Letters to the Editor | Sept. 17, 2026
Inquirer readers on the measles outbreak in Pennsylvania and Sen. John Fetterman’s willingness to cross party lines.
We need a doctor
As a former healthcare professional, I applaud The Inquirer’s continuing coverage of the measles outbreak in Pennsylvania.
Even before his appointment, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. promoted pseudoscience built on anecdote and apocrypha. He holds no medical degree, and his elevation was a political payoff from Donald Trump — the same president who endorsed Kennedy’s specious claim that autism was caused by Tylenol. Now, because of Kennedy’s anti‑vaccine fearmongering, a disease virtually eliminated 25 years ago is making a resurgence, with cases now surpassing the totals from 2025.
While the vaccine guidelines supported by Gov. Josh Shapiro are endorsed by preeminent public health researchers, Mr. Kennedy has muddied people’s minds with false flags of political overreach.
The flu season is upon us. How many will turn away from vaccination, clinging to some politicized belief that they have the “right” to distrust validated medical science? It is a regrettable legacy for the Kennedy name — one that risks associating it not with public service, but with the resurgence of preventable diseases.
Richard O’Connell, Philadelphia
Building bridges
What is wrong with a representative who is willing to cross party lines when they agree with the other party’s position? Isn’t this what we want them to do to reach a compromise to get things done instead of this stalemate we currently have?
We need more representatives like John Fetterman, not fewer. He should be praised, not criticized.
Robert Mattern, Wilmington
Expand imagination
As board chair of Arts Holding Hands and Hearts, I want to draw attention to an extraordinary milestone in our community: More than 11,500 children in Chester County are now registered for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Thousands of others in the Philadelphia metro area are currently enrolled through local library systems and funding partners. This number represents far more than books — it represents hope, opportunity, and the belief that every child deserves the chance to dream more, learn more, and be more.
To honor Parton’s life, along with the announcement that Sept. 25 will be “Give Like Dolly Day,” Pennsylvania has an opportunity right now to expand this impact statewide. Senate Bill 459, which would support the statewide expansion of the Imagination Library, is currently before the legislature. I urge readers to contact their state senators and ask them to vote yes on SB 459. This is not a political issue — it is a commitment to our children’s futures.
I also call on Gov. Josh Shapiro and leaders across Pennsylvania to champion this effort. Dolly Parton has shown what is possible when we invest in children without hesitation or division. We should follow her example and ensure every child in our commonwealth has access to the tools, support, and opportunities that early literacy provides.
Our kids are ready. Our communities are ready. Now we need our leaders to be ready, too.
Doug Doerfler, Kennett Square
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