The Top 10 Letters of the Week

As you might imagine, we get more letters to the editor here at PennLive Opinion than we could ever hope to run. Some are turned down because they're too long. Some don't make the cut because they just don't have that something that makes them worthy of publication.

None of these have run on PennLive Opinion before. It's a nice way to clear the decks on a Sunday morning before another busy week of news devours our collective attention.

Ready? Here we go.

10. Pennsylvania should legalize assisted suicide

Euthanasia is the voluntarily ending of one's life with the approval of a doctor(s) and the assistance of a doctor.

Euthanasia is permitted in six states and Washington, D.C. and in many countries. It is sometimes called suicide and therefore sinful and at present against the law in Pennsylvania. Most of us have been stretching our natural life with the help of doctors, prescriptions, drugs, procedures, operations, replacements of parts of the body, etc.

Is it sinful to stretch one's natural life that way?

Of course you could end your life by pulling all these wires, refusing prescriptions, etc.

This could be very painful and stressful for the patients and beloved ones.

You have had a successful life with many pleasant memories. You have been productive and useful to the society, often doing volunteer work, helping others. However at a certain time in your life you are not able to do these things anymore and life becomes more or less a drag.

You feel useless and being sometimes a costly problem to the society.

Our beloved ones of course will deny this, however you are a worry to them. I strongly feel that there should be a time when you can say: enough is enough. Tired of pain, handicaps, swallowing pills and visiting doctors.

Therefore, I am looking for legislators who are willing to tackle this concept of proposing a law to allow euthanasia in Pennsylvania.

For your information, I am lucky to be married and in relatively good health.

Perhaps there will be a time that I would appreciate that this solution is available to me.

HENDRIK JONGSMA, Susquehanna Twp.

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9. Rick Santorum, please stop talking about guns or anything else.

With his recent comments about students learning CPR instead of protesting school violence, Rick Santorum is so far off base that it is a shame. He should get off the national stage with his comments.

But Santorum may be attempting to fight a last ditch effort for the gun mongers.

There are very few people in this country who would say that guns should not be available to hunt and for self-defense.

However, no one in their right mind would use an AR15 or similar weapons to hunt quail. The only use for these military style weapons is for one purpose and one purpose only: To kill as many human beings as get in your way.

It is time for the country to realize that we have a gun mentality problem!!

As a retired Army officer, I am appalled that people do not really understand the purpose of the AK47, AR15 and other military style weapons. They have no place in the civilian world.

Maybe it is time for people to start paying a license fee in accordance to the number of shots capable without reloading to be used to pay for damages done in mass shootings and other senseless killings.

This would keep these weapons out of many people's hands that are buying them for the wrong reason.

JAMES H. MASSEY, East Pennsboro

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8. Here's the problem with arming teachers

A recent guest editorial advocated arming our teachers. What could go wrong with that?

Here are a few things.

Students, particularly male teenage students, will become fixated on taking the gun from the teacher. In the ensuing struggle, someone could be accidentally shot. If successful, we'd now have a student with a firearm in his possession who showed the lack of impulse control to pull this stunt in the first place.

With a shooter from outside, law enforcement arriving amid the pandemonium of an active shooting would be hard-pressed to distinguish the assailant from the defending teacher, increasing the odds the teacher would be shot.

A teacher could experience a mental breakdown. They have extremely stressful jobs. In addition to the normal boss-employee issues most of us face, you have a small population of out-of-control students, often defended by their parents. A teacher experiencing a breakdown is a personal tragedy. An armed teacher experiencing a breakdown could be a mass shooting.

Teachers could not afford the time for training comparable to law enforcement. Yet even extensively trained NYPD officers when facing an active shooter situation are capable of hitting their intended target a mere 18% of the time. How much worse would less-trained teachers fare? How many times would the wrong person be hit?

Armed teachers won't be a deterrent, because most mass shooters are intent on suicide.

