Sounding off: Support police? Support gun safety laws

In our area, there are many yard signs stating, “We Support Our Police.” Many of these households also feel that gun laws are an infringement of their rights. At the same time, we have the law-and-order Republican Party opposing gun safety laws.

It is difficult to understand these contradictory positions. How can you support the police and be the party of law and order and not support actions that will help the police? Law enforcement officers support strengthening our gun laws, according to the article “Police unable to slow gun law rollback” (Aug. 10). Law officers are on the front line of gun violence. There is a link between an increase in gun ownership and an increase in shootings of police officers. So how can you support the police and not support gun safety measures? How can you be the party of law and order and not want to reduce gun violence?

The Jan. 6 insurgence used poles with “We Support Our Police” flags to violently attack police officers. “We Support Our Police” has become a slogan that everybody supports. That is the whole point of good propaganda. Say something that nobody can be against because nobody knows what it means. If you support the police, you also would support their goal of increased gun safety measures.

Sandy Kremer, Youngwood

If an audit is to be done, do it right

Regarding David Cassidy’s letter “No one has privacy anymore” about an audit of the presidential election results in Pennsylvania: What is the definition of “enough American people”? Is it a majority of the population? A majority of the registered voters? A majority of those actually voting? Or a majority of voters whose candidate lost the election? And who should conduct the audit, the state or a neutral party?

I believe another audit in Pennsylvania to be redundant both in time and expense. However, if the Legislature chooses to conduct another audit, I expect it to be conducted in a truly unbiased and professional manner by a truly neutral organization. To conduct a “Arizona style” audit, where the company hired had no experience in conducting an election audit and whose CEO is a large contributor to a political party, would only serve a partisan agenda and would not be an accurate evaluation of the voting process and election results.

David E. Prevost, Springdale

OK to fly flag upside down — we’re in distress

I take exception to Bill Marx’s letter “Flying flag upside down is disrespectful.” Flying the flag upside down means that a person is in extreme danger, with threats to life, limb or property.

There’s no way it’s disrespectful. It shows that our government now has taken so much freedom from us and has made us get vaccines to keep our jobs and is trying to leave $3 trillion in debt for our grandchildren.

I spent two years in Vietnam. I know what it’s like to fight. I know what it’s like to fight for this country, and I’d do it again even at 70 years old.

Marx is just wrong.

Robert Serena, Vandergrift

The 5 stages of liberalism

How nice of letter-writer Kristin A. Shrump-Bugay (“The 7 stages of covid”) to “educate ” us all about “the plague.”

Because I believe her letter was filled with half-truths and insults, as liberals’ letters usually are, I proudly present the five stages of liberalism:

1. Arrogantly announce you’re educating somebody, because we all know how educated they all are. How? Because they announce it to the world, ad nauseum.

2. Follow up by using opinion pieces and/or social media to talk down to us uneducated hillbillies. Why? Because they know saying such nonsense in person would have consequences.

3. Then, mic-drop. Why? Because they are always right.

4. When presented with actual facts that are different than their own, be dismissive, arrogant and insulting. Why? Because science is settled, gender isn’t and we’re all racist and stupid.

5. Yell, scream and throw tantrums. Why? Because they always have to be right and better than the people on the other side of the aisle.

Sorry to tell you, but science is never settled.

After having covid, I asked doctors about masks and the vaccine. Nine doctors gave answers ranging from no to absolutely not, three of which are at Johns Hopkins. Liberals call them quacks. Why? Because they always have to be right.

Maybe there will one day be a vaccine against liberalism. Why? Because that’s the only way they’ll ever realize that their IQ is not nearly as big as their ego.

Don Grasser, Sykesville

The writer is formerly of Johnstown.

Social Security raise is not enough

The Social Security raise is off by a fraction. Considering what I heard and read. Even though the increase is to be the largest in years, it has not kept up with inflation for years.

When I heard about the increase, I thought of minimum wage and what a debacle this is. The minimum wage has been $7.25 for years while the cost of goods keeps going up. Add together the number of minimum wage earners and those collecting Social Security, and the total population swarming for help is over 70 million. Plus the ones living on only Social Security with no savings are within the range of 40 million.

So where does that leave the rest of the people who could be able to afford comfort without going deeper into debt?

Ron Kasper, Whitehall

Covid misinformation is dangerous

George Silowash (”I don’t trust this covid vaccine”) begins his letter by saying “I consider” covid vaccines experimental. May I begin mine by saying “I consider” his rhetoric to be dangerous and irresponsible? Where is the M.D. after his name?

We are in a worldwide emergency. The actual experts are saying the only way out is for everyone to be vaccinated. More than 700,000 Americans have died from covid; none have died from the vaccine.

What is Silowash thinking? He says “Follow the science, do the research.” What research has he done, and what science is he following? Where does he get his misinformation? Fox News? Even they require all their employees to be vaccinated.

He says the vaccine is too new. It was President Trump who ordered “warp speed.” But actually, the NIH had been investigating vaccines for coronaviruses for years before the pandemic began. When the SARS-CoV-2 genetic code was published, it took only a few months to modify the experimental vaccine for the novel virus. Passing the three phases of clinical trials turned the experimental vaccine into one that could be safely administered to billions of people.

Silowash says the mortality rate for covid is 0.05% That is flat wrong. 2.1%. Google it.

As for those who think mask and vaccine mandates take away their freedoms, when did we ever have the freedom to deliberately endanger the lives of others?

Who do people think they are to insist they know more than the experts? Please, George. Do the research. Follow the science.

Al Duerig, Salem

Destruction of our country, step by step

I’m amazed how few people realize or will admit what elected Democrats are doing to our once great country. They sing with one voice against voter ID, want sanctuary states and cities to protect illegal immigrant criminals from deportation while defunding the police, support amnesty for Dreamers and illegals leading to citizenship, railed against building a border wall, and now have a southern border that I believe is wide open with Democrats falsely claiming it is closed. New York City and Los Angeles are moving to allow noncitizens to vote in local elections, something already happening in San Francisco, Chicago and jurisdictions in Maryland.

Sen. Bob Casey, Rep. Conor Lamb, Gov. Tom Wolf, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, Attorney General Josh Shapiro and many other Democrats are complicit in supporting this step-by-step destruction of our country. And if the drugs flooding across our southern border don’t entrap and kill our kids, Fetterman is working hard to legalize recreational marijuana and for the early release of imprisoned drug dealers.

The above-named politicians but for Wolf will be seeking higher offices or reelection and need to be defeated in 2022 or 2024. Until then, we need to hold the line and save what is left of our country by electing Republicans in November to the four state judge positions, the county row offices and in local elections. It is time to work together to stop and reverse this destruction.

Larry Schultz, Murrysville