Let Big Dig be a warning: Kill the Mon-Fayette

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission must focus on our highest priority endeavor of maintaining and upgrading our roads, bridges and mass transit system. As I understand it, we are many billions short of the funds needed. To even consider building new roads -- such as the multi-billion dollar Mon-Fayette Expressway toll road -- is financially irresponsible.

In addition, the Mon-Fayette should not be built. It removes riverfront use, removes property from the tax base of cities, destroys communities through which it passes and encourages sprawl.

In learning of Boston's devastating road construction problems, there is a parallel between its Big Dig (now costing $14.6 billion and climbing) and the Mon-Fayette and Southern Beltway. There is little doubt in my mind that the cost of the remainder of the Mon-Fayette (estimated to be more expensive than the initial estimate for the Big Dig of $2.6 billion) will also mushroom, and that many "unforeseen" problems will also occur.

It is time to say the end to the Mon-Fayette and remove this Damocles Sword from the head of the communities along its path.

IRV LIBERMAN
Squirrel Hill

---

Rays of hope

I recently saw a story about Greenpeace's efforts to bring medical aid to Lebanese civilians -- the group suffering most from the current conflict. Greenpeace is using its Rainbow Warrior ship to transport tons of medical supplies for Doctors Without Borders. This effort is both critical and heroic as Israel, with U.S. support, has intentionally cut off Lebanon from the world by intentionally destroying the Beirut airport as well as all the main roads leading from Syria to Lebanon -- these roads constituting the United Nations' "umbilical cord" to Lebanon.

The inspiring efforts of Greenpeace have received little press coverage, though they deserve a great deal of publicity and praise. While the United States has refused to call for an immediate cease-fire, thereby condemning hundreds of civilians to death and almost a million Lebanese (or 25 percent of Lebanon's total population) to a life as displaced refugees, it is heartening to know that there are people in the world trying to do something creative to alleviate the suffering of others. It is such efforts, rather than further military efforts, which we should be supporting as a people. The local efforts to aid the little Iraqi boy, Abdul Hakeem, injured in the U.S. bombing of Fallujah, were similar in kind and should be repeated.

It is my humble opinion that such acts of kindness for the civilians in the Middle East will do much more to bring peace and security to our country, through the creation of good will, than the United States' current course of eternal and aimless warfare. To aid such efforts, go to: www.greenpeace.org, www.nomorevictims.org and www.savethechildren.org.

DANIEL KOVALIK
Highland Park

---

About 'Steelermania'

Thank you for publishing Robert Biller's jeremiad, "The Idiocy of Steelermania" (Weekend Perspectives, Aug. 5). I love the feel of freedom. Freedom means nothing if we have no diversity of expression. And I think there is often some helpful insight to be gleaned from almost any opinion.

I used to feel about pets the way Mr. Biller does about professional sports franchises -- that they really don't care about your interests, they just want their own needs met. But when I look at the bigger picture, I can appreciate both pets and professional sports for helping make life more than mere existence. One does not need either one to live, but either one or both may enrich life.

It is one thing to choose not to have pets or to follow the Steelers. There are lots of other options for enriching life. But it is quite another thing to stand totally "against" a particular option, as Mr. Biller does.

I hope that allowing him his say will help him and others like him realize there is nothing particularly abnormal if you are not a Steelers fan, as uncomfortable as that might make him feel given their popularity here.

JAMES R. JOHNSON
Brentwood

---

Brings us together

In response to Robert Biller's essay "The Idiocy of Steelermania": I suggest that Pittsburgh consult Alexis de Tocqueville's famous work, "Democracy in America."

Therein, Tocqueville argues that the greatest threat to democracy is an isolated citizenry that is too occupied or complacent to participate in organizations outside of the family. Granted, Tocqueville, who wrote in the 19th century, could not imagine dangers such as 21st-century weapons of mass destruction. He did, however, foresee Americans growing too busy to do much of anything but work, eat dinner, then do it all over again, leaving little time for community involvement.

Now, I don't mean to suggest that watching the Steelers play is as useful to society as joining the Rotary Club or going to school board meetings. I do, however, believe that the Steelers have a unique way of bringing Pittsburghers together and making them feel like part of their community. For a region that lost its industrial soul 20 years ago and is just now finding a new strength in itself, I don't see how this could be a bad thing.

I will concede one point to Mr. Biller, however: I agree that Steelermania should not become all-consuming. The NFL has, in this vein, decreed that weekend football should only be played on Sunday, leaving Saturday free for going to a Pittsburgh Symphony performance, visiting the Warhol Museum or taking the kids to the zoo.

JOSHUA A. CIPPEL
Bethel Park

---

Some plan

In one of his recent political ads, Sen. Rick Santorum takes credit for the wonderful drug benefit plan made available to senior citizens through Medicare Part D.

Is this the same wonderful plan in which seniors must pay $35 a month and a $250 deductible in order to receive 75 percent coverage on their prescriptions up to a total of $2,250?

Why doesn't Sen. Santorum mention that once a senior citizen's prescription drug costs reach the $2,250 level, the senior will have to pay 100 percent of the next $2,850 before Medicare Part D covers drug costs again?

How is this a benefit for senior citizens on a fixed income?

If this prescription drug plan is so wonderful, I suggest all congressmen give up their current coverage, and sign on to a plan similar to Medicare coverage. At least, they could afford to pay the difference and remain on their drug regimen, which senior citizens on this plan cannot do.

The only groups receiving a large benefit from this Medicare Part D program are the pharmaceutical companies which are, coincidentally, major contributors to Sen. Rick Santorum's political campaigns (as calculated by the Center for Responsive Politics).

JOSEPH KOWALSKI
North Huntingdon

---

Just leave

Regarding the ladies who made themselves priests and the two Aug. 3 letters "Jesus Never Said That Only Men Should Be Priests" and "So Much to Offer":

If these ladies like other people in the past do not approve of the manner in which the Roman Catholic Church is and has been handled, they have a very simple solution -- just leave and create their own brand-new denomination.

What gives them the right to put my church down?

CHUCK NOGAL
South Side

John Bolton is the right ambassador to help fix the United Nations

I believe your Aug. 1 editorial "Bolton's a Bust" was negative about our ambassador to the United Nations, John Bolton, due to your intense dislike -- even hatred -- of President Bush.

I think Daniel Patrick Moynihan, one of our best ambassadors to the United Nations, would approve of the job John Bolton is doing there. You should read what Daniel Patrick Moynihan wrote while he held that position. Ambassador Bolton is against corruption in the United Nations. He is pro USA. I consider this to be a good policy.

Perhaps you would like to have former President Jimmy Carter as our ambassador. He would certainly get along better with those who want to cause problems for our country or with those who want to destroy us.

JOANNE BAIRD
Beaver