The recent shooting in Ross Township, Monroe County, is revolting but not surprising. It's something we should come to expect in a society that lacks the political will to even try to keep weapons out of the hands of the mentally ill. It's also to be expected when the organization that prevents any sensible gun restrictions justifies it with a historical lie: that the purpose of the Second Amendment is so we can take on a tyrannical government. So why shouldn't we expect a mentally unbalanced hothead, when he has a dispute with a local official, to grab his gun as a first resort? Even shooting random individuals not party to the dispute! Rockne Newell should be NRA Gun Owner of the Year.

This sort of thing, and shootings with even less motivation, will continue to occur since we're not going to wise up. It's just the price we're willing to pay so paranoids won't feel as nervous. What could be more important than catering to their irrationality?

Sincerely,

Stephen Van Eck

Rushville, PA

For me, living rurally with a disabled child, the rising cost of health care on a local level often feels like a punishment and with increased costs I find myself playing the game of "Would I rather..." when faced with hard choices between essential living expenses or medical necessities.

Though I am no stranger in trying to make my way through mountains of medical paperwork the sheer volume needed to submit my sons disability claim is quite daunting. Countless hours in, I realized that I needed more information than I have on hand so I called the NEPA Community Healthcare clinic and requested his chart. The response I received was shocking at best.

I was informed that due to the size of his chart it would be almost $75.00 to request his records. $75.00!? After I was able to catch my breath and regain my composure I asked if that was a regulated price that was federally mandated or if it was set in-office and unfortunately, the response both angered and saddened me. The price was set by the CEO with the cost for records copied breaking down as follows: 1-20 pages $1.39 per page, 21-60 $1.03 per page, and for amounts of 61 pages+ $.34 per page. To be fair, the incredibly understanding secretary did tell me that the chart could be sent to Dr. DeJesse at the Barnes Kasson Hospital clinics (or any physicians office for that matter) free of charge but unfortunately that doesn't help me with my paperwork.

Immediately I thought, "Would I rather have the charts in hand to work from (my originals having been lost in the flood of 2006) or would I rather have the money needed for gas and tolls for our upcoming visit to the Children's Hospital in Philadelphia?" and of course I also added the usual, "Would we rather eat Ramen noodles for a week?" and not surprisingly, Ramen it would be!

Now, I understand that some medical services are priceless. I would surely sell my soul for my sons treatments and his wonderful team of

doctors and nurses (on both a local and larger level) but there is something about having to pay almost $75.00 for a copy of his chart that makes me stop to pause and ponder the disservice that is to our small community. It makes me cringe to know that anyone else might be playing the "Would I rather....." game because the price of a copied record is the equivalent to a weeks worth of groceries, a utility bill or soon to be, a months worth of heat to keep yourself and your children warm.

I'm sure some may simply think me bitter but the excessive charge for the chart came the day after I learned of my sons primary care doctor, Dr.

Susan Jackson, having left the office not through a telephone call or even a letter from the clinic but rather from our immunologists office at CHOP. It was déjà vu all over again as I remembered Dr. Frank's similar hush hush departure. I know that for some that kind of change may not be such a big deal, but for us it can be a life-changer. Because my sons disease is so rare, we cannot simply walk into an office and assume treatment will be available. For example, he was ill a couple of months ago and when we went into the clinic to see the nurse practitioner instead of receiving service we got handshakes and "After reviewing your sons chart I am not comfortable treating him..." Luckily in that situation, with the help of the incredible nurse and secretary, special arrangements were made for him to be seen by his primary care doctor at her other office but my worry is where does that leave us now?

I know I am fortunate to have enough money in my account and food will still be on the table if I do decide to request his records but there is something slightly absurd about paying prices above and beyond for community health care services when no one governing the billing protocol seems to care that the average working class family is struggling to make a living wage.

Sincerely,

Aimee Randall

New Milford, PA 465-2379

A cognitive war rages between head and heart, between thinking and feelings. Which one will rule in a court of law?

When law rules, cases are decided by evidence as they are today. Juries are routinely instructed by the court and sometimes by attorneys as well (as in the Zimmerman trial) not to allow sympathy or emotions to compromise a dispassionate evaluation of evidence.

But what if feelings ruled the judicial process? Here facts would be subordinated to the higher authority of emotions. Hard data could be morphed into supporting a predetermined decision, or a favorable scenario imagined, or evidence could be concocted or even ignored.

The tug-of-war between thinking and feelings is exemplified by the appropriately designated juror, B-29, when she dropped this bombshell: “If I would have used my heart, I probably would have [gone for] a hung jury. But I stand by the decision because of the law. If I stand by the decision because of my heart, he would have been guilty.”

That's how many decided that Zimmerman was guilty; it was a determination of the heart. Sybrina Fulton, Trayvon's mother, did just that in an emotionally charged speech before the National Urban League Conference. She blamed the Stand Your Ground law.

According to Mrs. Fulton, Trayvon is dead “all because of [the Stand Your Ground law]---a law that has prevented the person who shot and killed my son to be held accountable and to pay for his awful crime.”

But with equal relevancy Mrs. Fulton could have blamed the price of tea in China for Trayvon's death. Neither the prosecution nor the defense used or even mentioned that law. “It [the Zimmerman trial] had nothing to do with Florida's Stand Your Ground law,” said Chief of Police Billy Lee. “From an investigative standpoint, it was purely a matter of self-defense.”

Others blame Zimmerman by envisioning a culpatory scenario. It goes like this: Zimmerman's failure to identify himself to Trayvon as a neighborhood watchman led to Trayvon's death.

But this fictive turn of events is built on an assumption resting on the shoulders of another assumption. It theorizes that circumstance would have permitted such an explanation. A physical altercation might have prevented this.

It also speculates that if it were possible for Zimmerman to identify himself, Trayvon would have responded favorably? This may not be the case. Trayvon, angered at being followed, might have responded violently. Assumptions are only guesses made to construct a particular reality.

Many feel that Zimmerman's racial profiling makes him guilty. But according to the 911 transcript Zimmerman said, “This guy looks like he's up to no good or he's on drugs or something. See if you can get an officer over here.”

It was not Trayvon's race or dress that alerted Zimmerman; it was Trayvon's suspicious behavior.

Another fact-challenged explanation for that evening's tragic outcome is Zimmerman's failure to obey the dispatcher’s order to stop following Trayvon.

Police dispatchers are trained to make suggestions to callers because of liability concerns. They have no legal authority to issue orders. In any case, when the dispatcher said, “You don't need to [follow him],” Zimmerman responded, “Okay.”

“If only” is a popular way to recast events; dozens can be dreamed-up. For example, “if only” Zimmerman had stayed in his car, nothing would have happened.

It is not known when or why Zimmerman got out of his car. The 911 tape seems to place it at the point when the dispatcher asked for his location. Zimmerman may have gotten out of his car to get a better view of the street sign. However, this is not entirely clear.

But what is clear is that with comparable logic one could argue that “if only” Trayvon or Zimmerman had stayed in bed that day, all would have ended well.

So, who's winning the tug-of-war, the head or the heart? A recent poll tallied 80 percent of blacks and 50 percent of whites think Zimmerman is guilty. Let's score it 60-40 for feelings.

Good news? Bad news? That depends upon which one you consider the most equitable: the rule of feelings or the rule of law.

Sincerely,

Bob Scroggins

New Milford, PA