Sounding off: Steelers management should not allow political statements - TribLIVE

sisilihya.blogspot.com

The vast majority believe all lives matter. The vast majority believe in peaceful protests. The vast majority view a football game as a three- to four-hour escape from the harsh reality of dealing with life in these difficult time. By and large, they don’t see the game as a place to kneel or affix political statements to helmets.

Steelers management should tell players who are so inclined: If you do that, you will not be a Pittsburgh Steeler.

It would take guts for management to take this action, but it’s the right thing to do. Will they? We will see.

John Kristof, Lower Burrell

Biden-Harris bait and switch?

Over the past few days, both Kamala Harris and Joe Biden have referred to the Harris-Biden administration. I consider this bait-and-switch election fraud. Commercial after commercial for Biden (disgruntled soldiers, sick old ladies, etc.) refer to him as honest and a good Catholic moral leader. Something smells fishy and unethical to me.

George Biskup, Penn Township, Westmoreland County

Loss of Ginsburg is tragic

Ruth Bader Ginsburg was one of three Jewish justices on the Supreme Court who modeled her life after the key tenet of her faith as found in the book of Deuteronomy: “Justice, justice, thou shalt pursue.”

It was a most difficult path for her from the start of her career to her passing. First, she encountered discrimination as a female lawyer in what has always been, in most respects, a man’s world. Toward the end of her life, she dealt with and triumphed over one grave health challenge after another. Her maladies slowed her down, but did not defeat her. She quickly returned to the court after every challenge and hospitalization, and continued to work until almost her last breath.

The loss of Ginsburg is tragic for the country which admired, revered and loved her. It will be disastrous if she is rapidly replaced by an arch-conservative President Trump/Mitch McConnell selection who will be predictably pro-gun, anti-labor, anti-environment and anti-women’s rights, including reproductive rights, and someone who is hostile to civil and voting rights.

If the Republican Senate acts to hypocritically approve a nominee just before or after a presidential election — something we were told it would not do in the final year of a Democratic administration with a Republican Senate majority — let us hope that those who engage in such an act of treachery would pay a heavy political price in a backlash that they would deserve.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a woman of the people. Her memory will endure as an eternal blessing.

Oren Spiegler, Peters

Why the Republican rush to replace Ginsburg?

It appears to me that the unseemly rush to appoint a Supreme Court justice to replace Ruth Bader Ginsburg makes it apparent that the Republican leadership has no confidence that President Trump is going to be reelected, and that there may even be a loss of Republican seats in both the Senate and House.

Sen. Mitch McConnell seems to have no inclination to work on a coronavirus relief bill in spite of Democrats lowering their proposals. Yet he wants to push a vote immediately prior to the election for a Supreme Court judge.

This contrast in what McConnell deems as important to our country is rather insulting to the millions of laid-off Americans.

If the Republican leadership was confident of Trump’s reelection and the Senate retaining a Republican majority, they could proceed with respect and decorum to Ginsburg’s passing and schedule a Senate vote after the election, when measured and thoughtful debates over candidates could proceed in a more timely fashion.

But the Trump presidency hasn’t been notable for respect and decorum — or even honesty. I would remind my Republican neighbors that their vote makes them responsible for the person in the White House, and that time always seems to bring out the truth in politics.

I am old enough to have voted in the 1972 presidential election between George McGovern and Richard Nixon. Within five years of that election, you would be hard-pressed to find anyone proud of their vote for Nixon.

Thomas Nacey Jr., Salem

Why veterans support Trump

The question of why veterans would vote for President Trump is a no-brainer (“How can veterans support Trump?”). I spent my service years to support things I learned in my adolescent years.

1. We must protect our Constitution written by our great founders.

2. We must protect the most important amendment — the Second — to ensure the ability to protect the others.

3. We must ensure we are able to continue the First Amendment, which I am using now.

4. All lives matter, including those not “officially” born yet.

5. Diversity and immigration are good, but laws specifying how to attain citizenship legally.

6. We may not like some of Trump’s actions, but the alternative is unacceptable. He was elected to a position we need to show respect for.

7. Illegal applies to all actions not accepted by us as legal and should be stopped and punished.

I may not be voting for Trump but will definitely oppose a candidate who I see as a socialist.

Allen Clark, Avonmore

Gov. Wolf should let districts decide on fans at games

Gov. Tom Wolf’s comments about the state legislators Sept. 21 when he vetoed House Bill 2787 were some of the most pompous, arrogant and condescending I have heard in a long time (“Gov. Wolf vetoes House Bill 2787, leaving high school sports spectators in limbo.”) His utter contempt for the citizens of this commonwealth is astounding; he would make the old kings of England proud: The masses are too stupid to make their own decisions for themselves regarding covid-19, so the king must make them.

It is a travesty that parents and families are prohibited from watching their sons compete in football games. Many high school stadiums in this state have capacities of several thousand, and to cap the limit at 250 for outdoor events in stadiums that seat thousands is ludicrous. Let the school boards decide whether they want to allow fans, and if so set the limit.

People like myself who have attended high school football games for decades would love to go to games, and most of us are responsible enough to social distance at games, but that’s our decision to make, not the states.

I sincerely hope our representatives and senators override this ridiculous veto, and any legislator who voted for the bill the first time and does not vote to override this veto should be voted out of office ASAP. It’s time for the people via our Legislature to take back control from King Wolf and his minions.

Jeff Hoener, Swissvale

Republicans’ supreme hypocrisy

The editorial “Ruth Bader Ginsburg and necessary dissent” was an appropriate response to the loss of one of the most revered Supreme Court justices in history. The nearly immediate statement by Sen. Mitch McConnell that her position should be filled quickly was not. It was highly disrespectful and hypocritical in the extreme after what happened four years ago.

The problem with hypocrisy at this level is it shows that the hypocrite’s word can never be trusted. Four years ago, Senate Republicans happily went along with McConnell in refusing to even bring President Obama’s nominee up for a vote. Now, many of the same senators are already on record as favoring a quick vote in favor of whoever the president chooses to nominate.

If they follow through with this hypocrisy, why would anyone ever again trust the word of any Republican senator? I know I won’t, and I will be watching what Sen. Pat Toomey does this time.

Robert J. Reiland, O’Hara

Categories: Editor's Picks | Letters to the Editor | Opinion