People, not officials, have to take responsibility

I read with disbelief the letter by William Fisher of the North Side ("City Taxpayers Deserve Remedies to the Violence," June 27), who blames Mayor Luke Ravenstahl and the local politicians in relation to the recent shootings of several young people. He states that the police force is approaching 900 individuals and asks why the city can't have more boots on the ground in the communities. Typical liberal solution to a complex problem -- just throw some money or bodies at something and the problem is alleviated.

The real problem is that nothing is being done about the underlying dysfunction in these communities. Studies have shown that crime in any given area is not related to race, ethnicity, economic status or religion. It is directly related to the number of single-parent homes in the area -- the higher the number of single-parent dwellings, the higher the crime rate.

Perhaps a better solution, Mr. Fisher, would be to have the slugs who are running around creating babies out of wedlock patrol the streets in their neighborhoods. It would give them something to do and perhaps keep the shootings down. At the very least they could serve as an eyewitness to the next shooting.

As with many others, I am getting tired of this senseless violence. I am very weary of watching coffins being carried out of the church with weeping relatives following behind. Then, a few days later, we see the family, friends and neighbors having a candlelight vigil or a march and vowing to "take back the streets." Yeah, right. Two weeks from now we will do it all over again. Figure it out, folks.

DAVID C. GARRETSON
South Fayette

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Culture in crisis

Despite his good intentions, William Fisher puts forth a theory that is patently absurd to explain the epidemic of violence in the city of Pittsburgh ("City Taxpayers Deserve Remedies to the Violence," June 27 letters) -- that it is due to apathy on the part of the police department and an ineffective deployment of officers.

There are many roots of the violent culture that infests Pittsburgh and other large cities today. The number of police on the streets and their willingness to prevent crime are nowhere near the top of the list.

Those who kill for little or no reason are the products of a thug culture. "Entertainment" in all forms has come to mean the coarsening of our culture, as violence and profanity are the order of the day. Today, anything that sells is acceptable, no matter how tasteless, vile or corrupting it may be. An astronomical rate of births out of wedlock and babies having babies who are born into poverty produces homes where there are few role models and children who do not come to the classroom ready to learn.

Guns are worshiped and are readily available, in part due to gun enthusiasts having succeeded in twisting the Second Amendment into a pretzel. When reasonable measures are proposed to get guns off the streets or even to require that a lost or stolen gun be reported, our elected officials defer to the dictates of the National Rifle Association and conclude that gun violence is not their problem.

Mr. Fisher would do well to remove his blinders and observe all the geneses of violence.

OREN M. SPIEGLER
Upper St. Clair

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Missed opportunity

As one who has traveled to Africa in the recent past, and who is returning to serve as a Peace Corps volunteer in Mali, I was glad to see the article about the Ethiopian orphans on your front page ("Ethiopian Orphans Together Again," June 27). The subject matter provides the perfect staging ground for an informative discussion not only about the direct connections between Pittsburgh and Ethiopia, but also about the current state of affairs in this impoverished East African nation. The reporter failed to address both issues at length, instead settling for a shallow description of the boys' lives in the United States.

The sentence that begins, "The boys ditched their native Amharic" and concludes with "as a way to separate themselves from depressing childhoods" only serves to perpetuate the negative stereotypes of Africa that still exist in the United States. These boys, more than perhaps any outsiders, are in a prime position to return to Ethiopia at some time to enact long-lasting, positive changes, as it seems they are already interested in doing.

While the harsh realities of life in Africa should not be discounted, it is important to keep in mind that many people are working hard to change these conditions. I applaud the PG for choosing to feature an article on such an important issue, but am disappointed that it did not offer readers the opportunity to learn more accurately about Ethiopia and its direct ties to our hometown.

BEATRICE SCHEUERMANN
Mt. Lebanon

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The proper response

In response to George Nagle's letter ("Cruelty Toward a Cub," July 1), I offer the following for consideration:

The Post-Gazette was incorrect to call the bear put down in Claysburg a "cub." The full-grown adult male bear weighed upward of 275 pounds.

An editorial in the Altoona Mirror recently stated, "The real culprits largely seem to be getting a pass ... a group of men in a pickup truck chased the bear into Claysburg. The people in the vehicle seem to have escaped public ire, yet they are the ones most responsible ... ."

The video doesn't show the bear's actions at the moment the order was given to put it down. From the officers' perspective, the bear clearly changed direction and displayed aggressive behavior. As this was an adult male, it could have easily covered the distance between it and the crowd in under five seconds. The officers took decisive action. What would the public be asking if action had not been taken and someone had been injured as the bear attempted to escape?

While Pennsylvania bears generally are timid, when cornered or threatened, they are capable of defending themselves. If the crowd had backed up as directed by police, this entire situation may have ended as everyone would have preferred.

Game commission officers tranquilize, capture and remove nuisance bears hundreds of times each year without fanfare or incident. Unfortunately, each year, there are one or two bears destroyed in the interest of preserving human health and safety. When it comes to wildlife management, we get it, whether it is dealing with bears or bald eagles, or any of the other 467 species of wild birds and mammals and their habitats the game commission is responsible for managing on behalf of Pennsylvanians.

JERRY FEASER
Press Secretary
Pennsylvania Game Commission
Harrisburg

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Let's review history

In his June 23 letter, John C. Miller ("Negotiating Is Key") concludes that we have the most powerful tyrant in the world leading our country. On Sept. 11, 2001, this country was attacked, about 3,000 innocent civilians lost their lives and President Bush, with the endorsement of Congress, responded.

Mr. Miller offers a strong endorsement for Sen. Barack Obama's position on negotiating with enemies of the United States and asserts, "A good defense is always better than a good offense. Prevent, don't antagonize."

Perhaps it's time for a history lesson for Mr. Obama and his followers. Did you ever hear of a prime minister of the United Kingdom named Neville Chamberlain?

D.C. ADAMONIS
Plum

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Pittsburgh is squandering the asset of education

The vote by the Pittsburgh Board of Education is sad and distressing ("School Board Votes to Close Schenley Building," June 26). As a parent of two Schenley graduates and one more who attended her first two years, I am convinced that no one in positions of power ever really got it in Pittsburgh.

When we moved to the city from Chicago in 1989, we were thrilled. The Pittsburgh schools were considered by most objective sources to be the finest urban schools in the nation, thanks to the vision of Richard Wallace and the dedication of the district's teaching corps. As each year passed we saw how the district progressively lost its edge through bickering, politics and small-mindedness. Middle-class families with the ability to leave did. We came to Pittsburgh for the schools and left for the same reason.

Schenley was a beacon of hope -- a school that combined class and race, academic achievement and athletics, arts and science at a level that was hard to rival even in the suburbs. The district has failed, over and over again, to explain how the spirit of Schenley will somehow be replaced in the "new" plan. The ludicrous notion that combined middle and senior high school programs make any educational sense will only further push what is left of Pittsburgh's middle class out of the city altogether. The downward spiral of the city's neighborhoods will continue, and history will record that it was the educational system that did it to us. This did not have to happen -- we did it to ourselves.

JOSEPH BUTE
Pine

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