Letters: Proposed refinery should concern all; Safe storage of firearms saves lives

Proposed refinery should concern all

Centre County citizens as well as all Pennsylvanians should be very concerned about the Nacero natural-gas-to-gasoline facility proposed in Luzerne County. According to the Clean Air Council, if this refinery were built, it would be the third-biggest climate polluter in the state and a very significant source of toxic air pollutants. This project would not only emit massive carbon pollution but the end product— gasoline — would be used in vehicles to produce even more air pollution.

The time to transition to clean alternative energy is now. We know that fossil fuels negatively impact our climate and our health. To continue down the fossil fuel path harms all Pennsylvanians. Alternative energy provides cheaper and cleaner energy while providing good paying union jobs. It is a win-win for Pennsylvania. Please contact the DEP and tell them not to issue a permit for the Nacero plant and to embrace clean alternative energy now.

Safe storage of firearms saves lives

Two-thirds of gun deaths in Pennsylvania are suicides. Suicide rates are especially high for middle-aged white men, veterans, those living in rural areas, and LGBTQ adults and youth. Fifty percent of suicides are not planned – they occur within one hour of the suicide decision and 25% occur within five minutes of the decision. Any delay in access to a firearm may save a life. Secure storage of firearms means storing guns locked, unloaded, and with the ammunition locked and stored separately.

Winters in central Pennsylvania can be lonely and isolating. If you know someone struggling with sadness or depression who has access to firearms, please learn more about how you can help them at afsp.org. You can learn more about secure gun storage, how to get free gun locks, and how to ask about gun safety in the homes your child visits at BeSMARTforKids.org. Safe storage of firearms is an easy and effective way to save lives.

Democratic socialism is not to be feared

We extend Richard London’s comments from Jan. 28 on American socialism.

Many Americans react negatively to the idea of socialism because they associate it with the USSR during the Cold War. People feared the USSR, and because the USSR practiced socialism, they feared socialism.

This argument is flawed. Yes, we had reason to fear the USSR — not because of their embrace of socialism, but because of their militaristic belligerence (they were a nuclear power). We have reason to fear Russia today because of their continued saber-rattling, but they do not practice socialism the way that they did back then.

Democratic socialism is not to be feared; it is a crucial tool used by Western democracies to deliver services to their citizens.

Democracies do not have to choose between socialism or capitalism. Democracies use a capitalist approach for much (probably most) of their economic activity, and they use a socialist approach for important activities (such as education and infrastructure) where it simply works better than capitalism does.

The socialist approach educates nearly 100% of our children, whereas a private-enterprise (i.e., capitalist) approach would reach only those able to pay private school tuition. The socialist approach provides roads for all of us to use, whereas a capitalist approach would require payments to drive.

Western democracies differ from each other in how much they use the socialist approach. Scandinavian countries use it for more functions than we do (primarily for universal health care), but they are no less democratic than we are.

Casino would be a detriment to Centre County

The casino at the Nittany Mall will be a sad day for Centre County. If it happens they should be required to post signs outside telling people not to leave anything of value in plain sight in their vehicles. Not even a quarter.

The ones that will be there most often will be people that have a bad habit of gambling and can’t even afford to buy food or other basic needs. All they want to do is gamble. They will need to have a room for Gamblers Anonymous meetings.

There are so many people that are against this and that should make a difference. I guess we will have to wait and see.

Good luck Nittany Mall.