Keep the tram

To the editor:

Before you advocate removing the tram at Cove Island (letters, Oct. 14), you should see the looks of delight on the faces of people who no longer are able to walk any distance. To be able to join a family picnic, or just to get near the water and get a little fresh air, or to be able to get to a park bench and watch the people roller skate around the loop is an exciting thing to do if you are handicapped in any way.

I personally think that they (and my cousin was one of those who really tried to walk but couldn't make it too far) really appreciate it. So let's think of what's positive about it, and find some other means of saving money.

Let it stay for the enjoyment of those who don't have the strength it takes to walk the park. The park does belong to everyone.

Adele Domagala


Crossing guardian

To the editor:

We would like to acknowledge our sincere appreciation to Mr. Thomas Moccia, our crossing guard for Hart Magnet School.

Mr. Moccia worked tirelessly to keep our children safe and sound while crossing them on Adams Avenue.

We have many families that walk to Hart Magnet and they were confident in Mr. Moccia. He always had his priorities in order by providing assistance to families first and foremost.

The entire Hart Magnet School community wishes to thank Mr. Moccia for his dedication, time and efforts on behalf of all our students. We wish him a well-deserved and happy retirement.

Linda B. Darling


The writer is principal of Hart Magnet School.

When in doubt, blame Bush

To the editor:

When I was on the Theatre Arts team in high school, we had a saying when we did not know what color lens to put on our spotlight, "When in doubt, use amber." It seemed to be a good catch-all solution. After reading "Letters from Readers" in the Oct. 13 edition of the Advocate, we could all adopt a new saying: "When in doubt, blame Bush."

The writer of the letter titled "Peace Prize," adopted such conventional thinking when he stated "It is an award that calls our attention to how the Cheney-Bush administration's policies of bullying the world so aggrieved our sister nations "�"

Such thinking cheapens the efforts of all of the non-Americans who were up for the Nobel Peace Prize, including people who did a lot more to establish peace in this world prior to the Feb. 1 deadline for submitting a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize. Did President Obama do more between his inauguration on Jan. 20 and the Feb. 1 deadline than, say, Bono, Pope Benedict, or my friend Julie Coyne, who you probably don't know but runs a organization called Education and Hope that educates the poorest of the poor in Guatemala?

Please don't misunderstand me, the intent of this letter is not to bash or cut down our current commander in chief. Rather, it is to question the conventional thinking around why President Obama was given this award. Additional thinking suggests this award is for potential rather than it is for past actions. Using potential as an argument, I am surprised that last week, when Pope Benedict XVI announced the canonization of five new saints, President Obama's name was not on the list. Sure he is not Catholic, but he has the potential to convert before his death.

When I was attending college at the University of Connecticut, I made the dean's list during seven out of my eight semesters there. What happened during that one lone semester during my freshman year? I could take full responsibility and tell you that I did not study hard, did not take my classes too seriously, and spent more time with my girlfriend than my textbooks, but why do that when I have George Bush to blame as an option?

Michael Carlon