To actually protect our children we need the intelligent solutions advocated by Ceasefire PA, like universal background checks, not this dangerous idea.

REV. JUDY YOUNG, Gettysburg

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7. Turzai needs to get behind redistricting reform - or get out of the way

In Pennsylvania congressional redistricting is left to the politicians and political parties. This process has made us one of the most "gerrymandered" states in the nation. The voting districts benefit parties, not people.

Legislators have introduced bills to fix this problem by establishing an independent citizens commission charged with drawing fair district lines that reflect real communities and are free from partisan and financial influence.

In the house, HB 722 proposes to create such an independent citizens commission in charge of both legislative and congressional redistricting.

A clear majority of House members (109) have signed on as co-sponsors of this bill. Yet this bill has been stuck in the Committee on State Government since May of last year because of two men: House State Government Committee Chair Daryl Metcalfe and Speaker Mike Turzai.

Metcalfe says that he is not interested in HB 722, despite repeated requests from constituents, colleagues, and the general public. He was not elected to be "interested" - he was elected to represent the people of Pennsylvania. If he can't do that, he should resign.

Mike Turzai began his gubernatorial campaign on a platform of strong leadership for reform. Yet when it comes to the issue of redistricting reform, that leadership is sadly lacking.

Please join me and other concerned Pennsylvanians in urging Daryl Metcalfe and Mike Turzai to move HB 722 out of committee so that it can get a fair debate and vote on the House floor.

GREG REINL, Upper Allen Twp.

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6. Whatever happened to 'In God We Trust?'

In reference to this latest school shooting, I would like to give my opinion and maybe a solution to the real problem behind this crisis ...

The real problem is not guns! It is in the change in society over the last 56 years. I am referring to when the Bible was taken out of school. When God is removed from anything, you can expect all sorts of problems.

When I went to school (1-12), the day began with Bible reading, the Lord's prayer, and the pledge of allegiance. Maybe as a kid you didn't understand what that was all about, but a seed was planted.

Let's look at what is happening since. Divorces went rampant; broken homes, most children are now raised in single parent homes, no father around. Lots of children these days don't know who their father is. Drugs, teen pregnancy, teen suicide, abortion, same sex-marriage, cyber bullying, and couples living as one, when not married.

Can someone please tell me where this, all of this, is approved of in the bible?

Now there are some who want "In God we trust" taken off our currency.

Just look at the way some of these celebrities mock Christians, like our vice president Mike Pence. Joy Behar made the reference about Pence. The sad thing about all of this is that society just accepts this. No wonder why both kids and adults get out of line.

When drunks get caught driving under the influence, usually most must attend a class for some period of time. Maybe it would be a good idea for all people that are always in trouble to attend bible classes for several months.

My whole logic behind this letter is, a lot of these problems would cease to exist if more people would attend church on a regular basis.

The parents must go and take their children! Lots of kids and some adults have never seen the inside of a church. Hillary Clinton made the statement that "we Christians must change our way of thinking!" My statement is "we have the right people in the White House."

I just want to add by saying I know there are a lot of good kids (most are), even the ones that get in trouble. They just need to be taught right and wrong, there is a sizable difference. Where are the role models? It's a sad day in the country when you can't even trust the FBI. Most movies today are filled with violence. How about some change in that?

Back to the shooting, the only solution is the heart and mind must be changed in these people and Jesus Christ is the only one that can do that.

The church must get involved.

RAYMOND BROWN, Jackson Township

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5. Here's what you need to know about chronic wasting disease and deer

When it comes to the detection and monitoring of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in Pennsylvania, no more is more serious about this effort than the deer farm industry. The CWD programs followed by the deer industry require the highest levels of surveillance in the nation.

All deer farms within the Commonwealth are required to be in one of two CWD programs, the Herd Certified program (HCP)

Deer

or the Herd Monitored program (HMP), requiring 100 percent or 50 percent mortality testing respectively.

