Letters

Published
January 11, 2015

Letter to the editor: Refusal of vaccination can endanger health of others

Kelly Callahan of Appleton makes the argument that parents can refuse to have their children vaccinated (“Letter to the editor: Parents have a right to refuse vaccines,” Jan. 7). As she says, “One’s individual freedom to make decisions for his or her children – be it schooling, religion or medical intervention – is a fundamental […]
Published
January 11, 2015

Letter to the editor: Battle for better jobs and cease whining about student debt

Olivia May lamented Jan. 2 the concentration of wealth at the top by so-called wage-exploiting industries such as Wal-Mart (“Letter to the editor: Wages reflect power in workplace and in society”). The contention is that low wages allow a concentration of wealth to a select few. So I looked at the annual report and proxy […]
Published
January 10, 2015

Letter to the editor: Where is paper’s outrage about cab drivers’ licenses?

Regarding the Jan. 3 article about the lawsuit by a white cab driver over the awarding of all the Jetport cab licenses to Somalis and Iranians (“White cabbie files bias against Portland over permits”): Imagine if this situation were reversed. Your paper would have made this front-page news. Where’s the outrage? Where are the demonstrations […]
Published
January 10, 2015

Letter to the editor: College Guild in Brunswick helps rehabilitate Maine inmates

At the end of Bill Nemitz’s Jan. 4 column, “Maine jails part empty of inmates or part full?,” he notes the recent increase of adults incarcerated in Maine. And he rues the fact that taxpayers are reluctant to spend public funds on rehabilitation of people while they are in jail. There is a nonprofit organization […]
Published
January 10, 2015

Letter to the editor: Protocol at inauguration, LePage promises draw mixed review

I’m grateful to have been invited to Gov. LePage’s inauguration. Having said that, I had expected the colors to be posted on the stage at the very start, rather being marched in during the middle of the ceremonies and immediately marched from the hall before the actual swearing-in. As a retired Coast Guard officer, I […]

Published
January 10, 2015

Letter to the editor: Stability of having a home allows focus on health

I can still remember my first night at the Oxford Street Shelter. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I would be spending the next 15 months homeless in Portland, sleeping at Oxford Street and Florence House, and camping out in the woods. There were times when so many people were staying at the […]
Published
January 9, 2015

Letter to the editor: Prevent a tragedy – make it a state law to keep vehicle roofs cleared of ice

The article in Tuesday’s paper concerning ice being blown off vehicle roofs hit home (“Slabs of ice blown off roofs of vehicles bombard drivers”). On Monday, I was driving on Route 1 in Falmouth when the car in front of me moved to the turning lane. The ice on the car’s roof came tumbling down, […]
Published
January 9, 2015

Letter to the editor: Monday’s editorial page had a pair of pleasant surprises

I was pleasantly surprised Monday to find two good things on your editorial page. First, a letter from James Waterhouse encouraging us to be thankful for America (“New year is time to count our blessings as Americans”). Second, an editorial by the newspaper editorial board actually praising Gov. LePage for something (“Our View: Gov. LePage […]
Published
January 9, 2015

Letter to the editor: Relief funds go to striking FairPoint workers, not union

I’m writing to correct the misinformation in Frank Teras’ letter Wednesday (“Union benefits from gifts meant for FairPoint workers”) about the relief fund for striking members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and Communications Workers of America. The Solidarity Fund is a relief fund set up to help striking workers and their families all […]
Published
January 9, 2015

Letter to the editor: Mayor’s minimum-wage idea ignores laws of economics

Portland Mayor Michael Brennan has proposed that the city establish a minimum-wage ordinance. Can it be that “Hizzoner” has never taken Economics 101, or is he pandering to economic illiteracy to score political points? Economists of every political stripe agree that the general wage level can only be raised by increased marginal worker productivity, which […]

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Letters