Sounding off: Biden, guns, Ukraine, Steelers among week's topics

Biden does not have dementia

I wonder what sort of medical degree the writer of the letter “We need real presidential leadership” (April 18, TribLive) has; I didn’t see “Dr.” in front of his name. But he can say unequivocally that President Biden has dementia? Has he examined him, talked with him one-on-one or given him a cognitive test?

I think he’s just buying into the MAGA propaganda. I lived with someone with dementia. Believe me, Biden couldn’t do one-tenth of what he does if he has dementia.

If you want to talk about mental decline, just watch some of President Trump’s rallies. If you don’t think a Trump second term would be disastrous, you’re just not paying attention. I’d rather have an old man with good people around him as president than a crazy old man with bad people around him.

Nancy Cochran

Springdale

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World would be safer without Biden in charge

When Robert Hur, who was appointed by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland to serve as the special counsel, released his long-awaited report into President Joe Biden’s mishandling of classified documents, a number of things were extremely enlightening and frightening.

The report said, “Our investigation uncovered evidence that President Biden willfully retained and disclosed classified materials after his vice presidency when he was a private citizen.” Then the report said that no charges were warranted because the evidence wasn’t sufficient to support a conviction and went on to say “a jury would find Biden a well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory. It’d be difficult to convince a jury that they should convict him — by then a former president well into his eighties — of a serious felony that requires a mental state of willfulness.”

It is my opinion, with the fragile state that America and the world are in, America and the world would be safer if Biden were in an elderly dementia unit at a government-sponsored nursing home instead of running (or is he?) America.

Sheila R. Krill

Delmont

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Irresponsible gun owners are the guilty parties

I read with disgust the editorial “Will Mt. Pleasant boy’s death change federal law?” (April 16, TribLive). What laws did the gun shop and the gun manufacturer break? Earlier this month, a mother and father in Michigan were given 10 years in prison for leaving a gun available for a child. The guilty party in this sad story was the gun owner who left the gun unsecured where a child had access to it, and that is where the real crime lies.

Pennsylvania law requires that all firearms are sold with trigger or magazine well locks and strongly advises that all firearms, when not in use, be secured in a safe. How can you blame the gun shop or the manufacturer when the gun owner failed those children in every way?

Michigan got it right. Charge the gun owner. Send them to prison.

And this issue is trying to end the Second Amendment through the back door. Don’t be fooled.

Arnold Perkins

Mt. Pleasant

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Waving of Ukraine flags in Congress treasonous

I am writing to display my dismay at the scene on the floor of Congress with the waving of Ukraine flags by our elected representatives. I ask, how much aid do we have to give before it is too much?

While the infrastructure of America is crumbling and our national debt is out of control, these traitorous representatives, senators and president continue to support these foreign countries financially with taxpayer money without the support of the tax-paying public. Money is given to house and support illegal immigrants while there are an unknown number of US citizens and, sadly, veterans who served their country who are homeless and receiving no help.

All of the representatives and senators supporting this giveaway of America should be arrested and charged with treason. Tell me, when did the United States of America become a vassal state of these foreign entities? Wake up, America — these politicians are giving your money and country away. Vote for anyone who is not in office. All incumbent officeholders are compromised. Sweep the entire lot of them out of office.

John Watson

North Huntingdon

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Ukrainians as political pawns

krainian lives are being wasted every day while we use them as political pawns. Ukrainian resources are running out while we sit on stockpiles of the equipment and supplies they need to survive.

We didn’t build 80,000 M113 armored personnel carriers during the Cold War to let them rot in a California desert.

We didn’t manufacture hundreds of Patriot missile batteries and thousands of missiles because we liked how the smoke from a launch looked against a European sunset.

Either save the Ukrainian people or abandon them to their fate behind the new Iron Curtain. Toying with them like our politicians have been is cruel.

Daniel Hale

West Mifflin

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Remembering ‘Super Steelers’ of ‘74

While I’m not from the Pittsburgh area, as we near the 2024 draft I’d like to recognize the 50th anniversary of the incredible Steelers draft class of 1974. Growing up in the 1970s in New Jersey, those players and teams got me and many kids I knew hooked on football. We rooted for the Steelers as if they were our own.

The 1974 draft brought in Lynn Swann and John Stallworth (whose acrobatic catches we copied in backyards), Jack Lambert, Mike Webster and undrafted rookie free agent Donnie Shell.

They complemented Pittsburgh’s draft picks in the preceding years, like “Mean” Joe Greene, Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris and Jack Ham. Four Super Bowl titles followed, along with several Hall of Fame inductions.

Just wanted to say thanks to those “Super Steelers” teams and good luck in this year’s draft.

Adam Silbert

New York, N.Y.

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Easy Earth Day actions

Earth Day serves as our yearly reminder that we need to take steps to protect our planet. Though it’s not anyone’s sole responsibility to save the planet, many people doing a little bit can make a big difference. So here are three small and manageable things that you can do:

• Eat a plant-based diet. Livestock production requires massive resources and is responsible for 10% of global greenhouse emissions. Consider visiting a plant-based restaurant or a restaurant with lots of plant-based options. If you’re not ready for something totally plant-based, eating vegetarian can still have a meaningful impact.

• Nix the plastic! It’s estimated that 1 million to 2 million tons of plastic enter our oceans every year. Invest in reusable items such as water bottles, coffee mugs and shopping bags. Also, educate yourself on efforts to combat plastic pollution. Visit reimaginetakeout.com/map/ to learn about local businesses dedicated to reducing plastic waste as well as composting.

• Support those doing the work. Like it or not, Protecting the planet costs money. There are many ways to support the people and organizations doing this critical work. While financial donations go a long way, there are other options to support environmental initiatives, such as volunteering is a great way to support our environmental heroes and using social media to highlight their accomplishments helps raise awareness of their work. Many environmental activists rely on social media to spread their messages and work, so following and sharing can have a significant impact on their overall visibility.

Michael Steinfeld

Squirrel Hill

The writer is a Humane Action Pittsburgh volunteer.