Should we be so happy about Chobani’s plans?

Is it just me or does it seem like everybody in the Lehigh Valley, especially politicians, are absolutely giddy about the new $1.2 billion investment Chobani is making for a Greek yogurt plant? Yet I read in The Morning Call that the plant will eventually need to process 2.2 million gallons of wastewater every day!

This is equivalent to water usage of a hyperscale, 100-megawatt data center facility (the kind Microsoft, Google and Meta use). But wait, there are three townships partnering together to handle this problem. Yay!

Is Chobani building a power plant for the energy it needs? What about the climate impact from the potential increase of dairy cow flatulence in Pennsylvania? And I’m sure Chobani will be reducing its data center needs by running their business with yellow legal pads and pencils. Is yogurt more important for those who can consume it without producing their own environmentally destructive gases than data centers, which we all need?

— Vincent Fazio, Allentown

Election fraud claims don’t make sense

Let me get this straight. Our elections were perfect in 2016, when Republicans took the presidency, House and Senate. Our elections were riddled with fraud and cheating in 2020, when Democrats took the presidency and House, and the Senate was tied. Our elections were perfect again in 2024, when Republicans again took the presidency, House and Senate. We thought.

Now we hear that, just as in 2020, the last election was riddled with fraud and rampant cheating. So, are Republicans saying they didn’t really win or that they cheated to win? (Since they clearly did win, rampant cheating is alleged, and there has been no national election since.)

Clearly, Republicans are casting doubt on the upcoming election results, should they be defeated due to the war they incited, inflation, rising health insurance costs, skyrocketing energy costs, costly food prices, pollution control rollbacks, and decimation of national parks in favor of vanity projects. If you think elections are rigged, I’m from Queens and have 2 Brooklyn Bridges to sell you.

— Claudia H. Allen, Emmaus

The Heritage Foundation is a threat to democracy

The Heritage Foundation is more dangerous than the Communist Party. Under the guise of democracy, it uses and distorts our legal system to advance its vision of fascism — an omnipotent president. Let’s pull back the veil it hides under.

— Stephen Aronson, Allentown

Deporting immigrants without due process isn’t American

As a 74-year-old American, I am struggling with the words to describe the horror and disbelief I have in my government’s immigration policies. We are a country of laws. In my America, people, all people, have rights, even “illegal immigrants.”

My understanding is we are deporting immigrants without due process to dangerous African countries that our State Department has declared are unsafe to travel in.

Granted, these immigrants are in our country illegally, but they are being moved around our country surreptitiously so their families or legal representatives can’t find or contact them. Without any notice, they find themselves on an airplane on their way to one of those countries without any documentation whatsoever. Basically, they just disappear.

These are the types of things that happen in Russia, China or North Korea.

In the America I knew, this would be considered cruel, criminal and illegal!

— Rodney Holt, Hanover Township, Northampton County

Will Chinese AI become a global threat?

Several of the companies involved in artificial intelligence have stated that the effort to develop it should slow down as it may become dangerous, with some saying it could destroy humanity.

Some members of Congress are chiming in to help solve this issue, although not one has said how this will be done. I wonder if the AI race with China will be helped or inhibited with congressional action.

One aspect of this AI development and the effort to control it that is not discussed or questioned is this: If China is not restricted in the development of AI, will its AI be dangerous? With the internet the way it is, will Chinese AI invade the rest of the world and become a danger to all?

— James P. Lenahan, South Whitehall Township

Brooks will fight for change younger generations need

During the Democratic primary campaign, local media outlets remarked that all of the candidates had more or less the same views on the issues. This was true. But what was also true was that Bob Brooks’ message was consistent regardless of the audience he was in front of, a rarity in politics.

Before pretty much every crowd imaginable, irrespective of age, from dyed-in-the-wool Democrats to independents who are only recently becoming politically involved, Bob regularly spoke to issues that matter most to young voters: the housing shortage, the skyrocketing costs of education and groceries, and ensuring there is a strong jobs market that pays enough to live on. Bob did that because he believes in those policies, but he also understands that those policies are the best not just for our youth but for all Americans.

Most of us admit that the problems that confront us as a nation threaten our primacy in the world and our social stability, but very few in government seek to truly solve those problems. Bob’s ability to roll up his sleeves and do the hard thing is why everyone, and particularly my generation, should vote for him in November.

— Aiden Gonzalez, Bethlehem

The writer is a former Democratic candidate for Congress, and vice president of the Lehigh Valley Young Democrats

Election letters

Letters to the editor about candidates and issues in the Nov. 3 general election must be received by 10 a.m. Oct. 22.  Election-related letters will not be published after Oct. 29.

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.