Letters: Responsibility to be part of the solution; Thanking guardian angels
Responsibility to be part of the solution
About 50 years ago I promised myself I’d never ever write another letter to the editor. I apologize, but I must break that promise.
To see a joyous domestic terrorist wearing a pro-Auschwitz anti-Semitic sweatshirt on national TV awakened me to the role each of us has in the preservation of our democracy. We must be strong enough to question what doesn’t make sense. Where on earth was government police protection? Why was it so easy for these domestic terrorists to invade our sacred capital?
Do you wonder, as I do, why white supremacists are allowed to continue to commit murder? I am deeply concerned and puzzled about my own safety. Why oh why do we allow such racism and horror in our midst?
As the daughter of parents who escaped the Holocaust because their parents (the grandparents I never knew because they were demolished in the Holocaust) were brave enough to send their kids to the USA where freedom rings!
That sweatshirt on a joyous domestic terrorist awakened me. It should awaken all of us to scream, “STOP.” What’s happening is unacceptable and un-American. Tears don’t help. Action does! Together we have a responsibility to be a part of the solution. Don’t let sick partisanship replace human decency and dignity. I still believe God, whenever she is, will bless America.
Thanking guardian angels
On Saturday afternoon, Jan. 9, after grocery shopping with my wife Sandy at the Hills Plaza Weis Market, I fell onto the pavement at the entrance of the store. Landing on my knees and face first, my face and knees were bleeding profusely. Lucky I had no broken bones or concussion. Two guardian angels (a young woman and Weis Market worker) supplied paper towels, tissues and comfort to me.
Unfortunately I did not get there names, for which I am sorry. The young woman also attempted to call her dad, a local physician, to assist. He was not at home at the time.
She helped Sandy load our groceries and I into our car.
I can’t express enough thanks to these young people.
In today’s day with so much divisiveness and fear in our society, it is heartwarming to find people willing to help a stranger in need.
Also please pray for our medical care workers, first responders, teachers and store workers.
May God bless and thank them so much.
Calling on all Republicans to act
As a citizen, as an elections volunteer, and as a county elected official myself, I am infuriated by the actions of my Republican representatives, particularly Senator Corman and Representative Thompson, who have echoed Trump’s completely fabricated attacks on our elections. It’s offensive and insulting to all of us who worked so hard to ensure a free and fair election — during a pandemic, no less — for all Centre County voters, regardless of party affiliation. Their failure to denounce claims that this election was illegitimate undermines our democracy and fans the flames of insurrection that we are witnessing.
Boards of elections in every county across the commonwealth certified the election results in their counties without objection. I’m calling on each and every elected Republican representing Centre County, from municipalities to the federal level, to issue a public statement acknowledging that Joseph Biden legitimately won a free and fair election; that there was no widespread election fraud; and that any claims to the contrary are lies. Now is the time for all elected officials to act boldly to protect our democracy.
Forget ‘stop the steal’ — stop the lying
Jake Corman says he feels a duty to restore public confidence in the election. As well he should. Yes, there was an attempt to steal the election. He directed it.
When Corman and company wrote the bill revising our elections law, they did a sloppy job. County elections officers charged with enacting the changes spotted flaws, so went to the legislature seeking clarification. Democratic lawmakers agreed, but Republicans refused repairs.
Glitches arose. Imagine that! Republicans screamed, “Fraud!” Somehow Democrats were too stupid to steal any races other than the presidential, and somehow Republicans’ own elections were legitimate despite being on the same ballot, but ignore that, Fraud! To avoid seating Sen. Brewster, Corman tweeted his faith in the courts, yet every law case brought on Trump’s behalf has been thrown out, so plot a Constitutional Amendment to drive Democratic judges from the bench.
Write a column in the CDT swearing not to interfere with our electors, but appoint an alternate set. Ask Republican Congressmen to vote to refuse Biden electors, and write a letter to Republican Congressional leadership asking the same.
Why? Because, had the coup against Congress succeeded in blocking the count of electors, the election would have been thrown into a new category in the House, where each state would have had only one vote, as determined by the state’s legislature. Republicans control 26 states, thus, they could have awarded the presidency to Trump.
So there’s the steal.
Restore faith, Jake — stop the lying.
Shame on Republican leaders
I have watched with dismay the attempts to disrupt and undermine our elections in 2020, appalled that my own state and federal representatives have participated actively in these attempts, promoting baseless claims of widespread voter fraud. Over the last months they have treated rumors as established facts, questioned the integrity of those in public service, and treated the votes of those with whom they disagree as illegitimate. They have continued this in spite of the rejections of their claims by our courts.
I feel compelled to write because of their continuing public support for these demonstrably false claims about the results of our election. They claim that the election results need further scrutiny because so many Americans (and Pennsylvanians) believe that their votes have been discounted and that the election was “stolen” from them. They refuse to take responsibility for the fact that their constituents’ doubt and anger is the result of their words and actions. State Representative Borowicz, State Senator Corman, U.S. House Representative GT Thompson and most of their Republican colleagues have followed President Trump faithfully, feeding the anger with false accusations and assertions that this perceived injustice can be reversed if only their followers “fight” hard enough. Their words and actions have directly contributed to an attempt to block with violence the certification of President-elect Biden, and still they persist.
Shame on all of them.
Democrats finally oppose violence
Finally, the Dems are opposing violence, after condoning, encouraging, even supporting violence in Democrat-governed cities throughout last year. But only when they can blame it on the man they have hated and reviled since he became a candidate, replete with false, nasty accusations. Now they are trying to spread the blame to his supporters, and deprive them of First Amendment rights. Is that how they want to bring us together as one harmonious nation?
First virtual fair a success
The Alternative Christmas Fair this year raised $43,575, all of which will be distributed to the 30 local, national, and international charities that participated.
This marked University Baptist and Brethren Church’s 38th year of conducting the fair and our first year of doing it “virtually.” In every other year, people came to the church fellowship hall, saw displays and presentations by the charities, and made their donations to them on the spot. This year we couldn’t do that due to the pandemic. So, we built an online giving platform and hoped for the best. We had no idea what to expect.
We were thrilled when the total was announced. It was actually a bit more than last year’s amount. Thanks to everyone who gave donations to these charities. We are overwhelmed by your generosity.
Next year, UBBC plans to offer the best of the old along with the new. We will, we hope, be able to hold our in-person fair at the church. And we will continue to offer the option of doing your alternative Christmas shopping online.
See you at the fair!