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PrintThose complaining about the Blue Angels are hypocrites
The other morning I read "Airport Gets the Blues" (July 7) and hung my head in disgust.
I consider the quotes of travelers inconvenienced by the Blue Angels' practice flights Thursday hypocritical. Just five years ago people scrambled to buy American flags -- right after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11. They flew those flags for a while then hid them away, when patriotism ceased being fashionable.
Now Pittsburgh was hosting the most elite aerial demonstration team in the world, as part of Wings Over Pittsburgh. That team is composed entirely of dedicated, ordinary citizens who volunteered to defend this country and our freedom, around the world, 24 hours a day.
Shame on those who have conveniently forgotten what happened to us in 2001. So what if they had to sit in traffic or were delayed on the tarmac? They are still able to travel freely because of the service and sacrifice of servicemen and -women like the Blue Angels -- professionals who do their jobs because of honor and duty, putting country (and others) before self.
It's a concept that seems to be lost on some. Everyone in America owes a debt of gratitude to these men and women for everything they have sacrificed. We should speak their names reverently and erect shrines to their fallen comrades' memories.
They should not be cursed because they made you late for a business meeting or a shopping trip. Remember that none of those things would exist without dedicated volunteer service personnel like the Blue Angels.
JOHN D. MESSNER
Moon
Lack of information
On Thursday, I drove from Cleveland to Pittsburgh to catch a US Airways flight to Raleigh-Durham and returned Friday night. Unfortunately, I got delayed, both days, because your airport was shut down to let the Blue Angels practice for an air show.
It had been more than 30 years since I had flown out of Pittsburgh, and your new airport is very impressive. A big change from the early 1970s, when I was teaching at the University of Pittsburgh. For me, the delay was a nuisance but not a major inconvenience.
I understand that the Blue Angels had to practice and that it would be dangerous for commercial planes to be taking off and landing in the same air space. The problem was a lack of communication with the hundreds of people at the airport, who had no advance warning about the scheduled delay (Isn't that why we give our contact information when we make a reservation?). I understand this had been planned ahead at least a month.
Worse, on Thursday from 11 a.m. to at least 2 p.m. (my US Airways flight was delayed from 11:52 a.m. to about 2 p.m.), the people I spoke to (mainly US Airways agents, pilots and a supervisor) didn't seem prepared for this. They either acted like there was no problem ("Don't you want to see the Blue Angels?") or apologetic ("I don't know any more than you.").
The result was a lot of people were frustrated and angry, not good for US Airways, the airport or the city. Certainly not what a city with an "international" airport and an All-Star Game this week deserves!
WALT GLAZER
Sagamore Hills, Ohio
They deserve thanks
I cannot believe people would complain about being stuck in traffic, stuck at another airport, stuck in the sky or whatever as the Navy's Blue Angels practiced for the Wings Over Pittsburgh air show.
Do these complainants have a son, a daughter, a father or a brother in Iraq or Afghanistan? I do not, nor am I in the military, but I was years ago. Yet, I thank God that men such as the Blue Angels or the Air Force Thunderbirds can show us their abilities to perform under what have to be strenuous physical circumstances. Some have died showing us these flying capabilities.
Men and women are dying daily to allow us to be able to view how well trained these pilots are, and you complain? For shame!
Thank God, or whatever deity you choose to worship, or even if you don't choose to worship, that these men and women are here, there and everywhere, to make sure that you have the freedom to gripe so insignificantly over a few hours' delay.
EDWARD T. KARSIN
Robinson
In capable hands
I was truly touched by the story regarding Sabaa Faik, the young Iraqi girl whose life was transformed due to the compassion of two local surgeons who performed cleft lip and palate repair on her ("Iraqi Girl Up After Surgery: Repairs to Palate Successful at Mercy Hospital," July 6).
My daughter was born with a cleft lip and palate. We found out about it while I was pregnant with her, thanks to the wonderful technology of ultrasound. Before Vilija was born, we met with Pittsburgh's cleft/craniofacial team and met her surgeon to be. At that time, we found out that Pittsburgh's cleft team is one of the top 10 in the country.
As I read Sabaa's story, my heart went out to her, and I was absolutely thrilled that she was able to get the care that she needed.
One of the two physicians who performed the surgery on Sabaa happens to be my daughter's surgeon. My husband and I are so very grateful to Dr. B.J. Costello for enhancing our daughter's beauty and so very thrilled that Sabaa was in the very capable and skilled hands of such a surgeon.
VIDA V. BURNELIS
Crescent
The choice to die
Anne Lamott's poignant and heroic account of her role in the assisted suicide of one of her friends ("How I Helped a Friend Die," July 2 Forum) further cemented my view that assisted suicide is clearly a right that physicians must fight to have fully recognized.
People have a right to do as they choose with their bodies -- even if their actions will bring life to an end. If the person is of sound mind, a physician should have every right to assist in suicide. To argue otherwise would mean that a person is the property of the state and not sovereign over themselves.
AMESH ADALJA, M.D.
Butler
Irresponsible all
The question begs to be asked, "Is having children out of wedlock a good or bad thing?" If we were to rely on the media to answer this question, we would be thoroughly confused.
In stories about the character of Steelers first-round draft pick Santonio Holmes, the fact that he has fathered three children while not being married to their mothers has been mentioned negatively ("Counselor Saw Holmes' Trouble Coming," June 28). Yet just weeks earlier, the same media celebrated Katie Holmes, Tom Cruise, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt for having children while unmarried.
The media inundated us ad nauseam with details of Katie and Angelina's pregnancies and births, as if their irresponsible behavior should be applauded. In my opinion, they are all acting irresponsibly and setting poor examples for their children and for those children who idolize athletes and movie stars. Katie, Tom, Angelina and Brad are just as irresponsible as Santonio. Here is a novel idea and suggestion for all of them: get married first, then have babies and, finally, stay married.
LEESA DiBARTOLA
Mt. Lebanon
Destructive elements
Of all the causes of global warming from hair spray to vehicle emissions, it is strange that no one even considers what I would think to be very major causes: warfare (bombs, oil fires, etc.) and space shuttles (also a tremendous waste of resources -- fuel). I wish someone would consider these possibilities.
TONI FARAH
Brookline
Bilateral talks with North Korea would only legitimize its behavior
The July 6 editorial "Korea's Missiles: Bush Administration Policy Is Being Tested As Well" misses the point in its call for bilateral talks between the United States and North Korea.
It fails to recognize that responding to such irresponsible behavior with bilateral negotiations acts only to legitimize nuclear proliferation across the globe and is extremely dangerous for international security.
It has become clear that North Korea regards its feeble weapons capabilities as a symbol of international prestige. History has shown that the pursuit of nuclear weapons by weak or outlaw states often emanates from their desire to be recognized as a powerful member of the international state system.
Engaging in bilateral talks with an outlaw regime that has an illustrated history of defiance, in effect, legitimizes this dangerous behavior and may entice other outlaw states to follow a similar path simply to appear important on the international stage.
ROBERT M. GUIDO
Belle Vernon
