Following up on the letter from Jennifer England ("Added to Tragedy," June 5), consider the following Department of Justice statistics: At midyear 2005, 56 percent of inmates in state prisons, 45 percent in federal prisons and 64 percent in local jails had a mental-health problem. A total of 1,395,795 people.
We spent $2,234,437,500 incarcerating 893,775 state and federal prisoners ($24,000 per prisoner, per year) with mental-health problems. I would much prefer if that $2.23 billion were spent for mental-health care instead of incarceration. Many within the corrections arena agree that incarceration exacerbates the problems of those already suffering and doesn't send them back into society healthy.
Think about the victims. How many fewer would there be if we truly believed we are our brother's keeper and provided for those who need medical care or supervision?
The system now in place fails everyone. It is long past time for those in the medical, legal and political communities to work together to create a humane system that provides mental-health care for everyone who needs it and protects the rights of patients while increasing the safety of society.
Not an easy task, but one that decency dictates.
N. WINTERS
Apollo
At the end of this historic and unprecedented primary season someone had to be declared the winner, the person who will be the standard bearer for the Democratic Party. All energy should now be focused on defeating John McCain in November.
Contrary to what Salamishah Tillet suggests that Barack Obama must do to win the White House (June 8 Forum, "What Do Women Want?"), we need to concentrate on the issues -- the economy, health care, ending the war in Iraq, our foreign policy and the rule of law, among the many others that have been so mishandled for the last eight years.
Whatever differences developed between the Obama and Clinton campaigns, we all share a common sense of the core issues that differentiate us from those voters for Sen. McCain.
ELIZABETH STERN
Oakland
I was delighted to hear Hillary Clinton's speech to unify the Democratic Party. She rose to the occasion. However, there are a few troubling phrases that came out of her mouth during the primary season.
"It's only a speech, only words."
"Words, you can Xerox."
"John McCain and I have the experience to be commander-in-chief; he only has a speech."
Ouch!
With that much talent, she didn't have to go personal against Barack Obama and his campaign. The kitchen-sink/scorched-earth strategy was inexcusable. Mr. Obama never stooped to that level. It isn't just the Hillary supporters who need time to heal. We Obama supporters also need time to heal from all of the painful and hurtful words and innuendo coming from Hillary and her campaign.
So now, let us wipe our tears and let the healing begin. It is time to restore broken relationships and move forward together to a cause greater than ourselves: love of country.
GRACE FASCETTI
Bethel Park
As the parent of a 14-month-old boy, being a dad is still new to me. Recent big events for my son have been his first time swimming, first time on a swing and first time giving daddy a kiss.
My work as an activist for social justice reminds me of the many dads who won't experience these wonderful events or celebrating this Father's Day. They lost their children to abortion before they ever knew them.
Abortion not only takes the life of an innocent child, it leaves a void in the lives of every dad it touches. According to the state Department of Health, 21 abortions take place in southwestern Pennsylvania every day. That represents 21 moms, 21 dads and 42 grandparents who lose a child every day.
I'll celebrate this Father's Day with my son and family and remember the 21 southwestern Pennsylvania dads per day who aren't celebrating this Father's Day because of abortion.
It's difficult to understand how a supposedly "liberal" newspaper like the Post-Gazette can come down squarely on the wrong side of the preeminent civil rights issue of our time by steadfastly supporting access to abortion.
BRYCE C. MCMINN
Bethel Park
The writer is the southwest regional coordinator of the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation.
A quick response to Charles Krauthammer's "The Church of the Environment Dogma Is Based on Speculation" (May 31). More metaphors? Let's just codify the reality that Mr. Krauthammer can't bring himself to address:
If you want to drive an SUV that gets 5 miles per gallon, it's going cost you. If you want a 7,000-square-foot house with three furnaces, pay up. If you want to consume 20 percent of the produced world resources with 5 percent of the population ... I think you get the idea.
The new Bolshevism? Tyranny? Environmentalist dogma? Of course it's always someone else's fault, huh? Sounds more like cold, hard supply and demand to me. Unless you think Adam Smith was a pinko too?
I have a suggestion for Mr. Krauthammer. On some mild evening, get yourself a nice snifter of cognac, toast the cross-dressed ghost of Joe McCarthy and have a good cry for your equally deceased philosophies. And when you wake your anachronistic self the next morning and hangover-like, reality faces you unchanged, maybe you can use your considerable talent for something other than stoking your own fantasies. But then again, why do that when you can just kick Joseph Stalin's headstone again?
CHRIS BROWN
Monroeville
State Capitol protesters urge the end to school property taxes.
Regarding House Bill 1275, Rep. Sam Rohrer, R-Berks County, I thank you; at least someone in Harrisburg is doing his job.
Rep. David Levandsky, D-Forward, doesn't want to hear it for the "umpteenth" time. If Mr. Levdansky and other reps would do their job, maybe, just maybe, something could be done about school taxes.
There are senior citizens, people living alone and couples without children who need relief from school taxes. I'm a senior citizen on a fixed income who pays $4,000 a year in school taxes.
So, please, do your job. There are a lot of voters out here.
D. KELLY
South Park
First Published: June 14, 2008, 4:00 a.m.
