Opinion category, Page 246
Editorial: Proposed U.S. Steel buyout could be next chapter of Pittsburgh history
The history of the steel industry in America can’t be written without Southwestern Pennsylvania. Sure, iron was mined and smelted before Andrew Carnegie built his first mill here in 1875. It was even made in Pittsburgh, the intersection of ore to craft, coal to burn and the rivers for transportation....
Letter to the editor: Look to past to see that God isn’t the problem
Regarding the letter “God is a problem, not an answer” (July 29, TribLIVE): I think we can agree on the presence of good and evil in the world. Most of us find it relatively easy to be “good” and kind but find it more challenging to resist engaging in unkind...
Gary Franks: Distracted Joe Biden is not good for America
I am not that concerned with exploring what has “happened.” I am more concerned with exploring what is “happening.” I would rather prepare for 2024 and beyond than relive 2020. I am more concerned with the actions of a powerful person who can affect my life greatly than a powerless...
S.E. Cupp: Once again, Trump the pitchman is selling lies
“Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!” Donald Trump has made a good living as a traveling salesman, hawking everything from skyscrapers to deodorant. But his best- selling product has always been himself. Nothing — not his cheap made-in-China ties, not his thousand-dollar steaks, not his Trump Ice Natural...
Frank Larkin: Support our Pa. troops and veterans
Pennsylvania ranks in the top 10 for military veterans, meaning that the multifaceted and unique challenges that face these men and women are especially present in the Keystone State. Most glaring is the understood yet still lingering tragedy that the suicide rate among veterans is significantly higher than the civilian...
Letter to the editor: Trump still the bully
I cannot believe Donald Trump, like a schoolyard bully, talks to people like he does and downgrades people and thinks he has done nothing wrong. He has been caught in lies and threatens people and claims this is free speech. When I grew up, you were taught to respect people,...
Lori Falce: Troubling trend in journalism
People have an idea in their heads about what it is like to work for a newspaper. It’s an idea that, like many things, is shaped by movies and television. Editors bark orders and chew cigars like the Daily Bugle’s J. Jonah Jameson. Reporters flock on the steps of every...
Laurels & lances: Getting answers & giving help
Laurel: To a prime location. Everyone knew what should go at the 142-acre warehouse site near the Pennsylvania Turnpike and Interstate 70 in New Stanton. For months, speculation was rampant. It ended Wednesday when Westmoreland County officials confirmed that Amazon will be the new tenant. “This proves that corridor is...
Letter to the editor: Thankful for AVH’s hospice angels
Recently my family and I experienced the death of our most cherished and loved mother and wife, Joyce, while in the care of the hospice unit at Allegheny Valley Hospital (AVH). Without exception, every doctor, nurse, aide and custodian involved in Joyce’s care manifested and demonstrated the utmost professionalism possible....
Letter to the editor: Knowing God
I have the impression the writer of the letter “God is a problem, not an answer” (July 29, TribLIVE) has some knowledge of God but does not know God. People can possess knowledge of someone but not know them. It happens every day. It’s through relationships that we can get...
Paul Kengor: Men who played — and questioned — God
The 20th century was known for some colossal figures in the sciences. One such figure is currently receiving a surge of interest: physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic bomb. That’s because of a major new film by Christopher Nolan. The film has opened old debates about Oppenheimer’s...
Letter to the editor: Just say no to Hempfield’s high-priced high school
I read with dismay the articles involving Hempfield Area School District’s proposed new high school (“Hempfield high school project plan is millions of dollars over budget, must be revised,” Aug. 9, TribLIVE). Why does everything need to be bigger, better and beyond affordable? Help me understand. The average cost for...
Letter to the editor: Exercising rights can have consequences
Regarding the article “Norwin board member sues superintendent, district over criticism of social media post” (Aug. 9, TribLIVE): As a communications student at Clarion University, part of my graduation requirement was a class on communications and law. Granted, this was in the earlier years of social media, but one thing...
Editorial: District attorney should hold press conferences, not stage flat substitutes
There is a difference between being open to a free and transparent exchange of information and the pretense of being open. It might seem like a semantic argument — unless you have ever watched a Looney Tunes cartoon. Being open is like a train tunnel. The pretense? That is the...
Letter to the editor: Shapiro anti-choice?
I thought Gov. Josh Shapiro was for women’s choice and reproductive health? His decision to end the contract with Real Alternatives will harm tens of thousands of women and children who depend on the help they receive. A new study published in the journal Cureus found that two-thirds of women...
Jonah Goldberg: Small donors have become a destructive, dividing force in American politics
There’s an approach to political questions that the conservative in me rebels against. Let’s call it the “You can’t have too much of a good thing” fallacy. Almost every popular idea in American life has cheerleaders for this fallacy. You’ve surely heard someone say something like: “The only cure to...
Erika Strassburger and Josh Joswick: Better oversight of U.S. pipelines needed
An estimated 3 million miles of natural gas pipelines crisscross the U.S. When these pipelines leak, harmful pollutants are released that threaten our communities’ safety, exacerbate the climate crisis, and result in the loss and waste of a taxable public resource. And, as is often the case when it comes...
Letter to the editor: Missing honest news
Not so long ago, we would watch our local news programs daily (Remember Bill and Patti?). The reporting was generally honest and informative. Period. We would decide from what was reported what or what not we believed and react accordingly. Now, forget about it. We have 24/7 media, who I...
Letter to the editor: Setting record straight on Biden and his policies
There have been a few recent fact-free letters attacking President Joe Biden, as if he is the one being indicted for federal crimes, when in fact the attempts by Rep. James Comer to find fault with Biden have failed spectacularly. In the letter “Biden stinks and his policies stink” (Aug....
Editorial: Sydney Hovis should have dropped out before primary election
There are few hurdles to clear when running for a local or county office. Are you an adult? Are you a felon? With most positions, that’s about it. At the very least, that gets you to the next stage where you can circulate petitions and register your candidacy. It is...
Letter to the editor: Frackers are wasting our water
Late last month, state Sen. Kim Ward sent an email to her mailing list, urging her constituents to conserve water. “The Department of Environmental Protection declared a statewide drought watch, and is encouraging residents and businesses to voluntarily conserve water by reducing nonessential water use,” wrote Ward. One “nonessential use”...
Elwood Watson: Lizzo and the peril of celebrity culture
Voracious popular culture connoisseur that I am, I have been avidly following the drama surrounding pop icon Lizzo. As an academic who teaches race, gender and sexuality studies, for me, the story has all the intersectional elements that make for a riveting story. Over the past couple of weeks, the...
Cal Thomas: Arms or money for hostages — what’s the difference?
The Biden administration is transferring $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets in South Korea to an account in Qatar, which Iran will be able to access, in what appears to be an attempt to get Iran to release five imprisoned Americans. National Security Communications Coordinator John Kirby offered this twisted...
Chris Soriano: Ban ‘skill games’ that threaten public safety and Pa.’s gaming integrity
In my role at PENN Entertainment, I am charged with ensuring our company meets the appropriately high standards required to earn and retain a gaming license in every jurisdiction in which we operate. At our four properties across the commonwealth, we aren’t simply running casinos — we are providing an...
Letter to the editor: Letters should foster discussion
Regarding the letter “Biden stinks and his policies stink” (Aug. 7, TribLIVE): I hope that you had more interesting things to publish than this thoughtless writing. Clearly the writer has a global dislike for all things President Biden, but there are no facts there to stimulate a new way of...
