Sounding off: Decisions of today's women

I read with interest Betty Harp’s letter “Avoiding abortion.” Harp’s rudimentary understanding of modern social dynamics was on full display when she stated, “So, young women, keep yourself clean for that special man when you are old enough to get married. My mother was a wise lady.” Perhaps Ms. Harp is accustomed to greeting her “special man” with his pipe and slippers as he returns home from a long day at the office. Meanwhile, she has been dutifully preparing the home neatly dressed in her apron and heels. I suspect that Ms. Harp doesn’t ask too many questions of her “special man” either. Where he’s been and what he was doing are subjects that her mother more than likely told her were none of her business.

For the rest of us, who don’t reside in the 1950s, women are empowered to control their own lives. They have every right to engage in activities of their choosing. Yes, Ms. Harp, that includes sex. While you’re busy clutching your pearls at the mention of such a notion, perhaps you should ask your “special man” why he’s been coming home late.

Brian Luce, Buffalo Township

On covid, do what’s right for everyone

What have we done? What are we leaving to our children and grandchildren?

In the last two years, we have watched over 900,000 Americans lose their lives, over a small virus that has deadly consequences. Mostly because some doubting Thomases just can’t or will not see the necessity to vaccinate.

As history has shown, there have always been cases of deadly disease, bacterias, virus, fevers, etc. People did not trust the rabies vaccine, or the yellow fever, anthrax and smallpox vaccines, the defense against cholera and typhoid fever, flu shots — the list is endless. But after time they trusted the doctors and scientists.

Maybe many of you believed a group of leaders that dismissed the virus and said it will go away, or that there are other treatments that will work, but in the end most of them took the shots. Why? Because they worked the best, and they really did not wish to die. Many of those who believed the other theories have paid a deadly price.

Does the shot eliminate your chances of getting the virus? No, but it lessens the degree, no different than another flu or virus shot.

We’re leaving a period in history as the years Americans fought one another over a few simple shots and masking. Run the flag up and be a patriot, and do what is best for everyone. It’s time to rethink what we are doing in long run.

Linda Markle, Herminie

Why did God give us fossil fuels if he didn’t want us to use them?

I am a Christian, and I believe if God thought we could destroy his planet with the use of fossil fuels, he would not have given them for us to use in the first place. Only God can destroy his planet, like the time Noah had to build an ark. Do you really believe that politicians are smarter than God?

Clem Zahrobsky, Delmont

Boycott Olympics

I urge you to join me in a boycott of the 2022 Beijing Olympics by not watching on TV or following the events taking place in Communist China. China is the site of numerous human rights violations, and the world and especially the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has turned a blind eye to these violations.

It will be a monthlong propaganda campaign, with our U.S. media and large corporations providing the means to spread the word. Not to mention the billions of dollars of profit for China, the IOC and large corporations.

China’s goal is world domination; don’t let them fool you. The motto “together for a shared future” is a ruse.

I support our Olympic athletes from the United States, but they are pawns being used by China, the IOC and large corporations to further China’s goals.

It is the goal of the Olympics to promote peace and understanding in the world. What a joke!

John A. Waite, South Greensburg

Government should starting doing more with less

The Feb. 3 editorial cartoon really struck a nerve with me. One more time we see a perfect example of where we are always being hit with more taxes and fees from state and local governments to get their job done, but there is little or no accountability for them not getting it right.

As an engineer, I find it hard to believe that a bridge given a total inspection about a year ago could totally fail now. The fact that not one life was lost is the real miracle!

If this were a privately owned structure, inspected by a private company, there would be so many government agencies crawling all over the site licking their chops to hold people accountable and issue beefy fines to feather their nests. I am sad to say that when the dust settles, I really feel that not one person will be held accountable, nor will there be any concrete steps taken to see that this does not happen again.

We the people are being asked every day to do more with less. It is about time that we ask the same of our government. The “well” surely has a bottom, and we are getting closer to it with every trip our government makes to it!

Kenneth R. Nath, Saltsburg

Conditions dire under Biden

Numerous letters to the editor bitterly harangue President Trump and his loyal followers to the point of blurred insanity. Why? Didn’t the Democrats win? The letters march in sync with whatever the Democratic party line is at the moment, all meant to obfuscate the dire circumstances America finds itself in after only 12 months of the Democrat in the White House, who has sent American troops to Eastern Europe to show support at Ukraine’s borders while millions of illegal aliens, many with documented ties to drug cartels, come unvaccinated to our southern border.

President Biden has destroyed America’s credibility as a superpower with a cowardly withdrawal from Afghanistan under the pretext “it’s time,” leaving billions of dollars’ worth of American military equipment for our enemies to use, along with many Americans and allies who were unable to make it to the escape airfield in time.

Meanwhile, former President Trump held a rally in Texas last month with tens of thousands in attendance, more people than Biden had attend all his rallies during the 2020 presidential campaign.

Let us not forget Trump rekindled the light that had made America great: He made us energy independent, denounced abortion, brought manufacturing back to America and was a champion for American veterans, all while trying to secure our southern border against every type of illegal alien thinkable along with the deadly drugs manufactured in China that are devastating our inner cities.

Joseph Krill, Murrysville

Republicans, the party of lies

The Republican Party has officially established itself as the party of Donald Trump and the party of lies.

Its national committee has censured GOP Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger for having joined Democratic colleagues in investigating the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol.

It gets worse: The charges against the representatives are that they are engaging in the “persecution” of those engaging in “legitimate political protest” (those who desecrated the Capitol and brutally assaulted Capitol Police officers).

I wonder if the GOP would also consider to be legitimate political protest a band of thousands of crazed Black Lives Matter members who forced their way into the White House during Donald Trump’s term, attacking Secret Service agents, smearing feces on the walls, rummaging through personal documents and pursuing Trump in order to kill him.

Both major political parties have often spoken of the need to establish “a big tent,” to welcome as members those who have different views on the issues. The Republican Party now has a shameful litmus test: In order to serve in high elective office under the GOP banner, you must promote the lie that the 2020 presidential election was stolen or, at the very least, refuse to challenge the primary promoter of the lie, and you must write off as nothing the atrocity of the Capitol attack which resulted in deaths, injuries to law enforcement officers and millions of dollars in damage.

Former giants of the GOP like the late Presidents Ronald Reagan and Dwight Eisenhower would not recognize the aberration and monstrosity that their party has become.

Oren Spiegler, Peters