Opinion category, Page 23
Paul Kengor: Are you smarter than a senator?
Inspired by the TV show “Are You Smarter Than a Fifth-grader?” I propose a new concept. Let’s call it, “Are you smarter than a senator?” And let us begin, boys and girls, with this question: “Do we Americans believe that our rights come from God or government?” If you answered...
Lori Falce: What’s left for pregnant women?
“Take two aspirin, and call me in the morning” is a cliché for a reason. It is the standard, trite advice you expected from your doctor about 100 years ago. It meant to just relax, take these two innocuous tablets for your headache, and get some sleep, the idea being...
Global information crisis poses dire threat to economic prosperity and human progress
Governments around the world are chasing the AI dream, pinning their hopes on these technologies to drive economic prosperity. And yet, they are not investing in the foundational resource that underpins all our 21st century economies — independent, verifiable information. Well-functioning economies rely on widely accessible, verified and trustworthy information....
Matt Smith: The Pittsburgh-Ireland partnership
Even before the first touchdown is scored in the NFL’s first-ever regular season game in Dublin, where the Steelers host the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, the Pittsburgh region already has won big. With deep cultural ties, Southwestern Pennsylvania and Ireland have long shared a spirit of resilience and complementary economic...
Letter to the editor: Demonizing all Democrats as ‘evil’ is wrong
Regarding the letter “Democrats have become party of evil” (Sept 20, TribLive): I think it’s wrong to make a generalization on an entire class/group of people, regardless of their political affiliations. We know that’s not true. It’s like saying if you’re a doctor of color, you had to be a...
Letter to the editor: Unions causing state budget impasse
The Pennsylvania Legislature is stalemated in passing a new budget because the socialist Democrats are holding out for more money for mass transit and education. I think this is code for “let’s funnel more money to the bus drivers’ and teachers’ labor unions,” to whom they are beholden. Why should...
Editorial: The economy is flashing red for many American consumers
Take it from a guy who made more than $30 million last year: Low-income consumers are “living on the edge.” So says Charlie Scharf, chief executive of Wells Fargo bank, citing data that indicate most American consumers are spending down their ready cash. For many, the rainy day they’ve been...
Letter to the editor: Stop, think and come together
I ask that you stop and think. Thinking can be hard, which is why we all judge at times. We have been divided to the point we cannot even talk about the present state of affairs with friends and family members. We have the power and ability to speak and...
Jason ‘J.J.’ Park: Psychological testing could help curb gun violence
The assassination of political activist Charlie Kirk by a rogue gunman led to renewed calls on both sides of the aisle to quell gun violence. As a Harvard graduate who has a severe mental illness and a felony arrest record, I believe my academic qualifications and lived experience are well-suited...
Dr. Nora Conway: Schools need comprehensive eye exams, so students don’t struggle
The school year is well underway for most children. They are settling in with new teachers, new friends and new experiences. But for some students, an old problem will creep into their lives — vision issues. These children will suffer from anxiety and the threat of falling behind academically and...
Letter to the editor: Time for more thoughts and prayers
I’ve read that some guy named Charlie was the latest victim of senseless gun violence. But now is not the time for pointing fingers, assigning blame or addressing root causes. The only action appropriate at this time is sharing our thoughts and prayers with his family. Isn’t that what the...
Letter to the editor: We have a king in Trump
After defeating King George in the Revolutionary War, the Founding Fathers emphasized “states rights” in the Constitution for fear of too strong of a central government and another king. Only those “expressed” powers stated in Article 1, dealing with the executive branch, are for the federal government. All other powers...
Editorial: Learning the fine art of civil discourse
Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II had it right when they gave us a lesson in song back in 1949. “You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught” was an admonition about racism and hatred. “You’ve got to be taught to hate and fear. You’ve got to be taught from year to...
Letter to the editor: Steelers fans stupid or in stupor?
As we wind down the spring “whine and cheese” bellyaching on the Pirates, now comes the fall edition (the Steelers). Trib columnist Mark Madden wrote a re-Mark-able column, “Stop supporting the Pittsburgh Pirates” (Aug. 4, TribLive), stating how stupid Pirates fans are for supporting that unworthy team. When I need...
Barbara McQuade: What Pam Bondi gets wrong about ‘hate speech’
What is the federal offense of “hate speech”? It’s a good question because there is no such offense. That didn’t stop U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi from threatening to use the authority of her office to combat it. “We will absolutely target you, go after you,” she said, “if you...
Noah Feldman: Blaming violence on free speech is a very old trick
In the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, the Trump administration is following a very specific, very old script. It argues that political speech causes political violence, and that this speech must therefore be punished. It is imperative that all defenders of free speech — whether on the left, right or...
Letter to the editor: Pa. Legislature’s budget inaction is indefensible
The Pennsylvania Legislature’s inability to come to a budgetary compromise once again proves that it is one of the worst waste of our tax dollars. This august body is the second highest paid legislature in the country and it is unable to accomplish its main function, providing an on-time state...
Letter to the editor: No room for blame in suicide
A boy died by suicide at Franklin Regional High School Sept. 14. Parents lost their son. Kids lost their friend. Teachers lost their favorite student. Shockingly, social media posts said things like “could have been prevented,” “parents should have done something” and “behavioral health makes them like zombies. You cannot...
Editorial: How far should a vape shop be from a school?
Do we need a vape shop on every street corner? They seem to be popping up with the almost magical overnight frequency of mushrooms or Starbucks locations. If a closed business is too small to host a Spirit Halloween, the space has a good chance of becoming a vape shop...
Letter to the editor: A different view of Trump’s actions
I found on the Sept. 14 Opinion page some very balanced commentary concerning the tragedy of the Charlie Kirk shooting. Here is hoping the current administration begins to use a bit more tact in its comments, assessment and mandates that are proposed. Another opinion that stands out is the letter...
Sheldon Jacobson: Is AI the ideal assistant coach in the NHL?
The start of the new NHL season is nearly upon us. With artificial intelligence (AI) regularly in the news, professional hockey is not immune from its influence. Given the surfeit of data available, AI may transform hockey in ways that few can predict. Yet for AI models to be most...
Michael R. Bloomberg: In dark times, Americans need leadership that unites
The assassination of Charlie Kirk has cast a dark shadow over the country, not only because the deed itself was abominable, but also because the reaction to it has been so disturbing. Instead of bringing out the best in America, as tragedies once did, it is bringing out the worst...
Letter to the editor: Animosity toward Kirk beyond ‘disparaging’
I found the Associated Press article “After Charlie Kirk’s killing, a growing chorus of conservatives wants his critics ostracized or fired” (Sept. 14, TribLive) very misleading, shifting focus from where it belongs. The line “Some conservatives are seeking to upend the lives and careers of those who disparaged Charlie Kirk...
Letter to the editor: Trump’s whims
I have a conspiracy theory of my own. Before I ramble like President Trump, let me start by using a political cartoon that appeared in the Trib. There were three drawings: a old man saying he can’t afford heat or medicine, an old woman saying she can’t afford food and...
Editorial: ICE must leave U.S. citizens alone
Here is something all Americans can agree on, whatever their feelings on immigration enforcement: United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement should not be harassing, let alone detaining, citizens of the United States. Nor should that agency be harassing, let alone detaining, green card holders, officially known as lawful permanent residents...
