Another hit on the food and hospitality industry: First the liquor tax and now the smoking ban ("Smoking Ban Passes in Senate Reversal," June 11).

As a tavern owner who makes more than 20 percent from serving food, this affects my business. Why is it unhealthy for my bar customers to smoke and not the private club across the street? If this bill is really aimed at lowering health-care costs, why don't they just charge smokers more money for their health insurance? Or why not stop smoking everywhere except people's homes?

It seems that this new invasion of our rights as business owners excludes the bigger business and private clubs, and I don't think it's a coincidence. I hope the voters of Pennsylvania remember the lawmakers who are chiseling away at our rights and vote them out. It's a sad day when the government can pass a law to tell you what you can or can't do in your own building.

ESTELLE AVERSA
Kennedy

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After reading a few negative letters about CityReachers' efforts to distribute Bibles with the Post-Gazette, I read the original article ("Plan to Hand Out 250,000 Bibles," May 11) and subsequently found it difficult to believe that people are so blindly against such an idea.

Do the naysayers refuse to attend hotels that have a Gideon Bible placed in a room that they pay for? Do they condemn perfume samples in the advertisement section as not only olfactory invasiveness and oppression but also as a waste of money that could go to relieve Third World nations?

My impression is that CityReachers paid their way into the PG's distribution network in the same way that an ordinary advertiser would. How the organization chooses to spend their money is their decision, and I'm sure that the PG would be more than willing to distribute the Koran if an Islamic organization took the same steps.

As a Christian I applaud CityReachers for their effort to spread the word of God, but I also applaud the PG for being objective enough to lease its space without discriminating against Christians.

BRENDAN BERKLEY
Latrobe

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When House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced, at the start of the congressional term, that the impeachment of President Bush was "off the table," I agreed ... it seemed the practical way to go.

Since then, we have seen too much how Mr. Bush has used his administrative powers to usurp the power of Congress and even the power of the courts (which are already too filled with his appointees). We also have seen in the past year how he further erodes the protections of our Constitution and bypasses the will of the people.

Since he unabashedly claims dictatorial powers, it is frightening to contemplate the damage he will do to our country between now and his leaving office.

Impeachment is now a vital necessity.

PHILIP SIDEL
Squirrel Hill

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Regarding "Tony Blair and Religion" in the June 5 "My Generation" feature:

As an atheist, I take offense at former British Prime Minister Tony Blair's assertion that faith "gives true moral fiber" -- with the underhanded implication that those without faith are somehow incapable of moral behavior.

I believe that life is over when it's over, which means that every human life is precious. Every human has the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, and therefore I have a moral duty to ensure that my fellow humans are able to make the best of the lives that they have. These progressive ideals are enshrined in our Declaration of Independence, which was signed by a diverse group of founders who included secularists and devout religious believers.

Of course, there are many religious people working to reduce human suffering and for the betterment of their fellow humans. It's clear that people can be driven by faith to do good works.

However, faith is not a requirement for good works or moral behavior, and it does no good for anyone when any prominent leader makes divisive statements asserting that faith is somehow necessary for morality.

COLIN McMILLEN
Squirrel Hill

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Fixing the election system with new counting methods ("Gaming the Vote" by William Poundstone in the June 1 Forum section) is like recataloging recipes while starving. In presidential election years, about 50 percent of the voting age population votes. The persistent silence of the other 50 percent is deafening.

Former Republican congressman Bob Barr is now the Libertarian presidential candidate. Former Democratic Sen. Mike Gravel is now a Libertarian. Former Democratic congresswoman Cynthia McKinney is now the Green presidential candidate. And the libertarian-leaning Republican, Ron Paul, still hasn't dropped out of the Republican presidential race. What's happening?

Republicans traded non-interventionism for a nation-building welfare program. They sold fiscal restraint for ethanol subsidies and a prescription drug program. They replaced tax-and-spend big government with borrow-and-spend big government.

"Little guy" Democrats embraced the Patriot Act's huge government expansion. It treats all little guys equally -- like they're all in sleeper cells requiring surveillance, control and federal (real ID) papers. Privacy and incandescent bulbs joined gun rights on their ash heap.

It's not about counting strategies. It's about both parties sacrificing our individual rights to grow government.

And they say my Libertarian vote is a waste!

MARK CROWLEY
Plum

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Shame on all of you so-called Democratic Hillary Clinton supporters who now plan to vote for John McCain. I voted for Mrs. Clinton only because I thought she had the best chance to beat Mr. McCain. The absolute last thing we, as the downtrodden, regular Joe, working class, need is another Republican in office.

John McCain left his wife after she kept the home fires burning while he was a POW and married a rich, younger woman!

Go, Barack Obama!

ANGELA KLEIN
Beechview

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What is wrong with this picture?

In regards to your front-page photographs on June 3, a large photograph of a young Penguins fan with his hat on backwards and a towel in his mouth took "center stage" over a postage-stamp size photograph immediately to the right of a Medal of Honor recipient, the late 19-year-old Spc. Ross McGinnis, who gave his life to save four of his comrades. He is a real hero and role model for our young.

ARTHUR B. FOX
Dormont
The letter writer is a Vietnam veteran.

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You have published a series of front-page articles in the past few weeks about bad landlords and I'm sick of it.

As I read more and more of the horror stories of irresponsible landlords in the Pittsburgh area, I can only wonder about how and why these properties got to such a deplorable state. Having been a landlord (lady) my entire adult life, I have never witnessed such emotional abuse from tenants as I have in the past three years.

In this period of time my self-image has degraded from property owner to property servant. Although it is true that ownership does accrue equity in your personal finances, repairs due to negligent tenants can easily offset this. Problems usually ensue when a tenant stores up complaints, allowing small and easy repairs to quickly become enormous and expensive.

There is also the other side of the coin, where tenants are constantly calling to ask you to fix something they have just broken. No landlord will complain about fixing a few mishaps that may occur, but when it becomes a predictable trail of pressing requests it quickly escalates from annoying to abusive behavior.

I have been battered and abused over these three years to the point of just not wanting to fix anything for these disrespectful and cranky residents. My best advice to anyone thinking about becoming a new landlord is to fully understand that when people rent your apartment or house they may not take care of it. Expect anything that can be broken to be broken.

Experience has taught me, though, that most tenants are respectful if you show them that you care about the property. This doesn't always work but it usually does.

Can you hear me sigh as I hope the next tenant is better?

CATHERINE KELLEY
Shadyside

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