Opinion category, Page 569
Letter to the editor: Biden should stand up to Pelosi
If Joe Biden were a real man intent on healing the current controversy, he wouldn’t be letting Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi run the show and divide us with her hateful attitude. He would stand up, assert his authority, and say, “I will see that there is a peaceful...
Letter to the editor: Ashamed by Trump’s division of America
“Make America Great Again.” We’ve got the most covid-19 cases and deaths in the world. I blame President Trump. Social distancing and more mask wearing in the beginning would have saved a lot of lives. And our economy would have opened up much sooner. Herd stupidity has resulted from people...
Tom Purcell: What’s needed isn’t complicated — hearty laughter
America could use a hearty laugh right now, but laughter doesn’t come easily because too many Americans have lost their sense of humor. Humor, says Merriam- Webster, is “the ability to be funny or to be amused by things that are funny.” We are at our best when we’re amused. Few...
Jonah Goldberg: Parler’s lawsuit against Amazon is destined to fail
I have never been a free speech absolutist. I am, however, somewhat closer to being a First Amendment absolutist. Many free speech absolutists don’t like this distinction because they think the First Amendment should guarantee the ability to express yourself in virtually any manner you like, in any setting. But...
Editorial: Martin Luther King Jr.’s dreams still ring out
When Martin Luther King Jr. came to the Lincoln Memorial in March 1963, he spoke words that echoed like a bell. They rang true and resonated with both heartbreak and faith as he spoke about a dream of equality, freedom and the future. It was a moment that seems suspended...
Letter to the editor: Scared by prospect of socialism
What scares me about this last election is that, as normal, people blindly vote for the candidate from their party. I’m a Republican, but I hated President Trump’s tweets, name calling and other things he did that I felt were below the office. However, I voted for him because of...
Letter to the editor: Authoritarianism vs. democracy
Times are turbulent, but last week was a slap to the face. People are finally acknowledging what is occurring. For four years there has been an intentional erosion of our democratic norms permitted because those who had the ability to “check and balance” the executive branch were more interested in...
Letter to the editor: Time for Reschenthaler to resign
When he ran for Congress, Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, R-Peters, had no history in the district he purported to represent. His congressional bid seemed, at the time, to have little to do with representation of the constituents in this district. His self-interest is manifest in his willingness to undermine our democracy...
Letter to the editor: Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Our world history is a witness that through all ages, stronger groups of people have tried to control weaker groups. However, it is important to note the message of equality has been delivered by all religions of the world. For example, the Sikh religion, the world’s youngest, spreads the message...
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of Jan. 18
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of Jan. 18....
Editorial cartoons for the week of Jan. 18
Editorial cartoons for the week of Jan. 18....
S.E. Cupp: Republicans who follow Trump have betrayed their philosophy
Among the many atrocities Donald Trump heaped upon the United States in four short years, — a grotesque child separation policy that’s orphaned more than 600 kids, an increase in white supremacist and anti-Semitic threats and attacks, an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol that left five dead — one is...
Charles Mitchell: The last line of defense against executive overreach
In the face of an emerging crisis, swift and extraordinary action can be warranted. This was certainly true last March, when Gov. Tom Wolf — confronting a deadly, mysterious virus — issued a disaster declaration that granted him emergency powers. There was little time to debate details and build consensus....
Letter to the editor: We need honesty, accountability
I have waited patiently to hear from Rep. Guy Reschenthaler about the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. At 12:17 p.m., while the nearby “Stop the Steal” rally was underway, Reschenthaler’s Facebook post proclaimed “Donald Trump is the BEST president since Lincoln.” Less than an hour later, the siege...
Letter to the editor: Allegiance should be to country, not person
Time to recognize that few love the government but nearly all love the country. Government is a necessary evil imposing restraints for the common good, and it often involves compromises and silliness that can both frustrate and bewilder. But we tolerate it for the sake of country and the certainty...
Letter to the editor: Where are Trump’s words on riot deaths?
A young woman with a promising life ahead of her, described as a libertarian and a supporter of the Second Amendment, not a Democrat or a Black Lives Matter demonstrator, was shot dead Jan. 6 by a police officer protecting our Capitol and its occupants who represent us in government;...
Letter to the editor: Reschenthaler’s values
Hours after the violence started at the Capitol Jan. 6, Rep. Guy Reschenthaler tweeted that “The violence happening at the Capitol is unacceptable. Today’s reckless events do not advance conservative values.” He says this after months of fanning the flames of voter fraud conspiracy theories. He pretends to be a...
Letter to the editor: Alternate energy’s learning curve
I was instrumental in building, operating and repairing local power plants over 20-plus years. Upon retirement, my sons and I built my own solar-powered system four years ago. What an agonizing learning curve. The capital cost was significant; I used no government subsidies. My local electric utility bill tells me...
Letter to the editor: Right-wing media fueled Capitol destruction
In the 1960s and ‘70s when you watched Walter Cronkite or Huntley-Brinkley, people had a high degree of confidence that what was said was true. During the Reagan administration, the FCC Fairness Doctrine — which stated that broadcast stations were licensed to use the public airwaves but must use due...
Letter to the editor: Disgusted by both parties
I’m totally disgusted with both parties in our political system. The events of the last two weeks highlight the differences that have been emphasized by both parties. While I can be completely different from my fellow Americans, at the end of the day it’s America. We live in the greatest...
Letter to the editor: Any remorse from Trump voters?
On Jan. 6, President Donald Trump incited domestic terrorists to lay deadly siege to the nation’s Capitol in an attempt to overturn the presidential election. It was truly one of our darkest moments. Yet in the presidential election, some 74 million voted to give Trump another shot at destroying the...
Letter to the editor: Corrections officers deserve hazard pay
As an Allegheny County corrections officer, I have been able to maintain a paycheck during this pandemic. Some of my peers, however, have gone through two or three quarantines unpaid. We were advised to file for FMLA to protect our jobs, even though the county sent us home to quarantine....
Letter to the editor: Decades of hate caused DC chaos
Jan. 6 started decades ago when you were told if you pay taxes, vote GOP. Then came the airwaves of hate speech from Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and others, who told you the poor, minorities and immigrants were the cause of your problems. Then came the church with promises of...
Letter to the editor: Have we lost our sense of community?
Do we really live in an “only me” society? For decades, the signs were all pointing in that direction, but I couldn’t figure it out. “It” was decreased involvement in religious organizations, etc., but the health crisis brought it all into focus. The countries containing the spread of the virus...
Letter to the editor: Stupidity an infectious disease
In 2021 our nation faces a more infectious and deadly disease than covid-19: stupidity. It’s running rampant in the United States. It wasn’t brought here by the Trump fanatics, but some of them are the superspreaders. The scariest part of this disease is that the people with the most severe...
