Opinion category, Page 625
Editorial: When protests become riots
A protest can be a volatile situation. With tensions high and nerves raw, it doesn’t take much to strike a spark and have anger or pain or righteous indignation flash over to the violent unpredictability of a confrontation or from there to a riot. That makes people who show up...
Joseph Sabino Mistick: George Floyd, 1974-2020
When Aristotle said, “Towns should be built so as to protect their inhabitants and, at the same time, make them happy,” it was no mistake that he put “protect” first. People will never be happy unless they feel protected and are, in fact, protected. But, since the days of slavery,...
Editorial: D-Day participants gave us gift of freedom, responsibility
June 6, 1944 was not the last day of World War II. It was the day that the tide of war turned. And that is why we remember D-Day — the day that Allied forces drove into the beaches of Normandy and parachuted from above in the start of a...
Cameron Barnett: 7 tips for white allies from a black Pittsburgher
Dear Potential White Ally, It’s me, your black friend/neighbor/co-worker/family member/acquaintance/person in the world. 2020 has been a lot to handle — an election year, a pandemic, economic depression, and now this. Brutal civilian and police killings of black Americans have punctuated the first half of this year. In Georgia, three...
Stephanie A. Jirard: Understanding black rage behind the riots
This first appeared in the Opinion section of PennLive.com. I teach criminal justice to a majority white audience of college students. My students are respectful, bright and very eager to do a deep dive into understanding diversity, an opportunity not often presented in their small, rural communities. As a black...
Sounding off: On masks, noncompliance is selfish
Even during Pennsylvania’s red phase, what I witnessed in stores such as Walmart was incomprehensible. People would wear masks just to gain admittance, and then take them down to their necks. Only when ready to check out would many bother to put it back on. They were playing a dangerous...
Letter to the editor: Paying it forward warms the heart
During recent visits to Starbucks, some patrons have paid for my drinks, and I have never been able to thank them for their generosity. This brings a smile to my face and a great impression of the kindness other people show. I have returned the favor, and the feeling I...
Letter to the editor: Admiring Robert Levin
During the past year I have come to admire Robert Levin for his obvious positive character traits. Chief among them seem to be compassion, fair-mindedness, honesty, loyalty, generosity and benevolence (“Robert Levin makes 2nd bid to revive family furniture business,” May 19, TribLIVE). I have made a few purchases at...
Letter to the editor: Fear God’s judgment more than coronavirus
Regarding the two letters (“Regulations not infringing on religion,” May 10, TribLIVE; “Safety more important than open churches,” May 16, TribLIVE) responding to my letter (“Government shouldn’t keep us from church,” May 4, TribLIVE): I am a conservative, Christian patriot. I love God, family and country in that order. The...
Letter to the editor: Thanks to Gov. Wolf and company for responsible leadership
Thank you to Gov. Tom Wolf, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine and Education Secretary Pedro Rivera for their leadership and their tough choices during these trying times. The easier, and quite likely the more popular choice, would have been to keep Pennsylvania open. The more difficult...
Letter to the editor: Standing with Black Lives Matter
This has been a difficult time for Americans. The murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and countless others have the country reeling in pain and demanding justice and equity. I have to ask, “What is the role of The Westmoreland Museum of American Art in responding to these...
John Stossel: Violence, looting set back racial progress
“No justice, no peace!” they shout. Then they break windows. It makes me furious. But then I watch the video of the Minneapolis cop kneeling on George Floyd’s neck, while Floyd repeatedly says, “I can’t breathe,” and three other officers just watch. Then I see the video of the woman...
Walter Williams: Some facts worth knowing on the rich and the poor
Imagine that you are an unborn spirit in heaven. God condemns you to a life of poverty but will permit you to choose the country in which you will spend your life. Which country would you choose? I would choose the United States of America. A recent study by Just...
Rich Askey: To reopen our schools safely, Pennsylvania needs Congress’ help
In the months since covid-19 closed our schools, educators, parents, and students did a tremendous job transitioning from classrooms to kitchens and living rooms across Pennsylvania. Teachers continued teaching, and students continued learning — at a distance. This is far from the perfect way to educate our students. It’s not...
Gene Torisky: Why I marched
No one asked why I participated in the Greensburg and Latrobe rallies for George Floyd — not that I expected it. A few observers in Latrobe seemed to assume all 100 marchers were violent members of “the antifa.” I say this because of the matching “(expletive) antifa” T-shirts those onlookers...
Letter to the editor: Gov. Tom Wolf’s comforting words
By now we all are familiar with Gov. Tom Wolf’s soft, reassuring words regarding the coronavirus and what we must do to stop it, to “protect lives.” On the surface his demeanor comes across as comforting. All the while elderly people were being isolated and dying in nursing homes, our...
Letter to the editor: Tobacco taxes and dying
Close to 500,000 Americans die every year as a result of smoking. I think we should start there. Do you think all the tax money from tobacco has anything to do with that? Clem Zahrobsky Delmont...
Letter to the editor: Contrasts in America
Within the last week we have seen two contrasting sides of America. The first one deals with the George Floyd killing and the protests. Some are peaceful and legitimate. Many others are an excuse to vandalize, loot, burn businesses and a historic church, causing hundreds of millions in damages. Many...
Letter to the editor: We need to get back to normal
Things I’ve learned from the coronavirus: Gov. Tom Wolf chastised Ben Roethlisberger for getting a haircut, but his hair and beard are always neatly trimmed. I heard a rumor that the governor gave his barber a waiver. We are mandated by the governor to wear masks while in public, but...
Lori Falce: Good cops have power to demand change
I have never known a bad cop. I’ve been a reporter for 33 years. I’ve known a lot of cops in that time. I’ve known young cops who were enthusiastic and idealistic. I’ve known veterans who were still moved deeply at bad crime scenes. I’ve known retired cops who carried...
Saleem Ghubril: A message for Pittsburgh region’s children — you are special and loved
It was Friday evening, May 29, the end of a rough week, but not yet the end of a challenging season that has caused all of us to be under lockdown. Mr. George Floyd was killed that week, another life taken while being black and male in America. I got...
Laurels & lances: Ballots, memorials and bikes
Laurel: To making every vote count. There is no pretending that this primary election was like anything anyone has experienced before. For the people casting ballots, a delay for the covid-19 pandemic put the date squarely in the midst of sweeping protests — sometimes peaceful and sometimes violent. But for...
Rosanne Granieri: Finding the goodness during pandemic
As we enter the green phase of the coronavirus pandemic recovery, I have reflected on the past few months. I listened to stories of families torn apart by the death of loved ones. I observed individuals and groups display false bravado as they ignored expert scientific advice, claiming invulnerability to...
Letter to the editor: Group descriptions contribute to divisiveness
By describing events in terms of black vs. white, gay vs. straight, old vs. young, etc., journalists are fragmenting this country. If events like the Minneapolis tragedy were to leave out a group association, how different this country could be. Ron Kowach Southwest Greensburg...
Letter to the editor: Our country is like a church
Our country has become like a church, very “religious.” Here is the proof: 1. We have serious financial problems. 2. We are divided (reopen or not?). 3. For every problem, the leaders are blamed. 4. There are always some obnoxious people who do not cooperate. 5. We learned again that...
