Letters: Let justice be served; Reevaluating what’s ‘fit to print’

Editor’s note: The CDT welcomes letters endorsing candidates in the May 16 primary election and will accept letters that are received by May 11. Letters are subject to editing, must be based on facts and should avoid attacks on other candidates.

Let justice be served

As a student of politics, my happiest moment occurred when a Black man, Barack Obama, was elected President. My most bewildering moment occurred when an unindicted criminal, Donald Trump, was elected.

Those two elections were causally related. Obama’s election provoked an ugly backlash among America’s aggrieved whites, people having much in common with those who were proud to partially exterminate the Native Americans and steal their land; who enslaved African Americans to work that stolen land and then — after losing a treasonous Civil War — subjected them to Jim Crow lynching and segregation. This type embraced McCarthyism and believed Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction.

A minority within America, these people found their champion in evil Donald Trump — an inveterate liar, sexual predator and corrupt businessman — who captured their imagination with his racist lies about Obama’s birth certificate, lies which questioned the legitimacy of his presidency.

After a presidential campaign marred by “Access Hollywood” sexual assault boasts, hush money payments to porn stars, and “lock her up;” and a presidency besmirched by more than 30,000 lies, gross mishandling of the COVID pandemic, two impeachments for attempted bribery and fomenting an insurrection, and an illegal interference in Georgia’s 2020 presidential election; Trump followed up with lies and obstruction concerning classified and other government documents unlawfully in his possession.

Now Trump is finally getting what he deserves — criminal indictments! The historic first indictment came from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg on March 30. Let justice be served.

Walter C. Uhler, State College

Reevaluating what’s ‘fit to print’

With the increase in tragic and horrendous events such as the Nashville school shooting, newspaper coverage brings increased debate as to the reasons for such acts. That’s expected and necessary.

There are some publications, too few in my opinion, which have made it a policy to avoid naming the perpetrators. Granted there may be valid reasons for printing names, such as aiding authorities, informing the public of ongoing threats, etc. Not all perpetrators seek wide notoriety that comes with such acts, but clearly some do. What other reason is there for “manifestos”? I’m with the “print less” thinking. It’s not an attempt to sweep it under the rug, or minimize. It is after all, part of “the news.” But the publishing of names, along with full page color photos of the perpetrators, and even photos of perpetrators in the process of carrying out the deed, is obscene and completely unnecessary. The same goes for publishing manifestos. It all adds to the contagion effect. I think we need to reevaluate what’s “news, fit to print.”

Tom Barr, Julian

Pope focused on what’s best for PSU

I write to express my heartfelt gratitude to Penn State University for providing an education that changed my life for the better in countless ways (MS, ‘83; Ph.D., ‘86). However, for too long I was ignorant about the time, energy, commitment and care it takes to create, sustain and steward such a university. While having great pride in attending PSU, I also took the existence of the university for granted.

This is in stark contrast to my colleague Dr. Alice Pope. Dr. Pope earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology, as well as master’s and doctoral degrees in clinical psychology from PSU. She has worked with exceptional care and perseverance to be a steward of this special university. She has earned my deep respect as a member of the PSU board of trustees by virtue of her generous, compassionate and steadfast care of PSU.

Her contributions to PSU are also informed by her unique perspective as a member of the faculty at multiple institutions of higher education (Texas Tech, NYU Medical School, St. John’s University). Faculty members are not very often integrated into the governance structure of university boards of trustee. It is also uniquely meaningful that one of her ancestors, Frederick Watts, was a PSU founder as well the first chairperson of the PSU Board of Trustees. As with Mr. Watts, Dr. Pope is focused on making PSU the best possible institution for everyone connected with it. It is, literally, in her DNA.

Thomas Pruzinsky, Hamden, Connecticut