Letters: GOP attempts to rewrite history; Transparency under threat in Halfmoon Township

GOP attempts to rewrite history

In a country increasingly divided, uncivil and dangerously lacking in agreed-upon facts, I hold these truths to be self-evident:

No legislator should cheer any move to weaken minority rights.

Voting should be easy, convenient and fair — in every state in the Union. Democracy works best when all eligible voters can participate and have their voices heard.

The puppet masters of January 6th must be held accountable.

No one is above the law, including a former president.

In an effort to rewrite history, Republicans Gaetz, Gosar, Gohmert and Greene called the jailed rioters “political prisoners,” doubling down on a series of lies.

The 2020 election was not stolen.

The rioters were not all unarmed or welcomed into the Capitol by police officers.

The FBI did not orchestrate the insurrection.

The January 6th attack was not “legitimate political discourse.”

Capitol Police Officers Harry Dunn and Sgt. Aquilino Gonell, and D.C. Police Officer Michael Fanone, describe the emotional toll of that day as trauma.

Conservatives claiming to be pro-police, support the rioters, calling them “ordinary citizens,” while mocking the valor of the officers who defended the country.

Ordinary citizens don’t shatter windows, gouge eyes, break bones, erect gallows, chant death to the Vice President, smear feces on walls or parade around the people’s house carrying a traitor flag.

Republicans have won the popular vote for president only one time in 30 years.

Is it any wonder why the GOP’s only real strategy to win elections has been reduced to voter suppression and voter repression?

Transparency under threat in Halfmoon

The Dark Ages may be returning to Halfmoon Township. The Pennsylvania Sunshine Act requires agencies to deliberate and take official action on agency business in an open and public meeting. However, we have a board president, David Piper, who on Feb. 24, proposed discarding CNET in order to save residents $5. Currently, CNET records our board of supervisors meetings for those unable to attend, archives them and catalogs them. When asked how he would replace CNET, he replied there is nothing wrong with good old-fashioned pencil and paper. It is frankly appalling that someone who holds public office would suggest such a thing. One must ask, “why does anyone in power want to remove transparency from the people they are supposed to represent and serve?” The answer is never a good one. The motion failed with a vote of 2-3 (Chuck Beck was the other supervisor who voted to separate from CNET). I am exceptionally afraid that, given enough time, the third supervisor, who ran on a platform of fiscal responsibility, will cave to the board president. It was only because there were people in the room who were strongly opposed that he did not. Ironically, if anyone wants to question what happened, it can be viewed on YouTube. In the search bar, input “Halfmoon Township Board of Supervisors February 24.” It’s there thanks to CNET. However, if David Piper has his way, get ready to request stacks of paper. Hopefully, it won’t be smeared so you can read it.

Time to say ‘enough’ to Russian brutality

I just watched the TV news of the Russian strike on the maternity hospital. In this age of “smart” weapons it is hard to accept this as an accident. The pictures of the children and pregnant women being evacuated are heartbreaking. We see barbarism and evil on our TVs in the worst kind of reality show. The next news story was about the dithering that the administration is exhibiting trying to decide which lethal aid to Ukraine might make the invader angry, obsolete Polish jets or anti-tank weapons. There was a time when serious men and women would stand fore-square in front of baby killers and end the killing without consideration of what might happen to themselves or care if the antagonist got angry. Yes, this antagonist has nuclear weapons. Knowing that will we stand by and watch the carnage or move to stop it? How many orphanages, hospitals, children and mothers must the Russians destroy until we say, “enough”?

Will President Biden, Defense Secretary Austin and Secretary of State Blinken be seen by historians as the Neville Chamberlains of the 22nd century?

“I prefer peace but if trouble must come, let it come in my time, so my children can live in peace.” -Thomas Paine