Sounding off: Embryo and ballot rulings, pharmacy closures among week's topics

Dangers of theocratic government

The recent ruling by the Alabama Supreme Court that frozen embryos are children (“Bible-quoting Alabama chief justice sparks church-state debate in embryo ruling,” Feb. 23, TribLive) points out the dangers of a theocratic government that the Founding Fathers feared.

The statement of the chief justice, an associate of Q-Anon fanatics, is saturated with fundamentalist dogma. This decision is causing great anxiety for couples hoping to have children via in vitro fertilization.

Although the judge quotes the Bible in explaining his decision, the idea that a fertilized embryo is a child is not even supported by scripture. In Exodus 21, the same chapter that speaks of “an eye for an eye; a tooth for a tooth,” the penalty if someone strikes a pregnant woman and causes a miscarriage is a simple fine, like a goat or two, not “a life for a life.”

As a former evangelical Christian myself, I find it incredibly ironic that a religious movement that labels itself “evangelical” espouses political positions that are repellent to so many intelligent, compassionate people, and causes them to be hostile to Christianity itself.

Richard Krepski

Highland Park

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Constitution deemed expendable

The U.S. Supreme Court has decreed the Constitution does not mean what it says. The clause of the 14th Amendment which precludes insurrectionists and those who have given aid and comfort to insurrectionists from running for public office has been defanged.

In my opinion, Donald Trump instigated the vicious mob that attempted to overthrow the government Jan. 6, 2021; he reveled in what he had done, watching it unfold on television and eschewing the pleas of some of his closest allies and family members to call off the dogs. Only three hours after the siege began did he issue a statement under pressure, directing his sycophants to go home. Within that message, he praised them and said “we love you” and “you’re very special.”

He since has expressed the desire to pardon those who were charged and convicted, asserting they have been treated “very unfairly.” I bet the widows of the law enforcement officers who died in the days following the assault and those who were so badly bludgeoned that they can no longer work in their profession would assert they were treated even more unfairly. He also has referred to Jan. 6, 2021, as “a beautiful day.”

Since the Constitution is considered to be expendable by order of the court, I assume a minor or someone who is foreign-born may be placed on the presidential ballot.

Oren Spiegler

Peters

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Two sides to pharmacy story

The writer of the letter “Pharmacy closures a disgrace” (Feb. 20, TribLive) regarding the closure of pharmacies in Leechburg and Lower Burrell neglects to mention the other side of this story.

Currently, independent pharmacies lose money every day in order to continue to provide necessary services to their customers amidst the excessive profiteering of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). As independents don’t have the luxury of guaranteed retirement income like many other professions, they must often deplete personal funds to keep their businesses afloat. This is not a sustainable business model and eventually they are forced to sell.

The writer’s “don’t sign the deal” remark proves that he knows nothing about the rules that govern these buyouts. Namely, that the seller is not permitted to notify customers or employees as a condition of the sale.

I would suggest further reading by anyone who wants to know the complete story of this complicated issue. A good place to start: the article by Julia Maruca, “Here’s why pharmacies are on a financial precipice” (March 3, TribLive).

Judy Koll

Glenshaw

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Justice system failing us

After reading the article “Family objects to plea deal for uncle’s role in overdose death” (Feb. 27, TribLive), I have come to the conclusion the justice system is failing us.

As a former employee of that system, I must point out it is a pendulous system that sways back and forth depending on political winds. In the mid ’80s, it had a liberal bent, and we witnessed criminals being coddled. In the early ’90s we saw the pendulum swing back toward a more victim-oriented system, with criminals no longer coddled.

We recently have witnessed a swing back to the left, further than at any other time in our history. The factual stories of George Soros-backed DAs in major cities allowing criminals to be released again and again, along with many crimes not being adjudicated, are common and widespread. Immigrants attacking police officers and killing young women and children after being arrested in other jurisdictions and released instead of being deported. These failures in the justice system can lead only in a singular direction, and that direction is one of chaos and societal decay.

Some might say these are not failures but a more kind and gentle way of handling members of society when they fall on hard times. But I would question the wisdom of anyone who believes that. History has a strange but powerful way of teaching us, and the lesson here is there will always be evil and criminals and to have a civil and morally ethical society you must keep the evil and criminals at bay.

Richard Bell

Ligonier

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Trump’s appeal continues to grow

After watching President Trump’s March 2 rally on Newsmax, my hopes became considerably higher that he will be the Republican nominee for president and win the presidency in November. The more the print and mainstream media attempt to hurt and destroy this man, the stronger his appeal becomes to voters. Never give up!

Suzanne Bakos Wehrli

North Huntingdon

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Biden must address income inequality

Income and wealth inequality is at its highest point since the Great Depression, and we all know how that turned out. Adjusted for inflation, the average worker in America made roughly $43 a week less in 2023 than they made 50 years ago, all the while becoming dramatically more productive. In 1978 CEOs at major American corporations realized some 30 times more compensation than the nation’s private-sector workers. By 2022, that gap went from 30 times to nearly 400 times what workers made. This inequality is killing our middle class and our country.

Since our do-nothing Congress will not do its job, we must look to President Biden. His administration has already required the payment of prevailing local wages to construction workers on all federal projects. Let’s ask him to go a step further with an executive order that denies federal contracts to any company that pay CEOs outrageous compensation packages, that outsource jobs overseas and that deny workers good benefits and a prevailing wage.

He must stop this rigged economy that is serving the super rich at the expense of workers. Too many of us are struggling to pay the bills and are living paycheck to paycheck. Please write to Biden requesting an executive order for our economy’s viability.

Julia Bojalad

North Huntingdon

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Abortion clinics should be held to same standards as surgical facilities

The writer of the letter “Backward steps on abortion” (Feb. 19, TribLive) fails to tell you that abortion businesses are just that. They sell abortion procedures.

Abortion is an invasive procedure that is neither as simple nor as safe as some advocates of abortion would have the public believe. If we honestly care about the safety of women, we will hold those businesses to the same standard as any other surgical facility.

The safeguards added to Pennsylvania law forced a local abortion business to move. In their former location, emergency medical personnel couldn’t access a patient in need with a gurney because of the steep, narrow steps.

Women deserve better than the ignorance of men who happily sacrifice the safety and health of women to please themselves.

Marlene Wohleber

McMurray