Gonzales is gone, but the damage remains

Alberto Gonzales may be gone as attorney general ("Gonzales Goes," Aug. 28 editorial), but the effects of his decisions as supreme presidential flunky remain.

While a largely uninformed or apathetic American public draws a short breath of relief after seeing another of this administration's unqualified cronies bite the dust, the damage is already done.

Mr. Gonzales' stammering statements that replaced truth with amnesia about conveniently forgetting who influenced or directed the unprecedented dismissal of seven U.S. attorneys by an administration already in deep water for violating the Constitution to better suit its own political needs and agenda don't much matter either. Another offense was committed and another perpetrator walked free.

"Gonzales is gone!" they cry. Yes ... but the damage is done. Another "Mission Accomplished!"

JACK GORDON
Sewickley

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More incompetence

The Aug. 27. article "Insurgents Extort Iraq Rebuild Funds" revealed that the money we pay to contractors in Iraq is partly used to buy protection for convoys and other activities. It stated that "Iraq's deadly insurgent groups have financed their war against U.S. troops in part with hundreds of thousands of dollars in U.S. rebuilding funds that they've extorted from Iraqi contractors in Anbar province." It further stated that "the payments, in return for insurgents' allowing supplies to move and construction work to begin, have occurred since the earliest projects in 2003."

Billions of dollars are unaccounted for in Iraq as well as 300,000 "lost" weapons. I believe that this recent report is just the tip of the money-funneling iceberg. President Bush has recently alluded to our loss in Vietnam as having been caused by pulling out too soon. He doesn't understand that the United States did not have the support of the Vietnamese people, just as we do not have the support of most Iraqi people. In our successful war in South Korea, we had the full support of the South Koreans and the overwhelming support of the United Nations.

Americans would not knowingly support the Iraqi insurgency. But this will continue to happen as long as the incompetent Bush administration supports the dysfunctional sectarian Iraqi government. To save the lives of more soldiers and save more dollars, we should leave Iraq as soon as possible.

WILLIAM DIDYCZ
Whitehall

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Eye-opening ER

This is in reference to your editorial "Fading Fast: Neglect of U.S. Health Care Takes Its Toll" (Aug. 20). On a trip to England in June, my wife developed a serious infection. We went to an emergency room in London that was packed. We almost went home because we thought we would be there for hours. Forty-five minutes later my wife, Judy, was seen by two physicians who consulted two other physicians. An hour and a half into our ER stay, Judy walked out of the examination room with a diagnosis and a prescription for medication. We were met with incredulous chuckles when we asked where we should pay for her treatment. "No one pays for emergency treatment in the U.K.," we were told by a smiling young nurse.

We were then directed to walk down a hall to get Judy's meds. Ten minutes later she received them. This time when she inquired as to the price of the meds she was told that no one over 60 pays for medication in the United Kingdom.

We were overjoyed by this wonderful treatment: Two hours after we arrived, my wife had received excellent medical care and medication all for no charge. We didn't have to worry about pre-approval, submitting claims or arguing with our providers about coverage.

We were not only embarrassed that our country doesn't provide such treatment, but angry at its failure to do so.

CHARLES W. BRICE
Edgewood

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Where will they go?

As the former director of the forensic center at Mayview State Hospital, I am very concerned about the possible closing of the hospital ("State to Close Mayview Hospital," Aug. 16).

The forensic center, which serves 37 counties in Western Pennsylvania, is a facility that provides treatment and evaluation of mentally ill criminal offenders. The patients are committed to the hospital under involuntary criminal court commitments for treatment to gain competency to stand trial or to provide an evaluation to aid the court in sentencing.

It's a medium-security facility and all treatment and activities are within the unit. Patients do not have home visits or on-grounds privileges. Patients' families are permitted to visit several times a week and bring their legal counsel on request and with privacy. Unless criminal charges are dismissed by the courts, all patients are returned to their county jails for further disposition of their pending charges.

Treatment includes medication, group and individual therapy, recreation, arts, crafts and woodshop and weekly interdenominational church services. Clergy may visit by patient request.

My concern is that if the hospital closes, where will the forensic center be moved? Security must be maintained but not with the loss of treatment, family visits and access to legal counsel. A transfer to either Torrance State Hospital or Warren State Hospital, which already has a forensic center on its grounds, would present serious problems for all of the above.

The best solution would be for Mayview to remain open so all patients can continue to receive the quality care and treatment they now receive.

LILLIAN L. MEYERS, Ph.D.
Bethel Park

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It's not about racism

I'm writing in response to Braddock Mayor John Fetterman's statement that the "Mon Valley Expressway is an example of the environmental racism that exists in our county today. Only through distressed African-American communities where most residents cannot afford a car and have been harmed by deep cuts in public transportation could an organization run a four-lane, multibillion-dollar interstate" ("Ending This Roadway Racism Would Be No Shame," Aug. 26 letters).

A few years ago I went to a meeting in Jefferson Hills about this same expressway that was cutting through the suburbs and caused the movement of very expensive homes and many businesses. Never did I hear it mentioned as environmental racism.

Stop using the R word and be honest ... no one wants a highway cutting through his or her neighborhood. The road should have been built from Pittsburgh out and not the other way around. Now there's no money for it to be useful to anyone, unless you live in Brownsville.

And, by the way, you can't fight city hall ... the road to nowhere was built anyway, despite objections from every neighborhood it went through.

ANN CIPRIANI
Jefferson Hills

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Prompt 311 service

In response to the Aug. 29 letter "No Answer," are you sure you dialed the right number?

I've called Mayor Luke Ravenstahl's 311 on three different occasions. All three times I was greeted by very caring and sensitive people on the other end of the line. And results were realized immediately.

Many people in Squirrel Hill believe they are exempt from clearing their sidewalks of debris, such as tree limbs, trash and leaves. When I walk my dogs in the area, it is at times hard to navigate the streets. A call to the 311 line has proved fruitful in quick sidewalk clearing.

When trash is sometimes not picked up completely, a call to the 311 line initiates immediate results. I'm so looking forward to being able to call that number once the snow arrives. I'm astounded at how many people do not clear their sidewalks.

All I can say is, thank you, Mayor Ravenstahl, for this innovative service. Keep up the outside-the-box thinking!

BONNIE McKIBBEN
Squirrel Hill

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My cookies helped to support American jobs

I love chocolate chip cookies, and I make mine from scratch. The latest batch was made using chips other than those made by a chocolate company located in Hershey, Pa.

Earlier this year, the company announced that it would reduce its work force and build a new factory in Mexico ("Hershey Kissing Jobs Goodbye, Moving Work to Mexico," Feb. 16), thus costing many American jobs. How could this happen to a company that was as American as apple pie? From now on I will read the labels on every candy bar, boxed candy and other chocolate products to make sure they are products of the USA.

The cookies turned out great. They tasted better than others, since I had the satisfaction that I was protesting this Mexican move in some small way.

I hope that readers and friends will also leave the chocolate products from the Hershey company on the shelves to sit there and rot.

ROBERT E. PINKERTON
Plum

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