Man of the Year

To the Editors:

I hereby nominate Howard Jarvis as Man of the Year. He has proved that one man can still change things in America. Perhaps he should even be considered for Man of the Decade.

E. Bruce Geelhoed Muncie, Ind.

Man of the Year--no. Men of the Year--yes: the College of Cardinals for their inspired selection of Popes John Paul I and John Paul II.

(Mrs.) Marian N. Shultz Greenbank, Wash.

My nomination is Muhammad Ali.

Charles Cohn Philadelphia

Jimmy Carter is a natural for Man of the Year for his efforts on behalf of peace at Camp David.

Vic Leonard Cos Cob, Conn.

When it comes time to decide TIME'S Man of the Year, keep in mind Shcharansky, Ginzburg and all other Soviet dissidents who are to be commended for their courage and indomitable spirit.

Mark Heidorn Flushing, Mich.

Naomi James as Woman of the Year for her solo sail around the world.

Jeanette M. Davy Lausanne, Switzerland

Reggie Jackson. He has a knack for what appears to be the supernatural.

Joe Murphy Attleboro, Mass.

Turning Conservative

TIME says, "The American people had soured on costly government . . ." [Nov. 20]. Right on! TIME could have gone further. We are tired of costly government that gives us less and less. I resent, however, your saying in a "quirky mood," the voters turned conservative. A more accurate statement: the voters got smart and turned conservative.

Berman E. Deffenbaugh Jr. San Antonio

O.K., so the congressional candidates finally got our message: cut taxes and federal spending, and do it now! I can't figure out why it has taken so long for them to realize that this is what their constituents were after. We've been yelling for years about exorbitant national spending. This is just the first time those old geezers turned their hearing aids up far enough to hear us.

Ross Cameron Ithaca, N.Y.

I do not consider the American people's unwillingness to vote a scandal at all. If people were threatened enough by the possible outcome of the election, I believe they would show up at the polling centers in droves. The reason for staying away from the polls is really an I'm-satisfied vote.

Ken Cogswell Bloomington, Ind.

Only in America is it possible to elect politicians who propose less government spending while allowing one candidate (North Carolina Senator Jesse Helms) to spend $6.7 million on his campaign. Enough, I say!

Phyllis Kisser Vienna, Va.

There must be some old adage to express the sentiment that if we voters send people like Congressman Daniel Flood back to public office, we are getting the kind of representation we deserve.

Matt Boxberger Lawrence, Kans.

Too Little Too Late

All the "reforms" of the Shah's regime [Nov. 13] represent too little too late. All the economic and geopolitical reasoning on his behalf cannot paper over the fact that the widespread discontent is the result of 25 years of unprecedented repression and bad government practices. The Shah cannot solve problems when his people perceive him to be the very root of these problems. For Americans, all this is a sobering lesson on the perils of backing a dictatorship.

Alwyn Patrick D'Sa New York City

Rockwell's World

Norman Rockwell's illustrations were not of a "dreamworld" [Nov. 20], but of a reality that I remember well. In my New England neighborhood the grandparents of my friends looked very much like those in his illustrations. There was no one with a camera handy when the boys (and girls) stole apples from a neighbor's orchard and said their grace before meals, or when my own doctor examined my doll for symptoms of asthma. Norman Rockwell's work has preserved those scenes from everyday life, and 300 years from now our descendants will know that apple trees grew in our neighbors' gardens, our elderly lived with their children more often than not, and health care was delivered by kindly compassionate doctors who came to our homes.

Edith Wallace Grauman Auburndale, Mass.

The Practicing Bishop

Praise be to Spokane's Roman Catholic Bishop Bernard J. Topel [Nov. 13] for his voluntary poverty, one of the fundamentals of Christian doctrine. Unfortunately, he is one of a tiny minority aware of the unwritten maxim, "You can tell but cannot teach, unless you practice what you preach."

Robert Rickman Renfrew, Ont.

I could swear I heard the sound of snipping scissors as parishioners everywhere clipped your article regarding Bishop Topel to send to their bishops who are living in a "stately bishop's residence."

Mary Jones Lansing, N.Y.

It appears to me that Bishop Topels "poverty binge" has taken him from depending on the people he serves, the "74,000 souls" in his diocese, to the U.S. Government. He returns his salary to the diocese, distributes the $25,000 from the sale of the bishop's home and the money he receives for the jeweled symbols of his office, but accepts his monthly Social Security check. That is very princely of you, Your Excellency.

Ed White Oceanside, Calif.

Harmonious Enlightenment?

It was a delight to see the merits of the Transcendental Meditation program in prisons [Nov. 13] brought to light. The penal system has made a tremendous advance in beginning to recognize that crime prevention requires development of individual consciousness to the point that inner strength and fulfillment make crime unimaginable. TM practitioners call this harmonious state enlightenment. Your article reveals its practicality for everyone in this stressful world.

Gail S. Weiser Reading, Pa.

If the TM program could have even one-tenth the effect it seems to be having in reducing the recidivism rate of our prisons, it would be a significant contribution. It is time we explored the alternatives to thelock-'em-up-and-throw-away-the-key rhetoric of too many politicians, if only because keys are cheap but the cost of maintaining the rest of the operation will soon be prohibitive.

Richard S. Pinto West Palm Beach, Fla.

"TM in the Pen" mentions that California is seeking federal funding to support a TM program in the prisons. I hope the agencies involved will consider the case of Malnak vs. Yogi in New Jersey, 1977, in which it was determined that TM was based on religious doctrine. I have no argument with the teaching of religious principles to rehabilitate criminals--indeed a Christian conversion would produce the same results--but feel no religion should be taught with the tax support and approval of Government. If Transcendental Meditation is to be taught in the prisons, then its adherents should foot the bill.

William Frey Philadelphia

Borrowed Vocabulary

In his study on football as a homosexual ceremony [Nov. 13], Mr. Dundes argues that the jargon of football--e.g., score, down, popping--is erotic. He apparently assumes that such words were borrowed from sexual lingo. Actually, these terms were used by football players and fans long before they became part of our sexual-banter.

The fact that we have borrowed vocabulary from the violent game of football to describe sexual behavior sheds a great deal of light on our current standards of eroticism. Mr. Dundes has reversed the analogy.

John T. Pilecki Cornwells Heights, Pa.

Alan Dundes probably thinks brushing your teeth is an erotic ritual.

Daniel Oster Framingham, Mass.

Obsolete Downtowns

The fight of Burlington, Vt., against the threat of the suburban mall [Nov. 13] compares with a buggy manufacturer obstructing the sale of autos in 1910. It is understandable, but hopeless. Most downtown areas, whether they are renovated or not, are now obsolete as shopping areas. They just don't give customers the convenience, hours and consideration they demand.

Denton Wirkus Ames, Iowa

Conditioned Reflex

Re "Furor over Japanese Trade" [Nov. 13]: Japan will regret it if we have a Boston-type Tea Party, and consumers boycott items made in Japan. We, too, can acquire the mentality that if it isn't made in the U.S., we can make it here. The conditioned reflex can work both ways.

Mary J. Koch Auburn, Wash.

After having lived in Tokyo for three years, it is clear to me that the American businessman has a very poor concept of the Japanese consumer. Compared with the more compact Japanese appliances, the American versions are marveled at as gargantuan rather than considered for purchase. The same is true of American cars. On narrow Japanese streets, many American automobiles resemble a cruising battleship. As an American living in Japan, I could not buy American products even if I wanted to because of their incompatibility with the Japanese lifestyle.

Constance A. Matsumoto New Haven, Conn.

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