Letters

Published
March 6, 2015

Letter to the editor: Let the discussion begin on right to die with dignity

The Feb. 23 Maine Voices op-ed by Nan March (“Discussion should begin on right to make one’s own end-of-life decision“) made many important points. I am glad to know that death-with-dignity legislation is being drafted in the Maine Legislature. And I also encourage readers to contact their legislators in supporting this important recognition of our […]
Published
March 6, 2015

Letter to the editor: End-of-life suffering can be eased with assisted suicide

I am a senior citizen and in relatively good health. However, I know full well the day is coming when this will not be the situation. Through my many years upon this earth, I have witnessed too many family and friends suffer through terrible diseases until they finally succumb. This suffering has prompted me to […]
Published
March 6, 2015

Letter to the editor: Portland Pipe puts profits over need for clear skies

Portland Pipe Line Corp. showed its true colors when it decided to sue South Portland over the city’s Clear Skies Ordinance. All along, Portland Pipe Line denied that it would use its facilities for dirty and dangerous tar sands oil. During the ordinance campaign, it even pointed to the fact that it had not asked […]
Published
March 5, 2015

Letter to the editor: Immigrants not here for the handouts

As a volunteer attorney for the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, I have conducted intake interviews with at least 80 asylum-seekers over the past four years, from countries including Rwanda, Angola and Iraq. I take issue with the LePage administration’s condemnation of the city of Portland for extending benefits to this group (“In welfare reform war, […]
Published
March 5, 2015

Letter to the editor: What kind of housing could homeless get for $20,000?

Portland Press Herald headline: “Audit: Some in shelters have $20,000 in the bank.” I am so sick of the radical right throwing red meat to its radical base and calling it political discourse. On the surface, what could sound more inflammatory than the above headline? But if you were unemployed or underemployed, as virtually all […]

Published
March 5, 2015

Letter to the editor: Rejection, stigma face transition from prison

I am writing on behalf of the men and women who are released from the Maine prison system, including county jails. It is hard to write about the tragedy of how prison affects the human condition. But it is harder to write about the painful, arduous transition back to living in the community – or, […]
Published
March 5, 2015

Letter to the editor: Pledge controversy part of a young, idealistic outlook

I read the article about the three South Portland High School students several times (“Freedom of speech, backlash of anger over four words at South Portland High School,” Feb. 24). They have taken up a cause to enforce a Maine law not requiring the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance. At first, I was dismayed […]
Published
March 4, 2015

Letter to the editor: Along with net neutrality comes the FCC and taxes

Since the 1930s one of the Federal Communications Commission’s functions has been to control obscenity over the airwaves. Now net neutrality opens FCC to a new capacity, closing half of YouTube or other sites because of obscenity rules. That’s just the beginning. It opens us up to new taxes for everyone who has a website […]
Published
March 4, 2015

Letter to the editor: To avoid conflict, let voters elect Maine attorney general

Alan Caron (“Note to governor: Maine’s attorney general doesn’t work for you”) writes in the Feb. 26 Portland Press Herald: “The governor apparently believes that the attorney general of Maine (Janet Mills) works for him and should do his bidding.” Caron is confused. If that is true, why is it that the governor, the state’s […]
Published
March 4, 2015

Letter to the editor: Money in the bank is no reason to cut back aid to homeless

I was astonished to read the discussion in the Portland Press Herald concerning the use of homeless shelters by several individuals who had significant amounts of money in their bank accounts (“City knew of shelter users’ big bank accounts,” Feb. 25). That this is being used as a reason to cut General Assistance funding to […]

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Letters