Opinion category, Page 24
Letter to the editor: Disclosing donors’ information is dangerous
Trump. Shapiro. Hortman. Hoffman. Kirk. From the president to our governor to state lawmakers and now, an activist and nonprofit leader, violence against political figures in America is metastasizing seemingly by the day. When we justifiably fear harm to ourselves and our families for voicing our beliefs, the free society...
Joseph Sabino Mistick: Free speech, voting and finding our way back
This year, by happenstance, Constitution Day and National Voter Registration Day were both celebrated this past Tuesday. Both days focus on the core principles that are essential to being an American. Constitution Day marks the day in 1787 that the delegates from the various states signed the Constitution in Philadelphia....
Maurizio Valsania: Yes, this is who we are — America’s 250-year history of political violence
The day after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed while speaking at Utah Valley University, commentators repeated a familiar refrain: “This isn’t who we are as Americans.” Others similarly weighed in. Whoopi Goldberg on “The View” declared that Americans solve political disagreements peacefully: “This is not the way...
Mandy Steele, Bill McKibben and Joe Morinville: AI, crypto and Pa.’s war on the little guy
This Sunday is SUN DAY, a day of action celebrating clean energy. This is an opportune time to discuss a big problem in Pennsylvania. Artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency may be the shiny new frontier of technology, but behind the hype lies a brutal truth: They are devouring electricity, straining Pennsylvania’s...
Counterpoint: DC should not become a state. Ever.
The District of Columbia should not become a state. Ever. The Constitution established the District of Columbia to be the home of the newly created federal government so that it was not “in” and thereby “under the control or influence” of any one state. Put the capital city in New...
Point: Trump’s invasion of DC makes the case for statehood
President Donald Trump took over the Washington, D.C., police force and deployed the National Guard under the pretense of “rescuing the nation’s capital from crime.” Of course, masked officers roaming the streets and intimidating and harassing residents haven’t made the city feel safer. A checkpoint was set up just a...
Letter to the editor: Commissioners made right decision on ballot curing
Regarding the article “Westmoreland commissioners decline to consider ballot curing for November election” (Sept. 11, TribLive): Why should “mail-in voters” get a “re-do” when they make a mistake on their ballot? They have the ballot for what, at least 24 hours before they can send it back? And up to...
Letter to the editor: Democrats have become party of evil
Let us speak truthfully and factually about the evil that has become the Democratic Party. I see it as a party that no longer believes there is anything good about America, a party that continually embraces failed radical ideas, psychological insanity and violence against anyone who speaks the truth. One...
Editorial: Fetterman, McCormick and moving past political violence
There are a lot of “ists” flying around right now. It used to be the labels socialist, Marxist and communist being thrown around. Now it’s fascist, antifascist and anarchist as Democrats and Republicans hurl epithets at each other. Pennsylvania’s senators say it’s time for that to stop. On Tuesday, Republican...
Letter to the editor: Trump incapable of unifying country
It has become undeniable to me that President Trump is incapable of unifying this country. Why? First, he seems incapable of accepting views that do not align with his and has no interest in compromise. Second, I think he has bamboozled too many with his lies and diversions; if a...
S.E. Cupp: In NYC, Zohran Mamdani makes politics fun
As a journalist and political commentator, I’ve covered politics for nearly 20 years — presidential elections, midterms, state and local races, even international elections. It used to be fun. There was the horse race, a colorful cast of characters, the debate over ideas and policies, all occasionally punctuated by a...
Kevin Sunday: Of buggy whips and AI chips in Pa.
The buggy whip endures. Not, of course, as a commonly used piece of equipment to spur on a steed or two on your daily travels, but as a short-hand epithet deployed in conversations about the need to adapt or perish in the face of technological change and innovation. “It’s really...
Matt Shorraw: Natural gas not sustainable for Pa.’s data centers
Gov. Josh Shapiro recently defended using natural gas to power data centers in Pennsylvania, calling it “environmentally sustainable.” As an organization committed to public health, Physicians for Social Responsibility Pennsylvania strongly disagrees. The evidence shows that relying on natural gas — or labeling it as sustainable — poses serious risks...
Lori Falce: How a movie star made people want to be journalists
When the news of Robert Redford’s passing came on Tuesday, it struck me hard. I believe it struck a lot of journalists the same way. For those of us of a certain age, Redford was not Waldo Pepper or Jay Gatsby or Jeremiah Johnson. He may have been the shadow...
Laurels & lances: College & consequences
Laurel: To increasing numbers. The Community College of Allegheny County is seeing its enrollment rise. The student population is climbing by about 9% over last school year. ‘This is probably the largest increase we’ve experienced in the last five years,” President Quintin Bullock said. That’s about 10,800 students at CCAC....
Letter to the editor: Our moral fiber is crumbling
The recent assassination of Charlie Kirk and watching how some have responded has made me step back and look at the moral fiber of this country. Political violence in 2025 has no place in America. We are enlightened people who should be able to discuss, debate and share ideas without...
Thomas Olp: Pa. families score touchdown for religious freedom
For many kids, sports are more than just a game. They offer physical and mental health benefits – better sleep, lower illness risk, reduced stress, and improved academic performance. In an age where children are glued to smartphones and screens at alarmingly young ages, athletics are more vital than ever....
Letter to the editor: Harrisburg’s budget inaction is a disgrace
It has been more than 80 days since the deadline for the Pennsylvania state budget, and Harrisburg still hasn’t done its job. The excuse we hear from the Legislature is that they have “one item — transportation — to work out” before the budget can be finalized. That is not...
Colin McNickle: International passenger and cost red flags at PIT
Two very large red flags are being raised by the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy in its latest numbers-crunching of passenger traffic and costs at Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT). But first, a brief overview. “So far in 2025, PIT passenger counts (based on airport reporting) have been lower for five...
LZ Granderson: Biden was supposed to be a bridge. He became a roadblock.
From the outside looking in, Gov. Gavin Newsom unofficially announced he was running for president March 30, 2023, the day he transferred $10 million from his state campaign funds to launch his PAC, Campaign for Democracy, along with a nationwide tour. Newsom unofficially suspended his campaign a month later, on...
Letter to the editor: Charlie Kirk’s legacy will endure
Charlie Kirk will not be forgotten. He is forever young, exuberant, authentic. Powerful images that will not recede. His youth makes his death more tragic and his inspiration an irresistible force. Hank Baughman Latrobe...
Letter to the editor: Time for EPA to side with Pennsylvanians, not polluters
For years, Pennsylvania communities have been battered by increasingly severe storms and flash flooding, a stark reminder of climate change that swamps our streets, strains our sewers and threatens our homes. That is why the Trump EPA’s new proposal to roll back the “Endangerment Finding” is so dangerously shortsighted. Since...
Editorial: How do we eradicate violence?
There is a lot of talk about hate right now. In the wake of the shooting of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, it’s everywhere. It is amplified, but it isn’t new. Hate has been a growing topic of conversation for years, often amid targeted violence. One of those moments...
Letter to the editor: RFK unfit to lead HHS
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s recent unhinged Senate testimony confirmed what we already knew: He is wildly unqualified to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Even Kennedy himself admits, “I don’t think people should be taking medical advice from me.” On that point, he’s right. We need to...
John M. Crisp: Would more uncensored honesty make us a better nation?
Cellphones are ubiquitous these days, and just about everything that happens is recorded on video, usually from several angles. But I don’t think I want to see the graphic videos available on social media that show Charlie Kirk being assassinated in Utah last week. I hope you don’t either. As...
