May 13, 2020 2 min read

Thank goodness for Observer-Reporter op-ed writer Dave Ball.

In these truly uncertain times, it is reassuring to read the unvarnished truth of someone who “just gets it.” Someone so certain of his views that he does not tolerate any others. So certain that all issues are black and white, with never a hint of gray. So certain that the president is without reproach in his policy and his behavior. So certain that Nancy Pelosi and Tom Wolf are spawns of the same Satan with not a single policy or idea to be embraced. It is comforting to see his byline and already know what he is going to say. Kind of like wearing that old favorite sweater that you can’t throw away because its familiarity just feels comforting.

My only fear is that the O-R will bow to Ball’s misguided critics and vanquish him from the editorial page. Worse yet, he may be replaced by someone who sees the nuances of issues. Someone who concedes that not everything has to be seen through a partisan eye. Someone who doesn’t view every issue from the radical fringe but from the practical middle. Someone with an open mind and a willingness to admit that good ideas can come from many places. Someone who doesn’t manipulate the facts to fit his own narrative.

No one wants to see that kind of writing on the O-R opinion page. Keep Dave Ball!

Tom Trettel

South Strabane