When driving to the Auburn Middle School recently, I noticed that a group of teachers had decided that it would be a proper time to protest their contract problems while in view of students, who had to walk through them to get into the school.

To do that in view of impressionable 12- and 13-year-olds showed an absolute lack of integrity and professionalism. If they want to protest, they should go to Auburn City Hall and stand out front, just as the firefighters did when they had issues. They didn't protest while responding to a house fire.

I'm writing in response to a Sun Journal headline regarding the contract between Androscoggin County and its employees (Oct. 20).

Attacks or criticisms of faith-based moral principles and beliefs have come from both outside and within the Catholic Church.

The Sun Journal recently had a prominent article about an atheist who spoke to all of 25 students at Bates College about the value of sacrilegious acts and boasted of his desecration of the consecrated host.

I've always been the one out of my group of friends to say, "Pay your taxes and stop complaining," but in late August of this year I found myself wondering if I was giving good advice.

I have a 5-year-old son who attends kindergarten at an elementary school in Auburn and our day care is 0.42 miles from his school. We recently found out that the Auburn schoolbus system will pick up children who live or are cared for only if they are a half-mile or farther from the school.

I can't believe that the state of Maine passed a law so the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Department can charge $5 for tagging a bear, moose, deer or turkey. Tagging stations get $1 while $4 goes back to the department.

Overall, for the past two years, there has been a decline in the deer and moose populations because of the harsh winters. Where is that $4 going? That money should go into a fund for winter feeding projects, such as other states do.

As students at Jay Middle School, we are doing a project on the Lego League theme, "Smart Move," which explores transportation safety and technology. It is our objective to inform the community about the dangers of distracted driving, and to decrease the number of distracted drivers on Maine roads.

In September, a new Maine law against distracted driving took effect. It bans any activity that distracts drivers, which could include cell phone use, eating, using electronics, reading and putting on makeup.

Diana Cundy's letter (Oct. 8) took columnist Cal Thomas to task for equating Islam with terrorism. Central to the rebuttal was the notion that "each of the major monotheistic religions of the world has its share of extremists." To make her case, Cundy pointed out Timothy McVeigh, "a white ‘Christian'" and to notice the existence of "plenty" of allegedly Christian "violent, white supremacist hate sites."

This is in response to the printed letter from Nancy Willard (Oct. 16) and other responses to my letter of Oct. 9.

First of all "reverend" belongs to God, Psalm 111:9, not to me.

This is in regard to an article Oct. 17, by Abigail Curtis of the Bangor Daily News that appeared in the Sun Journal. 

What is an accident? Is it the death of a 9-week-old infant who dies after her frustrated father threw her to the floor because she was crying and would not stop? An act that caused "blunt force trauma to the head" with "multiple skull fractures?" Did an accident cause the "‘unexplained' ‘healing rib fractures'" found on autopsy?

In opposing the creation of medical marijuana dispensaries based on Maine's experience with methadone clinics, the Sun Journal compared apples and oranges. Let's take a look.

I am so sick and tired of reading about how every time there is a shortfall of money in the state budget, the governor and other officials in Augusta start cutting funds for schools and programs for the poor and elderly.

It's time to cut the size of the government in Augusta, and I mean all of it — state agencies, the Legislature, executive branch ... everything.

Government agency officials and personnel should take a pay cut, and limit the number of state employees. Things could be run with half the people.

Climate change is a major threat to both people and wildlife. Maine residents should be concerned about that, as the state is built around nature and what it has to offer. According to the Defenders of Wildlife, if strong action to address global warming isn't taken soon, 20-30 percent of the world's plant and animal species will be at increased risk of extinction by 2050. However, any comprehensive climate and energy legislation must dedicate 5 percent of the funding generated to safeguarding fish and wildlife and the natural resources on which we all rely.

In response to Rich Lowry's "Laws of the universe rule out Obamacare," it should be noted that upon reading carefully, Lowry's piece argues for health care reform, especially reform with a public option.

Lowry bemoans Obamacare — his term for reformed health care — discussing raising taxes and increasing deficits, whining about how "New insurance regulations intended to benefit the sick and uninsured will increase premiums for everyone else."

