Our state legislators simply have no shame

Regarding "Good Eats at No Cost for Senators" (April 8) by Tracie Mauriello: It's hard to believe how our elected officials are ripping us off. Every working person in Pennsylvania has to pay for his or her own meals, except our elected officials.

Our politicians spent tens of thousands of dollars for catered meals. No wonder these politicians run for public office. They have the world by the throat. They also have no shame and no conscience. Shame on them.

In the future, I will have a lot more questions to ask our politicians running for office.

RED LIVINGSTONE
Mount Washington

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Bingo bullying

Michael Plittman's April 6 letter, "The County Has Gone Too Far With This Penalty for Bingo Smoking," was short but powerful. I had started to write in the same vein, but my extreme anger and indignation at this injustice caused incoherence, so I gave up in frustration (as others probably did). I became too busy tearing my hair out.

However, we all owe him our gratitude for speaking for us so eloquently -- whether one smokes or not, we should all fear these Gestapo/Soviet tactics.

For many years I've enjoyed bingo "get togethers" and the freedom to have a relaxing smoke with my friends. Now, a huge part of my life is being whipped out from under me. Bingo is a social event; it offers exchange of ideas, philosophy (yes!) and a way of connecting, and smoking is a big part of that evening out. Too bad some people think bingo players are just inconsequential, easy targets.

So, thanks, Mr. Plittman, and should you ever decide to go into politics, you can count on our very active support.

JEAN ALBENSI
Turtle Creek

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An individual right

The April 10 letter "Bearing Arms" by Nick Malato states that "the Second Amendment was put in the Bill of Rights to allow a military organization to exist." Mr. Malato could not be more wrong. The Second Amendment reads, "... the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed." The terms "right" and "people" appear in many amendments and the courts have ruled many times these refer to individuals. The term "militia" refers to the citizens of our great country.

The Founding Fathers knew that without the Second Amendment we could never guard our rights and liberties. If we give up our Second Amendment rights all the rest would soon follow.

Thomas Jefferson wrote in the draft Virginia Constitution: "No freeman shall be debarred the use of arms (within his own lands)." He also wrote: "Laws that forbid the carrying of arms ... disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes. Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants."

The purpose of the Second Amendment was clearly written to ensure that individual citizens had the right to keep and bear arms.

JOHN TRAYNOR
Canonsburg

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Deserved better

Bob Hoover's front-page obituary on Kurt Vonnegut ("A Generation 'Devoured' His Novels," April 13) was just awful!

In six front-page paragraphs, we learn that Mr. Vonnegut was an opportunistic performer, a "wooly-haired professional scold" and the author of two forgettable recent books. And we are treated to a condescending comment by the vastly less talented Hilary Masters to the effect that Mr. Vonnegut was a "very funny guy" before he became a performer.

Granted, all of that is true, but only in the same mean-spirited and misleading way that it would be true to describe Einstein as a physicist who spent his last 35 years unproductively pursuing false scientific trails while basking in the glow of his international fame.

The back-page portion of the obituary was much better, but could not cure the overall effect of Mr. Hoover's choice of placement and emphasis.

Mr. Vonnegut deserves much better; you owe it to him, to yourself and to Pittsburgh readers who rely on your usually admirable paper. It can be done in few words: "Kurt Vonnegut, acclaimed author of 'Slaughterhouse-Five,' died today."

Or, here is the entire front-page coverage from The New York Times: "Kurt Vonnegut Is Dead. The author, whose dark comic talent and urgent moral vision in novels like "Slaughterhouse-Five," "Cat's Cradle," "God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater" and "Breakfast of Champions" caught the temper of his times and the imagination of a generation, was 84."

RICHARD T. McCOY
Marshall

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Vonnegut's courage

It was fitting that you gave Kurt Vonnegut's death front-page coverage ("A Generation 'Devoured' His Novels," April 13). Bob Hoover's obligatory references to his writings and his selective critical opinion were hardly a tribute. Your writer emphasized Mr. Vonnegut's reputation as an "entertainer" and "performer" of "cult" status who was a "scold" whose talent in later years was to "hector" audiences.

The overarching tone of Mr. Hoover's characterization neglected Mr. Vonnegut's major contribution as a freethinker-skeptic who admonished others to use their minds. As The Associated Press put it: "He lectured regularly, exhorting audiences to think for themselves and delighted in barbed commentary against the institutions he felt were dehumanizing people."

We need more of Mr. Vonnegut's courage in a world increasingly dominated by political and religious extremists.

KENNETH JONES
Jeannette

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Disappointing vote

I am deeply disappointed in Sen. Bob Casey's stand on stem-cell research ("Cell Mates: Casey Casts a Santorum Vote Against Research," April 13 editorial). If I had known that, I would never have voted for him.

I would not have voted for Sen. Rick Santorum under any condition, but I thought Mr. Casey had the same ideas as I have. I guess he doesn't know anyone who would benefit from this. I am really upset with him and hope he remembers that elections come up really fast.

SELMA FLEISHMAN
Squirrel Hill

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The Steel building designers never would have gone for such a sign

I worked for U.S. Steel from 1964 to 1986, and from 1966 to 1968 was privileged to be the commercial department's representative on the new U.S. Steel building's design committee. During that period I attended almost every meeting, here in Pittsburgh and in New York, where critical issues concerning the physical and aesthetic design of the project were discussed.

As a result I can say with some authority that at no time did the officers or others responsible for this project contemplate putting the U.S. Steel name or logo at the top of the building ("UPMC Logo May Top Off U.S. Steel Tower," April 11 Business). I also believe that John Galbreath and his partner, Mr. Ruffin, who attended these meetings and managed and owned the company that was the developer and rental agent for the building, would have advised against the idea as detrimental to the prospect of attracting other large tenants, such as Rockwell, which did take significant space and had its logo added on the lower band at the plaza level.

In addition I believe that Max Abramovitz, the managing partner of the architectural firm that designed the building, and Charlie Abbie, the partner in charge of its design, would have argued that the dramatic aesthetics of the building would have been impaired by such signage. In a nutshell, it is my feeling that the idea would have been considered such bad taste that it was never even considered.

Interestingly what was considered was the realization that the size and mass of the building would restrict viewing of the weather lights atop the Gulf Building, and we hoped that this would not be a problem or cause bad feelings.

RONALD L. FLUCKER
O'Hara

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Signifying waste

There is more to the issue of UPMC's logo atop the U.S. Steel tower than "towering conceit," as you call it ("Bad Sign: UPMC Should Rethink Its Skyscraper Logo," April 13 editorial). Why is any health-care money at all being spent on promotion and glorification of a hugely profitable "nonprofit" company?

Why should insurance subscribers, providers and society as a whole pay for these profits and the advertising signs, billboards and TV ads that inflate them?

A single-payer insurance plan like Medicare, for everyone, would eliminate such egregious waste in the health-care system.

WILLIAM GUY
Squirrel Hill

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