Everyone agrees the death of Michael Ellerbe was a tragedy, but the federal court verdict adds another sad chapter because it is an incredible injustice ("$28 Million Award vs. Troopers: U.S. Jury Finds State Police Intentionally Shot, Killed 12-Year-Old Boy," March 12). It's important for the community to remember that this horrible accident happened because Trooper Samuel Nassan and Cpl. Juan Curry were pursuing an unknown assailant who had stolen a vehicle and was fleeing from police -- a felony crime.

These troopers should not be held liable because a split-second decision was made when it appeared one trooper had been shot. They did not know it was a 12-year-old. This case was also thoroughly investigated and vetted. If some believe a state police investigation would be biased, they certainly cannot come to the same conclusion with the FBI.

Fayette County District Attorney Nancy Vernon had the FBI review and investigate the case. As District Attorney Vernon stated, "The federal authorities, called in at my request to perform an independent investigation, likewise did not file federal criminal charges for any violation of civil rights." The Pennsylvania State Troopers Association applauds District Attorney Vernon for ensuring that two separate law enforcement bodies conducted investigations. Neither found against the troopers.

We must also not forget that both troopers were cleared of any wrongdoing by no less than the U.S. attorney's office and a Fayette County coroner's jury. Trooper Nassan and Cpl. Curry are good men and good troopers who have risked their lives time and time again to keep our communities safe.

BRUCE A. EDWARDS
President
Pennsylvania State Troopers Association
Harrisburg

After the verdict was announced last week of the multimillion-dollar award to the plaintiffs and the finding against the two state troopers ("$28 Million Award vs. Troopers: U.S. Jury Finds State Police Intentionally Shot, Killed 12-Year-Old Boy," March 12), I found myself compelled to express my opinion. From what I have read and heard about this case, this jury must not have any common sense in rendering this verdict. I can only assume that the jury felt that these two state troopers were out to murder this individual.

The facts were that this individual stole a vehicle, was being pursued, told to stop after wrecking the vehicle, but he continued to run. Whatever happened to respecting authority and doing what you are told to do? There was never any intention to shoot and kill anyone, especially when the state troopers didn't even know the actor's age. Nothing would have happened if the actor would have listened and stopped. The state troopers had seconds to act, thinking that their lives were in danger. From all accounts of this tragedy, this all took place in less than 90 seconds.

It's no wonder that no one wants to be a police officer. How can anyone make life-and-death decisions in a second, then be second-guessed if a decision was right or wrong? These state troopers have to live with this the rest of their lives. Juries must have common sense to go along with the evidence in these cases. I would ask that the state police continue to protect and serve -- even the jurors with this ridiculous verdict.

JOHN J. RHODE
Baldwin Borough

Why was Hillary Clinton allowed to showcase her campaign at our St. Patrick's Day Parade? This looks like another Dan Onorato-Ed Rendell fun fest at our expense ("Revelers Greet Clinton With Warm Pittsburgh Reception," March 16).

It's bad enough they increase our taxes and over-promise remedies to the fiscal mess we're in. Now they rub our faces in it by allowing their candidate to "reign" on the St. Patrick's Day parade.

This parade celebrates the life of St Patrick, the contribution of Irish Americans and the Catholic Church. Hillary Clinton opposes the teachings of the church and she should be embarrassed by her appearance here.

PAUL McCARTHY
Green Tree

I never knew that St. Patrick's surname was Clinton. Shame on you, city and county politicos!

MARYROSE HARTMAN
Bethel Park

Concerning the article "Revelers Greet Clinton With Warm Pittsburgh Reception" (March 16): It has been said that on St. Patrick's Day, anyone and everyone can claim to be Irish. Nevertheless, I don't think that claiming Irish ancestry would give Messrs. Rendell, Onorato and Ravenstahl the right to turn the St. Patrick's Day Parade into a political rally for Hillary Rodham Clinton.

As a staunch supporter of abortion, Mrs. Clinton's position is the antithesis of everything St. Patrick represents. In fact, St. Patrick's perspective would be consonant with the U.S. Constitution, which (despite the misrepresentation of Supreme Court justices) guarantees the right to life.

MARGARET M. CLEARY
Shaler

Barack Obama crushed Hillary Clinton in the Mississippi primary last week, but readers wouldn't know it from your coverage. The political photo on the front page was not a jubilant Mr. Obama shaking hands with supporters. It was the back side of Bill Clinton's head ("Bill Clinton's Visit Here Becomes a Nostalgia Trip," March 12). A headline to the right downplayed the significant margin of Mr. Obama's victory ("Obama Sets Foot in Pa. While Winning in Miss."). The weekend before, he also won Wyoming, but that important detail was relegated to a quiet, photo-less article in the back pages. However, on March 11, we were treated to a big, splashy front-page image showing Hillary Clinton and our governor.

Every newspaper has a right to announce its preference come voting time. However, I believe accurately reflecting the events of the campaign better serves your readers.

ERIC DUMARS
Point Breeze

Hillary Clinton will put us back in the solutions business. That's the choice in this election: It's between someone who makes speeches and promises and someone with a record who will deliver real solutions.

I am a 24-year-old woman who will graduate from school this spring. I will also be carrying more than $60,000 in debt. Hillary Clinton understands the struggles that young graduates face. She will work to reduce loan interest rates and put a stop to the predatory student lending market. She also will work to ensure that everyone has access to health care, which is something that will especially benefit young graduates who are burdened with tens of thousands of dollars in loan payments on top of other living expenses.

We have listened to teachers and parents talk at us for the good part of our early lives. Enough talk. It is time for us, as young Americans, to stand up and think for ourselves. It is time for us to take action. It is time to ask ourselves what kind of country we want to inherit and which candidate will deliver the country that we want. Hillary Rodham Clinton will deliver.

