One marvels at the boldness of idiocy. Melanie Folstad and her CRACK organization tread delicately through poor neighborhoods attempting to sterilize drug addicts (“Crack in the Armor,” 9/22). I am reminded of a photograph from 1912, of a man paid to carry a sign reading, “I am an alcoholic. By what right have I children?” The sponsor of that little demonstration was the National Eugenics Society.

Let’s put our energies into stopping drug addiction at its root by fighting poverty, ignorance, and the decimation of social programs. Otherwise, you’ll never find a Band-Aid big enough to cover the wound.

Cardozo