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Thursday, March 21, 2002

Bob Casey is conveying a strong anti-woman message

Rather than "Casey Likes Wagner" (March 14), the Post-Gazette's editorial would be better titled "Dems to Women: Drop Dead." Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bob Casey's choice of state Sen. Jack Wagner for his running mate revolved around one issue only: their mutual and virulent opposition to women's right to choose safe, legal abortion. If Bob Casey and Jack Wagner had their way, women would be dropping dead in back alleys throughout the commonwealth.

Were Mr. Casey a smart politician -- and one who truly cared about the state -- he would have paired up with a lieutenant governor candidate who attracted supporters he lacks; one who had the credentials and clear desire to serve in this office; one who had a campaign team, strong supporters and a flourishing campaign treasury; one who had endorsements from women's rights, civil rights, human rights, labor and Democratic leaders and the party's activist core.

Yes, if Mr. Casey were a smart politician, he would have picked state Sen. Allen Kukovich. By rejecting Mr. Kukovich due to his pro-choice stand, Mr. Casey showed that he is an anti-woman ideologue first and foremost. And in doing so, he told women everywhere to drop dead

JEANNE K.C. CLARK
Executive Director
Women Leaders Online
Shadyside

Anti-abortion rights ticket

Does Bob Casey Jr. remember what an embarrassment his father was during the Democratic National Convention in 1992 when he wasn't allowed to speak because he was going against the party's platform on choice? Is he aware that the Democratic platform is pro-choice? Apparently not.

Instead, Casey Jr. selects an anti-choice running mate. What kind of message does this send to the women voters of Pennsylvania? A Casey-Wagner ticket is no choice for women (or many men). It does not represent a balanced ticket.

I think our only choice is clear.

DEANNA DELLAVEDOVA
North Huntingdon

Give Kukovich the nod

In reference to James O'Toole's March 8 article "O'Connor to Run for Lieutenant Governor," the field for the second in charge in Pennsylvania is becoming crowded with many candidates from across the state; however, as the article details, only one candidate has been campaigning statewide for more than a year. State Sen. Allen Kukovich stands out from the rest of the field.

Sen. Kukovich is a refreshing figure in today's politics. He has faithfully served his constituents and listened to their needs, first as a state representative and now as a state senator. He campaigned for nearly a year across the state and truly understands what Pennsylvanians are looking for in the next administration.

The issues he champions are those that affect all residents of the commonwealth. He fought hard to ensure that all children would have medical coverage as part of the Children's Health Insurance Program; he has been passionate about the environment and preserving areas that make our state so beautiful; and he has been a champion of economic development, education and older Pennsylvanians. For a young person living in the Pittsburgh region, Sen. Kukovich is the true definition of a public servant and is more than deserving to be the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor.

SEAN HUFFORD
Bloomfield

Broken promises

For Thomas Friedman in his March 7 column "Why Do Muslims Rage?" to suggest that it is envy that motivates Palestinians is like saying the Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto were just jealous of the Nazis. The "root" cause for all the violence in the Middle East is the broken promise to the Arab people, that in return for their help in defeating the Ottoman Empire in World War I they would get back their lands and freedoms from "external forces."

President Wilson tried to get the League of Nations to keep that promise. The King-Crane Commission of 1919 advised against the Zionist program of colonization. The population of Palestine was 90 percent Muslim and Christian, and they were against surrendering their land and rights to Zionists or anyone else. Before the Zionists, Muslims, Christians and Jews lived poorly perhaps, but peacefully, in Palestine. And the holy places of all three were safe and open to everyone.

Mr. Friedman points out that there are no Mexicans resorting to suicide bombings. Unless I've missed something, Mexico has not been subjected to brutal injustice by an outside force, backed by tanks, attack helicopters and F-16s provided by the United States.

