Letters: Support the ‘Legion in the woods’; End in sight on Election Day
Support the ‘Legion in the woods’
Now is a time for helping one another, maybe more than ever before. With this new virus upon us, everyone is trying to cope and adjust to its reality. It’s gratifying to see how the media, store owners and friends are coming together to support the local commerce, as it should be. Downtown merchants have been weathering it out with many ideas, some outside the box, to try to please customers. At the same time, they are trying to keep those customers safe.
But downtown businesses aren’t the only group affected by the pandemic. Our State College American Legion No. 245 – aka the Legion in the woods – on Pine Hall Road has seen significant losses in the past several months. I am a member and I would like to ask for help. Like American Legions throughout the country, we are among the first to help those who need our assistance. Up until the pandemic forced shutdowns, the Legion sponsored and rented out the gathering areas to a variety of groups, e.g. Wounded Warriors, Boy Scouts, Bikers for Veterans and many other civic and private groups. That is not an option now. You can support the Legion by ordering takeout meals. They have great food and lunch specials and, every Monday, they serve good-deal meals from 6-9 p.m. The American Legion is in tough times; please support us so that we can be there when you might need us. Thank you.
End in sight on Election Day
Just when it seemed that Donald Trump could not be meaner, more vindictive or more deceitful, he finds new avenues to pursue. Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, a Purple Heart recipient, was in line for a promotion to full colonel per army regulations, but Trump inserted himself in the process and would not allow such an action, forcing Vindman to decide to retire. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease since 1984, formerly highly praised by Trump, is suddenly reviled by him because he disagrees with a president who knows nothing about science. Roger Stone, a convicted felon and former Trump crony, had his sentence commuted by the president because he thought that the verdicts were wrong, despite jury trials.
Under Trump no fewer than five (supposedly independent) Inspectors General have been fired in just six weeks this spring. Despite every president releasing their tax returns in the interest of honest and open government, Trump refuses, despite court orders. In the midst of calls for unity in this time of disunity, he adds to that by supporting the display of the Confederate flag. He works diligently to weaken environmental protection laws and regulations and now sends federal troops in to at least one city (Portland, Oregon) to quell riots, despite both the governor and mayor not wanting such troops. Where does this end? All citizens of character should hope it does on Nov. 3rd, when Trump is voted out of office, and reinforced on Jan. 20th when the country sees him actually leave office.