I must add my voice to those who see advantages to early training in courtesy and respect for others through the use of sir and ma'm. Children trained in this learn early on the importance of speaking properly and the self discipline of controlling one's emotions to avoid being rude and escalating a disagreement into argument and battle (Esther Blythe, electronic mail, March 20, 2000).

Thank you to Gail Nardi for a very good statement on the use of courtesy titles. And I must disagree with those who say we can't dictate, or legislate, behavior. We do that often. If we couldn't change attitudes by enforcing certain behaviors until they become habit, our schools and prisons would be foredoomed to failure in much of what they try to do.

Many of the statements on this issue have appeared to me to be the arguments of Northerners, or other "outsiders," resisting enforcement of Southern cultural practices in a Southern state. This attempt to legislate behavior may not work. If it doesn't , it will, no doubt, be dropped; but wouldn't it be nice if enforcement of this behavior had the desired result?

Why not wait and see what happens? One of the great advantages of our multilayered form of government is the leeway it allows for experimentation.. There is not necessarily one and only one right way to achieve a good society.

Esther Blythe (electronic mail, March 25, 2000).