Do you remember how unpleasant it was during the COVID shutdown? Almost all of the grocery stores were closed or severely inconvenienced. Giant had arrows on the floor and barricades at the ends of aisles to allow only one-way traffic down the aisles. Many pharmacies were closed. All barbershops and salons were closed. Auto repair shops and dealerships were closed. Convenience stores were only open to sell fuel. Fraternal clubs and bars and restaurants were closed. Churches were closed. Non-life-threatening surgeries were postponed. And when grocery stores were permitted to reopen, there were shortages of toilet paper, paper towels, coffee, and other items. And when grocery stores were permitted to reopen, it was on a limited basis. Not all were permitted to reopen. Then some restaurants but not all were permitted to reopen. And then some barbershops and salons, but not all were allowed to reopen. We were required to practice “social distancing” and wear face masks.

Only “essential services” were allowed open, but there was no clear definition of what an essential service is, nor were there uniform requirements for reopening. Small business owners were not given the criteria to be considered an essential service. The time certainly “smacked” of favoritism.

Do you remember who was responsible for all the cumbersome miseries we were forced to endure? I will help you remember: Gov. Tom Wolf and Attorney General Josh Shapiro (our present governor). When small business owners filed lawsuits, our liberal Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices refused to hear the cases. Additionally, they allowed mail-in ballots that were returned three days late in 2020 to be counted. The three are Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty, and David Wecht. And now they are asking Pennsylvania voters to return them for another 10 years. Now that’s an awful thought!

Between now and Nov. 4 you may see road signs requesting your “no” vote for their retention. They most certainly made poor decisions during their present term and should not be considered for another term. This should not even be a political question because all persons, voters as well as nonvoters, Republicans as well as Democrats, were forced to march to these judges’ hideous drumbeat. Please consider joining me in voting no to the retention questions on Nov. 4.

Lee Becker

East Penn Township