Letters: ANGRY THOUGHTS ON AFGHAN MASSACRE

WE PAID $50,000 in compensation for each Afghan killed by Sgt. Bales. Each wounded person got $11,000. This was paid to their families.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THAT PICTURE?! We give the Afghans how much aid? When Major Hasan killed 13 Americans at Fort Hood in 2009, how much was paid to each family by Hasan? Nothing, nada. How much was paid by this government to each family? Nothing, nada. What is wrong with this country? We need to start taking care of our own and quit worrying about other countries. How many vets are homeless? How many children go to bed hungry? Yet, we give money again for what?

I am not interested if Bales is behind in his house payments or what his past is like. The Army allowed him to join and the Army cleared him to serve four tours overseas. Why does he sit in solitary when he needs help?

I feel bad for my children and their children as I see this country going to hell in a handbasket. I hope I am wrong. Money rules this country. Right and wrong mean nothing. It is all about the money.

Steve Vogel

Oxford, Pa.

Chart(er)ing new waters

Your editorial ("Cyber-charter Blues) calls out for successful charters in the city to lead a conversation about oversight and accountability. That's exactly what Philadelphia Charters for Excellence has been doing for two years. Twenty-eight Philadelphia public charter schools have joined and pledged in writing their commitment to transparent and responsible decision-making and governance, and their fiduciary responsibility to taxpayers and the larger Philadelphia community while remaining committed to academic excellence. This mission is transparent on our website (www.phila

chartersfor excellence.org) for the public to see.

Looking ahead, there's reason to be optimistic. A confluence of several significant developments - including a newly led School Reform Commission and its search for our next superintendent, the formation of the Great Schools Compact and the emergence of Philadelphia Schools Partnership - should give Philadelphians hope as well as help support innovative charter schools, as you suggest. This opportunity should not be wasted.

Dr. Naomi Johnson Booker

President

Philadelphia Charters for Excellence

Their fan club . . . not

To Pat Dougherty and Stuart Caesar: You two are typical right-wingers, judgmental, close-minded, always right, everyone else is wrong. I've never read anything that's positive or upbeat that either one of you have written. How sad. You two must be delightful to be around.

To make a statement about being OK with Rush Limbaugh's comments is sad. I would like to run into you and use the word "slut" referring to your wife or daughter and see how you would react. And P.D.: To have the gall to comment on the president and his wife on parenting is shameful.

You two are both idiots.

James Shannon

Haverford

To Pat Dougherty and all those right-wing tea-party haters: How dare you call the president indecent. Has he ever been charged with molesting young boys? Has he served time for a Ponzi scheme where he swindled billions of dollars? Has he fathered a child by his house help? Has he dragged men from their homes at night and lynched them? Has he sent our young men off to fight an unjust war? Has he accused your mother of lying with a dog?

You and Stuart Caesar should clean up your own house before dumping trash. Your parents didn't do such a good job on you - otherwise you would not be spewing venom on President Obama just because he is black. Didn't God make us all?

Cora Donaldson

Philadelphia

Guv's got no ID

Gov. Corbett had it just right when he spoke recently of the voter ID bill he had just signed into law: He called it a "law of prevention." It certainly is that, as it will prevent the poor, the disenfranchised, the elderly, the indigent and many racial minorities from ever voting in Pennsylvania. And that is precisely the intention of this shameful act.

This governor, who gives a pass to the big oil companies that drill in Pennsylvania, has no such compassion on his state's citizenry. He and his Republican henchmen are no different from Putin and his Russian compatriots when it comes to efforts to fix elections. They seem to forget that voting in this country is still an inalienable right, a right that Republicans would love to see suppressed. Nothing can be more un-American.

As another local paper pointed out, this bill is a ruse: "a fix in search of a problem." This is an act of tyranny. All Pennsylvanians should be outraged and feel a sense of embarrassment that this law, with such racial bias, ever saw the light of day. Shame on this governor, who fraudulently speaks of integrity and honesty while setting this state back into the Dark Ages, with his less than pure intentions. He is the embarrassment.

Christopher J. Dean

Wyncote

Popcorn? Healthy?

Re: High food concession price ripoff at movie theaters. I went to get two small sodas at the stand, but got two medium cups instead and the girl charged me $9. I was shocked. The other day, I stopped in at a convenience store and got two medium cups at $.89 each. No wonder someone is suing them for overcharging. I hope that person wins.

Robert F. Schaffer

Philadelphia