Letters: Is a casino the best use for Nittany Mall?; Green movement’s success is built to last
Is a casino the best use for Nittany Mall?
I drove past the Nittany Mall last week and looked at that empty Macy’s store and parking lot. I remembered reading that some casino supporters are very tired of looking at that vacant store and its empty parking lot. I hoped some of our community members would drive past the mall and look at the old Macy’s store for a moment. They could then decide whether they would really prefer to see a mini-casino there for 30 years with vehicles of other Pennsylvania residents filling that parking lot.
I wondered if area residents would read the very recent online reviews of the newest mini casinos in Greensburg and York, which are posted just a few clicks away. Do that quick online search and you’ll find those reviews by casino patrons are posted on TripAdvisor, Google, and Yelp. You’ll also find that the novelty and thrill of those charming casinos has now quickly worn off. After reading a few of those recent reviews, please take a few minutes to e-mail the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) in Harrisburg at boardclerk@pa.gov. The PGCB Commissioners assured us they will read and consider those public comments before they vote to approve or deny and casino’s license application. The board meeting for that vote has not been scheduled and the date remains undetermined. Tell the PGCB what you want to see at the Nittany Mall for the next 30 years. Don’t just hope for the best because those hopes aren’t going to come true.
Green movement’s success built to last
The world is beginning to see that Green parties are more than just single-issue, countercultural factions. Their deliberate grassroots organizing, steadfast commitment to democratic processes, and emphasis on self-determination for all people have allowed the movement to prosper in a diverse array of societies and electoral systems in over 90 countries. The Green movement’s success is built to last, and as a united ideological front, they are set to reshape international discourse for decades to come.
Internationally, Green parties are a relatively new phenomenon. Green parties were started in New Zealand and Australia in 1972, and came to the United States in 1984. Their international coordination is also relatively young; the Global Greens, an international alliance of national green parties, was founded in 2001. I attended the First Planetary Meeting of the Greens in May 1992 in Rio de Janeiro in advance of the Earth Summit. So even as these parties act locally, however, they think globally, and are united by common views.
These Green parties arose as grassroots movements after decades of cultivation by environmentalists. Where they are flourishing, it is because of the sheer force of their organizing and campaigning. The Green Party of the United States calls for electoral reform in our first-past-the-post system, which has blocked us from power.
The Centre County Greens will be having a meeting on Jan. 29 at 1 p.m. to elect officers and conduct other business. All registered Greens in our county are invited to participate.
Hypocrisy in Corman’s message
Senator Jake Corman’s recent e-newsletter of Jan. 14 ends with this statement:
“Monday is recognized as Martin Luther King Jr. Day across America to honor the tremendous contributions of this civil rights icon. It is a day to rededicate ourselves to bridging our country’s divides. ‘The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of convenience and comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.’ – Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.”
What bitter irony and hypocrisy! Corman’s leadership is far from the King legacy. In truth, Corman prioritizes his own convenience and comfort by supporting falsehoods such as a “stolen” 2020 election, ineffective COVID-19 protocols, voting rights restrictions and other repressive Republican priorities.
Let’s find better leaders who really side with truth during these times of challenge and controversy.