— As a Bishop McCort Catholic High School graduate, I have been following the stories concerning the alleged abuse of students at a school in another state. This is a horrible thing, and my heart goes out to the victims of this abuse.

I am puzzled by the reaction regarding the removal of Ken Salem, Bishop McCort principal. In fact, it seems like more people care about this than the wronged students.

It was Salem’s job to protect the students, and he failed. His job was to know what was going on in his school. Again, he failed. I think his removal is absolutely the appropriate action. Ignorance is no excuse.

I think more effort needs to be directed toward helping the victims, rather than the now-administrator who failed them.

Judith Viveralli

Durham, N.C., formerly of Johnstown



Teetering on brink of eternal damnation

There was a skit on “Saturday Night Live” several weeks ago that was really blasphemous. The title was “DJesus Uncrossed.” What in world is going on here? They were portraying Jesus as an unforgiving, murderous, merciless madman seeking revenge on the world that put him on the cross.

Needless to say, I was really offended. Jesus is totally the opposite.

Jesus would say, “Father, please forgive them; they know not what they do.” I don’t believe the writers of the script know how close to the edge of hell they are. You have to remember that God alone has the power to send sinners to hell. That’s why God sent his son, Jesus, to die for the whole world, so we don’t have to go there.

I wouldn’t want my worst enemy to go there. It’s a terrible place, and it’s for eternity.

Another thing that has always bothered me is why comedy writers don’t make fun of Mohammed, Buddha or the Hare Krishna.

And when people swear, why don’t they say, “ah, Buddha!” or “ah, Mohammed!” when they are mad, instead of blaspheming the name of Jesus?

Randy Knupp

Johnstown



Obama wants more than we can afford

Four years ago, President Obama denied that his health care mandate was a tax increase; it was. Now he wants more.

How can we afford him?

He’s also proposing to cut our military, giving our enemies a chance at us.

Just wait until grocery prices start going sky-high, and, oh yes, gasoline prices go over $4 a gallon.

Joe Morris

Upper Yoder Township



Double-talk from plant operator

I have often said that the reason so many people are getting cancer has got to be from what’s put in the food we eat.

Could Craig Cernic, president of USW Local 2635-17 of the sewage-treatment plant, be right? That one of the reasons is that Johnstown Redevelopment Authority  has authorized the buying of lime kiln dust for the sewage plant at a fraction of the cost of pure lime – causing a health risk.

On March 6, Jeffrey Mulligan, chief plant operator, stated that the sludge from the plant is mixed with lime and applied to farmers’ fields. But he also says it is not true that crops harvested from these fields are sold to the public – the biosolids are used to fertilize feed crops for livestock and are not ingested by humans.

We eat these animals. What kind of double talk is that – to save money and give humans cancer by not telling us that lime kiln dust contains crystalline silica, a known carcinogen – a substance that produces cancer? The redevelopment authority has approved this without people knowing about it.

Please, somebody do something about this before we all die from cancer.

Also, the authority is the one making us pay a double sewage bill to two different entities – monies they had 20 years ago for the sewage problems but misused those funds. Abolish the authority. It won’t even tell city council what’s going on. It sounds like dictators to me. God help us.

Helen Bowser

Johnstown                                                                                            An editorial on this topic appears today.



What is wrong has now become right

Have we become a nation that believes wrong is right and right is wrong?

Eighty-four percent of the country believes in God as our creator, as did the Founding Fathers. We are endowed by our creator and wrote the Constitution based on this belief.

We have openly gay celebrities who we treat as great public figures, knowing their lifestyles are wrong in the eyes of God, and we accept same-sex marriage. Twenty years ago, this was not acknowledged.

Wrong is right.

The president uses polls and bases his decisions on what the country believes. The majority of the country, according to polls, do not believe in abortions and same-sex marriages.

Spending in Washington is ignored by President Obama, who does his own bidding.

Right is wrong.

Fifty years ago, 36 percent of the country depended on the federal and state governments; now it’s 51 percent. Are we becoming a nanny state while society enjoys the free programs and hitches a ride on the backs of others? “Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish and he eats for life.”

Wrong is right.

We’ve taken the Ten Commandants and changed it to the 10 suggestions. Are we losing favor with God because we believe right is wrong?

Churches need to start preaching the true word and not water down sermons, worrying about who will be offended.

We’re losing our moral compass and human souls to what is wrong is right.

Peter M. Fedash

Richland Township

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