Sounding off: Why fear critical race theory?

Having read the article “Norwin director claims assignment on racism was critical race theory teaching,” I can’t help wondering what Shawna Ilagan is fearing. I am not an expert on critical race theory, but I know it is another way of looking at race and systemic racism in our country. It appears Ilagan, as well as some other Norwin school board members, are afraid for the children of Norwin to have any concept of CRT. Why is that? Possibly because this issue is larger than just CRT.

Do you fear diversity? Do you fear critical thinking, which is basically evaluating all the information on a subject as a guide to our beliefs and actions? Why don’t you want our children to be given all the information in an age-appropriate manner?

There is no right or wrong here, but only a different point of view. To believe that we have not had, and to a large degree still have, systemic racism in America is a naive and most of all harmful thought process.

I hope Ilagan and the other school board members who feel this way would consider finding a way to expand their own critical thinking process to address their fears.

Lou Conte, Jeannette

Our frightening future

Something to keep you up at night.

We now have President Biden, with Kamala Harris next in the line of succession, followed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Worried yet?

Then, flexing their muscle in the background, we have “The Squad” — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Illan Omar, Ayan Pressley, Rashida Tlaib, and Jamaal Bowman.

Now, are you at least a little frightened?

Inflation is soaring, the pandemic/mandemic rages on, our short-lived energy independence is kaput, supply chain issues continue, a “come on in” sign has been hung for any illegal who makes it to the southern border, Russia is emboldened, national debt is soaring.

Are you feeling a bit queasy?

OK, then how about this: Because of the ineptitude, corruption and radicalism of the above perpetrators, Donald Trump waits to reclaim the presidency!

What could go wrong?

Only those with a pulse should be frightened.

Michael G. Bitterice, Buffalo Township

Reschenthaler dishonoring his oaths

In a self-congratulatory email to constituents, Rep. Guy Reschenthaler repeatedly, and incorrectly, claimed that President Biden’s “weakness on the global stage” is the direct cause for Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked invasion of the Ukraine.

But Reschenthaler conveniently ignores four years of ex-President Trump’s fawning admiration of Putin. Reschenthaler apparently said nothing when the ex-president called Putin a “genius” and “savvy” when Putin recognized the independence of Russian separatist-controlled areas of the Ukraine. Reschenthaler was silent when the ex-president called Putin “pretty smart” after the Ukrainian invasion had begun.

Military law enshrines direct-line chain of authority from the commander in chief to the lowest working levels of the military. As a naval officer and veteran of the Iraq war, Reschenthaler should understand this better than most. But Reschenthaler chooses to undermine his commander in chief during a time of global crisis in Ukraine.

The Navy has long embraced the values of “Honor, Courage and Commitment.” Reschenthaler has dishonored the oaths he took as an officer and congressman by criticizing actions taken by Biden and our global allies. Reschenthaler put partisanship over national interests and in doing so encourages Putin’s continued aggressions.

It is time for Reschenthaler to do the right thing and support Biden in halting Russian aggression in Ukraine.

Michael Pardus, Penn Township, Westmoreland County

A tale of 2 verdicts

The verdicts of Kyle Rittenhouse and Ahmaud Arbery gave us a glimpse of the best and worst of the U.S. justice system.

Rittenhouse was judged “not guilty” by his peers in his trial for killing two people and severely injured a third with an assault rifle. The judge insisted the prosecutors call the victims, two of whom were unarmed, “rioters,” and did not allow the fact that the gun Rittenhouse used was illegal to be a factor. This verdict was a travesty. In my opinion, Rittenhouse was a kid wanting to play superhero. I believe some jail time, say 10 years, would have been appropriate. As a nation we have to live with that.

Justice was served for Arbery, and in Georgia of all places! The defense team tried every dirty trick in the book to paint the victim as a thief, used racial aspersions and tried to deny the family the comfort of pastors, and still, a primarily white jury found all three of the perpetrators guilty. That this happened in the South is a miracle and, perhaps, a sign that things are changing.

Bias in courtrooms cannot be tolerated. At least in one case, the jurors got it right.

Elizabeth Veronica Weaver, Jeannette

Business tax reductions do not create jobs

A common false narrative, pushed by Republican politicians, is that reducing an employer’s income tax will lead to job creation. Not true.

The theory is that employers, upon learning that their tax liabilities are being reduced, will be so overjoyed that they will rush right out and hire a bunch of additional people.

Ain’t gonna happen.

Employers, altruistic as they might be, do not hire more people just because they can afford to. They hire more people when they need them to meet an increased demand for their products or services.

This erroneous theory, called “supply-side economics” or “trickle-down economics,” has been around for a long time, at least since the Reagan administration (hence the alternative term “Reaganomics,” which George H.W. Bush called “voodoo economics”). It was repeated twice by the Bush 43 administration and again by the Trump administration. The historical data shows that the promised jobs creation never occurred in any of those four cases.

And there is no reason to expect it should have.

Of course the tax reductions left more after-tax profits in the business coffers. What did they do with the extra money? They increased dividends to shareholders and retired treasury stock, both of which enriched the investor class. They also, quite likely, returned some of it to the very politicians who provided them with the tax reduction in the first place, in the form of campaign contributions. (Could this have been the intent all along?)

But they did not create jobs.

Ed Satalia, State College

The person, not the product, is the problem

Families and survivors of the Sandy Hook shooting recently settled their lawsuit with Remington Arms. They said the company should never have sold such a dangerous weapon to the public. Doesn’t this open up a can of worms for other companies?

What about cars that end up killing people? What about alcohol, that people drink and then drive, killing someone? Even people who own bars or restaurants?

Are manufacturers and business owners the problem? People still drive cars that are in accidents that kill people. People still drink alcohol and end up killing people. Bars and restaurants have money at their businesses. Is this for thieves to go and rob them? Maybe they shouldn’t take in money to make a living, so they don’t get robbed.

Let’s put the blame where the problem is: It’s the people committing their crimes. People go on Facebook and say they’re going to commit a crime or kill people, and the people that run Facebook do nothing. Should we arrest and sue them for their failure to act?

I honestly think this does open up a can of worms, and there will be more problems for everyone later. If a product is used for something illegal, whose fault is it? The product or the criminal?

Cliff Long, Unity

A chronicle of Biden’s failures

President Joe Biden’s disasters are accumulating at an alarming pace. The Biden team has bungled the covid response with financial waste, crushing mandates and misinformation. Biden assured Americans that inflation is only temporary, but it’s now approaching 8%, the highest in 40 years, and shows no sign of abating.

The next burden to befall the American public was the price of energy with the cancellation of plans for the Keystone XL pipeline to cross into the United States. Gasoline has increased 40%, and likely going higher.

Biden’s border policy has welcomed millions of illegal immigrants through our southern border. U.S. taxpayers are footing the spiraling costs for health care, food, relocation and housing for them.

However, Biden’s greatest blunder was the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan before evacuating support personnel and equipment. Biden’s hasty and incompetent withdrawal resulted in American casualties and left behind modern armaments worth billions of dollars and hundreds of Americans to fend for themselves. Compelling images on television showed Afghans clinging desperately to aircraft leaving the Kabul airport.

The Afghan debacle was undoubtedly viewed in Vladimir Putin’s inner circle as a convincing sign of American weakness. They’ve been awaiting that for decades to reconstruct the Soviet empire. Ukraine would be the first breakaway state as it is so rich in agriculture and minerals. Biden’s America would offer little resistance, and we didn’t. Will China’s takeover of Taiwan be next?

Dennis Traeger, Murrysville