If you read Sally Kalson's article " 'You Just Go On' " (March 7), you will see that many "Israelis" are from somewhere else. The Palestinians, Muslims and Christians have no need to go back 60 generations to find their roots in the Holy Land. "The Jewish State, 1896," a pamphlet by the founder of modern political Zionism, Theodor Herzl, mapped out the Zionists' plan. The suffering in the Middle East is the result of that plan. Don't take my word for it; read an unbiased history book.

FRANK L. DAMICO
Greenfield

About Flight 93 tapes

The Post-Gazette asserts in a Feb. 28 editorial that the black box tapes from Flight 93 should be disseminated to "set the record straight" from possible "fairy stories" ("Flight 93's Secrets").

The black box tapes are evidence, and access to the facts of this crime is an (eventual) right of the American public, hence our open court system. The American public does not have a right to these tapes as entertainment. The truth of "what really happened" in the last moments of Flight 93 is that human beings knowingly met their own horrific and fiery deaths. I certainly don't need the tapes to tell me that.

CATHERINE HOWLAND
Franklin Park

Walko's will

State Rep. Don Walko is a true North Side, Pittsburgh, Allegheny County and Pennsylvania hero. His efforts on behalf of poor people, old people and the disenfranchised speak for themselves. The March 8 article "Group Finds a Way to Get Cheap Drugs From Canada" is illustrative.

The energy of the people who have kept the prescription issue alive and struggling has forced the pro-business newspaper establishment to make it a populist, front-page story. If Rep. Walko were a corporate Democrat or Republican he would be lauded and pictured for his tenacity.

Many good people in policy-making positions have similar ideas, but they lack the enthusiasm to agitate, motivate and organize people. That sets Mr. Walko apart. He recognizes that we are not consumers apart from the world, but rather we are citizens in it. The wealthiest country in the world needs single-payer health care with prescription drug coverage. To achieve this, we need public financing of elections so that future "Donny Walkos" will be willing and able to mobilize the struggle against the franchised profiteers.

ED CLOONAN
Munhall

Pathetic priorities

The University of Pittsburgh student quoted in "Hoop Fans at Pitt Bid Classes Adieu" (March 16) as declaring, "For the next two weeks, classes do not exist," certainly sounds like a young man with his priorities in order. The entire Pitt family must be very proud of his absolute commitment to academic excellence. Perhaps he can save the article and make it part of his resume, quickly revealing to future employers his admirable value system.

JOEL MILLER
Bellevue

Federalist Society speech supports the case against Judge Smith

The March 13 editorial "Confirm Judge D. Brooks Smith" recognized that Judge Smith's 1993 Federalist Society speech "ridiculed the suggestion by [Violence Against Women Act] advocates that Congress could legislate in this area because 'gender-motivated violence has a substantial or adverse effect on interstate commerce,' which Congress is empowered to regulate." Unfortunately, you misleadingly conclude that "the U.S. Supreme Court agreed" with Judge Smith.

In fact, as U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, explained at a hearing on Judge Smith's nomination to the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, the Supreme Court struck down only the civil remedy portion of the act. Sen. Hatch said he "couldn't disagree more" with the speech's characterization of the act, that he is "firmly convinced that there is nothing unconstitutional in the remainder of the act," including its criminal provisions, and that Judge Smith's criticisms misconstrue "the nature and scope of the act."

These comments are particularly telling coming from Sen. Hatch, who supports Judge Smith's nomination to a lifetime appeals court seat. Judge Smith's speech bolsters the very serious concerns expressed by Earthjustice and 26 other national environmental, women's rights and disability rights groups that his rulings show a disturbing pattern of bias in favor of powerful interests and disregard for the rights and needs of ordinary Americans.

Judge Smith's call to roll back congressional authority does distinguish, as the editorial notes, "between federal civil rights legislation, which was necessitated by the complicity of Southern states in institutionalized racial discrimination, and the Violence Against Women Act." It is hard to see, however, how this "institutionalized racial discrimination" exception would preserve many federal safeguards, from the Americans With Disabilities Act to many environmental laws.

GLENN SUGAMELI
Senior Legislative Counsel
Earthjustice
Washington, D.C.