Our Opinion: Changes in diocese may offer lessons for all

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Steve Corbett: “Do you still drink?” I asked the candidate

There&#8217;s a difference between shame and guilt. Shame is a violation of cultural or social values and guilt is a violation of one&#8217;s own values.The Anthracite region is by and large a shame culture and this is an important factor contributing to the region having one of the lowest qualities of life in the nation.You often hear the rationalization, &#8220;everyone else is doing it.&#8221; In a democratic society, the majority may rule, but the majority is seldom right. Most progress comes from a creative minority and the majority rides on their wings.In Germany, the people voted for Adolph Hitler and paid the price. Chambersburg is printing 500 signs to shame people whose grass is too high.The more things change, the most they remain the same. It was shame culture that required Jews to wear the Star of David as a symbol of shame. It is members of our own shame culture that criticize Hispanics because they don&#8217;t talk coal cracker like us and paint their houses pink and yellow.&#8220;When they came for the Jews, I did nothing because I wasn&#8217;t a Jew; when they came for the homosexuals, I did nothing because I wasn&#8217;t a homosexual; when they came for the retarded, I did nothing because I wasn&#8217;t retarded. One night there was a knock on the door, they came for me and I was all alone.&#8221;Who are these control freaks who slither their way into public office and impose their will on other people? Strong fences make good neighbors. When I grew up in the 1950s, every yard had a fence and everyone stayed on their side of the fence.Intolerance is mankind&#8217;s greatest source of evil. It was the same majority that cheered Jesus on Palm Sunday, and because he would not be king, jeered for his crucifixion on Good Friday. The only thing we learn from history is that we learn nothing from history.Joseph Woitko Sr.Beaver Meadows

Letter to the Editor: Using “rule of shame” wrong way to govern