The public bus system in the Twin Cities is all right but, with some changes, it could be a lot better. That was part of the message presented Oct. 15 to councilors of Lewiston-Auburn at a joint workshop.

At that meeting, a consultant hired by the L-A Transit Committee presented sensible route and schedule changes that would greatly enhance bus accessibility and usage in the region for a small increase in funding from each city.

I read Leonard Pitts' column, "The gospels according to the Cheney apostles," about a group of conservatives who are going to revise the Bible to eliminate anything that sounds liberal (Sun Journal online, Oct. 18). They're going to do to the Bible what Fox News Channel does to the news.

It saddened my heart when I read Christopher Rioux's letter to the editor (Oct. 27) in which he publicly criticized Pamella Starbird Beliveau. I have known her for a very long time and she is one of the most loving, kind and non-judgmental human beings I have ever met. I commend her gallant and brave championing of all God's people, especially those who struggle for acceptance.

I have homosexual friends and do enjoy time with them, though I never bring up the subject. Per God's instructions, we are to love others as ourselves, though never to encourage sinful behavior.

We are to have compassion; and the church offers help for all temptations.

Homosexual temptation is the work of the devil, no different from men with lustful temptations for women at the office. Temptation itself is not sin. Giving in to it, however, creates a strong foothold for the devil, which will surely lead to greater temptations.

I thought I could make it through the Question 1 debate without writing a letter, knowing that no matter how impassioned my language or how logical my reasoning, it would have no effect on the immense insecurity and obdurate ignorance that is the hallmark of those against marriage equality in Maine, but several recent writers pushed me over the edge.

First, David Dostie wrote on Oct. 20 that "to think ... God is wrong is stunning." Well, I think it is stunning that any sensible adult believes in God or believes they are qualified to speak for him.

I'm disturbed by the so-called Christians who dedicate themselves to writing letters and spewing hate about their pet grievances, such as gay marriage, illegal immigration and government. Their self-righteous faces seem to be all over the media these days.

The Bible isn't primarily about those issues. The New Testament praises humility, generosity, meekness and brotherly love. Christians are supposed to accept government authority, pay their taxes, help their neighbors and turn the other cheek instead of being aggressive, self-centered and judgmental.

This is in response to Bryan Dench's column against school district consolidation. (Oct. 25)

Maine has 290 school districts — too many for the student population. Since Mr. Dench is a lawyer for many of those school districts, it's not surprising that he wants to return to this expensive, outdated system.

What's surprising is that he uses faulty information to support his opinion.

This is in response to Janice McDonald's letter "Cut excise tax" (Oct 25), about Question 2.

I have a 1993 car. When I paid my excise tax this month, I found it had gone up $10 to $100.

Why should anyone who buys a new car get a 55 percent cut on the excise tax? If the town doesn't get the money from the excise tax, it will get it from somewhere else, and that will probably be with an increase of the property tax.

Edgar L. Marston, Peru

I am honored to support re-election for Lewiston Mayor Larry Gilbert.

For years, Gilbert served Lewiston, from officer to chief to marshal and the boards of the Catholic diocese, Franco Center and St. Mary's. He always exemplifies himself as a true public servant, a passion to serve others.

Lois Snowe-Mello recently penned a letter to the editor in support of Questions 2 and 4. Two claims made in that letter require further exploration. She wrote that Question 2, (a law that would cut the motor vehicle excise on new cars), would give $800 to the average Maine family.

In truth, 68 percent of all cars on the road do not qualify for any reduction; only newer cars see the benefit. Instead, passage of Question 2 will likely hurt the average Maine family. Here's why:

I thank voters for their support as Lewiston city councilor from Ward 2.

Now, those who know me, know I don't pull punches. I also believe a few people think I make sense at least every so often. Members of the last council have chosen not to run again. There was a reason. If people asked them, I believe they would hear a common theme.

It is time to retire the present mayor. I could give you a hundred reasons but not in 250 words or less. I have been "on the inside" and it wasn't pretty.

Maine voters have already spoken loud and clear on TABOR, two times, and it was defeated two times. Why don't its proponents get the message?