Letters: Vote for Gun Sense candidates; Conklin fights for domestic violence victims

Vote for Gun Sense candidates

Brian Billston’s poem “America is a Gun” rings all too true. In the United States, firearm-related deaths are now the leading cause of death among children and teens.

Firearm deaths among children and adolescents jumped nearly 30% between 2019 and 2020.

If gun violence prevention and sensible gun laws are important to you, vote for Gun Sense candidates. Go to Gunsensevoter.org to see whether a candidate is in favor of common sense gun legislation.

Conklin fights for domestic violence victims

Recently Centre Safe Executive Director Anne Ard and Rep. Scott Conklin appeared together on Channel 10 News to promote domestic violence awareness. I’ve known Scott Conklin for many years. This issue is very personal for him due to his loss of three friends from domestic violence. I, too, have lost a couple of friends over the years and there is nobody I would rather have fighting on this issue than Scott Conklin. Please vote to keep him right where he is at on Nov. 8.

Examine a candidate’s values

As you decide your vote for governor, consider how the candidates match your values.

Should government officials discard your vote if they don’t like it?

Should a woman be forced to have a baby?

Should someone else’s religion – or any religion – be the basis for government policy?

If you answered “no,” there’s only one candidate who shares your values – and that’s Josh Shapiro.

Republicans used to agree with you, but the GOP has been taken over by MAGA acolytes like Doug Mastriano, who endorses anti-democratic positions.

He pledges to change the results of the 2024 presidential election if he doesn’t like the outcome. He will decertify voting machines in counties where he decides the result is rigged. He claims that the state legislature should determine presidential electors. He denies that Biden is the elected president. He aims to prevent mail-in voting and have every voter re-register to vote.

He prioritizes abortion bans, with no exceptions for rape, incest or women’s health. He declares women’s control over their own bodies “ridiculous nonsense.”

He calls the separation of church and state a “myth.” His campaign includes Christian prophets promoting conspiracy theories and the claim that the Women’s March on Washington was a manifestation of “the spirit of Jezebel.”

Mastriano and his MAGA Republican allies will make Pennsylvania a Christian state where voters have no say and human rights are denied.

Prevent that nightmare. Vote for Josh Shapiro. He defends our rights and the U.S. constitution.

Women have a say in the future

Your doctor just told you something is wrong with the fetus. No heartbeat, no brain development, a serious birth defect, an ectopic pregnancy or other congenital condition. Unfortunately, if your state bans abortions, you’ll have to carry the pregnancy to term. knowing the outcome, You will bury your child at birth or shortly thereafter. How cruel! How would you react?

Some states ban abortions, others have a few exceptions. Emphasis is on the unborn, but nothing once the child is born once you’re out – good luck, you’re on your own. There’s the “replacement theory” that soon whites will be outnumbered by Black and brown people. Who does the abortion ban mostly affect? Answer: the brown and Black community. Does this make any sense? What other rights may be in danger.

Republican legislators and candidates including Mastriano strongly supported the ban in the past. Since the vote in Kansas, many have backed off. Could it be because they’re afraid of losing votes? During confirmation hearings three Supreme Court justices said Roe v. Wade was safe. What did they do? In 1920 the 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote. It’s time we use that right. Before voting on Nov. 8, research candidates! What they said and what they do if elected will have a lasting effect on us, our daughters, nieces, granddaughters and future generations. Shouldn’t we have a say? Our future depends on it! Roe, Roe, Roe vote on Nov. 8. Our body — our vote.