I am writing this letter in comment to article titled, "Teaching Children What Patriotism Is," by Ms. Marion S. Levine, which appeared in the Sept. 27 issue of the Farmingdale Observer. I have the following to say.

It always amazes me to see how certain people get into positions of authority and once they are there, how influential they can become, simply because they have a title. America is America because of its people and that also includes people like Ms. Levine who I believe is of the Liberal Left. She would have us believe that it is appropriate to teach our children that there is little difference to events that are recorded in our religious scriptures to those of Grimms Fairy Tales. She believes that we should teach our children the truth, especially all the things that are wrong with America, thus helping our youth to become open minded and not having faith in anything, but questioning everything that takes place in their lives. Ms. Levine is the executive director for the North Shore Child and Family Guidance Center.

Unfortunately for Ms. Levine, I don't believe that this is the correct way Patriotism should be taught to our children. There are a few concepts that psychologists can't explain or if they do, it would only be in interpretations. One of those concepts is love. The love a mother or father have for their child. This unconditional love they give is not questioned, it's just given. This same concept is something that parents would gladly give their life for and if sincere a child reads it perfectly and will also develop that same kind of unconditional love for his or her parents.

Belief is another one of those concepts. True belief in God and the Holy Scriptures can never be a fairy tale to those who know that we will all answer to a Higher Authority when we pass on.

And then there is Patriotism, which falls somewhere between Love and Belief or a combination of both. I see no problem to teach our children to question, but also teach them who our enemies are, just as you teach your children not to take drugs or to hang out with the wrong crowd. Teach them the truth, that in other countries, people do not have protected rights to believe in God, that people are shot when they practice their religion in the open. Teach them to question our system of government, but at the same time teach them that the Color Red in Old Glory is for those who spilled their blood so that this Republic can survive with the legacy that they are to carry it on. Explain to them that America and Americans are special, that we invented the melting pot theory and no matter how many things are wrong with it, along with all its fallacies, it works and we live together and we all have an obligation to make it work better. And then finally explain to them to keep this great country going, with all our protected rights, including all our leisure activities and toys, that we enjoy so much, that the price may someday be that they will be called upon to protect these rights with their own life as others did before them. Explain to them that many others died and many others are ready to die for them so that they can play football on Sunday, go out on a date on a Saturday night, go to college to become a doctor or become a director of a guidance center. Tell them that this is the cost and if we are to remain the America that our forefathers built, that their own parents and other parents struggled for, we all have to be willing and ready to make immediate payment at any given time. If Ms. Levine wants to teach the truth, this is the truth. Jeane Kirkpatrick, when she was our Ambassador to the United Nations years ago, said it so eloquently, "Let every American know, We Have No Friends."

May God Bless America, and may God give our youth the proper direction to defend her when that time may come and if that time comes, may their Patriotism be unequaled by our enemies and may it go unquestioned.

Lek M. Hasan