Opinion

One month ago, hundreds of rioters stormed the Capitol building. Minutes earlier, then-President Donald Trump had urged his supporters to march on the Capitol; specifically, he told them “if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore.” Weeks before that, then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell had congratulated Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on their victory. He acknowledged, correctly, that the…

Four years ago, I felt great pride and joy when I saw Donald Trump taking the oath of office on the United States Capitol steps. However, the joy I felt then slowly dwindled as the days of his presidency wore on. I soon realized that Donald Trump was not just destroying the Republican values that I stood for, but also the American values that every…

As Dr. Martin Luther King said, “Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance.” It has become increasingly popular, of late, to quote Martin Luther King on his birthday. And for good reason. He was a conscience of our country. And now more than ever it seems we need voices like his to resonate through the halls of power. Ignorance, both sincere…

At one time or another, most elementary school students were asked in September how they spent their summer vacation. As we move into January 2021, it’s time to ask something different. How was your 2020? Likely, most people would respond with a resounding “Ugh!” And that’s the polite response. Another way to address 2020 is, as J.D. Tuccille of Reason Magazine put it, “annus horribilis.”…

My name is Fred Barakat. I'm 71 years old. I've lived in Pennsylvania all my life and in Chester County since 1980. There's no question that this opinion is motivated by self-interest, but I firmly believe it is the correct view. The current vaccine distribution plan puts senior citizens in the third priority of distribution. According to the CDC numbers, this is pretty much a…

As the long, dark COVID-filled months stretch before us, and as schools scramble to respond to the latest curveballs thrown by the pandemic, the government must fully address the threats our school districts face moving forward. An unprecedented educational catastrophe is looming and will jeopardize our children’s future success, and thus the success of our country if no countermeasures are taken. I think I speak…

When I read about Pizzas by Elizabeth in Greenville, Del., offering “Sonshine Surprise” pizza parties to deserving people, I immediately thought of nominating Trader Joe's Manager, Pat Ford, and his amazing crew at the Wilmington store. I have been going to this store since it's opening and my mother & I briefly visited together just before she was taken by breast cancer. The people who…

The voting process has integrity. If you don’t believe it, sign up to work the polls. Carefully counting ballots takes time and we all must respect and thank the many poll workers who don’t make much money and have to work grueling hours to serve our democratic republic. It is utterly hurtful and anti-American to cry election fraud with no evidence. It is appalling that…

Prohibitionists are losing their decades-long fight to lock people up for ingesting or inhaling certain substances, substances that make no money for big pharma. Specifically, cannabis and psilocybin — marijuana and magic mushrooms. In the Nov. 3 general election, voters in four states — New Jersey, Arizona, South Dakota, and Montana — said yes to adult use of recreational cannabis. Voters in Oregon said the…

As the Chester County Art Association's executive director, it has been my great pleasure to guide this amazing organization. Founded in 1931 by a group of art leaders — including N.C. Wyeth — the art center has been located near downtown West Chester since 1952. Tens of thousands of former students have happy memories of summer art camps and fabled dance classes, and highlights include…