I went to the Steelers vs. Seattle game Sept. 14. Painted at one end zone was “It Takes All of Us Together.” The other end zone had “End Racism.” I’m assuming it was put there during the time of George Floyd’s death and the Black Lives Matter protests at the time. That was over five years ago.

The Steelers and the organization led by Art Rooney have become stale and outdated. While racism still exists, just maybe a new problem has taken front stage, namely violence, and particularly political violence. In the wake of the Charlie Kirk assassination, how hard would it have been to, for just this one week, change the message in the end zone to “End Violence of All Kinds”?

Tens of millions of people in our country and all over the world came together for peaceful gatherings to celebrate and mourn Kirk’s death. There were no riots, no looting, no setting fires to buildings. I was hoping there might be a moment of silence for his death, but it never came.

I know the Rooneys are staunch Democrats and Pittsburgh and Allegheny County are heavily Democratic also. But one moment of silence for Kirk — is it really that hard? Mr. Rooney, are you so concerned about what your Democratic base will think? This was a man who sounded off bells around the world, and Mr. Rooney, you felt justified in ignoring his tragic death.

I think that was a sad day for the Steelers organization, and a very sad day for Art Rooney.

Robert J. Foster

Mt. Pleasant

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