I read about Army Spc. Ross McGinnis in the Post-Gazette ("From Troublesome Boy to Medal of Honor," May 11) and how he died using his body to shield his fellow soldiers from the grenade hurled by an Iraqi insurgent.

I'd like his parents to know that after reading the article, I felt proud to be part of a country that produces such brave men as their son, who gave his life to protect his brothers in arms and to protect the freedoms that all Americans cherish.

I know that the grief they suffer over the loss of their beloved son is inexpressible, but I hope they take comfort in knowing that he has gone to the place all heroes go and will be there to greet them when they arrive.

A Medal of Honor for a man of honor.

STEVE BURNS
Upper St. Clair

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My heart was heavy as I read the headline of the May 11 article about Army Spc. Ross McGinnis, the young man who is to receive the Medal of Honor for sacrificing his life for his fellow soldiers in Iraq ("From Troublesome Boy to Medal of Honor," May 11).

I worked as a teacher's aide at Keystone High School while Ross was a student there, and I had the honor of being able to get to know him. In the four years that I worked at the school, I came in contact with a lot of students, and Ross was by far the most respectful. I know that school wasn't Ross' favorite place to be, and that he had his share of mischievous encounters, but I would hardly call him a "troublesome boy."

It saddened me to see this negative spin put on an article that was meant to be a tribute to a fallen hero. We all make mistakes in our lives, and certainly at the age of 14. However, I fail to see the need to highlight these events when there are so many other things that could have been said. I remember the student who went out of his way to get my attention and say "Hi" to me when I took my kids into the McDonald's where he worked.

The last time I saw Ross was at our local gas station right before he went to Iraq. He was getting into his car and noticed that I had pulled into the parking lot. He went out of his way to come over and shake my hand and ask me how I was doing. Not a lot of kids go out of their way to do that. He had a big heart and an infectious smile.

CHRISTINA CONDON
Knox

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Apparently, Sarah Resnick failed to learn the fundamental lesson of true animal rights philosophy -- that animals exist for their own reasons, not to serve man ("A Piece of Meat," May 11 The Next Page).

Slaughter is violent and unethical. We can survive perfectly well without consuming animals and their products. Those of us who practice veganism know that there's no such thing as a "pure" vegan. As Ms. Resnick pointed out, animals die accidentally in crop harvesting, and their products show up everywhere from concrete to photo processing. Does that mean that we should just dismiss the whole concept? Absolutely not! The point of veganism is to eliminate as much direct suffering and impact as possible. Animals are sentient beings -- they feel pain. I choose to continue my vegan path, freeing them from pain and death.

The most humane, ethical diet would be vegan, consisting of local, organically grown produce. This is not realistic for the vast majority of us. The next best thing is to live a life that eliminates direct killing -- a vegan path. And it is a path -- we all stumble at some point, but we get right back up and keep at it.

Ms. Resnick, that glare the mother goat was giving you after you killed her child was no trick of the moon's shadows or your imagination. She knew you murdered her child. She also knows that once her milk production begins to wane, she is next.

Peace for all beings.

ANNE E. LYNCH
Swissvale

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Sarah Resnick's "yearlong stint of veganism" evidently did not familiarize her with the purpose of veganism ("A Piece of Meat," May 11 The Next Page). Ms. Resnick and others mistakenly believe that vegans seek to improve animals' living conditions or somehow make slaughtering animals "better."

Yet the vegan movement has, since its inception in 1944, sought to end the exploitation of animals by replacing those uses with animal-free alternatives. One goal is to cease -- not refine -- the raising and killing of animals for food. Vegans are not boycotting, guilt-tripping or abstaining. We are instead actively engaged in creating the kind of world we want to live in.

Concepts such as "cage-free" or "humane slaughter" are meat industry marketing ploys, not animal rights goals. Let us not confuse the two.

NOAH LEWIS
Baldwin Borough

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I find your plans to distribute copies of the New Testament troublesome ("Plan to Hand Out 250,000 Bibles: Group Wants to Put Them in Sunday Papers," May 11). This is the kind of proselytizing that will anger some of your subscribers, annoy others (as they put it in the trash or recycling bin), and please only the choir to whom it preaches.

Will you also distribute the teachings of Hinduism, the teachings of Buddhism or how about the Quran?

I can't help but wonder what real good could be done with the money that will be spent on Bible distribution -- say quake victims in China, Iraq veterans, starving people?

RANDI MORGAN
Leet

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Sen. Arlen Specter's one-man crusade to continue the investigation into the New England Patriots' Spygate scandal is absolutely absurd and reprehensible ("Specter Blitzes NFL Over Stolen Signals," May 15).

Mr. Specter was elected to work on important issues that affect the lives and well-being of Pennsylvanians, and, as popular as football is, such an endeavor seems frivolous and trivial at a time when average Americans and Pennsylvanians are struggling to keep from falling behind in a hostile economic environment.

Mr. Specter seems more troubled by a football game that occurred four years ago than he does with how his fellow residents are to cope with skyrocketing gas prices. We do not pay the senator a six-figure salary with great benefits to do this. Either Mr. Specter is shamelessly trying to garner support from Steelers fans or he is completely out of touch with the real concerns of his constituency.

Regardless, Mr. Specter should be ashamed of this colossal misallocation of time and ought to start spending it on issues that really matter to everyday Pennsylvanians -- the ones we elect and pay him to handle.

NATHAN GONDELMAN
Monroeville

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Thank you, Sen. Specter! Your pursuit of justice is refreshing ("Specter Blitzes NFL Over Stolen Signals," May 15).

In a world where the economy is tanking and people need good jobs, you are throwing that to the wind and trying to prove the Steelers really didn't choke in those games with the Patriots.

Amazing ... where would the world be without you?

JAMES E. ALTMAN
Findlay

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I wondered why people objected to the possibility of a requirement for a photo ID for voting, since I read that one can get a state-issued ID card that is supposed to be the equivalent of a driver's license for identification ("Supreme Court Upholds Photo ID for Voters," April 29). Now I know.

Due to deteriorating eyesight, I did not renew my driver's license, so I decided to apply for a state ID. I got a ride to the driver's license office and took my birth certificate, my passport and my voter registration card. That was not enough. The woman wanted my marriage license, my original Social Security card and my mortgage papers. I didn't need all that to get a passport.

I can't find my Social Security card, and I didn't need it to get my Social Security pension. My mortgage is paid off, and I finally cleaned out my file cabinets a while ago, so I don't have any mortgage papers.

The woman did give me driving directions to the Social Security office to apply for a duplicate Social Security card, but since I don't drive anymore, that wasn't much help.

CECILE CHI
Mt. Lebanon

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