Fearmongering over book bans

The editorial “Book bans can threaten local control” (Oct. 13, TribLIVE) calls it “admirable” for parents to take an “active and engaged role in their schools,” while raising the red herring that such activism threatens local control.

The state already exerts significant influence over school curriculum and staffing. Thus, the Trib’s argument is fallacious fearmongering designed to intimidate those who object to inappropriate content.

Of greater concern is that the bill to create statewide standardized procedures comes at it from the wrong end. It would be better for local panels of parents, students, teachers and administrators to review proposed material before it becomes part of the curriculum or a library’s holdings. This less adversarial approach validates the views of each stakeholder.

Yet, the Trib is dismissive of those who question content, mocking them as a small sect it deems unrepresentative of the more liberal community at large. This viewpoint disrespects historic changes sparked by a few concerned individuals. School prayer was banned, and the Stephen Foster statue was removed, because, in each case, one individual lodged the initial complaint. And the groups that forced banning certain Mark Twain and Dr. Seuss titles were hardly overwhelming in number.

Every citizen has the right to question what is being taught in taxpayer-­funded public schools without being ridiculed. Checks and balances are integral to democracy. A uniform process that promotes open debate would further the community’s common educational goals and might help put a stop to all this childish sniping.

Peter Busowski

Jeannette

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How about some tax credits for those without student loans?

With the Biden administration recently announcing the opening of applications for student loan “forgiveness,” I have an idea for the 2024 GOP nominee. Let’s use President Biden’s massive expansion of the IRS to ensure that every person that doesn’t have student loans that need forgiving a $10,000 tax credit. Every reason that we’ve been given for Biden’s newest transfer of wealth scam applies to this tax credit plan.

Beyond that, why do we accept that good and right decisions and hard work are no longer rewarded? What’s worse, why do we no longer expect those who make poor decisions to bear the consequences themselves?

Matt Pergar

Unity

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Prominent Republicans say election not stolen

In their report “Lost, Not Stolen: The Conservative Case that Trump Lost and Biden Won the 2020 Presidential Election,” eight prominent Republicans said the 2022 election was not stolen.

In their words: “There is absolutely no evidence of fraud in the 2020 presidential election on the magnitude necessary to shift the result in any state, let alone the nation as a whole.”

About Pennsylvania they said: “Contrary to public claims, Trump made no formal allegation of voter fraud in Pennsylvania, and there was no widespread fraud.”

Their appeal is: “We urge our fellow conservatives to cease obsessing over the results of the 2020 election and to focus instead on presenting candidates and ideas that offer a positive vision for overcoming our current difficulties and bringing greater peace, prosperity and liberty to our nation.”

The eight prominent authors are Judge Michael McConnell, director of the Constitutional Law Center at Stanford Law School; Judges J. Michael Luttig and Thomas B. Griffith, former U.S. Appeals Court judges; Ben Ginsberg, Republican Party lawyer; Ted Olsen, former U.S. solicitor general; former U.S. Sens. John Danforth (Missouri) and Gordon Smith (Oregon); and David Hoppe, chief of staff to former Republican Speaker of the House Paul Ryan.

Allan Willinger

Edgewood

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Time for Tomlin to go

Mike Tomlin is getting a lot of flack this season due to the play of the Steelers offense and the game planning of offensive coordinator Matt Canada. Keep in mind that Tomlin hired Canada and also keep in mind that Tomlin has no coaching tree, none, zilch, nada. During Tomlin’s 15 years with the Steelers, not one of his coaching hires have gone on to bigger and better things.

Tomlin seems to like to get rid of any coach he sees as a potential threat in taking over should Tomlin be shown the door. Remember that it was Tomlin who ran off excellent assistants in Bruce Arians, Dick LeBeau, Russ Grimm, Mike Munchak and Chan Gailey . Is Tomlin afraid of having good assistants because he views good assistants as a threat to his job? God forbid the Rooneys finally wake up and fire Tomlin!

We keep hearing “Mike Tomlin has never had a losing season.” Really? What about the three 8-8 seasons? Would you call them winning seasons? What about only three playoff wins over the past 12 years and zero playoff wins over the past six years?

In truth Tomlin is one of the very worst game planners of all time and especially when facing better competition, as Tomlin continually gets out-coached and doesn’t know how to make in-game adjustments — and his in-game bad decisions are frustrating!

Jim Campbell

Dunbar

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We should thank, respect our police

It looks like “defund the police” is not working. When I first heard this phrase, it made me sick. These officers put their lives on the line every day protecting all of us. While other people are at home on weekends and holidays, these officers are working mostly seven days a week, with an occasional weekend or holiday off to spend time with their families.

I am a very strong supporter of the officers in blue. I see their value firsthand.

I am 63 years old, and I don’t remember a time with so many homicides in Pittsburgh. It’s truly a terrible shame that all the progress that was happening in Pittsburgh is going down the drain.

Without respect for authority, whether it is a city, school, family, sports team, company, etc., this is what happens. So sad!

Curtis J. Antoniak

Jeannette

The writer is mayor of Jeannette.

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Let’s talk about birth control

With all the talk about abortion and abortion rights, why are we not talking about birth control? Abortion is not birth control. Most women can access birth control at no cost or low cost. This needs to be discussed more frequently than the alternative.

Lori Copelli

Latrobe

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Biden’s prophecies

We all know President Biden is a career politician. He has survived the political arena by telling people what they want to hear. He is famous for speaking out of both sides of his mouth; I say, if his lips are moving, he’s lying.

Take gun control, for instance. He’s a big proponent of making the U.S. safer for all Americans by speaking on gun control out of one side of his mouth, all the while announcing billions of dollars in guns, tanks and ICBMs in support of killing other people. And yet, people still buy his words like they were from a book out of the Bible.

Hmmmm … maybe they were out of the Bible and I just missed that book.

Go get ’em, Joe; the people are awaiting your next prophecy.

Robert Smith

Plum

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