Opinion category, Page 751
Cal Thomas: David McCullough remembers the pioneers
In a country preoccupied with presidential candidates preaching extreme liberalism and even unabashed socialism comes America’s greatest living historian, David McCullough, with a new and needed book. It’s called “The Pioneers” and the subtitle is its theme: “The heroic story of the settlers who brought the American ideal west.” Nowadays,...
Gisele Fetterman: American dream should be for everyone
The American dream is real, and I should know because I’m living it. Unfortunately, for millions of people, that dream has been deferred because of uncertainty surrounding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Our elected officials in Washington must act swiftly to pass House Resolution 6, the Dream...
Joseph Sabino Mistick: Mother’s Day at home & at the border
In 2014, Jeb Bush had not yet announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for president when he said that refugees crossed our border “because they had no other means to work to be able to provide for their family. Yes, they broke the law, but it’s not a felony....
Bret Grote: The travesty of the Allegheny County Jail
Nelson Mandela said, “It is said that no one truly knows a nation until one has been inside its jails. A nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but its lowest ones.” By every measure, the Allegheny County Jail fails this test. Meant to be...
Editorial: Nuclear energy makes its own money
Think about Pennsylvania and energy and you might think coal or natural gas. But the state really shines when it comes to nuclear. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Pennsylvania is second only to Illinois when it comes to nuclear power. What lights up most of our homes is...
Sounding off: Pittsburgh Marathon’s inclusion illusion
The Pittsburgh Marathon brings great energy to the city, a feeling that everyone there — runner and spectator alike — is united in the common purpose of supporting each other through a difficult endeavor. This purpose transcends race, ethnicity, religion, gender, economics, and politics: Anyone who can run or who...
Letter to the editor: Another Chick-fil-A boycott?
Letter-writer Erik Rueter (“Pittsburgh Marathon’s inclusion illusion,” May 4, TribLIVE) took P3R, the nonprofit that organizes the Pittsburgh Marathon, to task for accepting a sponsorship from local Chick-fil-A franchises in support of the Kids of Steel youth marathon. He explained that through a relationship called “transitive reasoning,” the donation could...
Letter to the editor: Solar potential is low in Western Pennsylvania
Regarding the article “Solar farms begin cropping up in Western Pennsylvania”: You should curb your enthusiasm for solar power. Our location is not optimal at all for solar potential, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (see maps at www.nrel.gov/gis/solar.html). It’s like putting your hair dryer on full power yet...
Letter to the editor: Not vaccinating has consequences
Many readers, politicians and media types do not understand that freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequences. Yes, we live in a country with many freedoms and the right to exercise those freedoms. But there are consequences, both good and bad, for exercising those freedoms. Colin Kaepernick exercised...
John Stossel: Independent journalists
“I’m not going to let them bully me out of reporting,” said Tim Pool after recording an antifa protest where angry activists cursed at him. There might have been violence, but antifa’s “de-escalation team” protected him, he says. That surprised me. “Antifa has a de-escalation team?” “They have people who...
Walter Williams: Discrimination & disparities II
Last week’s column discussed Dr. Thomas Sowell’s new book “Discrimination and Disparities,” which is an enlarged and revised edition of an earlier version. In this review, I am going to focus on one of his richest chapters titled “Social Visions and Human Consequences.” Sowell challenges the seemingly invincible fallacy “that...
Editorial: Turnpike overcharges another sneaky subsidy
Pay a toll in cash and you know exactly how many nickels and dimes you are throwing in the hopper. Drive through the E-ZPass lane where the money is automatically deducted from an account via a transponder and it should happen the same way. But sometimes it doesn’t. And if...
Letter to the editor: Fracking near airport
Regarding the article “Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald opposes bid to add state oversight to airport board” (April 23, TribLIVE): Bottom line, House Speaker Mike Turzai doesn’t trust Fitzgerald to run the airport in a fiscally responsible way. Maybe the rest of the state wants a piece of the pie...
Letter to the editor: Students must master basics of education
K-12 education needs to not just teach math, English and science, but have the student master these subjects and learn to use them. Manufacturing needs employees who have mastered these subjects as a basis to be able to learn and function in the jobs available, which are many. A manufacturing...
Letter to the editor: SummerSounds doesn’t need Russian band
We have all sorts of great bands here in the USA. Gene James, why would we pay $10,000 to a band from Russia (“Greensburg’s SummerSounds raising money to book Russian Chicago cover band,” April 11, TribLIVE)? If you think this band is so great, you pay $10,000 from your wallet....
Letter to the editor: Trump vs. establishment
This is not about getting rid of President Trump, as that will never happen unless the voters want it. It is all about scaring off any nonestablishment person ever running again for president and upsetting the apple cart by getting things done that the professional pols claim they will do...
Letter to the editor: Bravo to DePasquale, Shapiro
Who can we trust in Harrisburg these days? As our gas prices go up, it’s nice to find out that the taxes on that gas I put into my tank to go to work have been diverted from repairing our aging infrastructure to supporting the budget of the Pennsylvania State...
Paul Kengor: Supreme Court’s cross case & religious freedom
One of the major Supreme Court decisions we’ll soon hear about is the Bladensburg cross case. This is the case where secularists are demanding the removal of a large cross that serves as the centerpiece of a veterans’ memorial in Bladensburg, Md. The “Peace Cross” was erected in 1925 by...
Lori Falce: Our heroes shouldn’t be human shields
I don’t want my son to be a hero. I don’t want to have someone come to me and tell me how brave he was as he stood up to someone with a weapon and a grudge and a message for the world. I don’t care if he grows up...
Bill Peduto, Philly mayor: Why we oppose Pa. Senate gun bill
As mayors of the Commonwealth’s two largest cities, representing more than 1.8 million Pennsylvanians, we unequivocally oppose Senate Bill 531 which is being considered in the Pennsylvania Senate. This bill would pre-empt local jurisdictions from enacting sensible laws to protect their residents from deadly firearms. It gives the gun lobby...
Laurels & lances: Running, towing, fixing and charging
Laurel: To a first-class last place. Jessica Robertson of Braddock and Alle-Kiski grad Laura Mazur of Ohio didn’t win the Pittsburgh Marathon. Not by a long shot. The two finished in 7 hours, 22 minutes and 56 seconds. They were the last people to cross the finish line. They did...
Letter to the editor: Pittman ready to be senator
When I became mayor of Murrysville in 2002 and Sen. Don White, R-Indiana, established an office here, he introduced me to his chief of staff, Joe Pittman, who would become my contact during the next eight years. Pittman assisted me with several grants, and all of us struggled through the...
Letter to the editor: Why the hate for Democrats?
To letter-writer the Rev. Tony Joseph (“True Democrats should revolt,” April 17, TribLIVE): You don’t have to mention President Trump or the Republican Party. We know he’s your hero. But why so much hate for Democrats? It’s hard to believe a man of God seems to have so much hate...
Letter to the editor: Cordial for commissioner
Heather Cordial is ready to be our next Westmoreland County commissioner. Besides being an Air Force reservist, Cordial has held managerial positions, been an activist for conservative candidates in our county and volunteered countless hours advocating for animals. Cordial wants to improve workforce training programs and protect our seniors living...
Letter to the editor: Removing statues & flags
Regarding the veterans’ plaza planned in front of Valley High School: If some snowflake comes forward and says it offends their little Johnny or Janie, will it have to be removed like the Ten Commandments monument was? At the rate this country is removing flags and statues, it won’t be...
