Letters

Published
January 1, 2016

Letter to the editor: Portland public venues fall short on correct use of English

Do wordsmiths annoy you? Do they correct you in public? Do they show you mistakes in publications? Are they esoteric and arrogant elitists? Do they affect to be superior? The answer to these questions is “no.” They are often English and/or foreign language teachers. Wordsmiths had smart language teachers who taught them well. They are […]
Published
December 31, 2015

Letter to the editor: Headline on Parker column offensive for many reasons

“For a segment of the male population, Trump is the great white hope.” That was the headline on Kathleen Parker’s column in the Dec. 29 edition of your newspaper. This is patently offensive for so many obvious reasons. Would the editor print a column regarding a female candidate with a headline using similar sexist and […]
Published
December 31, 2015

Letter to the editor: Nemitz column on fallen soldier’s far-away guardians stirs South Portland man’s memories

Re: “Bill Nemitz: A Maine soldier who died in World War II is cared for, an ocean away” (Dec. 25): A wonderful article about Pfc. Linton Lowell and his Dutch guardians, Jos and Monique Krick. My father’s brother, 2nd Lt. Wallace Clayton “Bud” Ellis, a P-38 reconnaissance pilot, was killed in November 1943. My grandmother, […]
Published
December 31, 2015

Letter to the editor: Give non-English speakers a deadline to learn language

Does anyone know how much it costs us hardworking taxpayers to get a non-English-speaking child through school or family medical treatment? You figure that every child has to have an interpreter for themselves as well as their parents every time there needs to be communication. This isn’t cheap, and God only knows how many different […]
Published
December 31, 2015

Letter to the editor: Donating to Salvation Army a great way to help others

Did you recently lose your regular donation place? Do you have decorations that you just don’t need? Do you have items you’ve been meaning to get rid of that have been sitting in your house for a long time? If the answer to any of these is “yes,” then why not donate them to The […]

Published
December 31, 2015

Letter to the editor: It’s illogical to try to keep Syrian refugees out of U.S.

I find myself a bit perplexed at the many people demanding that Syrians be barred from entering the United States. These refugees are screened far more thoroughly than most of Washington’s security staff. That level of screening, however, is not applied to home-grown terrorists, like the 20-year-old who killed 20 children in Connecticut. Or the […]
Published
December 30, 2015

Letter to the editor: In watching out for errors, M.D. Harmon makes more

In his Christmas op-ed column (“Even total darkness can’t preclude us from seeing the light”), M.D. Harmon criticizes advertising agencies for letting errors “slip by” on “easily computed figures,” but he must think it’s OK for pundits to publish incorrect numbers. He says the length of 146 football fields is about 8.3 miles, not 10 […]
Published
December 30, 2015

Letter to the editor: If a Republican becomes president, keep my grandson out of service

There was a nice letter in the paper by a lady who didn’t want her grandson serving in the military if Hillary Clinton won the presidency. I wouldn’t want my grandson to serve if Donald Trump (who avoided the Vietnam draft) or any of the other Republican hopefuls (who have never served in the military) […]
Published
December 30, 2015

Letter to the editor: Sign up now for Patriots vanity license plates

I am crazy about the Patriots and their foundation supporting many Maine nonprofit organizations. I’d like to show off my Maine pride with Patriots vanity license plates on my vehicles. There’s a proposal to add this option if a certain number of plates are requested. I have placed my order, but more interest is needed. […]
Published
December 30, 2015

Letter to the editor: Former city manager shows lack of civility to ‘gadfly’

The Page 1 news Dec. 23 (“A watchdog’s last howl”) regarding Robert Hains’ retirement from public service as a “gadfly” at Portland City Council meetings isn’t controversial, but what seems to be is a former city manager’s reaction to the news. Joseph Gray was quoted by Portland Press Herald Staff Writer Randy Billings about Hains’ […]

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Letters