During recent days there have been several JFK specials in the media on his life and presidency. I was in my mid-20s, newly married when I lived through that terrible tragedy. Years ago I visited Dallas and stood approximately where it happened. How could such an obvious assassination location be ignored went through my mind.

I never had trouble with Oswall being the single shooter and agree with President Ford that nothing of substance has been presented in the past 40 years. I did watch Peter Jennings' two-hour special and thought it was an excellent bit of investigative reporting. It should be required viewing in high school history (if they still teach history).

John S. Ritchie, Lebanon

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Neighborhoods need city's attention

What a to see City Manager Valerie Lemmie's recommendation of $23.7 million to be spent on actual neighborhood development projects ['Budget boosts neighborhoods, cuts recycling, Nov. 26]. This investment in neighborhoods will bring other investors to the table.

The neighborhood groups included have spent years working on their plans and are ready to move. Unlike big ticket downtown projects such as Saks, Lazarus and the Kroger garage, these funds will span the city and will have an impact on our daily lives. This is a giant step for neighborhoods and should be fully supported by Council.

Sara M. Sheets, Madisonville

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Musical at UC was impressive

On Nov. 22, we saw and heard 43 young men and women from 21 states on stage, backed by a sharp 30-person pit orchestra, perform the musical On the Town at UC's Corbett Auditorium. It was great!

It's obvious that each performer was a strong "link in the chain" with tremendous mental and physical conditioning, salted with verve produced outstanding dance, song and acting. There were 220 young people that supported them via hard work backstage. Greg Schmidt, Sharonville

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Only seniors can afford to gamble

I trust that the letter writer who sampled a small number of elderly folks at a local casino was only joking when he concluded that "Most all (of the elderly) agreed that they would rather have the younger people who are able to work and pay the taxes foot the bill for any prescription drug benefits provided for seniors by the government" ["Young should pay more taxes to aid old." Nov. 26].

Our generation has already left our children and grandchildren with enough debt that it will take an economic miracle for most of them to avoid bankruptcy. Why was the writer surprised to find mostly seniors at the casino? The answer is simple. Because they are the largest group of people with excess disposable income who can afford to go to the casinos. Harold Penn, Loveland

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Does GOP now favor big government?

I am puzzled as to why the GOP has suddenly done an about face and fought to pass the largest entitlement program since the inception of Social Security.

It looks to me as though the party is going to have lots of explaining to do to the true conservatives who really do want, as President Reagan said, "to get government off the backs of the people."

Joe Hadley, Fairfield

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Telephone service competition welcome

When I read that Cincinnati Bell is fighting Time Warner ("Cincinnati Bell fights waiver bid," Nov. 21) to provide local service, my reaction was "Bring it on!"

We thought that in the 1980s when Ma Bell was broken up the monopoly would end in the telecommunications industry. Obviously, this is not the case for Greater Cincinnati residents.

Greater Cincinnati residents should have a right to chose who they want to provide their local telephone service.

Christine Freiberg, Colerain Township

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Close the compensation gap

The Nov. 21 story ("Study: Women's pay still lags") was particularly timely. I had just been informed that the nurses at Christ Hospital who had called in with the "blue flu" a few weeks ago had been fired. They were protesting the hospital offering bonuses for some nurses but not them.

Better pay for all registered nursing staff in all Cincinnati hospitals equals more nurses for the future. Closing that 20.3 percent pay gap is the start of the solution.

Kathleen J. Wilkins, Hyde Park

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Local fliers need alternative to Delta

Again the Enquirer gives us these Delta updates, and again we see that the local citizen is on the short end of the stick when it comes to flying out of Cincinnati. A recent article stated that one in four fliers fly out of an alternative airport. I believe this figure is low. If you think it is a convenience to pay an average 54 percent more than any other airport, than you can be happy.

But for those of us who pay our own way on business, shame on the airport board for letting this happen.

We need to get some legitimate alternative airlines so Delta will immediately lower its fares until it forces that airline to leave. And we need to get a flying public that will support an alternative airline.

Gene Hendel, West Chester Township

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On gays, Bronson's views are disgraceful

It is entirely displeasing to find an article such as Peter Bronson's ("Gay marriage is a topic wired with explosives," Nov. 21) on the front page of the Metro section. Bronson mentioned how Ohio Rep. Bill Seitz tried to take the emotion out of the issue, ignoring "the usual litany of names: homophobic, nasty, moralistic, narrow-minded, self-righteous and bigoted." Precisely. Bronson feels that in "our Oprah-fied culture, emotion must be fed." Apparently, the emotion of a union between two people in love is only valid if they are straight. Gay couples who want to get married are just ignoring "the obvious legal truth" - that gay marriage is just a step away from polygamy and other "deviant lifestyles."

