Published: November 11, 2009 10:25 am      

READERS' FORUM 11-12 | Misplaced priorities at groundbreaking

At the Flight 93 Memorial ceremony, Gov. Ed Rendell and U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar failed to help dignify and commemorate sacred ground.

In an unfathomable instance of insensitivity and egotism, Rendell began his remarks by describing the Philadelphia transit strike, using it to justify his early departure from the ceremony (expected to last no more than 30 minutes). He beseeched his colleagues to “keep their remarks short” so the event would not conflict with his busy – and presumably more important – political schedule. Rendell then delivered an insultingly brief, mechanical and disinterested speech that only highlighted his personal contributions to the memorial.

Salazar also had more important priorities. He immediately informed the audience about the “historic vote” on health-care reform that required his urgent return to the Capitol, and his hope that the bill would succeed. His remarks were noticeably uninspired and forgettable.

These incidents may seem like minor gaffes. However, in such monumental, irreplaceable occasions, even the slightest display of aggrandizement, impropriety and misplaced priorities can beget a lasting sense of dishonor and disrespect.

This past weekend in Shanksville, the first warriors in the struggle against global terrorism were forgotten, along with the soldiers who still wage the war that began in the quiet skies of western Pennsylvania.

This is no surprise for an administration and Democratic Party that views the real and ongoing war on terror as an “overseas contingency operation” and an inconvenient distraction from its aggressive political agenda.

Our patriots – living and dead – deserve better.

Gary J. Livacari

Coraopolis, Allegheny County



Health care shouldn’t be political pawn

Our nation must provide health care for all. In one way or another, we all pay for it anyway. Do we let uninsured, injured victims die for lack of emergency room treatment? Do we let swine flu victims (as one example) go untreated so that they can continue to spread the disease?

Either we pay for treatment to prevent disease or we will pay for the cost of treating the diseases after they have spread throughout the population.

Health care should not be treated as a political issue.

A sick population is not a productive one. I, for one, will not vote for anyone who votes against universal health care for political interests.

Julian Babitz

Vintondale



Urging Shuster to reconsider vote

I’m grateful for and proud of the representatives in Congress who joined the bipartisan majority and voted for health-care reform. I know they’ve resisted tremendous pressure from the insurance lobbyists and their courage is worthy of note; thus Nov. 7 was indeed historic.

I’m hereby urging Rep. Bill Shuster to reconsider and support reform in the final House vote. A “yes” vote is a vote for his devoted and enthusiastic constituents who’ve entrusted him with their concerns.

Gwen Burket

Roaring Spring



Quit bashing Obama for mess he inherited

The right-wing fanatics who write letters in the Readers’ Forum criticizing President Obama’s first year in office make me want to vomit. Don’t these people realize the mess Obama inherited from the Bush-Chaney administration? Do they have any idea how many people lost their lives and how many people, including women and children, are maimed for life because of the Bush-Chaney lies about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq?

If there was any justice in this country, Bush and Chaney should be held responsible for all of the lives lost in Iraq.

Two letters in the Readers’ Forum that got my attention were from Charlie Cordoro (“Under Obama, life we knew is history,” and Mike Kush (“GOP has ideas, directions, solutions,” Nov. 6). Cordoro stated that he does not want Obama to use the taxes he pays to give a helping hand to people in need. Now that is the philosophy of the Republican Party – give to the rich and forget about the poor and middle class.

Kush says in order to get the truth, people should tune in to Fox News. Now that is laughable. Fox News is controlled by the Republican Party.

Also, if Kush thinks a surge in troops is what we need in Afghanistan, then I think it’s his patriotic duty to sign up. And, yes, the GOP does have ideas, directions and solutions, but only those that benefit the rich and corporate American.

God bless President Obama. His ideas, directions and solutions are designed to benefit all Americans.

Ralph A. Swank

Johnstown



Over time, word of God is reinterpreted

Thank you, (Publisher) Robin L. Quillon, for Sunday’s column. It moved me to cancel my Tribune-Democrat subscription. That was long overdue.

What day did you wake up and choose to be heterosexual or homosexual, Mr. Quillon? What day did you choose to be a man or a woman? What day did you choose to have blonde hair, copper skin or oval eyes? You chose none of these.

Being gay is not a choice or a sin. The Old Testament condemns homosexuality and forbids eating shellfish. The New Testament man who proclaimed homosexuality a sin advised slaves to obey their masters. Christians choose which parts of the Bible are divinely inspired and which parts to ignore.

Marriage is a religious rite and a civil right. They are sometimes performed in a mosque, temple or church, but always sanctioned in a courthouse. Marriage affords legal protections and economic benefits in a civil society comprised of citizens who are created equal and are afforded the unalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness by nature’s God.

Muslims can wear a veil, Jews can keep kosher, Christians can eat bacon, and all can control the religious rite of marriage.

None have the privilege of withholding a civil right.

Citizens make laws as scribes wrote the words of God. Some of each appear obnoxious and unfair over time, so we remake the law and reinterpret the word. Slavery, wife-battery and segregation were all condoned by law and the Bible, but not anymore. Amen.

Paul D. Newman

Johnstown



Being gay is not a choice

On Sunday, Tribune-Democrat Publisher Robin L. Quillon’s article espoused his view and the views of other religious radicals on gay marriage. The article is one of a series he has written ranting against the rights of the persecuted gay minority.

Quillon is using his position in a way that is dishonorable, deceitful and unethical.

The newspaper, under his management, does not present news but rather positions skewed to reflect his views. It is demonstrated repeatedly by how The Tribune-Democrat covers health care, President Obama and anything relating to gay issues.

His recent diatribe began with “It’s your choice to be gay ...” That view is outdated and erroneous and has long been debunked. Being gay is not a matter of choice; it is a reflection of God’s plan.

He posits that each state should have the right to decide on gay rights. Wrong; you cannot leave human rights up to a vote. The federal government needs to protect minorities. If it were left to a majority vote in each state, we would still have slavery in some states, women would not be able to vote in some states, and separate but equal would still exist.

His regressive, homophobic attacks endanger gay people. Gays are not inferior and deserve the same constitutional rights as other Americans.

He needs less arrogance and more humility, and to remember that all people are the same in the eyes of God.

Nicholas Sempeti

Johnstown