Rose Court Rule

Re “Teenage Mother Fights Rose Court Rule,” Sept. 27: There is a difference between equal opportunity in the workplace or in government and standards of eligibility for competition in a private pageant. The pageant officials have the absolute right to determine the parameters of competition, which are being a C student in the Pasadena area and a single woman at least 17 years old. It is not for mothers, whether married or single.

I think it is a moral issue. An unmarried woman should not be a Rose princess or queen, even if married mothers were allowed. Although I am compassionate toward unmarried teenage mothers, I don’t think they should be morally or socially accepted.

SUSANNA BAIR

Sunset Beach

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The article included a comment from a Tournament of Roses official that this action was not based on any moral judgment. Well, why not? There is nothing wrong but rather everything right in making moral judgments. Every society must make rules of behavior or fall apart.

It is time that we become unafraid to simply say, “No, that action is wrong. Suffer the consequences.” Perhaps a society unafraid of morality would not now be suffering the humiliation of the Clinton-Lewinsky affair.

MARYANN SHOUP

Apple Valley