Letters to the Editor | Nov. 16, 2023

Women spoke loud and clear on Election Day. We do not want anyone, let alone a bunch of old white men, telling us what we can and can’t do with our bodies. Yet GOP lawmakers continue to try to restrict abortion rights. The last three U.S. Supreme Court justices were put in place specifically to overturn Roe v. Wade, which they promptly did. Many in the Republican Party claim the reason is the “sanctity of life,” yet these very same people have fought to keep birth control out of health plans, cut pre- and postnatal care, don’t support longer maternity leave, and have slashed SNAP benefits and other social programs that help children.

After every election loss, Republicans are flummoxed and refuse to see that women have fought too long and too hard for the rights that we have, and we don’t want them to interfere or have a say at all, since it’s none of anyone’s business. Especially when it comes to if, and when, we want to have a child. But I hope the Republicans never figure this out and women’s health care continues to be an election issue. It will help keep those who claim they are “right to lifers” (when all they are is “pro-birth”) out of office.

C. Fogarty, Schwenksville

Will Bunch’s column in Sunday’s Inquirer decries the fact that 97% of all “stop-and-frisk” stops in New York involved Black and brown suspects. The problem is that most of the shootings we read about almost daily involve people of color, usually males. That being said, most of these stops are, as the U.S. Supreme Court ruled, unconstitutional. But there may be a middle ground. These shootings, in many cases, seem to be gang-related or to avenge some perceived slight. Hopefully, the police force under Mayor Cherelle Parker and the new police chief will increase its intelligence gathering to be aware of impending gang violence or of some angry, armed youth. Knowledge of possible impending violence may be enough to legally justify the stop of an involved gang member or an angry youth. A further justification may be a school-age teen who isn’t in school. It is worth a try.

David C. Harrison, Philadelphia, dcharrlaw55@comcast.net

The Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court struck down our state’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, and now Gov. Josh Shapiro has until Dec. 1 to appeal that decision. RGGI is a cap and investment program that has had great success in 11 neighboring states, simultaneously reducing carbon pollution at the source while using the proceeds to invest in clean energy solutions. Almost four in five Pennsylvanians support a limit on carbon pollution from power plants, and RGGI is the proven mechanism that can accomplish this. While its opponents will fearmonger by stating that this would be a burden on ratepayers, the increases are immaterial once spread out. The benefits to our citizens in the form of clean, breathable air are very material.

Edward Mackin, Willow Grove

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