Opinion category, Page 313
Letter to the editor: Ban AK-15s, not books
Banning AR-15s instead of banning books makes schools safer. Books don’t kill people, and the “offensive” content used to eliminate certain books is actually censorship. Hempfield Township is in the process of changing its policies on how books can be removed from school library shelves. This is a fascist assault...
Letter to the editor: Free up brain space — don’t sweat the small stuff
Trump, Biden, Ukraine, China, crime, riots, natural disasters, political and scientific hoaxes, voter fraud, inflation, fake news, deep fakes, far left, far right — it’s so much to worry about, and with limited brain space, it’s tough for anyone to take it all in. To avoid a brain explosion, I...
Joseph Sabino Mistick: DeSantis and book banners can’t change history
The recent move by Florida Democrats to ban Gov. Ron DeSantis’ memoir, “The Courage To Be Free: Florida’s Blueprint for America’s Revival,” raises issues that are more important than the few chuckles it warrants. DeSantis has promoted laws banning books on race, diversity and gender, limiting teachers’ ability to discuss...
Molly Parzen: Farm Bill a bipartisan opportunity to ensure America’s bounty, sustainability
In our hyper-polarized political environment, examples of bipartisan lawmaking are hard to find, and it’s understandable why many Americans believe policymakers accomplish little for their constituents. However, this year we have an opportunity to pass genuinely bipartisan legislation: the United States Farm Bill. Not only does this legislation represent an...
Mike Huwar and Tom Melcher: Focus on critical issues in county executive race
The next Allegheny County executive will face unprecedented challenges that will affect the future of our region. Allegheny County voters should conduct rigorous and productive job interviews with anybody who applies for the job. To help accomplish that, the business-organized labor alliance Pittsburgh Works Together is launching an initiative intended...
Letter to the editor: Kudos to students volunteers, Habitat for Humanity
I was so encouraged to read the front-page article about college students spending their spring break volunteering (“Pitt-Greensburg students build bonds, outfit Tennessee homes on Habitat for Humanity trip,” March 22, TribLIVE). These students are to be commended for their unselfish giving of their time. Their experience, I’m sure, has...
Sounding off: School shootings and politics, deer hunting, state of Pittsburgh and U.S., climate among week’s topics
Thoughts and prayers not enough to stop shootings Once again there is a school shooting. Once again the people who vote against sane gun laws offer their thoughts and prayers. Well, guess what? That is not enough. When the Founding Fathers gave citizens the right to bear arms they couldn’t...
Letter to the editor: Many hunters like Saturday opener
I am appalled that your paper would post the article “Opponents of Saturday deer opener cite negative economic, social impacts” (March 20, TribLIVE) without having opinions from both sides. Myself and a bunch of other hunters are all for the Saturday opener and want it to continue. Not only do...
Editorial: Pa. Legislature should see Tennessee expulsions as cautionary tale
The Pennsylvania Legislature is no stranger to dissension. The state isn’t Democratic or Republican, after all. It isn’t even a muddled, muted purple. It is a patchwork of red and blue by county and city. That pattern is repeated in the House and Senate chambers. And that can lead to...
Letter to the editor: ‘City on a hill’ struggling
Whether a conservative Republican or a left-wing Democrat, you must now realize that our 250-year, uniquely successful American experiment, our “shining city on a hill,” is now struggling mightily. You are probably aware of how poorly most of our institutions have been doing recently. Our economy is struggling; inflation and...
Gary Franks: The crew of the Titanic was also distracted and used poor judgment
Next week marks the 111th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. That tragedy did not just happen by chance. Arrogant people who boasted that the ship was invincible played a major role. The “best engineers” determined that even if the “unsinkable” ship were to start sinking, it would take...
Guy Ciarrocchi: Democrats are now the ‘cool kids table’
“How come the suburbs used to be so Republican, and now they’re Democrat?” I’ve lived in Chester County in suburban Philadelphia since 1995. I was raised in South Philly and started out in politics campaigning for President Ronald Reagan. If I had a dime for every time I’ve been asked...
