Responding to the story in last Friday’s Gazette about Vineyard veterans and the ongoing battle for health care:

I have been sadly following this since it happened almost four years ago. I am ashamed that our country treats illegal aliens, alcoholics, drug addicts and the poor a million times better than our veterans.

So many people talk about the generous and kind spirit of community that exists on Martha’s Vineyard. During these last few months, I have experienced it firsthand.

As an animal lover I found the August 3 article written by Chris Fischer, From Hutch to Table a Short Hop, heartless and offensive to animal lovers. The article takes you in as he reminisces about what they have learned from the bunnies, then goes on to say that they named them Carl and Charlotte.

I am writing about an incident that took place at the high school well over a year ago. In April 2011, I met with high school principal Steve Nixon and brought to his attention the unprofessional conduct of a varsity coach who was berating and using foul language as a method to motivate student athletes.

I read with interest your story in the July 31 edition of the Gazette on the new fund for Martha’s Vineyard Community Services in honor of the Blues Brothers. Nowhere in that story was there information on how to donate to the fund.

This is in response to Barry Carroll’s letter of August 3.

Let me preface this by saying I am not anti-gun, I am pro-sane gun laws.