Take the fight to those who want to destroy us

Few people would deny that George W. Bush's decision to invade Iraq opened "Pandora's box." Putting the lid back on will be a long and arduous task.

Realistically, however, W.'s ill-conceived gambit served only to accelerate the inevitable clash between radical Islam and the West. Al-Qaida, the Taliban and other extremists are out to destroy us (the infidels) and our way of life. Their cancerous "cells" and twisted religious fascism must be destroyed. They have no respect for life -- including their own.

W., the "war on terror" and the Iraq/Afghan front are understandably unpopular. We cannot, however, just pick up and walk away, emboldening evil in the process. We are wise to take the fight to the enemy.

The only way to remove this "hard place" is to grind it away using the millstone of freedom.

ROBERT J. BAHL
South Fayette

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Wrong location

Our presidents, Cheney the Chameleon and No Guts Bush, are causing fear among the citizens of America again. In so many words, they once again sound the alarm: The terrorists are coming, the terrorists are coming. The purpose for this fear-mongering, which has worked in the past, is to try and silence any critics.

The one thing Dick Cheney and George W. Bush have not provided for America is "leadership." The world knows, and maybe some should tell our two fearless leaders, Cheney and Bush, that the leaders of al-Qaida are safely tucked away along the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Well, if the enemy is there and it is known that they are there, why in the hell aren't we attacking the enemy there?

Forget the excuse that the president of Pakistan would be offended and might lose his job. What kind of ally is that? Is this a war or is this a war? What are we doing in Iraq when the enemy is in the mountains of Afghanistan and Pakistan?

FREDERICK J. ROKASKY
Banksville

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Education positives

I disagree with Rob Rogers that students receive a poor-quality education in our district (July 16 editorial cartoon). This newspaper focuses on the negative issues that the Pittsburgh Public Schools face; if readers believe this, it is no wonder we are losing students.

In reality, we offer a variety of rigorous classes, have many safety nets in place to aid students and are improving test scores. In fact, I feel so strongly about the quality of education we offer that I send my own child to the Pittsburgh schools. I admit that we have work to do, but many of the challenges we face are the same that all districts need to deal with in the era of No Child Left Behind.

Instead of placing blame, complaining or ignoring problems, we need to work together to ensure that our schools are preparing our students for college or the work force. This will not be achieved by focusing on the negative, but by addressing the needs of the district and getting the public involved in a way that will aid our students.

There may be debate as to what needs to be done to improve our schools, but one thing is certain: The teachers and students of the Pittsburgh Public Schools need more support and recognition than they currently receive. Implying that our schools are substandard is an insult to those of us who teach here every day, and it does not help the morale of the parents or students who attend our schools.

JULIE SWIDERSKI
Brookline

The writer has taught in the Pittsburgh Public Schools for 6¹/₂ years.

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Unfair all around

As a resident of West Mifflin, I am very upset that the Post-Gazette has chosen to ignore that Gov. Ed Rendell and his education secretary have sold out Duquesne schools, along with the surrounding districts that are being forced to take the students ("Duquesne Students Heading to East Allegheny, West Mifflin," July 20 Web). This decision was apparently made in January.

The state has managed the Duquesne school district for the past five years. Obviously, we're to trust state officials when they couldn't do the job at Duquesne. Now West Mifflin and East Allegheny are being forced to do the state's job.

Also, the commonwealth has continually reassured us that it won't affect our taxes. However, the proposed reimbursement to West Mifflin and East Allegheny school districts is around $9,000. In West Mifflin, it costs about $13,500 to educate each child in our district -- the difference of which will eventually fall to us as taxpayers.

The governor has been silent on this issue since, obviously, we are on the wrong side of the state.

KIM TEIERLE
West Mifflin

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Forgetting others

Regarding the July 15 article on the re-emergence of the Tridentine Mass in Latin ("Demand May Rise With Pope's Revival of Latin Mass"), I, though a Byzantine Catholic, am highly pleased. This is the Mass I first knew and served happily many times.

The Rev. Matthew Talarico's comment that "Latin is the mother tongue of all Catholics," on the other hand, is most unacceptable. Latin is the tongue of the Roman Patriarchate, not of the Catholic Church. The reverend gentleman's statement was once typical of Roman-rite Catholics who preferred to ignore the Catholicism of Byzantine and other Eastern-rite Catholics. The loss of tens of thousands of Byzantine Catholics to the church was due to that attitude. It saddens me to see a resurgence of that attitude.

Incidentally, the first language of the Catholic Church was Aramaic. Then Greek. The Mass was celebrated, the sacraments administered, the Gospel preached at Rome, in Greek, not Latin, at least until the fourth century.

GEORGE ONCEA
Trafford

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Yes, inaccurate

As a Catholic priest, first let me say I can appreciate the beautiful dignity and solemnity of the Tridentine Mass, as well as the familial intimacy of the Novus Ordo. Let both be available and let people use what best promotes their communion with God.

But let me take strong exception to the Rev. Matthew Talarico's statement, "Latin is the mother tongue of all Catholics" ("Demand May Rise With Pope's Revival of Latin Mass," July 15).

Prescinding from the facts that the New Testament was written in Greek and that the ancient church in Rome worshipped principally in Greek, there are many Catholic Churches, i.e., the Eastern Catholic Churches so richly represented in the Pittsburgh area, in which Latin was never used and for which Latin is simply a foreign language.

