Tell Congress about good social programs

I consider myself lucky. I grew up in a trailer. I ate free breakfast and lunch at school for 12 years. I was lucky enough to go to a public university for almost nothing thanks to the federal Pell grant. And as an adult, I benefit from the Federal Income Tax Credit when I file my taxes.

And yet, as a Republican, I recognize my privilege. It was a privilege to be able to attend and graduate from college. There are so many people who won’t get that opportunity. I was privileged to have food during my public schooling and a mother who did everything she could to provide for me. My experiences have given me a point of view that many of the men and women who are debating several major potential changes to America have never had.

Many of our elected officials don’t see stories, they see dollar signs. They don’t remember the millions of stories of people who benefit from the programs in place to help those who experience hardships. It can happen to anyone. The people that we have elected need to hear from us. Contact their offices, send them emails, write letters to the editor! Tell them your story; more often than not, they are receptive.

We can’t get caught up in partisanship. Your elected officials work for you, so remind them what’s important to you and why. You’ll be surprised at how much impact your voice can have. BRADY SMITH Penn Hills

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commended for her effort in opening Pittsburgh’s doors to some magnificent buildings (“Doors Open Pittsburgh Invites You to Some Special Places,” Aug. 5) in a most historic city.

In the early 2000s, we, together with many others from Pittsburgh (nurses, physicians, respiratory therapists and pharmacists), were members of the UPMC development team at IsMeTT, a major surgical and transplant hospital established by UPMC, in Palermo, Sicily.

We, too, were impressed by the manner in which the city pulled together to show many of its fine “gems” Palermo apre le porte. La scuola adotta la citta (“Palermo opens the doors. The school adopts the town”) was started after the Mafia murders of two prominent judges in 1992. On select weekends, in March, April and May, school pupils directed by their teachers would act as guides of various monuments, churches and other key sites (including the English cemetery where many American and British sailors are buried), opening them to the public.

This was a wonderful way for us to learn about our new city. This was truly one of the many highlights of our time in wonderful Palermo.

What a great idea for Pittsburgh — maybe some of our students may be encouraged to be involved by adopting a building? JAN SMITH, M.D. AND JEANETTE SMITH Scott

Against the heavy curtain of Islamophobia, I applaud Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton for unequivocally speaking out against the recent bombing last weekend of a mosque in his home state. Most media outlets somehow felt the need to wrap into quotes his statement that the attack on the house of worship was a “criminal act of terrorism.” According to the FBI, well over 90 percent of terrorism in the U.S. is carried out by non-Muslims.

Whatever garb the perpetrators use to disguise themselves, as Americans we need to shed our biases and follow the example of Gov. Dayton in boldly exposing their violent crimes as completely disruptive to the fabric of a peaceful society. KHALID HUSAIN Indiana Township