Akin needs a biology lesson

Todd Akin, the current Republican U.S. Senate candidate from Missouri and religious right standard bearer, says a woman's body shuts down during a "legitimate rape," thereby prohibiting or greatly diminishing the chances of pregnancy.

Thanks for the biology lesson, Mr. Akin. My daughters will be comforted by his wisdom.

For the 5 percent of rape victims who do end up pregnant, some 32,000 a year, their bodies must not be operating according to Akin's fantasy world. They must have missed their dose of pixie dust.

There should be a test for delusions before one can qualify for national office, to weed out the nut jobs and leave us with "legitimate" candidates.

-- William Raymond Duke

Anchorage

Anchorage will remain trashed until people start to respect city

This letter is in response to, and totally agrees with, the letter of Danny Smith on Aug. 20 regarding Anchorage city trash.

Between the litter strewn on the sides of the highways to the scores of spent cigarettes at every stoplight to the dog poop everywhere, one can't escape the blight that is Anchorage's slob population.

Mr. Smith asks 'Does anyone care?' Sadly, the answer is no. From the condition of our streets, it seems painfully obvious that the police do nothing to enforce litter laws. Why have littering laws on the books if no one cares? No, the chore of cleaning up this mess is left to a few thousand dutiful citizens who do their best to staunch the never ending flow of trash every spring. Do I sound pessimistic? Sure, I do. I've lived in Anchorage for a long time and it never, ever gets better. Until people begin to show a little respect for their city and their neighbors, Anchorage will be the dirty place it is and possibly always will be.

-- Steve Carson

Anchorage

Let Alaska manage its own coasts

Alaska is not a colony. Alaska is an owner state. And our coastline is over 47,000 miles -- more, I am told, than all the other states combined.

Right now, Alaska does not participate in the Coastal Zone Management program. Passage of Ballot Measure 2 on Aug. 28 would mean that we agree to take advantage of the provision that allows us, with the federal government, to make decisions on the management of our coastline. If Measure 2 doesn't pass, then the federal government has all the say.

Please tell the opponents of Measure 2 to put their money back into their deep pockets. If the measure has flaws, then we'll fix them, but in the meantime, the owner state needs to get back into the coastal management game by voting Yes on Measure 2.

-- Theda Pittman

Anchorage

Limiting free speech isn't just

In Rick Martin's letter of Aug. 20, he states the conviction of Pussy Riot was just, if a little harsh.

Really? Just? These women, however much he may dislike them, were exercising freedom of speech, much like Martin did in writing his letter to the editor, and much like I am doing this very moment.

I am so grateful I live in America, where, if I chose to, say, make fun of my government, or make light of tragedy (what do you call the new rash of guys attacking armed police officers with baseball bats? Natural selection), I may do so.

I don't take that privilege lightly at all. We live in a country where separation of church and state is always being tested, and what you may consider good and right, I may consider despicable, and vice versa.

I recognize the sanctity of freedom of expression, no matter how warped I may personally feel it is.

-- Lillian K. Staats

Wasilla