Actions over words

Dear Editor,

Years ago, as an undergraduate student, at a major university an Ethics and Business Law professor suggested that we read an ancient and historic book , which among other subjects, described human nature regarding truth and deceit.

Truth and deceit would benefit us as future business professionals. Honesty was the prime ingredient of truth,whereas lies embellished deceit. The discussion and debate was intense and deliberate because our collective grade was at stake. Finally, we consulted the historical book which describes truth as “Not bearing false witness against your neighbor.”

Deceit, on the other hand, springs from the devil “… lying speech is his native tongue; he is a liar and the father of lies.” The research and subsequent 50-page report gained us a generous grade.

In a few months, the presidential election will determine whether truth or deceit prevails. Without question Donald Trump has proven,with speech and actions, that he represents lying speech and vindictiveness. Joe Biden,on the other hand, represents truth and compassion. For the sake of our democracy let truth and compassion prevail.

M.J. Shanshala,

Warren

Haas has district in mind

Dear Editor,

Friends, as we get ready to vote in the upcoming primary election of April 23, I am requesting you to please consider voting for Joyce Haas as one of your three choices.

She is number 8 on the ballot for GOP Delegates. Pennsylvania rules permit every voter to vote for a maximum of three individuals for both the Delegate and Alternate Delegate positions. The job of the delegate is to represent you, the Pennsylvania voters of our 15th Congressional District at the GOP convention and cast her vote on your behalf.

(FYI, all convention expenses are borne by the Delegate or Alternate Delegate).

Haas is a die-hard Trump supporter and has held leadership positions on Trump’s state effort in the past, including being the President of PA electoral College when Trump won Pennsylvania in 2016. She spent a lot of time speaking across PA to elect Donald Trump.

Haas was Vice Chair of PAGOP and Republican State Committee. She was Regional Director of Election Integrity in Congressional Districts 15 and 16 in 2022 fighting to protect your votes. In 2017, President Trump appointed Joyce Haas Mid Atlantic Director of General Services Administration (GSA). She served him well. She has earned Donald Trump’s trust and is asking for your vote. She has represented you in previous National Conventions and has the needed experience to be heard.

I have personally known her for more than 20 years and have been pleasantly impressed with her knowledge and dedication to politics and this Commonwealth.

Joyce is the last name on your ballot. I am requesting you please give one of your three Delegate Votes to No. 8 Joyce Haas please.

Ash Khare,

Member,

State Committee from Warren County

A Sunday hunt

Dear Editor,

In the 1970s, Pennsylvania judges, including Warren’s Common Pleas 37th District Judge Robert L. Wolfe, had it right in their rulings that Kroger and others (i. e. Jamesway) claim that the Commonwealth’s Constitution ban on Sunday sales violated the 14th Amendment’s “equal protection.” Some stores were open/selling and other stores not, due to laws dating back to late 1700’s. Judicial decisions cited religious freedom for all and the essential “firewall” between religion and state. The so-called “blue law” prohibiting Sunday sales were based on religious beliefs, namely an attempt to honor “Sunday as a day of rest.”

Currently, the PA Game Commission ban of Sunday hunting is being questioned; fines up to $500 remains for “violation of Sunday” hunting, with a few exceptions. If the Commission continues the ban based on non-religious reason OK, but I object if based on religious reasoning.

Federalist Papers 52, 53 & 54 and James Madison, “father of the Constitution,” in his Virginia Religious Freedom Act explain the importance of Religious Freedom For All and Separation Of Church and State; Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence, preached the importance of a WALL between church and state. There was controversy for sure. Patrick Henry cited “a decline of morality” and thus a need for state financing specific churches. There was agreement that our government had a Christian foundation but clearly the prevailing attitude was for separation.

Conservative Justices should have no qualms with their “strict” interpretation to uphold separation of church and state and First Amendment Religious Freedom for all. They claim they disdain judicial re-writing the Constitution and “judicial law making.”

We are not all Christians and Christians come with a variety of theologies. We have believers of many kinds of religions and some non-believers. Together, we are all Americans, equal under the law.

When judges’ rulings are based on their kind of religion and not based on the Constitution, that is wrong. If one wants to “keep their Sabbath Holy,” like the Amish, fine. If one doesn’t want abortions, don’t have them.

If one believes an embedded egg is a child, fine but not everyone agrees. If one believes a family is only between a man and a woman, fine but reality shows families come in all forms.

Practice your faith but do not force its prescripts onto others.

Christian Nationalism may sound nice but its ideas expressed locally and across the land is contrary to our Founding Fathers’ religious freedom beliefs and contrary to the Constitution’s separation of church and state.

Where are the Conservatives who want to conserve? It seems today’s so-called Conservatives want to revert back to Old World intermingling of church and state; that’s reactionary, not Conservatism. It’s also un-American.

Don Scott,

North Warren