Letters: The states must lead — and we must demand it

The states must lead — and we must demand it

We are living through a moment of real national danger. The rule of law is being strained, constitutional limits are ignored, and federal power is increasingly used to intimidate and divide rather than to protect. When national institutions falter, the states are not spectators. They are a constitutional counterweight — and today, they may be our last line of defense.

Democratic governors, acting together, have the authority and responsibility to meet this moment. As chair of the Democratic Governors Association, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear is uniquely positioned to convene his colleagues and help forge a unified response rooted in constitutional governance, democratic norms, and equal protection under the law.

That leadership must be visible and coordinated: a joint declaration of principles, interstate cooperation to protect civil liberties, and emergency legislative action to set clear limits on unlawful federal overreach. Governors should also insist on accountability where federal enforcement has failed, including basic standards for transparency, oversight, and the use of force.

History does not judge moments like this kindly when leaders hesitate — and when citizens stay silent. Governors will only act boldly if they know the public is watching and demanding leadership.

This is not symbolic. It is urgent. And it is achievable.

Now is the time to call our governors and urge them to stand together, defend the Constitution, and lead. (Governor Shapiro can be reached at www.governor.pa.gov/contact or by phone at 717-787-2500.)

Patty Satalia, State College; Diane Ebken, Patton Township; and Linda Barton, State College

Could eminent domain save Addison Court?

A few years ago, State College Borough Council nearly seized the Brewery in eminent domain to answer a parking crisis.

Couldn’t the Borough Council now seize Addison Court in eminent domain to answer our affordability housing crisis?

I have lived in Addison Court for nearly 28 years enjoying the downtown. The residents here, like me, are all deeply unsettled and fearful at having to move for more student housing. Please write Borough Council to support us.

John Harris, State College

McCormick’s response ‘indefensible’

Sen. Dave McCormick’s response to the killings in Minneapolis is not just inadequate — it is indefensible.

Two innocent people were killed by federal agents in broad daylight. They were not suspects, not aggressors, not threats. Video footage, viewed by millions, shows no imminent danger and no justification for lethal force. Yet instead of demanding accountability, Sen. McCormick rushed to defend ICE and redirect scrutiny away from the agents involved.

That choice matters.

The Senator cites dramatic increases in assaults and threats against ICE officers as if those numbers exist in a vacuum. They do not. Public outrage did not materialize out of nowhere — it is a reaction to years of unchecked cruelty and documented abuses. ICE has used a 5-year-old child as bait. It has illegally detained a 2-year-old and sent her across state lines. It has targeted families seeking medical care and fired chemical agents at peaceful protesters exercising their First Amendment rights.

This is not “upholding the rule of law.” It is the erosion of it.

Equally troubling is Sen. McCormick’s dismissal of protesters as “paid activists.” Pennsylvanians and Americans across the country are showing up because conscience demands it — not because anyone is paying them. Suggesting otherwise is lazy, insulting and designed to delegitimize dissent.

Anger is not the problem. State violence without accountability is.

History will remember who demanded justice — and who chose to excuse the inexcusable.

Kathleen Smith, Boalsburg