Beneath Father Talarico's factual mistake, unfortunately, lies the presumption that the word Catholic is synonymous with Roman Catholic.

MSGR. GEORGE APPLEYARD
Pastor
Holy Trinity Ukrainian Catholic Church
Carnegie

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The Tiahrt Amendment helps to protect police officers

The only thing foolish in relation to the Tiahrt Amendment is inaccurate and under-researched pieces like the Post-Gazette's July 18 editorial "NRA Puppet: Congress Dances as the Gun Lobby Pulls the Strings." Obviously, the editorial writer did not take the time to read the Tiahrt Amendment, because it is very clear that the language was designed to protect those who protect us, the brave men and women in our police departments.

That is why the language is supported by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fraternal Order of Police, the nation's largest law enforcement organization, representing more than 324,000 officers. This dwarfs Michael Bloomberg and his puppet police organizations.

The PG editorial has the underlying claim that the Tiahrt Amendment limits law enforcement to "get only limited information from the ATF about guns used in crimes" and that wider-reaching gun data would be refused. This is simply untrue. The sharing of gun trace data is permitted in any criminal case where a gun was used to commit a crime. Such sharing of data is explicit in the language of the Tiahrt Amendment: "this proviso shall not be construed to prevent ... the sharing or exchange of such information among and between federal, state, local or foreign law enforcement agencies; federal, state or local prosecutors, and federal national security, intelligence or counterterrorism officials ... ."

Further, nothing in the language has ever prevented this aggregate data from being released. This year's bill language encourages the public sharing of aggregate data on the use of guns in crimes, a clear point missed in the editorial piece: "this proviso shall not be construed to prevent ... the publication of previously published annual statistical reports."

The facts are clear: The Tiahrt Amendment is a product of working with law enforcement -- not the gun lobby -- to protect those who protect us. Such inaccurate and incomplete opinions expressed by this editorial must be corrected. For more information, go to www.house.gov/tiahrt.

U.S. REP. TODD TIAHRT
Washington, D.C.

The writer is a Republican from Kansas.

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We receive more letters than we can fit into the limited space on the editorial page, so we'd like to share some additional letters with our Post-Gazette Web site readers.

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Why we must remain in Iraq

It was with great interest (but not great concern) that I read the article headlined "U.S. Fails Against al-Qaida" (July 18).

The sentence that seems to have caused the greatest alarm was that al-Qaida has "significantly strengthened over the past two years." While all of us wish this was not so, how "significant" is this finding, which starts from a low base and does not describe al-Qaida's current capabilities? Critics of the Bush administration's invasion of Iraq "wonder" why military action is focused on Iraq when the intelligence report concludes that the main threat against our homeland "emanates" from the tribal areas of Pakistan. While the threat may "emanate" from the caves of the tribal area, it is important to note that the intelligence report concludes also that al-Qaida's branch in Iraq is its "most visible and capable affiliate."

What is the strategy of the Iraq "cut and runners"? Should we leave Iraq now and invade the tribal (and other) areas of Pakistan? What do you believe in other than that when the going gets tough, cut and run?

As a former Marine, believe me that I know the costs of war. I know (as I was taught) that the enemy must be sought and destroyed wherever they may be, however long it may take, however difficult it may be. We are in a war against certain followers of Islam (I'm not politically correct) and we must destroy them, militarily and, also, politically before they destroy us.

JACK MENNIS
Hampton

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Right about pork

Regarding the July 17 editorial "Pork Lives: Murtha and the Democrats Must Reform Earmarks": I am politically conservative; the PG's editorial page is normally an easy target for conservative thinkers and me. I've written a few times to blast the normal left slant of your editorial board. This time, though, I'm writing to acknowledge your attack on Rep. John Murtha and the out-of-control earmark spending by Congress.

As a Republican voter, I was disappointed at the Republican leadership in regard to spending while in power. I didn't expect the Democrats to reduce spending. Both parties need to get a grip.

One item mentioned was about members of Congress having substantial seniority getting generous earmarks added. I have a big problem with members of Congress claiming "seniority." Each member of Congress should have equal weight attached to their voice and vote. Otherwise, their "seniority" intrudes on the representation of other districts.

I believe it was the comedian Gallagher who once made this argument: What's the opposite of "pro" (the answer is, of course, "con"). So, what's the opposite of "progress"? I think the answer rhymes with "Congress."

ANTHONY BUZARD
Cranberry

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Budget deal made for happy scouts

I am a Boy Scout in the Pittsburgh area. I am 12 years old and working on my Trail to Eagle. I attended a week of summer camp to a local state park the week of July 8-14. When we arrived and started to unpack all of the troop things, a park ranger approached our scoutmaster and told him we would have to leave the area because the state parks were closing because of the state budget ("Budget Crisis Creates Some Unhappy Campers," July 9).

There were 17 boys in our troop participating in camp and 10 adults who took a week of vacation to give us a camping program we wouldn't forget. We were all disappointed when we thought we were going to have to leave. Our scoutmaster spoke with the park ranger on several occasions stressing to him that we were staying. He wasn't going to disappoint 17 boys.

As it turned out, the budget was resolved and we were able to spend the rest of the week at camp not worrying about what was going to happen next.

BRIAN DiRENNA
Brentwood

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