Sounding off: Abortion, gun culture, equal opportunity, patience, Pirates, energy, EVs

On abortion, follow the science

Abortion supporters do not “follow the science,” or perhaps they failed biology class and didn’t learn how babies are created. Science irrefutably says that when sperm and egg fertilize inside a woman’s womb, a human being has been created. No doubt about it, and every baby has its own individual DNA. It’s not an alien creature, it’s a human being.

Our nation’s founding documents say that all people (spoiler alert — babies are people) are entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. But an even more important document from ancient times says, in No. 5, “Thou shall not kill.” All of our laws at all levels acknowledge that it is against the law to kill another human being.

A woman has the right to care for her body, but the life and rights of the baby that she helped conceive also has a right to proper care (and life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness).

In most cases, no one makes a woman get pregnant; that is her choice. ( in most cases) All sentient adults are responsible for their choices. Pregnancy is a serious choice; two human lives are biologically connected.

Abortion supporters want to make this life-or-death decision a simple “political” choice. Common sense says otherwise, and makes it pretty simple. Babies are created at conception. How can anyone state that it is not a baby? It’s basic biology!

Rich Narushoff

Monroeville

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Our gun culture makes ‘life’ pleas ring hollow

Kennywood is no longer safe.

Bus stops are no longer safe.

Funerals are no longer safe.

And yet, we continue our obsession with guns. Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, reminds us that “The Second Amendment did not come down from Sinai; the right to bear arms will never be more important than human life.”

Until we turn our hearts from idols wrought of cold steel, innocent people will continue to be wounded, maimed and killed. Pleas from politicians and preachers, advocating for a “culture of life,” will continue to ring hollow until we condemn and confront our “culture of guns.”

Keith G. Kondrich

Swisshelm Park

The writer is a deacon in the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh.

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We’re promised equal opportunity, not outcome

We, or at least a large percentage of our population, seems to have forgotten that the United States of America and its Constitution promise equality of opportunity, not equality of outcome. Apply yourself. Work smart. Work hard. Get ahead.

Steve Gvozden

Murrysville

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Please be patient with your health care providers

Two years ago, I wrote reassuring our communities that we were here for you. At that point the pandemic was in its infancy. Two years later, we have all gone through unimaginable times. We have lost loved ones. Those of us in health care did our best to guide you through some of the worse times in all of our health care lives.

I am writing now to ask you to have patience with us. The pandemic and its aftermath have left the health care community depleted. Many health care providers have left the field or left acute care. Like many industries, we struggle every day with staffing to provide you immediate appointments or immediate care.

We are doing our best, I promise you. We remain committed to being available to you on your worst days; we remain committed to doing the most we can with the resources that we have; and lastly, we remain committed to rebuilding the strong health care community that existed pre-pandemic.

Please be patient with us. Please be kind when interacting with our nurses, EMS workers and support staff. We are still here for you. Please be understanding and supportive to our health care workers in return. Stay safe and enjoy good health.

Dr. William A. Jenkins

Delmont

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Nutting has ruined Pirates

The Pirates are dismal. Our storied franchise has been ruined by Bob Nutting. It is painfully obvious the team’s only purpose is to enrich him. Any dribble from him or his minions about community, love of the team, rebuilding with young talent and so in is BS.

The Pirates are nothing more than a farm team for the rest of Major League Baseball. Anyone who follows baseball can cite countless examples of past Pirates who are having profound effects for their present teams. The Tampa Bay Rays are consistently competitive with a salary figure similar to the Pirates. With “Bottom Line Bob” at the helm, we will never see a World Series banner at PNC.

As it seems he only understands money, I propose we cut him off. Don’t go. Don’t watch. Start with Bradenton. Then PNC. Season ticket holders should cancel. Make the park a ghost town. Pittsburgh’s own Mark Cuban wants the team. Everyone of influence in the city should turn up the heat to get Nutting out of town.

I personally resolve to take my own advice. I’m done! Our Mazeroski Hall of Fame jerseys will never see PNC again until Nutting is gone.

Bruce L. Moynihan

Martins Ferry, Ohio

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US must pursue energy security

Being from Western Pennsylvania, I’m proud to witness multiple new businesses and investments in our region, as a result of the energy industry’s impact on our local economies. There is a rich history of the oil and gas industry starting right here in nearby Venango County. The Drake Well in Cherrytree Township, Pennsylvania’s first commercial oil well, sparked the first oil boom in the United States.

Over the past two years, energy policy decisions by the Biden administration have stymied American oil and gas production, weakening our nation’s energy security and leaving our country vulnerable. Our allies abroad are suffering due to a lack of American energy on the market, and we are suffering at home from this lack of energy security and production as gas prices soar and home-heating costs rise. On Oct. 28, Mansfield Energy issued an alert warning 4 indicating historically low diesel inventories which could run out by Thanksgiving.

The United States must pursue full energy security. By curtailing energy production and halting other efforts to produce oil and gas, the Biden administration is hurting everyday American workers, small businesses and families who are forced to put more of their monthly budget toward energy costs.

Kimberly D. Geyer

Adams

The writer is a Butler County commissioner.

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Regarding the editorial “Concrete EV revenue decisions should come before charging stations” (Oct. 18, TribLIVE): The fair way to get EVs to pay their fair share of the road maintenance is to use what the average internal combustion engine owner pays in gas tax every year and add that amount to their cost of EV auto registration.

Clem Zahrobsky

Delmont