PHEAA has abused hard-working people

I am appalled by the extravagant expenditures of Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency board members ("PHEAA Releases Records on Travel, Entertainment Costs," March 13; "College Loan Agency Tightens Travel Policy," March 23). The fact that these practices have supposedly stopped in no way diminishes my anger.

There should be consequences for so callously abusing their power to squander the hard-earned money of single-parent families and others like myself who drown in debt to get a college education. It makes me sick that what took me 20 years to pay off, these spoiled bureaucrats have spent in less than a day on little more than meals.

So, according to PHEAA spokesman Keith New, they wish to work "smarter and with more integrity." Well, why don't they start by making the board accountable for their abuses? How about restitution for this unethical conduct? Tell them to send the checks to my daughter, who, like myself, needed to borrow money for college.

Take note that of the 20-member board, 16 are state legislators.

MARY BETH BELSITO
McCandless

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We want victory

In your March 18 editorial "Failure of Will," the subheadline reads: "Congress Lacks the Courage to End a Pointless War." I would argue the current Democrat-controlled (not led) Congress lacks not only will, but, more to the point, even a modicum of political conviction.

What I hope they understand is that, yes, the American people want us out of the war in Iraq, but they also want us to win it!

The result is a Congress bogged down in witch hunt hearings and debate over meaningless, nonbinding resolutions and deadlines for withdrawal, while our president continues to exercise the courage of conviction to do what is right for the country: Win this war and avoid the disastrous consequences of failure that you and our Democratic Congress have conveniently chosen to ignore.

ROGER KINGSLAND
Aspinwall

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Ignoble cause

What a glowing tribute to the American Civil Liberties Union in your paper ("Director of ACLU Says It's Playing a Vital Role," March 19). The article failed to mention, however, one of its most recent victories -- for prostitutes in the Las Vegas area.

In case you've never had the Vegas experience, this is part of it: As you walk along the Strip holding your wife's hand, you are offered playing cards with pictures and phone numbers of prostitutes. The sidewalk ends up being littered with these cards. By the way, lots of kids walk down the Strip with their parents, too.

A lower court banned the use of these cards, but the ACLU -- in the name of free speech -- stepped in to defend the card-dealing men and women who hand them out. The ACLU won, striking a victory for prostitutes, if not common sense.

With the ACLU claiming that our civil liberties are being so challenged by the Bush administration, couldn't the organization find a better, not to mention more noble, way to spend its time?

TIM WESLEY
Cranberry

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This makes no sense

So I'm driving to work today, northbound on Route 28 out of Pittsburgh. It's a two-lane highway that's normally empty. But today the driving is slow because they are building another lane.

And why are they building another lane, you wonder? Why spend $35.8 million to build another lane on a sparsely traveled two-lane highway? Apparently the road has to be built to connect to the interchange that connects to Pittsburgh Mills.

So now you see how the story makes sense. We are spending $35.8 million to build another lane on a sparsely traveled highway, to connect to a struggling mall that should never have been built. Meanwhile we are cutting back on the Port Authority buses. Welcome to Pennsylvania!

MATT CHEDDERMAN
Blawnox

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About Seder events

In the March 22 Food & Flavor section, there was a great deal written detailing the Passover holiday, and the Seder in particular. As a Jew, I would like to express my thanks for such a "spread." However, I did take some offense. After mentioning the "Passover in the Aisles" event at Giant Eagle, you listed the option to experience a Passover Seder by contacting "of all places, a Catholic Church" ("Giant Eagle, Catholic Church Events Honor Pesach").

Many Jewish organizations here in Pittsburgh, including, but not limited to, synagogues, community centers and assisted living facilities will be hosting Seders. I, for one, will be hosting an "Open Seder" for the Shadyside Jewish community; anyone else in the vicinity is invited as well (we only request reservations).

I think that just as any good Christians would not look to a synagogue for an Easter Sunday dinner, the unaffiliated within the Jewish community should have the option to choose from the many Jewish resources.

RABBI MORDY RUDOLPH
Chabad of Shadyside
Shadyside

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Bridges, not bullying

I read with admiration "Who Gave You the Right to Make Fun of Others?" by 17-year-old Colleen Stock of Mount Alvernia High School (March 22 "Peer to Peer" column). Ms. Stock clearly outlined the pervasive problem of teasing and bullying experienced by many young people while others just watch, listen in silence or join in without regard to the impact of such behavior. Unfortunately, technology has increased the types and extent of bullying.

There is an abundance of social and educational research to support Ms. Stock's pleas for her peers to take a stand to stop such taunting and verbal assaults. For example, in 1999, research indicated there were 3 million bullying incidents each year and more than 160,000 children were missing school each day because of a fear of bullying. Furthermore, in 1998, about 90 percent of reported school violence incidents began with negative verbal interactions.

Young people, such as Ms. Stock, can lead the way to start speaking out against bullying and in defense of others, but they need our (parents, teachers, educational administrators) help, support and training. Curricula such as Project Children LEAD (Learning Early to Appreciate Diversity -- www.childrenlead.org) offer educators and parents lessons and resources to help children learn respect for self and others, the appreciation and understanding of individual differences, how to solve problems and address conflicts productively and the value of cultural understanding.

I support Ms. Stock and others like her who have taken a stand to build bridges not barriers. Through dialogue and education, we can teach our children and students to take the lead on this important issue.

VINCENNE REVILLA BELTRAN
O'Hara

The writer is a professor and director of Project Children LEAD at Point Park University.

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No comparison

This is in reference to Nicholas D. Kristof's March 20 column ("The Israel Silence").

He compares the destruction of a Palestinian house to dispossession of an Israeli Cabinet minister's grandmother's house by the Nazis. Surely he must realize that this is a superficial analogy. The first case refers to a penalty to the close relatives of a terrorist murderer (suicide bomber) in whose house this person lived and as a warning to others. The second one refers to the Nazi persecution and genocide of the Jews.

Is Mr. Kristof more sympathetic to the occupants of a destroyed house than to the victims of the Palestinian atrocity? The number of Palestinians killed by the Israeli military should not be compared to the number of Israelis killed by Palestinians during the same time period. The Palestinians seek out innocent civilians, in the main, whereas Israel targets terrorists, which inevitably results in casualties among innocents who happen to be nearby, in many cases set up as human shields.

And with whom is Israel to negotiate? With Hamas and/or Hezbollah? After the l967 war, Israel offered to return the captured Arab territories, in a defensive war, we must point out, in return for peace. Mr. Kristof knows that this was only one of a number of examples of the Palestinians refusing to make peace, except for the destruction of Israel in return.

HAROLD SPOKANE
Monroeville

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Thank you, Pirates, for clearing the smoke

I want to express my thanks to the Pirates organization for its recent decision to ban smoking throughout the ballpark. As a nonsmoker who has attended about 35 games per season for the past five years, I have found it very unpleasant to pass through secondhand smoke while going to the restrooms. There was no way to avoid it.

Nonsmokers have a right to a smoke-free environment, and I applaud the Pirates for this decision. Smokers who cannot abstain from smoking for three hours or so to attend a game need to take a serious look at the health risk they are imposing upon themselves and their loved ones.

CHERYL FLINT BUTCH
Hampton

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