Liberals' hate and hypocrisy reassure this conservative

I want to thank you for publishing two Perspectives columns yesterday that reminded me why I am proud to be a conservative.

The first was the usual hate-filled rant against the Bush administration by Maureen Dowd ("The Bright Side"), a spewer of sarcasm and nastiness who is a major spokesperson for the so-called "tolerant" and "compassionate" people on the left.

The second, printed right beside the Dowd column, was a diatribe by Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic National Committee ("Alito Fails the Test"). He opposes the confirmation of Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court because Judge Alito supposedly does not have sufficient respect for individual human rights. This from a man (and the political party he leads) who define such rights as giving a woman the prerogative to have a doctor kill her partially born baby. This man and political party have more concern for the life of an unborn caribou calf on the North Slope than for the life of an unborn human child.

Keep publishing these columns and articles -- we need these regular reminders of who the leaders on the left are and what they stand for.

ARTHUR WILSON
Mt. Lebanon

About wine bill

As the author and prime sponsor of Senate Bill 996, I want to respond to the Jan. 2 letter "This Bill for Internet Wine Purchases Is a Mere Ruse." The letter was off-base and inaccurate, and it is regrettable that the PG chose to print it.

The section that the writer cites as restricting access to wines of a consumer's choice is, in fact, being removed by my bill as opposed to being added, as he suggests. Senate Bill 996, if passed, would make available up to 18 liters (24 bottles with no required minimum purchase) of wine from any winery that chooses to pay the small fee of $100 to license itself with the Liquor Control Board.

It is my intent to make any wine available by direct mail to all consumers if that is how they choose to purchase it. All that is required is that a winery license itself with the LCB as well as collect and remit the 6 percent state sales tax, and that the consumer be 21 years or older. No matter how this gentleman interpreted the language of the bill this would be its effect if it passed.

STATE SEN. JIM FERLO
Highland Park

Not a surprise

In regards to the Dec. 26 article "College Graduate Literacy Declines, Puzzling Experts":

Quite frankly, I am appalled by the literacy test results, but am not the least bit surprised. From what I understood, the test was not so much about ability to read so much as one's ability to take information and come to a conclusion. Dolores Perin, the reading expert at Columbia University Teachers College, has it partly right: The problem does not start in college, but it starts far earlier than high school.

We don't teach our children how to think anymore. The concept of learning has shifted from attaining knowledge to doing well on tests, which does not apply to real life and leaves our graduates lacking. It begins as early as elementary school, where learning becomes about memorization instead of thinking. By middle school, they're doing practice standardized tests so they can do well on the SATs and get into good colleges, but all that education is wasted without being able to process information.

And this is all coming from a 22-year-old current college student. I see the ineptitude every day, especially in my last business class at Community College of Allegheny County. It was a joke -- we had three tests all semester, consisting of 15-20 true/false questions and 10-15 with short answers. In a 200-level course!

I am genuinely concerned about the way our education system is working. Without the ability to think for ourselves and come to our own conclusions, there is no hope for the future of the world. We will continue to rely on others to think for us, and present the conclusions to us, which can only further the problem facing us.

A change must occur. We must teach our children not just to accept what is told them, but to think for themselves, or else who will?

VICTORIA GREEN
Bellevue

Consider the source

I was a bit stunned by the sweeping accusations made by David Johnson ("It's Not All Academic," Dec. 31 Weekend Perspectives) regarding the lowly condition of journalism instruction at colleges and universities. He may be correct in his analysis, but the poor quality of his own scholarship was glaring.

The evidence he provided was his own limited teaching experience at what appeared to be a few second- or third-tier institutions and one unnamed Big Ten university and the comments from a few of his colleagues (who also remain unnamed). From this he concludes that "many college-level teachers of journalism are unfamiliar with the day-to-day practice" of journalism. Such a bold assertion requires more than his personal experience at a few colleges.

As a start, a scholarly approach would begin with a survey of the faculty at the top 25 journalism schools in America in order to quantify their level of real world experience as well as their academic credentials. I hope his class at Slippery Rock is more rigorous than this commentary that provided zero substantive evidence that we have a crisis of instruction in the field of journalism.

WALTER CARSON
Grove City

The market value

Regarding recent home buyers caught in assessment limbo and to letter writer Diana Smith, a young, recent homebuyer who feels overburdened with taxes ("Assessment Mess Is Nightmare for Recent Homebuyers," Jan. 3):

If you check your laws regarding home sales, you will find that your assessment can, and probably will, change almost immediately based on the purchase price (sales price) of the home. This is not new. For at least the past 10 years those of us who paid the selling price of a newly purchased home have been burdened with the additional taxes based on the new assessment. This is the law.

Ten years ago when I purchased my home, my assessment went up almost immediately based on the purchase price, and I was told by the tax office that if I was willing to pay the asking price, then I must also be willing to pay the new taxes based on the revised assessment.

Apparently if you bought the home, you must feel that it is worth the "fair market price." Welcome to the club.

PHYLLIS VOSNICK
Elizabeth Township

Be vigilant

I just sent off e-mails to U.S. Sens. Rick Santorum and Arlen Specter, as well as U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle, concerning my fear of the president's defense of illegal "eavesdropping." While what our president has done is frightening because it violates the rule of law, I believe it is important that Congress investigate this problem for a more basic reason.

I asked for their help more for my young son than for myself. All of our children must be able to grow up in a country where the rule of law is respected. My president should not teach my son that those rules apply only when it is convenient.

I thank the press, whom the president chastised for informing us about this practice, for alerting us to a dishonest presidency. Now the members of Congress can put a stop to it.

I can only hope that my representatives are honorable people who stand for core beliefs like honesty, instead of catchphrases like "family values." The next few weeks will tell if core character traits, rather than convenient positions, guide their steps.

SUSAN HAGAN
Regent Square

American Kremlin

In the past week I have read at least two letters calling for the impeachment of President Bush. What a fiasco that would be! Dick Cheney then would become president, and the indicted Tom DeLay (if convicted) could get a presidential pardon to become the vice president, all without American voter input.

The White House has become the American Kremlin under Chairman Bush. After the 2008 election, Bush will pardon all of his convicted cronies. Bet on it! Americans had the chance to impeach the whole Bush crony culture of corruption in the presidential election of 2004, but they blew it.

Let's not give Dick Cheney and Tom DeLay a chance at presidential power by impeaching Chairman Bush.

JAMES GARDEN, JR.
Jefferson Hills

The outrage over mining disaster is a bit late

I read with interest your editorial yesterday decrying the disaster at Sago ("No More Sagos: At a West Virginia Mine, Tragedy Was Compounded"). Where was the Post-Gazette while all these violations were being tallied and seemingly ignored by the mine operators? Surely you cannot think that such injustice has never happened before.

Why are you not covering this issue and others like it on a daily basis? Do you only practice investigative reporting after the fact?

BECKY BURDICK
Spring Hill