Letters

Published
December 10, 2015

Letter to the editor: Pearl Harbor anniversary should have been commemorated prominently

On Dec. 7, 1941, I was 12. I heard FDR’s “date which will live in infamy” speech on my folks’ battery-powered radio. I joined the Navy less than five years later. l have three words for the Press Herald: “Shame on you!” Your Dec. 7 issue did not even mention Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. There […]
Published
December 10, 2015

Letter to the editor: In face of refugee crisis, where’s our courage to support the greater good?

As I’m listening to talk about taking in Syrian refugees, I’m reading a book on the Berlin Blockade and Airlift (1948-49) and noting the stark differences in the U.S. response. In 1948, Stalin blocked all land and water traffic into the western sectors of Berlin – basically to put the entire city under communist rule. […]
Published
December 10, 2015

Letter to the editor: Uplifting story about Holocaust survivor sparks reflecting on reasons for gratitude

Re: “Holocaust survivor: ‘It’s what you give’ that defines you” (Dec. 7): Thank you for the uplifting story in Monday’s Press Herald about Kurt Messerschmidt (and about purpose, thriving against adversity and offering others hope and joy with one’s unique gifts). I have urged friends to not only read the article but also to enrich […]
Published
December 9, 2015

Letter to the editor: Theater around LePage is much ado about nothing

Re: “LePage may face reprimand after oversight panel accepts report in Eves case” (Dec. 3): Well, the sharks in Augusta think they smell blood, and the feeding frenzy is on. Reprimand! Impeach! Prison! Let us press the pause button and review the facts without the anti-LePage bias. It’s reasonable to infer that Good Will-Hinckley overlooked […]
Published
December 9, 2015

Letter to the editor: Portland police show true compassion to drug addicts

Re: “Portland police to offer drug users a link to treatment” (Dec. 2): Kudos to the Portland Police Department for taking the initiative to give addicts the help they need instead of burying them behind bars. Addiction is a disease with multiple root causes from which people do recover and live happy, healthy, productive lives. […]

Published
December 9, 2015

Letter to the editor: Republicans should deliver bad news to the governor

In 1950, Maine Republican U.S. Sen. Margaret Chase Smith made her Declaration of Conscience, in which she condemned the tactics being used by the House Un-American Activities Committee, under the leadership of Wisconsin Republican Sen. Joseph McCarthy. Initially it made her unpopular, but in time it made her a legend. In 1974, Sen. Barry Goldwater […]
Published
December 9, 2015

Letter to the editor: Brick sidewalk replacement is both costly and unwarranted

In response to a critique by columnist Shoshana Hoose, there have been several letters recently on the hazards of brick sidewalks, with a call for their replacement. Portland’s downtown has 14 miles of mostly brick sidewalks, and replacement costs (±$5.80 per square foot) could easily exceed $2 million. Kentucky architect and architectural conservator Gary Kleier […]
Published
December 8, 2015

Letter to the editor: Saying ‘Merry Christmas’ out loud in Portland is frowned upon

Re: “Re-creating Bethlehem brings people together” (Nov. 30): Re-creating Bethlehem is possible in the Camden area because there is very little diversity and integration. Christmas is celebrated with notably less interference from different peoples and beliefs. Every year, my family, children, grandchildren and old folks visit the area of Rockport, Rockland and Camden to enjoy […]
Published
December 8, 2015

Letter to the editor: Missing coverage on Rally for Refugees devalues Press Herald

In Monday’s edition of the Portland Press Herald, I was most disappointed by the lack of coverage of the Rally for Refugees, held in Monument Square in Portland on Sunday evening. This was the largest rally I have seen in the past 10 years, easily surpassing 1,000 participants, and was an important statement of the […]
Published
December 8, 2015

Letter to the editor: Portland’s efforts to keep pedestrians safe highlights city’s leadership

Here at the Bicycle Coalition of Maine, the state’s leading organization dedicated to promoting the rights and safety of walkers and bicyclists, we couldn’t help but notice a bitter irony in the Portland Press Herald on Dec. 4. Two articles addressed pedestrian safety. On the front page, one story discussed drivers’ complaints about the new […]

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Letters