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PrintA final toast to Latrobe Brewing and its loyal supporters
As I write this, a lump in my throat, an era is coming to a close. As of the end of the day Monday, Latrobe Brewing Co. as we know it became just a memory, a chapter in the local history books ("Rolling Rock Leaves Latrobe," Aug. 1).
But to all of us employees, it was a lot more than that. It was about pride and dedication. Something our fathers and grandfathers employed there before us believed in. Anheuser-Busch may have our name, our label, even our recipes, but it will never have the most important ingredients of all: the heart, soul and pride of Old Latrobe. That, my friends, can never be duplicated.
So, in closing, I raise my glass to the late, great Latrobe Brewing Co.; to the employees, current, retired and those who passed on before us; to the great town of Latrobe, forever the birthplace of Rolling Rock; to the townspeople and everyone near and far who has supported us over the years -- may the memory live on in our hearts. God bless you all. Cheers, "33."
LISA MORANELLI ULISHNEY
Latrobe
The writer worked for Latrobe Brewing Co. for 20 years. Her father and grandfather also worked there.
A beautiful sight
In response to the July 29 letter "For Nursing Moms," thank you for recognizing the horror of the earlier letter writer's experience in the Allegheny County Courthouse ("Injustice to Babies," July 22).
It is sad and embarrassing for American culture that she was treated this way, and unfortunately it is not unusual. However, the suggestion for nursing in public that was offered in the July 29 letter -- "It can be done in a way that is not revealing" -- is really not helpful but harmful.
You may find the ad campaign to promote breast-feeding ridiculous, but what is truly ridiculous is that our culture is so obsessed with breasts as sexual objects that we promote disgust and discomfort with what they are designed to do, feed our offspring.
We reveal our breasts all over the place, in swimsuits, dresses, skimpy tanks, yet if someone sees a little skin while a woman is breast-feeding, it is disgusting. If we can recognize breasts as a beautiful part of a woman's body, can we please recognize their beauty as they nourish our children?
If you genuinely support a woman's choice to breast-feed, then realize it is a challenging path to take in our culture, and the next time you see a woman nursing in public, don't shoot her a nasty look or suggest she cover up or even thank her for covering up.
Instead, look her in the eye, compliment her on her beautiful baby and encourage her to keep up the good work.
KATE KEGARISE
Park Place
Eastside relief
The Eastside Team appreciated Harold Love's July 24 letter, "Traffic Snarls," expressing his frustration with the traffic in East Liberty around Eastside and his call for a site entrance into Eastside at Highland Avenue.
By the end of September, shoppers will be able to enter, park and exit Eastside from a new Highland Avenue entrance by the new Borders bookstore and the Premium Wine and Spirits store, connecting the Eastside Shopping Center straight through to Whole Foods.
Even now shoppers can bypass Centre, taking Baum Boulevard to Beatty Street and straight into Eastside traffic-free.
We are all feeling East Liberty's growth pains. Thousands now commute on Centre Avenue to the burgeoning Hillman Cancer Center, and a dozen neighboring developments are on the boards. In pursuit of new taxes and new jobs, the city has resolved to expedite further two-way conversion of Centre Avenue past Penn Avenue and on to Negley Run Road.
We couldn't have a better group than our Department of City Planning and Department of Public Works manning this complicated three-year process. They made Whole Foods possible by converting the first part of Centre Avenue in record time.
When all this work is done, we will have full advantage of the excellent network of streets that sets East Liberty apart from other growth areas like The Waterfront.
There is great change coming to East Liberty, and we are grateful to the new businesses that are locating here and the loyal customers who are braving the growth pains.
MARK F. MINNERLY
The Mosites Co.
Downtown
Unfair to Bush
I am writing to respond respectfully to the July 26 letter "Disregard for Life."
First, rather than vetoing "stem cell research funding," as the author alleged, President Bush vetoed H.R. 810, a bill that would have expanded federal funding for embryo-destructive research but not for adult stem cell research, which has already led to treatments for human diseases and, unlike embryo-destructive research, does not involve the deliberate destruction of innocent human life.
Second, rather than vetoing this legislation under "the guise of protecting life," President Bush undoubtedly based his decision on the biological fact that a human embryo is a living being in the earliest stages of its development and under the bona fide belief that all human beings have certain unalienable rights and are worthy of protection, whether in the embryonic, fetal, newborn, adolescent, adult or elderly stage of life.
Third, just as it would be unfair to characterize the critic's opposition to deposing a dictator in Iraq and defending democracy in Israel as "examples of her total disregard for people living under the daily threat of torture and terrorism," it is also unfair to characterize President Bush's principled stand for life as an "example of his total disregard for people living with devastating illnesses."
NICHOLAS D. BURKETT
Cheswick
Space invaders
In response to James Kirby's hope for a manned mission to Mars ("Onward to Mars!" July 26 letters): Just have NASA report weapons of mass destruction to the current administration, and we will be there before you know it.
JOHN J. THOMAS
North Side
Jesus never said that only men should be priests
Regarding the ordination of women ("8 Women Are Ordained Priests: The Catholic Church Rejects Validity of a Riverboat Rite," Aug 1):
Some years ago, there was an anecdote: a group of children were being catechized by a priest.
"And how many sacraments are there?" he asked. "Seven, for you, Father, but only six for me," a little girl answered. And so it is.
Now, the all-male hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church can stick to this if they wish, but I would be willing to bet that if all the women who object simply withdrew their financial and volunteer-time support, this hierarchy might find some way to rearrange things.
As to "the priesthood sacramentally and theologically represents the person of Christ" ("Women as Catholic Priests?" July 30 Forum), I don't recall that Jesus said anything about women being in the "ministerial priesthood," one way or the other. The sacraments, themselves, were set up by subsequent decisions made by people other than Jesus Christ and the decision about male-only ordination made by a male hierarchy.
Then, too, there is this: Women are much less likely to molest children than are men. It would save the various dioceses a lot of time and money, moving these priests around, covering up for them and paying the damages when the whole sorry story finally comes out. Not to mention, it would preclude a lot of damage to children. I understand that a small percentage of the priesthood is involved in this, but if they "sacramentally and theologically represent the person of Christ," it ought to be impossible for any.
There does seem to be a dearth of millstones available these days, though (Luke 17:2).
CAROLE McINTYRE
Waynesburg
So much to offer
The ordination of married men and women to the priesthood of the Catholic Church should be more of a topic of discussion than I have witnessed.
Thankfully, early leaders of Christianity were not deterred by the local laws and customs affecting them. Imagine Jesus, himself, not preaching, healing or evangelizing because it was not the accepted practice of the day. Joan of Arc, Thomas Aquinas, Catherine of Sienna, Mother Teresa, all holy men and women, walked to the side of mainstream teachings in order to follow their destinies.
A shortage of priests may not be as large a problem in the future as we currently believe. There may be no faithful to minister to. Young people are searching for a Christian community that is progressive and accepting of our diversities.
Luckily, there are denominations willing to progress and move forward. Women and married men have much to offer the Catholic Church and should not be satisfied with a place in the shadow of a priest.
TERRI ANN JAGIELSKI
Baldwin Township
