READER: ELECTIONS BREED CORRUPTION

Maybe because so many shoes have dropped on Bridgeport in recent
years, the present atmosphere in the city is one of wariness. Punch
drunk from so many slams on the head, we watch and wait -- wait for
the next size 14-EEE to fall.

Will there be more revelations about Mayor John M. Fabrizi? Did he
confess it all? Did he really stop the cocaine over a year ago? What
revelations will emerge from the trial of the man who may have been
the mayor's dealer?

When a shoe drops in Bridgeport, it is usually a weapon of mass
destruction. What's next, the National Guard?

Meanwhile, Friday's column that mulled the question of forgiveness
brought some thoughtful comments. Considering Bridgeport's luck
electing mayors, Dan Braccio has an idea or two that might increase
the odds of finding a mayor who will run the city honestly, and with a
clear head.

Why not, as we do for police chief, have a national search for a
mayor?

Put a moratorium on elections for the office for 10 years in the hope
that the "rats" will jump ship once the top cheese position is off the
table.

Limit the search to 4 months.

Put an end to campaigning, and consequently to circuses at candidate
debates and in the press.

The selection committee will be a cross section of business,
religious, civic, education leaders -- no politicians (except for
whoever is Bridgeport's U.S. representative after Nov. 7).

Like the police chief, limit the new mayor to two five-year
terms.

Forgive? asks Louann Hart and others. What about those others who were
not forgiven?

If we can forgive him, then we must forgive every single other person
in this state of Connecticut who has ever done illegal drugs.

This means:

1. Allow scholarships to be awarded to any student for possession or
use of any drug. Currently they are not eligible.

2. Overturn all drug convictions and expunge the records.

3. Rehire all persons fired for drug use.

4. Remove the "have you ever been convicted?" statement off of all
employment applications.

5. Consider making cocaine legal, since the mayor says his behavior
was never affected by it.

This is about all people being equal and about obeying the law. (If
you don't like the law, work to overturn it.)

He must be fired and prosecuted, like the two men his very own police
staff arrested last week.

There are consequences for your actions. The consequences and
forgiveness must be the same for all.

Patricia Harrison is nothing if not succinct:

John M. Fabrizi needs to resign his post. Period. Forgive him if you
want, but get him out.

Suzanne Kachmar advocates the supreme sacrifice, politician
style.

Oh well, I guess there really is no Santa Claus. If the mayor wants to
do right by the people who love, respect and put their trust in him he
needs to work on changing the drug trade in the city through
prevention and recovery programs, decriminalization. ... We need to be
more realistic, and part of the reality is he may not serve Bridgeport
best by being in office any longer.

And this from someone named Gladys:

Has our society become so accustomed to the use of drugs and
corruption from our public leaders that this is no longer an issue for
our leaders to uphold the highest moral values of our society and to
the people who have elected them?

ERRATUM: There was an unfortunate, but possibly inadvertently
truthful, word substitution in Friday's column. In a paragraph listing
the Fabrizi's good qualities (enthusiasm, sincerity, and a desire to
help people), one should have been "his likability," not as it
appeared, "his liability."