Letters: Chambers resignation a loss for PSU; Global response needed for COVID-19 pandemic

Chambers resignation a loss for PSU

It is a tragedy that Patrick Chambers resigned after an internal investigation. Notions that he was a “hothead” or racially insensitive are simply not true.

He was deeply passionate about every person in his basketball family and his fiery personality was grounded in a deep love of every kid in the program ardently pursuing excellence and learning the true meaning of competition. Shame on Sandy Barbour for passing the buck to “an affirmative action investigation.” Patrick’s outreach to all alums significantly increased the brotherhood of former players and coaches. Anyone who has ever coached will inevitably have whiners. There’s not a racist bone in his body and if today’s climate mandates firing for misconstrued comments then we’re in a sad climate. In the “good old days” a true leader stood up to critics for coaches who embody what we supposedly stand for.

Global response needed for COVID-19 pandemic

In the United States, the COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating. Across the country, over 230,000 people have lost their lives due to the virus, and 25% of adults say that they or someone in their household has lost their job due to COVID. Around the world, the virus could have an even more devastating economic impact.

Many American citizens would say that American dollars should only be spent on the American people. However, I would argue that protecting our economy and the health of our country is dependent on stabilizing the situation abroad. We are living in a globalized world, and until we can eradicate the virus everywhere, we will still have it in the U.S.

Additionally, according to an article by Oxfam, half a billion people around the world could become impoverished unless action is taken and aid is provided. That is why I am urging Congress to allocate $20 billion in the next emergency supplemental for the International Affairs Budget. This number seems high, but it is recommended by many organizations, such as The Borgen Project, which specializes in poverty reduction legislation.

I urge Pennsylvania’s congressional leaders, such as Sen. Toomey, Sen. Casey and Rep. Keller, to support this emergency funding to protect not only U.S. citizens against the effects of this pandemic, but also those who are in danger of slipping into poverty around the world.

Solutions to sharing the road

I’m responding to Mr. Mason’s letter on Monday, “Cyclists and their new rights,” discussing the recurring issue of bicyclist riding on shared roads in Centre County. As someone who has used a bike for recreation, competition, and the daily commute for over 30 years, I wanted to address some misstatements of Pennsylvania law in his letter, including: 1) The four-foot passing rule is not new, it has been law, from my understanding, since 2012; 2) Cyclists are not required to stay between the solid white line and edge of the pavement; 3) Cyclists are permitted to ride side-by side, no more than in pairs; 4) Pennsylvania law puts safety during passing primarily on the motorist, not the cyclist. I do agree that cyclists should not leverage these laws to antagonize motor vehicles. These laws exist to help minimize serious accidents; I have been hit twice in the past 10 years by inattentive drivers, the most recent requiring a trip to Mount Nittany hospital. The best solution in my opinion, is for both cyclists and motor vehicle operators to encourage leadership to include bike lanes in plans when renovating roadways, and to build new bike routes that connect popular destinations. When I lived in the Washington, D.C. area for several months in 2016, I could commute from Silver Spring to College Park (about 9 miles) without leaving a dedicated bike route. Thoughtful design of bike lanes and routes could alleviate the concerns that Mr. Mason’s letter raises.