MARISSA D'ALTORIO
Export

The March 12 article "1 in 4 Teenage Girls Has an STD" is based on data collected from a nationally representative sample. In our service region, Western Pennsylvania, we observed a similar pattern to the national data.

In 2003, one in every 20 young women ages 14 through 19 who came to Adagio Health for care tested positive for a sexually transmitted disease. Between 2003 and 2007, we saw a 60 percent increase in the number of females in that age group who presented with STDs.

Currently, there are three federal programs dedicated to funding abstinence-only education. The funding for these programs has increased just over 50 percent between 2003 and 2007. What's more disturbing is that rigorous evaluations of these programs have shown abstinence-only education to be ineffective in delaying sexual activity among teens and have suggested that these initiatives may deter the use of contraception, leaving sexually active teens at greater risk for unintended pregnancies and STDs.

Conversely, there are no federal funding programs that support comprehensive sexuality education, which provides teens with information about abstinence and contraception and has been shown to delay the onset of sexual activity among teens, reduce their number of sexual partners and increase contraceptive use when they become sexually active.

At Adagio Health we believe it is critical to invest in comprehensive sexuality education to ensure the future health and well-being of teens in our region and across the nation.

RICHARD L. BAIRD JR.
President and CEO
Adagio Health
Downtown

To me, the recent vote in the U.S. House of Representatives that failed to overturn President Bush's veto of the law banning waterboarding by the CIA -- which is torture, get that? torture! -- is more troublesome than the veto itself ("House Fails to Overturn Veto of Anti-Waterboarding Bill," March 13).

Because President Bush will be gone next January, we just have to hold our noses and try like crazy to control him and his war-mongering sidekicks for the next 10 months.

But what worries me is that we still have serving in Congress representatives who, like Mr. Bush, also support torture. While all Democratic representatives from Pennsylvania voted to override the veto, seven Republican congressmen from our state voted not to override. They voted, in essence, to support the use of torture by the CIA. How proud they must be of themselves!

For those in this region who are as concerned as I am about the possibility that these "honorable gentlemen" are continuing in Congress, I feel they should stand up and be counted. From Western Pennsylvania, they are Reps. Phil English (3rd District), Tim Murphy (18th District) and Bill Shuster (9th District).

I hope their constituents think upon that fact.

JOAN KIMMEL
North Side

Pennsylvania -- now is our time to shine. On April 22, the voters of this state have the opportunity to show the nation that we will vote for the candidate who will right the wrongs of this country with vision, with hope, with courage, with judgment, with tangible solutions to the problems that plague this great country of ours.

Sen. Barack Obama has shown throughout his career that reaching across the aisle can lead to important legislation -- helping children with health care, ethics reform, limits on nuclear weapons, veterans rights and civil rights.

His opposition to the misguided war in Iraq is far-reaching. It is not what Sen. Hillary Clinton calls "a speech he gave in 2002." His opposition to this tragic mistake has been constant. He had the courage to oppose this war and he has the courage to seek peace.

The Keystone State can be the key to sending the most deserving candidate to the White House. "Yes, We Can!"

This despite the endorsement of the Clinton machine by Gov. Ed Rendell, who doesn't think Pennsylvanians will vote for a black candidate.

Well, let's prove him wrong and let us start to heal our nation -- let us start to heal our world.

MARY REIHING
Westwood

I really feel that most voters and pundits are getting it right regarding Hillary Clinton and her bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, but for the wrong reason. Entitlement. The American people do not recognize well those who feel that they deserve a job because a person (and not just candidates) feels that he or she has a God-given right to a job.

Voters from the very beginning were told by Mrs. Clinton that she deserves the job because she has "35 years" of experience (she is counting the eight years she spent as the wife of a president). Imagine this: Barbara Bush or Nancy Reagan campaigning for the presidency expecting to be the people's choice simply because they were wives of presidents.

Mrs. Clinton came out of the gate "knowing" she would be the nominee, and it is showing in the polls. I strongly feel that Barack Obama is going to win this nomination because he is not presumptuous and has a respect for the voters -- which I feel Hillary Clinton doesn't. This actually reared its head when Mrs. Clinton had her laughing attacks during questions brought to her by television reporters. Anyone running for president should seriously answer all questions asked. And her complaint that she always gets the first question in debates demonstrates how she really feels about those of us who have to make a decision come primary time.

STEPHEN ARCH
Findlay

Until I read the editorial concerning the recent brouhaha in South America ("Border Skirmish," March 7), I did not realize that Hugo Chavez was part of your editorial staff. Even by Post-Gazette standards, this editorial hit a new low.

American troops have been stationed, in a very low-key fashion, in Colombia for more than 50 years. Their primary purpose then and now, was to train Colombian troops and to supervise American-supplied technology used in the interdiction of the drug trafficking. Your claim that this has been a failure is akin to claiming that the program to eradicate smallpox has been a failure because there are still 20 or 30 cases left in the world. By any standard, except yours, the program has been a fantastic success.

You go on to charge, by innuendo, that fewer American troops than are stationed in Pittsburgh somehow are guarding an oil pipeline, creating an unstable political situation throughout the continent and fomenting a war with three countries. Of course, your ultimate solution for all of this is for the U.S. government to negotiate with FARC, a terrorist organization whose primary source of revenue has been from kidnapping and drug sales, until Mr. Chavez named them his favorite charity with a $300 million gift.

Are you really suggesting that our government negotiate with a group of gangsters, not a country or even a political movement, but a group of thugs that, by comparison, make the Mafia look like Girl Scouts? You really have hit a new low.

JIM CANNON
Mt. Lebanon

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