Letters to the editor
Share with others:
What do these wars say about U.S. values?
PG Associate Editor Dan Simpson wrote an impassioned column June 1 titled "Shame on Us for Pulverizing Libya." I am in total agreement with his premise that it makes little sense to support the eastern Libyans in spite of the legendary divisions among their tribes.
This so-called "freedom movement" has removed women from all leadership positions, according to Mr. Simpson, and is in disarray. Nobody claims that Moammar Gadhafi is Santa Claus, but what about all the other troubled areas such as Sudan, Syria, Bahrain and the-all-but-untouchable-to-the-U.S. Saudi Arabia?
Perhaps this is a way to our economic recovery: wage wars. Libya, in clear violation of the U.S. War Powers Act, is now our third war with one entering its 11th year.
Yet our public schools, libraries, infrastructure and schools of higher education lack the necessary funds to function at their highest level. I read once that one's checkbook represents one's values. The U.S. budget clearly demonstrates what is important to our leaders. Is this the beacon of democracy we wish to hold up to the rest of the world? I hope not.
MARTHA RAAK
Squirrel Hill
Education is security
In response to "Survey Says Severe School Cuts Coming" (May 20): If we want to ensure our national security, why would we defund education? Education is one of the best ways to promote security, as ignorance breeds violence and crime.
Our defense budget is huge, but our education budget is dwindling, and that sets us up for failure in preventing violence and crime in our own country.
Also, by defunding education, class sizes will increase. Considering that many students have disabilities, learning disabilities, difficult home situations or specific learning styles, sending kids into overcrowded classes compromises their abilities to learn, compromising these children as well as our country.
If we want our future generations to be successful, healthy, safe and able to maintain our country, we need to educate them. We need to do it well, and we need to do it from the very beginning. But the proposed budget cuts would undermine the efforts of hard-working parents and grandparents to do so.
First Published June 11, 2011 12:00 am
