The proliferation of guns in our society is a horror

Yesterday morning's Post-Gazette properly trumpeted on its front page the awful shooting of young men within what should be assumed to be the sanctuary of their university ("5 Duquesne U. Basketball Players Shot on Campus," Sept. 18). On Page 5 of the Local section, a death by shooting was briefly noted of a "good Samaritan" who tried to defend a woman being abused ("Samaritan Shot, Killed," Sept. 18).

When will people wake up to the horror of the proliferation of guns in our midst? Each of these shootings is as notable and dreadful as the others. We must do something, now, to remove guns from our environment and to eliminate the dreadful damage they are causing, whether to the well known or the unknown.

LESLIE HOLZNER
Mount Washington

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The ugly irony

Does anyone else see the ridiculous irony in this situation? Pope Benedict XVI made some remarks about Islam and its prophet, perhaps remarks that were better left unsaid ("Vatican Says Pope 'Regrets' Remarks About Islam Founder," Sept. 17), but what do some Muslims do in response? Several churches have been firebombed and a nun murdered over the weekend ("Nun Shot to Death in Somalia," Sept. 18). Christians in many countries are in fear for their lives.

Catholics have been under fire for many years about their religious beliefs, yet you never see a group of middle-aged Catholics with their fists raised and fire in their eyes hanging prophet Mohammed in effigy or burning down a mosque or Protestant church.

Whatever happened to turning the other cheek, loving thy neighbor and all that good stuff?

I was actually afraid when I saw the rage in the eyes of those Muslim protesters in the newspaper. Don't they realize they are exhibiting the type of behavior that gives them the "terrorist" tag in the first place? Maybe the pope wasn't so off the mark after all.

ARLENE BUCHANAN
Swisshelm Park

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Unfair and illegal

As a former Allegheny County solicitor for four years and as a former member of the Board of Property Assessment, Appeals and Review for 12 years, I have followed with interest county Chief Executive Dan Onorato's plan to cap property assessment increases for tax purposes during the past several years, wherein I disagree.

I do agree, however, and applaud Judge R. Stanton Wettick's recent ruling that allowed a Wilkinsburg couple, who were filing a 2006 property tax assessment appeal, to request that their assessment be based on the current market value of their realty (much lower) rather than on its 2002 value (much higher), which the county has established as the base year for assessment tax purposes ("Wettick's Ruling Imperils County Assessment System," Sept. 6).

I believe that Mr. Onorato's plan to cap property assessment increases for tax purposes in 2006 is, therefore, both flawed and illegal. It is flawed in the sense that it unfairly benefits owners of higher-priced residences at the expense of owners of lower-priced residences. Fairness and equity demand that all residences should be treated in the same manner. Such a base-year plan does not take into account current depreciating values, which invariably occur in poorer districts, and it does not take into account current appreciating values, which invariably occur in wealthier districts.

Finally, I believe that Mr. Onorato's plan is illegal and unconstitutional in the sense that it violates the uniformity of taxation provisions of both the state constitution and the Pennsylvania Second Class County Code, which applies to Allegheny County. As a person who believes in the underlying, equitable principles of the Democratic Party, I am mortified that Mr. Onorato, as a member of such party, would attempt to foist this tortured, unconstitutional plan on citizens.

ALEXANDER J. JAFFURS
Monroeville

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Just doing his job

In response to Jason Phillips' Sept. 12 letter ("Ravenstahl Is Hiding Behind the Courts on Election"): That opinion is wrong.

It is true that Mayor Luke Ravenstahl said the court should decide the timing of the mayoral election. Thus said, that proves that it is not his priority in the least. His priorities are to govern the city of Pittsburgh to the best of his abilities.

If Mr. Phillips thinks Mr. Ravenstahl isn't doing his job, I suggest he run for mayor in the next election, especially since he is a member of the Democratic Committee.

JERRY JONES
South Park

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Unkind to his kids

Tony Norman's Sept. 15 column crossed the line of decency ("Santorum Has Got to Be Kidding"). While Mr. Norman has every right to criticize Sen. Rick Santorum's political ads, the nicknames he applied to the senator's children were cruel and heartless. They're children, for heaven's sake.

In the future, please attack the politician you dislike. Don't attack the children.

ANNAMAE S. MESSINEO
East McKeesport

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Not lazy or stupid

Rick Santorum's Sept. 7 column ("In Rebuttal: Islamic Fascists vs. Islam Itself") provides yet more proof that he thinks the voters of Pennsylvania are stupid. He either knows nothing about the Middle East, or he is deliberately lying when he lumps Syria and Iran together as "Islamic fascist" regimes.

I will give the senator the benefit of the doubt -- such as it is -- and assume that he is merely being frivolous in so carelessly throwing around a term like "fascism." Others will be less charitable and will observe that "it takes one to know one."

In characterizing the Syrian government as "Islamic," though, the senator is simply making stuff up. The Iranian government is Islamic, but the Syrian one is militantly secular and has dealt harshly with political Islamists in the past, most notoriously at Hama in 1982. Yet when the Syrians crushed the Muslim Brotherhood uprising at Hama, they were heavily criticized for it by both the United States and Israel, since in those days the Sunni fanatics were "our allies" in undermining the Syrian government.

All of these facts are easily available to anyone interested in knowing some of the basics about the Middle East. But Mr. Santorum assumes that the rest of us are lazy enough to take his every pronouncement at face value.

JOHN LACNY
Brookline

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Thanks from N.Y.

Just wanted to say thanks for being such an incredible host, as tens of thousands of Mets fans made the journey to your beautiful city with the hope of seeing our team clinch the National League East.

There are other places in the country where attempting this sort of thing might turn ugly, but while walking around, I was amazed at how genuinely nice everyone was.

"Hey ... good luck to your Mets ... enjoy your time here!" someone yelled out of a car window.

"This is your night, right?" said people passing us on the bridge to Station Square.

I have to say, as disappointed as I was that the Mets weren't able to rise to the occasion, I was very impressed and respectful of how well the Pirates were able to do so. Regardless of their record, they simply were not going to let all of these fans who invaded their city and stadium beat them.

So to Pirates fans, be proud and give that young team with the most beautiful ballpark in all of baseball some major credit; they deserve it.

I flew down expecting a celebration on the field. I left knowing a little more about a very wonderful city. Thanks, Pittsburgh.

ROB LANE
Brooklyn, N.Y.

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All must stop the blame game and unite against the 9/11 culprits

It is time for Americans to stop pointing fingers and become united again in the war on terror. This ridiculous blame game about 9/11 has to stop.

Recent movies citing failures by the Clinton administration to contain Osama bin Laden are just as nuts as the wacky people who either blame President Bush for not stopping 9/11 or the even bigger idiots who try to indicate that the Bush administration knew of the attacks ahead of time, or even participated.

If someone wants to attack and kill you and they do not care if they die in the process, stopping them is nearly impossible. It's their fault, not Presidents Clinton and Bush.

Osama bin Laden and his organization were to blame for 9/11, period. They planned the attacks, they carried out the attacks, period.

It is time for America to unite the way we were united in the aftermath of 9/11 to win the war against Islamo-fascism and solve the many other problems we face at home and abroad.

RICK PURCELL
Mt. Lebanon

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