Newspapers need a refresher in proper wartime reporting

Regarding your June 30 editorial "Press Bashing: Americans Needed to Know Story on Bank Data," I am not comfortable granting The New York Times or even the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette authority to determine what is in the best interest of the American people when it comes to decisions about their security and releasing information concerning secret operations in the war against terrorists.

It's a pity you media patriots don't have the counsel of 1944 Pulitzer Prize-winning war correspondent Ernie Pyle about proper news reporting during wartime.

Of course, you media types won't accept the fact that America was attacked and is at war unless you see smoke again billowing over one of our cities.

Then, from your cloistered editorial chambers you will question why technology wasn't employed to protect us, identify the enemy and destroy him.

DAVID M. CURRY
Fox Chapel

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Intimidation tactics

Regarding "Press Bashing: Americans Needed to Know Story on Bank Data": The thrust of the attacks on The New York Times by President Bush and his supporters is that secret information was released, and this release puts the nation in danger and amounts to treason.

This is false. The information is openly available on the United Nations Web site and has been for some time. For example, Victor Comras published the following on the respected site, Counterterrorismblog.org: "... reports on U.S.monitoring of SWIFT transactions have been out there for some time. The information was fairly well known by terrorism financing experts back in 2002. The U.N. Al-Qaida and Taliban Monitoring Group, on which I served as the terrorism financing expert, learned of the practice during the course of our monitoring inquiries. The information was incorporated in our report to the U.N. Security Council in December 2002. That report is still available on the U.N. Web site."

The SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) program was no secret. We have demonstrable proof of that fact. There may be other complaints about what the Times did, but it did not reveal a national secret.

This is all about intimidating what had been a beacon of press freedom, The New York Times. Notice that The Wall Street Journal, which also ran the story, is not being accused of treason or threatened with prosecution.

CLIFFORD PAYNE
Wilkinsburg

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When chases kill

The June 22 story "2nd Recent Crash Puts Spotlight on Police Chases" was published on the eighth anniversary of the loss of my 7-year-old son, Raymond. Playing outside of our North Side home, he was killed by the driver of a car that had been chased by police from Avalon and Bellevue.

It saddens me to see that little has changed in the eight years since his tragic death. Those who would choose to run from the police should stop to think about whether the trouble they are trying to avoid is worth the cost of an innocent bystander's life.

If the penalties for running from the police were more severe, even if no one is hurt, perhaps this would deter some from fleeing for petty crimes.

Police officers should also seriously consider whether a crime is serious enough to warrant such a pursuit. I don't believe that loud music or a broken taillight constitutes a serious crime, even if the police suspect that they may find more once they pull the person over. Officers should also ask themselves if they would chase this person in their own neighborhood, or down the street where they live. If the answer is no, then they should not be chasing the person in any neighborhood.

The June 20 chase began very close to Madison Elementary School in the Hill District, where I am a teacher. It frightened me to think that one of my students could easily have suffered the same fate as my son.

Lives are lost and families are ripped apart due to police chases that are unnecessary. I pray for the innocent victims of these chases and their loved ones.

KATHY MICHELOTTI
West View

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A roadway courtesy

With regard to the June 29 letter by a Californian/former Pittsburgher who appealed for an end to the "Pittsburgh left" ("Dangerous Tradition"), I say enjoy the road rage and five-lane backups of California, bub.

My wife and I recently moved back to Pittsburgh, and the Pittsburgh left is one of the wonderful, quirky and endearing aspects of this city that we (among others) love.

From a pragmatic standpoint, it not only allows the first person in line to turn and be on his way, but more often than not, it also allows the line of cars waiting behind this person to continue on down the road without delay.

Second, the Pittsburgh left maintains the friendliness, courtesy and patience that make Pittsburgh such a great city, especially within the confines of its narrow streets.

Third, and most importantly, it upholds this town's unwritten moral law of "love your neighbors, because they're Steelers fans, too."

IAN MILLER
Bloomfield

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Firecracker dangers

The owner of a series of townhouses along the street behind mine keeps excellent care of his properties and respects the neighbors. In a single, intoxicated moment, one of his tenants could have destroyed all of our investments ... and more.

It was just a small, illegal act -- only one firecracker -- exploded in mindless jubilation very near several properties, some of which recently were remodeled. There had been gusts of wind throughout that day, and one of those could have fanned sparks of the firecracker to engulf a neighborhood.

It was just one firecracker prematurely ignited, two days before the July Fourth celebration of Independence Day. It was just one small act of defiance by someone whose investment in our neighborhood cannot have been durable or even civil.

One firecracker could have detonated a neighborhood that for nearly a century has nurtured generations of honorable and productive families in nearly every walk of life.

Was it so important, that firecracker?

MARJORIE L. SCHMIDT
Squirrel Hill

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We are thankful for Bishop Wuerl's leadership on social justice

Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl will be sorely missed by members of St. Paul Cathedral and especially by our Race & Reconciliation Dialogue Group ("Pittsburgh Bishop Bids Adieu to Parishioners, Friends," June 12; "Washington Welcomes Wuerl," June 23). We are grateful for his 18 years of courage and leadership in which he did much to strengthen our faith, build awareness of our community responsibility and support us in boldly planning for the future of the historic Cathedral parish, now celebrating its 100th year.

Ten years ago Bishop Wuerl issued his pastoral letter "Confronting Racism Today," which changed the lives of so many throughout the region. The document affirmed absolutely that "racism is a sin" and a denial of human dignity and reminded us "we are all brothers and sisters of one another because we are all children of the same loving God."

Archbishop Wuerl also issued a strong statement on the death penalty two years ago, citing its injustice and burden to the poor and people of color. And last year he presided over a diocesanwide celebration of the 25th anniversary of the U.S. Bishops' Pastoral Letter "Brothers & Sisters to Us" on racism today.

Through his Office of Social Concerns and Black Catholic Ministries, he has conducted social justice programs for thousands of priests, teachers, students, parish and social service staff and the public. And through the years he has supported our organization's endeavors to take his message of racial justice to the parish and community.

We are confident that in his new, enlarged role in the church and the nation Archbishop Wuerl will continue to inspire, unite and strengthen the promise of an inclusive and just society for everyone in the United States.

DOROTHY A. MILLER
Chair
Race & Reconciliation Dialogue Group of St. Paul Cathedral
Oakland

This letter was signed by 11 others.

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Today we laud those who stood tall to create our America

Two hundred and thirty are the years that have passed since the infamous day a group of men gathered together and stood up tall, with resolve of conviction, to determine the destiny of a gathering nation and all future generations, independent of all others, with the signing of a single piece of paper with their own hands.

I stand today to applaud their courage, remember their sacrifices and truly honor their insight. I am an American because of them.

In this life a person isn't required to stand very tall, but, as these men did, you do have to stand up. Few will stand as tall. Happy Independence Day!

JAMES G. STAPLES
Rural Valley

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