision of what 21st century literacy will mean while it gives teachers, school districts and states the flexibility to make the curriculum decisions appropriate for their particular students. I hope your readers will make up their own minds.

- Beverly Ann Chin

President

National Council

of Teachers of English

Urbana, Ill.

Robbins and reform

I wonder if former state Sen. Alan E. Robbins' visit at the state Capitol on Monday was uncomfortable for many because of their own indiscretions.

Unfortunately, too many decisions are made not on principle, but on the possibility of contributions. Robbins may have more to say in support of campaign finance reform than most others because he has paid the greatest price for indiscretion - he got caught. There are others who must be cautious and I am sure that Robbins visit might have tweaked a conscience or two.

- Jacquie Richardson

Simi Valley

How to deal with the `Freemen'

We seem to be obsessed with the so-called ``Freemen'' of Montana. These `Freemen,'' who live in a country that allows them to rebel against the system that protects that privilege, have another alternative.

They can denounce their God-given freedom and choose another country that they think will offer them the same opportunity as the U.S. Constitution does.

It is my suggestion that the government offer them this concession: Provide them with air transportation to the country of their choice: providing that country will let them in. One I have in mind is Singapore. Wouldn't they have a delightful time there? Think of all the fun they could have: Rant and rave through the press. Shoot up the place. Resist arrest. Stand on soap boxes. Even roam through the streets and vandalize citizens' automobiles.

We're too lenient as a government. Enact a few laws that prevent this type of behavior.

Perhaps it will prevent future ``wackos'' from imitating them.

- Earl D. Horwitz

North Hills

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Photo

Photo: Mourning: President and Mrs. Clinton at the funeralfor Ron Brown.

Associated Press