Letters: Centre County art show a win all around; Whatever it is, Republicans are against it

Centre County art show a win all around

The Farmland Preservation Artists of Central Pennsylvania is having a show at the Elk Creek Cafe in Millheim during the month of September. Each artist donates a percentage of sales to the Centre County Farmland Trust, which focuses on protecting farmland and open space in perpetuity. The purchase of a piece of art is a win all around — a sale for the artist and preservation of farmland for everyone. To date, 1,400 acres have been preserved.

Check the cafe’s website for open hours.

Whatever it is, Republicans are against it

In the 1932 film “Horse Feathers,” Groucho Marx sings “Whatever it is, I’m against it.” Groucho was almost 90 years ahead of his time, as this sums up today’s Republican Party.

Accepting solid science, the dire predictions of climate change, and doing something about it? The Republicans are against it.

Promoting masks and vaccinations to stop a pandemic that has killed 625,000 Americans? The Republicans are against it.

Protecting and expanding voting rights for all and accepting fraud-free election results? The Republicans are against it.

And, in a recent move against one of the pillars of American growth and achievement, Pennsylvania Representative Andrew Lewis, R-Dauphin County, has introduced a bill whose only purpose is to reduce support for public education. Public education? The Republicans are against it.

Representative Lewis’s bill would divert more school district dollars to charter and religious schools. And, it would expand the ability of businesses and individuals to divert their Pennsylvania income taxes to “educational” projects that agree with their own political or religious interests.

Anyone can start a school. Just do the hard work of raising the money and go ahead. But the Republicans don’t want to do that work, they just want to siphon off your school tax dollars to support their philosophy under the false slogan of “school choice.”

Who knew Groucho would be the intellectual leader of today’s Republican Party? Scientific literacy on climate and a killer pandemic? Protecting democracy? Supporting public education? Whatever it is, the Republicans are against it.

Afghanistan war calls for reflection and change

I am 70 years old and America has not won a war in my lifetime!

I want to say none of this was the fault of rank in file soldiers — they always fought bravely; they were led poorly. It started at the top.

One of my earliest memories was my dad’s brother coming back from Korea in 1953 — my dad’s other brother was killed at Anzio when he was 19. My grandfather, gassed in France.

America has been at war nearly all my life — Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan.

After 15 years America left Vietnam. Americans were then dramatically airlifted from the roof of the American Embassy — go online and see it.

The Iraq War also went on for years — America did not win, (a victory parade?) — Iran seems to be the big winner in Iraq, now wielding huge influence there. What irony!

Now Afghanistan — 20 years and trillions of dollars, and roughly 80,000 Taliban have now defeated the United States of America? Eighty thousand? There are 150,000 people in Centre County.

As I understand it America spends more on the military than the rest of the world, combined.

This latest debacle must ignite a period of serious national reflection and change. Another 70 years like this and America may not exist.

Election audit a predictable waste

What a waste of dollars for an election audit, which Jake Corman is supporting. When nothing is found, the Kool-Aid drinkers will just blame it on whatever next excuse they can make. They will never accept the truth that a fair election occurred. Everyone is now seeing Corman jump into the mud of the big lie.