LETTERS - Aug. 29

ISSUE | LABOR DEAL

Own up, don't blame

If my plane takes off at 2:00 but I arrive at the airport at 2:05, it is my fault that I missed it ("Carpenters ready and willing to work," Aug. 26). The Convention Center set a deadline for the unions. Two out of six missed the deadline. Whose fault was that?

Union leaders are not doing their members any favors by blaming management. Union members should elect more responsible leaders who can follow the rules. Large ads in newspapers complaining about being locked out only serve to pass the buck for their irresponsibility. I hope labor problems do not jinx landing the 2016 Democratic Convention or any others.

|JoAnn Williams, Media

ISSUE | DEPRESSION

Aid to understanding

Patrick O'Callahan offers a fine explanations of the mental anguish manic depressives experience ("Stigma makes disease worse," Aug. 26). As the husband of one who suffered from this terrible disease, I think O'Callahan described it perfectly. My wife suffered for years until she passed away (from another illness).

Manic depression not only causes serious problems for patients, but also for those close to them. The stigma is terrible. Everyone needs to understand it better.

|Sy Levy, Plymouth Meeting

ISSUE | KINDNESS

A gentler world

The TV series Amish Mafia is not only hurtful to the Amish, it harms us all (" 'Amish Mafia' is not the plain truth, critics say," Aug. 23). If we allow ourselves to be misled that even the Amish are violent, we can conclude that gentleness, honesty, nonviolence, and forgiveness are too much to expect from human beings. But they're not too much to expect.

|Patricia McBee, Philadelphia

Utility angel

My husband had fallen Tuesday and couldn't get up. Unable to lift him, I ran outside our home hoping to get one of the workmen installing a pipeline to help. The first man I met was more than willing to lend a hand. I didn't get his name, but thanks to Peco for sending me this angel.

|Marion Kukula, Wayne

ISSUE | TRAIL SAFETY

Risks from being on wrong side of the tracks

One evening this week, I was beginning a walk on the Schuylkill River Trail at 25th and Delancey Streets. On the pedestrian bridge over the CSX tracks, a young runner had passed out and was surrounded by a small group of people giving him CPR after calling 911. As it happens, the Locust Street access gates have been "closed for repairs" for weeks. The rescue personnel had to come in through the park and up the far side of the bridge, whereas they should have been able to drive into the park from Locust Street and up the short side of the bridge. These gates were closed for months for "paving" this past spring. The Race Street access gate was closed for months and just recently reopened. Then, one-half of Locust Street was closed, and now both gates are closed.

Thousands of people use this beautiful trail every day, and emergency vehicles must have a better way to get into these areas. Of course, with the gates closed, trains can easily park for hours without any consequence. CSX and the city must be held accountable. Trail users' lives may be impacted by these conditions.

|William Fisher, Philadelphia

ISSUE | CREATIVE SOLUTIONS

Could learn a lot with sin-tax aid

New Jersey should become the first state to implement a free, four-year college system. Taxes on legalized marijuana and prostitution could provide the necessary funds.

|Eric Hafner, Toms River

ISSUE | MILITARY MATTERS

Preparedness is preferable

In the event of a terrorist attack, I would much rather the local police be at the ready than wait for the National Guard to mobilize ("2 sides to rising arsenals of police," Aug. 27).

|Dick Jones, Warwick

Far from directing traffic

Thanks for reporting the military equipment acquisitions of local police forces ("2 sides to rising arsenals of police," Aug. 27). As a resident of Montgomery County, I can't imagine why its police would need an armored truck, much less a mine-resistant vehicle and an armored personnel carrier. These are the implements of invasions, not protection.

|Dale Kinney, Bala Cynwyd

What he said . . . whatever he said

Former U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak says that we need to overhaul our national security strategy ("Deny ISIS a safe haven," Aug. 27). He amplifies on that, stating, "ISIS's defeat will depend on our knowledge superiority through the command of cyberspace by a range of our national security instruments in a tailored global engagement that permits a smaller force to operate seamlessly and with assuredness against ISIS - as well as along the entire spectrum of security challenges." I'm all for overhauling the strategy but, first, can anyone tell me what that 49-word sentence meant - other than as a sentence-diagraming challenge?

|Bob Martin, Havertown, Inkwire86@verizon.net