It is a shame that there has to be an agency to oversee the safety of children with their own parents. One would think that it is a "human" character trait to protect the young and helpless. Unfortunately, that is not the case.

The recent death of young Amiya, only 18 months old, is sad ("The death of Amiya Brown: Accusations and denials fly," Metro, June 2). Parents who would do this or allow it to happen deserve severe punishment. But just as the parents are reprehensible, so is the person or persons in the system who allowed such a thing to happen. These individuals should also suffer consequences for the death of little Amiya.

BILL BURNS

Stone Mountain

Democrats will pay for dissing two states

I am 55 years old and have been a Democrat all my life, but with the decision the Democratic Party has made —- basically saying it has the right to decide that the voters of two states do not matter —- I have decided that I will take my vote elsewhere. That may mean we have another four years of Republicans in the White House, but that is better than living with a party that thinks it can ignore the people's vote because they didn't follow the committee "rules."

LARRY WHEELER

Atlanta

McClellan's book is old news, thanks

I'm going to give this month's "better late than never" award to former White House press secretary Scott McClellan. Forget the fact that he's not saying anything that wasn't said by countless thousands in the U.S. and abroad prior to the invasion of Iraq (including the AJC's Jay Bookman). Instead, focus on the White House's latest efforts to marginalize and dismiss its critics.

The orchestrated drone of "this doesn't sound like the Scott I knew" harks back to the classic science fiction movie "Invasion of the Body Snatchers," and, c'mon, who doesn't love science fiction?

And then there's the media trying to defend themselves for their part in this fiasco. My favorite so far was newsman Tom Brokaw's response to McClellan's charge that the media were "complicit enablers" and that "it was a war based on propaganda," to which Brokaw replied: "All wars are based on propaganda."

Oh well, it's just another war, right?

GLENN PHILLIPS

Atlanta

Gumption earns A+

I often wonder if there are any third-, fifth- or eighth-graders in Georgia confident enough in their future prospects to stand up to teachers and administration and politely refuse to get all worked up about the CRCT? If there are some who actually do that, and I believe there are, look to them to be tomorrow's leaders.

GARY KOLAR

Atlanta

Atlanta, tighten belt

Atlanta's City Council is to be commended for its efforts to reduce expenditures in face of a negative cash flow. When an individual's money comes up short, increasing income is seldom an option in a down economy. Instead, responsible, businesslike behavior is to cut costs. Our city needs to tighten its belt, in whatever way is necessary to make ends meet, without depending on the general public for a tax increase at this time.

SAM MASSELL

Massell is president of the Buckhead Coalition.