April 2, 1999/16 Nisan 5759, Vol. 51, No. 27 Letters to the Editor4/2/1999
Gang activity not toleratedEditor:I need to respond to some statements contained in an article, "Hate groups use prisons to recruit" (Jewish News, Feb. 26). The article quoted an investigator with the Maricopa County Attorney's Office who implied that white supremacist activity is common at the Adobe Mountain secure facility run by the Arizona Department of Corrections. Your readers need to know that this agency has zero tolerance for gang activity, especially when it targets a racial or ethnic group. Anti-gang programs are an essential part of the educational and counseling curriculum for all juveniles who are placed in secure care. Our security officers diligently stay up to date on statewide gang intelligence and have been praised by other agencies for the anti-gang data they collect and add to the collective knowledge of Arizona law enforcement. While the Arizona Department of Corrections is not facing the levels of racist gang activity that might be found in some adult institutions, we are researching programs that promote racial tolerance and respect for cultural diversity. Steve Meissner Public Information Officer Arizona Dept. of Corrections Kids are greatEditor:Thank you for the wonderful article on schools (Jewish News, March 12). The kids are great, aren't they? If the rest of the world got along like our children, we'd have more peace and less violence, more understanding and less racism. God bless. Marge Injasoulian The Roman Catholic Church of Phoenix Best yetEditor:Congratulations. Your Passover issue (March 26) is your best issue yet. There is a mention of "cyber seders" on the Internet; there are thousands of additional Jewish sites on-line. How about publishing a dozen or so of these web sites each week? Rick Winston (Via the Internet) Kudos to Jewish News Editor:We are indeed fortunate to have such a quality weekly paper to represent the Jewish community. May you continue to prosper as we pray for the future of all humankind. Joel and Gloria Smith Scottsdale |
