Gossip fest unfair to Kane

ISSUE | KATHLEEN KANE

Water cooler stuff

The Inquirer hit a low note when what started as valuable investigative reporting into the actions of state Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane descended into an office gossip fest ("Suspicion and fear rule the A.G.'s Office," June 21).

Backbiting and insecurity are hardly unusual in work environments across the country, and not just where the boss is under threat of criminal indictment. In this case, it was like dancing on Kane's grave.

|Nannette Croce, Haverford

Sting case rescue

I agree with George Parry that the plea agreements in Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams' sting case against several public officials, on their face, seem to be generous based on the public-record evidence. But these cases have something I have not seen in my 30-plus years in law enforcement, mostly as a federal agent ("With sting case plea deals, it's the public that gets stung," June 21). I cannot recall a case in which the state's chief prosecutor, the attorney general, said the cases were not only weak, but instigated by racial prejudice against black politicians.

With Williams' prosecutions, justice may not have been served at its proper level, but it certainly beats no justice.

|Bob McKee, Ambler

ISSUE | FAMILY PLANNING

Expand IUD access

At the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, grants and donations have enabled us to offer intrauterine devices (IUDs) free of charge to women who have just given birth. This empowers some women with the long-term, effective method of birth control that they desire. However, our donated supply continues to fall short.

That's why it is critical that Pennsylvania's Medicaid policies be revised, as was already done in 12 other states, so that all women can access these effective and long-lasting contraceptive options immediately after childbirth to avoid unintended pregnancies.

|Arden McAllister, Elizabeth Gurney, M.D., and Courtney Schreiber, M.D., department of obstetrics and gynecology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, givingpages.upenn.edu/larcproject

ISSUE | CHURCH SHOOTING

Forgiveness that many could not muster

I have been going to church almost my whole 70 years, but never, ever have I seen such a Christian way of love, compassion, and charity as that shown by the families of those shot in South Carolina ("Together again," June 21). These gracious, grieving people have shown the world what religion is supposed to mean in one's life.

|Emma Lee, Philadelphia, joendemma@yahoo.com

Looking hate in the eye, some not seeing it

After the unspeakable tragedy in Charleston, S.C., those on the left were distraught that not only another massacre occurred, but that nine people at a prayer meeting in a black church were gunned down. Just as predictable was the timid response by the right. Potential presidential candidates and right-wing pundits alike took turns echoing war-on-Christianity theories, refusing to acknowledge that outright racism was the only root of this tragedy. But the alleged killer met all the closely held criteria on the conservative play list: right to own a gun, white Southerner, racist thought process.

|Larry A. Wernick, Fort Washington, lawernick@gmail.com

Murders triggered harmony, not conflict

The murders in a South Carolina church had some effects that were quite the opposite of what the alleged shooter intended, in that they solidified support for racial justice among ordinary people.

|Ernest B. and Elaine H. Cohen, Upper Darby, ernest.cohen@ieee.org

NRA fund-raising as victims mourned

Thirty minutes after first reading about the shooting in Charleston, I received a call from a paid fund-raiser for the National Rifle Association. Have they no shame?

|Joel Chinitz, Fort Washington

ISSUE | LEARNING EXPERIENCE

Robot competition opens window on tech

Last week, nine teams of high school students competing in the FIRST Robotics Competition (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) were invited to the Comcast Center to demonstrate the robots they spent so much time building, followed by a tour, lunch, and a meeting with the company's product development group. Meeting the Comcast team - and seeing the wall of patents held by them - really drove home the fact that this local company is at the forefront of media innovation.

Getting a chance to meet top executives at Comcast and have some of them drive the students' robots showed how seriously Comcast takes its involvement in robotics and in building the next generation of technology leaders. It is not just a rich company writing a check; it is a company that truly understands the vision of changing our culture to appreciate and value inventors.

|Jim Carr, executive director, Mid-Atlantic Robotics, West Windsor, midatlanticrobotics.com