The deer on these farms are the only deer in the state that are required to be tested. In the case of a CWD positive, the entire herd must be quarantined, and in most cases this leads to a complete depopulation of the herd by the USDA. It's devastating, but at times necessary for serious disease management.

In stark contrast, the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) tests less that 2 percent of harvested deer in the state.

To put this into numbers, in the 2016-2017 hunting seasons, an estimated 333,254 deer were harvested within our state.

Roughly 5,700 of those were tested for CWD, meaning another 327,754 (98.3 percent) harvested deer were NOT tested for CWD.

A testing protocol that excludes over 98 percent of the total harvest should be concerning to everyone.

The PGC has gone on record acknowledging that in both Disease Management Area 3 and the newly created Disease Management Area 4, they have CWD surveillance gaps of the wild deer populations.

Yet, when PGC is confronted with the uncontrolled expansion of CWD in their wild herds, they deflect and blame the problem on the deer farm industry.

Certain groups, including PGC and the Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen Clubs (PFSC) have slandered the deer farming industry with statements they refuse to substantiate or retract and have instead insinuated sole blame on the industry.

In addition, PFSC has promoted unnecessary regulation that would cripple business for roughly a 1,000 family farming operations within the commonwealth. Attacking Pennsylvania's farming community is a short sighted strategy and ultimately a failed approach in dealing with CWD.

To be clear, CWD is a serious issue that cannot be addressed by a single industry or a single state agency. CWD has been identified in both our wild herds (100+ locations) and in a few captive herds (8 locations) within Pennsylvania.

This continued blame narrative put on deer farmers is unfounded. We need to look no further than our neighboring states, Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia for the likely origin of Pennsylvania's CWD outbreak. These three states had expanding CWD infections for many years prior to CWD arriving in PA in 2012. Maryland and Virginia do not have deer farmers, and West Virginia is approaching 300 CWD positive wild deer yeet not a single deer from a deer farm has ever been detected with CWD.

The CWD problem is one we all must face with a clear and fair conscious if we are to have any success in managing this disease. Deer farmers have and will continue to fund research and work with all willing partners to solve CWD issues.

However, we should be concerned by the lack of honesty PGC and PFSC are giving to the disease discussion. Both Pennsylvania deer farming and deer hunting traditions are being put in jeopardy while these two groups "play politics" rather than investing in the serious management actions needed to control the CWD in our wild herds.

JARED BARRY, vice president of the Pennsylvania Deer Farmers Association

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4. Redeveloping Raystown Lake would be a disaster - here's why

The proposed marina for the Hawn's Peninsula on Raystown Lake (should the new Master Plan permit) will spell disaster.

Will a marina (and restaurants) on the peninsula help the already overcrowded boating situation on the lake? Certainly not. Adding another 150 boats will only further exacerbate the situation. And, with the required No Wake zones extending further out into the lake, it can only make for even more dense boating conditions.

Will the marina (and beaches) help the fishing in that area? Impossible! Talk to the fishing guides and long-time fishermen and women and they'll tell you about the significance of that area. That very important area for fishing will be forever ruined.

Will the marina (and camping sites and glamping sites, etc.) help the beauty of that natural area? Between the light and noise pollution and the trash and scarring of the mountainside required to bring folks down to the marina from a proposed resort (don't get me started on THAT!), this proposal will do anything BUT beautify. It will certainly destroy it and the habitat for the wildlife that live on it.

This area simply must remain classified as a Limited Recreational area in the new Master Plan currently being reconsidered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Allowing any development on that peninsula simply is not in the best interest of the lake or its users.

Make your feelings known here.

JIM GATES, Lemoyne Borough

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3. Scott Wagner is pro-life: That's a fact.

In his recent attacks against Scott Wagner's 100 percent pro-life record, gubernatorial candidate Paul Mango is simultaneously showing his ignorance of the pro-life issue while insulting pro-life advocates who have been fighting to protect the pre-born for decades.

