Letters

Published
January 16, 2014

Letter to the editor: Asylum seekers already here should not lose state aid

As a volunteer teaching English to Africans granted asylum, I am appalled at the possibility of Gov. LePage cutting off their financial aid. These remarkable men and women from Africa have been granted asylum and paid their airfare to the U.S., often leaving their families behind. They were led to believe they would receive a […]
Published
January 16, 2014

Letter to the editor: Being gay isn’t learned, but intolerance probably is

I read Dr. Frederick H. Giese’s reply to an earlier letter written by Derek Viger (“Bible reader disputes claim that people can be born gay”, Jan. 9). And, like Giese, I felt compelled to reply. Giese claims that homosexuality is learned behavior, taught by someone else. I think this comment is ridiculous. Both of my […]
Published
January 16, 2014

Letter to the editor: Drug-addled killer’s appeal defies logic

I would like to know how attorneys Clifford Strike and Sarah Churchill can sleep at night! They are filing an appeal on behalf of their client, convicted murderer Joel Hayden (“Maine Supreme Court to hear appeal in New Gloucester double murder,” Jan. 13). It states that Hayden “was under the influence of a high dose […]
Published
January 15, 2014

Letter to the editor: Co-op store’s accessibility good news for non-drivers

The Portland Food Co-op has taken a great, progressive step in announcing that the storefront it will open in September at 290 Congress St. will be easily accessible by people who, by choice or circumstance, are not car-dependent (“Portland Food Co-op takes step toward full-service store,” Jan. 7). Unlike the Winter Farmers’ Market, whose East […]
Published
January 15, 2014

Letter to the editor: Global warming debunkers too quick to label cold spell

As cartoonist Nick Anderson pointed out (somewhat too grotesquely) in the Jan. 8 Press Herald, there are climate change denyers who seize upon facts like the recent cold weather to try to debunk the fact of global warming. (I prefer “denyer” to “denier” in order to relate its meaning more closely to “deny” than to […]

Published
January 15, 2014

Letter to the editor: Setting record straight on RSU 21 bond plan

As chair of the RSU 21 Facilities Committee, I am responding to Greg Burke’s Jan. 2 letter to the editor regarding the upcoming RSU 21 bond referendum (“RSU 21 school bond spends too much, too quickly”). Mr. Burke’s letter had numerous factual errors. Here are the facts: 1. The RSU 21 bond will fund the […]
Published
January 15, 2014

Letter to the editor: MaineCare rides debacle was avoidable

The roots of the MaineCare rides debacle are in Washington, D.C., not Augusta. Still, the mess could have been avoided if the Maine Legislature had approved a bill I submitted during the previous session. Thousands of complaints about late pickups or completely missed rides over the past six months led to the state of Maine […]
Published
January 14, 2014

Letter to the editor: Obama should hold torch of freedom at Sochi games

Standing on the deck of our ship entering New York Harbor in the early morning light, I said, “There’s Liberty holding her bright torch, our symbol of freedom.” Liberty has welcomed millions to our shores seeking or returning to a country that represents that hope of freedom for the rest of the world. President Obama […]
Published
January 14, 2014

Letter to the editor: Calling smoking ‘habit’ minimizes harm

Thank you for publishing the excellent Associated Press article about the 50th anniversary of the fight against tobacco (“The report that snuffed out smoking – sort of – hits anniversary,” Jan. 5). Unfortunately, the article had one fatal flaw. The headline in the print version referred to this relentless addiction as a “habit.” By referring […]
Published
January 14, 2014

Letter to the editor: Negativity tainting debate over RSU 21 bond proposal

I have read many opinions recently on the RSU 21 bond and find the dialogue between the supporters and opponents of this bond encouraging. What I am disappointed about is the negativity and wish we could continue with the correct facts rather than personal attacks on individuals or groups. There are two sides to every […]

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Letters