Workers are also heroes
Every time we hear from hero military, firefighters and emergency responders after their heroic acts of bravery, they always humbly respond that they were just doing their jobs. On Labor Day, maybe we should recognize as heroes all those regular people that do their jobs faithfully. I was a manager at one time of 169 people and after recognizing one senior guy that hadn’t missed a shift in five years, he said it was the first time anybody in management at any level had ever recognized him for that. I then checked my whole division’s record. Even though we paid 100% up to three days without documentation and up to six months with documentation It turned out one third hadn’t missed a day in the last year, and another third had taken off only one day and almost all of the other third had missed only two days. Out of the rest of them, only a few had some serious problems like real back problems and heart or stroke emergencies. I witnessed guys who came to work no matter what and were proud of their work ethic. Somebody may think they were exploited fools. I think they were heroes.
Robert Bruce Matthews
Lynn Township
The writer is former operations manager for Buckeye Pipeline.
Trump’s laughable desire for a Nobel Prize
President Trump makes no secret of his desire to win the Nobel Peace Prize. I find the effort pathetic and laughable. Apparently, he does not understand that most people who are genuinely devoted to peace do not go around campaigning for awards and recognition.
While he was marching and preaching, I don’t believe Martin Luther King Jr. gave a lot of thought, if any, to winning awards. When Mother Teresa was caring for the sick, I doubt she was hoping she would get the Nobel Prize for her work. And as she sat under house arrest, do you suppose Aung San Suu Kyi was thinking, “Well, at least I might get a Nobel Prize.”
No, true peace seekers are too busy helping others and fighting tirelessly for justice. They don’t make a few phone calls to coerce feuding nations into so-called peace agreements and then walk away patting themselves on the back.
If President Trump is sincerely interested in being a peacemaker, I suggest he start at home. He can stop the harsh criticisms and name calling that are his trademark. He should stop demonizing those who oppose him. He could actually try kindness, honesty and humility for a change.
Mark Thomas
Hanover Township, Lehigh County
Russia must return children taken from Ukraine
In February, President Trump said he thought he could convince Putin to return the 19,500 Ukrainian children Russia abducted. Has he now forgotten these little ones?
The stealing of children is a war crime, one of countless other crimes allegedly committed by Russia’s President Vladimir Putin.
How can there be any peace agreement unless these children are safely returned? If Putin wants an end to this war that he started by invading the sovereign nation of Ukraine, then returning Ukraine’s children seems to be essential to any progress.
Please contact the White House and your members of Congress (Rep. Mackenzie, Sen. McCormick, Sen. Fetterman). Urge them to take a stand for these children. For example, Rep. Mackenzie could join his fellow Pennsylvania Republican, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, in co-sponsoring House Resolution 564, which calls for the “return of abducted Ukrainian children.”
If you’re a person of faith, pray for the well-being of the children and for our national leaders that they will have the moral courage to speak and act clearly on behalf of Putin’s young victims
Jerry Lee Miller
Bethlehem
Late Pa. budget inexcusable
Why does Pennsylvania have a constitutional mandate to have its budget completed by June 30 each year? Why is there no penalty for missing this deadline? Who do we blame for this blatant violation to our Constitution?
I have always been a supporter of legislation that requires a deadline, and a penalty built into that legislation to demonstrate the need for timely resolution. Either a fine or jail time or both. Since it appears that this is not the case, we as voters can implement our own penalty by voting every last politician out of their job come election time.
John Reilly
North Whitehall Township
Military should not police civilians
With the deployment of the military on the streets of American cities, it would be wise to heed the words of Benjamin Franklin. “Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.” If we allow the military to descend on Chicago, it is the beginning of the end. Republican enablers in Congress are silent as Donald Trump savages our Constitution and tramples the rule of law. We need to take back our country from this tyrant. The military should not be policing civilians.
Donald DeCray Sr.
Bethlehem
Science, education policies will cause US long-term harm
An excellent opinion piece in the Aug. 17 issue of The New York Times (“The White House Is Undoing 80 Years of American Greatness”) explained why the Trump administration’s attacks on education and research in science, including medicine, will have a significantly negative, long-term effect on our country’s economy and health, all to China’s benefit. But congressional Republicans, generally claiming to be stalwart supporters of national strength, economic progress, and law and order, seem to have remained silent about this issue, as well as all of the other reckless and unlawful policies and actions of Donald Trump and his administration, notably politicization of the Department of Justice and FBI, and open resistance to clean energy and climate change mitigation. What is desperately needed is a course correction at the ballot box in 2026 and in 2028, but sadly not until 2030 for Pennsylvania’s Sen. McCormick.
Jan C. Phillips
Allentown
The Morning Call publishes letters from readers online and in print several times a week. Submit a letter to the editor at letters@mcall.com. The views expressed in this piece are those of its individual author(s), and should not be interpreted as reflecting the views of this publication.
https://www.mcall.com/2025/08/30/letters-on-labor-day-here-are-the-heroes-we-should-be-honoring/
