Published: October 10, 2008 11:11 am            

READERS' FORUM 10/13 | Will help letter-writer relocate

Sound off – a military term meaning to be heard, loudly and clearly. Regarding the venomous diatribe espoused in Nick Brisini’s letter dated Sept. 30 about Sen. John McCain and his military service, and as a retired serviceman, I must sound off.

What makes anyone fit to judge the service of another person to his country?

Has Brisini fought in any wars or done anything to serve this nation? Sitting back in safety, ensured by millions of veterans, and voicing his traitorous remarks is akin to “Hanoi” Jane Fonda and borders on treason.

I will personally buy him a one-way ticket to any communist country in the world and let him live out his anti-American life in that country’s freedom.

This letter has nothing to do with politics.

Kenneth F. Gray

Retired master sergeant, U.S. Army

Hastings



Selfish ambition has taken over our lives

The recent crisis on Wall Street reveals what happens when money grows governments, businesses and family relationships, as opposed to placing others ahead of ourselves. Selfish ambition has taken priority over honoring one another in the spirit of Christ.

With our mouths we give lip service to love, and with our persona we bask in the limelight while pushing others into our shadow. But God’s vantage point is always the heart, and he can see through all the shine and shadows how people operate to better position themselves.

Don’t be deceived. Your brothers, sisters and neighbors will believe you are sincere and genuine about sacrificial love only when you marry your emotions to selfless actions.

We were elected by God for the purpose of being obedient to his way of life, not to be obedient to our hearts, emotions and preferences, which are deceitful above all things.

Serving God and genuinely honoring others takes the movement of his Holy Spirit, not simply a display of enthusiasm and charisma.

When choosing a candidate this November, think about the deception that is created by superficiality and true prosperity for everyone that comes from Jesus working in and through all things. Then you will know what brings about real change no matter who wins the acceptance and approval of men.

Kirstin DiNinno

Central City



Without God, our nation is sure to fail

When this nation was formed, it was founded one nation under God. That included the justice system and the government.

We grew into a great nation, one where everyone wanted to live. Then we started to take God out of the schools because a few people did not want him there. Then they wanted him out of the government, the justice system and off our money.

When that started, our nation began to go downhill. We have taken God out of this nation, and now we wonder what went wrong.

Wake up. We must put God back into this nation and ask him to forgive us.

I do not care who is in office, we are going to fail without him. Without God we are nothing; with him we can do anything.

God bless America.

Fay Kush

Johnstown



10 reasons to keep Obama out of office

Ten reasons why Barack Obama should not be elected president. He will:

1. Ban the use of firearms for home defense.

2. Pass federal laws eliminating your right to carry firearms.

3. Ban the manufacture, sale and possession of handguns.

4. Close 90 percent of the gun shops in America.

5. Ban rifle ammunition commonly used for hunting and sport shooting.

6. Increase federal taxes on guns and ammunition by 500 percent.

7. Restore voting rights for 5 million criminals, including those who have been convicted of using a gun to commit a violent crime.

8. Expand the Clinton semi-auto ban to include millions more firearms.

9. Mandate a government-issued license to purchase a firearm.

10. Appoint judges to the U.S Supreme Court and federal judiciary who share his views on the Second Amendment.

He is against America’s first freedom, the Second Amendment, granting the right of self-defense.

This man should worry about crime control, not honest law-abiding citizen-control.

Terry Becker

Johnstown



We need leaders who will protect unborn

Listen. Can you hear the voices of the 50 million aborted babies crying/pleading to stop this atrocity?

Sen. John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin have demonstrated their support for the unborn throughout their careers. They vote pro-life and walk the walk. In contrast, Sens. Barack Obama and Joe Biden consistently voted otherwise.

Obama informed Planned Parenthood and National Association for the Repeal of Abortion Laws (major contributors to his campaign) that he “consistently advocated for reproductive choice” and, as president, will make preserving women’s rights under Roe v. Wade a priority.

On Feb. 1, 1994, the Wall Street Journal dubbed Planned Parenthood as “Abortion Central.” Do you realize PP is the largest abortion provider and receives about $305 million a year of our tax dollars?

Abortion rights are Obama’s priority; he wants to change all the pro-life legislation gained under President Bush and nullify it on day one as president. Obama voted four times against the Born Alive Protection Act, ensuring death to a survivor of an abortion that otherwise could receive medical care and live. Gianna Jessen is one survivor of an abortion.

Obama is co-sponsor of the Freedom of Choice Act, attempting to reverse the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act and invalidate any limitations on abortion laws.

We need real leadership in our country.

McCain and Palin demonstrate protection of the most vulnerable.

Without the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness cannot exist. The choice is clear.

Chris Mraz

Johnstown



Obama’s ‘change’ will cause real harm

After all the pompous speeches by Sen. Barack Obama, its time we dove into his “change” issue.

To me it seems nothing more than a blank check to change anything possible into the left-wing political philosophy, no matter how well it may be contained in the rhetoric being used. Obama’s promised spending on health care, student loans, income support, foreign aid, etc., has to have monetary support from something.

Taxpayers.

And no matter how much talk of only taxing the rich (another wealth redistribution stunt), the effects will be felt by everyone. What is the sense of becoming successful and improving your income if government takes it away? Also, a multitude of business owners won’t be able to reinvest their profits in order to sign our paycheck every week.

This is the real reason our businesses are going abroad; it simply costs too much to do business here with labor and taxes combined.

This is one of the many Obama policies that veer left of normal American moral, ethical and political beliefs that are merely shrouded behind this message of “change” that so many succumbed to.

His tactics of blaming current hard times on the Bush administration, and voting for anything different, is foolish.

We still have a free-market economy.

Think about these issues before voting for an inexperienced talking head on a podium.

Christopher D. Farabaugh

Ebensburg



McCain drops issues for character attacks

The news of Sarah Palin visiting Johnstown on Saturday prompted this letter. It seems in the last weeks of the campaign, the McCain camp is shifting focus off the real issues to focus on a character assault on Sen. Barack Obama.

If you did hear Palin speak, please check everything she said. Hold her accountable for her words.

Judy M. LaTorre

Newtown, Bucks County,

formerly of Windber

        

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