Taxpayers deserve transparency from the Fed

According to many economists, the Federal Reserve Board caused the recession we are now in. For years, it inflated money and credit, leading to an unsustainable increase in housing prices, a financial bubble whose inevitable bursting has devastated the economy and disrupted millions of lives.

More recently, the Fed has spent trillions of dollars to bail out selected financial institutions and their well-paid executives. And under current law, the Fed is not required to disclose how much of this money -- our money -- it gave, to whom, for what purposes or with what results.

Now President Barack Obama, with the Post-Gazette's enthusiastic support ("Mind the Money," June 21 editorial) wants to give the Fed even greater unaccountable powers over the U.S. economy. How does that make sense? Shouldn't we first find out how well it's used the powers it already has?

U.S. Rep. Ron Paul has introduced the Federal Reserve Transparency Act, which would require a full audit of the Federal Reserve System. Congressmen and senators need to hear that their constituents want this bill passed. If it becomes law, Congress and the people will finally get the information needed to judge whether the Fed has done more harm than good. Until then, Congress shouldn't even consider giving it any additional powers.

THOMAS GILLOOLY
Forest Hills

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Shameful for Pa.

I wish to express my sincere thanks to the Post-Gazette for the editorial about live pigeon shoots ("Bird Brains: Why Shoot a Live Pigeon When Clay Would Do?" June 24). Pennsylvania is the last state to openly practice pigeon shoots. Forty-five of the states have statutes that specifically prohibit them; with the exception of Pennsylvania, the remaining have statutes that should cover pigeon shoots should there ever be one in that state.

Real hunters know shooting a bird from a launch -- in some cases they are weighted down -- or one that is tethered is not real hunting.

The pigeons are captured and collected for weeks ahead of time, often illegally trapped and trafficked from neighboring states, then released from trap boxes only yards away from the so-called "sportsmen." The birds are generally dazed and suffering from dehydration or starvation as they are sprung out of the boxes.

Rather than mercifully being given a quick death, 70 percent of the birds are injured when shot and either left to suffer slow deaths or collected and killed by pigeon shoot "trapper boys" or "wringers," traditionally children, who break their necks, step on them, tear off wings, suffocate them or cut off their heads with garden shears, among other abuses.

Some suffering birds end up on resident porches and yards in hopes of finding compassion. Wildlife rehabilitators across the states of Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey care for many of these injured birds brought to their doors.

Legislators should end this cruel practice and embarrassment to the commonwealth.

BETH McMASTER
Wildbird Recovery Inc.
Valencia

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End this cruelty

Regarding "Bird Brains: Why Shoot a Live Pigeon When Clay Would Do?" (June 24): I wanted to thank you for bringing this issue to your readers' attention. The editorial hit this right on the head -- is this a test of skill or just an excuse to pointlessly kill animals?

The National Rifle Association is claiming that passage of this bill will open the door to a complete ban on hunting in Pennsylvania and that the NRA doesn't believe in cruelty to animals. I think these pigeon shoots would strike most people as being a prime example of cruelty to animals (they're basically the same thing as a "canned hunt") rather than a traditional method of hunting.

I would urge anyone interested in seeing this archaic practice banned to contact their representatives in the state Legislature and ask them to support House Bill 1411 and Senate Bill 843.

KAREN HESPELEIN
Shaler

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Reason for pride

A large parade went through the heart of Downtown recently; three blocks of Liberty Avenue were blocked off for a massive street festival with two stages, vendors and thousands of people wandering about. Politicians including Dan Frankel and Dan Onorato gave speeches to massive applause; grandmothers led small children about having their pictures taken. There was music, dancing and all the trappings of a wonderful human interest story. Pittsburgh truly had cause to be proud.

I'm talking about the recent LGBT Pride parade.

In the spirit of Pittsburgh's 250th anniversary, we stop and reflect on the great things Pittsburgh has achieved and on the wonderful things that continue to grow. One of these needs to be the lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender community and its contribution to the civil rights movement. Forty years after the Stonewall riots, pride is not only about the "gay" movement, but the rights of all Americans to conduct their lives according to their own consciences. Forty years ago, we asserted that we would not live in a police state, that we would not live double lives, and that American society would be a wonderful blend of differences.

Pride celebrates, supports and welcomes all people, not only the ones under the LGBT banner. Pittsburgh should be proud that it has cultivated and grown such a robust community dedicated to this fundamentally American ideal.

IAN PRICE
Friendship

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Iron City costs

I would be very interested to know how much government money was spent trying to keep Iron City Brewing open. In addition to the unpaid city water bill ("Water Authority Wants Iron City to Pay Debt," June 13), I have no doubt that the cost to the taxpayers was astronomical.

RICHARD CARPE
Shadyside

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Invaluable service

Following up on recent articles and letters about World War II veterans, it should be noted that the Merchant Marine branch suffered the highest rate of fatalities of any branch of service ever during that war. One of every 26 Mariners who served lost their lives, compared (for example) to the one of 48 rate of the Army.

The harbor they helped build in the wild waters of the English Channel from which to stage the Normandy invasion will likely always be the greatest battlefield engineering marvel of all time.

Realizing the incredible, invaluable service of our Mariners in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters, Gen. Douglas MacArthur presented the priceless ceremonial sword of surrender he received at the end of the war to the museum of the Merchant Marine Academy in King's Point, N.Y.

Among those who served in the branch were author Jack Kerouac and actors Carroll O'Connor, Peter Falk and James Garner.

Our "civmars" (www.msc.navy.mil/civmar/) continue to serve our nation today in the global war on terror, having transported more than 14 billion gallons of fuel and 100 million pounds of dry cargo in support of our efforts to end terrorism.

MIKE FORNEAR
Venetia

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Our group is a key partner in sixth-grade mentoring project

I would like to congratulate and thank the Post-Gazette on its June 9 editorial "Be a Mentor." As the chief executive officers of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh, I was pleased to see such a positive message in your paper. While your editorial did accurately mention that the "Be a 6th Grade Mentor" project is modeled loosely after Big Brothers Big Sisters, your readers should know that our organization is a key partner in this collaborative effort to provide one-to-one matches between mentors and sixth-grade students in the Pittsburgh Public Schools.

In 2009, we served more than 1,000 children most in need in our community. Through this program, we look forward to serving hundreds more. In light of the recent announcement that Pittsburgh is again ranked as the "Most Livable City in America," it is vital that we all strive to make our region the most enriching place possible for all of our youth through mentoring programs. Big Brothers Big Sisters and the new mentoring initiative for sixth-graders are calling upon volunteers to step up and make a big difference in the lives of our future leaders.

JAN S. GLICK
CEO
Big Brothers Big Sisters
East Liberty

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