As one whose philosophy is Libertarian and who believes that the government has no place in our bedrooms, I do not generally believe that one who has engaged a prostitute has committed a hanging offense.

The matter is entirely different, however, in the case of New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer ("N.Y. Relieved as Spitzer Calls It Quits," March 13). This is a man who held himself out as a paragon of virtue, decency and morality, not only engaging in the vigorous prosecution of crimes involving morals but denouncing those who had broken the law, notably including those with involvement in prostitution rings that he pursued.

It remains to be seen whether Gov. Spitzer has committed a prosecutable crime, but he has lost his moral standing, unable to ever again serve as an effective political leader. He has not only brought shame and disgrace upon himself, but more seriously, has selfishly shattered the lives of his distinguished and accomplished wife and his three daughters.

Eliot Spitzer now joins the ranks of other disgraced, sanctimonious hypocrites from the political world: Idaho U.S. Sen. Larry Craig, former U.S. Rep. Robert Livingston and former U.S. Rep. Mark Foley, to name a few.

It is a sad day for New York state and for all Americans who harbor the belief and desire that those who ascend to prominent positions in government shall be beyond reproach.

OREN M. SPIEGLER
Upper St.Clair

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So the Post-Gazette thinks Allegheny County should monitor air discharges within this county ("Clear the Air: The County Should Fix the Pollution Program," Feb. 26 editorial). Well, what happens when the Allegheny County Health Department has an air discharge that is disconcerting to its residents?

Sometimes nothing.

In February 2007, after hearing of Allegheny County's plans to build a Level 3 biohazard laboratory at its facilities about 500 feet from my house in Lawrenceville, I called the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to find out what monitoring will be required. Not our problem -- the Allegheny County Health Department is responsible for oversight of air issues in Allegheny County, the DEP air pollution folks told me.

So I called Allegheny County to see what kind of air modeling was done to determine the levels and distribution of discharges from the facility, and what routine air monitoring was going to be performed to determine if air discharge levels will be safe. I was assured that someone would call me back to explain everything. That was more than 12 months ago. No one called me back.

I certainly hope that air discharges from the county Health Department facility's lab will be safe for local residents. But since the fox is guarding the henhouse, we can't be sure.

DEP monitors air quality all over the state. Why isn't it qualified to monitor the air in Allegheny County? In these days of shrinking public money sources, it seems that the county Health Department scope is redundant and unnecessary, and sometimes ineffective.

PAUL ALESSIO
Lawrenceville

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I am tired of having every returning veteran being classified as a hero. A hero is, by definition, "a man (or woman -- added by me), of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his (her -- added by me) brave deeds and noble qualities." Very few are heroes. Most are decent young men and women who went to fight for their country. They do what they signed up to do. No one made them sign up -- unlike World War II or Vietnam. When we call them heroes, we denigrate the true heroes: the ones who earn the Silver Star and Medal of Honor. These are the ones who are heroes. Honor them!

To healthy returning veterans, we owe you nothing other than what we promised you -- GI bill, etc. You did what you were supposed to do, what you signed up to do -- the same that your fathers and grandfathers did. To the ones who are returning who are injured either physically or mentally, we owe you the best care available. We owe the most to those who did not return -- those killed in action.

We are a very rich nation. We can afford to help our disabled veterans. Write your congressman. Tell him or her to give the disabled veteran a card that entitles the veteran to totally free medical care for all disabilities received in the service -- no copay, no terms of service, etc. Require that states, in order to receive federal money, give all children of servicemen killed in action complete scholarships to any state university of their choice. If we can get this into law, it will be a good start.

BILL TATE
Wilkins

The letter writer is a Vietnam veteran who served in the U.S. Navy.

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Please pardon me for getting a good laugh from your March 7 editorial "Call to Action: It's Time to Ban Hand-Held Cell Phones While Driving." Have you forgotten that this is Pennsylvania -- home of the largest, most-overpaid bozos we call representatives? The same Pennsylvania that can't pass a no-smoking ban for fear of smokers and the tobacco lobby; the same state that cannot pass a ban on teachers strikes for fear of the teachers unions; the same state that cannot pass meaningful property tax relief; the same state that has no trouble passing a gambling law and then gives away the bank with it? I can go on and on.

But the bozos in Harrisburg can do a couple of things real quick: increase their salaries and benefits at 3 a.m. like a bunch of cowards and raise new taxes whenever they run out of money.

That sound you now hear is me rolling around my living room floor laughing.

BILL MARO
Jefferson Hills

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Regarding Alina Fernandez Revuelta ("Castro's Daughter Fascinates Students," March 7): So let me see if I have this straight. Ms. Fernandez sees her father as a romantic fighter who probably just fell in love with power, and not as a merciless tyrant who refuses liberty to her people by imprisoning or murdering dissenters.

Without offering a shred of evidence, she indicts Republicans (and only Republicans) as a whole and calls them hypocrites because they are conducting business illegally in Cuba. And she has decided that young Cuban-American voters support Hillary Clinton. Call me crazy but she doesn't sound like a fair-minded person whom I would want to speak at my child's school.

DAMIAN ARMENTI
Scott

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