Letters: Prepare to exercise your right to vote; Food service employees deserve hazard pay

Prepare to exercise your right to vote

Celebrating July 4th this month with our families and friends makes us think about what it means to be an American and a patriot.

We live with a large measure of freedom in comparison to some other countries. Often we take our freedom for granted. But as the saying goes, freedom is most certainly not free. Our military members, now and in the past, have withstood great personal sacrifice and, in some cases, sacrificed their lives to protect our liberty. We honor and remember our brave soldiers and their sacrifice.

There has been discussion recently about our “rights.” Yet we sometimes forget that one of the most basic and important rights that we have is our right to vote. By exercising this right, we are doing our part to protect all of our freedoms.

A patriot, according to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, is: “a person who loves his or her country and is ready to support and defend it.” Although most of us will never serve in our military, we are patriots by our actions to support and defend our national rights and responsibilities. We do this by engaging and working with our government at its local and most personal level, by communicating with our elected representatives, by holding our representatives accountable, and by exercising our right to vote.

Be prepared to exercise your right to vote on Nov. 3. Check your registration status, find your polling place, and request your mail in ballot application at VotesPA.com. Don’t wait!

Food service employees deserve hazard pay

On July 16, Gov. Tom Wolf announced the hazard pay for front-line workers, including those who have provided food to the community throughout the pandemic. Noticeably missing are food service employees who have not had a day off since the beginning of this pandemic. These hardworking Pennsylvanians diligently continued to serve people who could not, or would not, cook for themselves. They did this while being as nervous as the rest of us who were safely sheltered in our homes for months, often benefiting from bonuses and additional pay. Many food service employees did not get extra pay or bonuses while working under more stressful conditions. Despite the threat of exposure, many employers neglected to provide them with additional safety measures until they were required. These are not assumptions that I am making, they are facts.

Many restaurant employees are high risk for COVID-19 or have family members who are. Not only have these employees had to continue working in unsafe conditions for little pay, but they have had to deal with customers who are often aggressive when asked to follow company policies like masking and distancing. While many of us were spending time with our families, enjoying nature, developing hobbies, or binge-watching our favorite shows, they have been on the front lines weighing their options — risk contracting a deadly virus or violent confrontations. This is unacceptable and Tom Wolf must immediately reconsider businesses that should be eligible for hazard pay to include hardworking Pennsylvanians who have kept us going throughout this crisis.