poropatichb

As I recall, Larry Craig (the mensroom toe tapper) proposed and voted for a lot of anti gay legislation in his state as well. Perhaps some Republican members in the PA. Senate also suffer from a "wide stance". Equal means equal. Period. This one one of those rare words which cannot be explained to fit someone else's desires. What is good for one is good for all.....equal. If these Republicans and bible thumpers and protectors of the American family do not believe in gay marriage, then perhaps they should use their constitutional rights and not have one. As Thomas Jefferson once said, "Christianity is the most perverted system to ever befall man."

Dear Dan. Right now, you are experiencing the aftermath of a life event that has yet to happen to me. At age 56, both of my parents are still alive. My dad is 90 and my mom is 88. They both live on their own and each can complain about their aches and pains. Being a gay man, my closeness is, of course, with my mom. I was her champion during a horrific marriage plagued with abuse. She gave birth to six great kids, was a single mother, wnet back to college at 43 and got her bachelors, masters and doctorate. Taught in the Pittsburgh City schools for about 27 years and retired at 70. Hating retirement she went to work for Duquesne University traveling around and grading the performances of budding student teachers. She also taught at a satellite campus of Penn State at the same time. She retired again to take care of her niece on Long Island who was dying of Ovarian Cancer. She has endured multiple back surgeries and finally a hip replacement with a stroke occuring in the hospital the next morning post surgery. Yet she get around her house, cooks every day, cleans her own house, does her own laundry and reads passionately. Your mom sounds like a great lady and a great mom. I sense in some inexperienced way, the pain that you are experiencing. I am sorry for your loss and hope that you are consoled by the love that she had for you and the abundance of memories. Everyone says that time heals all wounds and damnit if they aren't right. Find peace in your time off and rewind all of your 'mom' tapes in your head. Have a lot of cries as well as a lot of laughs, which will no doubt be followed by more cries. We are both lucky to have and have had such great women in our lives. Sincerely, Bob Poropatich

Dear Dan. Right now, you are experiencing the aftermath of a life event that has yet to happen to me. At age 56, both of my parents are still alive. My dad is 90 and my mom is 88. They both live on their own and each can complain about their aches and pains. Being a gay man, my closeness is, of course, with my mom. I was her champion during a horrific marriage plagued with abuse. She gave birth to six great kids, was a single mother, wnet back to college at 43 and got her bachelors, masters and doctorate. Taught in the Pittsburgh City schools for about 27 years and retired at 70. Hating retirement she went to work for Duquesne University traveling around and grading the performances of budding student teachers. She also taught at a satellite campus of Penn State at the same time. She retired again to take care of her niece on Long Island who was dying of Ovarian Cancer. She has endured multiple back surgeries and finally a hip replacement with a stroke occuring in the hospital the next morning post surgery. Yet she get around her house, cooks every day, cleans her own house, does her own laundry and reads passionately. Your mom sounds like a great lady and a great mom. I sense in some inexperienced way, the pain that you are experiencing. I am sorry for your loss and hope that you are consoled by the love that she had for you and the abundance of memories. Everyone says that time heals all wounds and damnit if they aren't right. Find peace in your time off and rewind all of your 'mom' tapes in your head. Have a lot of cries as well as a lot of laughs, which will no doubt be followed by more cries. We are both lucky to have and have had such great women in our lives. Sincerely, Bob Poropatich

It's amazing how all of the Republic, narrow minded, hypocritical, judgemental, pseudo-Christian bigoted representatives all now live in the northern county. Were they banished from Mt.Lebanon? Can it be that these self righteous protectors of the citizenry find comfort amongst the forclosed houses of the North Hills and Cranberry? Can it be that no other cause can be so important as to rehash it over and over again? Is gun control a minimal concern when parent allow their children to loan weapons to neighbors to commit suicide? Do we have a new flock of "Larry Craigs" in the House who condemn the sodomites while tapping their own foot in the mens rooms of Ross park mall, Butler Mall, and at Pittsburgh Mills?

As a resident of district 21, I want nothing to do with Mr. Bodack. I have endured 8 long years of Mr. Bush's lying, cronyism and arrogance. I do not need it in my representative. Mr. Bodack is indeed damaged goods and representative of the good old boys power machine of the past. All he knows is living off of the taxpayers of this county and city.

How ironic that Pennsylvania is of such utmost importance to Hillary all of the sudden. That cabin has been there for a long long time, but no history of the press ever covering Hill, Bill and Chelsea's vacations there. Perhaps that's because they never happened. Perhaps that's because Pennsylvania is only important now because her future as a viable candidate relies on it. Politics, politics, politics. She has a husband who makes racial inuendo to slander an opposition candidate and now she has her own campaign finance director making racial comments against the same candidate. Well, if Barack has gotten to where he is only because he is black, then Hillary has only gotten to where she is because she has a vagina, and nothing more.

Leonard Bodack was defeated because of what he had become; a symbol of the tired and often biased political machine that has run this city, county and state for too long. Now the good old boys have decided to put their pal back into office cuz he's a good ole boy. One of 'em. A 'let em eat' cake kind of power hungry warlord who sees his subjects as 'those people'. Well, as a registered Democrat, I will knock on as many doors as I can for anyone except 'good time Lenny.' His time is over and the Democratic party of this county needs to be looking over their shoulders as well.