Crown Act an example of government overreach
On this Thanksgiving Day thinking about all the blessings to be thankful for, Gov. Shapiro signing the Crown Act prohibiting discrimination based on a person’s hair type is another blessing and a great example of our government at work. The thinking behind that extraordinary piece of legislation is mind boggling to say the least.
The blessings just keep on coming.
The government being all knowing, dictating to businesses how they should represent themselves gives me great comfort. To think business knows what they want and should be able to engage their vision is unimaginable. Thank you, Gov. Shapiro.
The preceding commentary is indeed meant to be sarcastic which allows me to vent at what is in my opinion a totally ridiculous law and a waste of government time and resources.
Mark Porcaro
Palmer Township
Nursing profession deserves respect from president, US
Newsweek Magazine recently reported that Donald Trump’s Department of Education has excluded nursing as a “professional degree program.” This is allegedly being done in order to reduce student loan payments as part of the infamous “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.”
The American Nursing Association responded that “limiting nurses access to funding for graduate education threatens the very foundation of patient care.” This change will affect hundreds of thousands of students.
I am very proud of my nurse practitioner daughter who works in the field of palliative care. I have the privilege of working with nursing students at DeSales University. These students and their instructors are committed, they are competent, and they are so caring.
Some estimates indicate health care providers could face a shortfall of up to 5.7 million nurses by 2030. Tell me, who in their right mind would even think of reducing funding for nursing education?
Mr. Trump should keep his uninformed and uncaring hands off of our sacred nursing profession. Remember when President Obama said, “America’s nurses are the beating heart of our medical system.”
Robert C. Hunsicker, M.D.
Lower Saucon Township
Towns, cities need to make biking an easier alternative
In the U.S., less than 1% of the workforce commutes by bicycle. Cars have instead become a necessity in everyday life, contributing to traffic congestion, increasing pollution and driving the demand for fossil fuels. Towns and cities across the U.S. should therefore begin constructing and utilizing bike lanes as a form of convenient transportation. This development would help reduce pollution produced by cars, decrease traffic, reduce the demand for fossil fuels and promote a healthier lifestyle. In the future, an increase in biking could also encourage the use of public transportation as an alternative.
Joshua Lee
Perkasie
The writer is a junior at Lehigh University.
PPL Plaza chief engineer will be missed by company
It was interesting that the architect for the PPL Plaza died at age 86 in the same month that the chief engineer of the project, K. Scott Sine, died at the age of 57. Scott was instrumental for using innovative integrated design features that made the building much more efficient while keeping the costs within market norms for such a structure, a feat that was unusual at the time when most LEED-certified buildings cost more than buildings built to code. Scott will be sorely missed by his family and the company he founded, GEMM Masterplanning.
Bruce Wilson
Upper SauconTownship
The writer is project developer at GEMM Masterplanning.
West Bank settler violence needs to be condemned
The ongoing violence by extremist settler groups in the West Bank represents a serious and deeply troubling human rights crisis. In recent years, many Palestinian communities have faced escalating attacks that include home burnings, destruction of farmland, harassment at checkpoints and assaults carried out with near-total impunity. Villages are sometimes raided at night, families are forced out of their homes and olive groves — often a primary source of income — are cut down or set on fire. These actions create an atmosphere of fear designed to pressure Palestinians to abandon their land.
International organizations, including the United Nations and respected human rights groups, have repeatedly documented these incidents and warned that the violence is not isolated, but part of a broader pattern that undermines the rule of law. Many of these attacks occur in areas under Israeli authority, yet perpetrators are rarely prosecuted, leaving victims without protection or justice.
The suffering caused by these acts is profound. Children grow up surrounded by intimidation, families lose livelihoods and entire communities are displaced. Condemning these atrocities is essential, not as a political stance, but as a defense of basic human dignity. Let’s condemn these acts of terrorism so peace has a chance.
Amir Famili
Upper Macungie Township
Mark Twain’s definition of patriotism still works
Scholars have tried to explain patriotism for as long as I can remember, but I think Mark Twain said it best: “Patriotism is supporting your country all the time and your government when it deserves it.”
Robert Bauer
Bethlehem
We can’t afford the cost of artificial intelligence
Since we were introduced to artificial intelligence in 2022, the software has quickly integrated itself into our daily lives. The only path forward appears to be growth: developing “smarter” versions, expanding to new industries, increasing the amount of users.
However, this comes at an extraordinary cost that we can not afford.
AI is extremely energy intensive, using about 10 times more electricity than a single Google search, according to the World Economic Forum. It contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, ample water use and electronic waste. In the face of exacerbating climate change, the shoe is not large enough for the substantial carbon footprint of AI.
Téa Weinstein
Bethlehem
The writer is a sophomore at Lehigh University.
Project 2025 Your View failed on common sense
I always thought that the title professor emeritus was something to be respected, until I read Professor David Bullock’s Your View on President Trump’s Project 2025 plans. After reading his comments on Trump, it seems that common sense still is nowhere to be seen.
In a lot of today’s colleges, Trump derangement syndrome is alive and well.
Roger W. Vonah
Riegelsville
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.
