In the article about the Planned Parenthood cash mob, published Oct. 19 (“Cash mob could clash with abortion clinic protesters in Portland”), Mike Miles says, “I was walking down the street a few weeks ago and I saw protesters with their pictures of fetuses lining the sidewalk and talking to people going through. It seemed to me to be kind of ugly.”

I would like to say to Mike Miles, “Yes, Mike, those pictures are truly ugly.

Additional Photos

Anti-abortion demonstrators protest outside Planned Parenthood of New England on Congress Street in Portland on Oct. 19. One reader says that the posters drive home the ugly reality of abortion. According to another reader, who attended an earlier counterprotest, opponents of abortion used the posters to block the path of a woman walking past. 2012 File Photo/Gordon Chibroski

“As one not raised by my biological parents, those pictures sicken me, but those pictures are reality.

“Every day I understand how blessed I am that my birth mother allowed me to be born, and since establishing a relationship with her, I make it a point to thank her for giving me life.

“She was poor and could not keep me, but she chose selflessness over selfishness.

“I proudly take a stand for life, especially for the helpless, whether it is life within the shelter of a woman’s womb or whether it is the life of an elderly person who has no one to advocate for them.

“I value life.

“It is as simple as that, Mike.”

My heart aches for those who bought into the lie that it is a woman’s choice and that a fetus is only a blob of matter and not a living human being.

I can state as truth that I have never met a pregnant woman who referred to the movement within her womb as being that of a fetus. Without even thinking, she will always refer to “the baby.”  

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.” Jeremiah 1:5

My love and prayers go out to all who bought into the pro-choice lie.  

Jeanne Walton Cocks

Acton

Leslie Sneddon, whom your paper describes as “a frequent protester” outside Planned Parenthood on Congress Street, says anti-abortion demonstrators act with “gentleness and kindness” to women (“Cash mob could clash with abortion clinic protesters in Portland,” Oct. 19).

However, my experience as part of a small, quiet, entirely peaceful counterdemonstration several weeks ago fully belies her statement.

I was taunted loudly by clinic protesters, who shook their large photographs of bloody fetuses in my face and yelled at me that I did not believe in God.

When a woman walking past them objected to having her path blocked by their posters, several of them followed her, shrieking that she had “darkness in her soul.”

We all have the right to demonstrate and express our views on public sidewalks. But the discourse and behavior of these clinic protesters was far more than an exercise of their right to free expression.

It is clear that their purpose is to intimidate and harass women who are seeking services from Planned Parenthood — most of whom, as your article fairly points out, come for health care services not at all related to abortion.

Ellen D. Murphy

Portland

Discrepancy in gas prices raises several questions

Can anyone explain why gas in Bangor and Brewer is 35 to 40 cents a gallon cheaper than in Portland?

The South Portland Tank Farm receives this from the tankers that unload, so I would think Portland would have an advantage here. Is the Maine state tax higher in southern Maine?

Erlene Stuart

Portland

Story overlooks high points of marching band contest

When reading the closing comments on the article about the Maine Band Directors’ Association competition held in Old Orchard Beach last Saturday (“Playing to beat the bands,” Oct. 28), I feel you stopped short of making a number of important points.

Lower scoring in the early round is not a case of a band “tanking,” but more a case of many dedicated students performing very complex musical and choreographic numbers for the first time in public.

My daughter has participated in the OOB Marching Band for the past three years, and it is one of the most challenging and rewarding experience of her young life. When coaches and young musicians between the ages of 11 and 18 work as a cohesive unit to become the best they can be, it is a testament to what our public education system has to offer.

Early performances do leave room for improvement, and the adjudicating process identifies where improvements can be made. It is the hard work of the entire band and coaches that moves early low scores to a potential gold medal in the finals.

We should not lose sight of the life lesson that each student is learning in the process. Older students take on the role of section leaders and work with the younger students to develop their skills. In order for a section (and band) to succeed, the members of each section must encourage and support one another every step of the way.

Age differences and backgrounds are set aside and energy is channeled toward a common goal. The self-confidence that is seen in the musicians and the joy it brings would make any parent proud. People need to learn to work together throughout life, and the Maine Band Directors’ Association program provides a wonderful foundation for a student to build upon.

David Colman

Old Orchard Beach

New utility corridor could subsidize solar development

I prefer solar power development to wind power (looking to Germany, which this summer produced more than 50 percent of its residential power by solar).

If this new utility corridor goes through — and, as the article states, it provides no new power for Maine (“Maine key to new regional powerhouse,” Oct. 25) — I urge the Legislature to put a very high fee on corridor usage and then give at least half of the proceeds to subsidizing solar development in Maine with a feed-in tariff to promote residential solar.

While admitting that some Maine roads definitely need improvement, I suggest we do this, rather than giving all the money to the Maine Department of Transportation, since any money to MDOT would probably result in increased road usage and increasing demand for gasoline.

James Harrod

Portland

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