PUBLIC FORUM : REMEMBERING BROWN: HE WAS `A TRUE MODEL'.

African Americans around the world are particularly saddened and distraught by the death of Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown.

He represented so many things to so many people: a true model of the capacity of the black man; a real demonstration of what is possible in this country with the right combination of education, family support, spiritual support, tenacity, skill, determination, love of life and love of people.

As I reflect on the occasions that I had an opportunity to be in Ron Brown's presence, several instances stand out.

The first was in December 1993 at a National Council of Negro Women's reception honoring Alexis Herman, who currently holds a key position on President Clinton's staff.

On this occasion, in my role as president of the San Fernando Valley Section of NCNW, I was sitting at a table next to Brown. Gael T. Davis, past president of the the Los Angeles NCNW, and I shared the same observation: Brown was a powerful man who had not lost his common touch. His dinner table conversation was energetic and simple.

Since the accident, I have received a number of calls from people I met in May 1995 while attending the third African American Summit in Senegal, Africa. Brown addressed the group in his usual motivational style.

He made those of us who who did not have a traditional or obviously identified role in foreign trade understand the importance of trade development between Africans and African Americans. He helped us gain the confidence necessary to articulate and encourage African Americans to research and develop trade opportunities in Africa.

A final experience that is worth sharing is how, after the Northridge Earthquake, Brown ensured that an invitation was extended to several of us from the Northeast Valley to attend a meeting in Sherman Oaks that would have been closed to us ordinarily.

He rarely missed an opportunity to provide access to regular folk. I understood from this last experience that what we do with opportunities is up to us, but without access, our success is nearly impossible.

- Barbara Perkins

Founding president

National Council of Negro Women,

San Fernando Valley

Sylmar

Rising gas prices I am responding to ``Pinched at the pump,'' Daily News, April 11. and I am disappointed that we, the people, are paying more and more every week for essential fuel - and are taking it lying down.

You reported that gasoline is a seller's market, but the fact that pump prices can vary 7 cents per gallon, depending on where you are, is evidence to the contrary. I doubt that all the mothers in Los Angeles would accept steadily rising milk prices every year because the milk industry alleged there was a shortage of cows.

I am a very strong proponent of clean air and other environmental concerns, and am equally in favor of the necessary changes that must take place to make cleaner-burning gasoline. But gas prices have been going up steadily for three months, and the industry has not yet truly started to implement the refinery changes.

The industry relies heavily on humans' inability to remember or attach significance to a yearly trend - we go through this every spring - and thus they are able to raise prices.

If this truly is a seller's market, then it's high time that the gasoline industry become regulated.

- James Ives 

Woodland Hills

Cruelty to fish Your editorial, ``Let our people fish,'' April 8, says fishing is a constitutional right, and animal rights activists who plan to throw stones where people are fishing would be acting foolishly. A more acceptable form of protest is the public square.

If I did protest at the public square, I would tell about my snorkeling in Hawaii and feeding the fish that swarmed around me looking for snacks. They are like birds. Instead of hovering and flying through the air, they are flying and hovering in the water.

Some of us, however, pull the fish out of the water with a hook, sometimes brutally remove the hook, and notice no protest other than a little wiggling. Not even a change in facial expression on this little creature from the sea as it dies gasping for breath.

How many arguments in public squares are needed to save our silent offshore neighbors from those who are having fun?

- Don Lippman

Los Angeles

Your editorial's main point, as I understood it, is that organizations such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals should reconstruct their strategy in favor of one that seeks to spotlight ``actual violations of existing laws against inhumane treatment of animals.''

I would like to make two points in regard to this claim. First, it should be pointed out that there may be cases, and I believe many examples could be found, wherein existing law is not adequate to protect the life and dignity of another animal.

Second, even in cases where the law is adequate to guarantee against what you call ``the inhumane treatment of animals,'' there are other values at stake in protest activities such as the one PETA has planned, and in this sense your editorial completely misses the point of this protest. What PETA is doing has nothing to do merely with such treatment, but in fact with a more basic philosophical claim that animals, all animals, have a fundamental right to life, and that to hunt a fish is in no way distinct from hunting a person.

There are times when the law is just plain wrong and should be rejected. I therefore commend PETA and its courageous members.

- Fabio Escobar

Granada Hills

Privatize Social Security There have been many mentions of changes in Social Security in the media.

The only change I want to see in Social Security is to see it privatized so that greedy legislators can't get their hands on the assets. Create a consortium of Swiss bankers to handle the collection and distribution with a fee contingent on how well they do with management and investment of the funds.

- Robert C. Nelson

Los Angeles

Lawyers as lawmakers Strange, isn't it, that in all the polls lawyers come in after used car salesmen. They are generally not trusted. So how come we have a Congress of almost all lawyers? As senators and representatives, they have proven time after time that they can't be trusted.

- Ira J. Horn

Studio City

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Photo

PHOTO After the quake: Ron Brown, left, checks damage in Fi llmore.

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