Letters: Tip essential workers; No, Christmas can’t be canceled
Tip essential workers
Cashiers at grocery checkout are some of the most COVID exposed individuals any of us encounter.
Yet grocers have rescinded the extra compensation they had originally, very publicly, announced they were providing these deserving people, doing an unappreciated job, with extreme vulnerability. Yet, again, these same grocers post signs indicating that masks are required but don’t enforce that requirement, leaving these workers exposed to ignorant idiots who insist on exposing others by not wearing one or not covering their nose. And yet again, they tell those employees that they can not accept tips.
Well, how’s this? Slip them buck or two and say, “Thanks for being here.”
If that person, just trying to get by, by doing this thankless task, says she isn’t allowed to take it, just say, “Yes you are!” and walk away. I’m sure that she’s also not allowed to chase you down and force you to take it back.
No, Christmas can’t be canceled
House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff has asked Gov. Wolf not to cancel Christmas. In response, retired journalism professor R Thomas Berner penned this free verse with apologies to Francis Church of the New York Sun of 1897:
No, Kerry, Christmas will not be canceled this year or ever
The governor cannot cancel a holiday observed by Christians the world over
(Not to mention all those other people who like receiving gifts)
Christmas is a holy day, a day in which believers celebrate the birth of Christ.
So, Kerry, how could the governor cancel such a day?
For Christmas lives not only on the calendar,
But in the hearts of Christians everywhere
Yes, Kerry, there will be Christmas
If you think the governor can cancel Christmas, Kerry,
You have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age
(to borrow a phrase from Francis Church)
How did that skepticism arise, we can only surmise
But at Christmastime we pray for peace on earth
And hope that our elected leaders will do all they can
To give the public a reason to hope
That our politicians will rise to the occasion
And restore our faith in elected officials everywhere.
Thompson has abandoned his oath
Our representative in Congress, Glenn Thompson, has gone round the bend. He has abandoned his oath to uphold the Constitution in blind loyalty to Donald Trump. Mr. Thompson has signed onto a motion to the U.S. Supreme Court seeking to invalidate the election results with zero instances of voter fraud. I’m sorry Mr. Thompson. You cannot invalidate election results simply because you don’t like them. Since he believes his own election was fraudulent, I hope he will soon be stepping down from his seat in protest. By signing onto such a ridiculous attempt to overturn a valid election, Mr. Thompson has proven himself to be no friend of democracy. He is a disgrace to his position, to the United States, and to our district. I’m ashamed to have him represent me and the fine people of this district. He should not be seated in the next Congress.