Letter to the editor: Our leaders should focus on drug problems, not deer season
I would like to call out some of our local politicians here in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania communities are being overtaken with illegal drugs, particularly opioids. I’m sure everyone reading this knows someone or has been affected by an opioid overdose. The overdose death rate in some of these communities is almost...
Letter to the editor: Change deer opener back to Monday
This is in response to the letter “Saturday opener best for families” (April 1, TribLIVE). I understand this opinion, but I would like to point out part of the argument for changing the opener back to the first Monday after Thanksgiving. Yes, I am a camp hunter, and I agree...
Lori Falce: Is the law one size fits all or not?
Covering court gives you a unique perspective on how the criminal justice system works. More specifically, it gives real insight on how it does work versus how it should work. Those might seem like the same thing. They are not. It’s a topic that is getting a lot of attention...
Letter to the editor: Reasons for Pittsburgh population loss
So the city of Pittsburgh has lost over 12,000 people and is 10th in the country for population drop (“Allegheny County had nation’s 10th biggest population loss, census estimates show,” March 31, TribLIVE). This is not rocket science, and here is why: • The city has become very unsafe, and...
Laurels & lances: Hot dogs, high fees and hoaxes
Laurel: To responding to the faithful. This year, two important events coincide for Catholic sports fans in the Greater Pittsburgh area: The Pirates’ home opener falls on Good Friday. This left a dilemma. Do you observe the papal direction to not eat meat on the holy day of obligation? Or...
Letter to the editor: Schools need armed resource officers
The government is a joke and an embarrassment. They are not “for the people.” The No. 1 reason our children and others are being killed due to such heinous violence is because politics are killing our children. They think nothing of sending billions to Ukraine, but do not fund every...
Elizabeth Stelle: Medicaid needs a better ‘normal’ in Pa.
This month, Medicaid is finally returning to normal — but “normal” was never that great. Currently, an estimated 600,000 ineligible Pennsylvanians — many of whom are able-bodied, working-age adults — receive taxpayer-funded Medicaid benefits. Temporary pandemic provisions that prohibited states from regularly reviewing Medicaid eligibility expired this month, giving Pennsylvania...
Lee Trepanier: How AI could save liberal education
There have been discussions about AI writing programs like ChatGPT in the academy. The past few months have seen a flurry of activity with college administrators calling emergency meetings, professors changing their assignments and educators writing essays (some perhaps written by AI?) that range in reaction from the nonchalant to...
Carla Sofronski: Time is now to allow statewide syringe services programs
Drug overdose deaths and other harms related to the overdose crisis continue to ravage Pennsylvania families and communities. Pennsylvania has the fourth highest rate of drug overdose deaths in the nation. We have the ninth highest number of new HIV infections in the country. Our most vulnerable communities are seeing...
Daniel F. Stone: Your political rivals aren’t as bad as you think — here’s how misunderstandings amplify hostility
U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene drew raised eyebrows when she suggested on Presidents Day that the United States pursue a “national divorce.” Even in an era of seemingly ever-growing political polarization — and despite Taylor Greene’s record of making controversial statements — the proposal shocked members of both political parties....
Letter to the editor: Reschenthaler should be glad justice system works
I was sorry to read Rep. Guy Reschenthaler’s comment about the indictment of Donald Trump (“Western Pa. political leaders react to Trump indictment,” March 30, TribLIVE). Considering that it was a grand jury of ordinary citizens that made the decision to indict, he should be happy that the justice system...
Letter to the editor: Humans have changed the climate cycle
The writer of the letter “Climate change is cyclical” (March 27, TribLIVE) rehashes the faulty reasoning that still leads some to deny climate change. He wrongly states that “experts” predicted a coming ice age in the 1970s. In fact, even in those early days of climate modeling, the published record...
Editorial: Is there another solution for Medicaid and CHIP enrollment?
On April 1, the continuous enrollment in Medicaid and CHIP programs came to an end. Continuous enrollment came from the Families First Coronavirus Act, a federal measure passed in March 2020 to help Americans cope with the challenges of the covid-19 pandemic. A major factor was making sure people who...
