School districts should preserve sex-based athletics distinctions

Chris Harlan’s article “‘No one has a better answer:’ PIAA relying on principals to identify transgender athletes” (July 29, TribLIVE) discusses PIAA’s deference to individual schools to determine whether biological males can play on a female team. I strongly disagree with the PIAA’s conclusion that there are no better answers.

Sex-based athletic teams are safer for girls, promote increased female participation and protect fairness. The science supports no other conclusion. When males are allowed to compete against females, girls lose in more ways than one.

The biological makeup of males allows them to become bigger, stronger and faster than their female counterparts. Female sports were created so that females can have the same athletic opportunities as males, without having to compete on an unfair playing field.

While PIAA may have kicked the can down to individual school districts, schools in York and Lancaster counties have stepped up with the best answers and enacted commonsense sex-based athletics policies. School districts in the Western Pennsylvania region should follow Hempfield School District and Red Lion Area School District’s lead by adopting a policy preserving sex-based distinctions in athletics as well.

Cheryl Lynn Allen

Hampton

The writer is a retired Superior Court judge and is of counsel to the Pennsylvania Family Institute.

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How can Republicans see upside to slavery?

For decades many Republicans have had eyebrow-raising, uneasy relationships with racists and their organizations. Sharing platforms with white nationalists, being uncritical of racist remarks and actions, and cozying up to groups like the John Birch Society are well-known, historical examples of an unspoken, behind-the-scenes position of unchallenged agreement and a level of comfort with racism. But today’s Republicans who see an upside to slavery have gone too far.

No one with any sense of decency or knowledge of American history should find room for agreement with Florida’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis when he voiced support for requiring middle school teachers in his state to instruct students that slaves developed skills that “… could be applied for their personal benefit.”

Perhaps DeSantis believes that breaking up Black families taught self-reliance.

Perhaps he thinks that tossing hush puppies to dogs yapping at the heels of slaves carrying food to their master’s dining table increased their dexterity.

Perhaps he feels that picking cotton in sweltering heat was a good preparation for climate change.

To me his comments reek of not-so-subtle racism.

Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., and a few other black-skinned Republicans deserve credit for denouncing DeSantis’ ill-informed remarks. Sadly, it is telling that most white-skinned Republican leaders remain silent. There was no upside to slavery.

Glenn R. Plummer

Unity

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Books and the sexualization of our children

Regarding the letter “Book-banning futility” (July 23, TribLIVE): Assuming an honest opinion here, not just more leftist hysteria, the letter expressed a concern for sexual material being used in schools. How anyone can defend the sexualization of children in our schools is beyond me. Is this truly necessary?

The diatribe against Moms for Liberty reads like a far-left manifesto intended to divert attention away from the real issues. Classic shell-game stuff. We’re talking about exposing elementary students to sexual material entirely inappropriate to their age group.

The left immediately jumps back to a society some hundreds of years ago. C’mon. Really? I guess the Brave New World proponents would have all children taken away from their parents and brought up in State-approved environments free from parental interference.

As for the Southern Poverty Law Center, I’m sure an extreme left group such as they are would see anyone not agreeing with their distorted view as extreme. One end of the spectrum always sees the other as miscolored.

Dan Egan

Pitcairn

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Hydrogen hubs — leave gas in the ground

Regarding the article “Pa. is competing for billions to build hydrogen hubs. Will they really be green?” (July 25, TribLIVE): Don’t be misled. It is impossible for hydrogen made from methane to be green.

Hydrogen in Pennsylvania will be made from methane. The American Petrochemical Institute and the U.S. Department of Energy worked this plan up together, to keep fracking productive. Who is going to pay for these huge grants to an industry that is destroying us? The taxpayers will, in many ways.

Consider this post by Physicians for Social Responsibility: If you burn a mix of hydrogen and methane in your home, not only are you still exposed to air pollution, but there is a greater risk of explosions, and all gas-burning appliances must be replaced.

Did you breathe the wildfire smoke? Heat already kills more people in the U.S. than any other weather event. This is due to warming of the Earth’s atmosphere exacerbated by extracting and burning methane.

Give life a chance. Electrify directly. Leave gas in the ground.

Dr. Barbara W. Brandom

Highland Park

The writer is a steering committee member for Concerned Health Professionals of Pennsylvania.

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Summer Lee letting Jewish community down

The past few weeks have been difficult for the Pittsburgh Jewish community. As parents and active members of the Jewish community, the third and final phase of the Tree of Life massacre trial has been very emotional for us.

It is hard to explain to children the history of antisemitism. It’s harder when they find stickers on their local playground with antisemitic messages. Explaining what happened on that terrible day in October 2018 — that’s gut-wrenching.

But we also explain the ways our community and government work to combat hate. Earlier this month, Congress voted 412-9 in a show of much needed bipartisanship to express support for Israel and spell out “Congress rejects all forms of antisemitism and xenophobia.”

Yet, the one Pennsylvanian to reject this resolution and join the nine votes in the minority was our local congresswoman, Summer Lee. When Lee took office, we hoped she would take her role as our representative seriously. That she would understand that it was her responsibility and privilege to represent a district that includes a historic and strong Jewish community. Yet, she has let us down. And for her to take this stance, amid our community — her constituents — reliving its trauma these past weeks, is upsetting and inexplicable.

Gilit James

Marjorie Manne

Squirrel Hill

Abby Lipsitz

Highland Park

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U.S. not ready for electric vehicles

It seems to me that, in this country in the last two years, we have had extreme changes, and not for our betterment.

On electric cars, our government put the cart before the horse. The structure of power grids should have been in place before they started pushing for electric cars. If we think there are not going to be further power outages for regions, we are kidding ourselves. One good example is the recent outage in Wildwood, N.J. — the height of the tourist season and no power. This is just the beginning. More and more electric cars are being sold, and they require electricity to run, so they are taking power from a source that supplies our everyday living.

Another thing is that, when these cars are demolished in accidents, and they wear out, what happens? They go to our junkyards. Will all those batteries sit for years, deteriorating? What is the positive side here? Nothing but pollution, which was the very thing we were trying to correct in the first place.

We can thank our present administration for being so thoughtful of us. God help us all!

Richard Harrold

Hempfield

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Diversity vs. competence

Diversity? Just about every U.S. college and university no has a “dean of diversity” while our main global rival celebrates competence. Stick a fork in the good ol’ USA — we are cooked!

Joe Marmo

Cheswick

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