Letters: Keep carpetbaggers out of PA; Show support to Ten Thousand Villages
Keep carpetbaggers out of PA
What’s with the Pennsylvania Republican Party’s love for carpetbaggers?
Remember two years ago when multi-millionaire New Jersey resident Dr. Oz ran for a U.S. Senate seat in Pennsylvania? Apparently “New Jersey Oz” thought he could bamboozle Pennsylvanians and buy himself a Senate seat.
Pennsylvania voters recognized the sham and sent carpetbagger Oz packing. Did anyone really think Oz gave a toot about Pennsylvanians?
Now the PA GOP has done it again. This year we have “Connecticut Dave McCormick” hoping his millions will buy him a PA Senate seat.
Yes, “Connecticut Dave” was born in Pennsylvania. But he never mentions that his real ties are to the Nutmeg State, where he lived during his Wall Street years and where he spends most of his time even now. And what does it say about a grown man who proudly touts his high school sports career as one of his Senate-worthy accomplishments?
New Jersey and Connecticut elect their own Senators. Why haven’t Oz and McCormick used their millions to run for a Senate seat from where they actually live?
Pennsylvania has more than three million registered Republicans. It’s sad that the PA Republican Party can’t find a real Pennsylvanian to run for U.S. Senate.
Pennsylvania voters saw though “New Jersey Oz” in 2022 and will see through “Connecticut Dave” in 2024.
Bob Potter, Boalsburg
Show support to Ten Thousand Villages
I was sorry to learn recently about the pending closure of the Ten Thousand Villages store on South Atherton Street in State College.
At a time when retailers compete to sell the same mass produced products for the lowest price while still managing to make record profits for their investors, owners and CEOs (but rarely their employees) the business model at Ten Thousand Villages is completely different.
Ten Thousand Villages (TTV) is a nonprofit organization that sells unique, handcrafted, fair-trade home and gift items produced by artisans from small, under-resourced villages all over the world. Your purchase or donation, no matter how big or small (TTV relies on donations as well as purchases to sustain its operations) directly impacts the lives of the artisans and their local communities. In addition, TTV ensures that each product is ethically sourced and has minimal impact on the environment, from production to purchase.
While it may be too late to change whether the store here remains open, I would encourage everyone reading this to pay a visit soon! Show your support for a nonprofit that genuinely tries to separate itself from the pack by doing what it right for its people and the planet. From its many artisans across the world to the local store staff — most of whom are volunteers — this dedicated and talented group of people deserves your support. And just maybe your show of support now could help turn a decision to close into one to stay the course.
David Mengle, Pennsylvania Furnace
A Memorial Day question
Given its origins, a fundamental question needs to be addressed as we celebrate Memorial Day in this important election year.
Memorial Day serves to honor those veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms we now enjoy. Along with those freedoms they bequeathed us another priceless gift. That gift is to be an “American.”
Americans share a bond that is unique in the history of nations. It’s not a bond derived from shared blood. It’s not based on the origin of our ancestors. And it’s certainly not because we all look alike, think alike, or worship alike.
What makes us uniquely “American” is our shared, deeply rooted belief in the “idea” of America ... the belief that all people are created equal and endowed with fundamental rights such as liberty, free speech, freedom of religion, due process of law, and freedom of assembly.
True, we’ve not yet fully realized this national aspiration. It has always been a work in progress. So perhaps the best way to honor our greatest patriots this year is to remember that we have an obligation to them to turn the “idea” of America into the reality of America.
The looming question, therefore, is simply this. Is it possible to truly honor those patriots who sacrificed everything to defend the source of our freedoms, democracy ... and still support a presidential candidate, Donald Trump, whose every action seeks to undermine it?
Ron Williams, Pennsylvania Furnace
Correct information about consolidation
I have been a vocal advocate for consolidation of the municipalities in the Centre Region for 40 years and must correct misleading information that appeared in this newspaper a couple of weeks ago. When municipalities vote to consolidate, all municipalities dissolve and become one new municipality with a new name. (We can certainly do better than “State College.”)
No municipality takes over the other. Opponents of consolidation should not spread misinformation. Stick to the facts.
R Thomas Berner, Benner Township
