Rumsfeld is only a symptom of a greater problem

I note the Post-Gazette's call for the ouster of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld ("Fire Rumsfeld," April 18 editorial). I agree that he has shown great incompetence in office, combined with incredible arrogance and disdain for the American public and for the constitutional principles that he swore to uphold. However, getting rid of him would not solve the problem.

I read in E.J. Dionne Jr.'s March 7 column of one man's philosophy to "do the right thing, then do the thing right." Obviously Mr. Rumsfeld is the point man for not doing the thing right, but invading Iraq was not the right thing in the first place.

The responsibility for this fiasco lies with President Bush. Whatever bad advice given or flawed policies propounded and implemented by his advisers at Cabinet level and below, President Bush himself is ultimately responsible for initiating a needless, immoral war founded on, if not outright lies, stupendous failures of intelligence or its interpretation.

Combined with the related unconstitutional, unlawful, immoral and unethical actions in spying, treatment of prisoners and detainees, and warmongering by friends of his, the president has committed numerous impeachable acts.

It is to our nation's great shame that Congress is in no way prepared to jump in and hold the president accountable. This is particularly so considering the rush to judgment against Bill Clinton for merely having illicit sex. I'm not the first person to note this, but nobody died because of those misdeeds.

My only reservation about impeaching Mr. Bush is that Dick Cheney would ascend to president in name as well as in fact.

DAVID HAMMOND
Morgantown, W.Va.

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Thanks, red states

We, the voters of these United States, have only ourselves to blame for the state our country is witnessing within our borders and throughout the world. No ... I take that back. We have only the red states to blame. I submit the red states bought into "I'm a uniter, not a divider." But the blue states knew a con artist when they heard one, and I might add an incompetent con artist.

The red states had a chance to help elect an intellectual flip-flopper, but instead they chose a guy who can look you in the eye and lie. OK, fib a little.

And you know what else, red states? There's another con job on the horizon: this time by John McCain. Truly, the Republican strategists must be extremely exhausted at the end of the day.

RON KAINTZ
Kennedy

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I'll tune in

Regarding Dan Simpson's column "Welcome, Al-Jazeera, to Our Media Mix" (April 12): For five years, I've not had a TV and not missed it. But after reading Mr. Simpson's piece, I'm in the market for a new television set before summer -- not to tune into the new female (gasp!) "CBS Evening News" anchor, but to avail myself of the welcome alternative to our corporate, controlled, "balanced" and boring fare and the prospect of an interesting international viewpoint.

CORNELIA SMOLLIN
Whitehall

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Leaders in denial

Kudos to the Post-Gazette and Allegheny County Councilman Vince Gastgeb for his well-written piece "Missing the Point" (April 13 "In Rebuttal") concerning Pittsburgh's needle exchange program.

As Mr. Gastgeb points out, research into the program's effectiveness needs to be done, progress charted, flaws found and corrected. And perhaps most importantly, successes lauded.

At the end of his piece Mr. Gastgeb quotes PG columnist Ruth Ann Dailey, who recently said (in an excellent column), "We need an open, well-informed debate to find the right answer." What our current anti-drug "leaders" will not do, however, is debate.

In Ms. Dailey's quote is the crux of the whole drug war miasma. Prohibition advocates deny any legitimacy to programs like needle exchange in the same breath they deny any medical efficacy to cannabis.

The prohibition mentality is a bigoted one relying on the outdated and corrupt notion that certain behaviors must be purified. Completely. Absolutely.

Zero tolerance is social perfidy and amounts to no less than a pogrom against an identifiable portion of society. There will never be health-care relief as long as this nation follows punitive policies instead of medically based ones. And it is, indeed, time for a national debate, using major national network media, on all drug policies. Prohibition hysterics, directed from a federal level, prevent it.

It is up to our nation's individual health professionals, our nation's newspaper editors and our elected representatives at all levels of government to encourage and provide that national forum.

ALLAN ERICKSON
Drug Policy Forum of Oregon
Eugene, Ore.

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Our heartache

Last week I had to tell my 15-year-old daughter that her 16-year-old friend was brutally murdered ("Police Looking for a Motive in Fatal Homewood Shooting," April 14). It was extremely hard for me to tell her; I could not possibly imagine having to tell the parents of that young man their baby is dead.

I'm sitting here, a black woman, born and raised in Homewood, graduate of Westinghouse High School, and I am mad, hurt, enraged and confused! How did we get here? These babies are dying all around us, and there seems to be no end. They are killing each other! Lord, please help us!

PATRICIA THOMPSON
Lincoln-Larimer

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A bridge's beauty

A recent article by Joe Grata on the Parkway East highway work ("Parkway East Work to Begin Monday," April 12) including the demolition of "an ugly landmark," i.e., the bridge carrying a set of city steps, brought home to me the truth of the saying that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Every time I see that bridge I feel a sense of pride in this unique feature as nowhere else in the country is there a bridge carrying a set of city steps over an interstate highway. I also feel a sense of connection with the Pittsburghers of the past who daily trod these steps on their way to and from work.

I think it would be a landmark decision for the city and the state to go against the current trend of demolishing unique, historic features that are deemed "ugly" and rather spend that demolition money in refurbishing and preserving them.

This would also offer a unique opportunity to partner with Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation, Rivers of Steel or some other group to educate the public about the importance of our cultural heritage.

ROBERT D. REGAN
Squirrel Hill

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Please focus on the injustices that most people care about

Every day, I read stories about immigration laws, abortion rights and gay marriage. The truth is, I don't care. Why don't I care? Maybe it's because I'm too busy watching the oil companies and insurance companies siphon money out of my wallet, and wondering why the government and the media turn their backs on the problem.

It was almost laughable to watch the oil company executives explain to Congress why it wasn't their fault that they gouged Americans for billion-dollar profits. Equally laughable was watching our meek members of Congress cower in fear that the obscene campaign contributions made by these companies would dry up if they pressed the issue.

The insurance industry has taken the long-term approach to price gouging. Health insurance premiums rise as coverage and care decline. The government has yet to pass significant health-care reform and cap outrageous insurance settlements, instead bickering about whether to let immigrants into our country to clean our toilets.

You won't find outraged editorials on these issues because they aren't flashy enough to warrant coverage. Why write about insurance when you can write a tear-jerking tale of an immigrant's journey across our border? You can almost picture their mouths watering when the next Elian Gonzales or Terri Schiavo story comes over the wire. The government and the media need to regain their focus and concentrate on important issues like health care and gas prices. Americans must stand up and let them know where our real priorities lie.

ROBERT WAGNER
Harmony

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