The hypocrisy is truly breathtaking. After eight years of absolute cold-blooded lies that dragged us into a war that got 4,000 brave young Americans killed, these right-wingers are quite passionate in their outrage against U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner and his sad little perverse behavior — which hurt no one but his family.

Weiner was an outspoken advocate of good old-fashioned liberal values, and frankly I don’t care what he does in his free time. We need him. He should stay where he is and tough it out.

John Manderino

Buxton

So the Press Herald’s editorial board finally takes a stand against an unethical liar in Congress who has engaged in “disgusting behavior.”

However, the behavior in question is not, say, authorizing missile strikes against civilian targets, voting to give Wall Street greater power or aiding and abetting the destruction of ecosystems.

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Those actions apparently do not qualify as examples of a lack of ethics, whereas a married man sending lewd photographs to various women is a matter of grave national concern.

This demand for Rep. Anthony Weiner’s resignation, given all of the crimes against humanity perpetrated by the federal government, is plainly absurd.

Zachary Scribe

South Portland 

Like millions of Americans, I am saddened by the news of Rep. Anthony Weiner’s reckless and compulsive behavior.

But I am more deeply troubled by the cruel and sanctimonious attitude of The Portland Press Herald editorial in which Weiner is called a “creep” and a “pervert.”

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Have we become so definitively unforgiving? In our winner-loser culture, compassion has become a sign of weakness.

David LaGraffe

South Portland 

Israel’s real motive is just to delay and delay 

Now that President Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have both clearly stated their respective positions regarding acceptable future Palestinian and Israeli borders, I think the time has come to state the obvious as to what is going truly going on here.

The Israelis have no interest in settling anything, as their strategy of constant delay upon delay while building settlements on territory which they will never ever relinquish is working.

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They are merely emulating what we successfully did to the American Indians as the United States expanded west.

I fear, though, that Israel and Palestine have not seen the worst of the violence that can happen as those who are forever displaced and sent to “reservations” see no future hope and seek ever more deadly weapons to fight back.

Mike Harder

Yarmouth 

Pike Industries favored despite representing past, not future 

The strange case of Pike Industries and the city of Westbrook against Artel can conceivably be seen as a variant of the old “town versus gown” conflicts more common in the 20th century than now. It does not bode well for Maine’s claimed desire to attract more high-tech industries, with their high-paying jobs.

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In short, Artel has developed a very successful sophisticated technology for making precise measurements that are needed in chemistry, medical research and even forensic investigations.

Artel started out 29 years ago as a small group of highly educated individuals who were searching for a need of a product that could benefit from their analytical skills. They eventually found it in the precision measurement of small amounts of liquids required for chemical, biological and medical research and testing. Artel is the “gown” in this saga.

On the other side stands Pike-Westbrook. It represents the old extractive industry that was here long before Artel’s founders were born.

They supplied the materials needed to build Maine’s highways, bridges and factories. The techniques they still use are simple — blast and collect the rubble. They are the “town” group.

The problem is that blasting, which was banned from the area where Artel chose to relocate (from an original old mill in South Windham), creates seismic waves (micro-earthquakes) that disrupt the measurements needed to make Artel’s products.

Now, Westbrook and Pike seem to be saying “We don’t care about your sophisticated business, nor the great jobs it creates. We were here first, the rock is ours, we’ll forcibly change the law to suit ourselves, and we’re damn well going to get that rock out.”

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Is that the kind of business attitude Maine wants to be open for? It’s very sad.

Robert Wagner

Portland 

Brazilian state still has very strong links to Maine 

I enjoyed Capt. Bill Brennan’s letter in your paper on May 16 about the parrot from Brazil he delivered to the Blaine House when Gov. Ken Curtis lived there.

He acquired the parrot when he was in Brazil on the Maine Maritime Academy’s training vessel.

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He says the parrot was a gift from the governor of the state of Rio Grande do Norte when it was Maine’s sister state.

In fact, Rio Grande do Norte is still Maine’s sister state. This partnership now spans more than 40 years. Current activities include Maine’s assistance with Rio Grande’s do Norte’s Domestic Violence Community Response Program and an artist exchange project.

A program in the health field is under development involving a pediatric hospital in Rio Grande do Norte’s capital city, Natal, and possibly an exchange program for nurses. We also enjoy samba dancing, Brazilian music and food. Come join us.

For more information, visit us at www.me-rnpartners.org.

Al Howlett

president, Maine/Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

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Partners of the Americas

Yarmouth 

Requiring early registration helps protect ballot sanctity 

Why such a brouhaha over ending same-day voter registration?

It’s only common sense that we should do everything we can to insure the integrity of the vote.

Your stance brings to mind that old quote, “The lady doth protest too much.”

Mary Lehane

Boothbay Harbor

 


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