Sign up with unionized cable companies

A recent Morning Call article broke news of Comcast’s expansion into the Lehigh Valley. Potential customers should be aware of Comcast’s abhorrent anti-worker record before signing up. Comcast’s race-to-the-bottom has always been a losing deal for their employees. Approximately 98% of Comcast’s workers are nonunion. In just the last several years, an aggressive union-busting campaign led to the decertification of one of Comcast’s few unionized units in Harrisburg with locally based IBEW 1600. Meanwhile, CEO Brian Roberts raked in $33.9 million in 2024. High-speed broadband services are an essential part of our economy and everyday lives. The hard-working men and women that build these networks aren’t just employees, but our friends and neighbors too. They pay taxes that support our schools and sustain our infrastructure. In the Lehigh Valley, there are two unionized broadband providers: Verizon (CWS 13000) and Service Electric (IBEW 375). By shopping union, we can ensure that our hard-earned dollars are supporting the kind of dignified, family-sustaining jobs that make our communities stronger.

Jason Romano

Allentown

Homeless should be allowed to camp

I was reading in The Morning Call about the homeless camp along Jordan Creek. I agree anyone should be able to camp on secluded public property and greenway spaces out of the public eye, so long as they do not create any problems including any noise or trash laying around. I am a wildlife fan and often like to cruise through some of our parks and reservoirs taking photos of deer, ducks, geese and blue herons. Bless those poor souls, may they all find their way to better things through Christ.

Michael Walter

North Whitehall Township

Callous behavior to deny care to sick children

A recent New York Times article reported that our government has paused (and is conducting a review of) a visa program for people coming from Gaza. Most of the Gazans that are affected by this are small children who have been wounded in the ongoing war.

This program, through a nonprofit, has evacuated 63 injured children so far and sent them here for medical treatment.

Reportedly, this review was instigated by a woman (not elected by anyone) who has President Donald Trump’s ear, and is responsible for the firing of government workers for not being loyal enough to Trump.

If we as a nation have become so callous as to not allow very sick children to enter our country for care, we should be deeply ashamed of ourselves. What happened to the America that we were so proud of where we were the hope of millions? I wonder if we’ll ever recover from this.

Elias Marinos

Hanover Township, Northampton County

Headline typo cast doubt on story’s intent

I was surprised that today’s Retail Watch headline apparently expressed a judgement — “fair” — on Bethlehem Barrel & Drafthouse.  Fortunately, the third paragraph noted that pub fare was one of the cuisine styles.

Print media is the last hope for those of us who prefer to read, think and then reread about matters of importance.  And if we cannot rely on it to mean what the author intended, we are in trouble.

Kerilyn C. Burrows

North Catasauqua

Democracy in danger in US

Imagine living in a country where the government does not care about democracy, truth, justice and humanity. A place where masked men in unmarked vehicles drag you away and where the due process of law is ignored. A place where the government and their media enablers are claiming that you, because you are an immigrant or are otherwise different, must be a criminal, a rapist, a murderer.

This is a place where to your loved ones, you will seem to have disappeared. A place where there is no way for you to appeal what happened. A place where you may never be released.

This place already exists. It is Trump’s New United States of America. It has come to be with the stamp of approval of most of the Republicans in Congress and Republican-appointed members of the Supreme Court.

What will you do if they come after your neighbor? What will you do if they come after you?

Gary G. DeLeo

Hanover Township, Northampton County

America could end fighting in Gaza

I would like to thank you for publishing the Aug. 18 commentary by Seth Levin addressing Israel’s actions in Gaza. Like many others, I have been shocked by the pictures of desperate Gazan parents forced to choose between letting their children starve to death or risk being shot as they try to obtain food. Like many others, I continue to ask myself why is this happening?

Mr. Levin’s deeply powerful commentary offers some clarification as to why this deplorable situation is allowed to continue: “America is Israel’s most important defender, ally and patron. The moment America says this war must end, it will. The moment America says Israel must change, it must.”

” … as Jews, as Americans and as humans, we all have an obligation to say that this is wrong. Criticism of Israel does not hurt Jews. What hurts us [Jews] is what hurts everyone: watching this and not doing everything we can to make it stop.”

I think Mr. Levin has hit the nail on the head. “The moment America says this war must end, it will.”

However that statement speaks to us, may we each find our own way to respond.

Nancy Scheirer

Bushkill Township

Trump comment about war not funny

There is nothing funny about President Trump’s comment after Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that the Ukrainian Constitution doesn’t allow elections during wartime: “So, let me just say, three and a half years from now … if we happen to be in a war with somebody, no more elections. Oh, that’s good.”

This is not funny at all. Starting a war — anytime — is nothing to joke about. On top of that, once again he shows that he doesn’t know U.S. history. The Constitution of the United States contains no such restriction. In fact, presidential elections have been held during every war or conflict since World War I, with the exception of the first Gulf War.

America has never suspended democracy in the face of war, and the idea that we would is not only wrong — it’s dangerous.

Robert Cichonski

Upper Macungie Township

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.