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Letters: Media shouldn't focus on suspect

DURING THE TIME that the Boston Marathon bombing terrorists were at large, Americans and people of goodwill everywhere prayed for their capture or killing, and, thankfully, these murderers were ultimately captured thanks to spectacular law-enforcement work.

DURING THE TIME that the Boston Marathon bombing terrorists were at large, Americans and people of goodwill everywhere prayed for their capture or killing, and, thankfully, these murderers were ultimately captured thanks to spectacular law-enforcement work.

There is, however, a negative facet of the killing of one and capture of the other, as the media now revel in the lives of the killers, removing the focus from the attack's victims.

Photographs of, and a recounting of, the lives of the bombers are now dominant in newspapers and on television, providing them the international forum sought by virtually every individual that uses terror to advance some twisted aim.

As the media purport to examine terrorism, they play into the hands of those who engage in it.

Oren M. Spiegler

Upper Saint Clair, Pa.

Clarifying comments about Gosnell clinic

In a recent article about a forum on women's health and rights , I was quoted as saying that some women complained to Planned Parenthood staff over the years about Kermit Gosnell's facility, and our staff told them to report it to the state. This does not fully reflect what I actually said.

I said the same thing that I have been saying over the last two years: When Gosnell was arrested, I asked our staff if anyone had ever heard of him, and clinic staff members reported that a few women over the years said they were concerned about the uncleanliness of his facility and came to Planned Parenthood instead.

Our staff told these women that issues of cleanliness should be reported to state officials. If we had heard anything remotely like the conditions that have since come to light about Gosnell's facility, of course we would have alerted the state and other authorities.

Nobody who believes in good health care, access to safe and legal abortion, and respect for women would ever look at Kermit Gosnell's facility and call it a health-care center. He preyed on women in their most vulnerable moments.

Dayle Steinberg

President and CEO

Planned Parenthood

Southeastern Pennsylvania

Feds need to flush out terrorists, not wise guys

If my numbers are correct, the FBI has an annual budget of more than $8 billion. And if my facts are correct, in 2011, the FBI investigated a warning from Russian authorities that Tamerlan Tsarnaev was a terrorist but they "did not find any terrorism activity," either domestic or foreign.

I would like to think that the FBI budget dollars being spent on George Borgesi and Joseph Ligambi could have and should have been used to do a more intensive investigation of the 2011 allegation.

Our government needs to redirect its budget, manpower and investigative resources to saving lives, not prosecuting (nor persecuting) video-machine operators.

J. Cambella

Media, Pa.

Restricting clip size

an irresponsible move

Letter writer Joe Orenstein says that "there are no gangs of armed marauders threatening your home . . . " ("What You're Saying," Monday).

Joe, did you hear about the terrorists in Boston? Remember how the younger brother was on the loose, and the entire city of Boston was shut down?

OK, now for my final question: Would you rather have a high-capacity assault weapon or a seven-round maximum handgun if such a terrorist were prowling around Philadelphia, instead of Watertown?

The statistics comparing people who commit gun crimes with legally owned weapons in relation to those already committing a crime just by possessing an illegal gun is overwhelming in favor of the latter. Banning certain types of guns on law-abiding citizens is not the answer.

In reality, there are no clear answers, but your answer will result in more deaths of innocent people.

Kevin Metz

Ridley Park

College is wrong time to look for Mr. Right

Re: "Princeton Charming?" (Jenice Armstrong, April 3)

My undergraduate clock is ticking, and I don't see a ring in my near future.

According to Susan A. Patton, I should be worried. She writes that female undergraduates, like me, better fish while the pond is still big and find our future husbands before graduation day, but who has time for that?

Call me a romantic, but I don't want to find Mr. Right when my thoughts are focused on not getting any assignments wrong. We coeds have enough on our plates without the added pressure of finding our one true love before completing our college career.

While I cannot speak for everyone, I want to get marriage right the first time. With U.S. divorce rates above 50 percent, a wedding isn't something I want to put on a time crunch or rush into.

My top priority is walking the graduation stage; let's save walking down the aisle for when I know I am ready.

Audrey Allen

Student

Temple University