Even Mr. Bush has acknowledged climate change

In trying to seem reasonable in supporting George W. Bush and his appearance at St. Vincent College, Jonathan V. Jones ("Faculty Unfairness," May 9 letters) wrote: "Contrary to the media and the leftist elite, there is no consensus on global warming. Two years after Katrina (a storm supposedly caused by global warming) ... "

However, this statement is all about politics and not about science or accuracy. Climate scientists and physical scientists overwhelmingly accept the understanding that climate change is happening and that it is a problem. This is not merely opinion. It has been documented by a careful examination of journals of science. Even President Bush now claims to be concerned about global warming.

Mr. Jones also errs in suggesting that Hurricane Katrina was "supposedly caused by global warming." Climate scientists simply do not and cannot attribute any given storm to global warming.

It seems to me that the issue of global climate change is far too important to be treated with talking points that have nothing to do with science. For those who are not prepared to read the reports on this topic in science journals, I recommend the climate blog RealClimate.org. Unlike the many anti-science blogs, this one is presented by practicing scientists.

ROBERT J. REILAND
O'Hara

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Pa. can change

More than 200 years ago, Abigail Adams wrote to her husband: "Great necessities call forth great leaders." She was referencing the life-or-death consequences that faced the founding peoples of our nation. Those leaders rose to the call of action and made the necessary choices that laid the foundations of our free society.

On May 8, the state Legislature exhibited emerging leadership on one of the greatest threats we face. The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee passed HB 110, the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act, the first legislation in Pennsylvania to counter global warming. The bill will go to the floor of the House for a full vote, and then onto the Senate.

Pennsylvania is the third-worst greenhouse gas emitter in the nation, producing 1 percent of the world's heat-trapping gases. We are a big part of the problem, but we can become a huge part of the solution.

The General Assembly should follow that same moral compass, swiftly passing legislation to deal with this climate crisis. Our descendents may view them as the founding mothers/fathers of the "new free world" -- one free from the tyranny of carbon pollution.

MARK DIXON
East Liberty

The writer is co-founder of Your Environmental Road Trip, a one-year, 50-state online eco-expedition, which will launch in July, to educate people about environmental issues (YourEnvironmentalRoadTrip.com).

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About Vietnam

This is in response to the May 3 letter "Deaths No Blessing." I agree that what happened on the Kent State campus on May 4, 1970, was a tragedy. And I pray that something like that will never happen again in this country.

But, you see, I had just recently come home from that war in April 1970 and I saw a lot of horrid things there also. And guess what? It happened to young men and women of America just about the same age as those at Kent State. So when the letter writer makes the statement that these students "were protesting a war that is now regarded by almost everyone as senseless and ridiculous," he needs to know that he is way out of line.

There are many in this country who are still dealing with the physical and emotional scars of this war. There are parents and spouses who lost loved ones who still hurt. So have a little consideration for others before you make hurtful and wrong statements about others' sacrifice for your freedom to make these statements.

TONY MILLIRON
Sharpsburg

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Image not for kids

Your inclusion of the Pulitzer Prize-winning photo of the execution of a Viet Cong prisoner in the May 10 "My Generation -- For Kids, About Kids, By Kids" section was inappropriate.

In the past I have considered this section of the paper to be a safe place for my children to access the news, learn about astronomy, happenings at the zoo, etc. This story was interesting, learning from the past is great and photography is a great subject, but the image of someone being shot in the head is not one with which I wish my 8-year-old to start his day.

JEFF PICONE
Regent Square

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Not in Scripture

Regarding the May 2 letter "Tell Me He's Joking" by Tim Goosman: First, I did not read Dan Simpson's "Disarm America? Here's How." In my opinion, diatribes by extremists on both ends of such issues contribute nothing to reasonable solutions or compromises in our maniacally polarized society. Therefore, my letter is not about the issue of weapons and/or their control.

I am, however, disturbed by Mr. Goosman's assertion (regarding Mr. Simpson's opinion) as follows: "His plan destroys several basic, God-given rights spelled out in the Constitution, among which are the right to own firearms, the right to be secure in our possessions and the right to be secure against unreasonable search and seizure." I have no knowledge of Mr. Goosman's "God," but as for me, I would not presume to equate the U.S. Constitution with the Scripture of my faith. The documents are separate, both in source and content.

I can find references to the rights that Mr. Goosman espouses in the Constitution, but try as I may, I cannot find text allocating those "rights" in my God's Scripture. While nearly all such diatribes proclaim the authority of God, they play on the fears of men.

I often wonder how many people who claim the authority of God while studying and defending the words of the Constitution (which is a great document) have actually read God's Word. Please, can we keep each of them and their authors and inspiration in context?

FRANCIS LILLY
Finleyville

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Bush's blunder

Dominic DeFranco, state commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, wrote in a May 1 letter ("Congress Is Trashing the Morale of Our Troops") that "any conduct that emboldens the enemy and gives them strategic information to use against our troops is very irresponsible and lessens troop morale."

I agree completely, especially the "strategic information" part. With this in mind, I'd like to suggest that he and every concerned, patriotic American take a long, hard look at what one Washington politician did on April 20 in East Grand Rapids, Mich. An April 21 New York Times story outlined what happened:

"Like a general outlining his battle plan, the president delivered a step-by-step analysis of the conflict in Baghdad, Anbar Province and the outskirts of Baghdad. He began with a map that used red triangles to pinpoint the location of joint security stations, posts in Baghdad where American and Iraqi forces are supposed to work to root out terrorists."

And, of course, any time our commander in chief speaks, there are plenty of cameras recording it. So our enemies also could use it to target our troops. My nephew is stationed inside one of those "red triangles." You're doing a heck of a job, G.W.

Mr. DeFranco, tell me again who is emboldening our enemies and undermining our troops.

FRANK L. D'AMICO
Greenfield

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Let's strive to strengthen all families

I attended Evan Wolfson's thoughtful presentation on same-sex marriage ("Native Returns for Marriage Equality Event," April 18). One of his major themes is that civil marriage will strengthen families headed by same-sex couples, just as it strengthens families headed by opposite-sex couples.

I personally know many gay and lesbian individuals and couples who are parenting. They are truly remarkable people, and their families are strong, resilient, loving and healthy. I greatly admire and respect them as parents and as human beings. They are making a positive difference in our communities. Often they have adopted children who are hard to place or are foster parents for special-needs children, sometimes taking into their homes children whom the rest of society considers "less desirable." These parents are not only "as good" as heterosexual people might be at parenting, but they also are often better parents because parenting has not necessarily come easily to them.

Gay and lesbian people become parents for the same set of life-affirming reasons heterosexual people do. There are no reputable research findings indicating that the ability to parent is related positively or negatively to the sexual orientation or gender identity of the parents, or that children who grow up with gay or lesbian parents are at greater risk for health or social problems.

In describing his country's new civil partnership law, British Prime Minister Tony Blair spoke about what he called "the civilizing effect" the policy has had on society far beyond the gay and lesbian community. Gay and lesbian parents deserve understanding and the same legal safeguards as other parents.

SCOTT WEBER
Shaler

The writer is principal investigator of the Healthy Parents Study at the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing.

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