LETTERS - Oct. 19

ISSUE | E-MAIL PORN

Unbecoming clicks

State Supreme Court Justice Seamus P. McCaffery can apologize until the cows come home for his avowed lapse in judgment ("Swift justice," Oct. 17). He can offer a multitude of excuses and cry foul all he wants. But passing off his actions as a direct result of his experience as a member of the Police Department, well, that's stooping pretty low. He went from being everyone's hero to being a disgrace.

|Dan Dufner, Southampton

Gone justice?

If only one of the explicit e-mails state Supreme Court Justice Seamus P. McCaffery sent disparages women, or men for that matter, McCaffery should be removed. How could he possibly render fair judgment if he has so little respect for anyone? The admission that he suffered a "lapse in judgment" in sending the e-mails makes me wonder what other lapses in judgment he may have experienced.

|Anne Hill, Fort Washington

ISSUE | GOOD WORKS

Brave humanitarian

Dr. Trish Henwood's decision to go to Liberia to help fight Ebola proves she is an amazing young woman - a true humanitarian ("Answering the call," Oct. 15). Cannot wait to read her posts.

|Frannie Rink, Lansdowne

Goodwill harbinger

Instead of spending more on education, health care, and economic development, Pakistan and India indulge in competitive defense spending due to constant fear of mutual invasion ("2014 Nobel Peace Prize to the right recipients," Oct. 12). The million-dollar question now is whether hope and optimism can triumph over cynicism because of the shared Nobel Peace Prize.

|Arvind G. Nadkarni, Harleysville

Great future

Let's hope the tremendous courage and wisdom that Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai has already demonstrated in her young life will presage even greater accomplishments ("2014 Nobel Peace Prize to the right recipients," Oct. 12).

|Stephen A. Silver, San Francisco

ISSUE | CHURCH AND FAMILY

Resistance to relaxed views predictable

It is not surprising that some bishops are reacting negatively toward the idea that the Catholic Church might actually turn a more pastoral eye toward gays and divorced and remarried Catholics ("A Catholic shift in works?" Oct. 14). Most of those spilling vitriol were elevated by Pope John Paul II. John Paul and Benedict XVI did their best to erase reforms started by the Second Vatican Council. Like it or not, however, we Catholics live in the church of Vatican II.

|Marie Conn, Hatboro, mconn56@yahoo.com

In area parishes, early welcome in the pews

Thank you for publicizing what many of us have known ("A Catholic shift in works?" Oct. 14). Locally, the approach has been that gay men and women deserve respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Walk into church any Sunday, and you will see us sharing fully in the Mass.

Is there still more pastoral work to be done? Absolutely. That is the message of the Vatican announcements. But no one, in his justified excitement over the latest statements by church leaders, should overlook the love and support already provided by many fine priests and loving and welcoming neighbors in area parishes.

|Karl Miller, Phoenixville

ISSUE | SCHOOL GOVERNANCE

Wrong to brand electorate as can't-do crowd

As an elected school director in Lower Merion, I take issue with Phil Goldsmith's commentary on instituting an elected school board in Philadelphia ("Tom Wolf's dumb idea about SRC," Oct. 14). What kind of message does it send to students in the city's public schools to say that their parents are incapable of self-governance, but that their neighbors across City Avenue are? Running a school district is hard work, but there is no evidence that Philadelphians are any less capable than I and my colleagues on the Lower Merion School Board.

Working with the teachers, their union, and other stakeholders, Philadelphians should govern their own schools, and, unlike Goldsmith, I would not want my own daughter's education governed any other way. Moreover, an elected board might bring out of the shadows deliberations about charter schools, school closings, and other contested issues.

|Marissa Martino Golden, Merion Station, marissamgolden@gmail.com

Astute, cynical view of elected school board

Phil Goldsmith hits the nail on the head in pointing out how dysfunctional an elected school board would be in Philadelphia.

|Mary Goldman, Philadelphia