First, Mango shows his ignorance about the pro-life issue by referring to Pennsylvania's 'liberal abortion law.' The fact is, Pennsylvania's Abortion Control Act is one of the most pro-life laws in the country.

Many states allow for abortions up to birth, while Pennsylvania restricts them to the first six months in most circumstances. Pennsylvania also requires a 24-hour waiting period before having an abortion, parental consent (in most circumstances), and basic health and safety requirements for abortion centers.

Mr. Mango's characterization of the Abortion Control Act as "liberal" an insult to pro-lifers across the Commonwealth. Pro-life women and men have spent countless hours first fighting to pass Pennsylvania's landmark Abortion Control Act, and then defending it in court and in the legislature. For someone who has said "the Supreme Court has decided that" to call the law pro-life advocates have shed blood, sweat, and tears over "liberal" is a slap in the face of those pro-life warriors.

Scott Wagner has a 100 percent pro-life voting record and has spent his time in the PA Senate looking for ways to strengthen the Abortion Control Act and save the lives of more babies.

Paul Mango would do well to educate himself on the issue and stop insulting dedicated pro-life advocates.

MATTHEW WAGNER, Silver Spring Twp.

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2. To really fix property taxes, we need a constitutional amendment

Eliminating real estate taxes for school districts and local and county government, as Republican Scott Wagner says he would do as governor means that a fairer tax would be needed to replace that lost local revenue.

An adjustable-rate graduated income tax, without deductions or exemptions and based on a taxpayer's ability to pay, would serve that purpose for those governing bodies.

Gov. Tom Wolf would like to reduce the state's corporate income tax, but replacing that lost State revenue wouldn't be easy. Increasing the State's sales tax hurts the poor, and increasing the State's personal income tax impacts unfairly on the middle class.

Not all corporations need tax relief, and a tax that could generate necessary state revenue and also give tax relief to deserving businesses is an adjustable-rate graduated corporate income tax.

Both of these fairer taxes would require an amendment to the Pennsylvania constitution.

DAVID L. FAUST, Snyder County

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1. What to do about 'Trump the Terrible' and his revolving door?

President Trump's character flaws are overwhelming his administration and placing our country in jeopardy. Former CIA Director John Brennan referred to Trump as "unstable, inept, inexperienced, and also unethical." I add divisive, chaotic, and terrible judgement.

In the past 15 months the following White House personnel have left: Stephen Bannon, Chief Strategist; Mike Dubke, Communications Director; Michael Flynn, National Security Adviser; Omarosa Manigault Newman, Director of Communications for Public Liaison; Rob Porter, Staff Secretary; Dina Powell, Deputy National Security Advisor; Reince Priebus, Chief of Staff; Anthony Scaramucci, Communications Director; Keith Schiller, Director Oval Office Operations; Sean Spicer, Press Secretary; Katie Walsh, Deputy Chief of Staff; Ezra Cohen-Watnick, Senior Director Intelligence; Tera Dahl, Deputy Chief of Staff; Derek Harvey, Middle East Adviser; Rich Higgins, Director Strategic Planning Office; Josh Raffel, Senior Communications Official; Michael Short, Senior Assistant Press Secretary; Gary Cohn, Economic Adviser; Kushner, Ivanka, and McMaster could be next. FBI Director Comey, Deputy FBI Director MCabe, and Secretary of State Tillerson were fired.

This turmoil is occurring during an investigation into Russian meddling in our election; Putin threatening us with nuclear weapons; China expanding its influence in the world, North Korea developing long range nuclear missile systems; Iran fomenting war in the Middle East; Muslim terrorists attacking the Western world; and domestic shooters killing Americans with assault weapons.

Trump The Terrible!

DONALD MOSKOWITZ, Londonderry N.H. (The author is a 1963 Penn State University graduate)

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