Homosexual couples who want to get married are just like any other people who are devoted to each other and want society to recognize their commitment.

Even more ludicrous was his connection of "free for all marriage" with "children in fractured families, stuck in poverty, failing in school, slipping into crime and teenage pregnancy."

Bronson's views are a disgrace to a city already too entrenched in prejudice.

Natalie Kuhl, Pleasant Ridge

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So who are the homophobes, really?

Seemingly every day, we are treated to a letter telling us that opponents of gay marriage are homophobes, acting out of irrational fear rather than logic.

When thinking of logic, it is natural to turn to the Greeks. Plato was a practicing homosexual, and yet in one of his last books, Laws, he banished it from his ideal state. He changed his position based upon the negative effect he witnessed, writing, "How can we take precautions against the unnatural loves of either sex, from which innumerable evils have come upon individuals and cities?" He also wrote, "Who would ever think of establishing such a practice by law? Certainly no one who has in his mind the true image of law."

If you listen closely, I would imagine you can hear the gay activists denouncing Plato as a homophobe. Perhaps they are logicophobes.

Dave Matre, White Oak

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Archdiocese plea distorts principles

What an incredible distortion of the basic principles of Christianity took place Nov. 20. ("Archdiocese found guilty of failing to report abuse," Nov. 21 Enquirer). As all of us Catholics recall at every Mass, Jesus took upon himself personally the guilt of all. The legalistically fabricated concept of the archdiocese essentially pleading guilty, instead of the guilty individuals themselves, represents a complete reversal of the Lord's example. It was repeatedly emphasized that no individual wrongdoer accepted guilt, but rather the archdiocese, as a separate entity.

Who, then, is this entity? It is I, it is you, fellow Catholics, it is all of us. We are the archdiocese, and by this plea we all implicitly took upon ourselves the guilt of the unnamed individual wrongdoers.

Sadly, there will be no closure. Lawsuits will continue to be filed and prosecuted, collections will continue to dwindle, and Mass attendance will continue to decline, until the Gospel of Jesus becomes more important than institutional image and self-preservation.

Gerard Ahrens, Westwood

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Correct word usage no longer important

Your editorial "The last antecedent rules" (Nov. 23) provides an excellent example of faulty interpretation based on incorrect grammar and the problems it can cause.

My university teaching experience has provided ample evidence that correct grammar and usage are no longer taught or valued in our public schools. Indeed, students are admitted to college (and even high school) with little knowledge of grammar or its application for correct usage. These students enter with inflated opinions of their skills due to the "feel-good" teaching methods that virtually eliminate the teaching of grammar.

The Supreme Court was correct in its interpretation of the phrase in question. Regarding the usage of that vs. which: If our lawmakers and judiciary had even a basic knowledge of grammar in the first place, I would be happy to explain this "more advanced" concept. Otherwise, we'll continue to live with their confusing rhetoric.

Bonnie Johnston, Mason

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Columnist Parker's writing offensive

The column by Kathleen Parker ("Why Jessica Lynch should have stayed safe at home," Nov. 19) was extremely disappointing. Parker's writing style was so fragmented (and derogatory) that I walked away not knowing what her point was.

The fact that Jessica Lynch has been used as a propaganda hero and that several people are upset by this is not news to anyone. Perhaps we should look at some positives of the exploited event. Lynch's rescue was a shot in the arm for patriotism and brought the country together in massive support and pride in our military. (Vaccines hurt, but are often effective.) Another light shining from the dark cloud of this rescue was the heroism of many other wonderfully skilled American soldiers. And let's not forget an important figure in all of this, the Iraqi lawyer who risked his life and family to inform of Lynch's whereabouts. That restored faith in humankind ... and lawyers.

Parker's writing seemed to degrade West Virginia dialect and showed her lack of understanding of poverty. I have experienced firsthand the recruiting methods of the military in rural West Virginia, and often the angle is financial assistance.

Yes, she wanted to become a kindergarten teacher eventually. Serving in the military is an honorable first step toward a career. Jessica Lynch didn't say to her rescuers, "Oh m' God, I broke a nail." She said it all when she replied, "I'm an American soldier too." And last I checked, that is still honorable.

Janet Fliegel, Maineville

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Yes, marriage is a government contract

I follow the gay marriage debate closely, and I must say that a recent letter writer made the most ignorant statement yet: "The government needs to stay out of marriage; it is not an arena that they have any jurisdiction over."

The writer apparently has never married. Marriage is an entirely legal (government-controlled) process. We often add all the traditional bells, flowers and loving words at a church, but when you get right down to it, all the marriage is itself, is a legal document, signed by witnesses.

Sandy Arulf, Liberty Township