Joseph Levine's uplifting work

ISSUE | JOSEPH LEVINE

A funeral director's uplifting life's work

Joe Levine, one of America's most prominent and respected funeral directors, spent a lifetime lifting people up - from the depths of grief and hopelessness; from the pain of financial hardship; and from the cruelty of loneliness and despair ("Joseph Levine, 69, funeral director," June 30).

|Edward M. Shapson, Philadelphia, shapson.pr@comcast.net

ISSUE | CLIMATE

Moral standing

In issuing his climate encyclical, Pope Francis brings a background in science, but, even so, was not using that to advance his message ("Shortcomings undercut message of encyclical," June 25). He relied on the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, established in 1936, for the accuracy of the encyclical, as well as many consultants qualified in scientific matters.

The pope is clear about not being a policymaker. Rather, he knows his role as a leader of moral teaching and his authority in directing all people to follow a moral code. I urge the public to heed Francis' call to care for the common home we call Earth.

|Sister Mary Elizabeth Clark, Sisters of St. Joseph Earth Center, Chestnut Hill College, Philadelphia, mclark@ssjphila.org

ISSUE | FLAG FLAP

Local impact

If removing the Confederate flag from the South Carolina capital grounds will stop the mayhem recently experienced in that state, I say go for it. And now I have a question: What iconic symbol can we remove from Philadelphia in order to stop the everyday mayhem in the City of Brotherly Love?

|William D. Markert Jr., Philadelphia

Speech issue

If all vestiges of slavery embodied in inanimate objects are to be purged from American history and public view, then the Washington Monument and Jefferson Memorial have to be demolished, since both presidents were slaveholders. What we are seeing with the virulent attacks on the Confederate battle flag is but another attack on free speech and an attempt to suppress opinions contrary to those of a small but powerful minority.

|John J. Kauza, Pittstown, johnkauza@att.net

Museum piece

It's outrageous to hear educated people supporting the Confederate battle flag flying anywhere. Just read the Confederate states' declaration, adopted by South Carolina in 1860: It is a well-crafted, racist legal document reacting to the federal government's threat to slave ownership.

The flag does have its place since it represents a very important part of our nation's story. But regardless of Southern heritage or men who fought courageously in battle, the underlying cause was, and still is, fundamentally racist. The flag belongs in a museum.

|Rick Arturo, Medford, rickarturo@comcast.net

ISSUE | SMOKING CESSATION

E-cigs help spur declining use of tobacco

Philadelphia's recent decline in smoking should be celebrated, but health campaigners are mistaken in giving all the credit to new taxes and educational campaigns ("Smoking in Phila. hits an all-time low," June 30). Surveys show that approximately three million to four million Americans no longer regularly smoke thanks to the use of vapor products known as e-cigarettes. We also know that in Oklahoma and Minnesota - the only two states to fund in-depth surveys of smoking behavior - vapor products are the most-used smoking cessation tool.

Ardent opponents of vapor products, including city Health Department officials, should be thankful for this antitobacco technology. With products like nicotine gum and patches having astounding failure rates of 93 percent or more, there is a great need for smoke-free products that can help smokers quit.

|Gregory Conley, president, American Vaping Association, Medford, gconley@vaping.info

ISSUE | WHITE HOUSE RUN

Christie's damaged conservative credentials

In my view as a hardcore conservative, Gov. Christie has zero chance of ever securing the Republican nomination or becoming president ("Christie's campaign kickoff bets on blunt talk, big ideas," July 1). One fateful, two-minute moment did him in just before the 2012 election. Watching Christie offer inexhaustible, incessant blandishments and praise of President Obama during Obama's post-Sandy visit to the Shore was sickening to see and was 100 percent about politics for Christie.

After that unexplained and farcical flattery, Christie was officially done as a national candidate. He lost me and probably 20 million to 25 million other Republicans across the country.

|Scott Durham, Haddonfield, s.durham2004@comcast.net

ISSUE | MONEY MATTERS

Share the wealth of currency images

Evidently, everyone seems to agree that the list of distinguished women who deserve to be honored on a paper denomination by the U.S. Treasury is extensive ("Notable women," June 29). So why is the discussion locked into one honoree and one denomination?

As has been done with coins and postage stamps, the treasury should have the option to honor several people on denominations over time. This could be done serially by category, such as presidents on $1 bills, economic and entrepreneurial leaders on the $10, women's rights advocates on the $20, civil rights leaders on the $50, and so on.

|Jim Milne, Malvern

ISSUE | GAY MARRAIGE

Won't be silenced on definition of love

My partner (and soon-to-be husband), John, and I have been together for 12 years and have been through much with our families. Through it all, John and I have supported each other, consoled each other, and, yes, contrary to a recent letter writer's assertion, loved each other - as hundreds of thousands of other couples, both gay and straight, do all the time ("Won't be silenced on marriage definition," June 30).

That is our truth. That is our love. And the strength of our truth and love is what empowers us and has brought us this far in our fight for marriage equality and other civil rights.

|Russ Decker, North Wales

Thriving with two dads or two moms

How terribly offensive and completely misguided a recent letter regarding same-sex marriage was ("Won't be silenced on marriage definition," June 30). To assume that love between same-sex couples doesn't exist is not only insulting, but ignores an exhaustive study by the American Academy of Pediatrics that found that children raised in same-sex households are just as likely to thrive.

|Ian J. McVeigh, Oreland, ijmcveigh74@gmail.com

ISSUE | TV NEWS

Ratings push leaves big shoes to fill

The news that Chris May, Kathy Orr, and Beasley Reece were unceremoniously sacked by CBS3 marked a bad day for responsible television news, weather, and sports in Philadelphia (Sideshow, July 1). If ratings controlled our world, half of everything that is good about the city would never make it into the headlines. Beer, cheesesteaks, and the Eagles would reign.

CBS had a professional crew in these three anchors. Kathy Orr, in particular, was the best weather person on the air: smart and straight-talking, she gave you the weather the way it is.

|Scott Cameron, Philadelphia, scottcameronart@comcast.net